Category: Press Release

Zee Telugu launches new fiction show – Fida

MUMBAI: In tandem with Zee Telugu’s promise to encourage women to take a lead in their life, the channel has launched a new fiction show called Fida. The new (dubbed) fiction show comes as good news for Pallavi Gowda’s fans, where the story revolves between a girl, played by Pallavi Gowoda, who is bold and beautiful, and a man who is calm and composed. The story beautifully captures the emotion of love and how love can transform people for the better. This new show launched on January 28th, 2019, from 5:30 PM to 6:00 PM only on Zee Telugu and Zee Telugu HD.

Valli and Deva, two opposite personalities from a scenic village of Allapuzha, fall in love with each other. Valli, a smart and a young teacher initiates a relationship with Deva, who is shy and an introvert. While Deva’s life changes as he turns to becoming a romantic person, his sister-in-law, Shreeja is against Deva getting married to Valli and takes every possible step to sabotage the relationship. Shreeja doesn’t want to entertain the thought of another daughter-in law in the family, fearing a share in the wealth of the family. Hence, Shreeja influences her cousin, Malavika and instructs her to win Deva’s heart. The more Malavika falls in love with Deva, the more Deva gets attracted towards Valli. Except Shreeja, who has a strong control over Deva’s fate, other family members support Valli and her love for Deva.

Watch the story unfold as Valli ensures that Deva realizes his love for her and acknowledge the special connection they have.

January 29, 2019
CNN-News18 Brings the Most Extensive & Incisive Budget day Coverage

MUMBAI: On 1st February 2019, the BJP-led NDA government will table its last federal budget before General Elections 2019. To decode and analyse the Budget, CNN-News18 will bring the most comprehensive coverage to its viewers under the title ‘Budget Before Ballot – Interim Budget’.

The special coverage will commence from 9 AM comprising of pre-budget discussions, live coverage of the Union Budget speech followed by a series of post budget shows with in-depth analysis and expert opinions. The programming would not only evaluate its impact on just the economy, individuals and industries but also on the upcoming General elections.

The budget programming on the channel will be led by the channel’s best editorial experts – Bhupendra Chaubey, Executive Editor; Zakka Jacob, Editor – Output and Anand Narasimhan, Deputy Executive Editor. They will be joined by a renowned panel of experts comprising of Swapan Dasgupta, Ajoy Bose, Surjit Bhalla, Sanjaya baru, Rasheed Kidwai, Advaita Kala and Vir Sanghvi amongst others.

January 29, 2019
Shalimar Paints acts as a catalyst for positive change through ‘Rang Badlav Ke – Paint the Change!’

MUMBAI: As the celebrations for 69th Republic Day of India as in full swing across the country. Shalimar Paints in association with Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation initiated their campaign ‘Rang Badlav Ke – Paint the Change!’ With over 1600 volunteers, students
from 80 academic institutions, employees from 30 corporates and diplomats from 20 countries. Together they painted 3000+ walls and 700 murals on the houses of an urban slum community situated in the heart of Chanakyapuri, this is amongst the poshest areas in the Delhi/NCR region. Sanjay Camp was in dire need of beautification and a dash of color. The participants transformed the walls of Sanjay Camp into a vivid canvas that showcased graffiti of Indian culture and tradition.

This vibrant transformation was heralded by the youth, who enthusiastically joined in to ‘Paint the Change’ at the long-standing slum that has been home to numerous families for several generations. Hundreds of young and energetic volunteers, artists, writers, and photographers turned up to paint, beautify, photograph, and tell stories about the Sanjay Camp slum community as part of a two-part social initiative, ‘Rang Badlav Ke – Paint the Change’, by Shalimar Paints.

Also please find below the link for the same.

January 29, 2019
‘No more waiting, Just bridge it!’ says Piramal Capital & Housing Finance with its new campaign for Bridge Loans

MUMBAI: Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Ltd. (PCHF) has rolled out a brand-new film to launch Bridge Loans, an innovative product that helps bridge the time gap between selling your old home and buying a new one.

The film conceptualized by Point of View Brandcom India, is a funny take on the situation of a man who finds the perfect apartment for his family but keeps the apartment owner waiting because he has to sell his old apartment.

