ITV

Category: Hindi

  • Network18 to take over IFC, values movie company at Rs 1.75 bn

    MUMBAI: Network18 Holdings, a subsidiary of Raghav Bahl-promoted Network18 Media and Investments, is in the process of taking over AIM-listed Indian Film Company (IFC).

    In a fresh acquisition, the company has picked up 14.39 per cent stake in IFC for ?3.15 million (Rs 250.81 million). With this, Network18 will hold 35.99 per cent stake in the movie company.


    Network18 will now have to make an offer to buy out the remaining shares. In a disclosure, the company said it has made a mandatory cash offer for all IFC shares (other than those already owned by the Network 18 Parties), as required by Rule 9 of the UK Takeover Code.


    The offer price is at 40 pence per share, valuing the London-listed company at ?22 million (Rs 1.75 billion). This represents a premium of approximately 1.2 per cent to the closing mid-market price of 39.5 pence per IFC share on 29 July 2009, the last business day prior to the commencement of the offer period.


    Network18‘s latest acquisition of 7,913,500 shares, or 14.39 per cent, of IFC was from a single shareholder in the market. The purchase was made at a price of 39.75 pence per share.


    Indian companies are wanting to take complete control of their AIM-listed movie companies as they find it difficult to support their further fund-raising activities in these overseas entities. In a highly competitive movie environment, with many large Indian and international companies having entered the fray, they will need large resources as they scale up.


    “IFC is the only exception where an entity exclusively focused on the Indian film industry is backed by a relatively passive minority stake of the sponsor, Network 18 Media. This puts IFC at a significant competitive disadvantage,” Network18 said.


    The plan is to consolidate IFC as a Network18 Group company. The buy-out of shares would also lead to enhanced liquidity, capital appreciation and scale.


    “This will allow it the full benefits of directly and openly leveraging Network18 Group‘s strengths such as its branding its association with media brands like CNN, CNBC, Viacom and Forbes, and will enable it to compete better with the other big names of the industry,” Network18 said.


    IFC, which makes investments in both Indian films and films primarily targeted at the Indian audience, was admitted to trading on the AIM market on 18 June 2007. It operates as an externally managed India-focused motion picture company with outsourced production and distribution functions.


    The company held investments with a carrying value of ?52.06 million, according to information provided till 31 March 2009.


    IFC posted a net profit of ?3.89 million for the fiscal ended 31 March 2009, giving earnings per share of 7.07 pence.


    The net asset value (NAV) of the company stood at 117.32 pence per share.

  • Fame launches properties in Baroda and Bengaluru


    MUMBAI: Fame Adlabs has launched two multiplexes, one in Baroda and the other at Bengaluru.


    ‘Fame Property’ located at the Seven Seas Mall in Fatehganj, Baroda, is a 4-screen multiplex that has a total of 1,116 seats which include 25 leather recliners. The newly open multiplex not only offers the best of sound and picture quality but it is also the first multiplex in the city to introduce the concept of Luxury Cinema.


    The ‘Fame Multiplex’ in Bengaluru is located at the Forum Value Mall in Whitefield, is a 5-screen property. The plex has a total of 781 seats spread over 5 screens that includes exclusive 51-seater Gold Class Screen with the Gold Lounge.


    With the introduction of Fame Forum Value Mall, Fame now has the privilege of owning three properties in the Garden City. Fame Property is the third Fame multiplex in Gujarat.

  • Nandita Das is CFSI chairperson

    NEW DELHI: Actor-director Nandita Das has been appointed chairperson of the Children’s Film Society of India (CFSI) for a period of three years.

    Das succeeds social activist and actor Nafisa Ali who had to resign following her nomination as a candidate from Lucknow for the Samajwadi Party.


    Ali served CFSI for just under six years. In addition to acting in films  , Das recently made her debut as a director
    with Firaaq.


  • Toronto Intl Film Festival to premiere 2 Bollywood flicks

    MUMBAI: Yash Raj Films production Dil Bole Hadippa and Ashutosh Gowariker‘s What‘s Your Rashee? will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year.

