ITV

Tag: Surveen Chawla.

  • Rajeev & Surveen’s digital debut on ALTBalaji’s Haq Se

    MUMBAI: OTT platform for original and exclusive shows ALTBalaji has announced the star cast of its new show Haq Se. Ekta Kapoor has brought two extremely popular faces together, Rajeev Khandelwal and Surveen Chawla.

    Rajeev will be debuting his digital innings with ALTBalaji’s Haq Se. There is a lot of buzz around the lead pairing, which is, needless to say, both fresh and inspiring. Creators of the show are really excited about them playing the lead roles. Other than them, famous actors like Simone Singh and Karanveer Sharma are playing important roles.

    Haq Se is set in the beautiful valleys of Kashmir, apart from being a beautiful love story Haq Se is also a captivating story about four sisters Meher, Jannat, Bano and Amal in Kashmir, Haq Se explores their ambition how are they bound down by their geographical situation and the rising fundamentalism in the region. The show is directed by Ken Ghosh, who has directed films such as Amit Sahni ki List and Phir Se and quite a few web shows prior to Haq Se.

    Notable cast also includes: Parul Gulati as Jannat Mirza, Aanchal Sharma as Bahira Mirza and Nikeesha Rangwal as Amal Mirza.

  • Parched…Dry run at box office

    Parched…Dry run at box office

    MUMBAI: Leena Yadav’s Parched debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015. Ever since, it has been on the festival circuit extensively till its theatrical release this week.

    Parched is about the state of women in the hinterland. The injustice meted out to women is a part of all societies; while the urban tales do not usually come out, rural stories abound but taken as a way of life till, a film or a story is made on it.

    Parched is about three women in arid Rajasthan, each having her own woes, mainly men-inflicted.These women find solace on the shoulders of each other. The women eventually gather courage to chart their own lives instead of submission.

    Tannishtha Chatterjee is playing a widow with a son of marriageable age. However, the lad is unwilling. Radhika Apte, Tannishtha’s confidante, is not better off either as she is labelled a ‘baanjh’ by her alcoholic husband and subjected to a regular dose of beating. Sharing her pain with Tannishtha is the only solace in her life.

    Surveen Chawla is playing a prostitute. Seemingly liberated, she too has her own problems as she is losing out on business to her younger rivals while also bearing the brunt of the anger of her pimp and others. Surveen has this idea that why all the foul words in Hindi are addressed to women and why can’t they be reversed and used for men?

    Nobody is aware of the desires of women; they seek care, love and, also, sex. Tannishtha has but some solace in a secret admirer who keeps calling her on phone. And, there is this sage like figure, Adil Hussain, who helps Radhika experience a fulfilling life while also assisting her get rid of the social stigma of ‘baanjh’.

    Parched has worthy contribution from all actors. Leena Yadav has rightly chosen a subject that needs a bold approach and executed it well. Her handling of the subject is deft. The cinematography by the American, Russel Carpenter, captures the surroundings well while also justifying the essence of the film. Editing, also entrusted to a foreign technician, Kevin Tent, keeps the process taut.

    This women-centric film is for performers. Tannishtha, Radhika and Surveen do full justice to their roles, while Surveen excels.

    Parched, having already made it to about a dozen film festivals, is one for the laurels while commercially it would appeal to a few at the high-end multiplexes.

    Producers: Ajay Devgn, AssemBajaaj.

    Director: LeenaYadav.

    Cast: RadhikaApte, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Surveen Chawla, Laher Khan, Adil Hussain, Riddhi Sen.

    Days Of Tafree: In Class; Out Of Class….Lacks class!

    Days Of Tafree: In Class-Out Of Class is a youth oriented film with a college background. It is a remake of the Gujarati film, Chhello Divas: A New Beginning (2015).

    Though many Hindi films have been adapted from Gujarati stage plays, the recent ones being OMG: Oh! My God (2012: Kanji Virudh Kanji), Waqt: Race Against Time (2005: Aavjo Vahla Fari Malishu), Super Nani  (2014: Baa ae Mari Boundary) and Aankhen (2002: Andhalo Pato), instances of Gujarati film remake in Hindi are rare if not non-existent.

