ITV

Category: Press Release

  • Zee Cinemalu celebrates 3 years of undisputed entertainment

    Zee Cinemalu celebrates 3 years of undisputed entertainment

    Over the years, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited’s Zee Cinemalu celebrates yet another year of entertaining its Telugu Cinema lovers as the channel completes three years on 4th September. Launched by the Megastar Chiranjeevi, who unveiled the logo, Zee Cinemalu began its journey with ‘Dil Pai Super Hit’ as its brand tagline and became the first movie channel to introduce the concept of World Television Premieres, giving a fresh offering to movie lovers. Zee Cinemalu scattering to 50.8 Million viewers week on week in AP & TS. Zee Cinemalu’s strength continues to lie on its archive of movies for the younger generation.

    Zee Cinemalu gained the highest ever ratings achieved by any movie channel in the Hyderabad market with BARC India ratings of 416 GRPs in wk22’19, scoring a milestone of 300 GRPs in Urban in the same week. This sets a new benchmark in the television industry as the only Telugu movie channel to achieve this feat. The channel witnessed a growth of 26% and moved from 148 in FY18 to 186 in FY19 and has seen a growth of 31% in FY 20 and moved from 186 in FY19 to 243 GRP’s in FY20 in Urban.

    The channel has been entertaining audiences with evergreen hits and with latest titles in various genres like Family, Drama, Comedy, Horror and Thriller. In the process, Zee Cinemalu has successfully occupied a special space in the hearts of all Telugu audience across the state. The Zee Cinemalu HD variant launched on December 31, 2017 continues to deliver the best viewing experience enabled with this technology to their ardent viewer.

    Commenting on the 3rd year anniversary, Anuradha Gudur, Business Head, Zee Telugu and Zee Cinemalu has said, “A successful 3-year feat of having set unparalleled standards in the industry is definitely our highlight for the year. We are pleased with the growth that reflects our efforts in developing the channel only further. At Zee Cinemalu we are always looking at newer avenues to keep our audiences engaged. On this truly momentous occasion, we reiterate our commitment to offering only best in class entertainment that will be loved by Telugu audiences”.

  • Indywood distribution network bags rights to distribute Prassthanam; releasing Soon In GCC

    Indywood distribution network bags rights to distribute Prassthanam; releasing Soon In GCC

    MUMBAI: Indywood Distribution Network now owns rights of distribution of the official Hindi remake of the 2010 Telugu film 'Prassthanam' and would be released in GCC soon.  The much-awaited trailer of Sanjay Dutt'sPrassthanam was released on 29th August, 2019 and the film promises a lot of action and twists. The film, which is the official Hindi remake of the 2010 Telugu film of the same name, also features Manisha Koirala, Chunky Panday, Jackie Shroff, Ali Fazal and AmyraDastur. 

    The original Telugu film-Prassthanam featured Sharwanand, Sai Kumar, SundeepKishan and Ruby Parihar in pivotal roles. It was directed by Deva Katta, who has also helmed the Hindi version. Produced by MaanayataDutt (wife of Sanjay Dutt), the remake of Prassthanam will open in theatres on September 20.

    The trailer which was released, shows a child asking Sanjay Dutt's character about the morality behind lord Rama killing Ravana and shows Sanjay Dutt fighting goons. Sanjay Dutt plays the role of BaldevPratap Singh, the head of a political family, and his two sons (played by Ali Fazal and Satyajeet Dubey) fight against each other to carry forward his legacy. Jackie Shroff proves his loyalty to Sanjay Dutt by supporting him throughout the political war.

    Chunky Panday also plays a prominent role in the movie and shows a head-to-head political battle along with Sanjay Dutt with a glimpses of Manisha Koirala, Ali Fazal, Satyajeet Dubey and AmyraDastur.  The plot of Prassthanam touched upon the story of Ramayana and Mahabharata to depict the choice of war between right and wrong even in this era. 

    With the intention to support art worth movies and share it worldwide, Sohan Roy's Indywood Distribution Network(IDN) focuses on 40 countries which includes U.S.A, Australia, New Zealand, Middle East and many other. Recently IDN successfully released a Marathi Movie named ' BABA' in South Korea and it was the first Marathi movie which was released in the country.
     

