ITV

Tag: Imran Khan

  • CommonFloor.com breaks new ground in marketing

    CommonFloor.com breaks new ground in marketing

    MUMBAI: Everything one ever desires can now be obtained with the click of a button and one such thing on the never-ending list, is real estate. Whether one wants to buy, sell or rent property without resorting to dusty travels and dingy meetings with shady brokers and real estate agents, now there are portals galore to fulfil our needs. Taking a cue from the boom in the online real estate segment is CommonFloor.com.

     

    CommonFloor.com, a one stop shop real estate destination, which brings builders, buyers owners etc together under one roof, is now riding high on innovative marketing strategies to rise above the clutter.

     

    One such marketing strategy was the portal’s association with the recently released film Katti Batti starring Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut. CommonFloor was integrated in the script of the film, wherein the protagonists choose their dream house with the help of the portal.

     

    Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Commonfloor.com co-founder Vikas Malpani said, “It’s a wonderful link up to the film, which appeals to mass audience. Basically what we have been doing is experimenting with all possible new age media, which connects to young brands. We were the first ones to tie up with The Viral Fever and one of their series Permanent Roommates, which was quite a global success.”

     

    According to Malpani, movie integration and activation helps connect with audience on ground as well as reinforce the brand.  

     

    With the ever increasing cometition between existing and emerging real estate portals from Magicbricks.com to Housing.com, it is always a daunting task to manage to get the required hits and enhance interaction.

     

    “At the end of the day, a solid product and right perception really helps you to get the brand going. Moreover, in the online real estate space, replicating or competing with existing formats is not easy as a larger vision and skill set is required to take competition heads on,” asserts Malpani.

     

    Malpani is of the opinion that the brand’s differentiating factors are based on the product, the level of interaction as well as consumer’s experience with the brand.

     

    As far as marketing strategy goes, CommonFloor has a radical and a rather confidant approach to it. Having a product worthy enough to keep themselves ahead is their marketing mantra.

     

    Not in the least bit daunted by the competition in the space, Malpani says, “We believe that we have the entire ecosystem upfront and there are no competitors who have the strategy or vision for future of real estate in country like we do. So in that sense, we are not worried about our competitors. What we are trying to do in our marketing strategy is to connect with our audience, who can understand and make decisions. We at CommonFloor are there to empower them with information so that they can make their decision.”

     

    Throwing light on the company’s growth, he says, “As of now 10 per cent of residential viewers take to the online medium for the real estate space. We believe that in next five years that number will touch 50 per cent, which is 50 per cent of close to about the $180 billion online real estate market. So there is a golden opportunity and we are on the right track.”

     

    For the promotions and activation around Katti Batti, while the brand name was integrated in the movie, online activation in the form of contests was also carried out wherein string association could be established.

     

    “Our social media is more about putting out the right information, keeping the audience engaged to our pages and put out relevant real estate trend information, which can be consumed over social media. We also interact with people on Facebook and Twitter, who are looking for a house and connect them with relevant options,” informs Malpani.

     

    While CommonFloor.com earmarks about 70 – 80 per cent of its marketing spends on television and print, the rest is dedicated to social media activation.  

     

    As online real estate companies are briskly climbing stairs two steps at a time, the next phase of growth in the space as well as players’ strategy for maximum brand reach will be interesting to watch out for.

  • 92.7 BIG FM’s big green ganesha gains support from CM of Maharashtra and Ministry of Environment

    92.7 BIG FM’s big green ganesha gains support from CM of Maharashtra and Ministry of Environment

    MUMBAI: 92.7 BIG FM’s BIG Green Ganesha, in its eighth year garnered support from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra,  Devendra Fadavnis, Environment Minister  RamdasKadam, Environmnet Minister for state Praveen Pote,  Upper Chief Secretary of Environment Department Malini Shankar and  Member Secretary of Maharashtra Pollution Control Board P. Anbagalan who donated newspapers for the cause.

    In a press conference held to flag of the eco-friendly initiative, the government dignitaries shed light on the importance of ecological practices during the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi.

