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Tag: Amrita Rao

  • INS launches Spotlight and web show with Rannvijay

    INS launches Spotlight and web show with Rannvijay

    MUMBAI: Integrated Network Solutions (INS), a division of Viacom18 Pvt. Ltd, launches its third vertical – SPOTLIGHT, with an idea of creating an ‘INStant Connect’ for brands, celebrities and audiences. With an array of 30 plus celebrities on board; brands will now have an opportunity to leverage the glamour quotient, to seed customized branded content. After launching LIVE Viacom18 and BE Viacom18 last year, INS now completes the circle of offering brands a 3600 multi-dimensional marketing solution with SPOTLIGHT creating endless opportunities for brands to connect with millions of consumers.

     

    SPOTLIGHT has already a strong roaster of more than 30 celebrities (like Raghu Ram, Amrita Rao, Sherlyn Chopra, Diana Hayden, Manoj Bajpayee to name a few)

     

    SPOTLIGHT, in collaboration with Colosceum Media & One Digital Entertainment, has announced an interesting concept in the form of a 16 part web series called ‘JACK&JONES HITCHED’. A first of its kind show, it will give audiences an opportunity to be a part of the celebrations as MTV VJ Rannvijay gears up for his big fat Punjabi wedding.

     

    Commenting on this power-packed concept, Mr. Jaideep Singh, Sr. Vice President and Business Head – INS, Viacom18 Pvt. Ltd. said, “We’re living in a digital era, and to stay relevant to a constantly evolving audience it is essential for brands to innovate how they communicate and reach out to their consumers. Paying attention to this urgent need, the time was right for us to launch SPOTLIGHT. SPOTLIGHT provides that platform for brands to harness the power of the glamour world through celebrity associations and takes their message further to the audience in a much more engaging manner. Our first property under SPOTLIGHT, JACK&JONES HTCHED will set the tone for more such innovations to come in the future.”

     

    Speaking on the association Mr. Vineet Gautam, Country Head JACK&JONES said “JACK&JONES has always positioned itself in youth space and believed in clutter breaking ideas. It is our constant endeavour to find innovative ways of reaching out to them. JACK&JONES HITCHED is the first of its kind online reality show which will be aired on digital platforms only. The youth today, especially men are spending more time on digital mediums and it’s growing as we speak and this association seems to be a great and innovative way to engage and interact with them. Rannvijay is a youth icon who has dared to be different and inspired many. And that is exactly the brand philosophy of JACK&JONES to be daring, innovative and adventurous but in style. At JACK&JONES we always believe in experimenting and hence this association is a perfect sync at both ends.”

     

    Commenting on the strategic partnership, Mr. Gurpreet Singh, COO of OneDigital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. said “Being the largest MCN for YouTube in India operating in the original content space for more than a year now, we have developed the skills and capability to understand the digital engagement and user needs. We know the pulse of the user to a large extent and also realize that the viewership behavior is shifting and changing fast. Our promise is to create, innovate and engage users and brands and bring value for both the sides. Colosceum is the market leader in creative content and we feel we have struck a great partnership with them and Viacom 18 for this initiative.”

     

    Speaking on the collaboration, Mr. Rajiv Lakshman, Chief Creative Officer – Colosceum Media said “Colosceum Media is a creative powerhouse, having been key contributors in the creation of many successful & long running television franchises. We’re always looking to pioneer new frontiers of creative expression. We consider digital content as the future, and wanted to leverage the intimacy & engagement value of this platform. Colosceum has a long association with Rannvijay, and are proud to partner with him to create this first-of-its’-kind innovation that gives Rannvijay’s multitude of fans an inside peek into his life as he navigates through this transition. As a friend, I find Rannvijay’s life fascinating, and am excited to be part of a team that gives his fans an access into the method & the madness that is his life.”

