PEN INDIA LTD ACQUIRES ‘SHIVAAY’ RIGHTS ALONG WITH EROS INTERNATIONAL

Pen India Ltd is back with a bang this year after their film SINGH IS BLIING which released last year (2015). Pen India Ltd to co – produce Ajay Devgn’s magnanimous SHIVAAY which is all set to have a Diwali release this year. The film is directed by Ajay Devgn and has been making the right noise since the time the film was announced and has huge audience expectations ahead of its festive release. It’s known that Ajay Devgn the actor goes to extremes to get his act and character right. Now we are seeing him in action as a director once again and it’s a privilege for those who are part of his team.

‘ISHQ FOREVER’ TO RELEASE ON 19TH FEB 2016

A Friday Cine Entertainment Pvt Ltd production, produced by Ajay Shah, Himanshu Gandhi & Shabeer Boxwala, Directed by Sameer Sippy starring Lisa Ray, Ruhi Singh, debutante Krishna Chaturvedi & Jaaved Jafferi in lead roles, ISHQ FOREVER is all set to release on 19th Feb, 2016.

MORE & MORE CHANNEL PACKAGING BY KATALYST CREATES, THE CREATIVE ARM OF SRI ADHIKARI BROTHERS

The Creative arm of Sri Adhikari Brothers, Katalyst Creates has struck once again. The brand solutions hub has curated the channel packaging for ‘Nick HD+’ – India’s 1st exclusive HD channel for kids by the leading kids’ entertainment franchise – Nickelodeon. Katalyst Creates boasts of a specialized team that has expertise in VFX; motion graphics for film, broadcast & digital; channel packaging; video content editing; logo animation; infographics; animation et al. They have used this expertise to curate an immersive packaging for India’s 1st HD channel for kids ‘Nick HD+’. The agency is also credited for some magnificent work before, including the very recent ad film of FLYING MACHINE with Arjun Kapoor and the cult music video “Oopar Oopar”. The packaging & idents were curated considering Indian sensibilities while also aligning to international standards & brand guidelines of Nickelodeon. The endeavor with the engaging packaging was to provide children watching Nick HD+, a feeling of homeliness & sense of belonging such that they instantly establish a strong connect with the channel.

2ND SCHEDULE OF ‘SARBJIT’ GOES ON FLOORS IN MUMBAI

The 2nd schedule of the much awaited biopic of the year, SARBJIT goes on floors with its 2nd schedule this week. Actors Randeep Hooda, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Richa Chaddha & Darshan Kumar will be resuming work & getting back into their respective character roles. The Omung Kumar directorial has gathered a lot of eye balls owing to the leaked image of Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s look as Dalbir Kaur (Sarbjit’s sister) in the film. The look was much appreciated by the industry and audiences’ considering the glamour icon that Aishwarya Rai Bachchan is. Along with a few crucial scenes, they will be shooting the one & only fun & much anticipated song of the film in this schedule. The actors Randeep, Aishwarya & Richa are looking forward to be filmed shaking their legs to the traditional Bhangda beats for the song as it is a folk song and everyone will be dressed in the traditional Punjabi attire. The credits of the film SARBJIT are produced by Sandeep Singh, Omung Kumar & Vashu Bhagnani, written by Rajesh Beri & Utkarshini Vashishtha, cinematography by Kiran Deohans, production design by Vanitha Kumar, creative director is Sandeep Singh & creative producer is Akshay Balsaraf & directed by Omung Kumar. SARBJIT is slated to release on the 20th May, 2016 with its premiere held at the well – acclaimed Cannes Film Festival.

MUSIC UNLIMITED AT THE MOHAMMED RAFI AWARDS NITE

Spandan is an NGO headed by Ashish Shelar, MLA & dynamic city chief of BJP. The Rang Sharda auditorium was packed to the hilt with people even squatting on the aisle to get a glimpse of the legends who graced the occasion and so also to enjoy the soul stirring yesteryear songs of Mohammed Rafi. Asha Bhosale waxed eloquent about the fantastic & extremely humble human being that Mohammed Rafi was and observed that he was one of a kind and very hard to emulate & replicate. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis was the Chief Guest on this occasion and made a pertinent point when he stated that the number of singers & orchestras inspired by yesteryear singers like Mohammed Rafi and Kishore Kumar might be a world record in itself. Ashish Shelar acknowledged the unparalleled contribution of Mohammed Rafi to Indian music and also expressed his gratitude to the kith & kin of this illustrious family for their role in ensuring the success of the Mohammed Rafi awards night ever since its inception 8 years ago. Yasmin & Nasreen, daughters of the late Mohammed Rafi were moved to tears by Ashaji’s anecdotes on Mohammed Rafi. Amruta Fadnavis pleasantly surprised one & all by her rendition of “Tum Jo mil Gaye Ho”. Shantaben, wife of music director Anandji of Kalyanji Anandji fame, received the Mohammed Rafi lifetime achievement award on behalf of her husband who could not make it due to poor health. Amit Kumar was touched on also being conferred with the Mohammed Rafi award and declared that this was by far the most precious and coveted award in his lifetime. Amit Kumar & Asha Bhosale also sang and danced on stage to “Ek Mai Aur Ek Tu” much to the delight of the audience. Shrikant Narayan and his troupe had the audience grooving to popular Rafi numbers right through the evening. Melody filled the air. Whoever said “Music is food for the soul” probably visited the Mohammed Rafi awards night.

THE 61ST BRITANNIA FILMFARE AWARDS 2015: STELLAR BEGINNINGS

A new year brings new opportunities. It’s that time of the year when Filmfare celebrates & honours the best films of the year gone by. 2015 was particularly memorable because for the 1st time, Hindi films bridged the gap between the classes & masses. Films that earned big bucks at the box – office were also the ones that took home the critics’ & audience’s hosannas. One artiste who stands for the balance between art & mart is Sonakshi Sinha. To announce key details about the 61st Britannia Filmfare Awards 2015, Sonakshi took to the press conference stage in Mumbai. She expressed her opinions about the big films of the year gone by, as well as spoke with remarkable elegance about the Filmfare Awards. The young superstar cajoled the media present at the event. It was the perfect way to kick-start the Filmfare awards frenzy in 2016. The star studded announcement was made at the Westin Hotel in Mumbai on 4th Jan, 2016. Sonakshi was accompanied by Jitesh Pillaai – Editor Filmfare magazine & Vinay Subramanyam, Category Manager, Britannia Industries Limited, was also present at the event. Together, they lit the lamp marking the start of another stellar celebration of the best of Hindi cinema. Filmfare’s exclusive31 award categories will highlight the grand ceremony of the 61st Britannia Filmfare Awards 2015 to be held on 15th Jan, 2016 at the Dome, NSCI in Mumbai.

SUNNY DEOL TO RELEASE HIS MUCH AWAITED ‘GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN’ ON 5TH FEB 2016

One of the most anticipated sequels of 2016, GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN has been the talk of the town with its emotional & action packed trailer! Sunny Deol will now be releasing GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN on 5th Feb, 2016 as he has joined hands with one of India’s biggest studios for the film. The release date has been pushed from Jan, 2016 to 5th Feb, 2016 as the studio & Sunny’s team require an extensive period to efficient promote & distribute GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN, given the scale & audience expectations of the ambitious sequel. Dharmendra presents, written & directed by Sunny Deol, GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN stars Sunny Deol and 4 young kids – Rishabh Arora, Shivam Patil, Daina Khan & Anchal Munjal in lead roles. The movie releases on 5th Feb, 2016.