    This year, the eco-friendly drive was even bigger as Kapil Sharma one of the popular comedian and Bollywood actor, was the face of the property. The radio station also saw increased support from people and celebrities like Asha Bhosle, Imran Khan, Kangna Ranawat, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Kanika Kapoor, Ayushman Khurana, Sadhna Sargam, Anup Jalota and Rekha Bhardwaj among others who pledged their support by donating newspapers to create eco-friendly Ganesha idols to promote the noble cause.  

    Face of the property and comedian, Kapil Sharma said, “92.7 BIG FM’s initiative, BIG Green Ganesha is an amazing step towards embracing an eco-friendly way of life. I am happy to be a part of this noble cause. I appeal to all my fans to join this drive and actively be a part of BIG Green Ganesha.”

    Speaking about the initiative, 92.7 BIG FM’s spokesperson said, “I am delighted that BIG Green Ganesha, in its 8th year has now become an important part of the green crusade and has seen such tremendous support from government dignitaries, celebrities and of course, the people that participated in this drive. We are proud that this initiative and its objectives are helping us create a green environment for our future generations.”

    Birla White marketing services general manger Kedar Rele said, “Ganesh Chaturthi marks the start of the festivities in India which then initiates the purchase cycle. BIG Green Ganesha presents a unique branding opportunity as it drives sustainability at its core. The ideology behind Birla White wallcare products, of being environmentally sensitive, was the starting point of the association with 92.7 BIG FM’s most successful and award winning initiative, BIG Green Ganesha.”

  • Box Office: Kapil Sharma’s debut film rakes in Rs 23.85 crore in opening weekend

    Box Office: Kapil Sharma’s debut film rakes in Rs 23.85 crore in opening weekend

    MUMBAI: TV stand-up comedian Kapil Sharma’s film debut and veteran director duo, Abbas Mustan’s gamble to cast him in a film, has paid off more than expected. Kis Kisko Pyaar Karu opened to an excellent response even as the two other films in contention,Calendar Girls and Bhaag Johnny helped its cause.

     

    Sharma’s debut movie opened to a fantastic Rs 8 crore range on Friday and sustained at the same level on Saturday. The movie managed to peak on Sunday. The film collected Rs 23.85 crore in its opening weekend and has already come into profit soon after its opening weekend considering its cost.

     

    On the other hand, Madhur Bhandarkar’s rehashed idea of Page 3 film, Calendar Girls, has majorly backfired. The film has poor script if there is one, no direction and lacks a purpose. Also, the film cost almost five times to the producer as compared to what the look of the film makes you believe. There is nothing for the investor to look forward to as far as returns are concerned. The film opened to a very poor response and closed its opening weekend with a measly Rs 3.8 crore.

     

    Time Out, a decent film with a youthful appeal, as expected, has gone mostly unnoticed. There was no promotion and awareness created around the film.

     

    Meeruthiya Gangsters fails miserably and collects just Rs 75 lakh in its first week.

     

    Bhaag Johnny, a poorly directed film, has failed badly with lack of face value.

     

    The Kangana Ranaut – Imran Khan starrer Katti Batti has flopped miserably. This was indeed a senseless film with no appeal. Even Ranaut’s popularity could not salvage it. The film, which collected Rs 15.5 crore in its opening weekend, could barely add another Rs 6 crore for the rest of the week, taking its first week total to Rs 21.5 crore.

     

    Hero could add little to its collections with a major drop in its second week earnings. The film collected Rs 2.5 crore in the second week to take its two week total to Rs 31.7 crore, which is poor.

     

    Welcome Back continues to struggle to make it to the Rs 100 crore mark as the film collects Rs 3.3 crore in its third week to take its three week total to Rs 93.9 crore. So close yet so far; it won’t make the mark.

  • ‘Katti Batti:’ Dead loss!

    ‘Katti Batti:’ Dead loss!

