ITV

Category: Hindi

  • Adlabs to foray into US market with 200 screens

    MUMBAI: Anil Ambani‘s Adlabs Films is taking the jump overseas, following a trend already visible when Chennai-based Pyramid Saimira Theatre Ltd (PSTL) bought out Texas-based FunAsia to start the process of owning a chain of theatres in the US.

    Adlabs FIlms on Monday said it has entered into agreements with several existing cinema properties in the US to operate 200 screen cinema exhibitions.


    The company offered no details on whether these were total buyouts.


    The chain of cinemas will cover 28 cities in the US including key markets in East, Mid West and West Coast.


    Besides Hollywood, the chain of cinemas will be playing films in Indian languages like Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.


    Adlabs Cinemas currently operates one Imax theatre, 37 properties and 112 screens across India.


    PSTL is investing $75 million to expand operations in the North American region where there is a growing affluent population of South Asians who enjoy Bollywood fare.


    For Adlabs, expect the size of investments to be more.

  • Adlabs Cinemas to present animated series during movie intervals

    MUMBAI: Adlabs Cinemas in association with animation studio Future Thought Productions is bringing a short film series called Crime Time to all its theatres.


    Each animated film, of less than two minutes in duration, will be played during intermission with new episodes being introduced on a periodic basis.


    The original series will debut in all Adlabs cinemas later this month.


    The animated series will also be extended to mobile, cable and satellite platforms.


    Crime Time is a series of stories that involve Shifty (The Criminal), a pint-sized pilferer with lofty ambitions and limited brainpower. He perpetrates crimes from the sublime to the ridiculous – never quite pulling them off and resulting in hilarious consequences.


    Adlabs Cinemas COO Tushar Dhingra said, “The idea was to fully engage our audience at all times including intermission, and also to provide original content, putting our own distinctive stamp on the movie-viewing experience. We are looking at extending Crime Time to mobile, cable and satellite platforms as well.”


    “Crime Time has proven to be a popular property with distribution throughout Europe, the US, Australasia and Latin America. We are delighted to bring this property to viewers in India exclusively through Adlabs”, said Future Thought Productions founder Jay Zaveri.


    Future Thought Productions is an animation studio involved in the development and production of animated content for film, television, web and the mobile space.


    Some of the clients and partners include Walt Disney Company, Warner Bros, MTV, Nickelodeon, UNICEF and product companies such as Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Cadbury, Orange and Unilever, among many others.

  • Himesh seen without his cap for the first time

    MUMBAI: Himesh Reshammiya, who will star in the remake of Karz has finally revealed his look in the film.And yes – you get to see him without his cap and in a new hair do. The actor will be seen in the film without his trademark cap.


    The remake Karzzzz, is produced by Bhushan Kumar & Krishan Kumar and Directed by Satish Kaushik. The film stars the mega star Himesh Reshammiya, Urmila Matondkar, Gulshan Grover, Danny Denzongpa and Rohini Hattangady. Himesh Reshammiya plays the role of Rishi Kapoor in the remake and also scores a hat trick by acting, singing and composing the music for the film.



    The shooting is scheduled to commence from mid-January and the film will be shot in South Africa, Kenya & Mumbai.



    T-Series has bought the remake rights from Mukta Arts for the original film Karz directed by Subhash Ghai. The original film had Rishi Kapoor, Tina Munim, Premnath amongst others and was a blockbuster of the 80‘s.

  • In conversation with George Clooney

    MUMBAI: In a special public session to be held during the Dubai International Film Festival titled “In Conversation with George Clooney,” the renowned Hollywood star will offer insights into his life and work.

    DIFF programmer and film critic Sheila Whitaker will speak with Clooney before a live audience, after which the floor will be open for questions from the public.



    Clooney’s career has been long and rich. He was born into a show business family- his father Nick was a television news journalist and anchor for many years in Chicago. He is the nephew of 1950’s actress and singer Rosemary Clooney and cousin of actor Miguel Ferrer (The Manchurian Candidate, Traffic).



    Clooney first gained recognition for his role in the television hospital drama ER, then moved on to roles in Hollywood films like Three Kings (1999), O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), Ocean’s Eleven (2001).