Commenting on the campaign, Mayank Jain, Head – Sales & Marketing, Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Ltd said, “We at PCHF are focused at introducing products that seek to simplify the lives of our customers. A common problem that we encounter on a regular basis is the wait to sell your old apartment in order to buy a new one. Our newly launched product – Bridge Loans is the answer to this problem. Through the film, our aim was to highlight this challenge and bring focus on our innovative product, specially designed to support our customer needs. We are pleased that Point of View Brandcom India has converted our brief into an effective product film by using humour to communicate our product offerings.”

Vishant Kotian, Founder and CEO, Point of View Brandcom India, added, “It’s always nice to have a sharp brief, and we really had fun bringing the idea to life. Once we cracked the creative idea everything came together pretty seamlessly. We all have a good feeling about this film, and we’re hoping it catches on and gives the brand a big push.”

Watch the film conceptualized by Point of View Brandcom India

Piramal Capital & Housing Finance Limited (PCHFL) is a housing finance company that is engaged in various financial services businesses. It provides both wholesale and retail funding opportunities across sectors including real estate, infrastructure etc.

January 29, 2019
Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2019 to mark 20 years of art and culture!

MUMBAI: Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (KGAF), India’s biggest cultural street festival, is all set to deliver this year an enthralling commemoration of 20 years since its inception. KGAF 2019 will celebrate 2 glorious decades of art and culture, across various forms and communities including design, cinema, theatre, dance, literature and much more, from 2nd to 10th February 2019 at the iconic art district of Kala Ghoda. This year also marks 150 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth, and the festival will pay its respects to his philosophy and contribution to the nation as well.

Speaking on the 20 years of the iconic festival’s achievements, Maneck Davar, Hon Chairman of Kala Ghoda Association said, “It is a milestone year for us and everybody who has been involved with the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival, right since its inception. Come February 2nd, all art and creative enthusiasts the world over, will come and showcase their talent in the finest way possible.

The festival has always been inclusive, providing information and entertainment to all demographics and social and economic strata, without any charge. It is a wondrous, cumulative effort of artists and artisans, curators and volunteers who make the festival a true celebration of culture.

This year we also pay homage to the Father of the Nation on his 150th birth anniversary by a special exhibition at the Jehangir Art Gallery and through programs in music, dance, literature, theatre and more.”

Talking about what the festival has in store as it turns 20, Nicole Mody, Festival Coordinator of KGAF, said, “The creative hub of Kala Ghoda, over the course of 20 years, has always acknowledged the various communities that are involved in the visual and performing arts industry. Having received unprecedented support from all over the country, KGAF has had a very successful run. It is very important that we honour their support and hence this year, we celebrate each and every category with a sense of nostalgia while embracing the developments in the coming future.”

The festival will also host captivating exhibitions at the historic Jehangir Art Gallery. Some of the best collections on the Father of the Nation – Mahatma Gandhi, will be on display here, in addition to the rich archival collection of the Bombay heritage.

Along with the regular artistic and cultural display at the festival, here’s a list of 20 special things to look forward to at the 20th anniversary edition of the Kala Ghoda Art Festival:

Culinary delights: Celebrated Indian pastry chef Pooja Dhingra will be launching her book at the festival. Pooja, along with American chef Tiffany Derry, will also host culinary workshops for the attendees

Documentary screening: Renowned director Khalid Mohammad will showcase a special documentary on the Irani Cafes of the city at the festival.

The Magic of Flute: World renowned flautist, Padma Vibhushan award winner, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia will grace the stage of Cross Maidan

Musical notes: Sisters Prakriti and Sukriti Kakar will enthrall the audience with their performance at the festival

A treat for the movie enthusiasts: A special interaction with the cast and crew of ‘Tumbbad’ and ‘Badhaai Ho’ will give the audience an in-depth and different perspective on the movies

The evergreen Shaan: Popular chartbuster Tanha Dil by Shaan also completes 20 years in 2019. The festival will see the singer croon this special tune much to the delight of the listeners in addition to a mix of his old and new set of songs

The National Heroes: Panel discussion on 26/11 attacks and its survivors to be conducted by patrons of the literary world

Get Set Drone: Gaurav Singh will be conducting a demo and DIY session/workshop of fun and drones titled "Get set Drone"