GULZAR & VISHAL BHARDWAJ LAUNCH KONKANA’S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT ‘A DEATH IN THE GUNJ’

Vishal Bhardwaj & Gulzar saab launched Abhishek Chaubey & Honey Trehan’s new production house MacGuffin Pictures at an event held recently. The media & the industry came forward in full force to support the launch of the duo’s new production house & their 1st production A DEATH IN THE GUNJ that marks the directorial debut of Konkona Sen Sharma. The film also sees the revival of IDrream Production as IDrream Motion Pictures with their new venture Studioz IDrream. The event was attended by Rahul Dholakia, Vipul A Shah, Satish Kaushik, Meghna Gulzar as well as the entire star cast of the film including Kalki Koechlin, Ranvir Shorey, Gulshan Devaiah, Tillotama Shome, Vikrant Massey, Jim Sarbh & Tanuja. The film will go on floors on 25th Jan, 2016.

THE BROOKE BOND RED LABEL 6 PACK BAND RELEASES ITS FIRST SINGLE “HUM HAIN HAPPY”

India’s ‘Hijra’ community, as they’re referred to, comprises of transsexuals & transgenders. The community is commonly ignored by most, tolerated by some & misunderstood by all. However, in spite of all the prejudice they face in our society, they choose to smile and remain ‘Happy’. Yash Raj Film’s youth films wing, Y – Films joins hands with Brooke Bond Red Label to give a voice to their indomitable spirit without trying to get preachy or patronizing, in a language and through a medium that our world understands & loves; the language of Music, with the launch of India’s and, possibly, the world’s 1st transgender band – the Brooke Bond Red Label 6 Pack band! It’s a theme that is extremely relevant, topical & important to make the world a warmer and more welcoming place for everyone, irrespective of religion, economic background or gender. The Brooke Bond Red Label 6 Pack band has been curated by composer Shameer Tandon and comprises of 6 transgender singers hailing from India’s ‘Hijra’ community that will be releasing 6 songs backed by 6 music videos. The album kick-starts with a single that captures their never give up, never stop smiling attitude, a fantastic cover rendition of Pharrell William’s global hit ‘Happy’, as ‘Hum Hain Happy’ which was unveiled by one of India’s most respected singers Sonu Nigam. One of the industry’s youngest & most talented actor – producers, Anushka Sharma, who introduces The Brooke Bond Red Label 6 Pack band in their 1st music video had this to say, “I believe that all living beings should be treated with the same respect & dignity. This song is one way to get everyone to tune in to that one thought and beat. Because often where words fail, music speaks.”

SAJID NADIADWALA & VISHAL BHARDWAJ COME TOGETHER FOR A BLOCKBUSTER IN MAKING – ‘RANGOON’

An intense love story set in the 1940’s, RANGOON will bring together the work of Bollywood’s finest talent in one of the most ambitious projects ever made. Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, Vishal Bhardwaj & Viacom18 Motion Pictures the film stars national award winners Kangana Ranaut, Saif Ali Khan and the versatile Shahid Kapoor in an epic romantic drama with never seen before action. Set to release in 2016, the film is backed by the soul stirring symphonies of Vishal Bhardwaj. The ensemble only gets better with the addition of maestro lyricist Gulzar. As Viacom18 Motion Pictures continuous its success in producing content led cinema, RANGOON will put forward a larger than life period drama that will leave its audiences enticed till the end.

BRINGING IN THE NEW YEAR WITH PROMOTIONS FOR SANAM RE, DIVYA KHOSLA KUMAR AND HER CAST ARE ALL SMILES!

Divya Khosla Kumar’s SANAM RE is all set for a Valentine’s release on 12th Feb, 2016. The stunning director has commenced the promotion spree with her cast comprising of lead actors Pulkit Samrat, Yami Gautam & Urvashi Rautela.

TANUJ VIRWANI TO HAVE A BLAST IN 2016 WITH SUNNY LEONE

We have seen a lot of exciting Bollywood films in 2015 now New Year 2016 in Bollywood is going to have a lot of action, drama, thriller, suspense, love, comedy and much more in terms of movies releasing, with a fantastic star cast and some fabulous filmmakers. For the first time in many years, Bollywood will witness some big ticket releases with huge star-power some interesting names like DANGAL, RAEES, SULTAN, AIRLIFT, GHAYAL, SARBJIT, AE DIL HAI MUSHKIL, WAZIR, KILLING VEERAPPAN, and several others. Actor TANUJ VIRWANI who was last seen in LUV U SONIYO & PURANI JEANS is now ready to have a blast in year 2016 where he will seen with none other than super hot women of Bollywood Sunny Leone in ONE NIGHT STAND. Tanuj Virwani said, “Yes I am really excited & looking forward 2016 as wonderful year. New Year 2016 is going to be a roller – coaster ride for me. As every make resolution in New Year my resolution for this year will be to Entertain my audience who has excepted me a open arms.”

AJAY DEVGN USES MORE THAN 2000 CUSTOM – MADE TOYS FOR A SINGLE SCENE ON THE SETS OF ‘SHIVAAY’!!

The much anticipated film of 2016, SHIVAAY has left the audience surprised & overwhelmed with its 1st look! Well, we hear that Ajay Devgn has left no stone unturned for his ambitious directorial project! The perfectionist, we hear called for more than 2000 custom – made stuff toys for a particular scene in the film. Abigail Eames, who is making her Bollywood Debut, plays his daughter in the film, and to make sure that her room looked extremely pretty, he got these toys there. Lucky Girl! Ajay is putting renowned expertise and his entire heart & soul into making this movie as he plans every detail to the T. Hence, recently when we had to shoot in the girl’s room (Abigail), he called for more than 2000 custom made stuff toys so that the room looks extravagant”. It’s known that Ajay Devgn the actor goes to extremes to get his act & character right. Now we are seeing him in action as a director and it’s a privilege for those who are part of his team. Now that’s what we call a perfectionist.

GOVIND NAMDEO TO ESSAY THE ROLE OF MORARJI DESAI IN ‘SOLAR ECLIPSE’

‘SOLAR ECLIPSE’ is an action packed drama that focuses on the lives of 3 police officers, who well aware that Mahatma Gandhi’s life is at risk, must act according to what they believe is their responsibility and/or is best for their country. Will saving the Mahatma save the country? The story is a conspiracy theory, blended with fiction where facts are not available, but based on a solid fact that police was well aware of the plot to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Govind Namdeo is doing a movie on Anna Hazare which is currently untitled and is being directed by Shashank Udapurkar. PROJECT MARATHVADA is another movie he is doing that deals with farmer suicide case and is directed by Bhavin Mehta and features Om Puri in the lead role with Govind as the villain. He has signed a new movie Hollywood & Bollywood joint production which would have actors from both the industry while it is based on the last part of independence struggle and is directed by Karim Kedar in which he will play the role of Morarji Desai. He is also doing a movie titled as AMRAPALI in which he will play the father of the titular character which also stars Jimmy shergil, Ashutosh Rana & Vinod Khanna and is directed by Atul Garg. He recently completed a film titled as DUSSERA which is based on political backdrop of Bihar where he essayed as villain whereas movie is directed by Manish Vatsalya. Then there is another movie called JD which is directed by Shilendra Pandey, is based on the life of an Indian journalist, also features Amar Singh & Justice Karode, who are acting in this movie. CHAPEKER BROTHERS is another movie where he is playing a role of Bal Gnagadhar Tilak and filming of this movie has wrapped up, which is directed by Devendra Pandey.

