Category: Hindi

MUMBAI

: Plaza Centers India, a developer of shopping and entertainment centres, has entered into a strategic alliance with PVR Cinemas to become its multiplex partner. The venture will mark PVR‘s foray in the city.The 400,000 sq ft Koregaon Park Plaza that involves an investment of Rs 500 crore will have a total of 14 lifts and staircases along with three levels of underground parking capable to accommodate 1,100 cars and 950 two wheelers. The new mall will also have an entertainment zone including a world-class bowling alley and a dining area for over 500 people.

Said Plaza Centers president and CEO Ran Shtarkman, “We are proud to launch our first venture in Pune, which will cater to local flavour with international standards and hope to be completely functional by 2011. We plan to follow it up with more such state-of-the-art malls in the country.”

He added that the company planned to invest a total of Rs 3,000 crore in India over the next three years. The company has identified Hyderabad, Cochin, Chennai and Bangalore for their future ventures.

Avered PVR Cinemas Group President Pramod Kumar Arora, “We are extremely delighted by this alliance. Our association with Plaza Centers is based on modern facilities and infrastructure. We will offer six screens and 1500 plus seats.”

PVR Cinemas, which pioneered the multiplex revolution in India with an 11-screen complex, operates 26 cinemas with a total 108 screens in Delhi, Faridabad, Gurgaon, Ludhiana, Ghaziabad, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Indore, Aurangabad , Baroda and Latur.

Plaza Centers,India is an indirect subsidiary of an Israeli company- Elbit Imaging Ltd that is listed on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and Nasdaq.

MUMBAI: Reliance Big Entertainment (RBEL) is trying to gain its stronghold in the South Asian region. It has sold the rights of Ghajini in Korea and additionally, it has also sold the broadcast and digital rights of four of its films

to China-based broadcasters.

The four box-office hit films to make their way to China include 13B, Luck By Chance, Karzzzz and Rock On!!

The sale of the theatrical, broadcasting and digital rights of Ghajini in Korea marks the first time an Indian action film has reached the shores of this South Asian nation.

At the same time, Big Pictures which has produced and/or distributed recent hits including 13B, Luck By Chance, Karzzzz and Rock On!! has sold the broadcast and digital rights of these films to China-based CC TV.

These two developments in the entertainment arena reflect Big Pictures‘ initiative to spread the popularity of Indian cinema into new territories.

Commenting on the sales, Big Pictures COO International Film Business Jawahar Sharma said, “Within just a year of its launch, our international sales team has tapped into major markets for the proliferation of Indian cinema.

“Indian cinema is gaining ground with the entry of Ghajini into Korea and our four titles into China. China is a crucial market because of its size and we are happy that we have found warm welcome into the largest country in the world.”

Through such initiatives, Big Pictures continues to educate worldwide audiences on the diverse facets of Indian culture through Bollywood films.

MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has released two song compilation packs titled Vintage Black & White – Ateet Ke Jharokhon Se and Vintage Black & White Part 2 – Sunehre Daur Ke Sureele Pal on home video .

The Vintage Black & White Part 1 and 2, comes in two DVDs and 6 VCDs packs consisting 72 immortal melodies that serves as a perfect tribute to the golden era of Hindi film songs.

The Vintage Black & White DVD & VCD packs feature timeless classics like Mohe Pangat Pe Nandlal (Mughal-E-Azam); Mud Mud Ke Na Dekh (Shree 420); Dil Tadap Tadap Ke (Madhumati); Sab Kuchh Sikha Humne (Anari); Kaali Ghata Chhaye Mora (Sujata); Khwab Ho Tum Ya (Teen Deviyan); Dheere Dheere Machal‘ (Anupama) and Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (Nau Do Gyarah) among others.

The 2 DVD and 6 VCD packs of Vintage Black & White – Ateet Ke Jharokhon Se‘ and ‘Vintage Black & White Part 2 – Sunehre Daur Ke Sureele Pal‘ are each priced at Rs. 299.

MUMBAI: Excel Home Videos and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have released the live-action adaptation of Dragonball Evolution.

Based on one of the most popular Japanese manga series of all time, Dragonball: Evolution follows a young warrior on an epic adventure to discover his destiny and save the world from the forces of darkness.

The film follows the thrilling adventures of Goku (Chatwin), a powerful warrior on an epic adventure to discover his destiny and save the world from the forces of darkness with the help of the great Master Roshi. It‘s a race against time against the evil Lord Piccolo who is trying to take over the world.

The DVDs and Blu-Ray discs are available in English, Hindi and Tamil with bonus features that has deleted scenes, Goku‘s workout and gag reel. The DVD & Blu-Ray will be available for Rs. 399 and Rs.1,1990 respectively.

MUMBAI: Madhur Bhandarkar will be honoured as the best film director for his contribution to Indian Cinema by Sovex Port Film, Ministry of Culture of Russia in Moscow on 15 September.

