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Tag: Disney

  • Disney to go all out to promote ‘Beauty and the Beast’ theatrical presentation in Delhi with twelve shows

    Disney to go all out to promote ‘Beauty and the Beast’ theatrical presentation in Delhi with twelve shows

    NEW DELHI: For the first time, audiences will witness on stage the presentation of Walt Disney’s ‘The Beauty and the Beast’ with eighteen Indian actors and around one hundred other dancers.

     

    The performance is set to take place at the indoor Thyagaraja Stadium which had been built in south Delhi for the Commonwealth Games 2010. There will be twelve shows from 19 December.

     

    The shows are being presented by the Disney Theatrical Group, which marked its entry with this performance in Mumbai with 27,000 people seeing it in ten shows.

     

    The 18 artistes were selected from more than 8,000 entrants from all over the country in 1000 physical auditions.

     

    Disney India Managing Director Siddharth Roy Kapur told indiantelevision.comthat it had taken six months of hardcore rehearsals and three months of auditions before the first show in Mumbai.

     

    Asked why Disney Theatrical Group had come to India twenty years after its debut on Broadway, he said that finding the right kind of venues and the requisite trained talent pool had been a major constraint.

     

    When it was pointed out that reality shows had shown there was ample talent in the country, he said they were not suitably trained and were raw. There was no professional theatre group in India for English productions.  

     

    He said that Disney will go 360 degrees to promote and publicise the Delhi event, with the use of social media, newspapers, television, and websites. In addition, there may be small events to publicise the event.

     

    Declining to give any figures, he said the amount to be spent on publicity and marketing would be very small in comparison to the cost of putting up the show.

     

    He said that the decision of taking this show to other cities, or doing other plays, would be decided after a full assessment sometime next year.

     

    Speaking at the press meet, he said this was a new genre for Disney in India and was a very large production in an effort to take Disney ‘live to the people’.

     

    Disney Theatrical Group had first come on Broadway in 1994 and over 128 million had seen its performances there.

     

    He said it was a coincidence that the first production on Broadway had also been ‘Beauty and the Beast’ and it had run for thirteen years with 35 million people in 28 countries having seen it.

     

    Meher Mistry who plays Belle, Edwin Joseph (who belongs to Delhi and is from St Stephens College) and plays the Beast, and Pooja Pant who is also from Delhi presented songs on stage. Others present included the eminent music director Leslie Lewis. The choreography has been done by Terence Lewis while Varsha Jain has done the exquisite set design.

  • Maxus recruits Vidur Patney and Pooja Verma with strategic roles

    Maxus recruits Vidur Patney and Pooja Verma with strategic roles

    MUMBAI:  Maxus, a global marketing communications consultancy firm under the GroupM umbrella, has announced two key appointments for its specialist units. Vidur Patney is roped in as the national director experiential marketing and Pooja Verma will be the head of Maxus ESP.

     

    In his career span of eighteen years, Patney has worked with leading agencies like Dentsu Communications Private Limited, Encompass Events Private Limited, and 212 Traders etc. He was with Globox Media Private Limited before being absorbed by Maxus. He has handled important and significant clients in all his earlier stints and brings to the table a proven ability to manage key account relationships and large-scale projects.

     

    Earlier with leading multi-nationals like Disney, BASF,etc. Pooja Verma has been involved in building engagement as a part of content strategy through communication, branding, marketing and citizenship initiatives, for nearly 15 years. In her last role she was the director of marketing and communication for Make-A-Wish based in Singapore.

     

    Talking about the two new appointments Maxus South Asia MD Kartik Sharma asserted, “The appointments of Vidur Patney and Pooja Verma reflect Maxus’ commitment to attracting the best and brightest talent to our agency. They both are reliable leaders with robust backgrounds in experiential marketing and content marketing respectively. Both of them will fit very well within our strongly established client-driven culture and marketing culture and we are sure they will achieve even higher success with Maxus.”

     

    Elaborating on this development, Vidur Patney said, “The media landscape is possibly at its most dynamic state today. It’s a time of rapid and big changes. With the vision that Maxus has, and the kind of work that they do, my decision making became that much easier. Maxus is going from strength to strength; I’m excited to be a part of this growth oriented organization and being present while we achieve greater heights of success.”

