The 1st ever look of Subi Films Production’s KAHANI KASHI KI has been out recently. The film is being produced by Binita Kumar Kushwaha, directed by Rajesh Sinha, music by Nirmal Agastya, Vinod & Pritesh Pandey, singers are Indu Sonali, Mohan Rathod, Khushboo Jain, Mamta Raut, Rakesh Mishra, Satyam Prakash & Shanu Syed. It stars Anand Dev Mishra, Koyal Banerjee, Sunil Bihari, Mithlesh Suman, Subhash Kumar, Anushka Verma, Ashok Akhouri et al.

GANGA KI BETI – EK JALPARI Editing Starts

The editing of Mita Productions’ GANGA KI BETI – EK JALPARI” has started at PNP Studio, under the supervision of Editor Nakul Prasad. The film is being produced by Dr. Amit Kumar, written & directed by Kumar Vikal, music by Aman Shlok, lyrics by Santosh Puri, choreography by Prasun Yadav, action by Pradeep Khadka & cinematography by Rajesh Kanojia. It stars Rakesh Mishra, Gunjan Pant, Sachit Kumar, Shivangi Shahi, Ashok Akhori, Nisha Singh, Shweta Verma, Narendra Kapsine, Subhash Kumar, Manoj Sinha, Anand Mohan, Sajjan Kumar, K. K. Goswami, Brijesh Tripathi, Baby Tanya & above all Master Dipanshu.

JAAN TU BEWAFA BADU Censored with “UA” Certificate

Abhimanyu Film’s JAAN TU BEWAFA BADU has been passed by Censor Board Of Film Certification (CBFC) with “UA” certificate recently. The film is being produced by Abhimanyu Singh, written & directed by Rajendra Pandey (Raaj), music by Aman Shlok, lyrics by Dharmendra Ehsaas, Muni Lal & Santosh Puri, choreography by Kedar Subba, editing by Azim, action by Pradip Khadka & cinematography by Masood Qureshi. It stars, new find Amit Kumar Mangal, Afsar Khan, Sahiba, Neelima Pandey, Pankaj Singh, Sunita Singh, Ila Pandey et al.

PATNA WALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE Applied for Censor

Shree Kamala Film’s PATNAWALE DULHANIYA LE JAYENGE has been applied to the Censors for the certification process recently. The film is being Produced by Keshari Nath, directed by Sanjay Kumar Sinha, written by Jeetendra Suman, music by Aman Shlok, lyrics by Santosh Puri, action by Pradip Khadka, editing by Govind Dubey, choreography by Kedar Subba & Cinematography by Saanu Sinha. It stars Gunjan Pant, Kalpana Shah, Kirshore Singh “Munna”, Kritn Ajitesh, Bipin Kumar, Ramesh Singh, Rahul Shrivastava, Om Kapoor, Jayant Kumar, Rupa Singh, Subodh Seth, Santosh Sinha, Ashok Gupta, Brijesh Kumar, Chhaya, Amar Singh, Ekta Verma & Seema Singh.

by Rizwan Asad, Faizan Rizwan & Shaheen Raaj

Superstar Mahesh Babu’s forthcoming Telugu & Tamil bilingual spy thriller SPYDER is all set to be released in over 250 screens all over the Karnataka State, making it the biggest ever release in Superstar Mahesh Babu’s Telugu film career.

A grand Cocktail & Dinner function was organized on a Saturday night (24th Sept, 2017) @ Le Meridian’s Ballroom to showcase the trailer, the promos & the songs of Superstar Mahesh Babu’s soon to be released spy thriller named SPYDER, a Tamil & Telugu bilingual.

The grand event organized by the distributors (Goldie Films – Bengaluru, Karnataka) was graced by none other than its lead actor namely Superstar Mahesh Babu, the hunky, the handsomest & the heartthrob of millions of fans of the Southern Film industry including the ones in the National & the International arena, the charming & the beautiful actress namely Rakul Preet Singh & above all the humble & the boy – next – door director A R Murgadoss followed by the exhibitors & the distributors hailing from all over Karnataka.

The surprising & the eye pleasing screening of the trailer, the promos & the songs was followed by the Q&A session which Superstar Mahesh Babu, actress Rakul Preet Singh & director A R Murgadoss fielded very gracefully topped with absolute honesty.

To set the ball rolling in the gathering’s court Superstar Mahesh Babu averred, “SPYDER for me was the most thrilling, the most amazing, the most mind blowing, the most super spydi I mean the most super speedy & obviously the most difficult experience of my Telugu film career. And the most difficult part was shooting for the Tamil version and also shooting simultaneously for the Telugu version of SPYDER. This was the 1st ever time that I was shooting for a Tamil film and only I know what I went through to achieve that perfection & finesse that I have always succeeded in displaying so often in all my Telugu films. In Fact my Telugu film journey right from my debut film Murari to SPYDER was really very exciting, very enriching, very enlightening, very exhausting & above all very satisfying. I feel absolutely contented. And I was also happy, although reluctantly, doing a few Telugu films as a child artiste too. Here I would also like to squash all the rumors once & for all that I have no intention whatsover to mark my entry in the Bollywoodian arena. I have enough of work in Telugu films to even last me for a life time. I will never ever do a Bollywood film, no matter how tempting the offer is. Besides It has been a very good experience of working with Rakul Preet Singh. She has proved to be an amazing & a lovely person as a co – star. That apart I feel at a loss for words to describe the dedication & the perfection of A R Murgadoss Sir. I also feel that the 5 BEST movies of my Telugu film career were Srimanthudu, Okkadu, Pokiri, Dookudu and now of course SPYDER. I also take this opportunity to profusely thank all the organizations who have bestowed on me the National & the International awards galore. And last but not the least I wish to thank all my beloved global fans who have always encouraged me to give off my best and a special thanks to my Southern fans who have bestowed on me the title of “Prince”. And I shall also remain forever indebted to all my Bengaluru fans who have always welcomed me with open arms and given me all their love whenever I have come here to promote my films. It has always given me great pleasure to visit Bengaluru time & again to meet my lovely Bangalorean fans. Namaskara!!!!!