In a retrospective of his films, Bhandarkar‘s critically-acclaimed and commercially successful films like Fashion, Page 3 and Traffic Signal will be screened in Russian sub-titles.

Commenting on the honour that would be bestowed on him, Bhandarkar says, “I am extremely honoured to know that this award is coming to me and I am glad that I am getting a chance to represent my country once again.”

MUMBAI: Pixar Films’ 3D animated movie UP will hit the Indian screens on 18 September.

The film is being distributed by Walt Disney Pictures.

UP is director Pete Docter’s second feature-length film after Monsters, Inc and features the voices of Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Bob Peterson and Jordan Nagai.

A comedy adventure, UP is the story of a 78-year old balloon salesman Carl Fedricksen who finally fulfils his dream when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wild in South America with an over-eager Wilderness Explorer named Russell.

UP is Pixar‘s first film to be presented in Disney Digital 3-D.

MUMBAI: Tamil film

director Gautham Menon is on an ambitious mission of setting up a Rs 1 billion film fund to assist financing of southern language movies.

India has two film funds, Vistaar Religare Film Fund and Cinema Capital Venture Fund, that cater mainly to Bollywood films. This will be the first drive to have a south-dedicated film fund.

While big corporates have entered Bollywood and extended their production to regional fare including down south, local corporates have shied away from getting engaged in financing films.

“We see a gap in the market and are keen to float a Rs 1 billion film fund that would support the weaker producers,” Menon tells Indiantelevision.com.

The process is on to get the fund registered soon. “We are in talks with several people and want to get the fund rolling by November,” says an enthusiastic Menon.

That wouldn‘t be easy. An escalation in costs and slowdown in the economy have made film projects riskier. Several corporates, who were attracted to the glamour trade, have also burnt their fingers.

Menon, however, is not put down by these challenges. He is confident that the fund would have the support of 10 venture capitalists as investors including his own production company

, Photon Factory.

Menon has earlier directed films like Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikalam, Azhagiya Kuyile, Minnale and a Hindi film Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein.

NEW DELHI: Despite assurances to this effect by almost every Information and Broadcasting Minister over the past decade, there are no plans at present to create a single window clearance mechanism for foreign filmmakers wanting to shoot in India.

However, the I&B Ministry says it will clear any proposal received by it within three weeks.

The Ministry cites shortage of manpower as the reason for its decision not to set up a single window clearance.

Ministry sources also said that as against five or six filmmakers per year, there were over 20 filmmakers from overseas who shot films in India last year.

Filmmakers from overseas are often made to approach different departments like municipal authorities, Archaeological Survey of India, railway authorities, tax exemption authorities and state governments for clearance of their films, in addition to security clearance by the Home and Defence Ministries. Many foreign filmmakers have in the past opined that they would save time if this could be done through a single window clearance, even if they have to pay for this.

MUMBAI: Four years after its release, Sanjay Leela Bhansali‘s film Black has hit the Korean screens and instantly secured the third position at the box-office.

The Amitabh Bachchan and Rani Mukerji starrer that released on 4 February 2005 opened in Korea on 28 August across 180 screens.

Touted as one of the biggest release for a Hindi movie in Korea, Black jumped to the third position at the Korean box-office while Korean films Take-Off and Haeundae took the first two positions respectively.

Loosely based on Helen Keller‘s autobiography The Story of My Life, Black revolves around a blind, deaf and mute girl and her relationship with her teacher who later suffers from Alzheimer‘s disease.

Distributed worldwide by Yash Raj Films (YRF), the film was released in the Korean market as part of YRF‘s strategy to open doors for “Indian cinema in non-traditional territories.”

MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has released two song compilations: Sargam ke Saathi Pancham – Kishore on DVDs and Singer – Composer R.D. Burman on VCDs.

The first album is a compilation of songs of the legendary pairing of R D Burman and Kishore Kumar. The album includes melodies like Yeh Jawani Hai Diwani from Jawani Diwani, Musafir Hoon Yaaron from Parichay, Kiska Rasta Dekhen from Joshil; Aanewala Pal Jaanewala Hai from Golmaal, Jidhar Dekhon Teri Tasveer from Mahaan and many other memorable tracks.

The second album that features twelve songs composed and sung by R D Burman himself includes tracks like Meri Jaan Maine Kaha from The Train, Samunder Mein Nahake Aur Bhi from Pukar, Gol Maal Hai Bhai Sab Gol Maal Hai from Golmaal, Tu Ne Kiya Kya Jaadu from Apne-Apne and Kal Kya Hoga Kisko Pata from Kasme Vaade amongst others.

While the Sargam ke Saathi Pancham – Kishore DVD is priced at Rs. 99, the VCD of Singer – Composer R.D. Burman is priced at Rs. 45.