ITV

Category: Hindi

  • FTBHJ to release on Spuul.com on 13 Nov

    FTBHJ to release on Spuul.com on 13 Nov

    MUMBAI: Bollywood film ‘Future Toh Bright Hai Ji’, which is currently running in theatres, will release online on Spuul.com, ten days after the film’s theatrical release on 2 November.

    Starting 13 November, movie lovers worldwide, including India, can instantly watch ‘Future Toh Bright Hai Ji’ (FTBHJ) anytime, anywhere on a wide variety of devices by signing up for an account on Spuul.com or downloading Spuul’s free app for the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.

    Spuul.com, which already has over a million views, will allow movie buffs worldwide and in India to watch the film on the web as well as on their mobile devices.

    Commenting on the film’s unique online release, V One Entertainment Director Ashok Jain said, “When we distribute films, our key endeavour is to maximize their reach. I am delighted that this online release on Spuul will not only take FTBHJ to a far larger audience worldwide, but will also revolutionize film distribution. I am very happy that V One Entertainment is ushering in something as significant as this.”

    Spuul South Asia head Prakash Ramchandani said, “We are confident that thanks to the all-important factors of instant access, convenience, top quality streaming and an excellent overall viewing experience at home or on the go, FTBHJ’s online release on Spuul will ensure that many more movie buffs, worldwide, enjoy the movie. It will also significantly energize the film industry by putting the spotlight on the growing audience that watches Indian movies online.”

    FTBHJ is the story of a young small town couple trying to make it big in Mumbai. After struggling for long, the couple visits an astrologer and is led to believe that their life will change for the better in seven days. Watch FTBHJ to find out if things turn around for the better.

    The film has been directed by Sanjay Amar, with music by Mohinderjeet Singh and songs sung by Sunidhi Chauhan, Shaan and Neeraj Shridhar. The star cast includes Aamir Bashir, Satish Kaushik, Sonal Sehgal, Neelima Azim, Delnaz Paul and Vipin Sharma.

  • IFFI to stage 20-minute dialogue between Dadasaheb Phalke and wife

    IFFI to stage 20-minute dialogue between Dadasaheb Phalke and wife

    MUMBAI: 2012 marks the centenary year of Indian cinema and what better way to celebrate the same by paying a tribute to the Father of Indian cinema, Dadasaheb Phalke. The 43rd international film festival will stage a 20-minute play with a dialogue between Phalke and his wife Savitri.

    Made by Phalke‘s grand niece, the play throws light on what inspired Phalke to make India‘s first full-leagth feature film Raja Harishchandra in 1913. “We have a biography on Dadasaheb Phalke made by his grand niece which we will showcase on November 21. We wanted to celebrate the 100 years of cinema and what better way to do it than this. It is a 20-minute dialogue between Phalke and his wife Savitri which will be adapted into a play,” said IFFI director Shankar Mohan in a statement.

    Besides this, the 11-day festival will also screen 26 feature films and 36 documentary and non-feature films to commemorate the centenary year of Indian cinema. “It is a special time this year as we complete 100 years, and so we have a collection of movies which will be screened. IFFI has changed a lot over the past years in terms of content and delivery and we aim to make it better each year,” Mohan added.

    The IFFI, that starts from 20 November will open with the screening of Oscar-winning filmmaker Ang Lee‘s Life Of Pi while it will close with Mira Nair‘s The Reluctant Fundamentalist.

  • Competition Appellate Tribunal issues notice to inquire into YRF deal on film releases

    Competition Appellate Tribunal issues notice to inquire into YRF deal on film releases

    MUMBAI: The Competition Appellate Tribunal has issued notice for enquiring into the anti-competitive activities of YRF blocking theatres for release of ‘Jab tak hai jaan‘ during Diwali while releasing ‘Ek Tha Tiger‘ during Eid.

    In a statement, Ajay Devgn Films said the Tribunal ‘has seen merit in our case‘.

    The Competition Appellate Tribunal did not provide an interim relief, ADF said, “In view of YRF‘s own statement that only 821 theatres which have already executed agreement with it for showing Jab Tak Hai Jaan on Diwali in comparison to 1407 single screens for Ek Tha Tiger.”

