ITV

Tag: Jay Bhanushali

  • Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali collaborate with WORD for Diwali

    Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali collaborate with WORD for Diwali

    MUMBAI: Influencer marketing company WORD has released a special collaborative feature with television celebrities and power couple Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali for its Diwali edition of #5MinutesofFame blog series. #5MinutesofFame is a spotlight corner on WORD’s blog page, wherein the company aims to showcase stories of brilliant creators while connecting audiences to their favourite influencers.

    The latest feature with Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali is a five-minute read where they get candid about their Diwali plans, Mahhi's instant connect with Cadbury which reminds her of the festive mood and tips to make interesting festive content. Jay talks about his all-time favourite actors, message for brands looking for influencer collaborations and many more fascinating conversations pieces.

    WORD & Alchemy Group COO Dharika Merchant said, “With Diwali just round the corner, the celebratory spirits of the audience are really high and owing to the current situation, they are consuming festive content like never before. They love to engage with their favourite celebrities and get inspiration on what to do especially during the festivities. Diwali also happens to be a time when families are even closer together and what better opportunity than this occasion, to collaborate with television’s favourite celebrity family and power duo – Mahhi Vij & Jay Bhanushali. Basis our insights, we know that the audience greatly resonates with them. So, we brought them onboard for the Diwali edition of #5MinutesofFame to get them closer to their followers.”

    Mahhi Vij & Jay Bhanushali commented, “Diwali is our favourite festival because it means celebrations, positivity and lots of light. In the spirit of this festive occasion, we are excited to have collaborated with WORD for their Diwali edition of #5MinutesofFame blog series.”

    They further added, “This year, we encourage you all to stay at home and prioritize the health of your family and yourself. Stay safe and say no to crackers! We wish you a happy Diwali.”

    Mahhi Vij and Jay Bhanushali have collaborated on some interesting campaigns with WORD in the recent past. This Diwali feature comes just in time for the festive season.

  • Zee TV readies stage for DID season 5

    Zee TV readies stage for DID season 5

    MUMBAI: The passion, frenzy, camaraderie, rehearsals, victories, disappointments, and above all the spectacular talent is back as the biggest battle for the coveted title will soon begin.

     

    Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) Zee TV is back with its flagship dance reality show – Dance India Dance (DID) season5, starting 27 June.  Produced by Essel Vision Productions, the programme will air every Saturday-Sunday at 9 pm.

     

    Re-designing the format this season, DID will present itself in the form of the ‘Biggest Battleground of Dance’, where each participant will scale new horizons of perfection, poise, presence and grace and challenge the others to #BeatThat.

     

    To groom and hone the talent is an all-new trio of masters who bring with them the renewed vigour of youth, an undying passion for dance and many years of training as dancers and choreographers.

     

    The panel includes DID season 4 judge and choreographer Mudassar Khan, Gaiti Siddiqui, who has been a coach and creative guide for countless DID stars over the years and DID season 2 finalist Punit Pathak.

     

    The trio will each mentor a group of contestants and polish their skills through rigorous training, workshops and choreography that push their limits. While actor Mithun Chakravarty will guide and motivate contestants as the Grandmaster, Jay Bhanushali returns as the host.

     

    Essel Vision Productions business head Akash Chawla believes that it was high time for the channel to re-design and break the predictability of the format. “There have been four seasons of DID so far. Not just that, we had sub-franchises like DID Super Moms, Lil Masters, not forgetting the other dance reality shows which came up after DID. From an audience point of view, we thought this was the right time to break the predictability of the format, thus surprising audiences with something which they might not even expect from the show,” he adds.

     

    Zee TV business head Pradeep Hejmadi says that he wanted to get the GenNext as masters for better connect with participants and audience. “With the young masters, you can actually create that kind of language and chemistry,” he reasons.

     

    The 15 week season will see weekly eliminations basis the judge’s scorecards till it gets its top 10, after which the junta will decide  who amongst their favourite contestants will be the winner.

     

    Chawla further explains that it is just not an overnight job but takes six-eight months of hard work before the show goes on-floor. A nationwide hunt to scout for India’s most talented dancers began earlier this year across 17 cities including Mumbai, Delhi, Indore, Ranchi, Guwahati, Raipur, Siliguri, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Bhubaneshwar, Jaipur, Patna, Lucknow, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Nagpur and Vadodara.  Contestants underwent layers of screening and finally the most deserving candidates were hand-picked.

     

    Moreover, apart from physical auditions, talent was picked from other mediums as well like digital, dancing schools, talent scouting agencies etc. The channel has canned the auditions round and is on its way of shortlisting its top 16 contestants.

