ITV

Category: TV Shows

  • AXN set to reign Saturdays with ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Voice’

    AXN set to reign Saturdays with ‘Hannibal’ and ‘The Voice’

    MUMBAI: Its double trouble this March as AXN is back with its two most popular shows – The Voice and Hannibal. The much awaited fresh seasons of the series will be on-air making weekends more exciting and thrilling for AXN viewers.

    The highly anticipated second season of Hannibal will commence 1 March at 9:00 pm.  Based on characters and elements appearing in the novel Red Dragon by Thomas Harris, Hannibal focuses on the budding relationship between FBI special investigator Will Graham and Dr. Hannibal Lecter, a forensic psychiatrist destined to become Graham’s most cunning enemy.

    The episodes of the second season will all be named after a Japanese delicacy, with the season opener titled Kaiseki, which in Japanese refers to the art or skill in preparing a multi-course meal. In the season premiere, Will (Hugh Dancy) is determined to fight for his innocence as Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) and Jack (Laurence Fishburne) try to wrap their heads around the fact he’s behind bars. Meanwhile, Alana (Caroline Dhavernas) faces a strained relationship with Will while Kade Purnell (Cynthia Nixon) with the FBI pays him a visit.

    “The new season of Hannibal is for the evolved audiences. While in the first season, people compared it with the various movies like Silence of the Lambs, this season is more established since there is a lot more awareness about the show. Season two will grab a different set of audiences-a lot more intellectual and with a culinary bent. There are multiple twists, a lot more intensity and international cuisine to look out for,” says AXN Networks India business head Sunil Punjabi.

    AXN’s most watched singing reality show, The Voice, returns with Season 6 and promises to be more exciting and exhilarating for the fans as the multi-talented rapper Usher and Latina queen Shakira are back in the ‘oh so famous’ red swivel chairs. Alongside are two-time winning and reigning champ Adam Levine, and three-time winning coach Blake Shelton.

  • ‘Pretty Little Liars’, ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘ER’ in Asian adaptations

    ‘Pretty Little Liars’, ‘Gossip Girl’ and ‘ER’ in Asian adaptations

    MUMBAI: Three scripted series from the Warner Bros portfolio, Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and ER, are set for local adaptations in Asia, with commissions and options secured in the Philippines, Thailand and India.

    Pretty Little Liars is currently in production in the Philippines. The 22-episode local version, produced by ABC Development Corporation, is due to debut on TV5 in April.

    In Thailand, Kantana Public Company is producing an 18-episode local adaptation of Gossip Girl. The first local adaptation of the series, Gossip Girl Acapulco, aired last year in Mexico and received well by all.

    ER has been optioned in India by Gold Television Network. A Colombian version of ER was announced at NATPE. The Indian adaptation will see famous Bollywood actress Juhi Chawla play the lead role.

    There is a significant increase in the number of Warner Bros’ scripted formats which have travelled successfully around the world and partnered with high caliber of production companies to bring its programs to the screen in Asia. Pretty Little Liars, Gossip Girl and ER are all iconic Warner Bros. shows that have proved to be audience favorites in US and the production house is confident about its potential to equally entertain the audiences in the Philippines, Thailand and India.

     

  • IIFA 2014: ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ wins 9 technical awards!

    IIFA 2014: ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ wins 9 technical awards!

    MUMBAI: The International Indian Film Academy today announced the winners of the technical categories of India’s most prestigious international awards, The Tata Motors IIFA Awards.
     

    The IIFA Magic of the Movies and Technical Awards are set to take place on the 25th of April in Tampa. This year’s Videocon d2h IIFA Weekend celebrations are slated for the last weekend of April, from the 23rd to the 26th in Tampa Bay. This will be IIFA’s debut in the United States.
     