    Katti Batti is an attempt to make a contemporary film about love at first sight and the couple deciding to get in to a live-in relationship. If a movie on a live-in relationship is new generation, the germ of the story and the treatment meted out to the film are so old-fashioned, it desensitises your mind and feelings.

    Imran Khan is a student of architecture in Ahmedabad. He is supposed to be a scholar type and to that end the makers add thick-rimmed black spectacles to his look. While walking through the college common passages, he spots some colourful paper birds landing around him. He looks around to see Kangana Ranaut as the maker of the flight of birds. She gestures to say that she is doing it out of boredom in her classroom. While Imran has his name inscribed on his school kit, Kangana has a tattoo printed near her ankle pointing to the anklets she wears to convey that her name is Payal! That establishes she is a trendy girl of today, while he is old school.

    However, Imran is not all that old school for he readily opts for a live-in relationship with Kangana. Imran becomes instantly possessive of her and has a fight with Vivaan Bhatena, a college toughie because he teased his girlfriend aka Kangana. To his chagrin, Kangana informs that the fight was because he happened to be her ex-boyfriend whom she dropped like a hot potato two days after meeting Imran. Imran has a friend who seems to have been pasted on him with Fevicol! At home, at college, at work, so much so that their sexual preferences are questioned. Well, this is the trivia that dominates the contents of this film. 

    Imran and his friends are the star architects of their office with a boss who is a caricature of a South Indian loudmouth, with decibel levels that breaks the sound barrier. In this office, you never see anybody working, let alone looking like architects. Either they are flirting, sleeping around or fighting around office fixtures.

    After spending five years as partners, Imran and Kangana part ways, which Imran celebrates by guzzling down four bottles of phenyl. Constant fights were the reason for them parting. The couple decides to smoke a peace pipe with a break in Goa but end up having a fight just before boarding the flight. Imran turns back leaving Kangana alone and that is the last he sees of her. She has vanished, is incommunicado and none of her friends are willing to help Imran find her. So you spend an hour-long yawn trip with Imran trying to find her, sobbing all the way in regret of losing her. 

    That is about two hours into the film when the filmmakers decide to tell you what this film was all about! Which, in today’s media and social network era, just about everybody seems to know already. 

    The scripting, direction, music – songs as well as background score and editing are not worth discussing. While Kangana is burdened with an ill-conceived characterisation that can’t salvage an inch of the film, Imran proves to be a liability. Rest are inconsequential. 

    Katti Batti has disaster written all over it. The period from Ganesh festival to Diwali was never considered the right period to release a film, except for those which carried no hope.

    Producer: Siddharth Roy Kapur

    Director: Nikhil Advani

    Cast: Imran Khan, Kangana Ranaut, Vivaan Bhatena

    ‘Meeruthiya Gangsters:’ What a waste!

    The movies on UP and Bihar gangs are forced down the audiences’ throat despite regular rejections. The problem is that the audience does not care for a local small-town loser who unwittingly tastes success in a crime and becomes a regular gangster when the real-life one comes from the metros of India!

    Some people may even need to Google where Meeruth (now Meerut) is! One of the best films ever made on these local gangs wasSaher (2005) starring Arshad Warsi but that also failed. What we have here is a film with an utterly senseless story to tell.

    There are six college buddies of irrelevant pedigree as far as Hindi cinema is concerned. They look anything but college-going youth. However, anything goes when you are spinning a story about such a state as UP. The boys seek a job in a big private company for which they are needed to pay Rs 75,000 per head. There is some company in Meerut, which agrees to hire them en masse and promises all of them big posts along with big pay packages! But, they have no means of raising such a huge sum so they take to looting. The first victim is the very bar where this broke gang keeps guzzling beer. 

    Besides the bribe per head, they are also expected to entertain the boss of the company with a party, which means imported booze and a girl to go with it. After meeting the demands of the boss to be, the guys soon realise that the boss and the middleman have both conned them. They take the middleman as a hostage and demand ransom from his family. When they succeed, they decide to make this their regular business.