Rakul Preet Singh also thanked the gathering and fondly remembered her birth place Bengaluru and how she undertook her filmic journey from Bollywood to Southern films. She also took pleasure in describing her experience of working in SPYDER with a super co – star like Superstar Mahesh Babu and also recalling her washroom nightmare while shooting for the film SPYDER. She ended her conversation by stating that it was an absolute pleasure of working in SPYDER with a great albeit the most dedicated, humble, modest & the finest director like A R Murgadoss Sir.

On the other hand the so called humble & modest director A R Murgadoss thanked the gathering and especially the fans all over Karnataka for receiving all their love for all his films. He ended by stating that SPYDER will prove to be a very exciting, a very entertaining & a very adventurous film for them and also urged them to mark the D – Day of SPYDER’s global release on 27th Sept, 2017 in their good cinema viewing calendar.

To end the SPYDER event on a happy & an enjoyable note Goldie Films, the Karnataka. Distributor of the film, stated that already 250 screens all over Karnataka have been locked so far for the release of SPYDER in Telegu, Tamil & the dubbed Malayalam version and that SPYDER would prove to be the 2nd biggest Telugu release after Baahubali 2, which was also released by Goldie Films in over 350 screens all over the Karnataka State.

Incidentally speaking in SPYDER, the dashing & the debonair Superstar Mahesh Babu plays an Intelligence Bureau officer and is directed by A R Murugadoss. The project also marks the 1st time ever collaboration of Super director A R Murugadoss & Superstar Mahesh Babu.

SPYDER has been produced by Tagore Madhu & N V Prasad besides the film is tipped to be made on a lavish budget of approximately 120 crores while SPYDER is based on bio -terrorism and it also features actor – filmmaker S J Suryah as the antagonist. Rakul Preet Singh plays the leading lady. That apart SPYDER is a Harris Jayraj musical soiree.

So watch out for your most favorite Superstar Mahesh Babu’s SPYDER, which is all set to hit the celluloid silver screens on the 27th of Sept, 2017 worldwide.

After vowing audiences Internationally, director Gajendra Ahire’s Marathi film, The Silence featuring Nagraj Manjule, Anjali Patil & Raghubir Yadav produced by SMR films all set to be released In India on 6th Oct, 2017 The Silence will be released all over India with English subtitles, Come 6th Oct, 2017 and Indian audiences will finally get to watch director Gajendra Ahire’s The Silence, a powerful drama featuring Nagraj Manjule (Sairat & Fandry fame), Anjali Patil (With You Or Without You – Mirzya – Chakravyuh fame), Kadambari Kadam (Kshanbhar Vishranti & Aghaat fame), Mugdha Chaphekar (small screen serial Dharti Ka Veer Yoddha Prithviraj Chauhan fame), Vedashree Mahajan & Raghubir Yadav (Lagaan – Piku – Peepli Live fame) in pivotal roles.

The Silence is a Marathi film with English subtitles and has also been made in Hindi. The Silence which won laurels at several International Film Festivals is now all set for a theatrical release. Its list of awards include the “Best Child Actor” award (for Vedashree Mahajan) at the 16th New York Indian Film Festival, “The German Star Of India” (for Gajendra Ahire) at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart 2015, “Best Screenplay” & “Best Debut Actress” award (for Anjali Patil) at the Karrm Filmfare Marathi Awards 2016 & “Best Child Actress” award for (for Vedashree Mahajan) & “Best Debut Actress” award (For Anjali Patil) at the Maharashtra State Awards 2016.

The Marathi version of the film The Silence will be released on 6th Oct, 2017 in cinemas across Maharashtra with other states & the Hindi version following suit soon.

The Silence was also an official selection at The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) Goa (in Indian Panorama) 2015, Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2015, Bengaluru International Film Festival 2016 (BIFFES) & Imagine India International Film Festival Spain 2016.

The Silence produced by SMR Films & directed by Gajendra Ahire (of Postcard & Touring Talkies fame) is based on a true story. The narrative of The Silence revolves around a little girl Chinni who’s grown up in a rural area. Circumstances force Chinni’s father to send her to her uncle in a nearby town and then life takes a drastic & unexpected turn.

Blending the past & the present and with a forceful drama, The Silence tackles the crucial & the taboo topic of sexual assault & its aftermath, thereby tracing the recurring question of the responsibility or the silence.

The story & the screenplay of The Silence is written by Ashwini Sidwani and features music by Indian Ocean (of Black Friday & Masaan fame). Besides writing the story & the screenplay, Ashwini Sidwani has also produced the film along with Arpan Bhukhanwala and is the debut production of their banner SMR Films. The story idea of The Silence emerged when Ashwini Sidwani met a lawyer named Pooja Khote who had fought the case of the real life victim who inspired the film.

Ashwini Sidwani avers, “I was writing a TV show on domestic violence called Nyaay and that’s when I got to know about this case and wrote a script on it. We felt only the format of the film can do justice to this story. Films that deal with the theme of rape rarely focus on the victim’s trauma & the stigma that gets attached with them. While writing the script, I visited asylums, hospitals, jails et al to understand the psyche of a rapist and what a victim undergoes. I realized that the perpetrators are as normal as any other individual. Rape does not have anything to do with sex or lust. It is about opportunity & power.”