    Running laps ahead of the pack, is the Milkha Singh biographical starrer ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ with 9 wins in the technical category, bagging Best Cinematography (Binod Pradhan), Best Screenplay (Prasoon Joshi), Best Dialogue (Prasoon Joshi), Best Editing (P. S.Bharti),Best Sound Design (Nakul Kamte ),Best Sound Mixing (Pranav Shukla),Best Background Score (Shankar-Ehsaan- Loy), Best Costume Designing (Dolly Ahluwalia), and Best Make-Up (Vikram Gaikwad).
     

    With 2 awards is India’s very own superhero flick ‘Krrish 3’. The action-movie won Best Action (Sham Kaushal & Tony Ching Siu Tung) and Best Special Effects – Visuals (Keitan Yadav & Haresh Hingorani – Red Chillies VFX). Rohit Shetty’s blockbuster hit Chennai Express wins Best Song Recording (Vinod Verma for Lungi Dance) and Best Sound Mixing (Anup Dev) along with Bhaag Milkha  Bhaag.
                                                     

    The Technical Award winners and the Popular Award nominations are derived from the IIFA Voting weekend that took place earlier this month. The IIFA Voting process is a stringent and methodical procedure that is closely monitored by KPMG, the official auditors of the event. The popular category nominations have gone live for the global audience to participate in the voting process. Fans across the world can vote online via iifa.com/globalvoting2014   
     

    Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd promotes the IIFA Celebrations globally each year and travel to a new beau locale taking the Film fraternity with it to amalgamate and celebrate the best of both cultures, thereby taking Indian Cinema to a wider audience.
     

    The Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend is presented by Videocon D2H and the Tata Motors IIFA Awards is presented by Tata Motors. The IIFA Weekend &Awards will be broadcast globally on Star Plus, for the 10th year running. Visit Tampa Bay is the Official Destination Partner for the IIFA Weekend and Awards 2014 and Visit Florida, a key partner. Freedom Health Insurance are co-presenting sponsors for the IIFA Celebrations and Tampa Electric Company (TECO), a sponsor.

     

  • MTV and MTV EXIT, presents “Traffic” by Anurag Kashyap

    MTV and MTV EXIT, presents “Traffic” by Anurag Kashyap

    MUMBAI: A beautiful life is something that each human aspires to live. But what happens when you are lured by opportunities that seem beneficial but in reality are a nightmare? Human trafficking is a real life horror that has victimised thousands of people across the globe. In an initiative that brings light to these atrocities and works towards ending them, MTV, India’s leading youth brand, MTV EXIT, the world’s largest behaviour change campaign in the fight against human trafficking and exploitation, and one of India’s finest directorial talents, Anurag Kashyap, present “Traffic”, an eye-opening five-episode thriller series. The series is part of a global campaign to educate young people about the growing presence of trafficking in the world, and aims at inspiring them, so they can STOP. THINK. ACT. The first episode of “Traffic” airs on MTV on February 28, 2014.

    More than 200,000 persons are believed to be trafficked into, withinor through India annually. According to studies conducted by the Ministry of Women and Child Development, there are 3 million commercial sex workers in India, of which an estimated 40% are children. The five episodes of “Traffic” will highlighting varioustypes ofhuman trafficking, such as domestic servitude, forced marriage, being sold into prostitution, enslavement in a foreign land, organ trafficking and bonded labour.

    Speaking about this endeavour, AdityaSwamy, EVP and Business Head, MTV India, said,“Traffic is our initiative to raise awareness around human trafficking. It is happening every single day, all around us. Each one of us can make a difference and that’s what we want to communicate with this 5 part series. We are leveraging what we do best, content curation along with our broadcast and digital capability to reach out to people in a voice that will make them listen. MTV EXIT has done exceptional work in this field globally and it’s with these learnings that we begin the India chapter.

    Anchored and produced by the multi-talented AnuragKashyap, a 30-minute episode of “Traffic” will air every Friday at 7:00 pm starting February 28, 2014. “Traffic” will follow the journey of five people who were misled into the darkest abyss but emerged victorious by building up the strength to ask for help. With an aim to create awareness of this ever-growing social evil, each story will be narrated in a gripping format taking the viewers on a roller coaster ride of emotions.

