Mumbai: The ministry of information and broadcasting (MIB) has opened applications for the ’75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ competition. The segment is an annual platform at the International Film Festival of India in Goa for identifying, encouraging, and nurturing young creative talents from various aspects of filmmaking.
The initiative is in its second year, having begun in 2021 to commemorate India’s 75th anniversary of independence as part of the ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebrations.
The number of filmmakers recognised represents the years of Indian independence. It is expected that the number of youths participating in ‘creative minds’ will increase by one in the coming years in order to keep the spirit of the endeavour alive.
An eminent jury will shortlist and select the 75 creative minds under the auspices of the National Film Development Corporation ahead of the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India.
This programme identifies young budding film makers and provides them a platform to interact and learn from national as well as international film makers during the period of IFFI Goa.
This is a one-of-a-kind platform, with the largest gathering of young creative minds chosen through a competition at any premier film festival around the world. It was conceived in 2021 by union minister for information and broadcasting, youth affairs, and sports Anurag Singh Thakur to provide a platform and connect young talent with industry masters from the media and entertainment sectors.
The selected ’75 Creative Minds of Tomorrow’ will also attend workshops and sessions specially curated by the masters of cinema during the festival event in Goa. Furthermore, each team will take part in a group competition to make a short film in 53 hours. The themes of the short film will be inspired by the spirit of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, in which the teams will present their vision of India@100.
The selected creative minds will be divided into seven teams in collaboration with Shorts TV, the initiative’s programming partner. The films created by the seven teams will be screened theatrically at IFFI on 24 November followed by an award ceremony to recognise the winning film. Everyone who takes part in the competition challenge will be recognised.
The initiative is also another step toward making India a global content and post-production hub by identifying, nurturing, and up-skilling young talent and preparing them for industry connections and readiness. The initiative is nurturing and developing an ecosystem of young filmmakers, allowing them to network and collaborate from the start.
The ministry intends to implement productive interventions so that participants can take advantage of this opportunity for gainful employment in the media and entertainment sectors.
The entries will be accepted from 5 September 2022 till 23 September at: https://www.iffigoa.org/creativeminds.
Mumbai: On the eve of India’s 75th Independence, Rajat Sharma was identified and honoured as the “Most Influential Indian” at an event hosted by the British monarch at the top of London Bridge.
Under the capable guidance of ELITE Magazine’s managing director, Puraskar Thadani, who planned the event. Sharma was joined on the important occasion by India TV MD Ritu Dhawan. At the ceremony, personalities such as Sonu Sood and Sadhguru were also honoured.
Behind this accolade is the affection and faith of crores of India TV fans, who have helped India TV become the country’s most popular Hindi news station.
For the past 28 years, Rajat Sharma’s show “Aap Ki Adalat” has been the most popular show in the country.
Upon receiving the award, India TV editor-in-chief Rajat Sharma said, “Any award always gives a sense of responsibility. This award inspires me to fulfil the responsibility given to me well. At the London Bridge, he said that every Indian is proud of celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’. Together, everyone should say ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ as it is a proud moment in itself.”
Mumbai: As the country gears up to celebrate its 76th Independence Day, marking 75 years of the country’s independence from British rule, brands go all out, wearing their patriotic hearts on their logo-emblazoned sleeves in a bid to connect with their consumers. From campaigns that celebrate our nation’s diversity, to videos that convey heart-warming narratives and an awareness of financial independence, to shedding light on social issues, this year’s Independence Day communications are filled with messages of hope and empathy, along with pride.
Here are a bunch of campaigns and initiatives that stood out to us:
JSW Paints added colour to India’s Independence Day celebrations with a film that drives home the brand’s promise – “Thoughtful is Beautiful.” Conceptualised by TBWAIndia, the film captures India’s struggle and India’s originality in the same breath. Taking on a challenge that most Indian neighbourhoods face – a problem that no amount of fines, warnings, or well-intended public advisory has been able to solve. Until JSW Paints decided to change the canvas of solutions and presented a bright new answer in blazing tricolour.