GURMEET CHAUDHARY PLAYS A PRINCE IN ‘LAALI KI SHAADI MEIN LADDOO DEEWANA’

TV’s heartthrob Gurmeet Chaudhary who made his big Bollywood debut with KHAMOSHIYAN has bagged his 2nd film and will be seen playing the parallel lead in Director Manish Harishankar’s LAALI KI SHAADI MEIN LADDOO DEEWANA a twisted love story featuring Vivaan Shah & Akshara Haasan. A youthful film revolving around a love story, the film is a comic & emotional journey of Laddu & Laali portrayed by Vivaan Shah & Akshara Haasan with a twist. Gurmeet will be seen playing the role of a Prince who any girl would dream to marry. Director Manish Harishankar says “Gurmeet is the perfect guy to play the role of a Prince and the royal nuances come naturally to him. If Vivaan & Akshara make a fresh young couple to look out for, Gurmeet & Akshara are sure to be an enduring couple.” The shoot of the film is almost complete with only 2 songs to be shot with Vivaan & Akshara, Gurmeet & Akshara. Produced by T. P. Aggarwal & Rahul Aggarwal, directed by Manish Harishankar starring Vivaan Shah & Akshara Haasan is all set to release in summer 2016.

NEW POSTER OF ROMANTIC COMEDY ‘LOVE SHAGUN’ UNVEILED

The new posters of romantic comedy LOVE SHAGUN have been unveiled recently. The poster quirkily talks about the dilemma which today’s generation faces, to listen to his mother or follow what his heart desires! Anuj Sachdeva & Nidhi Subbaiah play the lead roles in the film which is scheduled to release on 26th Feb, 2016. Produced by Saanvi Pictures Pvt. Ltd & directed by Saandesh Nayak; LOVE SHAGUN features Anuj Sachdeva, Nidhi Subbaiah, Vikram Kochhar, Manit Joura, Taran Bajaj, Shamin Mannan & Simpy Singh. Recently, Zee Music acquired the music rights of the film which has some amazing romantic tracks!

Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam Gets A Doctorate

Dr. Kavita Krishnamurti Subramaniam received the honorary doctorate from Jain University for her outstanding contribution to film music in tandem with globl music. Presenting the doctorate was Dr. C. G. Krishnadas Nair, Chancellor and lso present were Dr. H. R. Nagendra, Chairman – Task Force, Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India.

Sonal – Madhurima – Sonali Malishka – Renee Walked The Ramp To Support Access Life NGO

Raffle Design International’s marketing team planned Applause for a cause fashion show which was a fund raising fashion show for an NGO Access Life that caters to cancer treatments for children. Sagarika Chhetri was the anchor for the event. Ken Ferns who is a stylist started the fashion show and the show stopper for him was none other than Madhurima Tuli. Renee Dhyani walked for stylist Chloe. Actress Sonali Raut walked the ramp with NGO kids for Dev Sood. Sonal Chauhan & RJ Malishka walked the ramp for designer Sujata & Sanjay. All the actors were very happy to be a part of this social fashion show. Girish Nair, founder & chairman of Access Life told us that they look after the kids who are suffering from cancer.

Sachin Tendulkar Inaugurated Designer Umang Mehta & Shraddha Mehta’s Store

Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar came to inaugurate the store of designers Umang Mehta who designs dresses for him. Singer Rahul Vaidya also came at the store launch. He sang “Ye Dosti” song also at the event. Umang Mehta & Shraddha Mehta received all the guests & the relatives.

Swati Sharrma’s Debut Song “Banno Tera Swagger” Nominated In All The Major Awards

Swati Sharrma from Jaipur is indeed super excited as her debut song “Banno Tera Swagger” has been nominated at Big Star Entertainment Award & Guild Award. On this eve Swati averred, “How incredible it feels when you see your dreams come true slowly, slowly…….that’s exactly how I feel…….when I got nominated for the most entertaining singer female category…….thank you so much guys for your love & your support…….keep blessing & loving me.” Swati thanked her family,relatives & friends for all the support. That apart her new song from “Direct Ishq” is out now on Zee Music. The film is directed by Rajiv Ruia.

SONAKSHI SINHA TO GROOVE TO THE BEATS OF HER MAIDEN SINGLE, “AAJ MOOD ISHQHOLIC HAI”

We have seen her acting, dancing and even doodling, but this time Sonakshi Sinha has gone one step ahead and have recorded her single debut, “Aaj Mood Ishqholic Hai”. The peppy hip – hop number is composed by Meet Bros and Kumar has penned down the lyrics. the video has been shot in the locales of Goa with a sun kissed beach background and is choreographed by Salman Yusuff Khan of Dance India Dance fame. The gorgeous diva is seen in a carefree bohemian look in the song. When quizzed Sonakshi about the song she said, “the song is about being high on love. Love makes the world go round and it’s something that gives you a heady feeling that nothing else can.” Talking about her look in the song, she added, “I wanted a very bohemian look for the video, and best place to be in that particular style is Goa because of its hippie vibe.” Lastly she added, with T Series- Bhushan Kumar, Meet Brothers, Kumar(songwriter) & Gifty (Director) I was able to do right!
“Aaj Mood Ishqholic Hai” will be released around Christmas!!

YUPPTV DELIGHTS VIDEO CONTENT CREATORS WITH THE LAUNCH OF YUPPTV BAZAAR!

YuppTV, the world’s largest Over – The-Top (OTT) provider for Indian content, has launched YuppTV Bazaar, a marketplace for high-quality video content. The formal announcement, which took place on 23rd Dec, 2015 at JW Marriott in Juhu, Mumbai, was also attended by several dignitaries such as the Governor of Maharashtra. With the launch of YuppTV Bazaar, YuppTV will now host curated premium video content across various genres such as Education, Short Films, Web Series & Trailers et el. The move will be music to the ears of independent video content creators, who often find it tough to monetise and market their premium content through traditional video-sharing portals, satellite & DTH platforms. Through assured quality supervision and a large native user base, YuppTV bazaar will allow these entrepreneurs to showcase their high-quality videos on a trusted platform and reach out to an audience ranging in millions across the world through devices such as Smart TVs, smartphones, tablets & PCs. Abhishek Bachchan, who was also present at the launch, averred, “India, at the moment, is brimming with talent looking for an outlet for their creativity. The launch of YuppTV Bazaar from YuppTV is a welcome move that will provide the indie moviemakers with a trusted & curated platform for showcasing their talent.” Since its India launch in Oct, 2015, YuppTV has been creating ripples across the digital entertainment industry owing to its unique approach & extensive network. Today, YuppTV is the world’s largest internet TV and video on demand (VOD) streaming provider with more than 5 million mobile app downloads and an audience base reaching 400+ million households through Smart TVs. It is also the 2nd most popular app in Google Play Store and the most popular TV app on LG & Samsung Smart TVs in India. YuppTV service is accessible anytime anywhere through Internet in devices like Smart TVs, Smart Phones, Tablets & PC without the need of traditional set ups like antennas & set -top boxes.