    Anchor and Producer, “Traffic”, AnuragKashyap said, “Over the last few years, I have wanted to work on a project on human trafficking. So when I was approached by MTV for ‘Traffic’, I was thrilled. Through these films I want to reach out to my fans, especially the youngsters and make them aware of the perils oftrafficking.”

    Nirmala Nair, Country Manager – India, MTV EXIT said, “Research shows that an estimated 20.9 million people globally are in forced labour at any given time due to trafficking — and Asia contributes to 56% of this figure. While the statistics are shocking, very little is being done towards this cause. This is where MTV EXIT steps in. We’re committed to engaging, educating and empowering young people with the information and tools they need to help end human trafficking. Through ‘Traffic’ we will reach out to a huge audience of young people with information on human trafficking, and provide them with clear actions to reduce the demand for trafficking. It’s time to take a stand and act.”

    Debra Rosen, Movement Director of Walk Free said, “Education and awareness is the first step to bringing modern slavery to an end. That’s why a series like ‘Traffic’ is so important. It not only teaches you how to protect yourself, but inspires you to share your knowledge so that more people make ending modern slavery a priority.” In order to help reach an even larger audience, an anthem for “Traffic”was created by one of the most talented musicians in the country, Hitesh Sonik. Penned by renowned lyricist Piyush Mishra, the anthem is sung by Suraj Jagan.

    “Traffic” by MTV and MTV EXIT will be supported by a 360-degree marketing campaign across platforms. In addition to on-air, fans will also be engaged through various social media platforms.

    “Traffic” starts February 28, 2014 at 7pm only on MTV

     

  • Tata Motors launches‘ZEST for Stardom’, in association with IIFA

    Tata Motors launches‘ZEST for Stardom’, in association with IIFA

    MUMBAI: Close on the heels of unveiling TheZEST, a true dynamic sedan, from Tata Motors that meshes killer instinct with elegance, the Company today announced a new initiative in association with IIFA –‘ZEST for Stardom’. The all-new ZESTsignifies enthusiasm for life, exudes sense of excitement, anticipation, and energy, approaching life as an adventure, just like Bollywood stars. Through the ZEST for Stardom contest, Tata Motors and IIFA have brought theirs superstars together to offer a unique platform with an objective of engaging with customers, and provide deserving fans with a platform to perform with the young heartthrob, Ranveer Singh, on the IIFA stage, at Tampa Bay (USA).

    Mr. AnkushArora, Senior Vice President, Passenger Vehicles, Tata Motors said,“Our partnership with IIFA offers us a unique way to fulfill our promise to bring the best customer experiences, as we create new platforms and launch new initiatives that allow our customers to engage with our next-generation stars. We at Tata Motors are proud to announce the ‘ZEST for Stardom’ Contest’, which will provide a platform for deserving fans to perform on the IIFA stage.We promise to bring many more such exciting best-in-class offerings and hope to receive customer support in our journey to the podium finish”.

    Speaking on the contest, Mr. Sabbas Joseph, Director – Wizcraft International & IIFA said, “We are pleased to partner Tata Motors as the principal sponsor for the Tata Motors IIFA Awards. We believe that the ‘Zest for Stardom’ contest will give fans of Indian Cinema the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, to shake a leg with their stars and live their dream on the IIFA stage.”

    The ZEST for Stardom contest goes live today. To enter the contest, users can send their one minute dance performance video, recorded on Ranveer Singh’s songs* at connect@tatamotors.com. Top ten short listed videos will be announced on March 6,2014 and the forum will be open for votes. These shortlisted videos can be viewed in the gallery of the ZEST for Stardom Facebook application. The user with the highest number of votes,wins a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform with the stylish and talented actor Ranveer Singh and the ZEST, at the IIFA Awards. Besides, participants and voting audience will also get a chance to win a series of exciting prizes daily.

