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MUMBAI: From Shah Rukh Khan…to Aishwarya Rai….Amitabh Bachchan tackles some tough topics in a first-of-its-kind interview: 50 young Big B fans grill him, relentlessly, in a special show, India Questions, anchored by NDTV’s Prannoy Roy, and scheduled to air on NDTV 24 X7 on Saturday, Feb 17 at 10 pm. Addressing a fan who asks him if Aishwarya Rai will be a working member of his family, Mr. Bachchan says: “I don’t see any problem in her wanting to continue her career and wanting to continue acting and if she is going to be acting better than Abhishek, then it’s their problem, it’s not my problem (laughs)….” On what he makes of Shah Rukh Khan’s new role on KBC, Amitabh Bachchan says, “Shah Rukh is fine. I hadn’t seen Shahrukh’s KBC, but recently I did and I thought that it was fine”, he comments, adding that the format of the show is more impressive than any host who it features. Mr. Bachchan would consider doing one of Shah Rukh’s roles as well: “…if ever I was of his age and if I wanted to do it, I would like to do Swadesh” About his controversial association with Amar Singh and the Samajwadi Party, Mr. Bachchan says the association is a personal rather than a political one: “Friendship… I don’t do politics and whatever my association is with Amar Singhji or Mulayam Singhji, it is on a personal…private level….” |
Tag: Aishwarya Rai
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NDTV exclusive with Amitabh Bachchan
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Eros Intl claims Rs 500 mn opening weekend gross for ‘Salaam-e-Ishq’
MUMBAI: London-listed Eros International has announced that its film Salaam-E-Ishq, which was released worldwide on 25 January on an impressive 1200 screens, has grossed over Rs 500 million in its opening weekend.
Eros India director Viki Rajani said, “With Salaam-e-Ishq enjoying such a fantastic opening response, the film has superseded our expectations. It’s evident that audiences have saluted the flavours of love and appreciated the film worldwide.”With over 3.1 billion tickets being sold in India every year and the accelerated growth in multiplex cinemas which are driving ticket prices up, Bollywood is well and truly sustaining its 21 per cent CAGR growth. As part of its strategy, Eros is taking a larger slice of the Indian box office and has set up its own distribution offices in Mumbai and Delhi.
In line with Eros’s strategy to broaden the audience for Bollywood films beyond the expatriate community, Salaam-E-Ishq was released with local language subtitles in markets like Germany, Belgium and Holland through mainstream multiplex chains.Eros International director Sunil Lulla said, “We are delighted with the audience response to Salaam-E-Ishq. Our strategy is a combination of leveraging our distribution network and marketing muscle globally and looking for opportunities to open new markets. We remain focused on this core thread of our business and are excited about our release pipeline”.
After the success of Omkara and Salaam-e-Ishq, Eros’s global release pipeline up to April includes Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya, Vipul Shah’s Namastey London, Chinni Kum starring Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai’s Provoked and India’s first 3D animation film Friends Forever.
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B4U bags exclusive rights to 3 Bachchan movies
MUMBAI: B4U network has bought the global exclusive screening rights to three major Bollywood films – Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai starrers Umraon Jaan and Guru and the yet to be released film from RGV stable starring Amitabh Bachchan Nishabd.
“We are absolutely delighted to have acquired exclusive rights for these three movies featuring the biggest names in the industry. It’s almost like a Bachchan movie festival. We are grateful to our loyal viewers and they can expect more exciting news like this from us in the coming months” said B4U Network CEO Sunil Rohra.
B4U a Bollywood television network was incorporated in 1999 and launched B4U Music and B4U Movies simultaneously in UK. The channel went on to expand its operations in the US & UAE before launching in India in May 2000. The B4U network is available on more than 8 different satellites in over 100 countries including the US, UK, Europe, Middle East, Africa, Mauritius Canada and India. B4U Movies was launched in India on 2 October 2001.