KRITI SANON NOT IN YRF’s ‘SULTAN’ AS REPORTED IN DNA AFTER HRS

Kriti Sanon was never offered SULTAN. The actress was not approached or engaged by YRF. So the question of ‘Kriti Sanon refuses to sign contract with YRF for Sultan role.’ does not arise thus making this news completely untrue & misleading. In spite of many rumours to the contrary, SULTAN’s leading lady has not been finalised and we will certainly be happy to make an official announcement once the casting is decided. YRF requests all concerned to refrain from speculating on the cast and to please confirm before carrying any incorrect news.

‘BAJIRAO MASTANI’ WINS BIG AT THE RENAULT SONY GUILD AWARDS 2016 WITH 9 AWARDS

The Renault Sony Guild Awards 2016 was a dazzling, glamorous event held at Reliance Mediaworks, Film City. The Film & Television Producers Guild of India and Wizcraft International Entertainment announced the winners in Indian Cinema for the year 2015. The evening came alive as some of the most prolific names in the Indian film industry lit came together to revel in the success of Hindi Cinema in 2015. BAJIRAO MASTANI took home the highest number of accolades with a total tally of 9 awards including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Design, Best Costume Design, Best Dialogue, Best Choreography, Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Best Actor in Leading Role. BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN won 4 awards including Best Film along with Best Screenplay, Best Story and Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Ranveer Singh won for Best Actor for his performance in BAJIRAO MASTANI while Deepika Padukone walked away with the award for Best Actress in PIKU. Taking the podium as host, the inimitable Kapil Sharma had the audiences in splits as he brought down the house with innumerable jokes. The evening also saw some incredible performances Sonakshi Sinha opened the evening with a fantastic aerial entry and performed to a medley of songs including Desi Kalakkar, DJ Wale Babu, Abhi Toh Party Shuru Hui Hai & Banno Tera Swagger. Kriti Sanon held the audience spell-bound with a stunning performance and Ayushmann Khuranna lit the stage on fire with some incredible moves. Other highlights of the night included the gorgeous Priyanka Chopra who danced to a medley of the best songs from her most successful films including hits like Right Here Right Now, JALWA, ANJAANA ANJAANI, DARLING, DESI GIRL, DIL DHADAKNE DO and the most recent hit Pinga. Celebrating ’25 years of Akshay Kumar’, the star-studded night saw a special tribute to action superstar Akhay Kumar. The long-standing action hero performed to some of his all-time hits including Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast, Aflatoon, Chura Ke Dil Mera, Mehbooba and Tip Tip Barsa Paani. The actor was also presented with a special award which was conferred to him by Anil Kapoor. Jeetendra received a Lifetime Achievement Award that was presented to him by Tusshar Kapoor and Poonam Sinha. Priyanka Chopra walked away with the award for Guild Global Honor for her US debut in QUANTICO and the Guilds President Honor went to Jammu Sugandh. The Best Child Artist award went to Harshali Malhotra for her role in BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN. Special honors were also bestowed on the biggest films of 2015 – BAHUBAALI, TALVAR, AND PIKU and K.A. Abbas honor for social consciousness for NH10. The Renault Sony Guild Awards 2015 was an entertainment powerhouse that unfolded in the presence of the most incredible talent in the film industry. The Renault Sony Guild Awards 2016 will be telecasted on1st January, 2016 at 8pm on Sony Entertainment.

UFO MOVIEZ INDIA LTD CELEBRATES 10 YEARS AS INDIA’S LARGEST SATELLITE-BASED, DIGITAL CINEMA DISTRIBUTION NETWORK

UFO Moviez India Limited, India’s largest digital cinema distribution network and in-cinema advertising platform in terms of number of screens celebrates successful completion of 10 years serving the Film Industry. Since its inception in 2005, UFO Moviez has become synonymous to digital cinema and satellite delivery, has seen overwhelming success in India & abroad and has so far empowered release of over 10,000 films in 22 languages and has conducted over 21 million shows till date. A pioneer in the industry, UFO Moviez has built a tradition of excellence in providing end-to-end, and high quality digital cinema solutions thereby giving an extended reach to movie Producers, Distributors and Exhibitors. UFO Moviez has been instrumental to the phenomenal growth witnessed by the Indian film industry in the last few years.

UFO Moviez has consistently shown commitment to deliver innovative technologies that add value to the entertainment experiences of moviegoers. With the aim to increase film industry’s revenue, UFO Moviez has also come up with synergetic business initiatives like Caravan Talkies & Club Cinema. Under an exclusive arrangement with Impact Media Exchange Limited, UFO Moviez is also marketing an electronic ticketing platform known as the Integrated Media Pact, or “IMPACT”, to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability in movie screening industry. In 2015 over 1500 movies were released on UFO’s revolutionary UFO-M4 platform, and on India’s largest DCI network. Also, over 2000 advertisers leveraged UFO’s digitized screens to reach out to their target audience more effectively. UFO Moviez has created a pan India, high impact in-cinema advertising platform with generally long-term advertising rights to over 3700 screens, with an aggregate seating capacity of approximately 1.80 million viewers per show. As on September 30th, 2015, UFO Moviez, along with its subsidiaries and associates, spans 6,557 screens worldwide, including 4,940 screens across India & Nepal and 1,617 screens Middle East, Israel, Mexico &USA.

HOST THE BOOK LAUNCH OF MOHAMMED RAFI – GOLDEN VOICE OF THE SILVER SCREEN CELEBRATING THE LEGEND’S 91ST BIRTH ANNIVERSARY

Crossword Bookstores hosted the book launch of Om Books International’s Mohammed Rafi- Golden Voice Of The Silver Screen, the only authorized biography of the singer by Sujata Dev at their Kemps Corner outlet today. The guest of honor at the event included the legendary singer’s son Shahid Rafi who interacted with the author and spoke to the audience present about the book and the memories of the celebrated singer. Brimming with nostalgia, the book was launched on the occasion of Mohammed Rafi’s 91st birth anniversary and features interesting anecdotes and stories about one of India’s greatest musicians of all times. Details about Mohammed Rafi: Golden Voice of the Silver Screen. Price: 595.00. Pages- 272. Born in 1924 at Kotla Sultan Singh, a village near Amritsar, Mohammed Rafi, nicknamed ‘Pheeko’, was the second youngest of Hajji Ali Mohammed and Allah Rakhi’s six sons. He started singing early, deeply inspired by the songs of a wandering fakir, in the village. In the 1920s, circumstances compelled Rafi’s father to move to Lahore where he opened a small dhaba. Rafi’s elder brother, Mohammed Deen, started a barber shop in Noor Mohalla, Bhatti Gate in the same city, withRafi lending him a helping hand. Meanwhile, Mohammed Deen’s friend, Abdul Hameed recognised Rafi’s talent and encouraged him to sing. Later, he convinced the reluctant family to allow him to take Rafi to Bombay. In 1944, the two arrived in an alien city from where Mohammed Rafi slowly won over the heart of an entire nation. Mohammed Rafi: Golden Voice of the Silver Screen is the authorized biography of one of India’s most beloved singers.