    Those who have Zest exude excitement and energy while approaching life and that is the new ZEST Sedan, in character. Recently unveiled at the Auto Expo 2014, the ZEST is a vivacious and energetic sedan engineered for global markets, through global teams across India, UK and Korea, It will set new standards in the sedan segment and is a true representation of the HORIZONEXT philosophy, with best-in-class offerings. The ZEST showcases the Next in Design, Performance and Infotainment, from Tata Motors.

     

  • Channel V celebrates the real Heroes

    Channel V celebrates the real Heroes

    MUMBAI: Come February 23rd and new heroes will be born. Channel V, the country’s number one youth GEC, is coming up with a new show that shares stories of sexual assault and in the process instills fear in the accused and the feeling of strength in the victims. Simply called Heroes, the new show produced by Endemol India, not only makes the youth aware of the hazards in the society but also shows means and methods to bolster themselves and combat such situations.

     

    Heroes is a re-enacted drama series based on the incidents of sexual assault which happens in various places such as hospitals, offices, schools and colleges and happens to people of different social strata, different gender and different age. The show will contain narration by the victims and the actual incidents faced by them will be recreated in the same episode.

     

    Each 60-minute story will bring one sexual assault story to light from the point of view of the victims. From the time when they were being harassed to that threshold moment when they could not take it anymore and fought back. These stories will celebrate the fearlessness of the people fighting against the many social institutions trying to bring them down. Finally what will emerge are the real Heroes of our society, of our country.

     

    Says Prem Kamath, EVP & GM-Channel V, “The new motto of our channel has been ‘V Correct Hai’ and what can be more correct than a show like Heroes. Sexual assault happens in our society every day in some form and a show like this will make people more cautious and also empower them against all the forces at play. The show reiterates our belief in the philosophy that the abuse will stop when the silence does.

     

    On creating a format that deals with real life issues such as sexual harassment, Deepak Dhar, Director and CEO, Endemol India says, “We are determined to create a show for the audiences and get them to take notice of this unspoken yet massive plague like issue which women in India face on a daily basis. The format competently tackles the behavior and addresses the education barrier which is lacking. ‘HEROES’ is also an ode to the women whom have shown the courage to walk out of such thorny affairs with their head held high.”

     

    Starting 23rd Feb, 2014 watch Heroes, every Sunday at 7pm only on Channel V.

  • The first ever ‘Stree Sanman Award’ goes to Farah Khan at Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014

    The first ever ‘Stree Sanman Award’ goes to Farah Khan at Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014

    MUMBAI: It is rather challenging for a woman to emerge as a power to reckon with in a field dominated by men. In Bollywood, more often than not, women are often relegated to donning the greasepaint and serving as an arm candy for the film hero. Barring the role of an actress, most profiles within the film industry such as editor, director, producer or technician are ruled by men. For having managed to find her own footing in the frenzied world of Bollywood and carving a distinct niche for herself first as a successful choreographer, then as a film director and producer, Farah Khan recently bagged a distinctive award at the Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014. The ‘Stree Samman Award’ is a first-of-its-kind initiative at a film awards show aimed at recognizing the contribution made by industrious, enterprising women in a male-dominated industry.

    Farah received the prestigious award at the hands of veteran film-maker, the Great Showman Subhash Ghai. As she went on stage to accept the award, Farah said, “They say behind every successful man, there is a woman. But let me tell you, behind this successful woman, there are a hundred men.” She went on to thank all the men who have stood by her side as a pillar of strength in the course of her journey in Bollywood. She also thanked Shah Rukh for having been a mentor and a dear friend. Subhash Ghai thanked the Zee group for coming up with this unique award.

    Farah’s first stint as a choreographer began with ‘Pehla Nasha’ from Aamir Khan starrer, ‘Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar’. As a choreographer, Farah has received 25 prestigious awards in the course of her prolific career. Later, her penchant for entertaining the masses saw her direct and produce popular blockbusters like Main Hoon Na and Om Shanti Om. She is easily amongst the most successful commercial female filmmakers in Bollywood. As a director, her movie Om Shanti Om became the highest grossing Hindi film ever at the time of its release. Currently in the news for her upcoming multi-starrer ‘Happy New Year’, Farah is delighted on receiving this recognition. She tweeted, saying she was grateful to the jury of Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014 for choosing her for her efforts in the industry.