     

    “When we go to small towns, participants come and tell us that while they have the option to opt for the numerous dance reality shows on other channels, they wait only for DID. At times it is very difficult to disqualify contestants. The talent this time will speak for itself,” opines Chawla.

     

    According to Chawla, it is not just about the hard work but also those hard calls, right from changing the format to getting new masters which makes or breaks a show. “These are not simple calls because you have already tasted success. People already know Geeta, Remo and Terence as masters of DID, so the first shot with new masters while is scary, it is also exciting. For people working behind the camera, the success of the season will be determined by how the new masters are accepted,” he adds.

     

    The show has envisioned three core elements i.e level of dancing, level of training and the new format. Chawla opines that the format of the non-fiction indigenous talent hunt shows which the Indian market produces is not handled in the best manner.

     

    “If you look at the International formats or those formats which are acquired for Indian audiences, the core of the show is to keep alive the entertainment and surprise quotient. And therefore with this one, we not only have tried to change the format but have put a lot of rigor and hard work with the available international learnings that we have had across the years to build a format which we believe will get on to the international platform.”

     

    This season, the channel plans to give talents an opportunity to perform at the global platform post the show. Chawla points out that one of the key selection criteria this season was to see if contestants have the courage to compete with international performers. “Even if the talent is raw and ready to learn, we believe in giving them a chance. The masters are there to polish the talent in contestants,” he says. 

     

    DID has always been a property that has not just fetched good numbers for the Zeel flagship channel, but also attracted good ad revenue. According to sources, the property is expected to earn Rs 90-95 crore this season.

  • Desi Kattey …..Make in India!

    Desi Kattey …..Make in India!

    MUMBAI: Desi Kattey is yet another film with local Uttar Pradesh flavour with which rest of the country does not usually identify. Again, the film makes one think that UP is the biggest small-scale industry for manufacturing what is locally referred to as ‘kattey’, or a crudely made single-shot gun. The theme is familiar from several other films seen over the decades. But, in an effort to be different, the makers open many tracks and lose the plot.

     

    In the city of Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh, two young lads who should be playing with slingshots wield kattas instead. They think nothing of using a katta, for they are full of anger with the society and their hunger. Such boys need more than a katta and bullets; they need political support to strengthen their standing while politicians need such boys to do their dirty work. Both complement each other. Ashutosh Rana is the local bahubali aka heavyweight referred to by his followers as Judge. The boys worship him and dream of reaching his position someday.

     

    The boys, Jay Bhanushali and Akhil Kapur, have grown up to be expert shooters and eventually graduate to joining Rana’s unit; Rana is due to fight an election soon. As in all such cliques, there are a few who are envious of these new boys’ sudden rise. Rana wins the election but a situation is created whereby they can’t meet him.

     

    This is most how UP-Bihar katta stories go, but here the makers want to not only continue with the great friendship saga  while trying to extract emotional and melodramatic scenes from non-performers, but also give a purpose to the film by channelling their talent with guns to get them glory of the legit kind.

     

    Suniel Shetty, a disgraced army major, spots the talent of Jay and Akhil and decides that instead of wasting it on killing people, they could be trained professionals and win shooting contests instead. Even as the two are being trained, they come across Rana again who beckons them to return to the fold. Time for a dramatic moment as it is also the time for an interval. Akhil decides to go back with Rana while Jay, who has also found his lady love in Shetty’s sister, Sasha Agha, does not.

     

    The first half was tolerable purely due to force of habit having done so often enough. But the pace drops in the second half. Post interval, as Jay works on his shooting practice, Akhil perfects his shooting on Rana’s rivals. In between, having no enemies of his own to kill, Rana turns Akhil to social service asking him to wipe out all the evil-doers, including a land-mafioso, a pimp, a drug peddler and so on! What was this diversion for from the film’s routine?

     

    The separated friends pine for each other and sob all the time which creates unintended comedy. And, to think that both have found their lady love. Akhil’s being Tia Bajpai who, in another clichéd moment, is killed just when she announces her pregnancy.

     

    Desi Kattey is a badly scripted film trying to cram in too much and stretching itself to about 2.45 hours with a weak face value and limited talent. Direction below par and, again, clichéd. Musical score by Kailash Kher is the plus in this film with hummable tracks. Other aspects are routine. Of the two boys, Jay does better while Akhil just passes muster. Girls make little impression. Shetty is okay. Rana is fairly good.

     

    Poor at box office.