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Star World unveils programme line up for the Diwali month
MUMBAI: From a special Halloween horror fest to all-new seasons of popular shows, Star World is leaving no stones unturned to get its share of the viewership this Diwali.
The channel presents Robbie Williams- A Close Encounter on 7 October, the show that broke the Guinness Book Of World Records for the fastest and largest number of concert tickets ever sold in one day – 1.6 million in 24 hours, states an official release.
Simi Garewal will profile choreographer Farah Khan with her husband Shirish Kunder on 22 October and Aishwarya Rai on 29 October on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal.
Star World then has the comedy programme Must Sceam TV on 29 October. On 8 October, series 4 of Parkinson kicks off with a look back at some of Series 3’s highlights whose guests include James Blunt, Antonio Banderas, Ricky Gervais, Susan Sarandon, Robbie Williams and Stevie Wonder.
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Priyadarshini Academy honours 13 eminent personalities
MUMBAI: Priyadarshini Academy honoured outstanding national as well as international achievers in the 22nd Anniversary Global Awards function held in Mumbai today.
There were 13 categories for which the awards were given, which included a trophy and a scroll. Each awardee in some way or the other has contributed to society through their respective fields. The awards were given by Union Minister for Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath.
“These awards are a recognition for those who have given their se rvices to the nation despite being in different profession,” said Nath.
Former Chairman of Infosys Technologies Ltd, NR Naryan Murthy received the award for his contribution to the IT Sector, former Chairman and MD of ONGC Subir Rana for the oil sector and Cricketor Arjuna Ranatunga for his contribution to Sports.
The other awardees included Dr HS Dhillon who received the Overseas Indian Award, Olara A Otunnu received the award for Contribution to Human Rights, Yamha Toru Hasegawa for Corporate social Responsibility, Raj Loomba for contibution to Education of Children and Welfare of widows, Dr B K Goyal for his contribution to Medicine, Noel Hon for his contribution to humanitarian services, Jignesh shah was awarded for Innovative Enterepreneurship, Unna Huh, for contribution to It Education and Professor Arindam Chaudhari was awarded for his contribution in the field of management.
On receiving the award, NarayanMurthy modestly said, “I feel I have received more from the society than I have given them. But this award reinforces my faith in the community and will definately help me to serve them better.”
Priyadarshini Academy is an NGO engaged in socio-cultural and educational activities and has been holding the biennial award function since its inception in 1984.
“When Indians were bestowed with International awards, it use to make news. So I thought that why not we create such an award in India which would honour who’s who from across the world. And over the years this award function is considered equivalent to Nobel Prize in the asia Pacific region,” said Chairman of Priyadarshini Academy Nanik Rupani.
This year, the prestigious Smita Patil Memorial Award award was given to actress Kareena Kapoor, for her contribution to Indian cinema.
In the past, distinguished celebrities like Yash chopra, Karishma Kapoor, Urmila Matondkar, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit have been bestowed with this prestigious award.
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Filmy launches its gaming property ‘Filmy Stock Exchange’
MUMBAI: For those who love to play the stock exchanges and are fascinated by Bollywood, Sahara’s Hindi movie channel Filmy has launched Filmy Stock Exchange.
Beginning 1 October, this game will be played through the internet and mobile and it will give Bollywood fans across India an opportunity to “own” their favourite stars by trading for them. It could be anybody from Sharukh Khan to Aishwarya Rai.
Actor Arshad Warsi is the brand ambassador for this new show. “The idea of FSE is fascinating. The younger audience will be able to connect with it very well. There can’t be a more engaging way of learning the workings of the stock exchange. It’s simple and fun to play.”
Registered users will initially get 1000 Filmy Rs (FRs) to create their portfolio of stars. The stock prices of each star will change every hour on the basis of their box office performance, trading trends, industry news and gossip. And in the process players can redeem their filmy Rs for big, exciting prizes.
Talking about the game, Sahara One Media And Entertainment Limited CEO Shantonu Aditya says, “In today’s media scenario, interactivity and convergence are key to a brand’s growth. FSE is a cutting-edge initiative to take the channel’s brand proposition forward.”
