ITV

Tag: Ehsaan Noorani

  • Colors Infinity ropes in Renault, Jabong and Motorola for ‘The Stage – 3’ from 7 Oct

    Colors Infinity ropes in Renault, Jabong and Motorola for ‘The Stage – 3’ from 7 Oct

    MUMBAI: India’s search for the next English singing sensation begins shortly. Colors Infinity has returned with India’s only English singing talent hunt The Stage – 3 from 7 October.

    Embarking on this magical journey for the third consecutive season with Colors Infinity and SOL Productions, Renault returns as the title sponsor for the show. The fashion e-commerce platform Jabong and the mobile communications company Motorola have also come together to be the styling partner and co-powered sponsor, respectively.

    From thousands of aspiring singers participating in a series of online and on-ground auditions, only the best made the final cut in this talent hunt. Shortlisted from amongst thousands of entries, 50 of the country’s best artistes vie for a shot at the title of India’s best English singing artiste.

    This time the viewers will have their say, as they get to vote for their favorites. The competition will intensify further with the introduction of duos and groups along with solo singers. As the celebrated judging panel comprising Vishal Dadlani, Ehsaan Noorani, Monica Dogra and Devraj Sanyal returns with the host Shibani Dandekar, Colors Infinity is all set to make the third edition a grand affair.

    Viacom18 head – English, youth and music entertainment Ferzad Palia shares: “We shoulder the responsibility of revolutionising the clutter of countless talent shows on television. Within two years, The Stage has managed to create a huge fan-base of followers, thus proving our conviction in the concept.”

    Renault India head marketing Virat Khullar said, Much like the new KWID, that is a game-changer in India, The Stage has inspired a revolution of English singing in the Indian music space. Such associations are helping Renault augment its brand familiarisation in India in a short span of time.”

    “We are excited about this association as we look forward to add the extra oomph to talent that ‘The Stage’ has to showcase,” says Jabong head of business Gunjan Soni.

    Motorola head marketing Rachna Lather: “We have been a frontrunner in promoting aspiring musicians and artistes in India, through platforms such as Moto Spotlight. As a brand, we are committed to exploring more engaging ways of associating with our consumers and this partnership is an example.”

  • Saavn Expands Original Programming with New Genres and A-List Entertainers

    Saavn Expands Original Programming with New Genres and A-List Entertainers

    MUMBAI: Saavn today revealed an entirely new slate of original programming to debut in August and September. The new collection of shows includes Film Companion with Anupama Chopra and #NoFilter Neha hosted by Neha Dhupia. Additionally, Raghu Dixit, internationally acclaimed Indian Indie musician & music director, joins Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program. These exciting announcements follow the launch of Saavn’s Original Programming in April 2016, which marked the evolution of India’s largest music streaming service into a multimedia entertainment streaming platform.

    Starting August 11th, Saavn Originals will premiereFilm Companion with Anupama Chopra. In addition to movie reviews, Film Companion will feature interviews with A-list film stars, as well an in-depth look at what’s worth watching in India’s ever-growing movie scene. “I’m very excited to be on Saavn,” said Anupama Chopra, “I’ve never done a long form audio show before and this is both an exciting and challenging opportunity. I hope to learn and grow with Saavn.”

    In Film Companion’s special premiere episode, Anupama talks to the who’s who of Bollywood music in a power-packed panel including music director duo Vishal-Shekhar, well-known Indian film composer, musician, singer and lyricist Amit Trivedi, and the famous music composer and a guitarist, Ehsaan Noorani, on the changing landscape and future of Bollywood and the music industry. Following this premiere, Film Companion with Anupama Chopra will stream twice weekly every Thursday and Friday on Saavn.

    Saavn also adds tongue-in-cheek talk show#NoFilter Neha with Neha Dhupia to the Saavn Originals lineup. Neha, a well-known Indian Bollywood actor and former Femina Miss India Universe 2002, will be in conversation with celebrities from Bollywood, fashion, sports, and music in her notoriously wicked style. “A big inspiration for me are Tina Fey, Ellen DeGeneres, Madonna and other dynamic strong women who are constantly pushing themselves and doing so many things,” said Neha Dupia. “For me having an audio chat show is another exciting challenge which I hope gives me another opportunity to show my quirky side. Saavn to me is a place where the talented meet the cool and vice-versa and I am happy to get on board with them as a content creator.”

    #NoFilter promises to shock, awe, and delight Saavn’s 18 million listeners starting mid-September.