    The guys may all look unkempt and thug-like but the girls they court would give the South Delhi disco crowd a complex! The gang now looks for bigger targets for ransom. They choose a company’s CA where the girlfriend of one of the gangsters works. Here starts the old belief that when a woman enters a scene, a bunch of friends will soon be divided. 

    The next big heist is planned. The target this time is the crorepati boss of the girl in the gang. His kidnap is too big for the UP cops to ignore. Enter Rahul Dev, a Dirty Harry kind of cop who believes neither in wearing a uniform nor discipline. The rest is utter bull, which one wonders if even UPites would identify with!

    The film is poor in all respects. It has no script worth its name, poor direction with jerks and unexplained scenes aplenty. Musical score sounds like a picnic medley. Performances are stagy. Editing is non-existent. Production values are poor and a lot of liberty is taken with location as you don’t know whether the action is taking place in Meerut, Noida, Dehradun or Mumbai.

    Meeruthiya Gangster is a total waste of time. 

    Producers: Prashant Tiwari, Prateek Tiwari, Shoeb Ahmed

    Director: Zeishan Quadri

    Cast: Sanjay Mishra, Rahul Dev, Brijendra Kala and others

    ‘MSG2: The Messenger:’ A selfie

    Late last evening while returning from PVR Juhu, I met three lads and two girls sporting the Gurmet Ram Rahim Singh Ji Insaan (GRRSJI) T-shirts. They wanted to know how to get to CST (VT) to be able to catch a train to Kaylan, which is another town on the outskirts of Mumbai! I told them to take some transport to Sion, which is closer to Kalyan by miles and more approachable than the CST.  But, while they waited for a bus or something, they discussed fare comparison between a bus and a rickshaw. 

    This group was ‘imported’ from Karnal in Punjab and carried the smell of sarson ka tel (mustard oil), applied to body after bath as a routine where they came from. I got used to the smell after a while. They had come to PVR, Juhu all the way from Kalyan to find out if their net booking tickets could be collected a day before. Well, all they had to do was just show the reference of the booking on their cell phone and they could get in. 

    This lot was the typical GRRSJI devotees, who volunteered to ‘throng’ the 75 screens booked by the Guru in Mumbai (though the thronging crowd had to be transported to Mumbai from Karnal, in fact a village nearby Karnal.)

    There you have the story of GRRJI’s foray into filmmaking.

    This time, in the sequel, GRRSJI plays the Superman once again. This time, he recounts his year spent with an Adivasi lot (tribal) who used to roam naked and had no touch with the modern world. GRRJI has a job on his hand. He needs to bring them in touch with the realities. He teaches them to dress, build schools for them, also hospitals and other amnesties albeit, after destroying the traditional evil adivasi leaders who control their lives.

    GRRSJI has superpowers, he overcomes all villains; changes the lot of tribals and comes back happily to his base preparing for his next sequel.

    As I was enlightened by his five followers, MSG1 was completed in 67 days while this one took just 47 days! In the first instalment GRRSJI handled 17 technical departments like story, action and music. His followers are waiting to count how many more he has mastered this time. 

    GRRSJI has his own funds, own marketing (last time PVR did it for him; this time he stayed back in Mumbai at a suburban seven star to find some ‘reputed’ corporate house to do the needful). But, one thing is sure, he also transports in his own audience with a Mumbai sightseeing as a bonus for another 10 days, which he promises, Mumbai like nobody else ever seen before!

    Producer and everything else: GRRSJI.

  • Hotstar unveils original talk show with Malishka as host

    Hotstar unveils original talk show with Malishka as host

    MUMBAI: Star India’s OTT platform Hotstar, which tasted success on two of its original shows for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 – One Tip One Hand and Juicy Half Volley, is now planning to launch another original show.

     

    RJ Malishka has been roped in to host a 60-minute Hotstar original talk show called M Bole Toh.

     

    Kickstarting the series with actors Kangana Ranaut and Imran Khan, the show will offer quirky conversations between the three on topics ranging from relationships to marriage to what being ‘good friends’ in the industry means. Ranaut and Khan will be seen in the upcoming film Katti Batti.