     

    The webisodes will start airing from Monday, 31st March, 2014, exclusively on Rannvijay’s YouTube channel, which is managed by SPOTLIGHT. So log on to watch heartthrob Rannvijay live the last of his bachelor days as marries the woman of his dreams on a first of its kind show which can be viewed on PC, Tab and Mobile on www.youtube.com/rannvijayofficial , www.zengatv.com/rannvijay and other digital platforms.

  • Single screen saab

    Single screen saab

    MUMBAI: Anil Sharma’s Singh Saab The Great may as well have been a Punjabi film: much of the dialogue and songs are in Punjabi. This follows a week after Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s almost-Gujarati Ram-Leela, which had dialogue with Gujarati blend and just about every song and background songs taken from Gujarati folk music. If this is these makers’ idea of being different, they are succeeding only in limiting their audience. As for the rest, Sharma tries to cash in on Sunny Deol’s “dhai kilo haath” which now, with time, weighs three and half kilos, which he uses to take on hundreds of goons let loose on him by the villain, Prakash Raj. It is a simple story: Sunny is an honest government servant and Prakash Raj is a despotic evil man. Take it or leave it.

    Sunny Deol is a Sikh gentleman who descends on village after village and town after town to cleanse them of villains, corruption and other such evils. But one day a journalist, Amrita Rao, barges into his office and starts accusing him of hiding from the law in the guise of a Sardar without having completed his 18 year jail sentence, which he was given along with five of his colleagues. That is the cue; you know a flashback is coming. So Sunny, who usually flares up with fury at the slightest provocation, goes soft on this TV reporter and decides to tell her all.

    Sunny is the usual oft-transferred collector who is posted to a town where Prakash’s writ runs large, unchallenged. Because like all such bad men of recent era, he controls enough MLAs and MPs to topple the local government! However, Sunny turns out to be a tough ‘un-government-servant’ kind of guy. While he is dispatching Prakash off with disdain, the latter dares to threaten to harm his sister, meriting a resounding slap from Sunny. That is reason enough for Prakash not to use his clout and get Sunny transferred of town but to let him be and use his guile to harm him and his family on a regular basis. Guile is something Sunny’s brawn is no match for.

    Producer: Anuj Sharma, Sangeeta Ahir.
    Director: Anil Sharma.
    Cast: Sunny Deol, Amrita Rao, Urvashi Rautela, Prakash Raj, Shahbaz Khan, Johny Lever, Sanjay Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Yashpal Sharma.

    The problem is that the fear of the villain vanishes in the very first encounter between the two, when Sunny slaps him. Whatever a writer or director does to resurrect his villainous nature after that does not help: he can have hundreds of his goons kill women or harass them to teach Sunny a lesson but he does not seem threatening. A villain has to be built till the end, preferably larger than the hero so that as much as the hero, even the viewer wants him punished! But if a maker has not learnt that in over three decades in filmmaking, it is too late.

    The film is a poorly conceived and executed and any claims (though it may read so in the titles) to story, screenplay and direction are not substantiated. Just filling up frames with crowds does not make an extravaganza. And what is with all the Punjabi dialogue and music? Who are they catering to—even Punjabi films have come of age and rate much better than Singh Saab The Great.(Not to mention they cost much less.) Music, even if Punjabi, is routine. Editing and photography both look uninspired. Action has been seen alike in many South remakes recently.

    Sunny Deol plays himself, the character he has been playing since his debut; mostly looking angry and trading punches. Amrita Rao’s fascination for the widower Sunny is rather too cliché. Urvashi Rautela as a many years younger wife leaves no mark. Prakash Raj matches Sunny in his consistency at villainy since his Hindi debut; the least he could do is vary his expressions.

    Singh Saab The Great, is an old fashioned mass film with appeal for single screen patrons with its best prospects being in the North.

  • Satyagraha ends with Rs 32.5 crore for opening weekend

    Satyagraha ends with Rs 32.5 crore for opening weekend

    Prakash Jha’s preachy socio-political film Satyagraha lost the plot as it came into its later part which refused to move and marred the film. The mass single screen cinemas were the first to reject the film. At high end multiplexes the film did well over Saturday and Sunday as its solo release status and face value propped it up and the film ended its opening weekend with Rs 32.5 crore.

