ITV

Category: Hindi

  • Network18 completes acquisition of 80% in AIM-listed IFC

    MUMBAI: Network18 Holdings, the subsidiary of Raghav Bahl-promoted Network18 Media & Investments, has increased its stake in the AIM-listed Indian Film Company (IFC) to 80.4 per cent.


    Network18 has received another 11.2 per cent stake offer, taking its “total valid acceptance of the offer” for a total of 44.4 per cent, or 24.4 million IFC shares.



    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com, Network18 had increased its stake in the AIM-listed movie company by 19 per cent, through the offer, increasing its stake in the movie company to 69.2 per cent.


    Meanwhile, Netwok18 also announced that the offer is closed now. “The offer was declared wholly unconditional on 24 August 2009 and 14 days notice was given of the closing of the offer. Such notice having now expired, the offer is now closed,” it said.



    Network18 had also announced that it is open to cancel IFC’s quotation on AIM, once it acquires 90 per cent or more of the existing issued ordinary share capital of the company.


    Network18 had also said that it would not delist IFC from AIM even if it completes 75 per cent acquisition. “It is Network18‘s current intention to retain the company‘s AIM quotation even if the level of acceptances in respect of the offer increases the Network18 parties shareholding to 75 per cent or more of the existing issued ordinary share capital of the company.”


    However, it also mentioned that if shareholders do not accept the offer in respect of their own shareholding, they will be minority shareholders in a controlled company with a reduced number of shares that are held in public hands as a result of Network18‘s current level of shareholding. This may have a significant adverse impact on the liquidity and marketability of their shares in the future, the company added.


    Network18 had increased its stake in IFC to 35.99 per cent, following which it had to make a mandatory offer for all the remaining shares not owned by it, as per UK takeover code.



    IFC stated that settlement of the consideration due under the offer in respect of valid acceptances, which were received complete in all respects on or before 24 August 2009, has already been dispatched. Also, settlement of the consideration in respect of further acceptances which are valid and complete in all respects and received prior to 7 September, will be dispatched within 14 days of receipt.

  • Zeenat Aman and Kabir Bedi paired after 38 years

    MUMBAI: Sanjay Sharma‘s Dunno Y… Naa Jane Kyun does not just mark the comeback of two veterans Zeenat Aman and Helen. It‘s also after 38 years that Aman is being paired with Kabir Bedi.

    According to director Sharma, he needed a stylish and handsome actor to match up to Zeenat Aman and who better than Kabir Bedi? Dunno Y… Naa Jane Kyun has the duo meet after a gap of 40 years.


    Way back in 1970, Aman and Bedi appeared in a soap advertisement and then acted together in Hulchul made in 1971.


    However, Kabir was himself apprehensive about doing a film as senior artistes do not get roles like they used to earlier. But when he heard this script, he instantly liked the emotional role that he would be playing.

  • Excel releases DVD & Blu-Ray disc of Marley & Me

    MUMBAI: Excel Home Videos and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have jointly released Marley & Me, the movie adaptation of Josh Grogan‘s best-selling book on DVD and Blu-Ray disc.

    David Franknel, the filmmaker behind The Devil Wears Prada has directed the heartwarming journey of a family that learns a few important lessons of life from their adorable but naughty dog.


    The film starring Academy Award-nominee Owen Wilson and Emmy-Winner Jennifer Aniston has a good supporting cast in Alan Arkin (best supporting actor, Little Miss Sunshine), Eric Dane (Grey‘s Anatomy) and Kathleen Turner (best actress, Prizzi‘s Honor).


    The DVD and Blu-Ray will be available at all leading stores for Rs. 399 and Rs.1,199.00 respectively.

  • Buddhadeb Dasgupta’s Janala to be premiered at Toronto Intl Film Fest

    MUMBAI: Janala, filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta‘s latest, is slated to be premiered in the Masters of World Cinema section at the Toronto International Film Festival to be held from 10 to 19 September.

    Produced by Big Pictures, the film touches on the nostalgia of childhood and the quest to get back to roots while struggling to keep one‘s neck above the waters of the present day muck.


    Janala, the sixth Dasgupta film to be showcased at the Festival, will be premiered in the masters of World Cinema section on 11, 12 and 13 September.


    “I am glad that my film based on a simple dream of a not-conventionally-successful man has found a coveted space in the Masters of World Cinema section of the Toronto International Film Festival this year. Janala is an attempt to be a reminiscent of the times when we sometimes try to make a simple dream come true, but the cogs of destiny leave us feeling unfulfilled,” said Dasgupta.


    According to Big Pictures COO Mahesh Ramanathan, “This is a momentous first entry for Big Pictures in the biggest film festival in North America. We are delighted Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Big Pictures will rub shoulders with the world‘s best cinema talent at Toronto.”