‘LAALI KI SHAADI MEIN LADDOO DEEWANA’ TO STAR AKSHARA HAASAN & VIVAAN SHAH IN A FRESH TAKE ON LOVE

Akshara Haasan & Vivaan Shah will be seen opposite each other for the 1st time in LAALI KI SHAADI MEIN LADDOO DEEWANA. The film is a vibrant love story, which is written & directed by Rajkumar Santoshi’s long time associate Manish Harishankar, and edited by Steven Bernard. The film, is mix of emotions & comedy follows the journey of its titular characters. It revolves around a royal marriage and some droll characters who are hilariously entrapped in their own emotional tragic situations, including the protagonist Laddoo. The credits of the film are produced by T P Aggarwal & Rahul Aggarwal under the banner Star Entertainment Worldwide Pvt. Ltd, the movie is slated to release in the summer of 2016. The romcom, which has been shot in various locations in Vadodara by cinematographer
Ravi Yadav, will be completed by the end of this month. The producers say, “We liked the plot in the 1st narration itself. After watching the rough cut, we are confident the film is in right hands. The best part is that it is a complete family package.

THEY CAME, THEY ENTERTAINED AND THEY WON BIG AT THE
SANSUI COLORS STARDUST AWARDS

More than 100 members of the Industry attended the Sansui COLORS Stardust Awards held at the Reliance Jio Gardens in Mumbai. Paying homage to the hard work put forth by the Indian Film Industry in 2015, the glitzy awards night witnessed a celebration of the commercially successful & critically acclaimed movies that have set incredibly high benchmarks in the year gone by. The splendid night brought together leading & prominent names from the silver screen, whose entertainment quotient reached unparalleled heights with some spectacular performances. The Red Carpet witnessed the presence of the entire film fraternity, as actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Salman Khan, Anil Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, Sonam Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shahid Kapoor, Parineeti Chopra, Richa Chaddha & Nimrat Kaur, including power couple Nita & Mukesh Ambani came together to applaud the achievements of 2015. Showing true sportsmanship, seasoned cricketers Dilip Vengsarkar & Mohammed Azharuddin along with ace batsman Rohit Sharma also graced the awards night with their presence and spoke about their alliance with Sansui along with Saif Ali Khan. Increasing the viewer engagement quotient, for the 1st time ever a Facebook Live Room was created at the Red Carpet greeting celebrities with an arsenal of questions. This was streamed LIVE on COLORS’ Facebook page as the channel’s viewers and fans tuned in to watch the nervous celebrities face the brunt of some quirky and fun situations. Tickling the funny bone of the audience was Riteish Deshmukh, who was joined by Bollywood’s sarcasm queen Farah Khan. Other hosts who kept the audiences in splits included Nimrat Kaur, Manish Paul & Krushna Abhishek. Further, the red carpet was hosted by Karan Wahi & Aishwarya Sakhuja. The grandeur of the evening was magnified by a volley of superstars who added to the spark of the evening through well – orchestrated performances.

While the Badshah of Bollywood sizzled on stage with his Dilwale co – stars Kajol, Varun Dhawan & Kriti Sanon, Ranveer Singh performed to a royal Malhari act. Arjun Kapoor presented an adrenaline pumping stunts creating a roar of awestruck – ness among the audiences. Other performances that dazzled viewers included those by actors Shahid Kapoor, Sonam Kapoor, Jaqueline Fernandez & Alia Bhatt. Versatile actor Varun Dhawan walked away with the Sansui Entertainer of the Year award owing to his outstanding performances in the year 2015. Giving this year an entertaining end and a terrific kick – start to 2016, The Sansui COLORS Stardust Awards will be televised on 10th Jan, 2016 at 7pm on COLORS!

SONY PICTURES INDIA’S EXCITING 2016 LINE-UP

Sony Pictures India announced a bigger & better 2016 slate with a blockbuster, exciting & diverse line – up driven by big star – led films (Will Smith, George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, Irrfan Khan); films with original story concepts like MONEY MONSTER, THE SHALLOWS, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, Billy Lynn’s LONG HALFTIME WALK and the return of blockbuster franchises like GHOSTBUSTERS, the Dan Brown stories (INFERNO) and UNDERWORLD. Indian audiences are in for a treat. The 2016 line – up is below: CHALK ‘N’ DUSTER (Hindi), a thought – provoking social drama starring Shabana Azmi & Juhi Chawla, THE 5TH WAVE, a large scale visual effects film based on the popular books for young adults, SPOTLIGHT, #1 on Time magazine’s top 10 movies of the year, this Golden Globe – nominated film is based on a true story of Pulitzer prize – winning investigative journalism, CONCUSSION, a film based on a true story starring Will Smith in a Golden Globe – nominated role, MIRACLES FROM HEAVEN, the real – life story of young girl who has a unique medical condition, starring Jennifer Garner, MONEY MONSTER, a thriller directed by Jodie Foster with a stellar cast led by George Clooney & Julia Roberts, THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE, a 3D animated movie based on the popular game, The SHALLOWS, a thriller starring Blake Lively, GHOSTBUSTERS (3D), a reboot of the popular GHOSTBUSTERS franchise, PATIENT ZERO, a zombie thriller starring Natalie Dormer of Game of Thrones fame, THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN, an action adventure directed by Antoine Fuqua with a stellar cast including Vincent D’Onofrio, Chris Pratt, Denzel Washington & Ethan Hawke, Inferno (IMAX) – the new Robert Langdon thriller based on the book by Dan Brown, directed by Oscar-winning director Ron Howard and starring Tom Hanks; featuring Indian actor Irrfan Khan in an important role, UNDERWORLD 5 (3D), 5th instalment of the vampire – werewolf franchise which expands the existing universe, Billy Lynn’s LONG HALFTIME WALK (3D), an infantryman recounts the final hours before he & his fellow soldiers return to Iraq; starring Vin Diesel & directed by Ang Lee in the ultra – high frame rate of 120 frames per second & PASSENGERS, A sci – fi adventure starring Hollywood’s hottest talent, Chris Pratt & Jennifer Lawrence. 2017 continues in the same vein with more new films with franchise potential (THE DARK TOWER, UNCHARTED), established franchises (BAD BOYS 3, RESIDENT EVIL 6, BARBIE, an animated SMURFS movie, the next SPIDER-MAN film, The Equalizer 2), and original films such as BABY DRIVER & THE LAMB.