     

    “Maxus ESP is in a unique position to tell our client’s stories through differentiated content and associations with leading entertainment, sports and live properties. As MAXUS ESP gears up to the next level, I am privileged to lead this award winning team in its mission. I look forward to utilising all that I have learnt working with multinational brands in enabling the team to build an imaginative and successful body work for our clients”, adds Pooja Verma on her new appointment.

  • PlayStation Vue inks content deal with Disney, ESPN, ABC

    PlayStation Vue inks content deal with Disney, ESPN, ABC

    MUMBAI: Disney and ESPN Media Networks and Sony Network Entertainment International LLC (SNEI) have entered into an agreement to bring the company’s media networks to PlayStation Vue, the cloud-based live TV service.

     

    Disney will offer ESPN, ABC-owned local stations, Disney Channel, ABC Family, and more networks on PlayStation Vue with the service’s unique features, including the ability to play multiple streams from one account and a powerful, intuitive user interface.

     

    In addition, local ABC affiliate stations will also have the opportunity to opt-in to the PlayStation Vue service with their live linear programming.

     

    “This deal demonstrates our continued commitment to offer the best content on TV to PlayStation Vue users. The addition of Disney and ESPN’s primetime programming and live marquee sports to our portfolio ensures subscribers will have access to the most popular network programming on television today. We’re also proud to be the first Internet-based pay TV service to offer Disney’s networks with the streaming features that set PlayStation Vue apart from the industry, making TV viewing a more enjoyable experience for the whole household,” said SNEI vice president, head of PlayStation Vue Dwayne Benefield.

     

    Disney and ESPN Media Networks EVP of affiliate sales & marketing Justin Connolly added, “PlayStation Vue provides a unique way to engage with our content and an opportunity to reach a segment of viewers who want a different kind of television experience. The addition of our content to the PlayStation Vue platform will make the offering more compelling as consumers navigate their video options.”

     

    Users will be able to watch content from Disney and ESPN Media Networks on a pay TV service over the Internet, using features like on demand offering, unmatched viewing experience and simultaneous streaming.

     

    Additional details, including launch timing, will be announced at a later time.

     

    Disney and ESPN Media Networks will offer the following networks on PlayStation Vue: ABC Owned Stations Group, ABC Family (becoming Freeform in January), Disney Channel, Disney Junior, Disney XD, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN College Extra, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes, ESPN Classic, ESPN Goal Line, ESPN Buzzer Beater, ESPN Bases Loaded, Fusion, Longhorn Network and SEC-ESPN Network.

  • Disney inks new multi-year deal with Sky

    Disney inks new multi-year deal with Sky

    MUMBAI: Extending its relationship spanning almost 25 years, UK pay TV operator Sky has inked a new multi-year movie and TV agreement with Disney.

     

    Sky Movies and NOW TV Sky Movies Pass customers will be able to watch new movies like Inside Out, The Good Dinosaur and Star Wars: The Force Awakens in the first pay TV window from around nine months after their release in cinemas.

     

    Additionally, Sky Movies subscribers can access the Disney channel and watch all the latest Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm movies in HD, and in some cases, 3D. In addition, they will have access to Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior TV channels through Sky’s subscription packages in both standard and high definition.

     

    As per the new agreement, customers will get more Disney Channels series through Catch Up TV and On Demand than now available, at no extra cost. Also included in this agreement are ABC Studios primetime drama and comedy series such as Scandal, Grey’s Anatomy andScrubs, available via ABC Studios on demand, through Sky Box Sets.

     

    Moreover, Sky Movies customers will be able to choose from a wide selection of classic Disney movies on demand in Sky’s library of more than 1,000 films including Frozen, Enchanted, Maleficent, the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as well as Disney Pixar hits such as Up,Monsters, Inc. and Toy Story. 

     

    Sky will be offering more flexibility for customers to watch where they want with Sky Go, the mobile TV service. The agreement means customers can access the Disney movies, channels and on demand content as part of their subscriptions on over 70 compatible devices including mobiles, tablets and games consoles. All new movie titles and a large selection of classic movie titles will also be available to buy and keep, or rent, via Sky Store.

     

    Sky MD content Gary Davey said, “Sky and Disney have been working together for almost 25 years. Our collaboration has continued to grow and the launch of the exclusive Sky Movies Disney channel two years ago has been a huge success. This new agreement means our customers can continue to enjoy the biggest blockbusters like Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Inside Out before they are available on any other online subscription service. They also get access to a great portfolio of family channels and a growing on demand library of amazing shows and films which we know they love.”