    The film is about a group of college friends whose behavior in class and on the campus is unlike that of other college boys you would see in real life or in films. They hoot behind the teacher’s back, they talk filthy language as if it was the new in-thing. They are loud and always chasing girls and lady instructors. And, the bunch also has one Big Moose kind of brainless hulk which also makes the boys feel invincible.

    The pranks of these boys are supposed to arouse laughter. What really happens through the film is that only those on screen keep laughing failing to take the audience along. The film also makes jokes on physical deformities which is rather rude.

    The film is a flashback into the college life of one of the boys. There is no drama or conclusion as there is no story in the film. The music is loud in keeping with the tone of the film but non-appealing. Direction is amateurish and the editing is poor. The performances are over the top.

    Days OfTafree: In Class Out Of Class is poor in all respects.

    Producers: Anand Pandit and Rashmi Sharma

    Director: Krishnadev Yagnik

    Cast: Nimisha Mehta, Ansh Bagri, Sanchay Goswami, Sarabjeet Bindra, Anuradha Mukharjee

  • Parched…Dry run at box office

    Parched…Dry run at box office

    MUMBAI: Leena Yadav’s Parched debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2015. Ever since, it has been on the festival circuit extensively till its theatrical release this week.

    Parched is about the state of women in the hinterland. The injustice meted out to women is a part of all societies; while the urban tales do not usually come out, rural stories abound but taken as a way of life till, a film or a story is made on it.

    Parched is about three women in arid Rajasthan, each having her own woes, mainly men-inflicted.These women find solace on the shoulders of each other. The women eventually gather courage to chart their own lives instead of submission.

    Tannishtha Chatterjee is playing a widow with a son of marriageable age. However, the lad is unwilling. Radhika Apte, Tannishtha’s confidante, is not better off either as she is labelled a ‘baanjh’ by her alcoholic husband and subjected to a regular dose of beating. Sharing her pain with Tannishtha is the only solace in her life.

    Surveen Chawla is playing a prostitute. Seemingly liberated, she too has her own problems as she is losing out on business to her younger rivals while also bearing the brunt of the anger of her pimp and others. Surveen has this idea that why all the foul words in Hindi are addressed to women and why can’t they be reversed and used for men?

    Nobody is aware of the desires of women; they seek care, love and, also, sex. Tannishtha has but some solace in a secret admirer who keeps calling her on phone. And, there is this sage like figure, Adil Hussain, who helps Radhika experience a fulfilling life while also assisting her get rid of the social stigma of ‘baanjh’.

    Parched has worthy contribution from all actors. Leena Yadav has rightly chosen a subject that needs a bold approach and executed it well. Her handling of the subject is deft. The cinematography by the American, Russel Carpenter, captures the surroundings well while also justifying the essence of the film. Editing, also entrusted to a foreign technician, Kevin Tent, keeps the process taut.

    This women-centric film is for performers. Tannishtha, Radhika and Surveen do full justice to their roles, while Surveen excels.

    Parched, having already made it to about a dozen film festivals, is one for the laurels while commercially it would appeal to a few at the high-end multiplexes.

    Producers: Ajay Devgn, AssemBajaaj.

    Director: LeenaYadav.

    Cast: RadhikaApte, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Surveen Chawla, Laher Khan, Adil Hussain, Riddhi Sen.

    Days Of Tafree: In Class; Out Of Class….Lacks class!

    Days Of Tafree: In Class-Out Of Class is a youth oriented film with a college background. It is a remake of the Gujarati film, Chhello Divas: A New Beginning (2015).

    Though many Hindi films have been adapted from Gujarati stage plays, the recent ones being OMG: Oh! My God (2012: Kanji Virudh Kanji), Waqt: Race Against Time (2005: Aavjo Vahla Fari Malishu), Super Nani  (2014: Baa ae Mari Boundary) and Aankhen (2002: Andhalo Pato), instances of Gujarati film remake in Hindi are rare if not non-existent.