Producer Apan Bhukhanwala avers, “Rapists are normal people. They do not wear flashy clothes and do not have a physically overpowering presence. In most cases, we have seen that rapists are very normal people. And in such cases, not just the victims, their families also go through difficulties. Besides facing the trauma, the victims often end up blaming themselves, their clothes or the fact that they venture out at odd hours.”

Director Gajendra Ahire avers, “The movie challenges the notion that the victim is at fault. It’s not her fault that she goes out in darkness to answer nature’s call and gets assaulted. It’s not her fault she has to use the crowded public transport and it’s certainly not her fault when her father or her uncle takes advantage of her.”

Director Nagraj Manjule who is known for directing the critically & the commercially acclaimed Fandry & Sairat appears in a prominent role in the movie. The film also marks the Marathi debut of National Award winning actress Anjali Patil.

Nagraj Manjule avers, “Gajendra Ahire ji had narrated the script to me and I found it extremely powerful. Moreover it also gave me an opportunity to work with some the fantastic actors like Anjali Patil & Raghubir Yadav. This coupled with my role which I thought was very interesting motivated my decision to act in the film.”

Yash Raj Films recently bagged a prestigious award of being chosen as India’s #1
Film Production House Brand by Leading Research Report (LRR).

It is well – known that Yash Raj Films is synonymous to a legacy of quality cinema & wholesome entertainment in India. Now, the Media Research Group (MRG) has gone 1 step ahead and selected Yash Raj Films (YRF) banner as India’s #1 Brand 2017 based on the outcome of its insightful Brand Research Report (BRR).

It is a unique recognition of the success & the ingenuity of growing brands that contribute to the Indian economy and the nation’s global image. Yash Raj Films (YRF) has been chosen as the #1 brand amongst the film production houses by the peers & the consumers. As the one chosen in the production house category, the banner holds the prestigious place amongst the blue chip companies & the leading consumer brands from India.

Previously too, Yash Raj Films (YRF) was awarded the “Most Trusted Film Production House In Asia” award for 2016 by IBC Media and was also honored with “India’s Most Trusted Brand” award consecutively in 2016 & 2015, by IBC Media, a global brand consultancy in Bangkok. With this recognition, Yash Raj Films (YRF) reiterates its position as the most recognized & the most trusted Indian cinema brand worldwide once again.

Banner: Sony Pictures Networks Productions, Sunny Sounds Pvt Ltd & Affluence Movie Pvt Ltd
Producer: Sunny Sounds Pvt Ltd, Shreyas Talpade & Deepti Talpade
Director: Shreyas Talpade
Star Cast: Sunny Deol, Bobby Deol, Shreyas Talpade, Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Kunal Khemu, Parineeti chopra, Rohit Shetty, Sonali Kulkarni, Tripti Dimri, Randheer Rai, Raashul Tandon, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Elli Avram, Samiksha Bhatnagar, Bharati Achrekar, Sachin Khedekar, Murali Sharma, Ashwini Kalsekar, Jitendra Joshi, Ravi Jhankal et al
Music: Tanishk Bagchi

Actor turned debut director Shreyas Talpade makes quite an impact in his debut directorial offering Poster Boys which also happens to be inspired by a Marathi film of the same name. That apart Shreyas Talpade also happens to be inspired by films of the recent past based on equally novel themes like Vicky Donor (2012) which had proved that one can make great films on taboo or uncomfortable subjects if treated well and inspired by Vicky Donor’s success, other films were Piku (dealt with constipation) and the recently released films like Toilet – Ek Prem Katha (open defecation) & Shubh Mangal Saavdhaan (erectile dysfunction) which also tackled similar topics and succeeded big time. And now Shreyas Talpade’s film Poster Boys is another such film as it deals with vasectomy.

The scripted scenario of Poster Boys reveals that it is the story of 3 men whose lives turn upside down for no fault of theirs. Vinay Sharma (Bobby Deol) is a docile school teacher, Arjun Singh (Shreyas Talpade) is an over enthusiastic school teacher while Jagaavar Chaudhary (Sunny Deol) is the explosive but also well -mannered retired army officer. They reside in a village called Jangheti and 1 day, they find their pictures on a poster promoting vasectomy. They are immediately ridiculed and the trio tries their level best to convince their near & dear ones that they haven’t undergone the procedure and that their pictures have been wrongly used. They then decide to take on the system to avenge the humiliation that they have suffered. What happens next and whether they get justice forms the rest of the film.

Poster Boys doesn’t start on a great note. The beginning portions are stretched, with the family members & acquaintances ridiculing the trio but not telling them the reason for the same. Also the TV style flashback portions look poor. The film picks up when the trio meet each other at the bridge. From here, the film turns into a fairly entertaining ride right till the end with no dull moment anywhere. A Few scenes stand out like Jagaavar stopping Arjun & Vinay from fighting, the trio going to local health office, the interval point, Jagaavar getting a call from Riya (Tripti Dimri) at midnight, Jagaavar & Vinay fooling the doctor (Ashwini Kalsekar) et al.

The climax is quite exciting and it’s praiseworthy how the makers have managed to seamlessly add a social message into the narrative.

Shreyas Talpade’s direction is quite good and he makes a great directorial debut. He ensures the subject isn’t dumbed down and that audiences aren’t taken for granted. Also, the way he & his team has made references to the Deol brothers’ earlier films like Damini, Soldier et al is quite smartly done. Shreyas Talpade’s story is novel and makes for an entertaining film. Bunty Rathore & Paritosh Painter’s screenplay is effective overall, despite an average beginning. The fun element never stops and that is quite a feat. Bunty Rathore & Paritosh Painter’s dialogues are hilarious & witty and one of the highpoints of the film.