    “This is a breakthrough moment for us,” said Gaurav Wadhwa, VP of Entertainment and Originals at Saavn. “In addition to widening our fan base, these new shows will help to solidify Saavn’s transition from music streaming to becoming a global entertainment streaming hub. We’re ecstatic to bring these shows to our growing audience and can’t wait to bring them even more fantastic programming.”

    Apart from these new shows, Saavn announces internationally renowned artist Raghu Dixit as the next musician to join Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence program, Saavn’s in-house program for independent and breakthrough artists. Building on AiR’s successful launch with popular electronic artist Nucleya, Dixit will create new music, playlists, collaborations and audio shows exclusively for Saavn, expanding Saavn’s already diverse Indie music and Regional music offerings.

    “I’m really excited about my partnership with Saavn for the Artist-in-Residence initiative,” said Raghu Dixit, “I love the freedom that Saavn gives the artist and the trust they display in giving artist full control over content being created. I know that with their diverse and highly engaged listeners, this partnership will be a great step forward in taking quality Indian independent music around the world.”

    Having previously performed for the Queen of England at the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in Windsor, as well as the largest festival in Glastonbury, Dixit is no stranger to the world stage. On August 5th, Dixit embarks on the most extensive tour of his career – the “Masterplan for Happiness” tour taking place in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K. To kick off Dixit’s debut as Saavn’s AiR, Saavn will be backing Dixit’s global tour by promoting the tour through Saavn’s app and social channels.

    The full slate of Saavn Originals, debuting this August and September, includes:

    1. Passport Approved with Sat Bisla, launching on 2nd August.

    2. Film Companion with Anupama Chopra, launching on 11th August.

    3. Ek Kahaani Aisi Bhi launching on 19th August.

    4. Audioboom syndicated shows launching in the first week of August:

    • Like-minded friends

    • The Comedy Score

    • Hip Hop saved my life with Romesh Ranganathan

    • The Cricket Podblast

    • Official Leicester City Podcast

    • United We Stand

    • The Football Forum

    • Walsh on Film

    • Undisclosed – State vs Adnan Syed

    5. #NoFilter Neha by Neha Dhupia launching mid-September

  • Saavn Expands Original Programming with New Genres and A-List Entertainers

    Saavn Expands Original Programming with New Genres and A-List Entertainers

    MUMBAI: Saavn today revealed an entirely new slate of original programming to debut in August and September. The new collection of shows includes Film Companion with Anupama Chopra and #NoFilter Neha hosted by Neha Dhupia. Additionally, Raghu Dixit, internationally acclaimed Indian Indie musician & music director, joins Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence (AiR) program. These exciting announcements follow the launch of Saavn’s Original Programming in April 2016, which marked the evolution of India’s largest music streaming service into a multimedia entertainment streaming platform.

    Starting August 11th, Saavn Originals will premiereFilm Companion with Anupama Chopra. In addition to movie reviews, Film Companion will feature interviews with A-list film stars, as well an in-depth look at what’s worth watching in India’s ever-growing movie scene. “I’m very excited to be on Saavn,” said Anupama Chopra, “I’ve never done a long form audio show before and this is both an exciting and challenging opportunity. I hope to learn and grow with Saavn.”

    In Film Companion’s special premiere episode, Anupama talks to the who’s who of Bollywood music in a power-packed panel including music director duo Vishal-Shekhar, well-known Indian film composer, musician, singer and lyricist Amit Trivedi, and the famous music composer and a guitarist, Ehsaan Noorani, on the changing landscape and future of Bollywood and the music industry. Following this premiere, Film Companion with Anupama Chopra will stream twice weekly every Thursday and Friday on Saavn.

    Saavn also adds tongue-in-cheek talk show#NoFilter Neha with Neha Dhupia to the Saavn Originals lineup. Neha, a well-known Indian Bollywood actor and former Femina Miss India Universe 2002, will be in conversation with celebrities from Bollywood, fashion, sports, and music in her notoriously wicked style. “A big inspiration for me are Tina Fey, Ellen DeGeneres, Madonna and other dynamic strong women who are constantly pushing themselves and doing so many things,” said Neha Dupia. “For me having an audio chat show is another exciting challenge which I hope gives me another opportunity to show my quirky side. Saavn to me is a place where the talented meet the cool and vice-versa and I am happy to get on board with them as a content creator.”

    #NoFilter promises to shock, awe, and delight Saavn’s 18 million listeners starting mid-September.