    The film is about a group of college friends whose behavior in class and on the campus is unlike that of other college boys you would see in real life or in films. They hoot behind the teacher’s back, they talk filthy language as if it was the new in-thing. They are loud and always chasing girls and lady instructors. And, the bunch also has one Big Moose kind of brainless hulk which also makes the boys feel invincible.

    The pranks of these boys are supposed to arouse laughter. What really happens through the film is that only those on screen keep laughing failing to take the audience along. The film also makes jokes on physical deformities which is rather rude.

    The film is a flashback into the college life of one of the boys. There is no drama or conclusion as there is no story in the film. The music is loud in keeping with the tone of the film but non-appealing. Direction is amateurish and the editing is poor. The performances are over the top.

    Days OfTafree: In Class Out Of Class is poor in all respects.

    Producers: Anand Pandit and Rashmi Sharma

    Director: Krishnadev Yagnik

    Cast: Nimisha Mehta, Ansh Bagri, Sanchay Goswami, Sarabjeet Bindra, Anuradha Mukharjee

  • Colors ropes in multiple brands for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9

    Colors ropes in multiple brands for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9

    MUMBAI: Colors is all set to flag off the ninth season of its most popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ). Produced by BBC Worldwide India, it will start airing every Saturday from 30 July 2016 at 10pm.

    Mondelez has decided to continue with its presenting sponsorship through its brand Cadbury Bournvita for JDJ while it is co-powered by Renault and Amazon.in. Ultratech Cement, Parachute Advanced Gold and Stayfree are the associate partners and UC Web browser is the trending partner.

    Turning the stage into a beautiful canvas, the 12 talented stars will flaunt their passion for dance in front of the celebrated panel of judges – Jacqueline Fernandez, Karan Johar, Farah Khan and Ganesh Hegde. The show will be hosted by Manish Paul.

    Commenting on the new season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “What surprises me every year and pushes us as a channel to put together a show of such mammoth proportions is the enthusiasm of the celebrities who astonish us with their eagerness to participate in it and bring out their flair for dance in front of their zillion of fans. The platform is so huge that whether you win or lose, you take away something from the show which holds you in good stead for years to come. Along with Karan and Ganesh, we have on board this year the very dazzling Jacqueline Fernandez who has been keen on making her television debut through this show. Then there’s our favourite Farah Khan who oozes entertainment in everything that she does.”

    He further added, “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Cadbury Bournvita, presenting sponsor, is a wonderful match – our five-year-long partnership is testimony of the strong relationship we share to not only create innovative brand integration avenues but also leverage our combined brand goals. Further, we would like to extend a warm welcome to Renault and Amazon.in as the show’s co-powered by sponsors and hope to strengthen our association with them through many such marquee shows.”

    Colors programming head Manisha Sharma said, “This season goes back to the basics of dancing, making the contestants showcase each performance striking a balance of uninhibited oomph, innate grace and a brilliant sense of rhythm. While the jury will share their expert opinions, the in-studio audience has the veto power to choose which contestants will stay or will be evicted. Each contestant will have one mission: to create a lasting impression with their dance moves.”

    This season of the show will bring together a perfect blend of contestants who will bring classic dance back in-vogue. From choreographer and challenger, Salman Yusuf Khan, Harpal Singh Sokhi, Surveen Chawla, Poonam and Priyanka, Chutki aka Gaurav Gera, Shantanu Maheswari, Helly Shah, Nora Fatehi, Karishma Tanna, Arjun Bijlani, Shakti Arora and Sidhanth Gupta will all ensure a weekly dose of entertainment for viewers.

    BBC Worldwide, India and Content Head Asia SVP and GM Myleeta Aga said, “We are very excited to see Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the Indian adaptation of BBC Worldwide’s acclaimed format Dancing With the Stars grow from strength to strength each season. There have been more than 270 series of strictly worldwide, in 51 countries ranging from Mexico to South Korea and it has been incredibly successful in India. This is our 9th season producing the award-winning series. More than ever, we are committed to deliver a high octane series with superior international production values. This year, the show’s lavish sets and its take on unprecedented hotness and dance promise to magnify the overall production value which will keep audiences glued to their television sets.”

