ITV

Tag: Pakistan

  • PVR releasing Zero Dark Thirty on 14 February

    PVR releasing Zero Dark Thirty on 14 February

    MUMBAI: Come 14 February, PVR Pictures is all set to end the greatest manhunt for the world‘s most dangerous man Osama Bin Laden when it releases Kathryn Bigelow‘s Zero Dark Thirty. The Oscar nominated film chronicles a decade-long hunt for the most dreaded terrorist.

    The film has a great connection with India. Not only were some key sequences shot in India, but also the actor who plays the role of Osama has an Indian descent.

    The bazaar of Manimajra near Chandigarh was turned into Pakistani market overnight. The town was also made to replicate Abbottabad in Pakistan. Jessica Chastain who plays the role of Maya in Zero Dark Thirty believes that Indians will definitely be able to relate to Zero Dark Thirty.

    PVR Pictures is currently running a contest which gives audiences a chance to watch this epic movie this Valentine. Audiences are enthusiastically participating in the contest on Twitter. The film has already generated much buzz in India and the audience is extremely keen to watch the movie.

  • Exset makes two key appointments

    Exset makes two key appointments

    MUMBAI: Broadcast technology and solutions company Exset has announced two key international appointments.

    Hema Suri joins the company as director of business development for Strategic Markets, concentrating on Africa and the CIS countries. Meanwhile, Rahul Agarwal has joined Exset as a product manager for set-top boxes (STB) and is focusing on Asian and African markets.

    The appointments reflect continued expansion of the company in 2013, particularly for its Digital Monetisation System (DMS) and its vital ability to counteract the digital divide in emerging markets and empower populations via the TV screen.

    Exset CEO Alex Borland said, “We are pleased to welcome both of these key talents to Exset as the company continues to expand its business in emerging markets. Their experience is invaluable, helping Exset’s customers to take advantage of digitization and to be able to monetize pay-TV networks where previously impossible”.

    Suri’s most recent role has been with BBC Worldwide Channels as regional manager for North India, including Pakistan and Nepal. Prior to that, Suri worked with Logic Eastern, a set-top box, middleware and head-end provider.

    Agarwal brings with him experience of working with broadcast companies including BSkyB and Channel 4 in the UK.

    Digital Monetisation System (DMS) is a solution that bridges the gap between technology and value-added services. It allows digital television platforms to be created that can then be monetised where previously impossible. The result allows populations to benefit from new information and entertainment services, while partnering with governments to achieve digital switchover and bringing social transformation.

  • Ban on YouTube continues in Pakistan

    Ban on YouTube continues in Pakistan

    NEW DELHI: The ban on YouTube in Pakistan imposed to protest the film ‘Innocence of Muslims‘ continues, though Interior Minister Rehman Malik had announced that it was being opened on public demand.

    Pakistan had lifted the ban on Saturday but re-imposed it later after discovering that the offensive content was still available on the online video platform.

    According to reports, all the ISPs in Pakistan received notification yesterday from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to unblock YouTube with immediate effect and submit compliance through return email by 1700 hours.

    Before ISPs could send the compliance report to PTA, Ashraf issued an order to block the YouTube again on the grounds that YouTube had not removed the blasphemous movie ‘Innocence of Muslims‘ from its servers.

    The second directive of PTA to the companies said: “In pursuance of withdrawal of earlier MoIT directive of opening of YouTube, you are all now requested to block complete “YouTube” website immediately in Pakistan from all possible routes.”

    The website will remain blocked till further orders. Moreover, you are also requested to block the particular IPs of following version of YouTube without disrupting the non-YouTube traffic.

    YouTube has been off internet in Pakistan for a hundred days, during which the PTA is understood to have held discussions with Google.

  • Reliance Ent. to release its Punjabi film simultaneously in India and Pakistan

    Reliance Ent. to release its Punjabi film simultaneously in India and Pakistan

    MUMBAI: Reliance Entertainment is gearing up to release its forthcoming Punjabi film Ajj De Ranjhe simultaneously in India and Pakistan on 7 September.

    A first for any Punjabi film, the film has got a nod of Pakistan‘s authority for its simultaneous release across the border.