    This leaves the balance screens which have not executed agreements with YRF to show “Jab Tak Hai Jaan” till date to be free to exhibit “Son of Sardaar” without any tie in arrangement of YRF. This would include 586 single screens which had earlier shown “Ek Tha Tiger”.

    The statement said, “Accordingly, we would now be approaching all theatres who have not executed any agreement for showing Jab Tak Hai Jaan for exhibiting our movie Son of Sardar. However, if the above facts are found to be false which would be proven through evidence after the release of the movie, we would not only continue to fight against YRF‘s anti-competitive activities on our own behalf but also on the behalf of the entire industry.”

    The Competition Commission of India had on 6 November said there was no contravention of the Competition Act with regard to the agreement between Yash Raj Films and single screen exhibitors with regard to the film ‘Ek Tha Tiger‘ starring Salman Khan.

    The Commission had said the agreements entered into in July/August were not anti-competitive.

  • Annual award instated by TSR in memory of his friend Yash Chopra

    Annual award instated by TSR in memory of his friend Yash Chopra

    New Delhi: An annual National Yash Chopra Memorial Award is to be given every year to an outstanding film personality.

    The award comprising Rs one million has been instituted by Dr T Subbarami Reddy, entrepreneur and Member of Parliament who told indiantelevision.com that he had been very close to Chopra, who had passed away recently after an attack of dengue fever at the age of eighty.

    Reddy said he had come to know Chopra in the early eighties and had also collaborated as Co-Producer in some films like ‘Vijay‘, ‘Chandni‘ and ‘Lamhe‘. ‘We were partners for only ten years, but had been friends for 31 years‘, he added.

    He said Chopra succeeded because he paid great attention to the story, script and dialogues. Contrary to common perception, stars came to Chopra to work with him and that is why he had popular stars in his films.

    He also sought to dispel another perception by saying that Chopra had great respect for his elder brother B R Chopra who had given him his first break as a director in ‘Dhool ka Phool‘.

    Reddy said he was in shock on receiving the news of Chopra‘s demise, as he had spoken merely ten days prior to the death to invite him for the opening of his (Reddy‘s) new multiplex in Andhra Pradesh.

    He asked Chopra about the announcement about retirement from films. He said Chopra had told him in the short telephonic conversation that he had other plans which he would disclose whenever he meets Reddy.

    Reddy said ‘Yash Chopra‘s films will always be viewed and remind us of his creativity.‘

  • Rare classics of silent era to screen at Kolkata film festival

    Rare classics of silent era to screen at Kolkata film festival

    MUMBAI: To give a nostalgic feel to film buffs of how silent films were screened in tents a century ago, the Kolkata International Film Festival (KIFF) that is to get under way from Sunday, will screen some rare classics of the silent era at the state-run multiplex Nandan.

    It is here that a makeshift camp has been made to recreate the environment in which films used to be screened once upon a time. The camp will accommodate around 200 people.

    Named after one of India‘s first filmmakers, the Hiralal Sen Mancha will screen 15 black and white classics during the week-long carnival to celebrate the completion of 100 years of Indian cinema.

    This Sunday, India‘s first full-length feature film released in 1913, Dadasaheb Phalke‘s Raja Harishchandra, will be shown. Based on the mythological story of King Harishchandra, the film will be shown in the DVD format.

    Phalke‘s film Kalia Mardan, which presents the story of how a young Lord Krishna wins over a giant serpent will also be screened.

    Jyotiprasad Agarwala‘s Joymati (1933) will take viewers back to 17th century Assam to tell the painful story of a medieval princess who is tortured and killed by the evil prime minister for refusing to betray her husband.

    Kalipada Das‘ 1931 film Jamai Babu, a comedy remembered for having rare visuals of Howrah Bridge, Victoria Memorial and the sprawling Maidan in the heart of the city.

    Besides, classics from the legendary New Theatres studio founded by the Dada Saheb Phalke awardee BN Sircar, Chandidas, Dhoop Chhaon and Mukti will also be shown.

    Altogether 189 films from 60 countries will be screened at twelve venues during the eight-day KIFF.

  • This year Turkey is Country Focus of IFFI

    This year Turkey is Country Focus of IFFI

    MUMBAI: The 43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) has announced that this year, Turkey would be its Country Focus.