    Catch the most stunning spectacle of entertainment as the world’s biggest viewers’ choice awards – Lux Cozi Zee Cine Awards 2014 powered by Dabur Vatika Enriched Olive Hair Oil and Karbonn Mobile airs at 8 PM on 23rd February on Zee TV, Zee Anmol and Zee Tamizh.

  • The Tata Motors IIFA Awards announce 2014 nominations

    The Tata Motors IIFA Awards announce 2014 nominations

    MUMBAI: Indian Cinema’s most spectacular awards outside of India, The Tata Motors International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards have declared the list of nominations (Popular category) for its 15th edition. The Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend will be held in Tampa Bay, Florida from April 23-26.

     
    2013 was a fantastic year at the Box-office. Amongst the major films of the year, bagging a maximum number of nods is the inspiring biopic of Milkha Singh, ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag’ followed closely by the gun-fest, ‘Goliyon Ki Rasleela- Ramleela’ and the heart-wrenching ‘Aashiqui 2’ with 7 nominations each, while the Ranbir Kapoor starrer – Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani scored 6 nominations. Other notable films: Krrish 3, Chennai Express, Kai Po Che and The Lunchbox have been nominated across various award categories.

     
    It is a battle of superstars at the awards, as Shahrukh Khan (Chennai Express), Hrithik Roshan (Krrish 3), Ranbir Kapoor (Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani), Farhan Akhtar (Bhaag Milka Bhaag), Ranveer Singh (Goliyon Ki Rasleela-Ramleela) and newcomer Sushant Singh Rajput (Kai Po Che) get nominated for Performance in a Leading Role (Male) for exceptional work in their respective films.

     
    Stealing the limelight is the very beautiful Deepika Padukone with 3 nominations in Performance in a Leading Role (Female) category for her perfomance in last year’s smash hits Chennai Express, Goliyon Ki Rasleela- Ramleela and Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewaani. Equally impressive performers, Sonakshi Sinha (Lootera), Nimrat Kaur (The Lunchbox) and Shraddha Kapoor (Aashiqui 2) find themselves nominated in the category, as well.

     
    Best Director nominees include a host of celebrated filmmakers like Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Rakesh Roshan, Rohit Shetty, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra and Abhishek Kapoor. One of the most awaited awards, the Best Film category witnesses 2013’s runway success’s Dhoom 3, Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, Goliyon Ki Rasleela-Ramleela, Krrish 3, Kai Po Che, Chennai Express and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, as they compete to win the much coveted title.

     
    The Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend is presented by Videocon D2H and the Tata Motors IIFA Awards is presented by Tata Motors. The IIFA Weekend &Awards will be broadcast globally on Star Plus, for the 10th year running.

  • America gears up for the 15th IIFA Weekend and Awards 2014 in Tampa Bay

    America gears up for the 15th IIFA Weekend and Awards 2014 in Tampa Bay

    MUMBAI: As we draw closer to the 15th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Weekend & Awards in Tampa Bay, Florida, the Academy held a press conference on the lawns of the U.S. Consulate in Mumbai, today. Friends of IIFA, members from the film fraternity were present today along with U.S. Ambassador Peter Haas, and the Tampa Bay delegation to show their support for the upcoming celebrations in the United States of America. The 15th Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend and the Tata Motors IIFA Awards will be held from the 23rd – 26th of April.

     

    Actors Anil Kapoor, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Bipasha Basu and music director Pritam were on hand to announce the details of the Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend. Leading the delegation from Tampa were Mayor of Tampa Bay – Bob Buckhorn, Hillsborough County Commissioner – Al Higginbotham and Santiago Corrada, President and Chief Executive Officer of Visit Tampa Bay and the IIFA hosts from Tampa Bay, Dr. Kiran Patel and Dr. (Mrs.) Pallavi Patel.   