    The film, a presentation of Reliance Entertainment and renowned Punjabi industry stalwart Manmohan Singh, will also be simultaneously released in Canada, New Zealand, UK, America, Australia and European countries.

    Ajj De Ranjhe features Gurpreet Singh (Guggi), Kimmy Verma, Aman Dhaliwal, Gurleen Chopra and Deep Dhillon.

  • Ek Tha Tiger banned in Pakistan

    Ek Tha Tiger banned in Pakistan

    MUMBAI: India-made spy films are always banned by Pakistan.

    Going by the banning of Saif Ali Khan‘s spy thriller Agent Vinod some months ago, Pakistan has reportedly prohibited Ek Tha Tiger from exhibition in the country.

    To cash in on the Eid weekend, Ek Tha Tiger was slated to release in Pakistan this week and was expected to fetch good income. A Pakistani distributor has gone on record to confirm that the film won‘t release there because it hasn‘t been granted clearance by the Pakistani Censor Board.

    Though there has been no official word from the Pakistani Censor Board, but going by the brief given by the Pak electronic media watchdog to ban the trailer of the film, the authorities in the country are wary of their powerful spy agency ISI being shown in bad light in the Salman Khan film.

    Airing his views, director Kabir Khan is quoted to have said, “It is sad that a film promoting peace and friendship has fallen victim to politics.”

    Ek Tha Tiger was supposed to release with 35 prints in Pakistan.

  • NFDC ties up with Shemaroo to releases classics on home video

    NFDC ties up with Shemaroo to releases classics on home video

    MUMBAI: After the resounding success of its six DVD pack of ‘Tagore Stories on film, NFDC has now joined hands with Shemaroo Entertainment and released the home video of classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron by Kundan Shah, Ketan Mehta’s rustic Mirch Masala, the multi-ensemble Party by Govind Nihalani, Sudhir Mishra’s Dharavi and the satirical take on the modern-day Devdas in Suraj Ka Satvan Ghoda by Shyam Benegal under the title of ‘Cinemas of India’.

    These titles have been digitally restored for the first time and are re-released in the market with an enhanced viewing experience for the audience. The first five home video releases will be followed by notable titles like Tapan Sinha’s Ek Doctor ki Maut, Arun Kaul’s Dikhsha besides two regional titles by KM Madhusudanan and A K Bir among others.

    Said Shemaroo Entertainment director Hiren Gada, “We are glad to work in association with NFDC and distribute few of the most acclaimed titles in Hindi Cinema. These critically and commercially acclaimed films are a must-watch for every generation.”

    Over the years, NFDC has worked with critically acclaimed filmmakers like Satyajit Ray, Mira Nair, Aparna Sen, Shyam Benegal, Richard Attenborough, Govind Nihalani and Mrinal Sen to name a few. In addition to having produced and financed more than 300 films in 18 Indian languages, it has also co-produced 15 award-winning international films including Gandhi, Salaam Bombay, Massey Sahib, Making of Mahatma and Train to Pakistan.

    Averred NFDC managing director Nina Lath Gupta, “We are happy to launch home videos of these classic movies under the brand ‘Cinemas of India’. The release of the home videos is a subset of the brand, which, besides these releases, focuses on international promotion of Indian films, and filmmakers in major world platforms like Cannes for instance and will also include theatrical releases and promotion of regional films domestically and internationally.”

  • Six films on 1971 liberation war in Bangladesh film fest

    Six films on 1971 liberation war in Bangladesh film fest

    NEW DELHI: Six films based around the war for Bangladesh with Pakistan rule are to be screened in a special festival being held here to mark 40 years of liberation.

    The ‘Bangladesh War of Liberation in Celluloid’ Festival will be inaugurated tomorrow by Bangladesh High Commissioner Tariq A Karim and Information and Broadcasting Secretary Uday Kumar Varma. The opening film is ‘Matir Moina’ by Tareque Massud which won the Critics Award in Cannes in 2002.

    Morshedul Islam, who has directed the films ‘Khelaghar’ (Dolls House) and ‘Amar Bondhu Rashed’ (My Friend Rashed) which are being screened, will be here along with Joya Ahsan, actress of the award-winning film ‘Guerrilla’ by Nasiruddin Yousuff which will close the three-day Festival on 25 March.

