ITV

Tag: Simran

  • Gostops ‘ April Fools’ prank pay to stay, get paid to leave!

    Gostops ‘ April Fools’ prank pay to stay, get paid to leave!

    MUMBAI: Gostops, pulled off an ingenious April Fools’ prank that had netizens in stitches. Their ‘Reverse Hostel’ campaign promised an irresistible deal pay Rs 500 to check in, get Rs 700 when you leave essentially making travel not just affordable but profitable! The longer you stay, the more you earn. Who wouldn’t want an all-expenses-paid adventure?

    Ofcourse, it was all in good fun. The campaign, a classic April Fools’ joke, struck a chord with India’s Gen Z travellers, who love quirky, offbeat experiences. Social media erupted with reactions, with many wishing it were real.

    But beyond the humour, the ‘Reverse Hostel’ concept carried a deeper message. It reinforced Gostops’ belief that travel is about more than just a bed for the night it’s about new experiences, self-discovery, and building connections.

    “We wanted to do something bold and fun, while still reinforcing the idea that travel opens new doors and opportunities,” said Gostops social media & content lead Simran. “The ‘Reverse Hostel’ campaign was a way to bring laughter and joy to our audience, while also encouraging young people to keep traveling and embracing the transformative power of travel. Even if it was just for the laughs, we hope this campaign reminded them of the endless possibilities out there!”

    While travellers won’t actually get paid to check out, Gostops remains committed to making travel accessible, fun, and unforgettable because some experiences are truly priceless!

  • Prime Video launches trailer for Citadel: Honey Bunny

    Prime Video launches trailer for Citadel: Honey Bunny

    Mumbai: Prime Video has announced the trailer for Original series, Citadel: Honey Bunny. The Indian series born from the world of Citadel is directed by Raj & DK (Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK) and written by Sita R. Menon, along with Raj & DK. The series is produced by D2R Films, Amazon MGM Studios, and executive produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes from AGBO, alongside David Weil (Hunters), executive produce Citadel: Honey Bunny and all series within the world of Citadel. Midnight Radio is also an executive producer. The series features the immensely talented Varun Dhawan and Samantha in the lead and the Kay Kay Menon, along with cast that includes Simran, Saqib Saleem, Sikandar Kher, Soham Majumdar, Shivankit Parihar, and Kashvi Majmundar. Citadel: Honey Bunny is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on 7 November.

    The trailer is a preview of the spy thriller set against the vibrant tapestry of the 90’s, which features action, stunts, and edge-of-your-seat excitement, all perfectly complemented by performances. When stuntman Bunny (Varun Dhawan) recruits struggling actress Honey (Samantha) for a side gig, they are hurled into a high-stakes world of action, espionage, and betrayal. Years later, as their dangerous past catches up, the estranged Honey and Bunny must reunite and fight to protect their young daughter Nadia.

    “Following the tremendous response to the teaser, the excitement and anticipation around the show has been rising every day, with fans of Varun, Samantha and Raj & DK eagerly waiting for November 7. We felt that now is the right time to provide them with a window into the series with an action-infused trailer of the show that captures the incredible world of Citadel: Honey Bunny. Raj & DK have added their signature quirk and charm to this high-octane spy thriller that promises to be a whole new thrilling ride for our audiences,” said Prime Video head of originals India, Nikhil Madhok.

    “Citadel: Honey Bunny is a significant project for us as it has given us the opportunity to be part of a larger, unprecedented world of spies and espionage that has never been done or even attempted before. We have created all our projects so far, but Citadel: Honey Bunny is our first collaboration. And that it is with the creative forces like the Russo Brothers, as well as a host of talented filmmakers and creators around the world, has made this an amazingly valuable creative experience,” said Raj & DK.

    “Bunny is unlike any role I’ve played before. As a spy, he not only leads a double life, but every aspect of his personality has two distinct sides, which was very exciting for me as an actor. Intricately woven into the storyline, his portrayal required me to draw on a blend of experiences and characters I’ve embodied over the years, as well as mentally and physically prepare for the grueling stunts and amped-up action scenes, making it one of my most challenging performances yet. And I am deeply grateful to Prime Video, Raj & DK, and AGBO for the opportunity to bring Bunny to life,” said Varun Dhawan.