“It’s a one stop destination for all film buffs if one plays intelligently. And moreover there are prizes every week. We are in the process of tying up with brands for the prizes,” adds Aditya.
The publicity campaign for the show will begin soon with 30 or 60 second teasers. It will also give the viewers an insight into how to play the game. Once FSE kicks off the channel is planning collaborations with radio stations and trade magazines.
Filmy business head Ashutosh says, “This is an absolutely new concept. In a way it will be a parameter for the players to check out where their icons stand. It’s just not an engaging property for our viewers, it’s a good brand for our advertisers to associate with. It’s a multimedia property in the true sense of the term.”
“The response from the film fraternity has also been exciting. There will be 30 stars at the end of every month. And by the end of each month, around three stars will go out and more will be added on the show,” added Shailesh Kapoor, head of marketing and content.
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Watch Aishwarya Rai discuss the various twists and turns in her life on the second-part episode of Rendezvous with Simi Garewal on Star World
Mumbai, November 1, 2006… Too pretty… too professional, too manipulative, too icy, too good, too diplomatic, too plastic… Everybody has an opinion on Aishwarya Rai! But what is the real Ash all about? Watch her open up to Simi as she discusses her joys and pains, her public face and her private life and how she copes with scandals and gossip, as she returns in this exclusive two-part Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, this Sunday, November 5th, at 9 30 p.m. only on Star World.
This Sunday, Ash talks about the wonderful bond she shares with her family, friends and co-stars! She discusses her love-hate relationship with the media and how she handled eerie rumors like her death and about her being manglik. She shares her feelings about marriage and kids and admits that if given a choice, she would choose love over her career! And of course, watch her talk about how she feels about being linked with India’s most eligible bachelor- Abhishek Bachchan!!!
Watch all this and more on Rendezvous with Simi Garewal, this Sunday, November 5th at 9 30 p.m. only on Star World.
About Star
Star is a leading media and entertainment company in Asia. Star broadcasts 60 television services in nine languages to more than 300 million viewers across 53 Asian countries. STAR channels cover all genres including general entertainment (Star Plus, Xing Kong, Star Chinese Channel, Star One, Star Utsav, Star World, Vijay, Phoenix Chinese), sports (ESPN, Star Sports), movies (Star Chinese Movies, Star Gold, Star Movies), music (Channel [V]), and news and current affairs (Star News, Star Ananda, Phoenix InfoNews Channel).Star controls over 20,000 hours of Indian and Chinese programming and also owns the world’s largest contemporary Chinese film library, with more than 600 titles, featuring superstars including Jackie Chan, Chow Yun Fat and Bruce Lee. In partnership with leading companies in Asia, STAR businesses extend to filmed entertainment, television production, cable systems, direct-to-home services, terrestrial TV broadcasting, wireless and digital services. STAR is a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation. www.startv.com
For further information please contact:
In Mumbai
Zeenat Khan
Asst Vice President, Publicity
STAR (India) Ltd. ?
Tel No. 91-22-28523880Shiraz Bhavnani / Aditi Chada
Vaishnavi Corporate Communications
Tel: 91-22-6656 8787
Fax: 91-22-6656 8788
Email:sbhavnani@vccpl.com / achada@vccpl.com -
Eros acquires distribution rights for Aishwarya Rai’s ‘Provoked’
MUMBAI: Eros International plc has acquired the distribution rights of Provoked starring Aishwarya Rai for the UK and US, besides the Indian terriority.
Provoked is based on the true story of a Punjabi woman named Kiranjit Ahluwalia who moves to England and marries a man who subjects her to violent physical abuse. In a fit of desperation, she resorts to killing him and is subsequently charged with first-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. The movie follows her pursuit for justice, according to an official statement.
Kiranjit Ahluwalia’s story has succeeded in transforming the British judicial system and the meaning of ‘provocation’ has since been redefined in the case of physically abused women. The story has been so influential that a book was published on her life called ‘Circle of Light’, by Rahila Gupta.