    Other films of Dasgupta that have been showcased earlier at the film festival are Uttara in 2000, Mondo Meyer Upakhyan in 2002, Swapner Din in 2004, Kaalpurush in 2005 and Ami, Yasin Aar Amar Madhubala in 2007.



  • Shemaroo, MoMedia sign five-year deal with BT Vision


    MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment and MoMedia International, a leading digital distributor and manager of video-on-demand (VoD) services backed by Endemol, have concluded an exclusive five-year deal with British Telecom‘s IPTV platform BT Vision to create and manage ‘Bolly & Beyond‘, its brand new South Asian VoD service in the UK. Shemaroo and MoMedia will manage and market ‘Bolly & Beyond‘, a subscription service that is scheduled to be launched later in September on the platform.

    The service that will target South Asian communities in the UK with a mix of Bollywood movies, music and television shows will be available to subscribers for ?6.85 per month.


    Commenting on the deal, Shemaroo Entertainment DirectorJai Maroo said, “We are delighted to be working exclusively with BT Vision on this brand new VoD service. With our large and diverse library of content and our strong relations with all the major content producers in India, we are excited to be providing a unique entertainment package to the South Asian communities residing in the UK. As a major content company, we strive to innovate in the digital space.”

    BT Vision CEO Marc Watson said, “Bollywood fans can now choose from an extensive library of TV and Film and watch what they want, when they want it. This is a great addition to what is already the UK‘s biggest on demand service for TV, film, kids, music and replay programmes.”



     

  • MPAA, plexes join hands against camcorder piracy

    MUMBAI: More than 90 per cent of newly released films around the world that end up appearing illegally on the streets and on internet sites originate from illegal copies made in cinema halls.

    In a joint initiative, the Motion Picture Association of America, PVR and Adlabs decided to come down heavily against the major source of piracy and launched a campaign to this effect.


    Motion Picture Association of America CEO and Chairman Dan Glickman, PVR Cinemas CEO Amitabh Vardhan and Adlabs COO Tushar Dhingra attended the meet at Adlabs‘ Odeon Big Cinemas multiplex in Delhi where the announcement was made.

    Called the ‘Make a Difference‘ campaign, the initiative sets up a series of anti-camcord training sessions for theatre employees across the country.


    “With the advancement of technology, piracy is getting a boost but the same technology can also be used in order to curb the spread.


    “The Big Cinemas team firmly stands behind this MPAA initiative which takes proactive action to curb camcord piracy and we hope that the anti-piracy laws are more steadfastly enforced in India,” said Dhingra.

    Remarked Vardhan, “Like every business, the motion picture industry relies on its profits to invest in future projects. Piracy results in fewer films being financed, which means jobs are not created and local goods and services – such as cinema tickets – are not purchased.


    Fame Adlabs, Fun Republic and other cinemas will also be part of this nationwide training initiative to raise awareness of unauthorised recordings in cinemas.

  • Tamil film Kanchivaram tops at National Film Awards

    NEW DELHI: Films from the South have romped in major awards at the 55th National Awards, but Hindi cinema dominated the 55th National Film Awards with as many as 17 honours.

    While Priyadarshan‘s offbeat Tamil film Kanchivaram walked away with the best feature film, director Adoor Gopalakrishnan was adjudged the best director for Malayalam film Naalu Pennungal.


    Malayalam films, in fact, won six awards, Tamil films five awards, and Kannada, English, Marathi and Bengali films bagged two honours each.


    Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chak De! India got the award for Best Popular film providing wholesome entertainment, while Frozen by Shivajee Chandrabhushan shot in Ladakh received the Indira Gandhi Award for the Best First film of a Director.


    The Nargis Dutt award for best feature film on national integration went to the Hindi film Dharm by Bhavna Talwar. Taare Zameen Par, by producer-director Aamir Khan, received three awards – the best film on family welfare, male playback singer Shankar Mahadevan for the song Meri Maa , and the best lyric award for Prasoon Joshi.


    Prakash Raj of Kanchivaram and Umashree of Gulabi Talkies (directed by Girish Kasarvalli) received the best artiste awards in the male and female category, while Sharad Goekar from the Marathi film Tingya got the best child actor award. Darshan Jariwala in Gandhi My Father and Shefali Shah in the English film The Last Lear got the best supporting artiste awards.


    Hindi film Jab We Met won awards for best female singer Shreya Ghoshal and the choreography award for Yeh Ishk Hai.


    Gandhi My Father, directed by Feroz Abbas Khan and produced by Anil Kapoor, also received the Special Jury Award and the best screenplay award for the director.


    Sushil Rajpal‘s Hindi film Antardwandwa got the award for best film on social issues such as women and child welfare. The film dealt with the marriages for sale racket. Foto by Virendra Saini in Hindi for the Children‘s Film Society, India, was awarded the best children film award while Inimey Naangathaan in Tamil by S venky Baboo got the best animation film award.


