Category: Press Release

Vu Televisions launches the Vu UltraAndroid TV on Amazon India

Mumbai: California-Indian Luxury TV player, Vu Televisions is all set to launch their new range of televisions – the Vu UltraAndroid TV. The demand for Vu Televisions in the last few years has only increased and with a 30% YoY growth, this festive season, Vu Televisions is extremely bullish about their growth to double in comparison to last year.

Devita Saraf, Chairman, Vu Televisions said: “Over the years, Vu Televisions has revolutionised the video viewing experience for their consumers with a perfect mix of innovation and technology. Our consumers comprise primarily of the young, educated India whose preferences are constantly evolving. Vu Televisions caters to exactly that audience segment that is not only looking for great picture and sound quality, but new innovative experiences that are a part of their day to day lives.”

The Vu UltraAndroid TV is not just an ordinary television set, but a complete entertainment package in itself. Vu UltraAndroid TV’s exquisite clarity and immersive surround sound is an asset to the television’s features. The extraordinary resolution, impeccable connectivity and easy access to the world of Google makes the television a must-have in your living rooms.

The VU UltraAndroid television comes with a set of power packed specifications. The Vu Ultra Android TV has a Pure Prism Grade High Brightness Panel, along with exemplary Adaptive Contrast to maintain the perfect colour accuracy for pragmatic clarity. The Vu UltraAndroid TV gives an approachable access to the world of Google with an additional 8GB Storage. The ActiVoice search and personalized recommendations provide more entertainment and less hassle. The Vu UltraAndroid TV range is powered by the latest version of Google Android 9.0 and also has Hotkeys on the remote for Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hotstar, YouTube and Google Play which creates an effortless experience for users while watching content. The TV set also comes with built-in Dolby and DTS Surround Sound Technologies for the best sound experience. VU Ultra Android TV has built-in Google Chrome cast feature through which one can simply casts movies, shows and photos from their Android, iOS, Mac or Windows device to your television set. It also has Built-in Bluetooth 5.0 version as well.

The range of televisions will only be available on Amazon India on 28 September 2019, exclusively for PRIME members and for non-PRIME members from 29 September 2019 onwards.

September 18, 2019
Rugby fans in India will enjoy extensive broadcast coverage of Rugby World Cup 2019

MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Networks India Private Limited (SPN) has acquired the exclusive media rights for Rugby World Cup 2019 from the Rugby World Cup Limited (RWCL). The tournament will be held in Japan from 20th September to 2nd November 2019 and telecast in India live and exclusive on the SONY TEN 2 channels and will be livestreamed on SPN’s premium video on demand (VOD) service, SonyLIV. The terms of the deal include exclusive television and digital rights across territories in the Indian subcontinent: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives and exclusive pay television and digital rights for Sri Lanka.

The Rugby World Cup is the world’s most prestigious rugby tournament and sees participation from the top rugby teams in the world. Held every four years, the 2019 edition of the Rugby World Cup is the ninth edition of the tournament and will see 20 teams playing 48 matches across 12 venues in Japan for the coveted Webb Ellis Cup. Participating nations include the defending champions New Zealand, Ireland, England, Wales, South Africa, Australia, Scotland, France, Fiji and Argentina amongst others.

Rugby is a fast-growing sport in India, with a dedicated fan base and talented local athletes. India is enjoying a significant surge in rugby participation and interest and is home to a fan base of 23 million (43 per cent are female) according to the latest Nielsen research, demonstrating the huge potential of one of the world's most populous nations. Introduced to India in the late 1800s, Indian rugby players have managed to make a mark on the global stage over the years by putting up strong performances. As Indian audiences shift from being pure cricket viewers to multi-sports viewers, the popularity of rugby is on the rise.

September 17, 2019
Action-packed blockbuster ‘Kabir Singh’ to make its World Television Premiere this September on Sony MAX

MUMBAI: A heartbreak can impact anyone and leave a mark that could live on forever. Kabir Singh is a fine example of a heartbreak gone wrong. Gearing up to be Sony MAX’s World Television Premiere, Kabir Singh, Bollywood’s biggest blockbuster of the year will premiere on Sony MAX on 29th September 2019 at 12pm. Kabir Singh starring one of India’s biggest heartthrobs Shahid Kapoor and actress Kiara Advani, is the highest grossing Bollywood movie of 2019 and will premiere on Sony MAX this month.

The movie encapsulates the heartening love story of Kabir and Preeti as they embark on a tumultuous journey and face various obstacles in their love life. Written and directed by Sandeep Reddy Vanga, Kabir Singh is a remake of the Telugu hit ‘Arjun Reddy’. Starring Shahid Kapoor and Kiara Advani, the film gets into the flaws and impact of a rough relationship and an aggressive young man.