     

    During the show, Malishka will chat with stars who will share funny behind-the-scene anecdotes and pranks as well as offer insights into their personal lives. The host will also nudge the guests into spilling their hidden secrets through gripping, fun conversations and games with healthy dollops of madness.

     

    M Bole Toh will cater to the ever-growing demands of Bollywood fans, which are always keen on knowing more about stars.

  • Aaj Tak brings together a historic panel- 7 World Cup Champions on 1 platform

    Aaj Tak brings together a historic panel- 7 World Cup Champions on 1 platform

    MUMBAI: The Legends come together on 18th Oct 2014, when India’s No.1 News channel Aaj Tak celebrates Cricket with the mega event – Salaam Cricket. As the countdown to the World Cup 2015 begins, 7 World champions and 14 Captains converge on one stage to usher in the battleground 2015.
     
    Be ready to witness the historic union of legends to salute a game that’s nothing short of a religion – Cricket.
     
    Never before have so many great legends joined a conclave to debate the road ahead. Ever since team India lifted the trophy at the last World Cup after a gap of 18 years, the expectations are high. With eyes set on the trophy, the Conclave aptly titled ‘Kaise Jeetenge World Cup’ will be the biggest meeting point of top cricketing minds
     
    Speaking ahead of the event, Supriya Prasad – Managing Editor – Aaj Tak said, “Aaj Tak will bring together the greatest legends of the game in this definitive event. The inspiring discussions and expert opinions from the stalwarts will surely have the cricket viewers asking for more.”
     
    Ashish Bagga, Group CEO – India Today Group added, “The India Today Group is a leader in the space for creating benchmark News Events. Salaam Cricket with its inspiring line-up of legends on one platform is an Industry first that is a reflection of Aajtak’s commitment to being Sabse Tez.”
     
    The World Cup winning captains who will be part of the daylong event are – Clive Lloyd, 1975 & 1979 Champion, Kapil Dev, 1983 Champion, Allan Border, 1987 Champion, Imran Khan,  1992 Champion, Arjuna Ranatunga,  1996 Champion, Steve Waugh, 1999 Champion, Ricky Ponting, 2003 & 2007 Champion. The greatest Indian Captains including Sunil Gavaskar, Saurav Ganguly, Bishen Singh Bedi, Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Jadeja will also be part of the event. Key members of the Indian World Cup winning squad including Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Piyush Chawla and Ashish Nehra will be among the many superstars who will take centre stage.
     
    The day will start with session – “Winning the World Cup – Start of a Revolution” by world cup winning captains- Kapil Dev & Clive Lloyd. This will be followed by the session “Thunder Down Under” addressed by the former Australian World Cup Winning Captains- Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Ricking Ponting. The next session will have Yuvraj Singh sharing his thoughts in – Story of a Winner.
     
    A special session will also see Indian Cricketers rom the 2011 World Cup squad  – Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh, Ashish Nehra and Piyush Chawla wishing the Indian Team for the upcoming World Cup.
     
    Emotions will run high around the session- India V/s Pak which will witness former Indian and Pakistan captains like- Sourav Ganguly, Kapil Dev, Mohammad Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja, Inzmam-Ul-Haq & Aamer Sohail discussing the excitement and the high expectations when the two cricketing rivals go on to play.
     
    The day will close with the World Cup winning captains sharing the stage in the “Seven Wonders: All WC Winning Captains on One Platform”. The session will have Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Imran Khan, Arjuna Ranatunga,  Steve Waugh & Ricky Ponting sharing their views.

  • UTV announces ‘Katti Batti’

    UTV announces ‘Katti Batti’

     MUMBAI:  After clutter breaking and iconic films like Dev D, A Wednesday, Barfi!, Kai Po Che and numerous others, UTV Motion Pictures now is looking at bringing a unique love story about new age relationships and breaking up and making up in the world of today, the sort of contemporary romantic relationship never before seen on Indian celluloid – Katti Batti! The film will be directed by Nikhil Advani and will bring together the eclectic pairing of actors Imran Khan and Kangana Ranaut.