    The ‘Country Focus‘ section intends to promote a greater understanding of the traditions and cultures of the focused country‘s society. It will showcase the way of life in Turkey through the intricately woven stories of the films.

    The section, that will showcase handpicked cinema from the culture and society of Turkey, will present a package of eight films that will include films like Do Not Forget Me Istanbul, ‘Hidden Lives, Love and Revolution, The Son, The Stranger, Trace, Voice of My Father and Where the Fire Burns.

    Showcasing films which are true reflections of life and times of the people of Turkey, the section brings works by Turkish directors like Aida Begic, Eric Nazarian, Hany Abu-Assad, Josefina Markarian, Omar Shargawi, Stefan Arsenijevic, Stergios Niziris, A. Haluk Ünal, F. Serkan Acar, Attila Cengiz, Filiz Alpgezmen, Tayfur Ayd?n, Orhan Eskiköy and ?smail Güne?.

    The IFFI would be held in Goa from 20 to 30 November.

  • Barfi and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara win awards at 6th Cinemascapes

    Barfi and Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara win awards at 6th Cinemascapes

    NEW DELHI: UTV Motion Picture‘s movie starring Ranbir Kapoor ‘Barfi‘, has received an award for the best Hindi film shot on an Indian location. The film is also India‘s official nomination to the Oscars.

    Held for the first time, the awards recognized the contribution of cinema to tourism growth. The awards were given away in four different segments by Ramesh Sippy, Mahesh Bhatt and noted film maker and chairman of MAMI Shyam Benegal, and T P Aggarwal, president of IMPPA.

    The award was received by Anurag Basu and Siddharth Roy Kapur at the 6th annual Cinemascapes, an event that celebrates the coming together of cinema and tourism, held in Mumbai recently. It brought together 14 exhibiting companies to meet with the professionals in the film fraternity. The event has been supported by the Film and Television Producers Guild of India as its anchor partner since its inception and this year it also became a part of the Mumbai Film Festival.

    Ritesh Sidhwani received the award for the best Hindi Film shot on International locations for ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara‘ which has been shot in Spain, a country that received stupendous growth in its Indian arrivals after the release of the film.

    The awards also recognized the journey of South Indian films in going aboard. ‘Ordinary‘ and ‘Dookadu‘ were memorable in popularising destinations. Fox Star Studio represented by Vivek Krishnani received an award for the film “Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” as the best International film shot on Indian Cinemascapes.

    Apart from films, television soaps and TVCs were also recognized for their contribution in popularizing locations in India and Overseas. Balaji film CEO Tanuj Garg the of received an award for the best general entertainment TV fiction shot in an overseas location for ‘Bade Achhe Lagte Hain‘ and Sumit received the best general entertainment TV fiction award on an Indian location for ‘Diya aur Baati‘.

    The best TVC shot on a cinemascape – International was ‘Cinthol Soap World‘, while ‘Visa Kashmir‘ received the best TVC shot on cinemascape in India. In addition, the Jury also recognized the contribution made by the directors and cinematographers for films such as ‘Rockstar‘ and ‘Urumi‘.

    The contribution made by the destinations was also recognized. Goa was chosen as the best cinemascape destination in India and Thailand as the best cinemascape destination overseas.

    The late Yash Chopra was remembered for his outstanding contribution in promoting Cinemascapes in his films over the years and was conferred with a special award by the Jury.

    The Film and Television Producers Guild of India was represented by Guild President Mukesh Bhatt and veterans Amit Khanna, Ramesh Sippy, Bobby Bedi and Manish Goswami during the daylong event.

    The event was also supported by other leading industry association including the IMPPA with the presence of its president T P Aggarwal, Film Federation of India represented by L. Suresh and Ravi Kottarakara, representatives of Motion Pictures Association of America, and Entertainment Society of Goa CEO Manoj Srivastava.

    The award ceremony was preceded by two days of discussing challenges in the sector and how the film industry was reaching out in search for Cinemascapes, to enhance the quality and appeal of cinema, and how destination promoters were eagerly wooing the cinema world, thereby increasing the tourism potential of their destinations.

    Japan made its entry into this space in India for the first time, with its futuristic city of Sapporo in the province of Hokkaido coming forward as the platinum partner. Sarawak in Malaysia, teamed with other states in Malaysia and made an aggressive bid for bringing Bollywood to its shores, and also promoted its forthcoming international film festival.