    Frozen also received the award for best cinematography for Shanker Raman, while the editing award went to Naalu Pennungal. The Shah Rukh Khan starrer Om Shanti Om also received the award for art director for Sabu Cyril.


    While Sai Paranjpye headed the 14-member jury, Ashoke Viswanathan was chairman of the six-member non-feature film jury and author Namita Gokhale headed the writing jury.

  • Reliance, Spielberg announce first list of films

    MUMBAI: Soon after tying up the funding, Reliance Big Entertainment and Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks Studios are readying their film production pipeline.

    The first three movies to roll out are I Am Number 4, Pirate Latitudes and Harvey. They are a mix of adventure and play adaptations.


    “With the backing of Reliance, we are able to continue developing our slate and producing films for the worldwide movie-going audiences,” said DreamWorks Studios co-chairperson and CEO Stacey Snider.


    I Am Number 4 is based on an eponymous novel co-written by James Frey and Jobie Hughes, which might be helmed by Transformers director Michael Bay. Spielberg is planning to produce and direct Pirate Latitudes, developed out of a posthumously published novel by Michael Crichton. Spielberg had developed Crichton’s “Jurassic Park” into a movie.


    “Michael Crichton was one of our greatest storytellers who expanded all of our imaginations with his books, films, and television,” said Spielberg. “With the ‘E.R.’ series and Jurassic Park series, I enjoyed one of the best collaborations of my career. Now with “Pirate Latitudes,” I and all of us at DreamWorks have the chance to be excited about bringing this new Michael Crichton work to the screen.”


    As reported in Indiantelevision.com, DreamWorks and Reliance Big Entertainment have locked their first phase of financing, sealing an amount of $825 million that would allow the joint venture to make six films annually.

  • Open Frame to discuss pubcaster services in last 50 years in September

    NEW DELHI: A total of over 50 documentary and short feature films from 22 countries will be screened in the Open Frame from 11 to 17 September organised by the Public Service Broadcasting Trust (PSBT).

    The highlight of the programme this year is a panel discussion on ‘Commemorating 50 years of Public Television’ coinciding with 50 years of the advent of Doordarshan in the country, which will be addressed among others by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni.

    Others who will take part in the discussion on 14 September at India Habitat Centre are filmmakers Adoor Gopalakrishnan and Shyam Benegal, legal luminary Fali S Nariman, and I&B Secretary Raghu Menon.

    One full-length feature film, Firaaq, by actor-director Nandita Das will also be screened during the Festival on 13 September.

    Apart from films commissioned by the PSBT for Doordarshan and some other Indian films, the countries from which films have been sent include Japan, South Korea, Congo, the Netherlands, United States, China, Palestine, Israel, South Africa, Liberia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Australia


    , Germany, United Kingdom, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Italy and France.


    There will be a large number of India or South Asia premieres of the films being screened, some entered by non-resident Indians.


    There will be two film appreciation workshops to be conducted by Suresh Chhabria, former director of the National Film Archives of India and currently a faculty member of the Film and Television Institute of India.

    There will be one Input presentation and discussion with Abhijit Das Gupta, National Coordinator, INPUT, and Subramaniam V. Raman, Programme Officer, Max Mueller Bhavan, Kolkata.

    Other discussions will be on ‘Sexual Violence as a weapon of war’, ‘Gender, Hijab and Identity’, and a presentation by Akanksha Joshi on ‘Profiles of Courage and Compassion in Gujarat after 5 years.’


    Some interesting films include Can you hear me? Israeli and Palestinian women fight for peace by | Lilly Rivlin of he United States, The Sari Soldiers by Julie Bridgham (which is an American-Nepal presentation), Project Kashmir by Senain Kheshgi & Geeta V. Patel (US), Afghanistan unveiled by Brigitte Brault & the Aina Women Filming Group of Afghanistan, No! The Rape Documentary by Aishah Shahidah Simmons (US), and Morality TV and the loving Jehad by Paromita Vohra.

  • Three Big Pictures’ films find way to Montreal Film Festival

    MUMBAI: Three films from the Big Pictures basket is scheduled to be showcased at the 33rd Montreal World Film Festival that is being held from 27 August to 7 September.

    While Shyam Benegal‘s Well Done Abba (Stolen Well) Shaji Karun‘s Kutty Srank (Sailor of Hearts) will be screened today. Benegal‘s film will also be shown tomorrow and the day after. Both the films have been selected for the ‘World Greats‘ section.


    Rituparno Ghosh‘s Abohamaan (The Eternal) has found a place in the ‘Focus on World Cinema‘ section and will be screened today, tomorrow and day after.


    Says Big Pictures‘ COO Mahesh Ramanathan, “It‘s really an honour to have three of our films at Montreal. Shyam Benegal, Rituparno Ghosh and Shaji Karun are masters in their field. They‘ve won critical acclaim and enjoy an international reputation. We‘re honoured to have these three Indian masters as part of our portfolio.”