ULTRA MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT PVT LTD ACQUIRES THE ENTIRE COLLECTION OF 80 CHILDREN FILM TITLES FROM “CHILDREN’S FILM SOCIETY, INDIA” FOR GLOBAL DISTRIBUTION

The illustrious library of 80 titles includes some very famous & highly acclaimed gems like :THE GOAL, KARAMATI COAT, CHHOTA SIPAHI, BAL SHIVAJI, DHOOMKETU, DAK GHAR, EK TUKRA CHAAND, KABHI PAAS KABHI FAIL, LUKKA CHUPPI, RIKKI TIKKI TAVI and many more. Ultra will revive the magic of these renowned films again in India & overseas. There is a huge set of audience both children & elders who have not seen these films either in theatrical or other platforms in India. There also is a huge demand for these films in overseas amongst both the Indian diaspora & the mainstream audiences. Currently the company is in discussion with various media companies for global distribution of these films. Ultra has always been in the forefront in promoting children films. In the recent past the company had produced JALPARI – THE DESERT MERMAID, which had a successful theatrical run in India and had been screened in many International film festivals worldwide and have won 3 prestigious awards. Ultra also had acquired & distributed a highly acclaimed film I AM KALAAM. The film along with being a great hit in theatres has also been screened in more than 60 International film festivals, winning 21 International & 1 national award. The company also had been acquiring many children centric feature films & animation series from overseas markets and dubbing them in various Indian languages for distribution in the Indian market. The Content library of Ultra also has a large number of well known children TV series like RAJA AND RANCHO, SHAKTIMAN etc. The company currently provides end to end solutions for the Films & Television Industry globally. Currently it pioneers in the business of Copyrights Acquisition & Distribution of various media rights of Indian & International films, Television Programs, Animation & other content in various genres & languages. It has a prestigious and a valuable library consists of over 1500 titles comprising of blockbuster Indian Films, television serials and other contents.

EROS INTERNATIONAL FILMS WIN BIG AT THE PRESTIGIOUS SONY GUILD AWARDS 2015

With the onset of the awards season, it’s honours galore for Eros International’s 2015 releases. India’s leading film studio that gave audiences the largest number of blockbusters this year along with critically acclaimed films such as BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN, TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS, BADLAPUR, NH10 and have just ended the year with their crowning glory, BAJIRAO MASTANI announced a clean sweep and an outstanding total of 16 awards for their films at the prestigious Sony Guild Awards held recently in Mumbai. Eros’ latest epic Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnum opus BAJIRAO MASTANI that released on 18th Dec, 2015 to thundering applause from media & audiences worldwide won a grand total of 9 awards. Sanjay Leela Bhansali won Best Director & Ranveer Singh took home the Best Actor Award. The film also won Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, Best Sound Design, Best Costume Design, Best Dialogue, Best Choreography & Best Actor in a Supporting Role. The biggest blockbuster of 2015, Salman Khan’s BAJRANGI BHAIJAAN won 5 awards including Best Film, Best Screenplay, Best Story, Best Actor in a Supporting Role & Best Child Artist. While Deepak Dobriyal of TANU WEDS MANU RETURNS, the super hit family entertainer, grabbed an award for Best actor in a Comic Role, Nawazuddin Siddiqui won Best Actor in a Negative Role for BADLAPUR. With an unparalleled number of critically & commercially successful films this year, Eros International films continue to dominate the awards and the box office charts. With the Guild Awards opening the awards season, 2015 is definitely Eros International’s year of glory as the appreciation and the awards keep pouring in.

OMUNG KUMAR’S ‘SARBJIT’ GOES ON FLOOR

The much awaited film SARBJIT which is a biopic on the slain prisoner Sarbjit Singh has gone on the floors with its 1st Schedule in Mumbai on 14th Dec, 2015 . The said biopic is the 2nd directorial venture of the National Award winning director Omung Kumar and stars the enigmatic Aishwarya Rai Bachchan as Dalbir Kaur, well celebrated actor; Randeep Hooda as Sarabjit Singh; the power packed performer Riccha Chadda as Sarbjit’s wife & Darshan Kumaar as Sarbjit’s lawyer. The film has been in the news lately owing to its strong casting progression; and the cast has finally after many months of intense pre – production taken their characters on floor. The film is divided into a vast schedule which includes shooting in Mumbai from Dec, 2015 then moving on to shoot in various cities of Punjab like Amritsar, Malerkotla, Bhikipind & Patiala in the month of Jan, 2015 and finally the last leg of the schedule will be shot in Delhi in the month of Feb, 2015. SARBJIT is Produced by Sandeep Singh, Omung Kumar & Vashu Bhagnani. The credits of the film are script by Rajesh Beri & Utkarshini Vashishtha, directed by Omung Kumar, cinematography by Kiran Deohans, production design by Vanitha Kumar, creative director is Sandeep singh, costumes designed by Shaahid Amir & Neetu Singh & creative producer is Akshay Balsaraf. SARBJIT is slated to release on the 20th May, 2016 with its premiere to be held at the well acclaimed Cannes Film Festival.

‘BAADSHAHO’ TO RELEASE ON REPUBLIC DAY – 26TH JAN 2017

Ajay Devgn will be seen in Milan Luthria’s BAADSHAHO presented by Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd & Milan Luthria Films Pvt Ltd. The movie which is touted to be an action thriller, has sealed one of the most important dates of the year it is all set to hit the screens on 26th Jan, 2017. BAADSHAHO stars Ajay Devgn – Devgn & Luthria have previously worked together on KACCHE DHAAGE, CHORI CHORI & ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI. The film will see music baron Bhushan Kumar & Milan Luthria in their 1st joint production. However, the duo have come together earlier for brilliant music collaboration in the past with film like ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI & THE DIRTY PICTURE. Presented by Super Cassettes Industries Pvt Ltd & Milan Luthria Films Pvt Ltd, Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar & Milan Luthria, directed by Milan Luthria BAADSHAHO is all set to release on 26th Jan, 2017.

UNITED MEDIAWORKS & K SERA SERA JOIN HANDS TO MERGE THEIR OPERATIONS

K Sera Sera (KSS) Digital Cinema Private Limited & United MediaWorks (UMW) have joined forces to become the 3rd largest digital cinema player in the country. The 2 companies have decided to integrate their full operations & technology and use their combined energies to develop & consolidate their market position. Post the merger across content, technology & operations, the new venture will serve their existing 600 digital cinema theatres across the country. KSS’s Satish Panchariya will be the Chairman of the new company & UMW’s Ashish Bhandari will be the Managing Director. To fuel their expansion plans, both the companies plan to invest INR 100 crores over the next 2 to 3 years. This investment will be used to build state – of – art & scalable digital cinema technology and on ground servicing, while assisting in digital content security & distribution of the films. Over the next 2 years, the joint venture is aiming to capture 25% market share with presence in 2000 screens across India. As part of their growth strategy, the 2 companies aim at reaching out to advertisers, targeting both, national & regional players and offer them pan India reach. Both the companies are working together to build a common technology platform for content acquisition, content processing & field servicing. The new platform will not only provide cost effective solutions to both multiplexes & single screen theatres, but also offer advertisers a wide reach across the country for better ROIs. Additionally, the companies will mutually work towards delivering best quality services and reaching out to the untapped market segments of India. They intend to serve the Indian cinema industry with best products & services. The existing workforce will remain unaffected in both the companies. United Mediaworks has a strong presence in Bihar, Jharkhand, UP, Gujarat, West Bengal & Karnataka. Whereas K Sera Sera is present in the entire Hindi belt including Delhi, UP, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh & Andhra Pradesh. Going forward the new venture will look at capturing more markets across southern & eastern India.

NASEERUDDIN SHAH & ARSHAD WARSI TOGETHER FOR ‘IRADA‘

Naseeruddin Shah & Arshad Warsi shared great camaraderie in ISHQIYA & DEDH ISHIQYA. The 2 talented actors who have given some power packed performances in the past, will soon be back on the silver screen together in a film titled IRADA. The man behind getting these 2 actors together who will be pitted against each other is none other than lyricist Sameer Anjaan. The film revolves around a social issue and will be helmed by debutant directors Aparna Singh & Nishant Tripathi. The movie is presented by Irada Entertainment & produced by Falguni Patel & Prince Soni & slated to release in the winter of 2016.