Ahead of the occasion of India’s 75th Independence Day, Godrej Group released #SoundsOfMakingIndia, the sequel to its Independence Day campaign from 2019, that captured all the industrial sounds that signify progress in the manufacturing ecosystem. The film narrates the story of the Godrej Group’s journey of being an integral part of our nation’s progress while integrating the different businesses of the national brand.
HDFC Mutual Fund has extended its #BarniSeAzadi campaign (first launched in 2021) to promote financial independence for women. Through this campaign, the company urges women to free their money from traditional savings methods and invest in mutual funds (MFs), so as to give their hard-earned money a chance to grow. The campaign is based on the insight that Indians have always saved money in traditional instruments like “Barnis”, pickle jars, lockers, FDs, etc.
Furthermore, HDFC Mutual Fund is organising a unique outdoor activity wherein a gigantic barni will be installed near Mumbai’s Carter Road from 13 to 15 August, where the company will take a pledge from women to not put their money in barnis anymore and use the suitable instrument to grow their money.
Robin Hood Army (RHA), a zero-funds volunteer organisation that works towards getting surplus food from restaurants and communities to the plates of those less fortunate, has teamed up with media conglomerate ABP Network for Mission75 on India’s 76th Independence Day, where they are serving 75 lakh meals across India. To start conversations about the initiative and the sad reality millions of Indians face, the NGO has partnered with a creative agency, The Minimalist.
Based on the topic that never goes out of trend, weight loss, The Minimalist conceptualised a clever, provocative film-#KhaaliThaali. The film utilises ‘Khaali Thaali’, a simple tool to depict the brutal reality of many Indians, and delivers a hard-hitting message.
The static posts were disguised to look like ads for people who have experienced transformative weight loss, only to reveal the grim reality of how they did not have a choice in the matter.
LAFZ is a culturally conscious, Halal certified brand headquartered in Singapore and a part of global FMCG conglomerate Believe PTE. To mark the occasion, the brand has released a video that’s a tribute to India’s 76th Independence. The idea was inspired by a famous Islamic saying, “Hubbul Watan Minal Iman,” which means “Loving one’s own homeland is a part of faith.” The video was conceptualised internally by the team. The film reaffirms that love for one’s homeland is unconditional and unbiased, irrespective of religion, colour, caste, and societal status.
Watch the video here –
Looking back to the unprecedented time when covid-19 outbreak brought the world to a standstill, and our defence and police forces stayed on duty, regardless of the deadly pandemic, Hamdard Laboratories launched a national campaign ‘SEHAT HAI TOH WATAN HAI’, paying homage to their valiance. As the eight-month-long campaign launched on 26 January approaches its culmination on India’s 76th Independence, Hamdard celebrated the health of India with multiple activities across its wellness centres from 10 – 14 August 2022. The brand has conducted 75 health camps and touched more than 15,000 lives of brave heroes.
Watching patriotic movies and catching the parade on TV never gets old on Independence Day, but why not try out something new this time—like OTT listening? On the occasion of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, Pocket FM brings to you a special audiobook collection to celebrate 75 years of independence and feel your pride and honour for the nation.
Here’s a list of the top five audiobooks to share with your kin on the occasion: Amar Krantiweer Chandra Shekhar Azad – get to know the courageous tale of the freedom fighter during the Indian Independence movement, My Experiments With Truth-In this audiobook, Mahatma Gandhi has given reminiscences of his childhood, relations with his wife and parents, experiences at school, his study tour to London, his journey to South Africa, experiences of colour prejudice, and his quest for dharma, Jhansi Ki Rani- The audiobook speaks about how the Queen had to repeatedly face gruelling challenges but still drew strength from her adversity. Annihilation of Caste – Listen to this audiobook to hear B.R Ambedkar’s searing takedown of the caste system, Why Am I An Atheist – an essay written by Indian revolutionary Bhagat Singh in 1930 in Lahore Central Jail. Tune into this book and understand why the freedom fighter was an atheist.