    “This is a breakthrough moment for us,” said Gaurav Wadhwa, VP of Entertainment and Originals at Saavn. “In addition to widening our fan base, these new shows will help to solidify Saavn’s transition from music streaming to becoming a global entertainment streaming hub. We’re ecstatic to bring these shows to our growing audience and can’t wait to bring them even more fantastic programming.”

    Apart from these new shows, Saavn announces internationally renowned artist Raghu Dixit as the next musician to join Saavn’s Artist-in-Residence program, Saavn’s in-house program for independent and breakthrough artists. Building on AiR’s successful launch with popular electronic artist Nucleya, Dixit will create new music, playlists, collaborations and audio shows exclusively for Saavn, expanding Saavn’s already diverse Indie music and Regional music offerings.

    “I’m really excited about my partnership with Saavn for the Artist-in-Residence initiative,” said Raghu Dixit, “I love the freedom that Saavn gives the artist and the trust they display in giving artist full control over content being created. I know that with their diverse and highly engaged listeners, this partnership will be a great step forward in taking quality Indian independent music around the world.”

    Having previously performed for the Queen of England at the Diamond Jubilee Celebrations in Windsor, as well as the largest festival in Glastonbury, Dixit is no stranger to the world stage. On August 5th, Dixit embarks on the most extensive tour of his career – the “Masterplan for Happiness” tour taking place in the U.S., Canada, Ireland and the U.K. To kick off Dixit’s debut as Saavn’s AiR, Saavn will be backing Dixit’s global tour by promoting the tour through Saavn’s app and social channels.

    The full slate of Saavn Originals, debuting this August and September, includes:

    1. Passport Approved with Sat Bisla, launching on 2nd August.

    2. Film Companion with Anupama Chopra, launching on 11th August.

    3. Ek Kahaani Aisi Bhi launching on 19th August.

    4. Audioboom syndicated shows launching in the first week of August:

    • Like-minded friends

    • The Comedy Score

    • Hip Hop saved my life with Romesh Ranganathan

    • The Cricket Podblast

    • Official Leicester City Podcast

    • United We Stand

    • The Football Forum

    • Walsh on Film

    • Undisclosed – State vs Adnan Syed

    5. #NoFilter Neha by Neha Dhupia launching mid-September

  • Colors Infinity brings another season English singing talent hunt

    Colors Infinity brings another season English singing talent hunt

    MUMBAI: Looking for the next English singing protégé, COLORS INFINITY returns with India’s first ever home-grown English language singing talent show – The Stage. Season 2 promises to be even bigger and better after the resounding success of its first edition. In the first season, 20 singers were given the opportunity of a lifetime to take the stage and display their talent. But this year, singers across the country will get an opportunity to participate and become a part of this life-changing experience by submitting their video entries on http://www.colorsinfinity.com/thestage/ starting June 10th, 2016.

    With call for entries the second season promises to attract talent from every corner of the country, giving them a platform to exhibit their singing prowess. Shortlisted participants from the online entries will vie in the on-ground auditions to be held in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru for the final spots. Judges Vishal Dadlani, Monica Dogra, Ehsaan Noorani and Devraj Sanyalreunite with host Shibani Dandekar once more in the search of the next singing sensation.

    Passionately talking about the upcoming season of The Stage, Ferzad Palia, EVP, Viacom18 and Head of English and Youth Entertainment, says “India is a goldmine of talent. And we proved it last year with 20 of the best English singing talent competing in the first season of the show. The Stage has done what no one has done before. It has given the unexplored English singing talent in India a unique platform to show their mettle and enthrall the audience with their sheer brilliance. Evaluating the response to the first season of the show, we have broadened the horizon by inviting participation from all over the country through our online platform and on-ground auditions. Season Two of The Stage promises to be grander not only in terms of participation but also the quality of the talent that we anticipate to grace the show. We can’t wait for the euphoria to begin.”

    Produced by SOL, a stalwart in the field of non-fiction content, the show promises to give viewers a different take on the music scene in India.

    On the new format, SOL producer Fazila Allana says, “With the first season we introduced India to some amazing English music talent that was undiscovered. Now, this year, with the second edition, we are taking it up a notch with open auditions and are eagerly awaiting the flood of talent that will surely greet us.”

    The Stage has been a revolutionary step towards bringing English singing talent in India to the forefront. The show has today brought alive an all new platform for showcasing talent, emerging as a new horizon for English music. Season 2 promises to elate the music scene and showcase some riveting talent in India. Coming soon to your screens, is the high decibel English music game changer, “The Stage 2”, only on COLORS INFINITY.