    Clooney has been to Dubai in 2005, he starred in Syriana, which was filmed in the Emirate. In the same year he directed, produced and starred in his Oscar-nominated Good Night, and Good Luck. He was the first person in Oscar history to be nominated for directing one movie and acting in another in the same year, winning the award for Syriana.



    “In Conversation with Georgea Clooney” will take place on 9 December in the Souk Madinat Jumeirah theatre.

  • Sony Pictures, Arts Alliance Media in digital distribution deal

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Releasing International (Sony-PRI) and Arts Alliance Media (AAM), one of Europe‘s providers of digital film distribution services, have reached a non-exclusive long-term agreement for digital cinema deployment.


    Under the agreement, Sony Pictures has committed to supply its films to certain European countries in digital format to AAM-deployed DCI-compliant digital cinema screens (if booked as a release screen), as well as to make financial contributions in order to promote digital cinema.


    Sony-PRI International president of distribution Mark Zucker said, “Arts Alliance Media‘s plan to roll out digital cinema in Europe has been embraced by the industry, and the winners are the moviegoers across Europe who will enjoy a state-of-the-art, higher quality theatrical experience. Through this conversion process, audiences will get to see motion pictures the way filmmakers intended, with beautiful, clear images and pitch perfect sound. Digital cinema is a true revolution in motion picture exhibition.”


    In June 2007, AAM signed Europe‘s first long term digital cinema deployment agreements with Twentieth Century Fox and Universal Pictures International for the conversion of close to 7000 screens over the next few years, and most recently Paramount Pictures International also independently committed to support AAM‘s digital rollout in Europe.


    In November 2007, the first European cinema chain, CGR Cinemas in France, signed up with AAM to convert 100 per cent of its 400 screens to digital. AAM is in active negotiations for further deployment agreements with other Hollywood studios, as well as European distributors and exhibitors and announcements are expected shortly.


    AAM completed the UK Film Council digital cinema rollout of 240 screens in April known as the Digital Screen Network. The company is also participating in two digital cinema trials in Europe, one in the UK at the Odeon Surrey Quays multiplex, since February 2007, and the other in Norway, in various cinemas across the country, since April 2006. To date, AAM‘s in-house digital cinema lab has encoded over 200 digital cinema titles and shipped over 4000 digital prints.

  • Vinta’s magic in tinsel town

    MUMBAI: Filmmaker Vinta Nanda is all set to direct two new projects titled Magic and Tinsel Town . A year ago, her directorial debut ‘White Noise‘ starring Rahul Bose and Koel Purie received rave reviews and critical acclaim. However commercial success eluded her.


    Vinta, who is simultaneously writing the script of Magic and Tinsel Town, plans to roll both the films in the coming year.



    Magic has a mix of established actors and newcomers in the cast. Tinsel Town which revolves around dancers, will feature all newcomers.



    While Tinsel Town will be produced by Asad Sharif along with Marc D‘Souza, Debo Kini and Aakash Thakkar, Vinta will co-produce Magic.



    Earlier, Vinta has been the force behind some of Indian television‘s biggest serials and soaps including Tara, Raahat, Rahein, Shatranj, Umeed, Deewar, V3 Plus, Agnichakra, Sansar , Aur Phir Ek Din, Papa, Kabhi Kabhi, Hero Uncle , Café 18, La Bellas, Sheila, Kasbaa , Deewane Toh Deewane Hai and Miilee.


  • Shemaroo releases ‘Bal Ganesh’ on home video

    MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment has released its animated film Bal Ganesh on home video. Both the VCD and DVD have been packed to appeal to children all over.

    The VCD pack of Bal Ganesh has a cut-out flap of Lord Ganesh as the opening. There are also yellow coloured modaks and ladoos. Every VCD pack carries free jigsaw puzzle and stickers of Bal Ganesh posing in various styles.


    The DVD comes in a fluorescent green with freebies. A photo frame, calendar, stickers, wrist band, foot ruler cum book mark, Ganesh Aarti, Ganesh Mantra and Shlok with meaning, and 108 names of Lord Ganesh with their meanings. With these meanings, this DVD pack definitely seems to educate along with entertaining children. It will appeal to parents as well.


