ITV

Tag: India

  • Ten Sports’ Rajesh Sethi’s relocation challenge

    Ten Sports CEO Rajesh Sethi is clocking a lot of flying miles these days. And it is easier to catch him aboard a flight en route to Dubai than in his office. Reason: Well! He is busy organising a massive relocation of staff from Ten Sports’ Dubai office to Noida in Uttar Pradesh.  

    It is not only Sethi who is caught up with this shifting. Even those who have agreed to relocate are busy wrapping up rent agreements for accommodation in Dubai, repaying local loans, seeking admissions for their kids in schools in Noida, packing their bags and searching for new accommodation options in north Indian industrial town and surrounding areas.

    Ten Sports Network (TSN) which operates five sporting channels- Ten Sports, Ten Cricket, Ten Action, Ten Golf and Ten HD is today owned by Zee which bought out the Dubai-based Bukhatir group’s 95 per stake in Taj Television in 2010. And it had seen some sort of an exodus even then. Senior managers, mainly expatriates, headed for the exits following the acquisition by India‘s most known TV network. Among those who bailed out included:  COO Peter Hutton along with his number two Mark Denton, both of whom cofounded the network with former CEO Chris McDonald who had left even earlier.

    We are now consolidating our operations in India with the purpose of increasing stakeholder value and also enhancing viewership experience expounds Rajesh Sethi

    TSN has some prime cricket properties which can be considered hot viewing options for Indian sports TV viewers. This includes the exclusive India rights to telecast action on the field for five cricket boards – South Africa, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. As compared to this, rival ESPN Star Sports has the rights to domestic Indian cricket, which it pocketed after committing close to $770 million dollars to the BCCI.  Neo Sports – another sportscaster in India – has the rights to New Zealand cricket, while Sony Entertainment boasts of the highly popular and profitable though controversial Indian Premier League. This apart, TSN has also signed up other sporting properties such as WWE, US Open, ATP Tournaments, WTA, Ryder Cup, Moto GP, Euro league, PGA Championship, Asian Tour, European Tour and Tour De France.

    Clearly, when Ten Sports was set up in Dubai, it was headed by expats who were tapping into investments provided by Bukhatir with employees having several different nationalities as is the practice amongst companies in west Asia. At the time of being set up, the company had more than 100 staff and it had stated that “Taj represents Dubai‘s premier television production resource. No other production facility in the UAE can match Taj in terms of technology, experienced personnel and efficiency. “

    When Zee TV acquired the network from Bukhatir, chairman Subhash Chandra too had waxed eloquent about having an outpost in west Asia. “The acquisition of a stake in Ten Sports not only gives us a strong foothold in the arena of sports broadcasting across Asia but also strengthens our operations in the Middle East,” Chandra had said then.

    The Zee Network currently operates popular entertainment channels in the Middle East and has a team – headed by Mukund Cairae – which looks after its interests there. In fact, Cairae has done very well for Zee in the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and has been ranked 24 in a list of powerful Indians for the region.

    A Dubai-based broadcast professional who has been in the Middle East for more than a decade gives his perspective on Zee TV there. Says he: “Zee TV‘s operations in the Middle East involve turning around its GECs and movie channels and producing and acquiring local Arabic content for its channels Zee Alwan and Aflam. It also garners local advertising revenues for its bouquet of channels. Cairae and his team operate out of the same Ten Sports building from the third floor.”

    Two years on after acquiring Ten Sports, Chandra discovered that it was bleeding badly and running up losses running into crores, something which a former employee says upset him greatly. He decided to shift Ten Sports’ base to India to generate whatever sayings he could generate from the move. For the network, it became a mandate to be implemented.

    Says a sports broadcast veteran: “The sports business is pretty tricky, especially international sports rights. You buy the rights in dollars, which have been appreciating consistently against the rupee, and you take advertising in rupees. The rise in advertising rates has not been making up for the depreciation of the rupee against the dollar. Hence, unless distribution revenues go up significantly which have not so far, losses are bound to be there. For the Zee Network it made eminent sense for Ten Sports to shift its technical operations including play out, production and post-production to a lower cost base like Noida where it has its uplinking hub, rather than operate out of expensive Dubai where employee costs are pretty stiff, and everything is costlier.”