    The event will run from 10-19 September.


    Produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by debutant Anurag Singh, the movie casts Shahid Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee as the lead protagonists.


    What‘s Your Rashee?, meanwhile is based on the Gujarati novel “Kimball Ravenswood” by Madhu Arya. The film is a romantic comedy starring Priyanka Chopra and Harman Baweja.

  • Big Home Video releases all ten seasons of ‘Friends’ on DVD

    MUMBAI: Big Home Video has released all the ten seasons of Friends on DVD.

    The collection includes all 236 episodes from the award-winning series in a beautiful collector‘s box – perfect to gift or own.


    While the complete series collection, comprising 60 DVDs, is priced at Rs 9,999, the season-based DVD box-set, consisting of 6 DVDs, costs Rs 1,299.


    Also, for the single season sets, a collection of 4 episodes each, DVD singles are available at Rs 299 each while VCD singles cost Rs 149.


    Friends defined a decade of television through its wondrous humour, unforgettable characters and captivating moments. The Emmy award-winning Friends stars Matthew Perry (Chandler), Matt LeBlanc (Joey), Courtney Cox-Arquette (Monica), Lisa Kudrow (Phoebe), Jennifer Aniston (Rachel), and David Schwimmer (Ross).


    Friends: The Complete Series Collection also includes commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, gag reels and trivia quizzes.

  • Excel, Fox release ‘Max Payne‘ on DVD

    MUMBAI: Excel Home Video has partnered with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment to release Max Payne on DVD, priced at Rs 399.

    Directed by John Moore, the movie is based on the 2001 best selling video game from Rockstar Games.


    The movie showcases Mark Wahlberg as the lead actor who wants to take revenge from those who had killed his family and goes into a dark underworld to find the truth.

  • NDTV Lumiere gets Chennai viewers to experience thrillers

    MUMBAI: NDTV Lumi?re and Alliance Francaise of Madras have organised ‘Experience Thrillers‘, a five day film-festival showcasing the best in horror, suspense, mystery adventure and crime from 5 to 9 August.

    Presented by Roca in association with Ford Fiesta- Go Fida, the film festival will be held in Chennai with a new film screened twice a day at 7 and 9 p.m.

    ‘Experience Thrillers‘ kicks off with The Orphanage, a spine-chilling thriller and Spain‘s official entry for the 2008 Academy Awards. Directed by award-winning young filmmaker Juan Antonio Bayona and produced by the renowned Guillermo Del Toro, the thriller stars Spanish actress Bel?n Rueda and Geraldine Chaplin, grand-daughter of Charlie Chaplin.


    Watch desire and vengeance meet in a musical thriller The Page Turner or get caught in the twisting tale of fate and fatality in Crossed Tracks, where nothing is what it seems. Be a part of an escape with Quim in King of the Hill and discover a terrible secret hidden in the woods with Shiver.

    Says NDTV Lumi?re Business Head Dhruvank Vaidya, “Chennai has a very loyal and passionate audience for world cinema and we are delighted to bring ‘Experience Thrillers‘ to them. This film festival will showcase some of the best films in the thriller genre in world cinema. We are proud to partner with the Alliance Francaise of Madras for this festival and are happy that our sponsors- Roca and Ford are associating with this premium offering. “

    Tara Rhine from Alliance Francaise of Madras adds, “After the extremely successful Louis Malle film festival with NDTV Lumiere last year, we are proud to co-host ‘Experience Thrillers‘ this year. The festival has some of the finest films from the NDTV Lumiere catalogue and we are sure that like the last time, audiences in Chennai would relish this opportunity as well. We will continue collaborating with NDTV Lumiere for such film festivals on a regular basis.”

  • Hungama brings Love Aaj Kal across three digital platforms

    MUMBAI: Illuminati Films and Eros International have tied up with Hungama Digital Media to launch several entertaining services across the three digital platforms – mobile, internet and DTH.
    The services include a ‘Love Aaj Kal Game‘ that can be accessed across the internet and mobile platforms and a ‘Love Aaj Kal social networking site application‘ that is available across all popular social networking sites.
    Love Aaj Kal the most awaited film of the year is presented by Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan‘s Illuminati Films, in association with Eros International.

