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Tag: Ramesh Sippy

  • Social Media to set a red carpet for sports and entertainment

    Social Media to set a red carpet for sports and entertainment

    MUMBAI:  IMC FUSION 2014, a conference presented by Indian Merchant’s Chamber (IMC), was followed up with a series of panel discussions on the major roles played by the social media in today’s three most dynamic sectors – Entertainment, Media and Sports industry.  Ramesh Sippy and Subhash Ghai were most honourable guests inaugurated this third edition of IMC Fusion 2014. This conference was divided into six sessions which focused on several trending social media topics in this generation. It also witnessed the launch of a Knowledge Paper on Multi Screen Behavior: A Study on Emerging Consumer Dynamics. 

     

    The IMC FUSION 2014 Conference was organized under the auspices of IMC’s Entertainment, Media & Sports Committee chaired by Mr. Manmohan Shetty and co-chaired by Ms. Bharathi Pradhan, Mr. Sanjoy Chakrabarty and Mr. Mir Ranjan Negi.  As in the first two editions, Mr. Kabir Bedi was the Host of IMC FUSION 2014. 

     

    The first session included an in-depth discussion on the urgency of software for today’s media content. ‘What prevents Indian media content to extend globally?’ This question received several views from the panelists. Indian media needs to bring in more variety of local and adventurous content at the same time. Gajendra Singh, Founder of Saai Baba Telefilms Pvt Ltd. said, “In order to make the Indian content globally known, the Indian media needs to pay attention toward showcasing an interesting content, helping the marketing team, co-producers to make the Broadcasters buy it and promote it eventually.” 

     

    The Broadcasters go forward with a long term investment into a show only if it creates TRP’S but instead it should also turn its attention to a simple and multi-lingual content at the same time. Anupam Mandoloi, Managing Director of Freemantle India, added, “The fact is that India does not have a distribution network and sufficient bandwidth to tap content across the world.” Siddharth Basu, Managing Director, Big Synergy Media Ltd, highlighted further, “Media Partnership between the Government and the Broadcasters can increase the scope of Indian content worldwide.” 

     

    ‘Does social media affect Traditional Journalism?’ To this, Suchitra Iyer, Editor of Society Magazine, said, “It has in a way challenged the print media, as celebrities leak out their latest happenings using social media platforms.” Harshil Karia, Co-founder Foxymoron, said, “The mobile device reaches out faster than any other media device.” It in fact helps print media to reinvent news, which proves that social media and print media are the two important wheels of mainstream media.” 

     

    ‘Major role of social media for sports’, the most trending topic for new generation media was also analysed. Digital platforms, especially ‘Twitter’ has proven to be a branded content mechanism in giving out a wider media coverage to sports. Vinod Bhanushali, President, Marketing, T-Series said, “Social media not only adds a spice to sports but also helps the music industry which includes Youtube and Twitter.” 

     

    New Delhi Television (NDTV), a pioneer leading in India’s news television, was presented with the Excellence Award in Media. Mr. Sreenivasan Jain, Managing Editor, NDTV was present to receive the award and thanked the IMC Fusion Jury. While accepting the award Mr. Sreenivasan Jain added, “Receiving a prestigious award actually creates a standard and encourages us to even improve and set new standards for the content of news overall.” 

     

    The different business aspects of the Indian cinema were also highlighted by Komal Nahta, Editor, Film information, Mukesh Bhatt, Producer / Director, Ramesh S Taurani, Producer, Tips Industries Limited. The availability of multi-screen theatres has led to the change in the normal mindset of Indians who prefer to experience the movie first in the theatres

  • ‘Sholay’ is history!

    ‘Sholay’ is history!