    Agrees Sethi: “The move is a part of our decision to make India a hub for better synergies, virtues and also for huge scales of economy, which the country, as a common central location, offers us. We have a significant set up in Noida with huge facilities and have invested heavily in both technology and modern equipment. We are now consolidating our operations in India with the purpose of increasing stakeholder value and also enhancing viewership experience.”

    An investment analyst expects the Ten Sports shift to Noida to generate savings in double digit crore annually for the Zee Network. A local TV professional estimates that the savings will be in the region of $4-5 million per annum, mostly in employee costs. “It’s a very good reason for them to shift,” he says.

    Since Chandra’s diktat was announced, the rumour mills had been running internally that relocation was coming, and several employees had already started looking for other options. Dubai-based Ten Sports COO Sanjay Raina left the firm in June end and is reportedly working with Fox International in Dubai.  A handful quit to take up jobs with other regional broadcasters, according to local reports.  Additionally, Mumbai-based TSN CEO Atul Pande chose to take up another posting within the Zee Network and Sethi was brought in as his replacement in mid-2013.

    Sethi claims that the first communication regarding the shift was relayed in March this year while the final letter went out in August.

    The Dubai-based broadcast professional – quoted earlier – highlights that “Effectively only a month’s notice was given to employees. The way TSN management has dealt with the relocation is objectionable. They could have dealt better with it on the human resources front. Employees have been given just one month’s severance pay; look at Network18 in India, it is giving employees a three month severance package. You have to remember the Dubai media job market is saturated with very few jobs going around. Working rules in the Middle East are pretty tough for Indians. Many of the former Ten Sports employees are literally on the streets; and this after serving the organisation for so many years. Remember their families’ future is also in jeopardy.”
    But Sethi empasises, “Every Dubai-based employee has been given an opportunity to relocate to Noida. While few are happy, there are a few who are anxious about the change. People are free to either take the opportunity or refuse. No one is being laid off.”

    Employee reaction to the offer has been mixed, says the Dubai-based broadcast professional.  He explains: “Most staff that had earlier moved to Dubai had done so to get higher salaries and to upgrade their life style. These executives and professionals are now apprehensive about shifting to Noida, where they will have to start from scratch. For many employees, this was more than a hint to resign. “

    Sethi however maintains that quite a few of the staff are looking forward to the change even as “There are others who are happily ensconced in the Arab emirate and not very enthusiastic about the shift. This is because of nationality issues. While there are a few who are happy and are in fact pushing to bring forward the shift date, there are others who are uncomfortable because they do not have roots in India. This is basically due to mixed nationalities that Ten Sports employs.”

    Out of the 114 employees with Ten Sports in Dubai, it is learnt that around 15 Pakistani employees have chosen to discontinue as working in India was not feasible.  And about 25-30 of them are actually boarding the relocation boat to Noida. The others are struggling to stay afloat.

    For employees being yanked out of the relative comforts of Dubai, things don’t just end with moving to a new workplace in crowded and noisy Noida. Concerns are also being aired about their pay slips being clipped.

    “The base salary according to Indian standards is anyway less. Additionally, there are taxes. One can expect a 30-40 per cent cut in the salary,” informs the Dubai-based broadcast professional.

    Sethi begs to differ. “We are not majorly cutting salaries of those we are relocating.  The taxation laws in the two countries are different. While India has a huge taxation policy, Dubai is a tax-free nation. And I do not think this can be termed as a salary cut,” he says.

    The TSN CEO expects the relocation exercise to keep him busy for at least another couple of months. Settling down the staff to a routine could take a little longer.

    But when it is completed and Ten Sports’ operations start purring smoothly out of India, he would have fulfilled what he had been mandated to do when he was hired for the job earlier this year.

  • Move over Krrish, Kid Krrish is here

    Move over Krrish, Kid Krrish is here

    Before the third installment of the Hrithik Roshan-starrer Krrish hits theatres this November, another superhero by the same name, albeit in a kid avatar, is set to storm the home box office.

     

    Come 2 October, the first of a four-part animation series titled Kid Krrish – a joint venture between Rakesh Roshan’s production house Film Kraft, Turner, and Toonz Animation – will premiere exclusively on Cartoon Network at 12.00 pm (CN Popcorn hour).