    Samantha said, “The opportunity to be part of an action-packed entertainer with a gripping storyline, rich character depth, and intense hand-to-hand combats and stunts that rival international standards, along with the prospect to play an integral role in this collection of connected spy stories, is what drew me to this project. The challenges and efforts required to bring Honey to life have left a profound impact on me, both professionally and personally, making it one of the most significant roles of my career. I’m confident that the audience will thoroughly enjoy this series, not just in India but across the many countries and territories where it will stream on Prime Video.”

  • Farmley doesn’t have an IPL campaign – or does it?

    Farmley doesn’t have an IPL campaign – or does it?

    Mumbai: Farmley, a wholesome snacking brand, has launched its latest social media campaign called ‘We Don’t Have An IPL Campaign’. Instead of diving into the mania of IPL promotions, Farmley’s social media feeds have become the go-to destination for hilarious takes on the ongoing cricket action.

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by Farmley (@farmleyin)

     

    Going beyond the predictable, Farmley has opted for a subtle and light-hearted approach with “We don’t have an IPL campaign” which is all about taking a break from commercials and focusing on the nail-biting matches that IPL is actually meant for. Set in the background of desi heartland, Farmley’s posts have been a rollercoaster ride of humour and wit that have tapped into the pulse of netizens by embracing meme culture. Moreover, via influencer collaborations, the brand is taking a 360-degree spin on the IPL campaign.

    Senior manager – social media & content Simran shared her excitement, saying, “With our ‘We don’t have an IPL campaign’, we’ve tried to break the clutter and also bring a whole new level of relatability to the saturated market of regular IPL campaigns. It’s been an absolute blast seeing fans engage with our content and share the laughter far and wide.”

    This IPL season, host your IPL watch parties with Farmley’s wholesome snacks, that are not just flavourful and crunchy but also healthy. With Farmley’s munchies that are made from makhanas, you can now munch onto wholesome snacks without thinking twice. Farmley’s nutritious and delightfully tasty range is now available on leading online platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart, as well as in retail stores near you.

  • Farmley’s hilarious April Fools prank leaves netizens in splits

    Farmley’s hilarious April Fools prank leaves netizens in splits

    Mumbai: In an endeavour that spread much cheer and laughter across the nation, Farmley, the wholesome snacking brand, recently undertook an April Fool’s Day prank by launching Brain Balm – a “memory boosting” roll-on balm made with almonds. The announcement had netizens cracking up over the product which promised to address slice-of-life instances like forgetting passwords, anniversaries, and even where one parked their car in a maze-like mall basement.

     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A post shared by Farmley (@farmleyin)

     

    The concept behind the prank was to playfully remind people of the often-overlooked health benefits of almonds for memory enhancement. The campaign’s humorous approach, with taglines like “No More Forgetting Thousand Passwords Again” and “No More Forgetting to Soak Almonds in the Night,” struck a chord with the audience and had them in stitches.

    Farmley senior manager – social media & content Simran expressed delight at the campaign’s reception, stating, “April Fool’s Day allows us to connect with our audience in a fun and engaging way. We wanted to use this opportunity to highlight the goodness of almonds in a light-hearted manner, and the response has been fantastic.”

    Farmley’s diverse range of wholesome snacking options and authentic dry fruits and nuts are available on popular online commerce platforms such as Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and Instamart, as well as in retail stores nationwide. The Brain Balm launch may have been a prank, but Farmley’s unbending belief to keep innovating makes one just want to believe that they can make this happen too. Farmley is a wholesome snacking brand offering a wide range of products that integrate into different eating occasions as nutritious and delightfully tasty options.