     

    Disney EMEA SVP and general manager, media distribution Mark Endema?o added, “With our shared goal of bringing the highest quality, creative entertainment to audiences in the UK and Ireland in ever more flexible ways, we are extending our relationship with Sky to offer subscribers our movies, series, and our channels at home and on the go. Two years on from its launch, we are particularly proud of the shared success of Sky Movies Disney, and look forward to bringing more of our much-loved stories and characters to audiences in the UK & Ireland.”

  • Disney hits $4 billion at global box office in record time; lines up 22 films till 2020

    Disney hits $4 billion at global box office in record time; lines up 22 films till 2020

    MUMBAI: Walt Disney Studios has crossed the $4 billion mark at the global box office, beating its previous studio record by nearly six weeks.

     

    As of 7 October, 2015, Disney collected $1.4 billion in the US and Canada and $2.575 billion at in international markets. This is the third consecutive year the studio has breached the $4-billion box office milestone. 

     

    The studio’s revenues in 2015 were driven by the worldwide success of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out, Disney’s Cinderella and Marvel’s Ant-Man.

     

    In addition, Inside Out has crossed the $800 million mark at the global box office. It’s the third highest grossing Pixar film of all time and made its debut in China this week.

     

    Additionally, Walt Disney Studios has also unveiled new and updated release dates for several upcoming projects.

     

    Marvel unveiled Ant-Man and the Wasp, a sequel to this summer’s Ant-Man, which is set for release on 6 July, 2018. Black Panther will now open 16 February, 2018, and Captain Marvel is set for 8 March, 2019. 

     

    Three new films are set for 2020, the titles of which will be revealed at a later date.

     

    Pixar will release Cars 3 on 16 June, 2017, Coco on 22 November, 2017, and The Incredibles 2 on 21 June, 2019. Toy Story 4 will now debut 15 June, 2018. Two new (as-yet-untitled) Pixar films are set for 2020.

     

    Building upon the success of films such as Cinderella and Maleficent, Disney Live Action selected release dates for four fairy tale films in the coming years: one in 2017, one in 2018, and two in 2019.

     

    Next up is The Jungle Book in April 2016, followed by Alice Through the Looking Glass in May and Pete’s Dragon in August.

     

    Finally, Gigantic, a unique take on Jack and the Beanstalk from Walt Disney Animation Studios featuring music from Oscar-winning songwriters Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, will be released on 9 March, 2018. A new Walt Disney Animation Studios film is set for November 2020 and a new Disneytoon Studios film is due out in April 2019.

     

    Walt Disney Studios head of distribution said, “2015 has been a record-setting year both domestically and internationally thanks to a strong slate of films from all of our brands. With an incredible pipeline of both original stories and anticipated sequels featuring our most beloved characters, we are set to deliver some fantastic movies well into the future.” 

  • What the MSM-ESPN deal means

    What the MSM-ESPN deal means

    MUMBAI: When the enemy looks extremely threatening, you bring in allies to help you do battle. And if your ally is a friend-turned-foe of your enemy, it makes the war that much more interesting. And combative.

     

    We are referring to what’s about to happen in the Indian sports television ecosystem. Multi Screen Media India (Sony Entertainment Television India) has struck a deal with the US-based mega sportscaster ESPN Inc under which it will be helping bring in the brand once again into the country as its partner. 

     

    ESPN was Star TV’s former mate in Asia until 2012 wherein they ran and distributed channels in several Asian countries jointly including in India.

     

    The current MSM-ESPN agreement is for the long term and will be for India and the Indian sub-continent. The joint venture will see new co-branded sports channels, a multisport website and an app rolling out over the next few months. The companies will also be working together to develop original sports programs, something which has been sorely lacking in India, with the exception of a couple of them on Star India’s sports channels.

     
    As a first step of the union, MSM’s sports channel Sony Kix is being rebranded as Sony ESPN.

     

    It’s interesting that the two are exchanging vows at the time they are.

     

    The IPL bids are slated to take place next year and the buzz is that Star India is likely to take the bidding to close to the $4 billion mark for all rights. With Sony-ESPN combining their resources and putting up a common front, they are quite likely to put up a stiff fight against Star India. (Others who could throw in a bid include Zee Telefilms and Discovery’s Eurosport). And not just at the IPL auctions but also for all the other sports rights when they come up for renewal.