TISCA BAGS BEST ACTRESS AWARD FOR ‘RAHASYA’

Tisca Chopra has recently bagged “Best Actress” award for Most Entertaining Actor in Thriller for RAHASYA. “Doing a film like RAHASYA is a reward in itself. The “Best Actress” award (Most Entertaining Actor – female in a Thriller) is like the icing on the cake, more so, since it’s not for a big ticket film, but a small film that almost didn’t get released,” says Tisca.The versatile actress who made her mark with films like TAARE ZAMEEN PAR & QISSA, amongst others, has also proven her mettle in South & Marathi film industry, garnering accolades for her power packed performances with each big screen outing. Tisca will next be seen in GHAYAL ONCE AGAIN & LOVESHUDA.

‘DO LAFZON KI KAHANI’S TRAILER ATTACHED TO ‘BAJIRAO MASTANI’

Presented by Eros International worldwide DO LAFZON KI KAHANI directed by Deepak Tijori starring Randeep Hooda & Kajal Aggarwal’s upcoming trailer attached to BAJIRAO MASTANI. The film has a unique pairing of Randeep & Kajal which has extensively been shot in Malaysia. BAJIRAO MASTANI has hit the screens on this week and Deepak didn’t want to miss the opportunity of getting his film’s trailer attached to this magnum opus film. There were many films which were eyeing to get their trailer attached, but it was Deepak who made his films trailer to the final cut. The film is currently in its post production stage and is scheduled to release early next year.

SIDDHARTH MAHADEVAN CREATING WAVES ONCE AGAIN WITH ‘DILWALE’
After giving huge hits like “Pehli Baar” in DIL DHADAKNE DO & “Sarphira” of KATTI BATTI , Siddharth Mahadevan is all set to create waves with Shah Rukh Khans DILWALE song called “Tukur Tukur” . It is the next party anthem of the youth and is soon topping the charts with his magical voice. His high energy voice had created sensation with his debut called “Zinda” for Farhan Akhtar starrer BHAAG MILKHA BHAAG. Followed up with his quick contributions in films such as MALANG, DHOOM 3, DHUAN, D – DAY , HULLA RE, 2 STATES amongst others.

HIT SHARMA, GRAPHIC INDIA & ISM KOMIX PARTNER ON A NEW DIGITAL COMIC SERIES, “HYPER TYGERS” CREATING INDIA’S 1ST ENVIRONMENTAL SUPERHERO TEAM

Graphic India, UK based, ISM Komix & Cornerstone Sport, announced today that leading cricket sports hero, Rohit Sharma, are launching a new environmental superhero team called, “HYPER TYGERS.” The digital comic will be free to read on all devices from 1st Feb, 2016 through Sharma’s Facebook page & the Graphic POP! Mobile app. With the world and its leaders focused on the Environment and saving our planet, Mr. Modi has called for “Climate Justice” & “working towards a greener future” whilst UK PM David Cameron has said this is “a moment to remember and a huge step forward in helping to secure the future of our planet.” This calls for superheroes! Now India and the UK have teamed up to create India’s 1st environmental superheroes the Green Tyger & the Hyper Tygers. Hyper Tygers & the Green Tyger are looking for corporate (including CSR), commercial, digital & marketing sponsors who share their ambition of promoting environmental awareness & positive social change. Hyper Tygers is set in a futuristic India in the year 2077, charting the meteoric rise of a small Indian rural community and their cricket team, including their mysterious hero the Green Tyger. We follow the Hyper Tygers astronomic journey to become the greatest Hyper Cricket team in the world. It’s a rags to riches story, addressing many of the environmental & social growing pains that India & the world are undergoing as rural meets mega city, tradition clashes with future technology, class lines blur and corporations put profit over people and the environment. The enigmatic hero of the story is a masked & rebellious cricketer known only as the Green Tyger, with amazing super powers tied to the nature & the earth. Playing in the Hyper Cricket League, fighting against injustice & saving the environment from Mr. X and the monstrous terrors created from his dreaded Shadow Corporation, experience the rise of India’s new heroes & the birth of a legendary team. For Hyper Tygers, which will be launched in India & UK, Graphic India is partnered with ISM Komix, a UK based company founded by Thomas Ehret & Debbie Mason, focussed on producing digitally focused sports media to promote positive social change & awareness through sport. The Hyper Tygers characters & story were created by acclaimed UK creators, Steve Salem & Xan Morgan, with the comic series written by novelist & author, Sarwat Chadda & illustrated by acclaimed Graphic India artist, Edison George. Hyper Tygers is also developing original storylines with UK charity Elephant Family, founded by Mark Shand, brother of the Duchess of Cornwall who the Charity counts as it Royal President along with HRH The Prince of Wales. Hyper Tygers will launch in Jan, 2016 as a free weekly English & Hindi digital comic series made available on Rohit Sharma’s Facebook page, reaching his 7.5 Million fans, through the specially created, Graphic POP! Facebook app, which was created in partnership with Facebook by Graphic India. The comic series will also be available on the Graphic India iOS & Android apps as well as converted into a series of digital motion comics, which will be distributed on leading digital video platforms throughout India. A mobile game will also be released at the beginning of the year.ISM Komix & Graphic India will also be planning a worldwide animation, digital video & gaming strategy around Hyper Tygers to reach cricket audiences across numerous media platforms around the world.

UNIVERSAL PICTURES & AMBLIN PARTNERS ANNOUNCE MULTI – YEAR FILM PARTNERSHIP

Universal Pictures & Amblin Partners, a new company announced today by DreamWorks Studios, Participant Media, Reliance Entertainment & Entertainment One (eOne), will enter into a multi – year partnership in which Universal will market & distribute films produced by Amblin Partners domestically and in select international territories. The recent announcement was made by Chairman, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group, Jeff Shell; Chairman, Universal Pictures, Donna Langley; Amblin Partners Founder, Steven Spielberg & Participant Media Chairman, Jeff Skoll. Under terms of the agreement, Universal Pictures & Focus Features will handle distribution & marketing for approximately 4 to 7 Amblin Partners films each year. The 1st title, THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, will be released in Oct, 2016.

CHHOTA BHEEM HAS A BRAND NEW AVATAR FOR HIS UPCOMING FILM ‘CHHOTA BHEEM – HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE’

India’s favourite laddoo loving superhero, Chhota Bheem is the country’s most beloved cartoon character and the apparel, toys, games, comic books, stationery and other merchandise is a testimony to the Chhota Bheem’s popularity. This winter, Chhota Bheem will be seen in a completely new and stylish avatar in CHHOTA BHEEM – HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE, the official trailer for which was recently released. The storyline follows Bheem to the snow capped Himalayan Mountains where he will not only enjoy some snow filled adventures but also take on the evil dacoit, Hidimbak. In keeping with the plot of the film, Chhota Bheem’s character was given a stylish new look and a lot of research went into this. The team who worked on the film even visited the Himalayas to study local customs & traditions in order to breathe life into the script. Not only will Bheem’s friends, Chutki, Raju, Jaggu, Kalia, Dholu and Bholu join him on this Himalayan Adventure but they will also have their own jacket, scarf & warm mitten clad looks. Audiences can watch Chhota Bheem in an action packed & thrilling mountain adventure when CHHOTA BHEEM – HIMALAYAN ADVENTURE releases on 8th Jan, 2016.