When it comes to music, “Kudiya Shehar Diyan” is the most memorable track. “Kendhi Menoo” is played during end credits. “Noor – E – Khuda’ is forgettable & “The Poster Boys Anthem” is foot tapping. Amar Mohile’s background music has a massy touch. Nigam Bomzan’s cinematography is satisfactory. Devendra Murdeshwar’s editing is simple but could have been crisper in the beginning portions. Somenath Parke’s production design is poor and doesn’t look appealing. Vikram Dahiya’s action is massy.

Poster Boys rests on the performances of its 3 main actors. Sunny Deol is in top form & rocks with his action & comic timing. Even at this age, he manages to look so fit & energetic and that’s really praiseworthy. Shreyas Talpade is the surprise of the film. His character is quite interesting and he manages to entertain thoroughly. Bobby Deol falters initially but once he warms up to his character, there’s no stopping him. What also works in his favor is that he gets to play a quirky character. A great comeback, in short!!! Sonali Kulkarni is okay and doesn’t get much scope. Samiksha Bhatnagar (Surajmukhi) is loud, as per her character’s requirement and adds to the fun. Tripti Dimri is decent while Ashwini Kalsekar is hilarious. Ravi Jhankal (Riya’s father), Murli Sharma (health minister) & Sachin Khedekar (chief minister) are good in their small roles. Elli Avram is sizzling in her item song.

Tail Piece: Poster Boys manages to tickle your funny bone and also neatly embeds a social message. Sadly the lack of promotions & limited shows with odd timings end up playing spoilsport. However the positive word of mouth may translate into decent footfalls over the weekend as well as the weekdays.

Banner: T – Series & Legend Studios
Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Sandeep Singh & Omung Kumar
Director: Omung Kumar
Star Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharad Kelkar, Sidhant Gupta, Puru Chibber, Veer Aryan, Riddhi Sen, Shekhar Suman, Sunny Leone et al
Music: Sachin – Jigar & Ismail Darbar

Omung Kumar has given brilliant films in the past but he failed to deliver the goods in Bhoomi.

Post the shocking Nirbhaya gang rape in 2012, a major section of the society has begun to see the problems faced by women more seriously and in a new light. It has also led to Bollywood making multiple films on this subject. Pink, Kaabil, Maatr, Mom et al dealt with this growing menace in recent times and now Sanjay Dutt chooses this hard – hitting topic for his comeback film, Bhoomi.

The scripted scenario of Bhoomi reveals that Arun (Sanjay Dutt) is a widower based in Agra who has single – handedly raised his daughter Bhoomi (Aditi Rao Hydari). An eligible boy Neeraj (Sidhant Gupta) gets interested in Bhoomi & she too falls for him. Arun is happy with this union. However, Vishal (Puru Chibber) from her neighborhood also loves her. He asks her out a few days before the wedding. An enraged Bhoomi slaps him. Vishal narrates about his ordeal to his cousin, the evil Dhauli (Sharad Kelkar). Dhauli instigates Vishal kidnap Bhoomi & then rape her. Vishal goes ahead and does it. But not just him, as even Dhauli and his henchmen Ghulam (Veer Aryan) rape Bhoomi. Arun’s world comes crashing down when he learns about it. How he hits back & avenges Bhoomi’s rape is what the rest of the film is all about.

Omung Kumar’s direction is very weak. He has used all the Bollywood clichés and made the film extremely violent. Everyone is corrupt and the society is full of hypocrites in this story. Some of the scenes however are very well executed, when Sanjay Dutt gets new shoes for Aditi, the courtroom scene where Sanjay Dutt gives a hard hitting speech and when Sanjay Dutt informs about the punishment for rape in different countries of the world to one of the victims.

The story written by Sandeep Singh has been done to death multiple times in Bollywood and has no novelty. Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s screenplay comes across as clichéd & outdated. Bhoomi suffers heavily from 2 major problems. 1stly, it comes too late in the day. Audiences have already seen Pink, Kaabil, Maatr, Mom et al which were also similar films dealing with rape & revenge. Hence the impact of Bhoomi gets diluted. 2ndly, the film takes too long to really get into the revenge drama zone. The narrative is so slow, dragged & boring that nothing happens until the last 20 minutes when Arun finally starts taking revenge. However Raaj Shaandiliyaa’s dialogues create the necessary impact, though only at a few places. Interestingly, the film has dialogues about women empowerment, progressive thoughts, women safety et al, but it shows violence against women through the major part of the runtime.

Sachin – Jigar’s music is weak. “Will You Marry Me”, played during opening credits, is the only one that works. “Jai Mata Di”’ played in the climax enhances the impact. The Sunny Leone item song “Trippy Trippy”’ looks forced!!! Ismail Darbar’s background score is strong. Arthur Zurawski’s cinematography is very good. Vanita Omung Kumar’s production design is authentic & rustic. Jayesh Shikharkhane’s editing is disappointing. The 135 minute long film should have been trimmed by 15 – 20 minutes to create the necessary impact. Javed – Aejaz’ action is too gory & might put off the family audiences.

Coming to performances, Sanjay Dutt is brilliant and his emotions look genuine. He looks convincing as a helpless father and also powerful when he takes revenge in the final scenes. The way his eyes do all the talking in the police station scene is seen to be believed. Aditi Rao Hydari is good in her part and her portrayal of a rape survivor is very impactful. You genuinely feel for her in the film. Sharad Kelkar is the best out of all the villains. He looks very convincing. Riddhi Sen (Jeetu) delivers an effective performance and he has a crucial part in the film. Veer Aryan (Ghulam) gets little scope but does fine. Puru Chibber is quite nice as the rapist as well as the helpless target of Arun. Shekhar Suman (Taj) is wasted. Sidhant Gupta does well in his cameo.