    Krrish is a family film, whereas Kid Krrish is only targeted at children; so we are clear about our target group expounds Rakesh Roshan

     

    The animation telly-film will see superhero Krrish’s (kid) namesake fighting an evil scientist and keeping him from getting his hands on a precious artifact that he is eyeing. According to the makers, Kid Krrish is about Krishna’s journey of self discovery, and will surely resonate with children of all ages. Add to that, the film will have Jadoo, the lovable alien from the Krrish franchise, who helps Kid Krrish realise his true powers.

    The announcement was made in the presence of Film Kraft Productions’ director Rakesh and his superstar son Hrithik Roshan, while there was no representation for Toonz at the event.

     

    About Kid Krrish, Rakesh said: “It is for the first time that a Bollywood character is set to get an animated version. The character of Krrish has been idolised by every child in India and has become an iconic super hero. Krrish is a family film, whereas Kid Krrish is only targeted at children. So we are clear about our target group. Toonz Animation has done a great job and if the movie does well, we will continue making it for years to come.”

    Kid Krrish will premiere on Cartoon Network on
    2 October at 12 pm

     

    About the partnership, Turner International India Sr. director and network head – kids, south Asia Krishna Desai said: “Turner has been a pioneer in terms of content and we believe that with Cartoon Network and Pogo, we have always provided a full consumer experience and will continue to strive for that. The coming together of three legendary companies in the form of Film Kraft, Toonz Animation and Turner will certainly be a mutually beneficial endeavour.”

     

    What really led to this collaboration? “We were approached by Film Kraft to make a live animation movie on Krrish. We took things forward but tried to reason that if we were trying to connect with children, then we would have to portray Krrish as a kid. So that’s how the idea of Kid Krrish came about,” said Desai.

    So what did Hrithik think of Kid Krrish? “See, before you ask me what are my expectations from the film, I have already got the best compliment from my two sons Hrehaan and Hridhaan… They are completely in love with Kid Krrish,” said the actor.

     

    Asked about similarities about the two superheroes, he said: “See, I don’t know about similarities, but Kid Krrish is certainly better than Krrish (jokes). Well, both stand for the same thing, both have a child alive inside them, both have their share of struggles, and both fend off evil.”

     

    Taking a moment to relive some of his childhood memories, Hrithik said: “Animation has been a big influence in my formative years. I still remember watching Popeye but I never used to love spinach. Though later, I got to know its importance and now, I basically survive on it. I also loved Tom & Jerry and the Justice League.”

    Coming back to the children’s superhero franchise, the first film will air on CN on 2 October followed by three more films in the coming six months to one year. All four films will be exclusively premiered on Cartoon Network. While the second film is already in production, the third and fourth films are at different stages, and will get into production in the coming months.

    Krishna Desai believes the coming together of three legendary companies in the form of Film Kraft, Toonz Animation and Turner will certainly be a mutually beneficial endevour

     

    The music of Kid Krrish has been scored by Aditya Sorab and the lyrics have been penned by Kausar Munir. Apparently, the title song is extremely catchy and will strike a chord with children thanks to its simple lyrics and soulful rendition.

     

    Was there any reason for selecting 2 October as the date for the premiere? Said Desai: “Since it’s a national holiday, we are sure that everyone will be able to enjoy the movie. Also, as for the 12:00 pm telecast time, well that is the prime time for Cartoon Network.”

     

    Elaborating on the promotional plans, Desai said: “Well, 95 per cent of the promotional activity will be carried out by Cartoon Network itself. We will do our bit to promote it digitally and also push it through OOH presence.”

     

    But isn’t it a fact that creating an original animation in India would do better with our audiences? “See, what I believe is the fact that be it any language, content is what matters in the end. So whether it’s Kris in Roll No 21 speaking in Hindi or Ben 10 talking in Hindi, what eventually strikes a chord with children is – if they can relate with the characters on the show, the show will be a success, no matter which language it is in,” Desai shot back.

     

    Would Turner be venturing into more animation films after Kid Krrish? “It completely depends on the idea and the script, because making a live action animation is a tough task, but if something interesting and worthwhile comes along, we will definitely consider it,” Desai concluded.

     

  • The Lunch Box set to release this week after winning international acclaim

    The Lunch Box set to release this week after winning international acclaim

    The Lunch Box by Ritesh Batra, which has already won high acclaim in the Festival circuit overseas including Cannes where it was premiered, is finally being released in India on 20 September.