More Stalls, More Shopping: The 20th edition of the festival will have stalls in a way that after 5 days, newer set of products will be offered to the visitors. Expansion in the variety offered to the audience will give them a chance to revisit the stalls each day

For the theatre lovers: Theatre legend Suchithra Krishnamurthy will showcase a special theatre performance at the festival

Literature: Award-winning author Githa Hariharan will talk about her major release I Have Become The Tide and her journey as an author. She will cover various aspects of societal fragility through the context of her novel with Ranjit Hoskote

Touch a chord: A special performance will be seen by violinist Sunita Bhuyan, a renowned social activist recognized by the Vatican for her work towards underprivileged children

· People Called Kala Ghoda: The Kala Ghoda Association will also be releasing a book curated by The People Place Project, featuring experiences shared by people of the precinct and those associated with the festival for over two decades; it is a cultural narrative on the genesis and the 20-year history of the festival.

Hit the Dance floor: Artists Sunayana Hazarilal (Padmashree winner), Mansi Salve, Rukmini and Shakti Mohan will enthrall the audience by their performances

Dance it out: A specially choreographed amalgamation of 20 dance forms across categories (from western to Indian classical to bring forth a fusion) will be presented at the festival

From the expert’s corner: Hon. Justice Dr DY Chandrachud will throw some light on the power of the Indian Constitution in safeguarding society, art, history and culture

Heritage Walk: Heritage walks to showcase the city and its monuments as they were 20 years ago and how they are today. These walks will consist of 20 major pit stops with every pit stop highlighting the significance of what the same stands for

150 years of Mahatma Gandhi: With the father of the nation turning 150, the festival will pay its tribute to Mahatma Gandhi honoring him via activities and events taking place in this year’s edition of the festival

Women talk: There will be a special all-women panel of Marathi writers who will discuss the various aspects of literature in regional languages and its nuances

2 decades of movies: This year the festival will be screening 4 special movies that will be marking the completion of 20 years since its release

Bringing out art from the confines of a gallery and presenting imperative matters of discussions, the annual festival is only getting bigger and better as it celebrates its 20th edition. One can catch all the action from 2nd to 10th February 2019.

January 29, 2019
Delhi Crime to premiere exclusively on Netflix on march 22 around the world

MUMBAI: Delhi Crime, a seven-part series written and directed by award-winning Indo-Canadian filmmaker Richie Mehta, will be available to Netflix members worldwide from March 22, 2019. The police-procedural thriller, produced by Golden Karavan and Ivanhoe Pictures, will premiere worldwide at Sundance Film Festival on January 29 in the Indie Episodic category.

Season 1 of Delhi Crime is inspired by and follows the notorious December 2012 investigation by the Delhi Police into a devastating rape of a young woman that reverberated across India and the world. Throughout seven hour-long episodes, Delhi Crime captures the complexities of the scrutiny, the emotional toll on the investigating team, and their determination to bring the perpetrators to justice in a fraught environment.

The police officer (Vartika Chaturvedi in the series) is sensitively portrayed by Shefali Shah (Monsoon Wedding, Juice), who leads a critically-lauded cast that includes Adil Hussain (Life of Pi, Hotel Salvation), Denzil Smith (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Rasika Dugal (Qissa, Manto), Rajesh Tailang (Siddharth, Selection Day) and Yashaswini Dayama (Dear Zindagi, The Odds).

Over six years of research went into the making of the series, which was shot on location in New Delhi. Richie Mehta (Amal, Siddharth), conceived the show during a conversation with Neeraj Kumar, a former Commissioner of the Delhi Police, who introduced him to the investigating team, and offered access to hundreds of pages of legal documents that were prepared as part of investigation. Overwhelmed by the brutality of the incident, and determined to bring to light the details of the investigation, Mehta realized that the zeal and passion of the police in providing closure to a nation would be best portrayed in the form of a series.

Mehta said, “The making of Delhi Crime has been a personally transformative journey; speaking to every individual involved, retracing the paths that the police took during the course of the investigation, and hearing of the determination that it took for the case to be closed, despite severe limitations. I hope that we’ve been able to provide context, catharsis and open once again a difficult conversation that must be had about the forces that enabled this brutality.”