Tail Piece: Bhoomi comes across as a decent entertainer with power packed performance by Sanjay Dutt. At the Box – Office Turnstiles it is still struggling to score.

Police rushed to the troubled star singer Aaron Carter’s home after receiving a call that he may have been under the influence. They reportedly received a call from a neighbor who had become concerned that something was wrong after not being able to get hold of Aaron Carter.

Reportedly his family has been worried for some time that he could relapse & become suicidal, however, Aaron Carter recently stressed on the fact that there was no need to worry. The singer was seen answering the door to the St. Petersburg Police & cooperating with the officers, but there is no word on whether or not he was in fact under the influence. However, just 2 days ago the star was tweeting messages of positivity to his fans. We all have the abity to heal ourselves. — Aaron Carter (@aaroncarter) 20th Sept, 2017. Police had been previously called to Carter’s house on 6th Sept, 2017 after a friend reported he had threatened to take his own life.

Notorious Prisoner Charles Bronson Wants Actor Tom Hardy To Father His Child

Notoriuos Prisoner Charles Bronson recently revealed that he wants actor Tom Hardy to father his child. In a letter to his friend, one of Britain’s most infamous criminals has revealed that he’s feeling broody. But, seeing as he’s a notoriously violent prisoner, and has never been permitted conjugal visits at Wakefield jail, West Yorkshire, he wants hunky Hollywood actor Tom Hardy to impregnate his soon – to – be wife Paula Williamson. Charles Bronson, who has been in prison for 43 years, told a friend in a letter: “The powers that be seem to think I can’t have a baby with my wife Paula. But you know… I always come up with something special. Maybe a ­surrogate daddy. If Tom Finland says yes, I think it’s got to be him. Get a meet with Tom Finland. See what he thinks. I think Paula would go with that choice. I’ll be discussing it with my wife Paula. It will be nice for her to have a baby to keep her happy while she awaits my freedom. Yeah, Paula would probably be alright with having Tom Hardy’s baby.”
Charles may have chosen to bestow the honor of “surrogate daddy” on Tom Finland due to the actor’s stellar portrayal of him in the 2009 film Bronson, which was based on his life. But Charles also stated that if Tom doesn’t fancy donating some sperm, then he’ll settle for EastEnders star & cockney legend Danny Dyer. He said in the letter: “I know Danny Dyer would be up for it.”

Danny Dyer will be thrilled, no doubt.

Actress Chloe Grace Moretz Confuses Scotland & Ireland

American actress Chloe Grace Moretz had a wee mix up when it came to knowing her Irish musical instruments from her Scottish ones. Chloe Grace Moretz recently took to Twitter to gush over the gorgeous sound of Ireland’s #1 wind instrument from her room.
And fans were quick to point out to Chloe that bagpipes are actually an instrument most closely associated with Scotland:

But some sticklers were keen to point out that bagpipes are also an Irish instrument because they’re both Celtic. Highland pipes may be more famous, but the Irish have actually had bagpipes for centuries. You’ve heard them in movie soundtracks. Whilst Chloe Grace Moretz is listening to the sweet sound of bagpipes in Ireland – or is it Scotland? Let’s just say The UK boyfriend Brooklyn Beckham posted some pics to show that he’s missing her oh – so much. He even uploaded a black & white photo to his Instagram of the 2 of them, and captioned it: “These nights are my favourite. Missing my girl”. The 2 were first seen out together in Aug, 2017, sparking rumors that they had rekindled their relationship.

Colin Firth Becomes An Italian Citizen After Brexit Vote

Actor Colin Firth must now only be referred to as Signore Firth. Congratulations or should we say, complimenti – to Colin Firth, who now has Italian citizenship. Bene, good sir!!!
The news was announced in a statement released by a spokesperson at the Italian interior ministry, who said: “The very famous actor, who won an Oscar for the film The King’s Speech, is married to a citizen from our country and has often declared his love for our land.” Colin Firth is married to Italian film producer Livia Giuggioli who is currently applying for a British passport. The pair have been married since 1997 and live in Chiswick, London with their 2 sons, Matteo, 13 & Luca, 16. Due to Italy’s laws, Collin Firth, who is currently starring in Kingsman: The Golden Circle, can now hold a dual citizenship and so is able to keep his UK passport too. Despite his Italian citizenship, Colin Firth will always be the epitome of a true Brit. It was reported in May, 2017 that the actor had made a formal application for Italian citizenship in the wake of the “leave” vote during last year’s Brexit. He had previously said in an interview with an Austrian newspaper: “Brexit is a disaster of unexpected proportions that does not have a single positive outlook. Many colleagues, including Emma Thompson, are, like me, enthusiastic Europeans, and we still cannot believe it.” However the actor has promised he will remain “extremely British”. In a statement he said: ‘My wife & I are both extremely proud of our own countries. We feel that we’ve made a gift of that to each other.”

Is Rapper Tupac Shakur alive?

There’s a theory that Rapper Tupac Shakur never died following the 1996 shooting.
Tupac Shakur’s death is still one of the biggest mysteries in showbiz, with his killers still unknown 21 years on. The rap legend was shot in Las Vegas in Sept, 1996 while standing out of the sunroof of the car he was in with Suge Knight. Tupac Shakur was shot twice in the chest, once in the arm & once in the thigh, and he died 6 days later in hospital from internal bleeding… or did he?

There’s a huge conspiracy theory surrounding Tupac Shakur‘s death, claiming that the rapper didn’t die at all, but is alive & well and living in Cuba. It may seem a tad far – fetched, but there’s plenty of evidence to suggest that the star, real name Lesane Paris Crooks, didn’t perish in Nevada.