     

    In Hindi and English, the film stars Irrfan Khan with newcomer Nimrat Kaur, apart from Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Denzil Smith, Bharati Achrekar, Nakul Vaid, Baby Yashvi Puneet Nagar and Lillete Dubey.

     

    Filmed by Michael Simmonds and edited by John Lyons with music by Max Richter, the film is the first full-length feature by Batra.

     

    Briefly, it is the story of a young married woman Ila who attempts to give a new life to her marriage by trying out new recipes which she sends out to her husband in the lunch box through the network of 5000 ‘Dabbawallahs’ who operate in Mumbai. But she soon realises that her box is reaching the wrong address and this leads to a chain of letters through the lunch box between Ila and Saajan – an older person on the verge of retirement who really relishes the food – through which they share their anxieties and fears and in a manner of speaking, fall in love. But they never get to meet each other.

     

    Harvard University had once analyzed the delivery system of the ‘Dabbawallahs’, and concluded that just one in a million lunchboxes is ever delivered to the wrong address. Batra says this is the story of that one lunchbox.

     

    Addressing a press meet, Batra said he had initially been researching on a documentary on the Dabbawallahs and had many of them and heard several stories. It was then that he felt he wanted to put a story behind the research.

     

    Karan Johar who along with Siddharth Roy Kapoor of UTV is one of the presenters of the film said he had always picked films that had a soul in them and would touch people’s hearts and this was his reason for associating with this venture.

     

    He said the end had deliberately been left vague and to the viewer’s imagination.

     

    Others present at the press meet were producer Guneet Monga, Kapoor, and actors Irrfan Khan, Nimrit Kaur, and Bharati Achrekar.  

     

    Shot on location in Mumbai, the film made its world premiere at the Semaine De La Critique (Critics Week) at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where the film received rave reviews.

     

    Batra’s short films have been shown at many international film festivals and fine arts venues. His recent Arab language short Café Regular, Cairo, screened at over 40 international film festivals and won 12 awards including the International Critics Prize (FIPRESCI) at Oberhausen, and Special Jury Mentions at Tribeca and Chicago. CAFÉ REGULAR, CAIRO was acquired by Franco-German broadcaster, Arte.

     

    He is currently working on his next film Photograph and a collection of short stories.

     

    Other producers are Anurag Kashyap and Arun Rangachari, while the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) is a co-producer.

  • DHL Global Forwarding announces appointment of new CEO in India

    DHL Global Forwarding announces appointment of new CEO in India

    MUMBAI: DHL Global Forwarding, the air and ocean freight specialist within Deutsche Post DHL, announces the appointment of Samar Nath as Chief Executive Officer and Country Manager for its Indian operations, effective September 10, 2013.

    Having served for more than 15 years with various organizations, Samar Nath brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the position. Prior to this appointment, he has worked as Executive Vice President and Managing Director for India & South Asia at CEVA Logistics and Managing Director for India & South Asia at APL Logistics.

    “Samar is well-known for his visionary leadership in the field of logistics. I look forward to his expertise in further consolidating DHL’s business as the leading logistics company in India.” said Kelvin Leung, CEO, Asia Pacific, DHL Global Forwarding. “At the epicenter of the rapidly growing Asia Pacific region, India is of strategic importance to DHL’s global forwarding operations. Samar’s appointment will help drive us towards our goal of continuously outgrowing the market and setting new standards of excellence for our customers”, he added.

    In his previous roles, Samar has an impressive track record in leading companies through various growth stages with a strong proficiency in business development, establishing startups and business integration.

    Samar holds a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce and an Executive MBA in Marketing Management from Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management, University of Mumbai.  He will be based at the company’s corporate office in Mumbai.

  • Shuddh Desi boy to now play lead in YRF & Shekhar Kapur’s Paani

    Shuddh Desi boy to now play lead in YRF & Shekhar Kapur’s Paani

    The hunt for the male lead in Paani is over! Close on the heels of his outstanding performance in Shuddh Desi Romance, both Shekhar Kapur and Aditya Chopra had no hesitation in confirming Sushant Singh Rajput to play the lead in their upcoming flick Paani.

     

    According to Kapur, Sushant is one of the most inspiring young actors to emerge out of India. “It’s going to be exciting director-actor collaboration with him in Paani.”

    The film is based in a future world where war over water has broken out. Water is now owned by international corporations who use thirst as a weapon of control. In one such future city, a young love story breaks all the rules and in the ensuing war, water flows back to its people.