     

    Peter Haas, U.S. Consul General in Mumbai said, “I’m excited by IIFA’s decision to hold this year’s awards ceremony in Tampa, Florida.  Bollywood fans across the United States will be thrilled that India’s biggest film stars are coming.  We look forward to other Indian companies choosing the United States as their travel destination and stand ready to assist.”

     

    The 15th edition of the Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend in April 2014 is set to include multiple star-studded events including the IIFA Rocks (a fashion and music spectacular), the IIFA Magic of the Movies & Technical Awards, and the crown jewel Tata Motors IIFA Awards.

     

    The Tata Motors IIFA Awards will be hosted by Shahid Kapoor and Farhan Akhtar. The first set of star performers at the Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend include Hrithik Roshan, Priyanka Chopra, Madhuri Dixit Nene, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha, Bipasha Basu, Pritam and Vir Das among others. The performances would be choreographed by the internationally-renowned Shiamak Davar. More stars would be announced in the next few weeks.

     

    The sale of tickets for the Tata Motors IIFA Awards has been brisk with more than 15000 tickets being already sold without any announcement of performing stars. The response from the audience is phenomenal and the Indian contingent is looking forward to the first-ever IIFA Celebrations in America.

     

    Business events include the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum which focuses on business opportunities across the two geographies, the Global Leadership Honours and a Media and Entertainment Strategy Summit led by Ernst & Young and FICCI’s Entertainment division.

     

    The FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum will take place over two days (24th & 25th April) at the Tampa Convention Center. Hosted by the University of South Florida College of Business, the business forum will be addressed by several leading visionaries and business leaders including Indian IT visionary, founder and Executive Chairman of Infosys, Mr. Narayan Murthy and FICCI President Siddharth Birla. The business forum’s verticals will focus on renewable energy, pharma, healthcare & life sciences, tourism, IT and cyber security, infrastructure, education and higher education.

     

    For the first time this year, the IIFA EXPO comprising a B2C showcase of businesses from India and US would be on view. The focus areas are property, wellness and tranquility, jewelry, banking, tourism, bridal wear, clothing, handicrafts and artifacts.

     

    Additional unique events include an IIFA Masterclass with an international actor and IIFA Stomp which is a celebration by the Tampa Bay community to welcome IIFA on April 23rd – a unique celebration of Indian music, dance and cuisine in the Curtis Hixon Waterfont Park in Tampa. This open for general public event, will feature popular DJs led by Ravi Drums and Akbar Sami.

     

    Long time friend & supporter of IIFA, International Actor, Anil Kapoor said “There is nothing as unique as Bollywood, and Tampa is in for a treat this year! The IIFAs are a great platform for us to showcase our work to the world. This April, IIFA will bring the magic of Indian Cinema to America.”

     

    Speaking on her years in the US, Madhuri Dixit Nene said, “Very few know that I lived in Florida for a while. I have been to Tampa Bay and I can tell you honestly it is a beautiful city and the people there are warm and welcoming. Thank you for hosting us. We are gonna rock.”

     

    Saif Ali Khan commented saying, “It’s always amazing to give our Indian and international audience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness one of the finest celebrations of Indian culture and cinema. IIFA is really going to rock this year!”

     

    Mr. Ranjit Yadav, President, Passenger Vehicles, Tata Motors said, “After an exciting debut last year, Tata Motors is again joining hands with IIFA to delight their global audiences. With our newly showcased, next-generation cars – the Zest and the Bolt, at the recent Auto Expo 2014, we also have some new emerging superstars to add to the excitement. Engineered for global markets, through global teams across India, UK and Korea, these cars will set new standards in their respective segments just like the IIFA Awards. These cars are a true representation of our Horizonext philosophy, with best-in-class offerings and will showcase the Next in Design, Performance and Infotainment. We will bring many more such exciting best-in-class offerings and we hope to receive your support in our journey, in the Future”.

     

    Kareena Kapoor Khan said, “There is a great pride when representing your country and the Indian film industry, and IIFA makes that possible for all us. I am excited to reach out to our fans and Indian Cinema aficionados in the USA and across the world. I’m sure IIFA 2014 is going to be a phenomenal success as it ventures into USA.”

