ITV

Category: Hindi

  • Australian and Indian cinema collaborate for an OZ independent feature

    MUMBAI: Following the global success of films such as Slumdog Millionaire, Monsoon Wedding, Bride & Prejudice, Salaam Namaste and Chak De! India, Australian actor-producer James Vegter has teamed up with Indian writer-director Daksh Tyagi to develop a new Australian independent feature film called Two Years Two Soon.

    The film is set against a backdrop of the recent alleged racial attacks against Indian students in Melbourne, which has dominated news headlines across the globe and strained relations between the two countries.

    What begins as a love story with racial undertones takes a compelling turn into a fast-paced, riveting thriller. Ultimately, the film deals with the sensitive subject matter of racism with a positive sense of optimism for future relations between the two countries.

  • Osian’s-Cinefan to honour Gulzar with Lifetime Achievement Award

    MUMBAI: The Osian‘s Cinefan Film Festival will honour noted lyricist-writer-director and poet Gulzar with the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematic Contribution.

    The presentation will take place on 24 October at the opening ceremony at Siri Fort in New Delhi.


    The Lifetime Achievement Award for Cinematic Contribution is the most prestigious Award presented by Osian‘s Cinefan and the tribute focuses on Gulzar‘s creativity and contribution to entertainment that goes beyond cultural, linguistic and other boundaries.


    A renowned poet in his own right, Gulzar‘s contribution to the history of Indian cinema has also been to infuse a sense of poetry and wistful contemplation about the complexities of human life – as a writer, a director and also as a lyricist.

  • Karthik Calling Karthik to release on 12 February

    MUMBAI: Excel Entertainment‘s Karthik Calling Karthik, starring Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar, is slated to release on 12 February next year.

    The film is a tale about a man who gets phone calls from himself, one never knows what to expect when the clock strikes five … and the phone rings.


    Produced by Ritesh Sidhwani and Farhan Akhtar and co-produced by Amit Chandrra and Vijay Lalwani, the film has been directed and written by Vijay Lalwani.


    The film stars Farhan Akhtar, Deepika Padukone, Ram Kapoor and Shefali Shah.
    Other credits include music by Shankar, Eshaan & Loy with lyrics by Javed Akhtar and cinematography by Sano Varghese.

  • Deepak Sharma to head global distribution at PVR Pictures

    MUMBAI: PVR Pictures has announced the appointment of Deepak Sharma as head its global distribution.

    Sharma was earlier the executive vice-president and director with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited where he used to oversee both the film production and distribution verticals along with related lines of business.

    Sharma has been associated with the entertainment and media industry since the last 17 years and his areas of expertise encompass film production, distribution (domestic and overseas), acquisition and syndication of films.

    Says Deepak Sharma on his new role, “I am extremely excited about my new role at PVR Pictures. The team is bright with innovative ideas and completely charged and I am absolutely confident that we will continue to associate with world-class cinema and content both in domestic and international markets.”


    Over the years, Sharma has also been closely associated with Vijayta Films, Sony Pictures along with other Hollywood major studios in India that has helped him carve a niche in the film distribution space in India along with the overseas markets.

    Commenting on his appointment, PVR Ltd MD Ajay Bijli said, “We are operating in an increasingly competitive and dynamic environment. The road ahead is going to be very demanding and exciting. Deepak‘s experience in the industry will add impetus to our all-round aggressive distribution plans in the coming years.”

  • Disney elevates Seshasaye Kanthamraju to director of motion pictures biz

    MUMBAI: The Walt Disney Company (India) has elevated its corporate communications director Seshasaye Kanthamraju, shifting him to a new role as marketing and distribution director for the motion pictures

    business.


    At Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures India, Kanthamraju will be responsible for overall marketing and distribution strategy for the theatrical slate.

    He will also be working closely with UTV Motion Pictures on the film distribution front.Kanthamraju will work closely with Walt Disney Studios theatrical production and acquisitions team. The heads of theatrical distribution and theatrical marketing for Walt Disney Studios India will report into him.

    The Walt Disney Company (India) senior vice president and managing director Mahesh Samat said, “Kanthamraju has been with Disney for last five years. We are confident that his contribution will further strengthen the reach and relevance of our Studios business in India.”


    In his previous role as corporate communication director, Kanthamraju managed internal and external communications as well as company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts in the market.


    Kanthamraju has over 16 years of marketing and communications experience across different industries ranging from advertising, technology and media.