     

    This is Prakash Jha’s yet another attempt at addressing the citizens of India to rise up and bring about a revolution. The film has an ensemble cast:  Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Manoj Bajpayee, Arjun Ramphal, Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Rao among others.

     

    Madras Café starring John Abraham and Nargis Fakhri has not worked with the audience as, after a weekend of Rs 18 crore, the film has settled for Rs 31.45 crore for the first week. The makers of the film are now planning to request for tax exemption considering the message being delivered by the film.

     

    Once Upon A Time In Mumbai Dobara the sequel to Once Upon A Time In Mumbaai starring Akshay Kumar, Imran Khan and Sonakshi Sinha has done a little over 10 per cent of its first week collection by adding Rs 5.75 crore and taking its two week tally to Rs 54.55 crore.

     

    Chennai Express that paired Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone once again after Om Shanti Om has done fairly well in its third week by collecting Rs 16 crore to take its three week total to Rs 194.7 crore.

     

    B.A. Pass has collected Rs 35 lakh for its fourth week to take the total to Rs 7.4 crore.
    Bhaag Milkha Bhaag the biopic on the great Indian athlete Milkha Singh starring Farhan Akhtar and Sonam Kapoor has added Rs 50 lakh in its seventh week to take its seven week total to Rs 106.85 crore.

  • Jolly LLB: A not so jolly fare

    Jolly LLB: A not so jolly fare

    MUMBAI: Courtroom drama is a rare genre in Hindi film industry, possibly because there is little that is exemplary or inspiring coming out of legal stories. Also, a courtroom drama is a verbal battle of wits and needs good script and skill with dialogue, both of which are rather tough to find. In such an event, the inspiration has to come from a foreign film, especially to base your protagonists on. Arshad Warsi‘s character, in that case, identifies with that of Joe Pesci in the 1992 Hollywood hit, My Cousin Vinny. Only, here it is blended with the screen persona of Warsi. And so also that of the judge, played here by Saurabh Shukla. Of course, the plot is given an Indian hue having been based on the story of Delhi‘s infamous Sanjeev Nanda case about drunken driving, running over and killing six people in 1999.

    Producers: Fox Star Studios
    Director: Subhash Kapoor.
    Cast: Arshad Warsi, Boman Irani, Saurabh Shukla, Amrita Rao, Mohan Kapoor, Mohan Agashe, Harsh Chhaya, Manoj Pahwa, Ramesh Deo.

    Warsi is a lawyer in Meerut, a town about 70kms from Delhi. Like many of his breed, he chases and solicits clients for simple court proceeding like affidavits since nobody would trust him, a fresh out-of-college lawyer, to handle a serious case. In any case, high profile cases are not happening in his town. His ambition to make it big as a legal luminary seems impossible to him in Meerut. Convinced that his only chance to make it big is to go to Delhi, he makes the move leaving his girlfriend, Amrita Rao, behind. Once in Delhi, things are no different. He is still running after anybody and everybody in the court premises seeking a client for simple court paperwork.

    Boman Irani, who ranks among the top few lawyers, is in the district court to defend one of his most controversial clients, Rahul Dewan, the scion of the big business house. The scion has driven his car into six people in a drunken stupor killing them all. Since Irani, one of the renowned practitioners is handling the case, Warsi, among others, is also in the audience to learn a thing or two and he is awed by the way Irani gets his client released in a few minutes.

    Warsi is impressed but idle as he is, decides to dig into the case thinking that this is his chance and that, in India, a PIL is the best way to get noticed and draw media attention overnight, especially, in a case is as controversial as this. The whole world and the media knows the scion killed people but Irani proved it otherwise. A novice, Warsi, who has never argued a court case, learns from his adversary, Irani, and goes along to use what he learnt from him against him as the things proceed. But Irani proves too smart for him, because Warsi‘s prime eye-witness turns out to be Irani‘s plant. Irani uses Warsi to get his dues from the Dewans.