  • ZEE5 to beam through next-gen Smart TVs

    ZEE5 to beam through next-gen Smart TVs

    MUMBAI: ZEE5, India’s fastest growing OTT platform, will now be available on 2015-16 LG Smart TVs owing to successful backward compatibility on Web OS version 3.0 to 3.5. ZEE5 will be available on all existing LG Smart TVs as well as soon-to-be-launched models. With the addition of this, ZEE5 will be available across large spectrum of connected devices widening its penetration across the country.

    Rajneel Kumar, Business Head Expansion Projects & Head of Products, ZEE5 India said, “TV-connected devices are creating an immersive viewing experience on large screens and Smart TVs.  At ZEE5, we are at the forefront of fuelling this change and backward compatibility on LG Smart TVs is a testament to our efforts. With 100,000+ hours of content in 12 languages, we want all consumers to enjoy the best of content on a large screen further enhancing their viewing experience.”

    In addition to LG, backward compatibility is underway for all the Samsung Smart TVs. ZEE5 shows and movies will be available for download from the LG content store. Users can utilise existing free surfing mode and premium subscriptions to enjoy a large screen experience at their home. Users using ZEE5 TV app on Samsung and LG Web OS 3.0+ can also enjoy features such as easy payment using Paytm QR code and before TV where premium users get early access to their favourite episodes.

  • News18 India celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with TV stars

    News18 India celebrates Ganesh Chaturthi with TV stars

    MUMBAI: As people across the country prepare for Ganesh Chaturthi, News18 India is all set to welcome Lord Ganesha through its popular television entertainment show ‘Saas Bahu Aur Devrani’. Celebrating the spirit of Ganesh Utsav, the fourth edition of ‘News18 India Ka Raja’ will witness myriad television celebrities welcome and worship Lord Ganesha.

    Adding excitement to the celebrations on the small screen, the channel will take ‘News18 India ka Raja’ to the top TV serial sets. This year, renowned actor Nishant Malkani from popular serial 'Guddan Tumse Na Ho Payega' will bring ‘News18 India Ka Raja’ on the show’s set. Commenting on the initiative, Nishant said, "I feel blessed that I will bring and welcome Bappa Ganesha on our sets here. I am from Delhi but today Ganeshotsav has become a festival of the whole world. I wish and pray to Lord Ganesha to shower his blessings on everyone.”

    Actor Shivangi Joshi from the serial 'Yeh Rishta Kya Kahlata Hai’ will also welcome Lord Ganesha. The entire cast and crew will offer prayers and prasadam followed by a grand aarti. During the 11-day long celebrations, Lord Ganesha will travel daily to the sets of popular shows and will be greeted by top television celebrities such as Deepika Singh, Sahabaz, Reem Sheikh, Avinesh Rekhi, Advik Mahajan and Shivangi Joshi to name a few.

    Starting 2nd September, all the excitement of the festival will be captured daily by a special segment on ‘Saas Bahu Aur Devrani’.

  • In an ode to design, Post Office Studios’ new campaign announces the Hyderabad Design Week

    In an ode to design, Post Office Studios’ new campaign announces the Hyderabad Design Week

    Mumbai: Award-winning animation and new media technology company, Post Office Studios, created a promotional video to announce the Hyderabad Design Week.

    This five-day festival of design brings together leading design practitioners to explore their role as change-makers, present the best in human-centric design innovation, and tackle some of the biggest challenges facing the world today. With the theme ‘Humanizing Design’, Hyderabad Design Week 2019 will be held between 9th-13th October, in tandem with the 31st edition of the World Design Assembly, which is taking place in India for the very first time.

    The promotional video takes the audience through a variety of design styles, largely depicted through 2D and 3D animation, and some amount of live action. Each visual element is tied together with a spoken word piece, conveying the thought that everything happening around us, from the simplest to the most complex, is made possible through good design. Taking a lead from the theme of the event, ‘Humanizing Design’, the video does not simply depict abstract design elements as with most videos of this kind, but rather showcases the various instances through which these elements govern and are a product of our day to day lives.


    Aditya Tawde, CCO, Post Office Studios and Director of video says “We were approached by the Government of Telangana to create a promotional video for the Hyderabad Design Week, which would be taking place in October 2019 in tandem with the 31st World Design Assembly. Their main ask was to create a video that was as innovative and unconventional as possible, while ensuring that we did justice to the event’s theme – Humanizing Design. Given the leeway we had for this project, as well as the nature and scale of the event in particular, we wanted to create a content piece that would in some way be an ode to design. The team conceptualised a spoken word piece highlighting how design has evolved around human experiences over the years, each of which would be visually depicted with a distinct design style.

