Tag: Ankur Bhatia

  • Haseena Parkar….Who!

    Haseena Parkar….Who!

    Director Apoorva Lakhia seems to be getting excited about all the wrong ideas. Last time, he watched the 2004 Hollywood film, Man On Fire, came back jet speed to India and launched a Hindi ‘remake’.

    By the time he launched his movie, Ek Ajnabee, the original had fallen flat. Instead, what Lakhia could have done was adapt the book, Man On Fire, written by AJ Quinnell in 1987. The movie had left out all the best parts of the story.

    This time, he has dug out the life of Haseena Parkar (Sharddha Kapoor), post her brother, Dawood’s (Siddhant Kapoor) departure from India. Along with an important man from Dawood’s coterie, she continues with collection and extortion business of Dawood. Her brother, Dawood, may have left Mumbai, but his enemies were still around. Soon, Haseena’s husband, Akur Bhatia, is killed.

    This is about all that the writer-director have on their hand which is not enough, and it shows her becoming woman of power to facing the law. The film ends up glorifying Parker, and one wonders how she merited a film be made on her or her story be told!

    If the makers think casting Shraddha and Siddhant, the real brother and sister, was some sort of a coup, it was no such thing.

    However, what was funny was and advertorial in newspaper supplement which claimed: Sharddha-Siddhant shed tears on the sets of Hasena Parkar! What kind of a childish promotion is this?

    There is nothing to write home about performances. Shraddha tries to justify the role of Haseena and there is nothing to compare if she is living up to the original.

    Also, whoever had played Haseena would not have made much difference as one can’t take a liking to negative character for no reason. Rest don’t matter.

    Haseena Parkar will prove to be liability.

    Producers: Nahid Khan.

    Director: Apoorva Lakhia.

    Cast: Shraddha Kapoor, Siddhant Kapoor, Ankur Bhatia.

  • FoxyMoron bags digital mandate for Jim Beam India

    FoxyMoron bags digital mandate for Jim Beam India

    MUMBAI: Following a multi agency pitch, FoxyMoron has won the digital mandate of Beam Suntory’s top bourbon whiskey brand Jim Beam.

     

    The mandate includes digital duties, while also building and strengthening Jim Beam’s digital presence through strategic insights and unique solutions that engage its young urban consumers. 

     

    Jim Beam India marketing controller Ankur Bhatia said, “Although the Bourbon Whiskey market is still nascent, Jim Beam is witnessing exciting growth in India, given early adoption by new younger consumers. India being one of the biggest markets globally in terms of social media usage and growing digital/mobile penetration, we are excited to partner with Foxymoron who bring in brilliant expertise and consumer insights in this space.” 

     

    FoxyMoron co-founder and director, new business & Innovation Pratik Gupta added, “Whiskey is breaking the ‘old man’s drink’ cliché in India and Jim Beam is trying to use that insight and target the urban youth of the country. We presented a fresh perspective that revolves around creating awareness about Bourbon whiskey and promoting the versatility and mixability of the brand. It’s a great brand to work with and will continuously challenge us to innovate and execute unique digital strategies.”

  • Maxim looks to penetrate the wireless space

    Maxim looks to penetrate the wireless space

    MUMBAI: Indian men’s magazine Maxim has joined hands with ActiveMedia Technology India (AMT) to capitalise on its readers in the wireless space. Maxim has given AMT the mandate to be its mobile partner in India and drive all activities from AMT short code 3636, becoming the first global publication to extend its brand in Indian wireless platform.

    The Maxim Mobile website provides a wide range of men’s editorial content on a subscription basis, as well as downloadable items such as ringtones, wallpaper, video, games, promotions, MMS blogs and a variety of Maxim-only wireless applications.

    Maxim marketing manager Ankur Bhatia says, “Given the growth of mobile platform in India, it was only natural for us to take a decision to progress in the direction from the start. Globally, Maxim Mobile has been the world’s most widely distributed men’s lifestyle brand on mobile phones and we are confident that the Indian market will respond equally well”.

    The UK based Maxim magazine launched its Indian edition in January 2006, fetching sales of 75,000 copies in the maiden issue itself alongwith an advance paid subscriber base of 16,500. Maxim now plans to maxim-ise the market further by its foray in the wireless market, with ActiveMedia managing all its mobile based solutions ranging from contests and events, to content management. This connection will allow users to download wallpapers and screensavers in Rs 10 from their mobile phones.

    AMT group head marketing and client services Arnav Neel Ghosh said, “ActiveMedia has always been focused at enhancing value for a media brand by marrying it with a wireless platform. It has consistently helped media brands (TV and print) across genres and regions to gain that competitive edge with its product suites. Leveraging the power of mobile to do micro and one to one targeting, it has helped media brands to drive stickiness with their subscribers”.