     

    Katti Batti is an unusual love story with a twist, and has been creatively developed and driven by UTV Motion Pictures from its inception. UTV’s creative team first spotted the potential in Katti Batti’s script by first time writer Anshul Singhal. Then began the search for a director who could bring the same passion to the film, a search which ended with Nikhil Advani coming on board. UTV, Nikhil and Anshul have honed and polished the script for the past year to make it one of the most zany and heartwarming love stories in contemporary Hindi cinema.

     

    “We are very excited to be taking our creative journey on Katti Batti to the next phase. It is a most unusual love story steeped in the culture and language of today’s relationships. We wanted to make sure that the script gets the right director at the helm and a cast that can justify the two incredibly real, funny and layered lead characters. Our creative team steered the entire project through wonderfully and we are thrilled to have Nikhil, Imran and Kangana on board for the film. We couldn’t have asked for a better director and cast for the film,” said Disney India managing director Siddharth Roy Kapur.

     

     Advani added, “UTV spotted a gem of a script with Katti Batti and it was critical that it got the cast that justified it! Am personally elated by this casting combination as it is a dream to work with Kangana – her body of work has not dulled her ability to bring humility to her craft. Imran on the other hand is drawing from new personal experiences and emotions and brings with him as well, a fresh approach.”

     

    Actor Imran Khan, who will be essaying the role of Maddy, said, “I have always wished to be a part of films that make me proud as an actor. Katti Batti will be one such film. My last outing with UTV gave the audiences Delhi Belly, and we have worked together in the past on many successful films like Jaane Tu Ya Jaane Na, I Hate Luv Storys and Ek Main aur Ekk Tu. Now we hope to recreate the magic with Katti Batti. Nikhil Advani is a great story teller and Kangana is one of the finest actors of our generation. I am eagerly waiting to kickstart the film!”

     

    Kangana who plays the character of Payal concluded, “It is a beautiful story. Writers have used elements like the battle of the sexes, issues of urban couples, expanded truth and non linear narrative. We have one of the leading creative studios UTV as the producers and I have worked with them in the past on Fashion and Life in a Metro, two of my most memorable films. I just hope I do justice to this story that might change the perspective of love and love stories for us and for coming generations.”

     

    Katti Batti goes on the floors later this year and is scheduled for a worldwide release in 2015.

  • HT Media needs to rethink ‘No TV Day’

    HT Media needs to rethink ‘No TV Day’

    MUMBAI: Hindustan Times is back with its ‘NO TV Day’ initiative. The campaign in its third year, now invites Mumbaikars (who, according to them, are the only ones owning a TV set) to switch off their TVs and celebrate quality time with family and friends through a wide range of activities specially put together by HT Mumbai (Does that mean Mumbaikars also do not know how to organize activities for friends and family and need an HT Media to do it for them?).

     

    The Facebook page of the campaign has many ads put together to promote the “Apna TV Band Karo Campaign.”  Bollywood actor Imran Khan is seen saying he enjoys cooking on ‘NO TV Day’ – not surprising considering the number of films he has been doing (or he rather did). 
     

    Another activity suggested is the ‘Get Fitter Mini Marathon’ at Carter Road, Bandra. Located in the western suburbs of Mumbai, it seems to insinuate that Mumbai can get fitter only at Bandra man (Read: the common Bandra lingo). 
     

    The ‘Head to Adlabs Imagica and Get Amazed’ has a number of postings on the page because maybe Essel World is now passé and not so amazing anymore. 
     

    Jokes apart, the campaign is being planned at a time when IPL mania has gripped the country. Why is the HT Media management trying to spike the viewership of Sony Entertainment’s most expensive and revenue generating product in the city of cricket lovers? 
     

    Is it a case of sour grapes with HT Media? Publication houses like India Today, DNA and the Times of India have their own channels but HT doesn’t. Maybe not now! But it surprisingly did so once in the late nineties. The Hindustan Times had started a Hindi entertainment channel, Home TV in collaboration with Pearson group of London which soon shut shop. And now with its ‘switch off your TV’ HT is behaving like a kid throwing tantrums.