    The channel is undertaking several marketing and digital initiatives to generate conversations around the hotness factor of the show. For traditional marketing, a focused outreach incorporating mediums including OOH and on-ground activations has been planned. To further drive contestant and audience engagement, a spate of digital activities is being sketched out under the hashtag #JhalakHottie.

  • Colors ropes in multiple brands for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9

    Colors ropes in multiple brands for Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa season 9

    MUMBAI: Colors is all set to flag off the ninth season of its most popular celebrity dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa (JDJ). Produced by BBC Worldwide India, it will start airing every Saturday from 30 July 2016 at 10pm.

    Mondelez has decided to continue with its presenting sponsorship through its brand Cadbury Bournvita for JDJ while it is co-powered by Renault and Amazon.in. Ultratech Cement, Parachute Advanced Gold and Stayfree are the associate partners and UC Web browser is the trending partner.

    Turning the stage into a beautiful canvas, the 12 talented stars will flaunt their passion for dance in front of the celebrated panel of judges – Jacqueline Fernandez, Karan Johar, Farah Khan and Ganesh Hegde. The show will be hosted by Manish Paul.

    Commenting on the new season of Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, Colors CEO Raj Nayak said, “What surprises me every year and pushes us as a channel to put together a show of such mammoth proportions is the enthusiasm of the celebrities who astonish us with their eagerness to participate in it and bring out their flair for dance in front of their zillion of fans. The platform is so huge that whether you win or lose, you take away something from the show which holds you in good stead for years to come. Along with Karan and Ganesh, we have on board this year the very dazzling Jacqueline Fernandez who has been keen on making her television debut through this show. Then there’s our favourite Farah Khan who oozes entertainment in everything that she does.”

    He further added, “Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Cadbury Bournvita, presenting sponsor, is a wonderful match – our five-year-long partnership is testimony of the strong relationship we share to not only create innovative brand integration avenues but also leverage our combined brand goals. Further, we would like to extend a warm welcome to Renault and Amazon.in as the show’s co-powered by sponsors and hope to strengthen our association with them through many such marquee shows.”

    Colors programming head Manisha Sharma said, “This season goes back to the basics of dancing, making the contestants showcase each performance striking a balance of uninhibited oomph, innate grace and a brilliant sense of rhythm. While the jury will share their expert opinions, the in-studio audience has the veto power to choose which contestants will stay or will be evicted. Each contestant will have one mission: to create a lasting impression with their dance moves.”

    This season of the show will bring together a perfect blend of contestants who will bring classic dance back in-vogue. From choreographer and challenger, Salman Yusuf Khan, Harpal Singh Sokhi, Surveen Chawla, Poonam and Priyanka, Chutki aka Gaurav Gera, Shantanu Maheswari, Helly Shah, Nora Fatehi, Karishma Tanna, Arjun Bijlani, Shakti Arora and Sidhanth Gupta will all ensure a weekly dose of entertainment for viewers.

    BBC Worldwide, India and Content Head Asia SVP and GM Myleeta Aga said, “We are very excited to see Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, the Indian adaptation of BBC Worldwide’s acclaimed format Dancing With the Stars grow from strength to strength each season. There have been more than 270 series of strictly worldwide, in 51 countries ranging from Mexico to South Korea and it has been incredibly successful in India. This is our 9th season producing the award-winning series. More than ever, we are committed to deliver a high octane series with superior international production values. This year, the show’s lavish sets and its take on unprecedented hotness and dance promise to magnify the overall production value which will keep audiences glued to their television sets.”

    The channel is undertaking several marketing and digital initiatives to generate conversations around the hotness factor of the show. For traditional marketing, a focused outreach incorporating mediums including OOH and on-ground activations has been planned. To further drive contestant and audience engagement, a spate of digital activities is being sketched out under the hashtag #JhalakHottie.

  • ‘Ugly’…Horribly so!

    ‘Ugly’…Horribly so!