    MUMBAI: There was a time when the trend was to convert old black-and-white classics into colour format and re-release them. The trend did not last for obvious reasons. Converting normal films into 3D started in the US while in India doing so with Sholay will prove to be the ultimate test for Hindi films since it is a trendsetter – box office hit and a cult. If it works, it will open the floodgates of more such attempts and if it does not, it will put paid to all such aspirations. The original was written off during its initial few weeks of its release as a major failure but, finally, its technically better 70mm/stereophonic version turned the trend in its favour to make it what it became, a legend. Will this additional technical enhancement reactivate its box office account?

     

    To refresh the memories on the story front, Sholay (1975) finds its roots in the all time classic, Akira Kurosawa’s Japanese film, Seven Samurai (1954), which was later adapted in Hollywood as The Magnificent Seven (1960). A farming village in Mexico hires seven gunmen from the US to protect them from a bunch of 40 bandits who raid them every year to take away their farm product. In Sholay, Sanjeev Kumar, an ex-policeman hires two petty goons, Dharmendra and AmitabhBachchan, known for their valour to save his villagers from a similar exploitation by the gang of Gabbar Singh, played by Amjad Khan. Though his first major break and his entry happening almost 75 minutes into the film, his character became a cult figure.

     

    The film is an old fashioned three-and-a-half-hour-long one since in those days less than three hours made people feel cheated. And the film justifies its duration by giving many side actors of the time memorable roles and lines. Among them were Asrani (Angrezon ke zamane ka jailor), Mak Mohan (Sambha), AK Hangal (the blind Imaam of the village mosque), even Hema Malini’s tonga-pulling mare, Dhanno! The writers, Salim and Javed, who made the story/script writers respectable in the film industry, specialised in penning memorable dialogue and that is the reason that even though the film’s music track was not found to be popular and its albums were not in demand, the music company, Polydor India, minted on the release of the film’s dialogue tracks on LPs and cassettes.

     

    If slotted, Sholay would fall in the category of dacoit film. Yet it was much different from other dacoit films, blending the past and contemporary movies of that era. The one memorable dacoit film before Sholay was a few years earlier, in 1971 in Mera Gaon Mera Desh followed by Khote Sikkay in 1974; the trend came to an end since no one could better Sholay and also because Sholay stayed in theatres for five long years. While these were all make-believe dacoit films, the real one came around in 1994, Bandit Queen. 

     

    How can one review a film made over 38 years ago and had tomes written about it?

     

    As for this 3D version, it has been very economical with 3D scenes and not gone overboard. The 3D resolution is such that you may easily watch it without 3D glasses but the main 3D scenes would be missed; the few that the film has are not worth missing.

     

    The opening response in the initial shows has not shown much enthusiasm by moviegoers and, if the trend continues through the weekend, this will be the epitaph for the legend of Sholay.

     

    Producer: G P Sippy.

    Director: Ramesh Sippy.

    Cast: : Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Amitabh Bachchan, HemaMalini, Jaya Bhaduri, Amjad Khan, SatyenKappu, AK Hangal, Sachin, Jagdeep, Leela Mishra, Asrani, Keshto Mukherjee, Mak Mohan, VijuKhote, Iftekhar, in spl appearance Helen and Jalal Agha.

     

    Disaster in making

     

    Mr Joe B Carvalho collects a bunch of small time actors with a reputation for having done good comedy films once upon a time and thinks it has the formula! How about getting a scriptwriter with a sense of comedy, humour, repartees and how about a director who shares these traits too? The so called comic actors can do precious little without content. The imagination is so scarce, that in this film based in Bangaluru, all the characters happen to be Punjabi!

     

    The film has no story as such so to narrate it is a task but, to put it in nutshell, like many such attempts it is about mistaken identities and a career loser, Arshad Warsi, who plays a detective. Now, how many times have we seen a fumbling, bumbling, detective before? Remembering Pink Panther at this moment will be sacrilege (though the poster design has certainly stolen from there).