  • Colors Infinity brings another season English singing talent hunt

    Colors Infinity brings another season English singing talent hunt

    MUMBAI: Looking for the next English singing protégé, COLORS INFINITY returns with India’s first ever home-grown English language singing talent show – The Stage. Season 2 promises to be even bigger and better after the resounding success of its first edition. In the first season, 20 singers were given the opportunity of a lifetime to take the stage and display their talent. But this year, singers across the country will get an opportunity to participate and become a part of this life-changing experience by submitting their video entries on http://www.colorsinfinity.com/thestage/ starting June 10th, 2016.

    With call for entries the second season promises to attract talent from every corner of the country, giving them a platform to exhibit their singing prowess. Shortlisted participants from the online entries will vie in the on-ground auditions to be held in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru for the final spots. Judges Vishal Dadlani, Monica Dogra, Ehsaan Noorani and Devraj Sanyalreunite with host Shibani Dandekar once more in the search of the next singing sensation.

    Passionately talking about the upcoming season of The Stage, Ferzad Palia, EVP, Viacom18 and Head of English and Youth Entertainment, says “India is a goldmine of talent. And we proved it last year with 20 of the best English singing talent competing in the first season of the show. The Stage has done what no one has done before. It has given the unexplored English singing talent in India a unique platform to show their mettle and enthrall the audience with their sheer brilliance. Evaluating the response to the first season of the show, we have broadened the horizon by inviting participation from all over the country through our online platform and on-ground auditions. Season Two of The Stage promises to be grander not only in terms of participation but also the quality of the talent that we anticipate to grace the show. We can’t wait for the euphoria to begin.”

    Produced by SOL, a stalwart in the field of non-fiction content, the show promises to give viewers a different take on the music scene in India.

    On the new format, SOL producer Fazila Allana says, “With the first season we introduced India to some amazing English music talent that was undiscovered. Now, this year, with the second edition, we are taking it up a notch with open auditions and are eagerly awaiting the flood of talent that will surely greet us.”

    The Stage has been a revolutionary step towards bringing English singing talent in India to the forefront. The show has today brought alive an all new platform for showcasing talent, emerging as a new horizon for English music. Season 2 promises to elate the music scene and showcase some riveting talent in India. Coming soon to your screens, is the high decibel English music game changer, “The Stage 2”, only on COLORS INFINITY.

  • Colors Infinity looks to push the envelope with ‘The Stage’

    Colors Infinity looks to push the envelope with ‘The Stage’

    MUMBAI: Viacom18’s English entertainment channel Colors Infinity is poised to take Indian content to newer heights with the launch of The Stage, which is the first ever home grown English language singing show.

     

    Slated to launch on 10 October, 2015, The Stage will be aired on weekends at 9 pm.

     

    Colors Infinity is looking to push the envelop with the launch of this show. What’s more the channel has put its marketing might in extensively promoting the show across digital and on-ground platforms. From broadcast to print, a buzz has been created about the new reality show in the country.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Viacom18 EVP and head of English entertainment Ferzad Palia said, “We know there is a huge amount of talent in the English space across the country. This is just not a Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore show. We are pushing the envelope heavily by going into the reality space in the English entertainment genre, which has never been done before. The talent will be grown and taken forward.”

     

    When asked whether original English entertainment content like The Stage would work in India, a senior media planner opined, “Somebody had to push the envelope. I don’t see any reason why original English entertainment content should not work in India. It might not get success immediately, but eventually, in the long run, I see it tasting enormous success.” 

     

    With a jury comprising Vishal Dadlani, Monica Dogra, Ehsaan Noorani and Devraj Sanyal, The Stage will be hosted by Shibani Dandekar.

     

    The show will provide a platform to 20 raw talent from around the country in a quest to find India’s best English language singer. The winner of the title will bag a record deal with Universal Music, which would be released globally, a 10 city tour, a mentorship program and a Renault Duster. Viacom18’s marketing muscle will also be used to back the winner’s career across all platforms.

     

    The Stage is produced by SOL. Speaking about the show’s unique format, SOL producer Fazila Allana says, “The show clearly depicts how talented Indian artists are. We looked for some great singers who will bring something new for the people and whose voices will stand above the rest. The contestants have their own individuality.”

     

    “The Stage has given me a chance to reveal the hidden gems of our nation. It marks a landmark in the music and entertainment industry,” asserts Universal Music Group South Asia MD and CEO Devraj Sanyal.