    MUMBAI: Ugly defies slotting. The closest it comes to in genre is 20th Century Hollywood noir thrillers shot in low lights. While the film adopts this pretentious low light option to look intelligent, its content lacks grossly in thrill of any kind. The film is a saga of double-crossing and backstabbing among friends and family members. But the content in the film has nothing to do with the film’s main story: that of kidnap of a 10 year girl.

    Ronit Roy is the top cop married to the girl he loved in college. It was a love triangle, with Ronit, Tejeswini Kolhapure and Rahul Bhatt, now a full time struggler wanting to make it as a star. Rahul seems to have been the lucky one who marries Tejaswini. The couple get one girl child who is usually witness to the violence between Rahul and Tejaswini who are eventually divorced. Ronit, by virtue of being next in line, marries her. But their marriage is cold with Tejaswini having turned an alcoholic.

    Saturday is the day for Rahul to meet his daughter, Kali, and as usual he takes her out. Rahul goes up to meet his casting director friend, Vineet Kumar Singh, leaving Kali in the car when Kali goes missing. She has been kidnapped. Initially, the film is all about finding her but soon turns in to blame game and finally into all the characters wanting to exploit the situation to their own advantage.

    Producers: DAR Motion Pictures, Phantom Films.

    Director: Anurag Kashyap.

    Cast: Ronit Roy, Rahul Bhatt, Vineet Kumar, Singh, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Surveen Chawla, Siddhanth Kapoor, Girish Kulkarni.

    Since nobody trusts anyone else they all suspect each other of the kidnap and don’t bother to check other possibilities. Ronit, being a cop, uses his office to tail and record the conversations of others including his wife, Tejaswini. He as well as his staff are completely devoted to this task. Rohit and Vineet are put behind bars and tortured in Ronit’s backroom. He has a motive since the court has restricted his visits to Kali to once a week only.

    A missing ad is put in the newspapers and Tejaswinis’ crook brother, Siddhanth Kapoor, decides to take advantage. He calls up his sister demanding 50 lakh ransom to return the girl and Tejaswini asks her father, the only moneybag around, for 65 lakh, keeping her share in the ransom! Tejaswini gives her 15 lakh to her friend, Surveen Chawla, who happens to be Rahul’s current girlfriend. Surveen, an ex-item girl is married to a filmmaker who is useless in bed. 

    Surveen thinks she can use the 15 lakh left with her and she absconds with Rahul and Vineet. The latter is killed by Rahul in a frenzy, and Tejaswini decides to shoot Ronit even as Kali’s rotting body is lying dumped in a public place, the stink of which nobody smells until police does!

    Script, direction as well as other aspects are negative in this senseless film. The characters don’t fit in our kind of films or mind-set. The film has been designed to be gloomy and drab with planned exposure of Mumbai’s poverty ridden locations and garbage so much so even the ACP Ronit’s office is in some dilapidated housing board tenement.

    Ugly is a pretentious, bad film.

  • Big Life OK Now Awards 3 celebrates the flavor of Independence

    Big Life OK Now Awards 3 celebrates the flavor of Independence

    MUMBAI: The third edition of the Big Life OK Awards is back with a bang after the success of the last two editions. The show that will air on Independence day, celebrated patriotism and saluted the freedom fighters with spectacular performances by some of the biggest names in the television and bollywood industry.

     

    While bollywood and television stars like Kareena Kapoor, Sushant Singh Rajput, Shraddha Kapoor enthralled the audience with high energy performances, the anchors for the evening Sunil Grover and Varun Sharma, kept everyone in splits with their gags and comic timing.

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Reliance Broadcast Network CEO Tarun Katial said, “After an excellent take off, we are excited to present the third edition of the Big Life OK Now Awards. It continues to remain our endeavour to offer our listeners the choicest entertainment across music and the entertainment industry”.