Simran Sethi, Director, International Originals, Netflix, said, “Delhi Crime is an important story told with sensitivity and responsibility, and we are honored to help bring this series to Indian and global members. It is honest and emotional and powerful. Shows like this bring a much-needed lens to the lived reality of women around the world. Watching this series is an affecting experience, and we are sure it will be as meaningful of an experience for Netflix audiences as it was for us.”

Serving as Executive producers for Golden Karavan are Aaron Kaplan, Jeff Sagansky, Florence Sloan, Apoorva Bakshi, Pooja Kohli and Sanjay Bachani. Executive producers from Ivanhoe Pictures are John Penotti, Kilian Kerwin, and Michael Hogan. Producing are Robert Friedland, Sidney Kimmel, and Brian Kornreich for Ivanhoe Pictures.

The deal was negotiated by Robert Jesuele on behalf of Golden Karavan and Brian Kornreich on behalf of Ivanhoe Pictures.

January 29, 2019
Shopper Stop launches first ever NBA fanwear kids merchandise with Rashard Lewis

MUMBAI: The famous American basketball player, a two-time NBA All-Star & an NBA Champion with the Miami Heat, Rashard Lewis visited Shoppers Stop, Malad on Sunday 27th January 2019, to launch the NBA fanwear kids merchandise in India. This is the first launch by NBA in the kidswear category in the country. Shoppers Stop will retail this merchandise across its stores in India and on its online platform.

The NBA range for kids is a lifestyle range inspired by the sport. With a variety of round neck t-shirts and shorts, the athleisure range uses vibrant colours which brings to life the vibrant energy of NBA and its teams. The merchandise at Shoppers Stop has something which is sure to attract not only basketball fans but all young athletes. The merchandise retails from a starting price INR 599.

Speaking about the partnership, Ms. Uma Talreja, Customer Care Associate, Chief of Marketing and Customer Officer, Shoppers Stop Ltd. said, “NBA is an iconic brand and institution that has nurtured sports and athletics around the world. NBA has many fans in India and with the launch of NBA merchandise, our customers and their children can now access this platform and enjoy the NBA franchise and its values closer to home. Sports are an important and growing part of the development of children and we are happy to offer this range to kids in India through our stores and online channel”.

Commenting on the association, Mr. Pawan Agarwal, Chairman, Suditi Industries Ltd. said, “Basketball is one of the fastest growing sports in India and we are very happy to see world class players such as Rashard Lewis promoting the sport in the country. We have put in a lot of effort with NBA on this range to ensure that the merchandise is attractive and accessible to all fans. We are certain that young shoppers at Shoppers Stop will feel the same way”.

Shoppers Stop Ltd. is a leading fashion and beauty destination with over 27 years of retail experience in India. The brand offers over 400+ finest international, national and exclusive brands spreads across multiple categories including apparel, cosmetics, fragrance, artificial and fine jewellery, footwear, personal accessories such as watches, sunglasses, handbags, wallets and belts, kids wear, toys, home decor and much more under one roof. Shoppers Stop has over the years, made many breakthroughs in the Indian retail industry enabling it to become one of the most customer-centric, respected and profitable retailers in the country.

January 28, 2019
Watch 9th FMSCI MMSC Volkswagen Ameo cup on DSport

MUMBAI: Indian audiences have finally woken up to a new motorsports experience that has all the ingredients of adrenaline, drama and edge-of-the-seat excitement, in the perfect amount! Developed by GoQuest Digital Studios, the only independent end-to-end boutique content studio in the world backed by GoQuest Media Ventures, the show featuring the 9th edition of the FMSCI MMSC Volkswagen Ameo Cup has struck a chord with motorsports enthusiasts and sports lovers across the country. The numbers speak for themselves-the complete episodes of the show have already clocked 10 million organic views and still counting, proving to be a huge hit amongst motorsport enthusiasts.

Held across 3 cities over 5 months with 20 racers in contention, the Volkswagen Ameo Cup is India’s only one-make championship motorsports event. Currently in its 9th avatar, the event is followed closely by motorsports enthusiasts, however has inched slowly outside the niche motorsports community.