INDIAN CINEMA TO BE HONORED BY LUMINARIES OF THE FILM INDUSTRY: 11TH EDITION OF RENAULT SONY GUILD FILM AWARDS ANNOUNCED

Celebrating excellence in cinema, The Film & Television Producers Guild of India has announced the 11th Edition of Renault Sony Guild Film Awards. The Guild constitutes of the most influential luminaries in cinema who select winners, making it one of the most credible and much revered accolades. The extravaganza will unfold with New Year Celebrations in Jan, 2016 and will be broadcast exclusively on Sony Entertainment Television. Bollywood superstars Akshay Kumar, Priyanka Chopra, Shahid Kapoor, Ayushmann Khuranna, Kriti Sanon & Sonakshi Sinha feature among other star performers who will set the stage on fire with one incredible act after another. After a successful hosting stint last year, television’s superstar comedian Kapil Sharma will don the host’s hat once again and entertain the audiences with his unbeatable comic timing. Instituted to celebrate exceptional achievements in Indian Cinema, the film fraternity will congregate, once again this year, to celebrate & honour the best contributions & accomplishments in the industry and to celebrate their work in the previous year. The Sony Guild Awards honour excellence in the creative as well as technical categories. Conceptualized, produced, marketed & promoted by Wizcraft International Entertainment, the Awards will bring together the most celebrated stars of Indian Television & Cinema on one spectacularly star – studded stage. It is the only Award that does not allow the general public to be part of the voting process in keeping with its policy of ‘By the Industry, For the Industry’. The Guild consists of over 160 members, who constitute some of the most powerful & influential luminaries in its sector. The winners of the Awards are chosen by the Guild’s members, making it one of the most credible and much revered accolades. Established in 1954 by the stalwarts of the Indian film industry including B.N. Sircar, S. Mukherjee, The Film & TV Producers Guild is today the most progressive body in show business. From renowned film makers / production houses like Yashraj films, Ramesh Sippy, Mukesh Bhatt, Subhash Ghai, Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rakesh Roshan, AB Corp, Prakash Jha, Eros entertainment, Excel Entertainment ; to the young brigade of Aditya Chopra, Karan Johar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Farhan Akhtar, Raj Kumar Hirani, Kunal Kohli, Rohan Sippy, Ritesh Batra, Guneet Monga etc. to stars turned producers like Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Anil Kapoor, Anupam Kher, Anushka Sharma; to new diversified media companies like Disney – UTV, Reliance Entertainment, Balaji telefilms, PVR, Viacom 18, Fox Star Studios; to the film makers of international stature from the East & the South such as Mrinal Sen, Goutam Ghose, D. Suresh Babu, etc., to leading TV production houses like Star TV, Colors, Sony TV, all are symbols of the Indian filmed content. Over the years, the Guild has also been instrumental in organizing fund raisers such as “Saath Hain Hum – Uttarakhand” & “Hum Hain…….Ummeed – E – Kashmir’ in aid of victims & seminars & conventions with influential trade bodies like FICCI & CII. Also, the Guild has instituted Annual Awards for excellence in film & television, an award by the industry, for the industry & of the industry.

PANORAMA STUDIOS & PEN MOVIES ACQUIRE ALL INDIA RIGHTS OF ‘MASTIZAADE’ FOR THEATRICAL DISTRIBUTION

Panorama Studios & Pen Movies have acquired the all India rights of theatrical distribution of Pritish Nandy Communications produced MASTIZAADE starring Sunny Leone, Tusshar Kapoor featuring a special appearance by Ritesh Deshmukh & directed by Milap Zaveri. Fresh from the success of PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA 2, Panorama Studios have also distributed GABBAR IS BACK, ALONE, SINGHAM RETURNS & produced films like SPECIAL 26, DRISHYAM &PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA franchise.

REGIONAL FILM NEWS

‘KHAKI VARDIWALA’ RELEASING ON 1ST JAN, 2016 IN MUMBAI

After success in Bihar, Avinash Film Productions KHAKI VARDIWALA is now going to be released in Mumbai on 1st Jan, 2016. The film is being produced by Dr. S. D. Gautam & directed by Meraj Khan. The film is written by Nanhe Pandey, music by Anuj Tiwari, lyrics by Jahid Akhtar, Durgavati & Pyarelal “Kavi”, choreography by Ashok – Mayank, Santosh Kumar & Ram Devan, action by Dilip Yadav, editing by Jitendra Singh ‘Jitu’, cinematography by Dilip John, Sahil Ansari & Jagvinder Hundal. Co – Producer: Maya Gautam. It stars Viraj Bhatt, Madhuri Mishra, Ayaz Khan, Sanjay Pandey, Manoj Tiger, Brajesh Tripathi, Rajkapoor Shahi, Gopal Rai, Kokila Yadav, Shankar Dayal Gautam, Prerna Sharma, Gaffar Khan & Seema Singh.

‘SHAHER MASEEHA NAHI’ SHAYMALA MUSIC ACQUIRED AUDIO-VIDEO RIGHTS

Shaymala Music has acquired Audio – Video rights of Omkaar Film & Television Production’s SHAHER MASEEHA NAHI (Based on Dr. Arunendra Bharti’s Novel). The film is being produced by Rajan Kumar & directed by Amar Vatsa from his own screenplay. It has music by Prekhar Verma, lyrics by Dheeraj Kumar & Dr. Arunendra Bharti, choreography by Rajesh Sharwana Padwale, Manoj & Kala Reddy, editing by Sandeep Mishra, art by Yogesh Shilke, editing by Sandeep Mishra, cinematography by Biswajit Das, action by Tinu Verma & creative head is Virendra Verma. It stars Rajan Kumar, Trisha Khan, Poonam Kapri, Riya Bharti, Asha Kapri, Shradha, Aatish Kumar Sinha, Ritesh Dhawan, Mohammed Hasim Khan, Inder Upadhyay, Komal, Rajesh Khanna, Jitendra Yadav, Yog Guru Swami Ranjan Ji, Baby Charmi, Baby Kalyani & Master Rajveer.

‘PILANTRRU’ RELEASED THIS WEEK

Shilpa S. Movies’ presentation PILANTRRU released this week on 18th Dec, 2015 at Imperial Cinema, Grant Road, Mumbai with a crowed opening. The film is being produced by Shilpa Subhash Duragkar & directed by Sanjiv Yashwant Kolte. This film is based on the story written by Gayatry Kolte Muley & screenplay – dialogues by Sanjiv Y. Kolte. It has music by Aman Shlok, lyrics by Nitin Naigaonkar, editing by Sachin Natekar, art by Nana Misal and cinematography by Raj Erani. It stars Prabhakar Aambone, Vatsal Polkarmvar Aambone, Mahesh Paturkar, Niranjan Kokar Dekar, Navin, Mahesh Raipurkar, Sachin Giri, Anand Deep Peshwani & Chinmay Deshkar as Pilantrru.