     

    Mr. Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft International & IIFA said, “In our 15th year, IIFA continues to build bridges through cinema across communities throughout the world. We are determined to bring the magic and magnitude of Indian culture as Tampa Bay is set to witness the spectacle that is Indian cinema, when IIFA comes to the US, this April.”

     

    Bipasha Basu said, “Over the years, I have been privileged to have been a part of and performed at several IIFAs and have watched them grow from strength to strength. It is commendable that IIFA continues to be a magnificent celebration of Indian Cinema and IIFA’s efforts to promote Indian Cinema on a global scale are really praiseworthy. As an ambassador of Cinema, I whole-heartedly support this noble endeavor and will continue to do so. It would be fun to be in North America this year, because with a huge number of Bollywood fans in the country, it will only be a remarkable celebration.”

     

    At the onset of IIFA 2014, Videocon announced the launch of Videocon 4K 4 IIFA Facebook contest where the users can participate, play and win a chance to experience IIFA in Tampa Bay, US. Mr. Anirudh Dhoot – Director, Videocon Group stated, “In our 6th year of successful association, Videocon d2h along with IIFA, shares a similar outlook of promoting excellence in entertainment. The focus of both IIFA and Videocon d2h is adding variety and value in its entertainment quotient.  Videocon d2h which is now Asia’s Most Promising DTH brand strives to provide the best viewing experience in Asli HD through its DTH services and now reaches more than 10 million homes. We provide a very good platform for IIFA as well to reach out to this discerning audience.”

     

    Gaurav Banerjee, General Manager, Star Plus said, “We are proud to partner Wizcraft for over the last ten years in the biggest celebration of Indian Cinema with the IIFA weekend. This year with Tampa Bay as the host, a fantastic line up of talent and support from the industry, we promise to create a blockbuster evening reaching IIFA to millions of households worldwide through Star Plus.”

    Having travelled to some phenomenal destinations across the globe over the last 15 years, IIFA has graced the shores of the UK, Europe, Middle East, South East Asia, South Africa, Sri Lanka Amsterdam and Canada. Fans and enthusiasts of Indian Cinema from around the world can expect to see their favorite stars descend into Tampa, Florida during the weekend and witness Indian Cinema’s most glorious event unfold for the first time in America. With world-class infrastructure and facilities and having hosted a myriad of international concerts, events and the Super Bowl four times, Tampa Bay is the ideal choice for the 15th IIFA celebrations.

     

    The Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend is presented by Videocon D2H and the Tata Motors IIFA Awards is presented by Tata Motors. The IIFA Weekend &Awards will be broadcast globally on Star Plus, for the 10th year running.

  • ‘The Simpsons’ to feature as Lego characters for 550th episode

    ‘The Simpsons’ to feature as Lego characters for 550th episode

    MUMBAI: The Fox network’s animated family The Simpsons will soon be getting a plastic makeover on 4 May, as the creators team up with toy manufacturing giant Lego for an entire episode created out of the plastic building blocks, Fox’s consumer products division announced recently.

     

    The episode, entitled Brick Like Me, will see family patriarch Homer Simpson wake up in a Springfield where everyone and everything is made out of Legos, and he must figure his way out before he gets stuck in the plastic world forever.

     

    The Simpsons, created by Matt Groening, is the longest-running animated series in the history of US television, making the cartoon family and their catch phrases, such as Homer’s “D’Oh!,” a facet of American pop culture.

     

    Danish company The Lego Group first started producing the plastic construction building blocks in 1949, which have become a popular toy around the world.

     

    The series, which airs on 21st Century Fox’s Fox Television, entered its 25th season last year, and the Lego episode will be its 550th show.

     

    The animation has also been renewed for a 26th season; in which producers have revealed that one longstanding character will die.

     

    Last week’s release of The Lego Movie, featuring superheroes and villains in a world made entirely from Legos, raked in $69.1 million at US and Canadian theaters in its opening weekend.