    One of the most challenging parts of the process was to design and animate the end sequence of the video, which revealed the word ‘Design’. For this, we designed 54 graphic frames, and animated them together to end the video on a high and intensive note, giving the viewers an adrenaline rush of sorts. The music and sound design was upbeat and engaging, and helped elevate the viewing experience for the audience.

    This collaboration has been a great experience for us, as it not only gave us the opportunity to create animated content driven by great design, but also allowed us to push our creative boundaries significantly.”

  • South Asian Film Market (SAFM)commences on 31st August in Singapore

    South Asian Film Market (SAFM)commences on 31st August in Singapore

    Mumbai: South Asian Film Market (SAFM) in Singapore is taking placefrom 31st August to 1st September in Singapore and will be attended by important filmmakers and industry stalwarts.  It is a unique initiative which offers a platform for selected filmmakers to raise funding for their projects from certain high net worth individuals (HNIs). It is the only such platform for South Asian films outside South Asia and had witnessed great success in its inaugural year in 2018.  4 films were funded of which 2 of them are ready for the release and the other 2 is are in their pre-production stages.

    Films in the West are produced by hedge funds and high net worth individuals who plough moneyin them purely as an alternative form of investment.SAFM is the only unique platform to offer this opportunity in South Asia. Singapore is often referred to as the financial capital of the region is the most appropriate place  to host this as the city often acts as a bridge between South Asia and South East Asia. This year, 15 filmmakers will fly down to Singapore and pitch their project to a set of jury panel members which includes Abhay Deol (Actor/Producer), Kilian Kerwin (Ivanhoe Pictures), Saugata Mukherjee (Hotstar), Saurabh Gupta (M! Capital Ventures) and Shariq Patel (Zee Essel).

    Commenting on SAFM, Abhay Deol, Actor / Producer, mentioned “I am very excited to be a part of the Jury at South Asian Film Market 2019 in Singapore. It is a unique format that brings filmmakers and high net worth individuals to a common platform. Investing into films as an alternative investment class is very common in the west and SAFM is bringing that to the content boom in South Asia. One of my films was also at SAFM last year which then got funded and is now up for release soon".
     
    “We aim to bridge the gap between creativity and finance and introduce fresh capital to films. South Asia is witnessing a boom currently in this space and it is the best time for investors to explore such investment”, said Abhayanand Singh, Chairman, SAFM.

    SAFM is also introducing a new section this year wherein publication houses will pitch for the adaptation of their books as films or web series.
     

  • Weddingz.in launches The Wedding Trunk – a bi-annual magazine to serve as the perfect wedding guide

    Weddingz.in launches The Wedding Trunk – a bi-annual magazine to serve as the perfect wedding guide

    Mumbai: Weddingz.in, India’s Largest Wedding Company unveiled ‘The Wedding Trunk’ a 150- pager, bi-annual magazine – designed to provide readers with the latest trends and updates in the wedding industry. The magazine is a go-to guide for anyone planning a wedding, it offers a mix of nuances that can help orchestrate a wedding within a specific budget in a smooth, seamless way.

    The premiere edition of The Wedding Trunk (September 2019 – February 2020) features diverse content including dreamy intricacies of a big fat Indian wedding. Offering an ocean of ideas, it will feature insights from industry experts such as Ojas Rajani, Papa Don’t Preach by Shubika, Kalki Fashions, Amrapali Jewels, Azva, Jhoomer Jewels, Floral Art By Srishti, Atisuto Events, The Photo Diary By Monisha and Knots By AMP amongst others. The first edition of the magazine will be available across 30+ cities with a circulation of 25,000+ print copies. Priced at INR 300, the magazine will be available on Amazon & Flipkart and will be distributed for free across all 750 Weddingz.in venues in India. A digital version (e-magazine) will also be available on Magzter and Weddingz.in website & app. 

    This edition will showcase upcoming trends for the winter wedding season such as pastels hues for bridal lehengas, wedding decor ideas, do's and don’ts for venue selection, food & diet tips, accessories & jewelry trends, bridal makeup inspiration and honeymoon destinations in India & abroad for various budget ranges.