The film takes the audience through the lives of a house surgeon of Delhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Kabir Singh (Shahid Kapoor) and a first-year student, Preeti Sikka (Kiara Advani) who fall in love. Their love blossoms over the years but Preeti’s father (Anurag Arora) is against the relationship. He forcefully tries to get Preeti married to someone else which sends Kabir on a downward spiral of alcohol and drug abuse threatening his career, life and love. Will Kabir and Preeti be able to be together? Or will their love story remain incomplete?

September 17, 2019
Designed to love your skin as much as you do – the new Gillette SkinGuard

MUMBAI: In a country where grooming is increasingly becoming a part of men’s daily lives, Gillette is relentlessly pursuing bringing new products tailored to the evolving needs of consumers. From the stable of Gillette, launches the latest product innovation, Gillette SkinGuard. This razor has a revolutionary SkinGuard that shaves hair while barely touching skin. It is the first Gillette razor in India with two lubra strips that leaves a soft and smooth feeling on skin. SkinGuard is aimed at revolutionizing the shaving experience for men, with the razor removing hair smoothly, without touching the skin.

With a truly innovative product, the communication is devised to uniquely target consumers, thus showcasing the products’ prowess and integrating consumer behavior effectively.

Gillette’s campaign, for the launch of SkinGuard, taps into an integral consumer insight – the fear of shaving. Over 20 million consumers in India do not shave with the right razor today because they suffer from skin issues such as acne, pimples, sensitivity, razor burns or they simply fear the effect of multi-blade razors on their skin.

The campaign, will have an integrated approach where Gillette has multiple known faces leading the conversation across platforms, normalizing to an extent the realities of men who fear a shave. In every story, the protagonist will be seen lathering their face with foam, but none of them have the courage to go any further. With SkinGuard, they will be able to shave fearlessly on any skin type. (Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1WYsIyUroU)

Engineered to enhance the shaving experience for men, who resort to other shaving methods or do not shave at all, this razor has a unique technology with two optimally spaced blades to gently smoothen and flatten the skin, giving the consumer a comfortable shave.

Karthik Srivatsan, Associate Director & Country Category Leader, Shave Care, Indian Sub-Continent at P&G said, “At Gillette, we have always believed in keeping our consumers at the heart of everything we do, we have never stopped innovating to make the shaving experience better for Indian men. This commitment is reinforced with the launch of SkinGuard that addresses real problems faced by for millions of Indian men. It represents our commitment to the consumers of India which ensures that every man uses a razor that that helps him look, feel and be his best.”

Gillette SkinGuard joins the brand’s expansive product line-up of disposable and systems razors, trimmers and shaving products. The wide array of offerings aligns to the company’s commitment to manufacture the highest quality razor blades, so all men can experience their best shave at home – no matter the budget or style, skin condition or hair type. The new SkinGuard is available across all modern retail outlets and ecommerce platforms and is priced at INR 350 for a razor; refill cartridges can be purchased for INR 350 for two cartridges or INR 630 for four cartridges. Final pricing is at the sole discretion of the retailer.

September 17, 2019
ManoramaMAX hits 5,00,000 users in 2 weeks

MUMBAI: ManoramaMAX, the first ever 100% Malayalam News and Entertainment app, launched by MM TV Ltd., has achieved instant success, hitting half-a-million users in just under 2 weeks. Users across web, android and apple devices are continuing to watch the large content bucket of the platform. The app features the best titles from both Mazhavil Manorama and Manorama News. The app also offers originals and movies.

ManoramaMAX offers all the latest news including Live Manorama News, all the daily bulletins, a special Speed News for the ManoramaMax users, and all the popular shows on Manorama. The app also offers entertainment content – programs from fiction, reality shows and other shows of Mazhavil Manorama. It allows the user to watch currently running shows before it airs on TV, if they take a premium membership.

The premium membership also grants access to 150 plus movies including premiere first on ManoramaMAX. It also showcases Max Originals and Events year long, exclusively for its premium customers.

The premium membership can be availed at Rs. 499 per year. A user can enjoy access to the free content by simply logging into the free version of the app.

September 17, 2019
Witness the cut-throat rivalry between two media houses with the BBC First drama ‘Press’

MUMBAI: A story of two media companies conflicting about whether news is entertainment or the path to seek out truth, Press is a drama series about by-the-book journalists and journalism; the atmosphere promises to be electrifying. It is an immersive story that gives you an exclusive peak behind the veil of journalists and their quirks. One that many of us have been waiting for!

Watch Press only on Zee Café from 17th September at 10.