     

    What’s also concerning is that HT Media’s No TV Day coincides with No Tobacco Day this time. Are they not really very different products? TV definitely is not equal to tobacco.

    The dynamic audio visual element of the TV medium allows its viewers to consume content as it comes alive on a screen immediately and live. It informs, it entertains, it engages, it educates, it connects and it is an integral part of our lives.

    As compared to this, newspapers take an entire day to publish information that has probably expired and has been dust binned. May be some of their analyses are pertinent and different, but in the era of paid content that’s something you have to really seek out. The world over newspapers are being given a decent or indecent burial. And TV and the digital medium are continuing to grow and thrive. In India, however, that’s not the case and newspapers are showing that they have a lot of legs. 
     

    Yes, the intent behind the HT Media initiative – get families and each one of us out together doing things they and we normally don’t – is laudible.  But why hit out at the medium of TV? Why call it ‘No TV Day’ when calling it “HT Media’s Family Day out” would do just as well.  Then do we really need a special day to spend time with our families?  And will HT Media decide what we should do with ours?

    The campaign also suggests that one can help a great deal in protecting the environment by turning off the TV for a day. HT has also organised ‘Nature Trails’ on ‘NO TV Day’ in Goregaon, in the western part of Mumbai. Can it ensure that the participants will not leave behind a trail of plastic bags, bottles and other wastes as they trudge along?  

     

    At indiantelevision.com we believe it makes more sense to watch TV in order to protect the environment. After all no trees are cut to make newsprint when you watch TV.

     

    HT Media managers would do well to take their communications seriously. Imagine what could happen if the channels were to take the anti-TV messaging to heart and were to organise a No Newspaper Day nationally? It could lead to a loss of crores for the whole newspaper industry.  Imagine what would happen if TV channels were to go online alone to promote their shows and for their TV guides? Again a loss of crores would hit the industry. Imagine if TV manufacturers were to cancel advertising in newspapers for a day? Again the impact would run into crores. 

     

    It’s possible that HT Media’s campaign may also be costing the TV industry some viewership (though many doubt that). Hypothetically let’s say it is, that means the ‘No TV day’ would be impacting TV channels’ revenues. The question is why are TV channels taking all this lying down? When probably they are among the bigger spenders in the newspaper’s pages.

     

    The appeal from all of us at indiantelevision.com to HT Media is that its managers should avoid using the term ‘No TV Day’ and coin something more positive and family oriented instead. It will be just as fun for its readers in Mumbai. 

     

    (We at the Indiantelevision.com group live and breathe audiovisual content – both on TV and online. But we also love newspapers. We believe they are relevant. At least for a few years. We also believe that HT Media’s ‘No TV Day’ campaign is a case of misdirected and wrongful communication, though it has been organised in good faith and with a good intent to bring families together.)

  • Waqar Younis is now on the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

    Waqar Younis is now on the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame

    MUMBAI: Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis has been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame before the first Twenty20 International between Pakistan and Sri Lanka at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in Dubai Sports City kicked off on Wednesday.

     

    The cricketer received his commemorative cap from International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive David Richardson in front of a large and appreciative crowd. He has now become the 70th male member and fifth Pakistani after Hanif Mohammad, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram to be inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.

     

    Nicknamed ‘The Burewala Express’, Waqar is famously known as one half of ‘The Two Ws’ – a moniker for the fast bowling pair of Wasim Akram and Waqar. A famed exponent of reverse swing, he claimed 373 wickets from 87 Tests and 416 scalps from 262 One-Day Internationals.  

     

    The 42-year-old, who was born in Vehari, Punjab, also led his country in 17 Tests and 62 ODIs. In a first-class career spanning over a decade, he snared 956 wickets from 228 matches with a best of 8-17.