    After that, the scriptwriter takes an easy route; there is a constable who auctions and allots prime posts in Delhi police to the highest bidder (the one with a 65-lakh bid for Delhi Sadar gets the plum post). He agrees to handover the accident videos to Warsi. This is script writing of convenience.

    Warsi is the underdog and has taken on a big fish in Irani and the media want to ride with him. However, the viewer goes along with Saurabh Shukla, the judge, for he is also with the underdog because as he says, ‘The law may be blind but the judge is not.‘ His other observation: ‘The day the case begins, I know what is right but I need to wait till somebody presents proof.‘

    The problem with the handling of Jolly LLB is that, with Warsi and Irani in the lead, it has been promoted as an outright comedy; that is the impression all its media promotion gives. However, the film is never sure about its aim. It keeps swinging between a comedy, a serious social issue and a dig at the Indian judicial system. It could simply have been a good vs. evil or a right vs. wrong story.

    The script is bereft of excitement or twists and turns that could hold a viewer‘s interest. The film has but one such, when Harsh Chhaya turns out to be Irani‘s plant. Director Subhash Kapoor does just a passable job as his characters lack consistency; Irani is a lawyer rated along with Sibal and Jethmalani but loses control at the smallest of adversity while Warsi‘s ambition is to make a name but falls for the first carrot hung at him, a cut of Rs 20 lakh. In this film pitting Warsi and Irani, it is the referee, the judge, who steals a march; Saurabh Shukla is excellent. Amrita Rao, Warsi‘s love interest has nothing much to do. Dialogue doesn‘t provide scope for the verbal duel one would wish for in a courtroom drama. Music is of little help.
    Mere Dad Ki Maruti: A flat script

    Producer: Ashisha Patil.
    Director: Ashima Chibber.
    Cast: Saqib Saleem, Rhea Chakrobarty, Ram Kapoor, Prabal Punjabi, Ravi Kissen, Benazir Shaikh, Karan Mehra, Ritu Khanna Vij.

    A Punjabi wedding becomes impressive depending on the gifts bestowed on the son-in-law and to a filmmaker it gives a chance to fill the screen with colour, dances and songs.

    Ram Kapoor‘s daughter, Benazir Shaikh, is due to marry her boyfriend of many years, Karan Mehra. Kapoor is very happy at the choice as he has always liked Mehra more than he likes his son, Saqib Saleem. For his only daughter, he has decided to gift a high-end Maruti car as a bidaai gift. Saleem does not think much of his brother-in-law to be and thinks it is unfair to give away a new car to him on pretence of giving it to his sister when he himself has no car of his own. Saleem has a sidekick in Prabal Punjabi.

    Saleem likes a particular college hottie, Rhea Chakarobarty, and often tries to approach her but she is hooked to another guy. But then Chakrobarty ticks off her boyfriend and Saleem sees a chance for him to invite her out that night. Wanting to impress his date, Saleem decides to ‘borrow‘ the new Maruti delivered the same day. His plan is very simple: take the car out on the sly, impress the girl, replace it quietly and no one need be any wiser. All goes according to plan and it is time to drop off Chakrobarty back to her hostel. Having done that, Saleem decides he has not had enough of the evening yet. He goes back to the bar to enjoy some more. He is too excited at the outcome of the evening to see that he is handing over the car keys to a person dressed in black, thinking that is the valet.

    There is a girl by his side and car keys in his hand. The man in black decides to take a spin. When he stops to try some ideas with the girl, the cops spring up. The man in black vanishes, leaving the car. The car makes one more journey on its own when a few kids see the car in unlocked, they push it and it lands in some no man‘s land kind of lane.