    Hungama Digital Media has conceptualised, designed and executed the digital services to capture the playful and romantic elements of the film and create excitement about the film before its release.
    Commenting on his company‘s initiatives, Hungama Digital Media Managing Director and CEO Neeraj Roy said, “The rapid growth of the internet and mobile phone market in India and advent of the smart phones are all signs of a lifestyle that is interactive and dynamic. Today people want their television set also to interact with them and through our promotions of Love Aaj Kal on Tata Sky, Hungama has made this interaction possible.
    “Digital media allows consumers to sample and consume content wherever they are, whenever they want it. At Hungama, we use our expertise on these platforms to create services for films that does not merely create awareness but instead goes a step further to ensure interaction with the film.”


    Said Saif Ali Khan and Dinesh Vijan, producers of Love Aaj Kal, “We at Illuminati wanted to promote the film on a much larger platforms, which reach out to audiences all across the world and the digital media helps us blur the lines across geographies.
    “Another aspect the film addresses is the difference between ‘love yesterday‘ and ‘love today‘; most youngsters today are connected digitally through at least one of the three digital screens, so one can only begin to imagine the kind of interest that will be generated for Love Aaj Kal through these digital initiatives.”


    Said Eros International head of New Media Innovations Division, “We are excited about promoting Love Aaj Kal which is one of our biggest releases this year, through our association with Hungama who have developed some highly exciting and innovative content for our films. Recognizing the importance of digital marketing in a film‘s promotion.
    “Eros continues in its endeavour in providing exciting new media content, which will help create maximum visibility for the film to today‘s growing generation of digital savvy consumers”

  • Actress Leela Naidu passes away at 69

    MUMBAI: Noted yesteryear actress Leela Naidu (69), who showed her acting skills in a number of Hindi films as well as Merchant Ivory Productions‘ The Householder, breathed her last yesterday in Mumbai after a prolonged illness. She was 69.

    Born to an Irish mother and an Indian father, Naidu was crowned Miss India in 1954. The magazine Vogue once called her as one of the five most beautiful women in the world.


    The actress made her debut in Balraj Sahni‘s Anuradha in 1960. Though the film didn‘t do well at the box-office, it got acclaim when it won the National Award for best film and she got critical appreciation.


    She came into the limelight for her non-orthodox role with Sunil Dutt in Yeh Raaste Hain Pyar Ke that was based on the famous Nanavati vs. State of Maharashtra Court case.

  • ‘Shob Charitro Kalponik’ to be screened at Durban Film Festival

    MUMBAI: Big Pictures‘ Bengali film Shob Charitro Kalponik (All characters are ficticious) directed by Rituparno Ghosh‘s has been selected for the ongoing 30th Durban Film Festival that is being held from 22 July and will go on to 2 August.

    Shob Charitro Kalponik that stars Bipasha Basu, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Jisshu Sengupta, Pauli Dam and Sohag Sen will be screened in the Panorama Section of the festival along with films by directors like Woody Allen, the Dardenne Brothers, Lars von Trier, Laurent Cantet, Steven Soderbergh, Takeshi Kitano and Michael Winterbottom.


    Written and directed by Ghosh, Shob Charitro Kalponik is the story of Radhika‘s journey into the life of her late poet-husband, Indraneel and the revelations and contradictions she learns about Indraneel as a poet and husband.


    Says Big Pictures COO Mahesh Ramanathan, “Our efforts to broaden international horizons for Bengali films are beginning to be successful. Rituparno‘s work has been widely acclaimed globally. Shob Charitro Kalponik‘s selection in the Panorama Section of Durban film festival is a first ever premiere for a Bengali film in the African continent.


    “With this success, Big Pictures has now secured selection for 10 of its world cinema titles in over 12 prestigious international festivals in the last six months. It‘s a historical first for any production house in India.”


    Shob Charitro Kalponik is expected to release on 28 August in India.