The discourse changed in 2018 with the inception and onset of GoQuest Digital Studios, which acquired the end-to-end content development and distribution responsibility for the erstwhile Ameo Cup. The GoQuest team carved a new strategy to make the show look fast and entertaining on video for the viewers, by bringing in the human element for the first time ever! Covering the races in great detail, the show brings out the ballet-like passion and teamwork of those involved, coupled with cutting-edge racing technology and driving strategy by racers over the hard-fought tournament, making every episode come alive with a range of emotions and twists!

In an unprecedented move, the series has been distributed across 50 countries apart from India. Understanding the importance of multilingual content, GQDS has also made the series available in 4 languages English, Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam and produced it at scale, a feat not attempted by any independent content studio/partner in India.

Leaving conventional modes of dissemination aside, GQDS avoided mainstream social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook. Alternatively, it on-boarded a niche sports programming channel such as DSPORT as the official Broadcast Partner. The platform also associated with Sharechat as the official social media partner and Jio Cinema as the show’s telecom partner to offer 360 degree engagement with audiences.

Commenting on the success, Darshan Bhatt, Director, GoQuest Digital Studios said, “Witnessing an epic event such as the Ameo Cup and developing a show around it has been an exhilarating journey for all of us at GQDS! From the get-go, we wanted the series to be much more than just a racing show, focusing equally on the glamour, technology and the humane side of the world rather than just the podium finishes. Through our interactions with the drivers, crew-members and other individuals involved in racing, we developed great respect to the contribution made by every member towards the eventual victory. We are glad that the show has been able to capture these dimensions well and the rave reviews from the audiences have validated our hard work. The show has delivered its final leg, and we are overwhelmed with the kind of response we have garnered from our audience. The series indeed has generated more interest about motorsports in the country.”

To ensure the show gets maximum visibility throughout the country, GQDS team chose specific channel partners, for instance Yupp TV was selected as an OTT Partner with its highest reach in South India and also for the Tamil speaking diaspora in North America. GirlsXP.com, a women’s lifestyle & fashion platform was also roped on board as its Lifestyle Partner, as the democratic racing series comprised 2 young women racers as well.

The intent clearly has been to reach out to an increasing number of aspiring girls/women to follow the conventionally male-dominated world of motorsports. With women competing head-to-head with male drivers, GQDS positioned the show as a driver of changing gender roles as well as a catalyst of massive social change.

The risk of having an alternative engagement strategy however has paid off for the show! The successful implementation and delivery of the Series has resulted in a massive spike in viewership and has made the show, as well as GQDS, extremely popular in the motorsports content category.

January 28, 2019
Hungama Play begins live streaming Coppa Italia – the annual Italian football cup

MUMBAI: Hungama Play, a premier video on demand platform owned by Hungama Digital Media, has partnered with VEQTA Sports, India’s flagship sports streaming service to serve its viewers the live streaming of Coppa Italia 2019, one of the most eagerly awaited football tournaments in the world. Founded in 1922, Coppa Italia is the Italian football annual cup that witnesses intense competition between 78 football clubs from Italy. It features some of the biggest names in football including Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus F.C.), Paulo Dybala (Juventus F.C.), Douglas Costa(Juventus F.C.), MaurioIcardi (Inter Milan), Ivan Perisic (Inter Milan), among others.In addition to watching the matches live on Hungama Play, viewers can also catch the match highlights to watch their favourite saves and goals post the match.

VEQTA Sports is the exclusive partner of Coppa Italia to stream their live and on-demand content to Indian sports fans. Through this partnership, VEQTA Sports’ live streams along with match highlights for Coppa Italia will now be available to all users of Hungama Play. Besides being live-streamed on Hungama Play, Coppa Italia 2019 will also be available to stream through Hungama Playon Amazon Fire TV Stick and other Android TVs. Additionally, Hungama’s association with Xiaomi will enable consumers to watch the tournament via Hungama Play on Mi Video and Mi TV.

Siddhartha Roy, COO, Hungama Digital Media said, “We are delighted to partner with VEQTA Sports to bring Coppa Italia, the flagship cup tournament from Italian football to our user base in India. At Hungama, we endeavour to deliver exceptional experiences to our users and are glad to offer live streaming of the tournament on Hungama Play. We are certain that this will provide an avenue to sports enthusiasts across the country to watch the competition in sync with the rest of the world, without being bound by the restrictions of time and place.”

