ITV

Tag: Amitabh Bachchan

  • KBC propels Sony to new heights

    KBC propels Sony to new heights

    MUMBAI: The angry “old” man of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan, has once again proved his charisma as he took the fifth season of the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC) to new heights on Sony Entertainment Television.

    Albeit, it was a joint effort as in the history of KBC, it was the first time that a winner was taking home the grand prize of Rs 50 million. The two episodes, on 1 and 2 November, clocked a TVR of 7.2 and 8 respectively, as audiences swelled to watch a common man – Sushil Kumar from Motihari, Bihar, win the amount.

    KBC has helped Set to add 51 GRPs (gross rating points) during the week ended 5 November as it marched ahead of Colors, which was at par with the channel last week.
     
    As per TAM data (C&S, 4+, HSM), Set closed the week with 287 GRPs (last week 236), second among the Hindi general entertainment channels.

    Set senior EVP and business head Sneha Rajani said, “We are extremely satisfied with the ratings of KBC and humbled by the way audiences have connected to the show. It strengthens our belief and philosophy ‘koi bhee insaan chhota nahi hota‘. The success of Sushil Kumar in KBC is an emphatic endorsement of the fact that KBC is not just a game show, but a melting pot of knowledge and aspirations of the aam aadmi.”

    The Wednesday episode (2 November) of KBC5 has, in fact , became the highest TVR grosser among all shows since 2009 when Uttaran on Colors had achieved a 8+ TVR.

    Set said that KBC reached out to 25 million people on Tuesday and 27 million people on Wednesday, with 18 per cent reach and 43 minutes of average time spent, the highest for this season. 
     
    Set‘s climb was also supported by other fiction properties including Crime Petrol (4.2 TVR), C.I.D. (4 TVR) and Bade Acche Lagte Hain (3.7 TVR).

    Set has also broken its nine-year record to reach highest ratings. However, last time, it was on the back of the blockbuster film 3Idiots while the present rise is on pure programming.

    Even after scaling to 287, Sony stayed behind genre leader Star Plus which climbed to 335 GRPs (last week 273). All the fiction properties of the channel saw an increase in viewership, helping it to surge ahead.

    Colors closed the week with 240 GRPs (last week 236), while Zee TV ended with 143 GRPs (last week 131).

    Sab remained in fifth position with 121 GRPS (118 GRPs last week) followed by Imagine TV with 70 GRPs (from 61 GRPs).

    Star One closed with 43 GRPs (from 40 last week) and Sahara One with 34 GRPs (30 last week), according to TAM data.

  • News channels to exercise restraint in coverage of birth of Abhi-Aish child

    News channels to exercise restraint in coverage of birth of Abhi-Aish child

    NEW DELHI: Television news channels have made a special case for coverage of Big B‘s family matters. In a rare show of concern for protecting privacy, the Broadcast Editors Association (BEA) has called for restraint among the media for coverage of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai‘s first child.

    Rai, 38, is due to give birth to her first child this month.

    When contacted by indiantelevision.com, BEA VP Pankaj Pachauri denied that this had been done at the behest of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry or Amitabh Bachchan.
       
    He said the aim of the guidelines issued by BEA is to ensure that there is no meaningless sensationalism around the story.

    The guidelines say that there will be no pre-coverage of the event and the story of birth of the baby is to be run only after, and on basis of, an official announcement. The story will not run on breaking news band.

    It has been stated that no camera or OB vans will be stationed at the hospital or any other location related to the story, and will go for photo opportunity or press conference only if invited.

    The media will not carry any MMS, or photo of the child, or do any astrology show on this issue. The duration of any story should be around a minute/ninety seconds and there should be no astrology show associated with the dates 11.11.11. Media will not be permitted unauthorised entry into the hospital.

    Meanwhile, Sr Bachchan yesterday denied in a tweet having requested the Ministry to issue guidelines to television channels for the coverage of his daughter-in-law‘s delivery.

    The tweet in reply to a query by a mediaperson said: “I&B and media matter! Firstly I have no such intention ever; secondly do you really think I&B would listen to me? No way baby! But more interesting stuff coming in on this topic! Apparently media has been told by I&B to not have OB Vans outside hospitals! But wait! Yesterday a journalist from electronic sent me SMS, which indicated that this decision was from the electronic media. That news came to me via a journalist … so someone put two and two together and made it Bachchan … Ha ha ha !!!”