    Sandeep Lodha, CEO, Weddingz.in said, “Being a pioneer in the industry, we aim to establish the brand as a one-stop-shop for everything related to weddings. While we continue to meet the discerning needs of the Indian wedding industry, we wish to establish a physical touchpoint with our consumers while being their go-to brand for all wedding-related woes and requirements. With ‘The Wedding Trunk’ we are consolidating our outreach to the end consumer, to-be married couples and professionals working in the space.”

    Commenting on the launch, Ruchita Choudhary, Head of Brand & Content, Weddingz.in said, “With the largest organic social media following (1.4 million followers on Instagram and 500k fans on Facebook) and highest engagement rates in the industry, launching this magazine was an obvious extension to our digital presence. Working on the intricacies of wedding planning and inspiration day in and day out, we felt that putting all this information together in a magazine would help us share this treasure trove of knowledge better and amplify its reach far and wide. The Wedding Trunk aims to help the new age couple plan their wedding better, covering all the tips, trends, do’s and don’ts that one needs to know to plan the perfect wedding!” 

    With winter weddings as its focus, the first edition of The Wedding Trunk contains over 100+ of the best and trendiest ideas of the season – covering every aspect, offering detailed information to guide Indians across geographies.

    A year after its acquisition by OYO Hotels & Homes, India’s largest, world’s 3rd largest and fastest-growing chain of leased and franchised hotels, homes, living and workspaces, Weddingz.in recently announced that it has witnessed 480% growth in revenue. Weddingz.in offers a range of self-managed venues and a team of trusted and curated vendors who believe in delivering nothing but the best including Photography, Make-up, Wedding Planners, Mehendi, Rentals, Pandit/ Priests, Decor, Choreography, Transport, Entertainment, Anchor, Catering, Gifting, DJ, Invites, Band-Baja Ghodiwala. Backed by OYO’s operational capabilities, a unique offering of providing hassle-free wedding experience and 1500+ talented employees, Weddingz.in has become a household name for a great wedding experience.

  • British Explorer Levison Wood travels 5,000 miles across the Middle East on his toughest and most revealing journey yet

    British Explorer Levison Wood travels 5,000 miles across the Middle East on his toughest and most revealing journey yet

    MUMBAI: Brand new to Discovery Channel, ARABIA WITH LEVISON WOOD, will join the British explorer as he circumnavigates the Arabian Peninsula; a gruelling 5,000-mile journey that sees him travel through 13 different countries, immersing himself in the lives of locals in a bid to challenge the myths and stereotypes that plague this ancient land. Catch the 5-part series, every Thursday at 9:00 pm on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD World starting September 05.

    Having spent several years as an Officer in the British Parachute Regiment serving in Afghanistan and working as a photographer and writer travelling to over 90 countries worldwide, Levison has seen the devastating realities of war first-hand.

    This five-part series looks at each country through the eyes of its people, exploring the lives and experiences of a range of vastly differing characters: Syrian grandmothers, Iraqi snipers, swamp dwellers, smugglers, pirates, gunmen, shepherds, drug dealers, freedom fighters and nomads, with each episode reflecting the changing environments and unique communities along the route.

    “The show is part of Discovery India’s strategy to focus on explorers and adventurers who are changing the world, “, said, Sai Abishek, Head of Content, Discovery. “The Indian public has appreciated Levison’s journeys including ‘Walking the Himalayas’, ‘Walking the Nile’, ‘Walking the Americas’, ‘From Russia to Iran’ et al.”

    ARABIA WITH LEVISON WOOD sees Levison begin his journey on the edge of Arabia in Kurdistan and culminates in Lebanon where he travels from Hezbollah’s heartland to the snowy highlands forging his way through a raging blizzard that almost takes the life of his mountain guide.

    It’s through this ambitious expedition that Levison will look beyond the preconceptions people hold, uncovering the stories of both sorrow and hope amid complex politics and the constant threat of violence and war, to better understand this complicated and diverse land.

    ARABIA WITH LEVISON WOOD will premiere in India on Discovery Channel and Discovery HD World, 9pm, Thursday, 5th September 2019.

  • Barilla partners with chef Ranveer Brar to explore the pasta universe in India

    Barilla partners with chef Ranveer Brar to explore the pasta universe in India

    MUMBAI: Choosing Chef Ranveer Brar to be Barilla’s partner in India was not by chance for the No.1 pasta brand in the world and a world leader of ready-to-use sauces. Being recognised worldwide as a symbol of quality and tradition with credibility, among the Italians and all pasta lovers, it was clear to Barilla indisputably that Chef Ranveer mirrors the same principles in India. With his sheer talent and charisma, Chef Ranveer is sure to bridge the food gap between India and Italy, two countries with an amazing food culture.