    The other films are: ‘Joyjatra’ by Tauquir Ahmed, and ‘Khondo Golpo – 1971’ )1971 – A few Shattered Tales’).

    Addressing a press meet here, Deputy Bangladesh High Commissioner Mahbub Hassen Saleh said a review committee had selected the six films which were also shown earlier in Kolkata and Agartala. He said those cities had been chosen because of their proximity to Bangladesh and mentioned that Tripura which had a population of 1.2 million in 1971 had received fleeing Bangladeshi population of 1.6 million, which is something that has never happened anywhere else. India had given refuge to ten million refugees.

    Answering a question, he said attempts would be made to take the films to other parts of India.He recalled that the last Bangladesh film festival held in April 2010 had played to full houses.Answering another question, he said several Indians who had contributed to the liberation effort were being honoured in Dhaka on 27 March.

    Film Festivals director Rajiv Kumar Jain said the festival was being as part of the Cultural Exchange Programme aimed at increasing people to people contacts.

  • No entry for Agent Vinod in Pakistan

    No entry for Agent Vinod in Pakistan

    MUMBAI: The Pakistani censor board has banned Illuminati Films’ Agent Vinod from exhibition in the country as the film contains references to the ISI that could hurt the sentiments of the Pakistani people.

    A statement from IMGC Global, the Pakistani distributor of the film, confirmed that the film has been banned by the censor board of Pakistan. The importer of the film, Sheikh Amjad Rasheed of IMGC Global, fully agrees with the Censor Board’s decision and has conveyed his feelings of displeasure to the main distributor.

    As a key importer of Bollywood films to Pakistan, Rasheed has also conveyed to the main distributors that they will not entertain any such movie in future which hurts either the religious or national sentiments of Pakistanis and decelerate the Indo-Pak peace building process. It is understood that Pakistani Film Distributors have also expressed displeasure to the producers over the anti-Pakistan content shown in the film.

    Revolving around two undercover agents played by Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor, this film is Khan’s second production venture under Illuminati productions.

    Pakistan is an important business territory for any Bollywood film.

  • Harud cleared by Censors, to release in April

    Harud cleared by Censors, to release in April

    MUMBAI: Aamir Bashir‘s directorial debut, Harud (Autumn), is set to release in April.

    The film is the story of Rafiq and his family who are struggling to come to terms with the loss of his older brother Tauqir, a tourist photographer, who is one of the thousands of young men who have disappeared, since the onset of the militant insurgency in Kashmir. After an unsuccessful attempt to cross the border into Pakistan to become a militant, Rafiq returns home to an aimless existence. Until one day he accidently finds his brother‘s old camera.

    Despite being acclaimed internationally in film festivals at Toronto, London, New York, San Francisco and Dubai, the film failed to receive the government‘s censor certificate and, hence, never got to release in India.

    According to Bashir, the issue has now been resolved and his film is set for release.

    Bashir is currently writing the script of his next venture titled ‘Winter‘.

  • Agent Vinod to premiere at Muscat Intl film fest

    Agent Vinod to premiere at Muscat Intl film fest

    MUMBAI: Illuminati Films’ Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor-starrer Agent Vinod will premiere at the seventh edition of the Muscat International Film Festival (MIFF) on 25 March.

    The film is about a series of seemingly unconnected events across the world that leads to Agent Vinod undertaking a globe-trotting mission to discover why his colleague was murdered.

    “A bit of Tintin, a bit of Bond, a bit of Alistair McLean and well, a little bit of fun and frolic and a lot of adventure…that is what Agent Vinod, the much awaited Bollywood flick is all about,” said producer Saif Ali Khan describing the film in a statement.

    Shot in Morocco, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Latvia, besides other countries, the film has been directed by Sriram Raghavan.

    Averred MIFF Chairman Dr Khalid Al Zadjali, “This movie‘s entry is ground-breaking as far as the nascent cinema industry in Oman is concerned.” He added that it would be great to have movie stars like Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor visiting Muscat for the MIFF.

    Originally set to release in December 2011, Agent Vinod was postponed following a delay in its shooting schedule and will now release on 23 March.