  • K Sera Sera raises Rs 1.35 bn via GDR

    MUMBAI: K Sera Sera Productions has raised Rs 1.35 billion through a GDR (Global Depositary Receipts) issue, building cash to fund its expansion programme that includes bidding for an IPL (Indian Premier League) team franchise.

    The company already has a cash reserve of Rs 1.25 billion. “A substantial chunk of the GDR money will be kept for the IPL. We may bid with strong partners. Part of the net proceeds of the issue will be for movies and also the online business,” says K Sera Sera chief financial officer Dharmesh Rajkotia.


    K Sera Sera will be investing Rs 250 million in the portal business, Rajkotia adds.


    Indiantelevision.com was the first to report that K Sera Sera will raise over Rs 1 billion through a GDR.


    K Sera Sera has approved and allotted 4.48 million GDR shares and and 134.2 million underlying equity shares (of Rs 10 each) representing the GDR, the company said.


    In an earlier GDR in November 2007, K Sera Sera had raised Rs 1 billion.


    Meanwhile, K Sera Sera has decided not to issue convertible warrants on preferential basis to Hindustan Times and Dainik Bhaskar. The company had earlier issued warrants to the Times of India Group.

  • Wake Up Sid garners Rs 460 million in 14 days

    MUMBAI: Dharma Productions‘ Wake Up Sid, directed by Ayan Mukerji, has collected Rs 460 million at the box office worldwide within the first 14 days of its release. The film has been directed by UTV Motion Pictures.

    While the movie collected Rs 376 million in the domestic market, it pocketed over Rs 83 million overseas.


    Says UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur, “Offering the audience refreshing youthful content, this movie continues its reign not just at the box office, but in viewers‘ hearts and minds owing to its simple narrative.”


    In the US, the movie collected $611,500, it made $382,000 and $376,000 in the UK and Gulf respectively.



  • Two Indian films awarded at Global Film Festival

    NEW DELHI: The short feature ‘Bebadelse’ from Sweden, directed by Jonas Moberg, and the documentary ‘Paradiso’ from the United Kingdom, directed by Alessandro Neglini, were given the main awards at the Global Film Festival which concluded in Indore.

    The jury, headed by renowned filmmaker S Krishnaswamy, also named two certificates each in the Short Films and documentary categories, apart from three films that came up for special mention.


    In the short films category, the two certificates of merit go to the film ‘In the name of Art’ from New Zealand (directed by Mardo El Noor), and from India ‘Midnight Lost and Found’ (by Atul Sabharwal).


    In the Documentary category, the two certificates of merit went to the Canadian ‘House of Numbers’ by Brent Leung and the Indian film ‘Children of the Pyre’ by Rajesh Jala.


    The jury made special mention of the Indian ‘Bilal’ in the Documentary Section, the Taiwanese ‘Grandpa’ in the Short films Section, and the American ‘Sincity Sincerely’ in the Shorts films section.


    Jitendra Jain, President of the Film Federation of India which organised the Festival, was present along with Dr Uma Sasi Sarma, Mayor of Indore.


    The jury saw 16 Documentary and 40 Short Films. Other members of the jury included Prof Nilotpal Majumdar and Dr K Mohana.

  • Shah Rukh Khan is South Korea ambassador for Culture and Tourism

    MUMBAI: The South Korean embassy yesterday presented Shah Rukh Khan with an honorary belt in Taekwondo and bestowed the title of an Honorary Ambassador for Culture and Tourism.

    The 43-year old actor has been conferred the 5th degree black belt of Taekwondo. Delegates of the Korean government especially flew down from Delhi to confer the honours on Khan. In July this year, Khan was also nominated by an NGO Routes to Roots and presented an honorary doctorate in arts and culture by Bedfordshire University in London for his contribution to culture.

    Earlier Khan was honoured as Datuk by the Malaysian government.

  • MFF introduces Film Business Centre

    MUMBAI: The Mumbai Film Festival has introduced a business centre this year that would provide networking facilities for Indian and foreign companies.

    The business centre aims at facilitating industry professionals from all over the world to explore business opportunities in India while its purpose is to encourage B2B interactions under the aegis of the Mumbai Film Festival.


    Representatives from film production and distribution companies, film sales agents from various countries and directors of film festival will be attending the Film Business Centre.


    The Film Business Centre will be hosted for a period of four days from 30 October to 3 November at Fun Cinemas, Andheri, the central hub for MFF. The Film Business Centre will be open to the members of film industry on an invitation basis and also to the registered delegates of MFF.


    Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) backed 11th edition of the Mumbai Film Festival (MFF) will take place in Mumbai from 29 October to 5 November.