     

    Warsi, a detective, is handed a case by Shakti Kapoor, who wants to stop his daughter from marrying a cook with whom she has run away. On the other hand, Snehal Dabi, an Idi Amin caricature, has fallen in love with Geeta Basra while she loves some diamond merchant. So being Idi Amin-like, he gives out a supari (contract) on her beau to Carlos aka Javed Jaffery; may the real legendary international assassin Carlos rest in peace!

     

    The comedy as well as the humour is just about nonexistent in this film. Casting is totally awry. The film credits four people for lyrics but not a single song makes sense (and they’re out of sync too). Arshad, Soha, Javed as well as the others are ineffective.

     

    Mr Joe B Karvalho is a disaster waiting to happen soon as opens on its first Friday.

     

    Producer: Bholaram Malviya, Shital Malviya.

    Director: Samir Tewari.

    Cast: : Arshad Warsi, Soha Ali Khan, Jaaved Jaaferi, Vijay Raaz, Shakti Kapoor, Vrajesh Hirjee, Geeta Basra, Karishma Kotak, Ranjeet, Himani Shivpuri, Manoj Joshi, Snehal Dabi, Chitra Shenoy.

     

  • Cinemascapes 2013: A pioneering event to promote Cinema Tourism

    Cinemascapes 2013: A pioneering event to promote Cinema Tourism

    The Film & Television Producers Guild of India Ltd. (“Guild”) upholds the growing recognition to the concept of ‘cinematic tourism’ based on the principle – “Films act as catalysts to encourage the audience for visiting locations showcased on screen thereby promoting travel & tourism”. Hence, the Guild has been providing its firm support as an Anchor Partner to a much needed initiative on cinematic tourism aptly called “Cinemascapes” organized by Cross Section Media Pvt. Ltd., specialists in travel, tourism and hospitality communications industry.

     

    The 7th edition of Cinemascapes is scheduled to be held in Hotel Novotel, Juhu Beach, Mumbai on 19th & 20th October 2013.

     

    Whilst expressing his views on this event Mukesh Bhatt, President of the Film and Television Producers Guild of India said “Cinemascapes has emerged as a viable platform for stakeholders from tourism and film/television industries to brainstorm on important matters of mutual interest and utilise the take backs of the event to broaden their long term perspective”. Film Guild’s senior member and the renowned Director & Producer Ramesh Sippy stated that “Tourism Boards want people to fall in love with those very landscapes and visit their country. It makes sense to work together.” Cross Section Media head honcho & Cinemascapes founder Navin Berry said “This is our seventh edition and we have some excellent partnerships behind us, to ensure the best ever show this year”. He further added that apart from the excellent support from the Film Guild, we also have Confederation of India Industry (CII) to support this event along with Ernst & Young (E&Y) as a knowledge partner.

     

    This 2 day conclave entails participation from Indian & Overseas tourism boards, location/facilities providers to showcase the beauty of their locales along with the infrastructural facilities and tax incentives available. It also offers interactive sessions/panel discussions followed by an Awards ceremony felicitating films, TV serials, Ad Films which depicted the wonderful attributes of locales in India and across the globe.

  • Sonali Cable: Apun Kabhi Offline Nahin Jaate

    Sonali Cable: Apun Kabhi Offline Nahin Jaate

    MUMBAI: SCIL (Super Cassettes Industries Limited), Ramesh Sippy Entertainment and NextGen Entertainment have announced the release of their film Sonali Cable on 3 January, 2014. This is the second collaboration of SCIL and Ramesh Sippy Entertainment after the critically acclaimed Nautanki Saala.

     

    Sonali Cable is a David versus Goliath story, in the thick of the cable internet turf war in Mumbai. An ordinary girl puts her love, life and survival at stake, when she and her ragtag team come in the way of the expansion plans of India’s largest corporation. The film wants to establish the growing corporate crushing small businesses without any scope for co existence.