  • Zanjeer remake on cards

    Zanjeer remake on cards

    MUMBAI: Looks like remaking a film has become the trick of the trade these days. The latest to jump the remaking bandwagon is Prakash Mehra‘s son Amit who is set to remake his father‘s classic Zanjeer.

    After almost 30 odd years, Mehra, with the backing of his siblings Puneet and Sumeet, wants to remake the film as a homage to his departed father.

    The film will be a modern take on the epic film that will attempt to keep the underlying pump and energy of the original that made it so intriguingly intact.

    To add to Mehra‘s confidence is Amitabh Bachchan who has given his blessings for this project.

    Mehra is now on the look out to tie up with the right production studios for his dream project who would share his vision of the film. It is said that the casting and director of the film is going to be kept under wraps for some time to maintain the novelty.

  • Bal Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Amitabh Bachchan

    Bal Thackeray demands Bharat Ratna for Amitabh Bachchan

    MUMBAI: Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray has demanded that the country‘s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna, should be conferred on Amitabh Bachchan.

    Thackeray in his editorial peace in Samna said, “Bachchan is the last ‘Shahenshah‘ (emperor) of Bollywood. In many countries of the world, the people don‘t know who is the president or prime minister of the country, but they know Bachchan.”

    “He is a real jewel of India who has brought laurels to the country. Bachchan truly deserves the Bharat Ratna.”

    Praising the 69-year old mega star, Thackeray pointed out that some time ago, Lata Mangeshkar had also suggested Bachchan‘s name for the honour.

    Thackeray‘s comments assume significance in view of the ongoing Marathi versus north-Indians debate kicked off by city Congress MP Sanjay Nirupam.

  • Hindi version of Pranayam in offing

    Hindi version of Pranayam in offing

    MUMBAI: Director Blessy is mulling with the idea of casting Amitabh Bachchan in the Hindi remake of his Mohanlal-starrer Pranayam.

    “The final discussions are going on and we are looking for Amitabh Bachchan for the movie,” the director said.

    The film had Mohanlal, Anupam Kher and Jayaprada sharing screen space. Bachchan is being tipped to play the role that Mohanlal essayed in the Malayalam original.

    Pranayam is a love story involving a beautiful woman and two men. “They had to convey some strong emotions in a subtle way and I had to maintain a certain balance. This prompted me to think about these superb actors who have been stunning us with their performances over the years,” he added.

    The director is awaiting to talk to both Kher and Jayapradha to discuss other casting possibilities in the remake.

  • Sony’s magic run with Big B continues

    Sony’s magic run with Big B continues

    MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television‘s (SET) magic run with Amitabh Bachchan at the lead continues as it scales new heights, inching closer to the market leader Star Plus.

    Pumped up by the game show Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), Sony races to 271 GRPs, a new peak after a long gap. Star Plus stays ahead by just 21 GRPs and the gap between Sony and Colors widens as shows like Bade Achhe Lagte Hain gain ground.

    Sony had reached 270 GRPs more than a year back, but it was like a flash in the pan with the Aamir Khan movie 3 Idiots providing the spike. Sony had moved to an almost eight-year high as it grabbed 270 GRPs for the week ended 31 July 2010, gaining a mammoth 108 points from the trailing week, as 3 Idiots clocked an average TVR of 10.9.

    “We are now in a position to sustain our momentum. Our growth has come from a bunch of shows such as CID and Crime Patrol. KBC and Bade Achhe Lagte Hain no doubt spearheaded this movement. With Kuch To Log Kahenge launching on 3 October at 8 pm, we are looking at adding more GRPs,” said Sony Entertainment Television senior vice president and marketing head Danish Khan.

    KBC has become the top-rated show with the Thursday episode, featuring Ranbir Kapoor, amassing a staggering 6 TVR. The game show averaged 5.4 TVR and collected 65 GRPs during the week ended 17 September.

    Also aiding Sony‘s climb were shows like Bade Achhe Lagte Hain (average TVR of 4), CID and Crime Patrol.

    “3 Idiots had helped Sony catapult to 270 GRPs, with a 108 GRP jump from the preceding week. So the fall was equally dramatic. Now the rise is more steady as Sony has seen a 28 GRP gain from the trailing week,” a media analyst said.

    Star Plus has shed 15 GRPs to collect 292 GRPs for the week ended 17 September, according to TAM data for the Hindi speaking markets (HSM).Colors descended to 219 points vis-?-vis 233 points it garnered in the previous week.

    Zee TV added three points to end the week with 184 GRPs. At number five, Sab stood tight with 124 points as against its last week‘s score of 112.