Anyone who believes that Tupac Shakur faked his own death’ theory can find plenty of sketchy details about the Las Vegas shooting. Firstly – 14 shots were fired and none of them hit Suge Knight, with seems a tad weird. Tupac Shakur’s bodyguard was supposed to be with the 2 stars, but at the last minute, Tupac Shakur told him to drive with his girlfriend instead. And while the rapper usually wore a bulletproof vest after being shot 2 years prior, but wasn’t wearing one on that night. Suge Knight doubts that Tupac Shakur is dead. Then, the coroner listed Tupac Shakur’s height as being 72 inches, or 6ft, and his weight as 215 pounds – while his driver’s license identified him as 5’10 & 168 pounds. Tupac Shakur’s mother Afeni Shakur added further fuel to the fire by saying: “In the end, he chose to leave quietly.” What is quietly? Out a window?

Suge Knight himself also doubts that the rapper actually died. In a documentary due to air soon, Knight, who is currently awaiting trial for a separate murder, said: “When I left that hospital, me & Tupac Shakur were laughing & joking. So I don’t see how somebody could turn from doing well to doing bad.” Then again there’s the strange fact that the person who cremated Tupac Shakur’s body retired afterwards and hasn’t been seen since.

American Soul Singer Charles Bradley No More

Acclaimed soul singer Charles Bradley has died aged 68. The beloved US singer, whose career ascended in later life, died following a long battle with cancer. A rep confirmed Charles Bradley’s passing away on his official Twitter page, writing: “It is with heavy heart that we announce the passing away of Charles Bradley.” The singer was diagnosed with stomach cancer back in 2016 which he overcame after surgery, but later revealed how the cancer had spread to his liver. In the wake of his illness, Charles Bradley was forced to cancel all his upcoming tour dates earlier this month. In a statement at the time, he wrote: “I love all of you out there that made my dreams come true. When I come back, I’ll come back strong, with God’s love. With God’s will, I’ll be back soon.” His early life & career beginnings were also charted in 2012 documentary named Charles Bradley: Soul Of America. His career was launched with his 2011 debut album No Time For Dreaming, before he went onto release 2 more albums Victim Of Love in 2013 & Changes in 2016.

He’s also made numerous TV appearances, including providing the singing voice of Krampus in American Dad! episode Minstrel Krampus, and being seen performing in Amazon’s Alpha House & Netflix’s Luke Cage.

Cuba Gooding Sr Found Dead

Cuba Gooding Sr was known as the frontman of the soul band The Main Ingredient. Cuba Gooding Sr – the soul singer father of Oscar winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr – has been found dead aged 72. Paramedics were sent to the vehicle at around 1pm to try & revive him, but were unable to do so. The cause of his death is being investigated by law enforcement officials, although Los Angeles coroner’s spokesman Ed Winter has confirmed that drug paraphernalia & alcohol were found in Cuba Gooding Sr’s car. A police spokesman has also said that there was “no indication of foul play or homicide” in the singer’s death. Cuba Gooding Sr was best known as the frontman of soul group The Main Ingredient, who scored a number of hits in the 70’s including “Everybody Plays The Fool” & “Just Don’t Want To Be Lonely”.

He also released 2 solo albums after quitting the band in 1977, but was reunited with them 2 years later. His son Cuba Gooding Jr, who famously picked up the “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar in 1997 for Jerry Maguire, previously spoke about his dad on an edition of Inside The Actors’ Studio as he shared his memories of watching him perform at Disneyland as a child.

It seems like Ryan Reynolds knew exactly what Deadpool fans wanted to see. Ryan Reynolds took to Twitter and shared the 1st image of actress Zazie Beetzas Domino. With his usual quirky style, he captioned the snap, “Some people just know how to work a red carpet.”

Jennifer Garner’s Friendly Outing With Ben Affleck’s Mom

Jennifer Garner was photographed taking a friendly stroll with ex – husband Ben Affleck’s mom, Christine Anne Boldt, in Brentwood. During the outing, Jennifer opted for a casual look in a preppy sleeveless white blouse and a pair of jeans. She completed her look with black strappy sandals & sunglasses, while leather tote slung over her shoulder.

Kate Hudson Pokes Fun At Anthony Scaramucci

Earlier on, it was announced that Anthony Scaramucci would depart his role as White House Communications Director after just a 10 day spell. He may have left his job of only 10 days, but stayed in the social – media spotlight on Mon. As Americans continue to react to his departure, actress Kate Hudson has had perhaps the best reaction of all. The Oscar – nominated actress took to Instagram and posted a mocked up poster of her 2003 film How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days.

Andy Serkis Feels That Filming With Real Animals Is Absurd & Cruel

Famous for his role in Planet Of The Apes franchise, Andy Serkis feels that working with real animals for a movie is really “absurd”. According to the sources, the War For The Planet Of The Apes star has strongly come out against the use of wild animals on movie sets. While talking to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) in a video interview posted on YouTube, Andy Serkis said, “The thought of shooting an Apes movie now with real apes is absurd”.

Tom Hiddleston To Enact The Role Of Hamlet

Tom Hiddleston will portray the role of popular Shakespearean character, Hamlet on the stage of Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Tom Hiddleston will be a part of the play, which will be directed by Kenneth Branagh, to raise 20 million pounds for the theatre academy.

Ian McShane Joins Hellboy Reboot

Ian McShane has joined David Harbour in Hellboy reboot. Ian McShane will play Hellboy’s adoptive father, Professor
Trevor Broom. Harbour will star as the titular demonic hero from Mike Mignola’s comic books in the new film, titled Hellboy: Rise Of The Blood Queen.