     

    The film is written and directed by debutant Charudutt Acharya with an ensemble cast that includes Rhea Chakraborty, Ali Fazal, Swanand Kirkire and Raghav Juyal (aka Crockroaxz), supported by accomplished veterans Smita Jayakar and Anupam Kher.

     

    The film features a varied soundtrack including tracks by Devi Shri Prasad, Ankit Tiwari, Mikey McCleary and Falak, with lyrics by Kausar Munir.

     

    Director Charudutt Acharya says, “The underdogs of Sonali Cable never give up – their motto ‘Apun Kabhi Offline Nahin Jaate’ captures the spirit of young aspiring Indians all over.”

     

    Producers Ramesh Sippy and Rohan Sippy fell in love with this character driven drama which is humorous and has an emotional core. Producer Ramesh Sippy says, “This story of a girl from a broken home who connects people’s lives through her internet cables and her spirit really captured our hearts.”

  • ‘Buniyaad’ set to re-create the nostalgia of partition and popularity of old-world charm

    ‘Buniyaad’ set to re-create the nostalgia of partition and popularity of old-world charm

    NEW DELHI: A trend-setter of sorts when it was first aired almost three decades earlier, this series remains a nostalgic reminder of the days of the partition, and will provide much needed insights to the younger generation.

    Buniyaad, the mega-series written by the celebrated Manohar Shyam Joshi and helmed by the stalwart Ramesh Sippy and Jyoti Sarup laid the foundation for the evolution of India’s television entertainment industry and defined the contours of its future.

    Doordarshan, which had aired it in 1986, is all set to revive the epochal series from tonight and it will be telecast every Thursday and Friday at 8.30 pm on DD National.

    Producer-director Ramesh Sippy, actor Kiron Juneja, actor Neena Gupta and DD director-general Tripurari Sharan in a press meet here said the series still had its old-world charm and was being looked forward to.

    At a time when DD was the only channel beaming in the country, Buniyaad saw an entire nation rooting for Master Haveliram (Alok Nath) and his family as they came to terms with their lives in an epic series set in the years preceding and after the partition.

    Apart from Alok Nath, the series stars Anita Kanwal, Kiron Juneja, Asha Sharma, Sudhir Pandey, Mazhar Khan, Kanwaljit, Dalip Tahil, Soni Razdan and Neena Gupta amongst others.

    Sippy said the characters played by these actors are remembered with nostalgia today by millions of viewers.

    Sharan said for many years, these actors were known by the names of the characters they played. Hence for an entire generation Alok Nath was known as Masterji, Anita Kanwal was identified as his wife Laajo Ji and Kiron Juneja as Veeravali, Masterji’s sister in the serial by the viewers.

    The story of Master Haveliram falling in love and eventually marrying Laajo Ji, their family, separation and reunion in the aftermath of India’s partition has as much going for it today as it did in the late eighties.

  • Indian director Sarthak Dasgupta wins Sundance-Mahindra filmmaking award

    Indian director Sarthak Dasgupta wins Sundance-Mahindra filmmaking award

    MUMBAI: Indian filmmakers are going places. Sarthak Dasgupta from India and three other directors have won the 2013 Sundance-Mahindra Global filmmaking award that supports the emerging independent talent from around the world.

    Dasgupta, who has previously written and directed award-winning film The Great Indian Butterfly, won the award this time for The Music Teacher. The other winners include Jonas Carpignano from Italy-US for A Chjana, Brazilian director Aly Muritiba for The Man Who Killed My Beloved Dead and Vendela Vida and Eva Weber for Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name, a UK-Germany-US co-production.

    Each of the four winning filmmakers will receive a cash award of $10,000, attendance at the Sundance Film Festival and creative and strategic support.

    This is the second year that one of the four award recipients is an Indian. Last year‘s winner was Shonali Bose for her project Margarita, With A Straw.

    The awards were presented at a private ceremony at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (US) by Rohit Khattar, Chairman, Mumbai Mantra, Michelle Satter, Founding Director, Feature Film Programme, Sundance Institute and Paul Federbush, International Director, Feature Film Programme, Sundance Institute.