     

    The film will have a strong Indian and western star cast. Sushant will be joined by a young leading actress from the west.

     

    The film, produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Shekhar Kapur, will be shot in India and overseas. Music will be by A. R. Rahman.
    Paani goes on floor mid-2014.

  • ValuAccess launches Gift Cards for Country Inn & Suites, Sahibabad

    ValuAccess launches Gift Cards for Country Inn & Suites, Sahibabad

    NEW DELHI: ValuAccess, a leading provider of gift cards and loyalty programs in Asia has launched gift card programme for Country Inn & Suites, Sahibabad. ValuAccess services for Country Inn would comprise end-to-end solutions to enable the operation of gift card program covering from transaction processing and POS support to card logistics, reporting, customer service and corporate sales.

    “We are the first All vegetarian Five Star Hotel and have always endeavoured to deliver additional value to our existing customers and prospects. The launch of our gift cards programme is to further establish the fact and ensure a complete experience to our loyal customers. Highly adept in this arena, we are elated with our association with ValuAccess. We are expecting positive feedback for the specially designed gift card solution from our customers and wish to continue with our association for a longer period,” said Mr. N.C. Sharma, Director – HR, Country Inn & Suites – Sahibabad.

    “Country Inn & Suites, Sahibabad by Carlson Group is a leading hospitality brand known for providing comfortable experience to its consumers. ValuAccess is delighted to associate with Country Inn & Suites and present customers with this innovative gifting option. We are ascertained that this solution will further assist them to deliver more relevant, personalised and satisfying services and keep the customer relationship intact,” said Alistair Gordon, Founder & Group Managing Director – ValuAccess.

    “ValuAccess will provide value to both Country Inn & Suites and its users. The strong Pan India corporate sales team of ValuAccess will assist in making the cards available to the companies for rewards, recognition and incentives program for their employees,” he added.

    ValuAccess portfolio of activities includes providing Gift Card; Loyalty; Campaign; Discount and Entitlement programs for merchants across all categories of retail, restaurants, hotels, entertainment, spas, bars and clubs, malls, etc. The company operates live programs in India, Malaysia, Singapore, China, Middle East and Hong Kong. ValuAccess provides gift cards to marquee brands including Benetton, Pizza Hut, Tanishq, Baskin Robbins, Cocoberry and Bercos among others.

  • India and Japan agree to enhance co-operation on media content

    India and Japan agree to enhance co-operation on media content

    NEW DELHI: India and Japan have agreed to expand co-operation in the films sector, particularly in co-production of animation films.

    In a joint statement issued after the meeting, both the countries have agreed to form a Joint Working Group in order to tap the huge business potential in the co-production of films and animation, skill development, exchange programs between training institutes and such other areas which are mutually beneficial to both sides.

    The agreement was signed by Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari and visiting Japanese Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Toshimitsu Motegi in New Delhi today.

    During the discussions, Tewari extended the invitation for Japanese partnership in setting up of the proposed National Centre for Excellence in Animation, Gaming and Special Effects (NCOE) in Mohali, Punjab. He also welcomed Japanese expertise in developing special training courses at the Film and Television Institute of India, Pune and the Satyajit Ray Film and TV Institute (SRFTII), Kolkata.

    Welcoming Japan’s decision to be the Focus Country in the International Film Festival of India to be held in Goa this year, the Minister extended personal invitation to the Japanese Minister to attend IFFI, 2013.

    Motegi affirmed full Japanese cooperation in the media content industry of India. He said that a beginning has been made by way of co-production of films, particularly animation films. The Minister said there is a significant potential for growth in the media sector in India as the country is making rapid economic progress.

    Bimal Julka, Secretary I&B welcomed the initiatives outlined and stated that immediate steps would be taken to establish the Joint Working Group.

  • Viacom18 partners with Peanuts Worldwide in India

    Viacom18 partners with Peanuts Worldwide in India

    MUMBAI: Viacom18 has announced its partnership with Peanuts Worldwide to represent the rights to Charles Schulz’s popular Peanuts characters in India as master licensee.The deal marks Viacom18’s foray into representing brands outside the Viacom portfolio. Viacom18 plans to roll out products by early next year.