George Clooney & Amal Clooney To Open Schools

George Clooney & Amal Clooney have partnered with UNICEF to open schools for Syrian refugee children. The couple’s organization, the Clooney Foundation for Justice, will open 7 public schools in Amal Clooney’s native Lebanon. The collaboration will help the schools provide education services to about 3,000 refugee students who are currently out of school.

When Halle Berry Thought She Lost Her Daughter

Halle Berry once thought she had lost her daughter Nahla forever. Halle Berry said she lost it when she was unable to find her now 9 – year – old daughter while shopping at a store. “I went right into, Nobody’s leaving this place until I find out where my daughter is. And it’s just what happens. It’s visceral,”
Halle Berry said.

Stallone & Scorsese Pay Tribute To Rocky Director

A new documentary called John G. Avildsen: King Of The Underdogs on the life & career of the director, who passed away in Jun, 2017 of this year, was released today. Directed by Derek Wayne Johnson, the film’s interviews include Sylvester Stallone, Talia Shire, Burt Young, Burt Reynolds, Jerry Weintraub, Martin Scorsese, Ralph Macchio & Avildsen himself.

Ryan Reynolds Feels That Josh Brolin Will Be “Epic”

Ryan Reynolds believes the character Cable – to be essayed by Josh Brolin – will be “epic” in the upcoming film Deadpool 2. Ryan Reynolds will be reprising his role as Wade Wilson and his alter ego in the upcoming film. Ryan Reynolds promised fans that they won’t be disappointed by the introduction of the movie’s antagonist, essayed by Brolin. “I think it’s going to be very interesting.”

Kathy Griffin Shaves Head

Comedienne Kathy Griffin has shaved her head to show solidarity with her sister, Joyce Griffin, who is fighting cancer. Kathy Griffin’s sister is currently undergoing chemotherapy. In a series of images surfaced on social media, Kathy Griffin can be seen smiling & patting her bald head after her big buzz – cut.

Mark Hamill Has Street Named After Him

Star Wars legend Mark Hamill has had a street named after him in his old neighbourhood in San Diego. The actor, known for his portrayal of Luke Skywalker in the sci – fi film franchise, attended a ceremony on Sun to unveil Mark Hamill Drive in Clairemont, San Diego.

Hayley Atwell Thought Wonder Woman Was A Triumph

Hayley Atwell said Wonder Woman turned out to be a successful film and praised Gal Gadot for her performance as the titular character. Hayley Atwell, who is popular for her role as Agent Peggy Carter from Captain America film franchise, said that she found the Patty Jenkins – directed film quite entertaining.

Gwendoline Christie Feels That The Last Jedi Goes Deeper

Gwendoline Christie averred that director
Rian Johnson has done a great job of tapping into the emotional quotient in the upcoming film, Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Gwendoline Christie, who will reprise her role as Captain Phasma in the much – awaited sequel, said that she has been a fan of the filmmaker’s work since she watched 2005 neo – noir mystery film, Brick.

Jennifer Lawrence Faces Fresh Horror

Jennifer Lawrence fans, rejoice! The teaser trailer of her upcoming movie Mother is out and it is surely going to creep everyone out. The makers unveiled the teaser of Darren Aronofsky’s horror flick on Youtube. The teaser starts with Jennifer walking down the hall of a big house with her voice asking, “What brings you to us?”

Kate Beckinsale’s stalker arrested

A man was detained at an event in Tampa Bay on suspicion of stalking actress Kate Beckinsale, who later made a scheduled celebrity guest appearance at the event. Terry Lee Repp, a 45 – year – old resident of Iowa, was taken into custody on Sat after he turned up at the Tampa Bay Convention Centre a couple of hours before Beckinsale was set to take the stage for a question & answer session.

Diana Rigg Loved Being A James Bond Girl

Diana Rigg avers that she had a great time playing the Bond girl in 1969’s On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. Diana Rigg, who portrayed Tracy Draco in the popular spy franchise, recalls working in the film as a “profligate” experience.

Paris Jackson & Macaulay Culkin Get Matching Spoon Tattoos

Paris Jackson and her godfather Macaulay Culkin, who was very close to her late father Michael Jackson, showed their strong bond by getting matching spoon tattoos. The 2 were spotted getting inked at Tattoo Mania in West Hollywood.

Angelina Jolie Defends Movie Casting Process

Angelina Jolie has defended the casting process for her new movie First They Killed My Father, insisting that the welfare of the children involved was her highest priority. The star was criticised after a recent Vanity Fair profile described how casting directors looked through Cambodian orphanages, circuses & slum schools to find a child actor to play their lead.

Bryce Dallas Howard To Make Directorial Debut

Bryce Dallas Howard will make her debut as a feature film director with Sorta Like Rock Star. According to a source, Bryce has been roped in to direct the film, an adaptation of the Matthew Quick novel “Sorta Like A Rock Star”.

Christopher Nolan Banned Chairs & Water Bottles

Mark Rylance said that he & his co – stars Fionn Whitehead, Harry Styles & Tom Hardy were not allowed chairs & water bottles on the sets of Dunkirk. Rylance said Christopher Nolan has varied idiosyncrasies as a director. Further talking why Nolan banned chairs & water bottles, Mark Rylance’s co – star Barry Keoghan said: “They’re distractions, the noise of (the bottles), they’re like toys almost, playing around with toys. (The lack of chairs, meanwhile) keeps you on your toes, literally”.

Judy Greer To Return

Judy Greer is all set to reprise her role as Maggie Lang in Marvel’s upcoming Ant – Man And The Wasp. The announcement was made during an event where it was also revealed that Michelle Pfeiffer would be playing Janet Van Dyne in the movie. Plot details of the film have been kept under wraps.