Live streaming of Coppa Italia furthers Hungama Play’s mission of offering its users an enriching content bouquet ranging from English, Hindi and regional movies, short films, short format videos and live events.

VikashSamota, Founder Multitv, VEQTA Sports said, “At VEQTA, our mission is to bring the most premium sports properties from around the globe to fans across the country. Our partnership with Coppa Italia and the recently concluded SupercoppaItaliana is one such step in that direction. While our flagship subscribers can continue to enjoy the live streams of all Coppa Italia matches along with highlights on the VEQTA mobile apps and the VEQTA.in website, we are delighted to increase our reach to all the users of Hungama Play as well.”

VEQTA Sports recently streamed the SupercoppaItaliana match between Italian Serie A reigning champions Juventus FC and AC Milan where the only goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo secured victory for the Turin giants. The coming round of matches in Coppa Italia promises to be an absolute treat for football fans in India as AC Milan, Napoli, Roma, Juventus, and Inter Milan fight it out for a place in the Semi-Finals. Here is a fixture schedule to get you excited.

January 28, 2019
Condé Nast International launches “Vogue Business” globally

MUMBAI: Condé Nast International today announced the launch of Vogue Business, a new business media title offering a truly global perspective on the fashion, beauty and luxury industries.

Headquartered in London, Vogue Business draws on insights from 29 markets, from China, India to the United States, and taps into Condé Nast International's unrivalled global network ofbrands – Vogue, GQ, Glamour and Wired – fashion and luxury experts, industry leaders and business partners.

While sharing the Vogue name, Vogue Business is operated as a wholly separate entity with an independent editorial team, developed with its own distinctive voice.

Vogue Business, rooted in facts and data, fills the gap in the market for industry decision-makers, from startups to CEOs. The editorial team covers the critical intersection between fashion and adjacent industries — most notably technology, the driving force of change in the fashion business.

“In a consolidating media landscape, the launch of a new global title is a rare thing”, said Wolfgang Blau, President of Condé Nast International. “No one else in the world employs more fashion journalists in more places than we do. Our global network of journalists, digital editors and researchers are immersed in the relevant fashion trends on all inhabited continents, giving the team of Vogue Business access to an unparalleled depth of knowledge, from local design trends to changes in manufacturing, training, technology and distribution.”

Commenting on the Vogue Business Launch Alex Kuruvilla, Managing Director, Conde Nast India said,“Vogue Business will provide a much-needed window to the world of fashion and luxury – the Indian fashion and luxury industry will have an opportunity to tap into the unique insights provided by Vogue’s global network of journalists and editors. This truly global platform will provide a detailed insight into trends and technologies that will impact the industry, news updates in the fashion business and in-depth analysis across the fashion world.”

Vogue Business is edited by Lauren Indvik, a seasoned fashion and business journalist and former Editor-in-Chief of Fashionista.com. For the past two years, she has led the Vogue International news and features team in London, collaborating with Vogue teams globally.

“We take a new global, visual and data-driven approach to journalism," says Lauren Indvik, Chief Editor of Vogue Business. "Our journalism is designed for maximum impact and accessibility, making it easy to understand key ideas at a glance, and to enable fashion leaders to make the decisions that will grow and future-proof their businesses and careers.”

In today's digital-first media environment, new publications often begin with a website. When Condé Nast International decided to launch Vogue Business it began instead with a newsletter, prioritising high engagement with a select audience over total reach.

Vogue Business represents a new way of launching products for Condé Nast. Designed as a global title from its inception, it has been created by applying an incubator model of agile development and constant experimentation together with our beta users in 29 markets.

“Our development methodology has ensured we understand our audience intimately, thanks to in-depth user research and constant reader feedback,” says Ciara Byrne, Director of Business Development at Condé Nast International.

Key areas of editorial focus are:
* An analysis of trends across the fashion industry, from design and manufacturing to marketing, distribution, show production and talent search
* The impact of broader global market dynamics, from climate change to geopolitics
* Cultural patterns and shifts that will impact retail and vice versa
* How technological and scientific advancements will shape the ways products are produced, marketed and sold

January 28, 2019