    Peanuts has been one of the most  popular and influential entertainment brands for over six decades, and the classic property is now set to launch in India in multiple categories that include plush toys, apparel and accessories inspired by Snoopy,Charlie Brown and the gang. Nick Jr., the popular kids’ channel by Viacom18, will also air the Peanuts series on television in the territory in the coming months.

    Speaking about the partnership, Viacom 18 Media Sr VP – consumer products, Saugato Bhowmik said, “We are delighted to have acquired representation rights to some of the most widely popular entertainment brands across the world. The partnership with the iconic ‘Peanuts’ brand adds another milestone to our portfolio of products that we will take beyond television. We’re confident that the brand’s worldwide popularity will be replicated in India.”

    Peanuts Worldwide and Iconix Entertainment MD Leigh Anne Brodsky said, “Peanuts has immense fan following across the globe. We are thrilled to enter the Indian market with new media and content on the horizon and with a promising partner like Viacom18 that boasts of the best entertainment channel across genres and an expansive range of consumer products.”

    Viacom18 Media is a significant player in the ever growing consumer products space with its diverse portfolio. Through various associations, Viacom18 has cut beyond the conventional categories giving consumers a slice of its brands such as MTV, Vh1, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central and also non Viacom18 brands, spanning across 50 categories with over 60 licensees. Nickelodeon consumer products, has launched more than 5,000 SKU’s touching 10,000 plus retail points since its commencement in 2006. It boasts of a diverse range of products with some iconic properties like Dora the Explorer, SpongeBob SquarePants, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Ninja Hattori amongst others.

  • Fairfield in Bengaluru, India Hits the Road With New Food Truck

    Fairfield in Bengaluru, India Hits the Road With New Food Truck

    MUMBAI: India is no stranger to street food, from sizzling pakoras to steaming cups of chai, so when it came to creating a fun way to announce and promote its opening, the Fairfield by Marriott Bengaluru Rajajinagar decided to keep things simple, familiar and delicious.

    In mid-August, this new Bengaluru, India hotel hit the streets of Bangalore with its Fairfield Food Truck (FFT), which will continue to tour the area each day for the next several weeks.

    The mobile food truck is a way to spread the word about the hotel’s arrival and also showcase the food, beverage, and catering services at its Bangalore all-day dining restaurant Kava Grill & Lounge. Visitors to the FFT are offered a taste of Kava fare through the panini, one of Kava’s signature offerings, in a setting that emulates that of the actual Bangalore, India hotel restaurant, complete with tables and chairs. Visitors also walk away with vouchers to Kava, giving them the opportunity to visit the restaurant in its permanent location at the property. The actual outlet menu also features rolls, burgers, kebabs, curries and more.

    “We are very excited about the Fairfield Food Truck,” Pranay Verdia, General Manager of this Bengaluru, India hotel, says, “which is possibly the first of its kind. Through the FFT we have explored a unique platform of reaching out to customers. We have been receiving a great response and instant feedback through our interactions. We are looking forward to long and cherished client relationships through the associations that we have formed through this initiative.”

    In addition to touring the city, the FFT will make dedicated stops at corporate accounts including National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development, Chola MS, Nabard, Cerner, Philips, Waters, Toyota, Kennametal, Mann Hummel, Avery Dennison and Sab Miller, serving snacks to associates. The truck made a stop at the Army Polo Festival, where it hosted high tea for 500 people, and will also visit a local orphanage as part of Marriott’s Spirit to Serve initiative. To round out its visits, the FFT will stop at social events for Sunburn and the Bangalore Ladies Club.

  • Preity Zinta back with Bhaiyyaji Superhit

    Preity Zinta back with Bhaiyyaji Superhit

    After doing a cameo with Saif Ali Khan in the US for a film titled Happy Ending, Preity Zinta is back in Mumbai.

     

    She has resumed shooting in India with Neeraj Pathak’s Bhaiyyaji Superhit where in her own words she has a “damned interesting role” opposite Sunny Deol. For the first time, Preity gets to play a bonafide rustic character. And she’s working hard to clean herself of the subtle American twang she has acquired during her frequent visits to the US where her brother lives.

     

    Last seen in her home-production Ishkq In Paris, the film’s failure left Preity disappointed but undeterred.

     

    Preity begins shooting for Bhaiyyaji Superhit in Udaipur this week. She plays a character from rural Uttar Pradesh. Sunny Deol plays her husband.