    The Bal Ganesh DVD is also inclusive of, the making of the movie and its popular foot tapping music, sung by veteran singers from the industry and Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Zee Little Champ winners. Apart from this there is a bonus music video of the films famous song ‘Hathi Ka Bal‘ and it also features happy moments of the Bal Ganesh music launch which have been captured.


    The VCD is priced at Rs 99 while the DVD has an introductory price offer of Rs 169.

  • Imax, AMC Ent to launch 3D theatres in US

    MUMBAI: Imax and AMC Entertainment together will launch 100 Imax theaters in the top performing 33 screens of US market.

    According to the deal, Imax will bear the expense of the projector and AMC will pay to retrofit auditoriums and enlarging the screens.


    The deal involves equipping 100 of AMC‘s existing auditoriums with next generation Imax projection system.


    Imax is expected to add $35 million to its turnover.


    The timing of the deal coincides with Hollywood producers lining up 3D films in its production pipeline.


    Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson have agreed to direct and produce a series of 3D movies about Tintin, the Belgian comic book hero.


    DreamWorks Animation recently announced that it would distribute 3D films like Shrek Goes Forth.

  • Adaptation of One Night @ the Call Centre soon to release

    MUMBAI: The movie adaptation of Chetan Bhagat’s best seller ‘One Night @ the Call Centre’ tilted Hello is almost ready for release.


    Atul Agnihotri’s directorial venture Hello completed its major schedule of shooting at Film City, Mumbai. The entire start cast came together to shoot the climax scene. Except for one song, the movie has been wrapped up.



    Presented by Paul Parmer, the film Hello is produced under the banner of Reel Life Productions.



    Hello stars Sharman Joshi , Sohail Khan , Ishaa Koppikar , Amrita Arora , Gul Panag , Sharat Saxena , Dalip Tahil along with Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in a special appearance. Other credits include executive producer Ranjit Shah, music by Sajid / Wajid, lyrics by Jalees Sherwani, cinematography by Sanjay F Gupta, screenplay by Chetan Bhagat and Atul Agnihotri , story / dialogues by Chetan Bhagat, editing by Umesh Gupta, sound designed by Jitendra Choudhary, production designer Muneesh Sappel and action by Mahendra Verma.

  • The Chronicles of Narnia gets bigger

    MUMBAI: Prince Caspian, the second instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia which is due for release in the spring/summer of 2008 in the US and on 16 May, 2008 in India, is on an even more ambitious scale than The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (the first instalment in the Chronicles of Narnia series) and will feature bigger battles, more effects shots, more CGI creatures and some of the largest sets ever created for a Hollywood movie.

    The first instalment, called Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, grossed a huge $ 745 million worldwide, making it one of the most successful films of all time, in terms of boxoffice.


    In The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,the four Pevensie children – Peter (William Moseley), Susan (Anna Popplewell), Edward (Skandar Keynes), and Lucy (Georgie Henley) – are summoned back to the magical land of talking animals and mythical creatures, where they discover that more than a thousand Narnian years have passed since their last adventure and much has changed. The White Witch may be dead, but Narnia is under the sway of a tyrannical new ruler, King Miraz (Sergio Castellitto), and the Pevensies must unite with the young Prince Caspian (played by British actor Ben Barnes) in an attempt to restore peace and harmony to the once happy land.


    The new film reunites the original creative team behind the blockbuster first film including veteran director / screenwriter / producer Andrew Adamson, screenwriters Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely, and producers Mark Johnson and Philip Steuer. “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” is the second installment of the seven book series. The film opens worldwide in May 2008.


    The Chronicles of Narnia books / series have sold more than 100,000,000 to date and have been translated into 35 different languages.


    The cast and crew of Prince Caspian came from 15 different countries, including the Czech Republic, New Zealand, the United States, Great Britain, Australia, Canada, Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Spain, Mexico, Italy and France. More than 9 different languages were spoken on set.


    Director Andrew Adamson spent more than a year searching for the right actor to play the title role in Prince Caspian but cast 26-year-old British actor Ben Barnes for the career-making part just 3 ? weeks before shooting began.