     

    “However,” a high ranking Sony International Television executive told Indiantelevision.com, “there is no way pricing for the IPL could go up four times. A multiplier of two times or three times over the previous bid is conceivable but above that will make it a big losing proposition.”

     

    What’s also of interest is how Disney is shaping its presence in India. Its family entertainment initiatives got a leg up when it invested in acquiring Ronnie Screwvala’s UTV a few years ago. This deal gave it access to UTV Motion Pictures as well as channels such as Bindass and Hungama.

     

    Disney India recently severed its distribution alliance with IndiaCast Media – part of Viacom18 and has been reaching out to satellite and cable TV platforms to strike deals with them directly.

     

    Now with Disney’s sports offshoot ESPN partnering with MSM, one will have to see whether the latter’s distribution arm MSM Media Distribution resources will be used to shore up the efforts of the distribution team at Disney India. Or will the two work totally independently?

     

    Sports programming in India is likely to also get a shot in the arm. ESPN is renowned for its studio-based shows and live coverage of events. Live sports content in the deal includes major US college football (including the College Football Playoff and comprehensive coverage of the college football bowl season); major US college basketball (including the March Madness NCAA Championship Tournaments); NCAA college sport championships from baseball, softball, lacrosse, soccer; Boxing (including Premier Boxing Champions and ESPN’s Big Fights Library); X Games; ESPN Films Emmy-Award Winning 30 For 30 documentaries amongst others.

     

    What’s also relevant is the fact that both ESPN and MSM are going hell for leather after digital content properties too. The duo has its eyes on developing a co-branded localized multi-sport website and app, which will provide coverage of cricket, football, tennis, the NBA, badminton, field hockey and more. The sports content – both video and text – will be delivered on MSM’s OTT platform Sony Liv, and sonyliv.com as well as highly popular cricket portal espncricinfo.com.  

     

    Each of these websites, television channels and OTT platforms will be used to cross promote each other, giving it tremendous marketing heft.  Additionally, their social media presence is to be beefed up in order to give sports lovers a destination to engage with each other and with their sports stars.
     
     

    The whole in this case is going to be greater than the sum of the two parts. With the entry of a rejuvenated ESPN into India, the entire sports broadcasting ecosystem is likely to see rapid improvements as more money will be pumped in by both Star and the American sportscaster along with MSM.

     

    And this is going to be a win-win for the various administrations, associations, players and professionals,   team owners, and vendors involved in sports and sports broadcasting – and ultimately the sports fan.

  • Cartoon Network, Turner, Disney, ABC acquire Portfolio’s ‘Freaktown’

    Cartoon Network, Turner, Disney, ABC acquire Portfolio’s ‘Freaktown’

    MUMBAI: Portfolio Entertainment has signed its first set of international sales deals for the series Freaktown (52 x 11’) with leading kids’ networks – Cartoon Network in Asia Pacific, Turner’s Kids Networks in EMEA, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and ABC Australia.

     

    Freaktown is the first series to be wholly created and produced inside Portfolio’s new animation studio. The series was commissioned by TELETOON Canada and will debut in 2016. 

     

    The series will premiere on Cartoon Network in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Australia and New Zealand. Turner France has taken the series for Boing in France and in its French-speaking territories in Europe and Africa. It has also been sold to The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia and ABC Australia.

     

    “While still in production, Freaktown has grabbed the attention of buyers globally and we are thrilled to land international deals with world-renowned broadcasters right out of the gate. This series is crammed with laugh-out-loud moments and unpredictable twists that will perfectly complement the highly-entertaining programming available on these major kids’ networks,” said Portfolio Entertainment CEO and co-founder Joy Rosen.

     

    Freaktown, a kids 6-11 animated series, follows the adventures of skeleton Ben Bones and his freaky friends as they protect their town from takeover by Princess Boo Boo the Bouncy of Sweetlandia.

  • Priyanka Chopra’s ‘Quantico’ makes smashing debut on ABC with 7 mn viewers; India awaits premiere

    Priyanka Chopra’s ‘Quantico’ makes smashing debut on ABC with 7 mn viewers; India awaits premiere

    MUMBAI: This girl tread on the trail that none before her have. She wiped out all boundaries and it seemed as if to her, no goal or dream was unachievable or out of bounds. We’re talking about the golden girl of Indian cinema – Priyanka Chopra, who is currently making waves on American television courtesy Quantico and living her dream Queen size. With 7.1 million viewers tuning in for the premiere episode, Quantico has shattered ratings records on ABC.