    “At a time when there is no dearth of issues around the world that are crying out to be heard, the Global Filmmaking award recognises independent filmmakers who give expression to those voices,” said the Mahindra Group chairman and managing director Anand Mahindra in a statement.

    “The Mahindra Group is proud to assist the Sundance Institute in this endeavour, which, in line with the Group‘s ‘Rise‘ philosophy, aims to drive a positive change in communities across the world,” he added.

    The nomination committee for the Indian Award winner included prominent names from Indian cinema like Sharmila Tagore, Anil Kapoor, Rajkumar Hirani, Ramesh Sippy, Shabana Azmi, Shyam Benegal, Anjum Rajabali, K Hariharan and Ira Bhaskar.

    The Sundance Institute-Mahindra Global Filmmaking Award is part of a multifaceted collaboration that exemplifies a commitment to and support of world cinema by the Mahindra Group, one of the largest industrial conglomerates in India, and the non-profit Sundance Institute, one of the world‘s leading cultural organisations.

    This is the third and the last of the three-year collaboration between the two organisations.

    The Sundance-Mahindra Group‘s collaboration also includes the Mumbai Mantra Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in India, which provides an annual opportunity for eight screenwriters from India to develop their works under the guidance of accomplished international screenwriters.

  • NFDC film bazaar opens at IFFI 2012

    NFDC film bazaar opens at IFFI 2012

    NEW DELHI: For any business including films, there is need for the right revenue model which can give creativity a chance to breathe freely.

    Speaking while inaugurating the Film Bazaar set up by the National Film Development Corporation to coincide with the Festival, Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said creativity opens new vistas and makes people think and work towards better goals.

    Tewari lauded the NFDC for ensuring visibility for another kind of cinema which would not be able to find distribution outlets. It had also helped film makers who ‘are not up the commercial curve’.

    Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar said the film Bazaar is perhaps the most important aspect of a film festival, and urged NFDC to take Indian cinema to international levels through its market.

    Polish Culture Minister Bogdan Zdrojewski said India respected cinema in the same manner as the people in his country did, and used it to promote cultural values. Lauding IFFI as the most important film festival in Asia, he added that more and more Indian film personalities were now visiting his country and referred to the recent visit by megastar Amitabh Bachchan.

    NFDC Chairman Ramesh Sippy said the Bazaar should be viewed with as much passion as filmmaking, and regretted that many filmmakers did not realise its importance. But he said that the popularity of the Film Bazaar here had spread to many countries and also to south Asia.

    NFDC managing director Nina Lath Gupta referred to various sections including sessions with filmmakers, distributors, Co-Production Market and Screen Writers Labs and other events apart from film screenings at the Bazaar which will continue at the Mariott Resort till 24 November.

  • Mukesh Bhatt elected as president of the Film & Television Producers Guild

    Mukesh Bhatt elected as president of the Film & Television Producers Guild

    MUMBAI: Mukesh Bhatt was unanimously elected as president of The Film & Television Producers Guild of India at the first meeting of the newly-elected Guild Council of Management on 15 September.

    Bhatt succeeded Ramesh Sippy who retired as the President after his tenure of two years.

    Siddharth Roy Kapur has also been unanimously elected as VP of the Guild. Dheeraj Kumar, Ashutosh Gowariker and Vipul Shah were re-elected as VP along with the re-election of Manish Goswami and Ashim Samanta as Treasurers.

    Ekta Kapoor and Shrishti Arya were also nominated as the two new members in the newly formed Guild Council of Management for the year 2012-13.

    Kulmeet Makkar will continue to manage the affairs of the Film & Television Producers Guild of India Ltd as its CEO.