     

    Waqar’s Test figures bear ample testimony to his brilliance – he registered 22 hauls of five wickets or more in an innings, and, on five occasions, took 10 wickets or more in a match. He also boasted the best strike-rate of any bowler with more than 200 wickets in Tests during his playing days – a record only recently beaten by Dale Steyn. His best bowling performance in a Test came almost 20 years ago, when he registered match figures of 13-135 against Zimbabwe in the first Test in Karachi, having taken 7-91 and 6-44.  

     

    Earlier the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame has felicitated many well-known cricketers including Sydney Barnes, Bishan Bedi, Alec Bedser, Richie Benaud, Allan Border, Ian Botham, Geoffrey Boycott, Donald Bradman, Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell among many others.

     

    In 2009-10, Herbert Sutcliffe, Steve Waugh, Wasim Akram, Victor Trumper and Clarrie Grimmett were included in the list. In 2010-11, Rachael Heyhoe Flint, Ken Barrington, Courtney Walsh and Joel Garner were the inductees. Belinda Clark, Frederick Spofforth, Curtly Ambrose, and Alan Davidson were the inductees of 2011-12; while Enid Bakewell, Brian Lara, Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne were included in the list in 2012-13.

     

    Besides Waqar Younis and Adam Gilchrist, two more cricketers would be announced later this year.

  • Reliance MediaWorks partner with Dharma Productions

    Reliance MediaWorks partner with Dharma Productions

    MUMBAI: In yet another triumph of great visual post production work Reliance MediaWorks has delivered a whopping 750 plus VFX shots for Gori Tere Pyar Mein. Reliance MediaWorks have partnered with Dharma Productions to offer a complete range of post-production services like VFX, Digital Intermediate and Color Grading for Dharma productions latest offering.

    Reliance MediaWorks has a great working relationship with Dharma Productions, built over the years and brings that knowledge and learning to the project. The Reliance MediaWorks team worked closely with the Gori Tere Pyar Mein crew throughout filming, instead of coming in at the tail end of the production. This put Reliance MediaWorks in a position to help shape the overall look and aesthetics of the film.

    The goal with the VFX for the film was to be photoreal and keep the audience guessing about implementation. The film is set in a small village in Gujarat; Reliance MediaWorks (RMW) brought out the rural area and gave it a more rustic look through VFX.

    Mr. Venkatesh Roddam, CEO Reliance MediaWorks said, “As Gori Tere Pyar Mein’ is an easy-going romantic movie and not a VFX based movie, most of the VFX in the film is invisible. However, the elements that have been created as part of the VFX for the film play an essential role in the plot of the film, thereby making the task of handling the VFX that much more challenging creatively, and significant to the film. The movie is targeted at the youth with a lot of comic inputs, we preferred to keep the color scheme vibrant, yet signifying warmth and romance and switch the looks and textures as per the varying locations.

    There is a bridge in the film that forms a crucial element in the story. The same has been created through VFX in post-production, ditto for the river that flows beneath the bridge. The bridge was a modeled and textured computer generated representation of a real bridge. The models built had to be highly detailed because a large number of close-up shots were to be done on the bridge. For the river, various shots of a lake were taken, which were then given depth and magnitude using the VFX technology.

    Commenting on the same Punit Malhotra Director Gori tere Pyar Mein said, “For a film like Gori Tere Pyaar Mein, no one is really aware of the VFX work. Neither does the storyline indicate, nor is that highlighted in the communication. Thereby the transition of the VFX into the frames had to be seamless and almost invisible and non-intrusive for the viewer. That is precisely the reason why we chose to partner with Team RMW.

    One challenge was the set extension (the bridge and the river), since they appear in some scenes shot without cranes or tripods to stabilize the camera. Both the set extensions are very crucial to the film. It was essential that viewers believe that the same were real. It was also necessary to manipulate the physical environment to reflect the mood of the film. Since RMW was also the DI house for the project these types of color adjustments went very smoothly between the VFX and DI departments.

    Gori Tere Pyar Mein is directed by Punit Malhotra. The movie stars Imran Khan and Kareena Kapoor in lead roles, and is produced by Dharma Productions.