     

    It was a bold move on Disney owned ABC Network’s part to cast an Indian actress as the lead for their television series but the ‘no risk, no gain’ policy seems to have paid off for the network. Quantico’s premiere episode has given ABC its best Sunday ratings since the 2012 telecast of Desperate Housewives’ finale.

     

    Be it the larger than life scripting and narrative, the top notch production, or the fan base that Chopra has in the US as a Bollywood actress as well as a pop singer — the fact is that Quantico may just be perfect answer to what ABC Network was looking for. With an average demo rating of 1.9, the pilot episode aired on 27 September topped other popular shows on the network like Revenge and Once Upon A Time by a good margin, as per reports from international media. To reiterate, that’s over seven million viewers in a single day!

     

    Chopra’s growing popularity internationally, especially after her pop album release, is no secret. Her recent public appearance during the NBA match between Warriors and Cavaliers where they played the Quantico promo, made headlines instantly. However, having said that, it certainly doesn’t compare to her fan base back home in India.

     

    It’s a proud moment for Chopra’s fans, who are waiting with bated breath for Star World and Star World HD to premiere the show in India on 3 October.

     

    Chopra was recently seen reassuring a fan on Twitter, who questioned why her Indian fans have to wait seven days for the show to air in India. “@priyankachopra -:))) we are so deprived in India…why do we have to wait for one whole week to see your first episode? Not fair #Quantico,” a fan tweeted.

     

    Chopra responded back saying, “Tried my hardest @priyaguptatimes to show in India ASAP! Can’t wait for u all to c it on 3rd October!”

     

    It does seem a tad uncanny that while shows like Downton Abbey, Modern Family, Homeland and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, are being simulcast in both the US and Indian network on Star World and Star World HD, a show likeQuantico, which has an obvious Indian connect and the potential to be more successful on home turf, is airing seven days after its airtime in the US.

     

    It will be interesting to see, if the broadcaster buckles under pressure from Indian fans, if they continue to demand Quanticoto be simulcast after the pilot episode is released.

     

    While it will be a one of a kind fan service for Chopra on the network’s part to allow the show to be simulcast here, the current air-time schedule might actually work in the show’s favour. Some argue that it couldn’t have been a better way to introduce the show in India — among a flurry of excitement of its international success. After all, having a Bollywood star as a cast isn’t always an assurance of the show’s success, as we observe from the fate of shows like Yudh, which starred none other than Amitabh Bachchan.

     

    While the show’s fate in India will only be decided after the pilot episode on 3 October, the broadcaster can easily piggy back ride its marketing and promotions on the buzz, which is already stirring around the show. What’s more with Chopra and the entire Bollywood fraternity cheering her on social media, the excitement is palpable.  

     

    Social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are already abound with gossip about the show. Whatever little screenshots, dialogues and status updates that Indians can source online is effective in working them up for the premiere. Now, whether the show and Chopra’s role as an FBI agent will be able to live up to this hype, we will know soon enough.

  • TV channels unleash slew of special programming for Independence Day

    TV channels unleash slew of special programming for Independence Day

    The entire nation will be waiting to hear Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech from the historic Red Fort. The country paralysed by deadlock in the Parliament due to constant protest from opposition, will be desperately listening to the PM’s verses via different news channels, radio and other mediums.

     

    While ‘One Rank One Pension’ is already trending on social media, various gallantry awards are also scheduled to be distributed, this Independence Day.

     

    The Independence Day celebrations will not just be restricted to the political class as numerous channels are set to roll out special programming for their viewers. The programming mix on the occasion of India’s 69th Independence Day across television channels of various genres is as follows: 

     

    English News Channels

     

    ET Now

     

    The ET Now special coverage will have half an hour interview with Godrej Industries chairman Adi Godrej. Sandeep Gurumurthi will interview Godrej at 5.30 pm on 15 August. The channel will also relay Prime Minister’s speech in the morning. Live panel discussion on Modi’s ideas with panelists and big voices from the corporate world will also be in the list of special programming of Independence Day from 12 – 12.30 pm and 9 – 10 pm.