Highlights of the show:

A stellar depiction of the cut-throat rivalry behind the news of the day
A cross between old-fashioned journalism and digital revolution in a compelling plot
An edgy drama series of left-leaning broadsheet that battles a sensational tabloid to break the real stories
IMDB: 7.3

September 17, 2019
Tata Motors partners with what3words – Redefines navigation with just 3 words

MUMBAI: Tata Motors, India’s largest automobile manufacturer today announced its partnership with the innovative location technology provider, what3words. Tata Motors will be the first manufacturer in India to bring what3words addressing system in its cars.

In a first for the Indian automotive industry, the partnership with Tata Motors and what3words will enable car-drivers to enter a 3 word address by voice or text input, and then navigate to the accurate address within 3 meters of the destination location. This is especially relevant in the Indian context, where addresses are non-standard and complex network of roads make it difficult for last-mile navigation. This accurate & unique 3 word-addressing system will make the last-mile navigation simple, safe, hassle-free and less time-consuming for the Indian customers. The what3words system is available in 36 languages, including 5 Indian languages: Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Telugu and Marathi. The addition of these new native languages means that what3words will be making this technology more accessible for the Indian consumers.

Commenting on this partnership, Mr. Mayank Pareek, President – Passenger Vehicle Business Unit (PVBU), Tata Motors said, “Tata Motors is proud to be the first automaker in India to collaborate with what3words. With this collaboration, our customers will now be able to navigate to accurate 3-word addresses represented by what3words; offering a clear solution to a very visible problem related to the non-standard traditional address system. The three-word addressing will not only provide a more seamless navigation experience, but will also increase efficiency with drivers not spending a lot of time locating their destinations and reaching the precise location (within 3m of space) with minimum hassle and effort. Globally, the what3words technology comes as a unique offering only in the premium car models, but customers can expect this groundbreaking technology to feature in our mainstream line-up of products very soon.”

“India has a rapidly growing economy, but like many other countries, it still suffers from the big three infrastructural challenges – the unbanked, the unconnected and the unaddressed,” said Chris Sheldrick, what3words CEO and Co-Founder. “Our partnership with Tata Motors will begin to change this, as together, our impact will expand across humanitarian, travel, e-commerce – and of course automobile industries. This will also be a breakthrough for the tourism industry as it will make travelling very convenient for incoming tourists.’’

With the increase in the usage and ownership of smartphone devices across the country and India’s rapid growing economy, the need for a sophisticated location technology has never been more pronounced. The varying regional address formats across the country, its oft unnamed streets and localities coupled with more often than not buildings with no numbers, further compound this problem. To solve this real-world issue, what3words has taken the entire world, divided it into 3mx3m squares, and assigned each square a unique identifier – made of three random words. For example, Gateway of India can be found at ///holiday.surpises.design.

With the what3words technology, a 3 word address can simply be entered into the car navigation system, manually or via speech recognition. To prevent errors, every 3 word address is unique, and similar addresses are located far apart to avoid confusion. Additionally, the intelligent AutoSuggest feature helps drivers to spot and correct their mistakes immediately and effortlessly redirects them to the accurate address.

The latest version of what3words will be available in the upcoming products by Tata Motors in future. Customers will be able to download the what3words application for free via iOS and Android platforms. The easy adoption is what has made what3words a popular tool for businesses around the world and has helped them improve their customer experience and enhance efficiency, while reducing expenses and environmental impact.

September 17, 2019
A gripping mission is all set to unravel with the World Television Premiere of ‘Blank’ on 21st September at 8 pm on &pictures

MUMBAI: 24 bombs, one heart stopping mission, will the city survive? Get ready for an action-packed roller coaster ride this Saturday Night with the World Television Premiere of Blank on 21st September at 8 pm only on &pictures – Naye India ka Blockbuster Movie Channel. This edge of the seat entertainer narrates the tale of an Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) officer, who finds himself in a life and death situation with a baffling case. Directed by debutant Behzad Khambata, the movie features Bollywood’s macho man Sunny Deol along with the newcomer Karan Kapadia, Karanvir Sharma and Ishita Dutta in pivotal roles. A compelling action thriller, the movie promises to keep the audience intrigued, right from the word go!

Commenting about her role, Ishita Dutta said, “Blank is my first attempt at the action genre and was also the reason I took up this role. Having grown up watching Sunny sir’s movies, never did I imagine that I would be working with him one day. The amount of energy and hard work that he puts in his work is phenomenal. Playing the character of a cop was quite challenging because of the action sequences one has to perform but Sunny sir and director Behzad kept encouraging and guiding me throughout, which made it a little easier. This movie marks the debut of Karan Kapadia and I must say he is a complete surprise package. The way he delivers his scenes, one would not think that it’s his first movie. Working with such a talented team was an enriching experience. All in all, I can just say that it’s a film that I am really proud of doing and hope the audience will enjoy the World Television Premiere of Blank on &pictures on 21s September at 8 pm.”