  • Indifference of movie-goers

    Indifference of movie-goers

    *Bhoomi was chosen to be the re-launch vehicle of Sanjay Dutt on his return from serving a jail sentence. The subject could not have been a romance considering his age and the receding hairline. And, Munnabhai scripts are not something you picked off the shelf!

    Omung Kumar earned fame with his direction of Mary Kom and, one must say, that very little of it he merited for his contribution to the film, most of it was media gifted which is to say, he has been overrated.

    Omung’s next was Sarbjit, which he also produced, which was a rank bad film. It seemed have been made with the intent of encashing Aishwarya Rai’s face forgetting most of the time about Sarbjit.

    But, for the sake of Sunjay Dutt, the idea of Bhoomi, a father daughter story worked.

    Considering all things, the director, Omung Kumar, made partly right decision, to cast Dutt according to his age, as the father of a girl of marriageable age. But, the rest of the decision was disastrous. That was to fall back on old-fashioned 1980s films churned out from South where the ‘izzat’ of wife, sister, bhabhi was compromised by the villains. The true hero was then expected to save his family honour.

    It made simple thrill seeking audience happy. Movie going has come a long way since.

    Bhoomi has turned out to be bad film with the opening response showing indifference of movie goer. The opening day was poor at about Rs 20 million with the Saturday and Sunday remaining stagnant as the film closed its opening weekend with Rs 66 million.

    *Worse choice for a maker was to opt for Haseena Parker. This shows a total lack of imagination let alone creativity. When creativity is nil, one looks for such short cuts just to stay afloat in the industry. After all, a film is made for the all India audience! And, how would they identify with a South Mumbai small lane woman who cashed in on the name of her brother, Dawood Ibrahim? Not many earlier and not now after the film.

    Shraddha Kapoor mouthing Urdu dialogue with a stuffed mouth comes across as a comedy! The film opened with poor collections of Rs 11 million, failing to improve much over the weekend and collecting Rs 41 million.

    Newton, an odd film about an honest officer wanting to conduct free and fair elections in a Naxal affected area, as expected, has an indifferent opening, but the release of the film coincided with the film’s selection as India’s choice for entry at the Oscars. And, that boosts the footfall for the film over the weekend with big leaps. The film, which opened at Rs 9 billion on Friday, had a huge jump in collections on Saturday of Rs 25 million and Rs 32 million on Sunday giving it a decent weekend of Rs 66 million.

    *Lucknow Central, a poor idea poorly executed, fails miserably. With a poor opening weekend of Rs 72.5 million, the film could manage to add just three crore for the next four days to end its first week with a total of Rs 103 million.

    *Simran, counting on yet another one-woman show from Kangana Ranaut, like Queen, had just about everything going wrong for it. From the script, to the characterisation of Kangana, to direction, just about everything.

    The film let the Kangana fans down as it ended its first week with a tally of Rs 145 million. It is another thing that had the film succeeded, it would have given some standing and credibility to the director Hansal Mahta, too.

    *Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi has collected Rs 13 million for its one week. (The film’s weekend collection was Rs 7 million, and not 700 million.)

    *Poster Boys collects Rs 15 million for week two taking its two week total to Rs 122.5 million.

    *Daddy added Rs 11 million in its week two to take its two week total to Rs 75 million.

  • It’s a dull period for films

    It’s a dull period for films

    No happy news for either the exhibitors or the trade in general, so far. The poor run of films continues and, releasing new films in this dull period, adds to the woes.

    The week saw the release of four films in Simran, Lucknow Central, Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi and BA Pass 2. While there were no hopes from Patel Ki Punjabi Shaadi and BA Paas 2, whatever little was expected was from Simran while Lucknow Central had lost its novelty value to Qaidi Band, a recent film on a similar theme.

    Lucknow Central, the film about jail inmates forming a music band needed strong musical score where it was found lacking. Also, for drab film that it is, the length of almost 2 and half hours made it unbearable. And, that too watching no presentable face on the screen except the sole glam face of Diana Penty.