    Bhatt said “I have imbibed a lot from Shri Ramesh Sippy over the last two years. In particular, Shri Sippy‘s insight in taking several crucial decisions for Guild was amazing and will act as a source of inspiration to me. It is a great privilege to lead a prestigious entertainment trade body such as the Guild and I will work to the best of my capabilities and energies and strive for the interests of the Guild and the entertainment industry. I seek the support of all the Council and Guild members in our objective to aggressively pursue and resolve the problems of the industry.”

    I also welcome the induction of Ekta Kapoor and Shrishti Arya into the Guild Council. Their knowledge and expertise will undoubtedly benefit the Council and the Guild. As President of the Guild, it will be my endeavor to work together and join forces with the other Council & fellow Guild members and other entertainment trade bodies to strive for the welfare and progress of the Indian entertainment industry in the ultimate analysis.”

    Sippy added, “During my tenure over the course of the last two years, the Guild has taken up several issues of the entertainment industry and though some of the matters have not been fully resolved, there is no doubt about the genuineness of our efforts in trying to resolve these problems and I am thankful to all my team members for their support and co-operation. I will continue to provide my wholehearted support to the Guild whenever my services are required. I am sure that the next management team will carry on with their efforts to resolve these significant industry matters. I wish them all the very best for their journey.”

    The other members of the newly elected Council of Management of Guild are Yash Chopra, Manmohan Shetty, Kamal Kumar Barjatya, Amit Khanna, Rakesh Roshan, Bobby Bedi, Sushil kumar Agrawal, Rajkumar Kohli, Karan Johar, Vishal Bharadwaj, Farhan Akhtar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, D.Suresh Babu, Kiran Shantaram and Randhir Kapoor are permanent members.

  • Jaypee Group’s special IIFA awards for Ramesh Sippy and Zohra Segal

    Jaypee Group’s special IIFA awards for Ramesh Sippy and Zohra Segal

    MUMBAI: The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) has announced special award winners of the Jaypee Group IIFA Awards 2012.

    The award for outstanding contribution to Indian Cinema will be presented to Ramesh Sippy while Zohra Segal will receive the award for contribution to 100 years of Indian Cinema.

    Ramesh Sippy made his debut in the Indian Films at the tender age of 9 playing Achala Sachdev’s son in Shahenshah. He is best known for directing Sholay and is a highly respected veteran in the Indian film industry today.

    Exclaimed Sippy, “The International Indian Film Academy is a massive pioneering effort to expand the reach of Indian cinema, taking it beyond Indian shores. To be recognized on an international platform is an honour.”

    Actress and centenarian, Zohra Segal is an acclaimed dancer and actress who has been recipient of the Padma Vibhusan. She has seen a prolific career in theatre, film and dance. Sehgal will receive the ‘Contribution to 100 years of Indian Cinema’ award for her large body of work and the impact she has had on the industry in Singapore.

    Said Wizcraft International Entertainment director Sabbas Joseph, “For IIFA, nothing gives us more pleasure than to honour these incredible individuals who have dedicated their life to the progress of Indian cinema and the passion with which they entertain people across the globe. It is through their work that the Indian film industry has grown and we are honoured to be able to recognise their efforts.”

    The Videocon IIFA Weekend will be held Singapore from 7 to 9 June.

  • Ramesh Sippy is NFDC chairman

    Ramesh Sippy is NFDC chairman

    MUMBAI: The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) has appointed noted film director Ramesh Sippy as its chairman. He replaces veteran actor Om Puri who had chaired the Corporation since April 2008.

    The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has also appointed Jawahar Wattal and Odiya cinematographer AK Bir as independent directors. The ministry has made a conscious decision to ensure focus on both mainstream as well as parallel cinema with the appointment of these three eminent personalities.

    After 2003, the Corporation lost ground in its existing commercial activities and could not identify any alternative source of revenue that led to declining revenues, high manpower costs and almost no development activities.

    However, over the last three years, efforts have been made to segregate the marketing of films, separating mainstream and developmental projects.