Directed by Jag Mundhra Provoked also stars Miranda Richardson (The Hours, Phantom of the Opera, Get Carter), Robbie Coltrane (Harry Potter, Ocean’s 12, Golden Eye, The World is Not Enough), Nandita Das (Sandstorm, Fire, Earth), Rebecca Pidgeon (Heist), Deborah Moore (Die Another Day) and Naveen Andrews (Lost, The English Patient, Bride & Prejudice)
The movie was screened at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and more recently to Patricia Hewitt, British Culture Minister, informs the statement. Eros will be announcing the release date of the film shortly.
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Sahara One, Endemol present Super Star reality show
NEW DELHI: You think you look like Shah Rukh Khan. You think you move like Khan. You think you act like him. But for one night, can you make millions believe you really are Shah Rukh Khan?
Coming this September, Sahara One Television brings alive a brand new reality concept, Super Stars, in association with Endemol India.
The new show proposes to provide Bollywood fans with an opportunity to showcase their talent and perform as their favourite star.
This international format has seen a production of over 70-odd series in 20 countries across the globe under different names like Sound Mix and Stars in the Eyes.
The Indian version of this show kick starts with a five-city audition on Sahara One starting 10 August, 2006.
In each episode, contestants compete by copying their favourite artist as faithfully as possible.
“India is a nation obsessed with Bollywood. There are temples, clubs, associations dedicated to film actors. Dancing and singing is not only about performing; it’s a passion that drives the souls of many. It’s our endeavour to provide a national platform for such talent,” Sahara One COO Purnendu Bose says.
The jury for Super Stars includes Bollywood heavy weights like the gorgeous Urmila Matondkar and ace choreographer Shiamak Davar. There would be floating judges too for particular episodes.
The whole of August, Super Stars will do a nation-wide hunt in an attempt to unearth the flair people possess to be like their stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukherjee, Saif Ali Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Kajol, Preity Zinta, Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Kareena Kapoor, Hritik Roshan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan.
The contestants will be judged on three parameters – look and style, acting and dance — and will vie for the ultimate honour: the title of Super Star.
According to Endemol India MD Rajesh Kamat, “We are very excited to partner with Sahara One Television on this special format. It is a show people will connect with and it will feature people that they will connect with.”
Kamath added that they have received “tremendous response” from people. Aspirants aged 18 years and above can walk in and audition at the city level. This would be applicable to five cities that include Ludhiana (August 10-12), New Delhi (August 13-14), Kolkata (August 17-18), Bhopal (August 20-21) and Mumbai (August 22-23).
Hundred and twenty winners from the regional auditions will be invited to Mumbai and groomed by experts.
Sahara One Television is part of the umbrella brand Sahara One, whose other businesses include Sahara One Motion Pictures, which is India’s largest player in the motion pictures business.
Endemol is a global leader in television and other audiovisual entertainment. The company creates premium entertainment ideas and sells them to the world’s leading broadcasters. Subsequently, the company exploits the value of its brands across other media and communications platforms including mobile phones and the Internet.
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‘Provoked’ parties on with Aishwarya Rai
CANNES: The maker of Provoked – Jagmohan Mundhra, threw a party to celebrate the movie on the rooftop of the Noga Hilton at Cannes.
Of course the star of the evening was the glam Aishwarya Rai who even dazzled the paparazzi and the locals in Cannes as she sashayed down the red carpet into the Grand Theatre Lumiere on Day One of the festival.
L’Oreal has strategically placed a poster of Rai close to the Palais promoting her own cosmetic lipstick colour Color Riche Star Secrets No 708. In fact Mundhra was quite taken aback on 17 May when he and his colleagues turned around to look at her poster when they went past it. Way to go Ash!
Meanwhile a star who had made it a point to be at the party was Poonam Dhillon who was dressed up in a lovely red sari looking extremely bootifull!