    Imagine TV rose to 75 GRPs, gaining seven points over the preceding week.

  • Amitabh Bachchan refuses fees for The Great Gatsby

    Amitabh Bachchan refuses fees for The Great Gatsby

    MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan has said that he will act for free in his Hollywood debut film, The Great Gatsby, that stars Leonardo DiCaprio.

    Bachchan declared that he had waived his fee as he was making a “mere one scene appearance”. The actor will play Meyer Wolfsheim, a Jewish man described as a gambler in F Scott Fitzgerald‘s classic novel.

     
    The Great Gatsby is the story of 1920s high society in the US, the golden age of excess before the ‘Depression‘.

    The $126 million film is currently being shot in Australia.

  • Amitabh Bachchan set to make Hollywood debut

    Amitabh Bachchan set to make Hollywood debut

    MUMBAI: For the first time in his 40-year career, Amitabh Bachchan will be making his Hollywood debut with Baz Luhrmann‘s The Great Gatsby that will have Leonardo DiCaprio and Tobey Maguire in lead roles.

    “Amitabh, who is lovingly called Big B in the Indian film industry, is the latest to join the cast of the romantic drama, along with Scottish-Australian actress Isla Fisher. He will play the role of Meyer Wolfsheim,” said an official statement from Warner Bros Pictures.

    The $125 million project is a 3D adaptation of the classic F Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name. The principal photography of the movie began this week in Sydney.

    “Fitzgerald loved the movies and was a passionate believer in the power of cinema. The Great Gatsby has been adapted for the screen no less than four times. Fitzgerald‘s story defies time and geography. The vision and the goal of our remarkable cast and creative is to do justice to the deftness of Fitzgerald‘s telling, and illuminate its big ideas and humanity. This is our challenge and our adventure,” said Luhrmann.

    Others who can be seen in the film are Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan and debutante Elizabeth Debicki.

    The film will be distributed in 3D and 2D by Warner Bros Pictures and in certain territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

  • Rishi and Ranbir Kapoor in Wake Up Sid sequel

    Rishi and Ranbir Kapoor in Wake Up Sid sequel

    MUMBAI: Just a few days ago, Indiantelevision.com had reported that two generations of Bachchans and Kapoors were coming together for Sudhir Mishra’s film Mehrunisa.

    Though Amitabh Bachchan and his son Abhishek have done a couple of films together, Rishi Kapoor and son Ranbir have never shared screen space in a film. But not anymore. The father-son duo will be starring together in the Ayaan Mukerjee’s sequel of Wake Up Sid.

    “I and Ranbir are coming together in a film that is a sequel to one of his films. Ranbir and I‘ve had innumerable offers to star together. But nothing really seemed to fit, until this. Both Ranbir and I are very excited about it. All I can tell you at the moment is audiences who are waiting to see us together won‘t be disappointed,” Rishi Kapoor said.

    Though the younger Kapoor wanted to star alongside his father in a home production, there arose no chance as RK Films has not been able to kickstart operations since 1999 after they made Aa Ab Laut Chale.

  • Big B, Rishi Kapoor pairing after 28 years in Sudhir Mishra’s Mehrunnisa

    Big B, Rishi Kapoor pairing after 28 years in Sudhir Mishra’s Mehrunnisa

    MUMBAI: Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor will reunite in Sudhir Mishra’s directorial venture Mehrunnisa, after their last pairing 28 years back when they shared screen space in Manmohan Desai’s blockbuster Coolie.


    The project, produced by Nikhil Advani, will also have the actors’ sons Abhishek and Ranbir making cameo appearances in one of Mishra’s most ambitious projects till date.


    While Amitabh and Abhishek have worked together in films like Bunty Aur Babli, Sarkar and Sarkar Raj, Rishi and his son Ranbir have never shared screen space. “It is a script that Mishra started writing in 1996. However, it failed to take off that time. Advani was Mishra‘s assistant back then. After all these years, Advani approached Mishra and asked him to rework the script. Saurabh Shukla is writing the dialogues for the film,” revealed a source.


    Talking about the storyline, the source said, “The film starts off with two old men, played by Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor, reminiscing about their past. Here is where Abhishek and Ranbir come in. They play their respective fathers’ younger selves.”


    The film will go on floors only next year now.


    When contacted, Advani refused to comment on the project.


    Though Amitabh and Rishi were a part of Rakeysh Omprakaash Mehra’s Delhi 6, the actors did not share any screen space. They have earlier worked in super hit films like Amar Akbar Anthony and Kabhi Kabhi.