    The Indian states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh continued with their support of the event, coming as Platinum and Silver partners, and made impressive product presentations to the film industry.

    Zagreb in Croatia came as presentation partner; as did Starwood Hotels and Resorts to sell hotel rooms and also its properties as enviable backdrops for film shootings, both in India and abroad. Individual exhibitors too made their mark. Delhi Tourism is on the anvil to become the single window for cinema shooting in the capital. U-Turn Tax Refund made interesting offers to help get refunds on time and help balance the economics of film shooting; Dubai and Thailand, among others, met with keen film makers and sold their destinations.

  • Sequel of Phas Gaye Re Obama in offing

    Sequel of Phas Gaye Re Obama in offing

    MUMBAI: On the heels of Barack Obama‘s re-election as the President of the United States Revel Films, the makers of the 2010 flick Phas Gaye Re Obama has declared that a sequel to the film will go on floors in the early part of 2013.

    Producer Ashok Pandey said, “I think this is the perfect time for a sequel. In fact, we were thinking of this for some time now. Given that there was a very strong feeling that Obama would be returned to the seat of power for the second time.”

    The film titled Bach Gaye Re Obama would be helmed by Anshul Sharma who was the associate director to Subhash Kapoor in the original.

    Talking about the story of the upcoming film in short, Pandey said, “The bottom line of the film will be ‘getting out of recession.‘”

    Though the makers want to retain the cast of the original, they are also thinking of roping in veterans like Paresh Rawal and Naseeruddin Shah.

    In all probability, the film will release by spring in 2014.

  • Bond’s Skyfall grosses Rs 275 mn in 4-day opening weekend

    Bond’s Skyfall grosses Rs 275 mn in 4-day opening weekend

    MUMBAI: Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment‘s 23rd Bond film Skyfall has grossed approximately Rs 275 million in its four-day opening weekend in India.

    This makes the second biggest opening weekend ever for a Hollywood film in India and the highest for a non-3D film, Sony Pictures India said.

    The film was released on 1 November with 907 prints in four languages — English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu — and in 2D and IMAX formats.

    Said Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala, “Skyfall has not only continued India‘s fascination with the James Bond franchise, but has also expanded it. The anticipation for the film has been unprecedented, going into high gear with the celebrations of the 50th year of the film franchise earlier in October. Extremely positive reviews and word-of-mouth will ensure that the film will have a long and successful run at the box-office and garner repeat viewings as well.”

    Skyfall‘s weekend had the best opening for a Bond film in India so far, exceeding other big box office performers Quantum of Solace (2008) and Casino Royale (2006). Quantum of Solace and Casino Royale posted lifetime gross box office of Rs 444 million and Rs 403 million respectively. It also posted the biggest ever Thursday opening for any Hollywood title with Rs 65 million.

    In Skyfall, Bond‘s loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under an attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

  • Reliance MediaWorks quarter net loss at Rs 2.33 bn

    Reliance MediaWorks quarter net loss at Rs 2.33 bn

    MUMBAI: Media and entertainment company Reliance MediaWorks has reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 2.33 billion for the quarter ended 30 September compared to Rs 1.20 billion for the same period last year.

    The company‘s total income from operations stood at Rs 2.14 billion in the quarter which is 8.59 per cent lower than Rs 2.35 billion reported in the earlier quarter.

    The current fiscal of the company extended till 30 September. In a filing on the Bombay Stock Exchange, the company informed: “The data in respect of the 18 months from April 1, 2010 to September 30, 2011 has been derived as a summation of the data for the year ended March 31, 2011 and the half year ended September 30, 2011. Accordingly, results for the quarter ended September 30, 2011, have been included as the corresponding quarter.”

    Reliance MediaWorks‘ revenue from film production services business stood at Rs 353.5 million. Income from theatrical exhibition and television/film production and distribution segments was Rs 1.63 billion and Rs 173.9 million respectively.

    The company‘s current liabilities stood at Rs 20.89 billion. Earlier this year, the company‘s board had approved raising up to Rs six billion through rights issue to ‘substantially reduce the debt‘ and is in the process of raising another Rs 6.05 billion from a foreign private equity fund by selling a substantial minority stake in its Film and Media Services division.