     

    India Today Television

     

    Women are going to be at the forefront of India Today Television’s Independence day programming, with topics like ‘Are women as independent as men?’ ‘Chak De Girls – On the Indian Women’s Hockey Team’ and Rajdeep Sardesai with the ‘Unsung Heroes’.

     

    In addition, the channel will also be airing ‘The Greatest Story Ever Told – 40 Years Of Sholay’, ‘I Am Sania’ – Sania Special Context – Getting The Khel Ratna as well as Sumitra Mahajan’s interview with Karan Thapar.

     

    Times Now

     

    Times Nows’ Independence Day coverage will begin with the live coverage of Modi’s speech followed by a special one hour independence day show of TotaI Recall. Stories and vignettes from across India on how Independence day was celebrated will be aired through the day.

     

    English Entertainment & Movies

     

    AXN India

     

    This Independence Day, Jack Bauer will battle and abolish crime with the iconic television series 24 Live Another Day on 15 – 16 August from 12 – 5 pm on AXN India.

     

    Disney

     

    Disney will be bringing in two beloved characters, Captain Tiao and Nikki (from Best of Luck Nikki) to share the meaning of Independence Day and showcase how will they be spending the day this year.

     

    HBO Defined

     

    HBO Defined gears up to celebrate the I-Day weekend with a line-up of movies, which will be 100 per cent ad-free. Beginning 15 August, 10 am onwards, the channel will showcaseThe Hunger Games: Catching Fire, Ender’s Game, Noah, I, Frankenstein, Gravity andNow You See Me.

     

    “We invite our audience to celebrate the spirit of freedom with their favorite movies on HBO Premium channel, HBO Defined, this Independence Day by not just offering exceptional titles but also presenting them with a completely memorable uninterrupted viewing experience,” said HBO marketing and business development director Shonali Bedi.

     

    Movies Now

     

    The channel will air a day long salute to the bravery with stories of ordinary people who display extraordinary courage to break free from constraints imposed them. The lineup features tittles like Avatar, Life of Pi, Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Dark Knight Rises.

     

    MN+

     

    MN+ will give viewers an in-depth look into the story that shook the world. The line-up features two back to back movies on whistleblower Julian Assange.

     

    Underground: The Julian Assange Story and Steal Secrets: The story of Wikileaks will feature on MN+ as special programming for Independence Day.

     

    Speaking on the programming, Times Network English Entertainment cluster SVP and head Vivek Srivastava said, “For this Independence Day, our theme is saluting and celebrating bravery and the indomitable human spirit. We have stories of ordinary people who display extraordinary courage to break free from constraints imposed on them. On Movies Now, we are screening ‘Fight for Freedom’ from 9 am onwards.”

     

    “Under classifiled section, we will air the popular film – Underground: The Julian Assange Story followed by We Steal Secrets, the story of Wikileaks on MN+. The story emerges the details how a hacker transformed himself to a world saving whistleblower against the worldwide socio-economic and socio-political injustice. It is about freedom of press, speech and rights. By screening these films, we at MN+ and Movies Now want to celebrate the spirit of humanism and the eternal will of our race to stand upright,” he added.

     

    Sony Pix

     

    Exciting series of Indiana Jones based on adventures and mystery of Dr. Henry ‘Indiana’ Jones, a fictional archaeologist by none other than the legendary George Lucas will be Sony Pix’s offering for Indians on Independence Day.

     

    The programming will start with the search for the Ark of the Covenant in the movie The Raiders of the Lost Ark, which will be aired at 11 am. Indiana Jones will take viewers on his classic trilogy ride with The Last Crusade at 1.30 pm, followed by The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull at 4.30 pm.

     

    Star Movies Select HD

     

    Star Movies Select HD – the channel, which has committed to showcasing fresh stories every day of the year, will premier Wes Anderson’s cinematic masterpiece, The Grand Budapest Hotel on the occasion of India’s 69th Independence day. The channel will premier the movie at 9 pm on 15 August.

     

    VH1

     

    This 15 August at 9 am and 10 pm, Vh1 will liberate viewers from the shackles of doubt with Vh1 Artist Select: Independence Day Special. Indian artists will reveal what’s playing on their playlist. From knowing that the B.L.O.T boys love hip hop and to knowing what Dualist Inquiry listens to on their playlist, the channel will give viewers complete dope on Indian artists’ favorite tunes.