    Simran held some promise on the fan following Kangana Ranaut created due to her brave stand she has taken against the mighty ones in the industry if not for the film’s content. Hansal Mehta, the director, who usually makes films from real life events, tried fiction this time and ended up choosing a story about a negative protagonist. Kangana’s character in the film lacks in logic that a woman can be nasty who revolts against everybody for no reason.

    Last week’s releases, Poster Boys and Daddy remained poor failing to get enough footfalls. The collections remained hopelessly low.

    *Lucknow Central had a poor opening of about Rs 18 million on its opening day. The film showed a negligible rise on Saturday and Sunday to end its opening weekend with a total of Rs 72.5 million. The film’s prospects Monday onwards look dim.

    *Simran had an average opening day of Rs 25 million, showed a decent raise on Saturday but remained stagnant on Sunday to take its opening weekend total to Rs 93 million.

    *BA Pass 2 sinks without a trace. Mostly, no audience, no show status.

    *Patel KI Punjabi Shaadi, in the making since 2014, is a damp squib. The film was released sans due promotion and the result is utter waste of two very talented actors, Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal. The opening day collections were very poor remaining in lakhs: 25 lakh for the opening day and will end its opening weekend with about Rs 700 million.

    *Poster Boys, a remake of the Marathi film, Poshter Boyz, fails to match up to the original. Despite the Deol brothers in the cast, the film remains below par even in their strong areas, Delhi and Punjab. Having opened to poor houses, the film could manage barely Rs 107.5 million in its first week.

    *Daddy, another Don biopic on the life of Arun Gawli, fails. The films on underworld, even the Mumbai dons, don’t work and Daddy joins the list. The film collects Rs 64 million in its first week.

    *Badshaho adds Rs 105 million in its second week to take its two week tally to Rs 649 million. The film needs to do the business of about Rs 1 billion to recover.

    *Shubh Mangal Savdhaan has done well in its second week by adding Rs 104 million and taking its two week total to Rs 327 million.

    *Bareilly Ki Barfi adds Rs 13.5 million in its fourth week to take its four week tally to Rs 332.5 million.

    *Toilet Ek Prem Katha collects Rs 50 lakh in its fifth week taking its total business to Rs 1.3 billion.

  • Star Vijay builds momentum for eighth Vijay Awards

    Star Vijay builds momentum for eighth Vijay Awards

    MUMBAI: It is time to once again build up the energy for the coveted Vijay Awards. The eighth edition of the awards for the Tamil film industry on Star Vijay has already begun its digital and TV activations, a month in advance of the telecast.

     

    This year, Vijay Awards will see film and TV actors host and perform at the ceremony which will see 29 best and five favourite awards given out on 5 July and will be telecast on a later date. Similar to last year, the channel will be running contests and giving away passes to 20 people from South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries to come and watch the award function.

     

    Talking about the event Star Vijay general manager K Sriram said, “This is truly a credible and an incredible award show.  We are very excited about it and ever prepared to make it an astounding success year on year.”

     

    Viewers have been voting since 14 June for their favourite actors either by SMS, calls or online which will end on 25 June. A long list of sponsors has already been lined up. Gionee is the title sponsor while Casa Grand is powered by sponsor. Dr MGR and RRP Housing are co presenting sponsors. Sunland Refined Sunflower Oil, Step Stone Promoters, V Care, Poomalai Housing, Kibbs Lungigal, Vijaya optical House, RPG Developers, Shakthi Masala, Ran India Steel and Amrita Institute are associate sponsors. 

     

     “This is a big event that happens every year and I, like everybody else, look forward to it.  The ‘Golden Lady’ has become a much sought-after trophy for everyone in the Tamil film industry,”said renowned director K Balachander referring to the Vijay Awards statuette.

     

    The jury members include Yugi Sethu, Prathap Pothen, Ravi K Chandran and actor Simran. Last year saw Bollywood’s king Shah Rukh Khan visit the ceremony and being given an award.

     

    Currently, a one hour prelude is being aired every Saturday at 8 pm. As part of the pre-event activation, celebrities are being roped in for conducting on ground events in various parts of the state.