Finally, is it ever a celebration without having an equivalent one in the metaverse? As we are all set to commemorate India’s 76th Independence Day, digital solutions provider Kiya.ai will be celebrating the occasion in the metaverse. In what the brand claims to be a ‘first-of-its-kind’ initiative, Kiya.ai will celebrate Azadi Kaa Amrit Mahotsav with Har Ghar Tiranga on Bharatmeta, a dedicated zone of Kiyaverse, “India’s first metaverse” on www.bharatmeta.in.
A virtual experience in Bharatmeta allows visitors to observe the Tricolour hoisted on a virtual monument and explore the zone while listening to patriotic songs.
Mumbai: Minister of information and broadcasting (MIB) launched “Azadi Ki Amrit Kahaniya” – a short video series created in collaboration with OTT platform Netflix on Tuesday.
The ministry and Netflix have collaborated to produce the first set of videos featuring seven women changemakers from across the country who share their experiences in breaking the glass ceiling. Showcasing the unique diversity of India, these two-minute short films were shot in locations across the country and are narrated by acclaimed actor, Neena Gupta.
The seven changemakers include Poonam Nautiyal, a healthcare worker who walked miles across Bageshwar district in Uttarakhand to vaccinate everyone, Dr Tessy Thomas, the first woman scientist to head a missile project in India, Tanvi Jagadish, India’s first competitive woman stand-up paddleboarder and Aarohi Pandit, the world’s youngest and first woman pilot to cross the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean solo in a light-sport aircraft. Three of the videos and a trailer offering a sneak peek into the series, were released on Tuesday.
The announcement was made as part of the celebration of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in the presence of ministry of state Dr L Murugan, ministry of information and broadcasting secretary Apurva Chandra and Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria.
The I&B minister indicated that this was a long-term partnership where different themes and diverse stories will be highlighted. He said, “Netflix will be producing twenty-five videos on themes including women empowerment, environment and sustainable development and other days of significance. Netflix will produce two-minute short films for the ministry which will be shared on social media platforms and telecast on Doordarshan network.”
Thakur elaborated that the ministry in partnership with Netflix will continue to organise training workshops and master classes to encourage film makers in India to create inspiring content on various topics under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
“Netflix and the ministry will partner to develop a creative ecosystem by organizing training programs for post-production, VFX, animation, music production among others and will be organised on ground and virtually,” he announced.
In his opening remarks, I&B secretary Apurva Chandra highlighted that the I&B ministry and Netflix signed a collaboration agreement and that the three videos released on Tuesday are the first set produced under the partnership. He added that a deeper collaboration featuring a long running series on our freedom struggle and the stories that need to be told to the world is in the pipeline.
Netflix head of global TV Bela Bajaria said that India was one of the most vibrant entertainment industries in the world and India was remarkably well placed in times of internet entertainment. “Netflix is excited to be part of a time when stories from India are being exported to the world and the best Indian stories are being discovered and loved on a global stage,” said Bajaria.
Commenting on the partnership, she added, “Netflix is proud to partner with MIB to celebrate and acknowledge the evolution of India over the past 75 years by celebrating its beautiful art, culture and storytelling”. She further added that it was “in pursuance of this partnership Netflix has created a series of short videos based on real life stories aimed to celebrate achievement of people from all corners of India.”
“These stories are of incredible women who have fought against the odds to achieve their dreams. Netflix’s commitment to India is strong and growing and Netflix will continue to find the country’s finest stories and share them across the globe,” she remarked.
Mumbai: All India Radio (AIR) has announced a new programme called #AIRNxt to offer youth a platform to air their voices, as part of the celebrations under ongoing Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav.
Starting from 28 November, for the next 52 weeks, AIR stations will allow youngsters from local colleges, universities to take part in programming, allowing them to discuss and curate youth-centric shows, stated AIR in an official statement. About 20,000 youth from 1,000 educational institutions will be participating during the next year from every nook and corner of India through 167 AIR stations, it added.