    Saleem and his sidekick Punjabi are done at the bar and want the car keys from the real valet. His troubles start here. There is no car and Kapoor is sure to find the garage empty in the morning. All sorts of tricks are resorted to so that there is a car in the garage, with the same model and same colour for Kapoor to see until the real one is found. From here till the car is traced should have been a fun ride but it is not. The writers do not manage to give the viewer much enjoyment or thrill until about 15 minutes before the end.

    Mere Dad Ki Maruti comes from Y Films, a division of Yash Raj Films, under which the company gives opportunities to new ideas and talents. However, in the case of Mere Dad Ki Maruti, the idea has come from the Hollywood hit, Dude, Where‘s My Car? Just finding a good starting point is not enough even if it has come from a foreign film. And with newer faces in the lead, the script needed to be solid.

    With content that has little to work on and a budget that is limited; director Ashima Chibber (also one of the three writers) does not deliver. Dialogue is routine and quite a lot of it in Punjabi. Music is all Punjabi and to those who don‘t dig it, it is just a lot of sound. Fine, it is about a Punjabi wedding and based in Chandigarh but did it have to be an almost Punjabi film? Ram Kapoor, in fact, struggles to pass off as a thorough Punjabi. Saleem can loosen up a little. Rhea Chakrobarty and Prabal Paunjabi are okay. Karan Mehra is good in a brief role. Ravi Kissen in a cameo is effective.

    Mere Dad Ki Maruti may be one of the most economical films made and released only through digital platform but is a disappointment for the exhibitors since only a good word of mouth could have brought some patrons to the halls which is unlikely.

  • Raj Kanwar passes away

    Raj Kanwar passes away

    MUMBAI: Eminent filmmaker Raj Kanwar, known to have directed films like Sadiyaan, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye, Andaaz, Ab Ke Baras, and Farz among many others, passed away on Friday morning in Singapore.

    Kanwar, who was suffering from kidney ailment since last year, had gone there for a kidney transplant but breathed his last even before the operation happened. Incidentally, Kanwar‘s elder brother K Pappu also died of the same ailment five years ago and at the age of 53.

    Kanwar (earlier assistant to Rajkumar Santoshi) debuted in Bollywood with a his directorial venture Deewana that launched Shah Rukh Khan. The film went on to smash all box-office records and then Kanwar went on to create some of the biggest hits in the form of Laadla, Jeet, Daag-The Fire, Har Dil Jo Pyaar Karega and Andaaz.

    Omserved Shah Rukh Khan in a statement, ” My friend Raj Kanwarji passed away. The impermanence of life, makes one feel so helpless. May his soul rest in peace. Aisi Deewangi…miss u sir.”

    Kanwar also successfully launched the career of several stars like Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta, Arya Babbar and Amrita Rao.

    Kanwar‘s body will be flown to India today. Kanwar is survived by his wife Anita and sons Karan and Abhay Kanwar. The cremation will be held on Sunday.

  • Zoom to launch shows on celebrities and entertainment

    Zoom to launch shows on celebrities and entertainment

    MUMBAI: Lets Talk a celebrity chat show produced by Miditech is scheduled for launch on 19 November at 11:30 am on lifestyle channel Zoom.

    The weekly show will be hosted by RJ and actor Tarana.

    Tarana brings viewers face to face with the Bollywood stars introducing them as personalities behind the famous faces and giving insights into their lives as regular people; not as celebrities.

    Let’s Talk offers a freewheeling chat with film personalities, which gives a peak into their personal lives.

    Miditech says that Lets Talk has been shot in select outdoor locations to create a positive environment and ambience to make the guest comfortable. The show has ingredients of fun, emotions, bonding and laughter with a general feel good factor. The forthcoming episodes of Lets Talk will feature Shreyas Talpade, Amrita Rao and Riya Sen as the celebrity guests.

    Miditech had previously produced Main Hoon for Zoom TV. The programme aired over 100 episodes in two years.

    Meanwhile, as already reported, Zoom will also launch an entertainment news show Popkorn Newz hosted by Barkha Bisht.