    Chef Ranveer’s association with Barilla comes with a view to strengthen the pasta culture in India and share precious tips for cooking up perfect pasta meals. He aims to co-promote the notion: Italian gastronomy, the power of emotional moments, happiness and celebration around the table, which is the core belief of Barilla, a family now in its fourth generation and one that stands for supreme quality and innovation standards since 1877.

    The videos of the campaign, which will run on YouTube and Facebook are inspired by the typical dilemmas faced by consumers when they cook pasta; right from the basics of pasta cooking to pasta as a healthy meal for families. The aim is to share educative and gastronomic content, to enable consumers to experience new culinary adventures.

    Speaking on his exciting partnership with Barilla as its first Indian brand ambassador, Chef Ranveer Brar said, “Italian food has always been extremely close to my heart, right from the time when I trained under Antonio Carluccio, to open the Italian restaurant ‘Il Camino’ in Goa. Barilla has always been the gold standard when it comes to Italian ingredients. I’m extremely happy to work with Barilla in making the goodness of pasta reach every Indian household.”

  • &PrivéHD presents The Black List 2.0. and The Indian Blend, this September

    &PrivéHD presents The Black List 2.0. and The Indian Blend, this September

    MUMBAI: Another year, another milestone – &PrivéHD, the premium destination for nuanced cinema, soon sets foot into its second glorious year of bringing stories that deserve to be told, this September. As a curtain-warmer to the big day, the channel is set to present two properties that will introduce you to the other side of the filmmaking journey – The Black List 2.0 and The Indian Blend, all through September.

    Bringing the many works of cinema that rife with an Indian flavour, the channel presents The Indian Blend starting September 1 on Sundays at 9PM. That’s not all! Showcasing award-winning stories that once struggled to see the light of day, The Black List 2.0. on &PrivéHD brings the unseen journeys from script to screen, starting September 2, weeknights at 9PM.

    The Indian Blend on &PrivéHD strings together a collection of critically-acclaimed films with stories that are rooted in Indian spirit. Featuring the best of India in crossover cinema, the movies depict a culture that is beyond compare and a soul that sees no defeat. These are movies that rejected the traditional, stereotypical portrayal of Indian actors and instead, placed India on the global map. The line-up includes movies such as Puzzle, Million Dollar Arm, Hundred Foot Journey, Silver Linings Playbook and Slumdog Millionaire.

    With debutant actors who created a stir across the globe, Slumdog Millionaire’s stellar cast – Dev Patel, Freida Pinto and the evergreen Anil Kapoor garnered immense acclaim for their cutting-edge performances. A story that revolves around a teenager from the Mumbai slums, won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture, and accolades at other prestigious awards like Golden Globes and BAFTA.  

    Stories that challenged the status quo, shattered norms, and spanned across years in their dark, unseen journeys from script to screen; The Black List 2.0. on &PrivéHD brings the unseen other side of the most acclaimed movies ever made. As part of the promising collection, the line-up includes award-winning titles such as The Pursuit of Happyness, Django Unchained, The Post and The Imitation Games among others. Memorable tales that shine beyond darkness, boasts of a valuable contribution to cinema, truly deserving the success it garnered.

    With Pursuit of Happyness, Will Smith portrayed a more serious role of Chris Gardner, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. The film revolves around the journey of a father who finds himself homeless as he raises his young son on the streets of San Francisco. With an 8-pointer rating on IMDB, The Imitation Game illustrates how far we, as society, have come in accepting homosexuality which was once considered a taboo.  Set against the backdrop of World War II, the movie revolves around the journey of Alan Turning, the mastermind who built the ultimate German ‘Enigma’ code, leading Britain to victory. The film received eight nominations at the Academy Awards, winning for Best Adapted Screenplay, five nominations at the Golden Globe Awards, and three nominations at the Screen Actors Guild Awards with Benedict Cumberbatch’s performance widely praised.

    For those who appreciate nuanced cinema, &PrivéHD brings riveting and award-winning films that stimulate the minds and bring alive the other side of the story with Zee Prime English HD Pack comprising – &PrivéHD, Zee Café HD, &flix HD, LF HD is priced at Rs 25/-.