“These shows would encourage the youth to speak about the achievements of the country during last 75 years of independence and where do they expect the country to reach in various fields. This way, the youth can air their big dreams and define the future of India,” the statement said.
“It is the biggest single theme show on All India Radio involving thousands of youth and hundreds of educational institutions across the country. This talent hunt show #AIRNxt will be broadcast in all major Indian languages and dialects,” it further said.
Mumbai: The central government has directed print, electronic and digital media to display the logo of ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ as part of the campaign to commemorate the completion of 75 years of Indian independence.
“Private media have consistently taken the lead in celebrating India’s patriotic spirit and national achievements. It is advised to use the logo during the period of celebrations so that citizens are made aware of India’s rich history and commitment towards a bright future,” said the union information and broadcasting ministry.
The ministry has asked print, electronic and digital media along with private TV channels to show the logo. The ‘Amrit Mahotsav’ campaign commenced on 12 March this year and will end on 15 August 2023. It celebrates the glorious history of our freedom struggle and journey of socio-cultural, political, and economic progress over the last 75 years.
There are various events and activities that are being undertaken by the central/state/union/territory government, civil society, and other organisations under five pillars: the freedom struggle, ideas @75, achievements @75, actions @75, and resolve @75.
The ministry said media platforms may consider displaying the official ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ logo during news programmes, reports, bulletins, especially while reporting on matters relating to 75 years of India’s independence so that viewers may be informed about the campaign and they take forward the spirit of ‘jan bhagidari’ (public participation) envisaged under the Mahotsav.
Mumbai: Union minister for information and broadcasting Anurag Thakur will kick off a gamut of activities to celebrate the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ from 23-29 August. Thakur will kick off the ‘Iconic Week’ which will attract participation from across the country under the overall spirit of ‘Jan Bhagidari and Jan Andolan’, the I&B ministry said.
According to the press statement released by the ministry, the objective is to showcase the journey of New India and celebrate the contribution of freedom fighters including the ‘unsung heroes’ of the freedom struggle through massive outreach activities. “The celebrations will be a 360-degree outreach via traditional means such as cultural programmes, nukkad natak and TV programmes along with innovative means of digital and social media,” it added.
The AIR will launch a series of special programmes called ‘Dharohar’ which are speeches of freedom fighters; ‘Nishaan’ which will showcase 75 landmark sites and ‘Aparajita’, a show on women leaders.
The Doordarshan network will telecast programmes covering themes such as diplomacy, Digital India and legislative reforms through sectoral programmes like ‘Naye Bharat Ka Naya Safar’ and ‘Journey of New India’. Daily news capsules on ‘Unsung heroes and Freedom Struggle’ will also be shown, the ministry said.
The National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) is also organising a film festival on its OTT platform www.cinemasofindia.com screening a specially curated bouquet of films such as “Island City”, “Crossing Bridges” and many others, it added.
DD Network will showcase a series of documentaries such as “Netaji”, “Merger of Princely States”, etc. Popular films like “Raazi” will also be broadcasted.
The Bureau of Outreach and Communication (BOC) will also reach out to the people through nukkad nataks, skits, magic shows, puppetry, folk recitals through more than 50 integrated communication and outreach programmes by ROBs and over 1,000 PRTs by Song and Drama Division across the country. BOC will also launch an eBook on ‘Making of the Constitution’ on its website.
Mumbai: Netflix and UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) have come together to celebrate India’s rich cultural heritage through the popular animated series “Mighty Little Bheem”. Produced by Green Gold Animation, the series was premiered on the streaming platform in 2019.
Over the next year, Netflix and UNESCO will come up with a series of fun short videos themed ‘One Country, Incredible Diversity’ that will shine a light on India’s cultural journey, including monuments, living heritage, performing arts, social practices, rituals and festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali and Holi.
The short videos to be released on UNESCO New Delhi’s Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter pages, will demonstrate how cultural history enriches people’s everyday lives by covering everything from food and traditions to languages and storytelling.
The first video was released on 13 August to celebrate the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence (Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav), a day that brings the entire country together.