    The show will see apperances by stars both from the big and small screen. There will be news, interviews, entertainment trivia as well as in-depth insights on the news stories; from Bollywood to the Indian Tellywood.

  • Music India dedicates channel to kids on Children’s Day

    Music India dedicates channel to kids on Children’s Day

    MUMBAI: Celebrating Children’s Day, Music India, a 24 hr Hindi music channel plans to dedicate it to kids allowing them to script, present and package all the shows.

    The channel promises that on the 14 and 20 November, it would be transformed into a platform that is “for the children, of the children and by the children.”

    Special guests Shahid Kapoor, Amrita Rao (from Vivah) and Shreyas Talpade (from Iqbaal) will brighten up the day for the little ones. Watch the kids take on the stars and pose questions about their childhood and school days, states and official release.

    Sending out a message to kids Shahid Kapoor says, “I think childhood is the best time of your life, I’ve had a lot of fun before I took on the responsibilities, and when you are a kid you experience the best time. Have fun enjoy yourself but be a good person.”

    Another treat to add to the fun will be brought to viewers on Judwaa hosted by identical twins, Aanya and Manya playing back to back Hindi songs. Music India will thus bring a bouquet of shows on Children’s Day.

  • Star Gold celebrates Yaari-Dosti this August

    Star Gold celebrates Yaari-Dosti this August

    MUMBAI: A unique show that awards stars on their performance as friends. This set of awards is sure to make your Friendship Day more fun than you could ever imagine. A Friendship Day special “Yaari Dosti Awards” will be telecast on 6th August at 4 pm and 7:30 pm only on Star Gold.

    The awards explore the meaning and significance of friendship in films. It will also give viewers a lowdown on reel and real life Bollywood friendships with a dash of humor.

    The semi serious awards for performances in films and the periphery of filmmaking will be an experience you can enjoy with your gang of friends. You might even identify with a few characters as on one hand you will see how stars in their roles have kept friendship over love or their duty above dosti. On the other hand, some have pretended to be friends and some friends turned foes. This voice –over driven show will feature the most popular Bollywood voices mimicked to perfection.

    The awards have some very interesting categories and nominations. Some of them are:

    Yaara Dildaara Award : Will the hit old pair of Amitabh Bachchan and Zeenat Aman be able to take on the new jodis Tusshar Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor or Shahid Kapoor and Amrita Rao or Amrita Rao and Zayed Khan

    Yaara Dildaara Award: Who will prove to be the biggest ‘gaddar’ of them all? Naseeruddin Shah from Sarfarosh, Aishwarya Rai in “Khakee”, Akshay Kumar in Ajnabee or Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa’

    Yaara Dildaara Award: Will Chunky Pandey’s sacrifice for Anil Kapoor overshadow Chitrangadha Singh and Shiny Ahuja’s or will Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor overshadow Shilpa Shetty sacrifices for Raveena Tandon in Pardesi Babu We Are Just Good Friends Awards : Which of these will prove to be just good friends – Aftab and Natasha, Jimmy Shergil and Preity Zinta., Sanjay Suri and Rinke Khanna or Juhi Chawla, Anil Kapoor and Govinda.

    Tu Chor Mein Sipahi Award: Will Sanjay Dutt and Jeetendra be fast enough to beat their competition Akshay Kumar and Nagarjuna Salman Khan and Sanjay Kapoor Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan

    Katilaana Award: Who’ll be the most gruesome murderer of them all? Natasha, the team on Kaante, Urmila Matondkar or Raveena Tandon

    Jai Veeru Award: Who do you think is Akshay Kumar’s best friend – Suniel Shetty or Salman Khan?

    The real life Jai & Veeru Award: Which two Bollywood celebrities will prove to be best friends on as well as off screen?

    Have a blast this Friendship Day with all your friends and your favourite Bollywood stars on the “Yaari Dosti Awards” on 6th August at 4 pm and 7:30 pm.