     

    Hindi Entertainment & Movies

     

    &TV

     

    For Independence Day, &TV will air four special promos through the day. In addition to that, a special end page carrying Independence Day wishes has been created across all promos on air on 15 August. The logo will also carry Independence Day wishes through the day.

     

    Colors

     

    On 15 August at 8:30 pm, actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui will be seen promoting his upcoming film Manjhi on Colors’ show Udaan. He will be seen partaking in the flag-hoisting ceremony and deliver a speech on inspiration and hope leading to freedom.

     

    Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa Reloaded at 9 pm will have a special Independence Day show with the contestants showcasing performances themed around independence and freedom. Most contestants have designed their performances around Indian dance forms.

     

    Epic

     

    The Epic Channel is all set to celebrate the spirit of patriotism this Independence Day by airing back-to-back episodes from the recently launched show Stories by Rabindranath Tagore directed by Anurag Basu. The Independence Day special on 15 August will be aired from 12 – 9 pm.

     

    Sony

    Sony Entertainment Television will premiere the blockbuster Piku starring Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone and Irrfan Khan at 8 pm. The movie will be followed by a special episode of the show Crime Patrol.

     

    Sony Max & Max 2

     

    The combination of Sony Max and Max 2 brings to its viewers a formidable line-up of patriotic movies on the occasion of Independence Day. With movies such as Indian, Chak! De India, Purab Aur Paschim and Kranti, viewers will be privy to an entire day of enjoyable movie watching experience.

     

    Max and Max 2 senior executive vice president and business head Neeraj Vyas said, “To commemorate the nation’s independence, we thought of showcasing films on both channels that are evocative of the struggle and triumph of victory in different realms of life and through different eras. With our endeavour to constantly provide our viewers with the best films, we hope to arouse a feeling of patriotism with an engrossing bouquet of films on both channels.”

     

    Note: The channels are listed in Alphabetical order.

  • ‘bindass Naach’ to launch on 16 Aug; gets social media marketing push

    ‘bindass Naach’ to launch on 16 Aug; gets social media marketing push

    MUMBAI: In India, many a dreams succumb and forever remain unfulfilled under the constant flow of social stigma. Providing a voyage to fulfilling three such succumbed dreams is bindass’ new series bindass Naach.

    Three young talented minds wanted to dance on the stage of World Of Dance Los Angeles and bindass in association with BBC Worldwide decided to turn their dream into reality. Showcasing this very thing will be the new show bindass Nach. While Disney’s Any Body Can Dance (ABCD) tasted immense success at the box office, the concept is all set to translate the victory on the small screen too.

    “The trio enroll others and creates a dancing group called Desi Hoppers – a group that can dance like crazy. Desi Hoppers have class that will astonish many, the talented group has the potential to get anybody dancing,” says Disney India mediaworks VP and head content and communication Vijay Subramaniam.

    In order to gain traction for the show, bindass has also rolled out a unique marketing strategy with special emphasis on the digital media. From Twitter’s newly acquired live video streaming expertise Periscope to the likes of Vine, Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat, the trio’s journey had a presence on each and every medium. “While the show is on air and there is a moment of conflict, we will have real time social media interaction, which will indulge viewers in various conversations,” Subramaniam adds.

    BBC Worldwide India SVP & general manager India and content head Asia Myleeta Aga says, “This original breakthrough scripted reality concept, Naach is the real dream of three amazingly talented dancers and the vision of Palki Malhotra – show creator, creative producer – BBCW. With this show we aim to continue our track record of delivering innovative content with the aspirational youth of India at its core.”

    Aga further adds, “This is one of the few occasions where while shooting the series, we also strategized various social media initiatives and hence created content accordingly. So here the social media innovations are not edits of the show but they are specially curated content.”

    The various on-ground activities have so far garnered publicity worth $3 million, claims the network. “We have had over 2.2 million views on the videos, the live events which were criticized as mall events had over 100,000 footfalls. The social media has seen over 2.4 million conversations around the concept and various on ground activities that we have been unleashing,” Subramaniam informs.

    The 10 episode series will start on 16 August, 2015 and will be aired every Sunday at 7 pm.

    bindass Naach has roped in Fogg as presenting sponsor, and Ponds Mens Facewash as the energizing partner. Buoyed by the advertisers’ reaction to the show so far, Subramaniam is of the opinion that the ad spends have been growing at the rate of 16 – 17 per cent per year.