     

    Producer: Anand Kumar.

     

    Director: Anand Kumar.

     

    Cast: Suniel Shetty, Jay Bhanushali, Akhil Kapur, Tia Bajpai, Sasha Agha, Ashutosh Rana, Murli Sharma.

     

     3 A.M. … Not worth staying up for

     

    Horror genre being economical and can even work with new faces mainly on the strength of content and technology, it has been catching up in Hindi industry. As for content, there are a lot of ‘inspirations’ all around the world cinema. And, so are film titles can be sourced from other industries; this one for instance, comes from a Thailand film, 3 A.M.

     

    Rannvijay Singh along with his girlfriend, Anindita Nayar and friends, Kavin Dave and Sahil Acharya are on a night out celebrating. Rannvijay proposes to Anindita. That done, Anindita, a journalist, moves on to research on her article on haunted places of Mumbai.

     

    Rannvijay is fast asleep when he hears a woman’s wail and wakes up. It is 3am. He sees his girlfriend sitting in a dark corner sobbing. Rannvijay tries to reach out to her but can neither move nor speak. Finally, when he can, he tries to contact Anindita whose phone is not reachable. But, Rannvijay gets a call from her father instead informing him that Anindita was found hanging at the Rudra Mills where she had gone earlier in the night for her research.

     

    Rannvijay, a nonbeliever in ghosts and afterlife, however, had a weird experience earlier. Anindita had come to him to apologise for leaving him and that she would always love him. He, along with his friends, decides to carry on the research on ghosts at the mill hoping that his girlfriend has turned into one too and he would be able to meet her.  In the process, you keep watching some mix and match from other horror/ ghost movies.

     

    There is nothing much to the story that can thrill you. Direction is passable sans highlights. Visual effects are good at times. Background score is loud. The three friends are on a ghost hunting mission or fun trip is something that one wonders. Rannvijay does fair while Anindita has a brief role. Kavin and Sahil are okay.

     

    3 A.M. has no hope at the box office whatsoever.

     

    Producers: Handprint Pictures, Essel Vision.

     

    Director: Vishal Mahadkar.

     

    Cast: Rannvijay Singh, Anindita Nayar, Salil Acharya, Kavin Dave. 

  • ‘DID 4’ invites you to ‘Dance It Out’

    ‘DID 4’ invites you to ‘Dance It Out’

    MUMBAI: In the last three seasons, it has tapped the audience’s heart with jaw dropping performances by the contestants. From introducing the Indian audience to dance forms like locking and popping, hip hop moves to “slo-mo” style, to making dance popular among all age-groups, dance reality show Dance India Dance has done it all. Now, the show is back with its season 4 with a bang. Come 26 October, it will celebrate the passion of dancing every Saturday-Sunday at 9:00 pm only on Zee TV.

    While Maruti continues to be its title sponsor, the channel has also signed a deal with WeChat and eight other associate sponsors have been roped in.

    The new slogan, “Dance It Out” is refreshing and sends out a strong message to its viewers that nothing is impossible to learn, dancing definitely not!

    Talking at the launch, Zeel content head Ajay Bhalwankar says: “DID brings in raw talent from every nook and corner of the country. You don’t need to be a star, your talent and passion for dance will say it all.”

    Produced by Essel Vision, the show will follow the format similar to the original season where 18 contestants are divided into three teams led by three masters. The masters will groom and mentor their respective teams in every episode to face the “Dance ka Tashan”.

    The show will be hosted by Jay Bhanushali and actor Mithun Chakraborty will continue as the grandmaster.

     

    You don’t need to be a star, your talent and passion for dance will say it all, says Ajay Bhalwankar

    However, what’s new this season is that besides the original three judges – Geeta Kapoor, Remo D’souza and Terence Lewis, who are an inseparable part of the DID family – the show has roped in three young choreographers in its panel of judges – Mudassar Khan, who has choreographed films like Bodyguard, Dabangg 2 and Ready; Shruti Merchant, comes from a family of choreographers and began her career as an assistant choreographer in films like Dhoom, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi among others; and Feroz Khan, started his career assisting Farah Khan and has made a name for himself with hit dance moves in songs like Maa da ladla.. and Johnny Gaddaar.

    The judges think that this time it’s not just going to be a challenge for the contestants but even them, who will have to prove their worth.

    alking about the change in format of the show, Zeel chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal says: “Change is the sign of growth. We are proud of our choices for the fresh panel of mentors this season. At Zee, we always believe in making celebrities out of deserving talent. New judges will bring new fans, making the show better and different.”