Debutant Karan Kapadia said, “Blank is an unusual story where I play a suicide bomber who suffers from memory loss. While it took me a long time to get the role, it was an experience I totally enjoyed. After working with Sunny Sir I can proudly say that life has come full circle as I met him when I was a kid. It was surreal to share screen space with him and I only hope to be good and consistent in my upcoming projects. As for the song with Akshay, it wasn’t decided till two weeks before we shot it. He agreed to do it only after he saw rushes of the film; it was his way of wishing ‘good luck’ to me. Everyone around has been so encouraging and I hope that the audience will be able to catch the World Television Premiere on &pictures.”

Based on a terror plot, the film showcases the story of Haneef (Karan Kapadia) who is held captive by the police at the hospital as they find a ticking bomb attached to his chest. After a lot of tests, the doctors discover that if Haneef’s heart stops beating, the bomb will explode activating the other 23 bombs at different places. Scared by the thought of this, the police calls ATS chief SS Dewan (Sunny Deol) to investigate this case further. On interrogating Haneef, who is suffering from partial memory loss, Dewan starts to suspect that he is a suicide bomber and a part of a conspiring terror group. But what is the actual truth is for viewers to unravel with the premiere of Blank.

With thrilling action sequences, Sidhu’s chase to stop the 24 bombs from detonating and Haneef’s memory loss, forms the crux of Blank’s storyline. While the movie is Karan Kapadia’s debut film, it also features a special cameo by Karan’s brother in law Akshay Kumar, who will be sharing the screen space in a special song called 'Ali Ali' .

September 17, 2019
Zee Telugu’s Zee Heroes – Episode 7, ‘Hide & Seek’ Stunt

MUMBAI: Action-packed reality show, Zee Heroes is set for another exciting week. With the tasks in the competition getting tougher, the ability and courage of the contestants get further challenged at every stage. An amalgamation of thrill, adventure, courage, reality, entertainment and a whole lot of fear, Zee Heroes goes on-air every Sunday at 9:00 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD.

As a sneak peek to the next episode in the wilderness of Thailand, 10 daredevils perform an adventurous stunt at a beachside forest which is crowded by baby crocodiles and non-poisonous snakes. Two contestants from each team will be handcuffing and collect ribbons from the baby crocodiles, and keys from the snakes. With the help of keys, they need to found the hidden diamond. The team that completes the task in the least amount of time will be declared as the winner.

The end of every episode will witness a face-off task, and the winner of this task will be elected as Garuda contender. This week Tejaswi and Srishti will fight for the title of Garuda contender and the winner would earn the power to save themselves or a friend from elimination.

September 17, 2019
EdYoda accepted as Asia-Pacific Member by AWS EdStart Program

MUMBAI: EdYoda, a digital platform that imparts industry-relevant skills through a zero-cost learning program. EdYoda aims to serve the underserved students and professionals from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and colleges by educating them on industry-relevant skills through zero-cost learning programs. EdYoda makes students industry-ready by building their skills in areas including data science, Cloud, machine learning, web development, and programming through its rigorous programs.

This digital education platform delivers in-depth skill-education to students through intensive courses and is meticulously tested and benchmarked to add values to the profile of its graduates. EdYoda further connects the skilled talent to job opportunities by partnering with employers to create a win-win for both.

Over 46,000 students have already registered on this exceptional platform delivering free education to the aspirants in small cities. Approximately 16,500 are enrolled in EdYoda courses who consume over 7,300 hours of content on the website. Also, 51 educators use this platform to guide these students.

EdYoda is delighted to announce its acceptance by AWS EdStart program. Having a mission to resolve complex problems in the education sector is a pre-requisite to qualifying in AWS EdStart program and EdYoda as a digital learning platform primarily focuses to fill the void of industry-relevant skill-based learning in higher education.

AWS EdStart Program is designed to assist EdTech startups with resources to build the next generation of online learning and campus management solutions. AWS EdStart is a global program that invites startups and educational institutions that are working on solving complex educational problems. The program is designed to enable EdTech startups to move faster with specially tailored benefits.

Speaking about EdYoda’s acceptance as an AWS EdStart member, founder Arman Ahmed said, “I am excited with the accomplishment. AWS is a global platform and the expertise and assistance of the mentors will be a great help to scale-up the systems and services. Such programs include access to live and virtual technical training session, webinars, AWS Cloud credits, and specialized partner-led presentations. EdYoda under their guidance and support will now be able to effectively reach out to a wider audience efficiently, especially the aspirants based in remote cities to disseminate skill-based education that makes them employable. This collaboration will certainly help to bridge the gap between skills for the Industry and the curriculum taught in universities and colleges.”

September 17, 2019