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Tag: Fun Republic

  • Essel group’s Fun Republic launches mobile ticketing service

    MUMBAI: The Essel Group owned four-screen cinema multiplex Fun Republic has, with the aid of GurukulOnline Wireless, developed a sophisticated SMS-based movie information and ticketing service for the multiplex in Mumbai.
     
     
     
    As of now only BPL and Airtel mobile phone subscribers can use this facility by sending an SMS to 3867.
    Fun Republic’s Head – Web, Anuj Mehta said, “Our wireless booking service enables the integration with our existing Cinema-Ticketing solution. As a result, customers not only get the confirmation code, but the actual seat numbers. Fun Republic is the first multiplex to provide such information through online wireless means. As the solution is real time, chances of error are totally eliminated. It is India’s first real-time SMS cinema ticket booking facility.”

    Customers can book tickets in advance and are required to turn up at Fun Republic’s booking counter 45 minutes before the start of show, after which they will be cancelled, Anuj added.

    GurukulOnline CEO Shailesh Mehta said, “The wireless technology solution we have developed for Fun Republic is extremely user-friendly. It enables not only ticket bookings, but also cancellations, supply of information about movies and special schemes applicable from time to time.”

    Though this service can presently be used only through BPL and Airtel services, GurukulOnline is in the process of tying up with other mobile phone service providers, Anuj said.

    Fun Republic will soon launch contests through the mobile phone network developed by GurukulOnline, and winners will be entitled to a lot of exciting gifts like free tickets, combo vouchers etc at Fun Republic.

     

  • Essel launches Fun Republic multiplex in Mumbai

    MUMBAI: Subhash Chandra continues his entry into different areas off the media and entertainment space.


    E-City Entertainment (1) Pvt. Limited, the company spearheading the Essel Group’s foray into integrated entertainment destinations launched the Fun republic at Andheri West in Mumbai yesterday.
    The launch of Xenon – the cinema multiplex at Fun Republic was kicked off with the screening of “Koi Mil Gaya”, Rakesh Roshan’s latest blockbuster with son Hritik in the lead.
    Fun Republic, Mumbai is the second in a chain of nationwide integrated entertainment destinations being set up by E-City. The first in Ahmedabad became operational in 2001.
    Twelve locations across 10 cities in the country would be up and running by end-2005, E-City CEO Atul Goel said. Rs 2 billion is the total investment in the project, Goel said, adding that the Mumbai centre had cost Rs 480 million. Four years after star of operations is what each centre would take to achieve break-even, according to Goel.
    Also present at the opening were Zee Group chairman Chandra, Fun Republic chairman and Zee News head Laxmi Goel, superstar Amitabh Bachchan, Sahara Group advisor Amar Singh, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Chhagan Bhujbal. Papa Roshan and son Hritik were also in attendance.
    Fun Republic Mumbai is equipped with four cinema auditoria and has a total installed capacity of 1272 seats. The branded concession stands are known as “Recess”. The complex is spread over a total area of 135,000 square feet with a provision to park up to 650 cars.
    Besides the cinema multiplex, there is a food court and a shopping arcade. Book Bay, an integrated music and bookstore, and a virtual reality games arcade branded as Bingo are added features of the centre.

  • Essel-owned Fun Republic to host 6th International Film Festival in Mumbai

    MUMBAI: Essel Group and Subhash Chandra-owned Fun Republic Entertainment and Multiplex Centre will host the seven-day annual Mumbai film festival scheduled to take place from 20-27 November 2003.

    Fifteen films in any Indian language, including English, and made by Indian directors will compete for the first time at the 6th International Film Festival (IFFM) organised by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI).

    Indian Oil brand Servo will sponsor the event along with other brands like Kodak. Nearly 100 films from 40 countries are expected to participate in IFFM. The festival will offer over 70 hours of viewing every day.

    This will be the first film festival to introduce competition for Indian feature films with an international jury. The international jury will comprise five members. It is mandatory that the feature films entering the competition are completed after 1 January 2002.

    According to an official press release, the director of the best film will be given a trophy and a cash prize of Rs 100,000 while the producer will be given a certificate and Rs 75,000. A special jury award consisting of a certificate and a cash prize of Rs 75,000 will be given to a film or to an individual’s artistic contribution to a film. If the award is given to a film, then the special jury award will go to the director of the film.

    “We are introducing a competitive section this year for Indian feature films to encourage Indian participation in the international film circuit,” said noted filmmaker and chairperson of IFFM, Shyam Benegal. “IFFM is a tribute to the glorious city of Mumbai, and is a commitment made by MAMI to introduce and expand the Mumbaikar’s horizon to include the latest trends in international cinema,” he added.

    This seven-day event is divided into eight sections – competition for Indian films, world cinema, retrospectives, filmmakers in focus, focus on one country, homage, special screenings and film India worldwide.

    In addition, there is also an open forum titled ‘Chauraha’ where one can interact with film personalities. Seminars and exhibitions on different aspects of cinema will provide cinema lovers an opportunity to appreciate the film culture of different countries.

    Awards presented at IFFM include the FIPRESCI award, a ‘lifetime achievement award’ presented for outstanding contribution to Indian cinema; the Kodak award for technical excellence and an award for ‘significant contribution to Indian cinema’ presented to a film personality who has made a recognisable contribution to Indian cinema for over 25 years.

    CMG-RE, a leading entertainment industry solutions provider, will be organising, marketing and managing the seven-day event. This is the first time that MAMI has entrusted the task of marketing and managing the event to an external professional agency. CMG-RE will bring in its expertise to raise the profile of the event, expand the audience profile and involve a greater cross-section of Mumbai.

    The Mumbai Academy is a public trust comprising 12 permanent trustees, many of them practicing filmmakers. Their dedication and love of film enables MAMI to continuously strive to become a repository and resource that will encourage the growth and development of cinema, the release stated.

    The trustees of MAMI are Shyam Benegal (chairman), Govind Swarup (managing trustee), Kiran Shantaram (secretary), Manmohan Shetty (treasurer), Ramesh Sippy, Amit Khanna, Govind Nihalani, Jaya Bachchan, Ashutosh Gowarikar, Yash Chopra, Yash Johar and Bobby Bedi.