    Essel Vision Productions, producer Nitin Keni agrees and says: “Each of them come with an impressive body of work in the field of dance. Moreover, it is their passion for dance that has landed them on our panel of judges.”

    The channel is confident that the new trio will drive millions of dance enthusiasts across the country.

    The dancing fever has already gripped the enthusiasts, as the auditions that are being conducted on a large scale in 16 major cities, have received an overwhelming response from the dance lovers.  And it is not just going to be a television show this time. Zeel marketing head Akash Chawla says: “We are bringing the show parallel online. Just saying, Dance it Out won’t make sense till the time you actually bring it out in a complete manner.”

    The entire marketing strategy behind this is that ‘Dance it Out’ should not just be a slogan but a movement, says Akash Chawla

    Throughout the series, every week, the masters will give out a theme and the audience can make a video with that particular theme and submit it online. After being selected by the judges, the best videos will go on air. Adds Chawla: “The main objective is to give a platform to as many people possible in the most convenient manner. Everybody cannot qualify the auditions, but you have to do something for the people who are talented and are passionate about dancing.”

    On its marketing side, to expand its foothold, the channel is also concentrating on on-ground activities. The channel is expanding its presence majorly in ten cities, giving them a particular theme which is relevant to that city at that particular time. It will encourage people to come out and dance. “The entire marketing strategy behind this is that ‘Dance it Out’ should not just be a slogan but a movement. Since it is no longer only a television show, we need to exemplify it in a manner that people connect with it.”

    At Zee, we always believe in making celebrities out of deserving talent, says Ashish Sehgal

    So has it attracted the advertisers?  Sehgal confidently says: “DID has been the darling of all advertisers. They were very excited when we told them about our plans, as it would give them an opportunity to reach out to more people. With this new platform, advertisers have another way to reach the consumers. At the end of the day, advertisers are looking to reach out to the consumers’ doors.”

    We are aware of the numerous shows on all the channels, will DID occupying the 9:00 pm slot, affect the ratings of other famous shows on other GECs? Answers Chawla: “It is not for the first time that we have battling with the biggest shows. GEC is all about different channels launching different shows. It’s a competitive world. People who don’t like competition should retire very soon.”
    He further adds: “We love competition. We respect our competitors and if the show is good and if the communication is clear, viewers will find time to watch all the good shows. And they chose to watch the show which at that time they love the most.”

    We are confident that the new trio will drive millions of dance enthusiasts across the country, says Nitin Keni

    Since the channel is already following the ad cap rule, have the reality shows been affected? “In most of the reality shows, you always kind of adhere to ad cap, we have never over run inventory because they are high priced shows. Moreover, there are high stake sponsors involved, you cannot dilute inventory on these shows. So ad cap is not going to affect us in any manner as far as reality shows are concerned,” signs off Sehgal.

    So, what are you waiting for! Pull up your socks and be ready for the spectacular dancing talent with a renewed vigor in the latest season.

  • Zee TV to replace DID lil Masters with ‘Dance Ke Superkids’

    MUMBAI: Riding on the success of the just concluded ‘DID lil Masters 2‘, Zee TV has sold out all the ad inventories for the succeeding show at 9 pm, ‘Dance Ke Superkids‘.

    Hindustan Unilever‘s Knorr, title sponsor of the mega show ‘DID lil Masters 2‘, will continue this arrangement with the new show.

    Zee TV has got Moneygram and Visa on board as associate sponsors.

    Zeel chief sales officer Ashish Sehgal said, “All our inventories have been sold out for Dance Ke Superkids because of the success of DID lil Masters 2.”

    ‘Dance Ke Superkids‘ will hope to cash in on the popularity of ‘DID lil Masters 2‘, the finale episode of which helped the channel be No.1 in the Hindi general entertainment channel (GEC) space for the week ended 18 August.

    ‘Dance Ke Superkids‘ is a challenge between the finalists of DID lil Masters 1 and 2. It is the next leg of the property DID lil Masters.

    Starting 25 August, the five-week series will air every Saturday and Sunday at 9 pm.

    ‘Dance Ke Superkids‘ will pave the way for another mega reality show, Sa Re Ga Ma, that launches in September-end at the same time slot.

    From 7 September, this new show from Zee TV will compete with Sony Entertainment Television‘s Amitabh Bachchan-hosted game show Kaun Banega Crorepati season 6.

    Dance Ke Superkids will be hosted by Jay Bhanushali and Shreya Acharya. It will have Geeta Kapur and Farah Khan as judges.