     

    Throwing light on the expectation from the show, Palia says, “We are happy with the show getting a good response. Whenever someone pushes the envelope and does something different, you see the entire society talking about it and that was our objective. There is great talent sitting out there and they don’t have a platform to showcase it.”

     

    Not running after ratings, Palia says that the channel’s objective was to come up with something unique for the Indian audience. “We don’t sell according to the ratings and we didn’t think about the expenses while doing the show,” he informs.

  • Colors Infinity experiments with locally developed English reality show ‘The Stage’

    Colors Infinity experiments with locally developed English reality show ‘The Stage’

    MUMBAI: Ever since its launch a little more than a month back, Viacom 18’s new English Entertainment channel Colors Infinity has been invading untouched territories. Continuing to tread on the same path, the channel is now set to launch a locally curated English musical reality show called The Stage.

     

    The one of a kind reality show will premiere on 10 October and will be aired on weekends from 9 – 10 pm. The channel has roped in celebrated names from the music world like Vishal Dadlani, Monica Dogra, Ehsaan Noorani and Devraj Sanyal as judges. The show will be hosted by Shibani Dandekar.

     

    The Stage unlike other reality shows will not limit its exposure to the on-air episodes. “We will have on ground activities, live concerts, the winner will get a contract with Universal and a musical single will also be released. Hence its not just about 20 on-air episodes. We will go beyond and will leave no stones unturned,” said Viacom 18 EVP and head of English entertainment Ferzad Palia.

     

    The talent in the show will be nurtured by a group of experienced musicians. “We have contestants from across the country, and they are highly talented. The Stage will provide them with the platform to become popular and then nurture them to grow as professionals. The Stage will be a show where the winning contestant will be remembered for a long, long time. It is the most real reality show with very little edit,” Palia added.

     

    “It is not true that English content is consumed only by people in metros. Close to 62 – 65 per cent of English music viewership comes from non-metro areas. So English as a language is spreading across the country and that’s one of the primary reason why we decided to experiment with The Stage. We will target VH1’s audience with the show,” informs Palia.

     

    The Stage is presented by Renault and powered by the dating app Trulymadly. SOL is the production company on board.

     

    Renault India marketing head Virat Khullar said, “As a company, we at Renault stand for innovation and passion and The Stage is a fresh new concept in Indian television, which is bound to change the scope of entertainment in this country. This belief in the show is the foundation of our partnership with Colors Infinity. We are glad that we can be a part of this huge transformation of English entertainment in India.”

     

    Filmmaker and Colors Infinity co-curator Karan Johar said, “When I first heard about The Stage, I was amazed at the introduction of such a novel concept for Indian television. I can see a paradigm shift in the reality TV shows in India.”

     

    Actor and channel co-curator Alia Bhatt added, “English music is such an important part of our playlists but we don’t get to see it anywhere on our music platforms. So The Stage is an idea whose time has come.”

     

    Since the IP remains exclusively with Colors Infinity, it is highly possible that the channel will later syndicate the format to a different platform or other territories. “Syndication can be a possibility in the long run but at this stage our focus is to establish The Stage and innovate with other locally created English content,” summed up Palia.

  • Log on to the MJ Show on IMN to know your musicians better

    Log on to the MJ Show on IMN to know your musicians better

    MUMBAI: PING Network has launched MJ Show with radio jockey (RJ) Mihir Joshi, on its YouTube channel-India Music Network (IMN). The show which features trend setting musicians giving a sneak peek into their musical journey, also entertains audiences with candid chats focusing on life beyond work.

    The show features the RJ discussing work, dreams, inspirations and opinions with various artists from indie and Bollywood music industry. What is unique is that it allows viewers to check out an array of International and Indian songs that the artists talk about. The first few episodes featured well known artists like Ehsaan Noorani, Kavita Seth and Shamali Kholgade discussing favorites, life apart from music, first break and much more.

    PING Network founder and CEO Prashanto Das said, “The MJ Show combines the chattiness of radio with visual appeal, allowing the viewer to take a peek into to the star’s veiled life. It caters to global audiences. The beauty of the show being everybody gets to see it at the same time.”

    Commenting on the format of the show Joshi commented, “Prashanto and I felt that there was a need for a fun talk show with some of the best musicians in the country and with the entire digital revolution YouTube is a perfect platform for us to promote it. I think the fact that viewers get a chance to know their favourite musicians in a different light and their own independent original music is what sets the show apart.”