     

    The evening was filled with power packed performances dedicated to the spirit of patriotism and independence. As the leading bollywood heartthrob Kareena Kapoor set the stage on fire with her splendid performance, Sushant Singh Rajput paid tribute to the freedom fighters through his act instigating the feeling of patriotism in each and every person present in the event. While the central theme of Sushant’s act was independence, the gorgeous Esha Gupta and the bubbly Shradhha Kapoor highlighted various moods of women and issues faced by them respectively. The aerial act by Prateek and Sneha meaningfully depicted the colors of tri-color.

     

    Other celebrities present on the show were Surveen Chawla, Esha Gupta, Vani Kapoor, Jai Kalra, Kiara Advani, Daisy Shah, Mohit Marwah, Rhea Chakraborty, Shraddha Arya, Shaan along with Producer-Director Vipul Shah, RJ Madhurima and Talat Aziz. 

  • Indian Telly Awards tops ratings on Sony with 3.54 TVR

    Indian Telly Awards tops ratings on Sony with 3.54 TVR

    MUMBAI: The Indian Telly Awards has hit the sweet spot yet again on the ratings front for Sony.

    The three-hour awards show had a 3.54 TVR (CS 4+, HSM), making it the number one show on the channel for the week 3 to 9 December, well ahead of the other two Sony shows in the Top 100 – CID and kids dance talent show Boogie Woogie.

    The top three markets for the awards show were Orissa with a TVR of 6.44, Gujarat (4.63) and Mumbai (4.46) respectively.

    The Sixth Indian Telly Awards presented by Sony Entertainment Television, which was held on 24 November, was telecast on 3 December from 8 pm to 11 pm. It ranked 63rd in the Top 100 charts for shows across all channels. The chart topper for the week was Star Plus’ Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki with a TVR of 12.45 , followed by Kyuunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi with a TVR of 12.06 (both on 6 December). The top rated Zee TV show was Saath Phere with a TVR of 5.75 on 8 December.

    The evening was marked by dance performances by TV stars including Sangeeta Ghosh, Eijaz Khan and Akaashdeep Saigal, Mona Singh, the Left Right Left cast (Arjun Bijlani – Alekh), Gazal Rai (Pooja), Vikas Manattala (Huda), Priyanka Bhassin (Naina), Harshad Chopra (Ali), Kunal Kapoor (Yudi).

    A stand-up comic act from Great Indian Laughter Challenge runner up Naveen Prabhakar brought down the house. Another performance by debutantes of last year and this year – Barkha Bisht, Sanjeeda, Daljit Kaur – and by television couples – Surveen Chawla and Manish Goel (together on a Sony show), Mouni Roy and Pulkit Samrat (the hot new couple of Kyunkii’s new generation), Divyanka Tripathi and Sharad Malhotra (the couple from Dulhan on Zee TV).

    A special award was presented to Sun Network chairman Kalanithi Maran for his contribution to Television by Sony Entertainment Television CEO Kunal Dasgupta.

    The award was an acknowledgement of his effort in enabling the growth of cable and satellite television market in south India through his Sun Network, television broadcasting group.

    Balaji Telefilms creative head Ekta Kapoor, the creative brain behind the runaway success that is Balaji Telefilms, was inducted into the Hall of Fame, a category for young professionals in television for their contribution to the industry.

    The function was hosted by popular faces of television – Kiran Karmakar, Juhi Parmar, Anuj Saxena, Mona Singh and Manav Gohil, Shweta Kawatra, Ayub Khan, Renuka Shahane and Gaurav Chopra.

    Billed as the Indian equivalent of the Emmys, the Indian Telly Awards is the brainchild of founder Anil Wanvari, who is also a board member of the International Emmy Academy in New York. One of the few Indians to have achieved that status. Says Wanvari, “Television is evolving and so will the awards. Our sincere effort is to make The Indian Telly Awards the industry’s benchmark because the awards have been created for the industry to recognize the excellence in the creative, business and technical spheres.”

    The ground partners for the event were CNN IBN, IBN7, Zee Cinema and Times Now; the Radio partner Radio City 91.Fm; Outdoor Partner Bright Advertising; Multiplex Partner Fun Cinema; Print Partner Rajasthan Patrika and Mid-Day; Party Venue Partner Some Place Else; and PR Partner CMCG.