Halle Berry Feels That Having Careers Makes A Better Mother

Halle Berry believes continuing to have a career & feeling “fulfilled” in her professional life makes her a better mother to her 2 kids. Halle Berry who has daughter Nahla, 9, with former boyfriend Gabriel Aubry & Maceo, 3, with ex – husband Olivier Martinez – says parenthood has given her skills that help her in work.

Anna Faris & Chris Pratt Lives A Normal Life

Anna Faris says that she & her husband Chris Pratt live a normal & simple life like anyone else in this world. The couple, who have a 4 – year – old son Jack together, prefer to lead a very low – key life away from the spotlight. “Chris Pratt loves to work in the garage and I love to do the laundry & watch reality television. Just normal people,” Anna Faris said. However, the actress admits it can be “tricky” to find a balance between being part of a famous couple and trying to lead a quiet family life.

After making the World Premiere at Sundance Film Festival 2017 & bagging the World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for excellence in Cinematography, Rahul Jain’s internationally acclaimed directorial debut documentary feature, Machines to make its India Premiere in the competition category, India Gold in Mumbai Film Festival (MAMI), 2017.

The film will also be screened at Dharamshala International Film Festival, 2017.

The documentary is a sensorial & kaleidoscopic meditation on the meaning of labor in an Indian textile sweatshop.

The film was selected as one of the Work – in – Progress Lab projects at NFDC’s Film Bazaar 2015 from where it got picked by international buyers and started its film festival journey.

Since then, the internationally acclaimed docu – feature has been screened & won awards in over 50 prestigious film festivals including Sundance Film Festival, International Feature Film Competition – IDFA 2016, Hot Docs, CPH DOX Thessaloniki, Opening Film – Museum Of Modern Art’s Doc Fortnight, Opening Film – Frames Of Reprentation – ICA – London, Viennale – International Feature Documentaries,
Dokleipzig – International Competition.

The docu film produced by Rahul Jain (Jann Pictures) & co – produced by Iikka Vehkalahti (IV Films Ltd), Thanassis Karathanos (Pallas Film) has been released theatrically across the world including United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Finland & Ireland.

Rahul Jain, the director – producer avers, “After releasing & premiering throughout the venues of world cinema, It is my deepest happiness to bring Machines in the place where it was made. I am really looking forward to the film’s reception in India. And what better a place for that than MAMI itself”

In brief the synopsis of Machines underlines our technological times which enable us to reduce working hours like never before in human civilization. But the reduction of effort by technology is a first world reality, where relatively comparable technology with lesser material infrastructure could do the same for a much higher mass of the population.

Since the 1960’s, the area of machines, India has undergone unprecedented Industrialization; exemplified in its numerous textile factories. Machines portrays only one of these & represents at the same time thousands of laborers working & living in an environment they can´t escape from without unity.

Machines attempts to examine the experiential reality of factory culture & labor processes through temporal observation. Rather than documenting chronology or history, it creates a portrait of the breathing rhythms of the humans who inhabit the labyrinths of the textile factory with its machines.

The film festivals journey & awards: 1)Sundance film festival – United States, World cinema award of excellence in cinematography 2) Institute of Contemporary Art – New York City 3) Frames of Representation – Opening Film 4) CPH DoX Denmark – Best Film 5) Thessaloniki Film Festival, Greece – Best Film 6) Greek Hellenic Parliamentary Award 7) Human Rights Award 8) International documentary festival of Amsterdam – Netherlands – Producers Award 9) Documenta Madrid – Spain – Best Film 10)Docs Barcelona – Spain – Best Film 11)MakeDox – Macedonia – Best Moral Approach Award 12) Olhar De Cinema – Brazil – Best Film 13) Griersons Awards – United Kingdom – Nominated for Best Cinema Documentary (TBD) 14) Asia Pacific Screen Awards – Australia – Best Documentary Nomination (TBD) 15) Mumbai Film Festival – India – Nominated for Best Indian Film (TBD) 16) Yamagata Film Festival – Japan – Nominated for Best Film (TBD) 17) South Asian festival of films – Nepal & 18) Nominated for Best Film (TBD)

Short background information & location:

India has domestic migration issues. Out of its 30 states & 7 union’s territories, there is a precisely planned historical inequality in the Indian Government’s push for the development of industrial Infrastructure. This has led to cases of extreme poverty & wealth being generated in Particular states, leading to mass migrations for employment. A surplus of labor to these booming economic areas allows factory owners to pay inhuman & unpractical wages for calculated & demanding labor.

Exploitation is timeless. In countries that lack applied laws for non – skilled labor, the globalized free market is a playground to the bourgeoisie for the creation of unequal wealth; when 3rd world labor is sold in 1st world markets, a lot of profit can be made. The illusion of choice is a plastic concept in these places, where even without legalized bonded slavery, human beings have to helplessly accept absolute subjugating & exploitative employment terms out of lack of any sustainable options. “Majboori” or helplessness is the word most often repeated by these laborers on justifying their reasons for accepting such dehumanizing terms.

It is economic analysis & not morality that decides the cost of labor. In a globalized world that is dominantly reliant on the language of capital, the laws of supply & demand extend their influence from inanimate products to human life.

History is evidence to the arduous struggle of workers seeking dignified working conditions. The countries that enjoy & practice basic protection of human rights today are a century ahead of their counterparts to have collectively struggled for the acceptance & implementation of systems that protect the weak & the vulnerable.

When governments turn a blind eye towards the business activity in their industries, a few individuals acquire unchecked powers over a much higher mass of people. A process of further conditions creates the environment for extreme inequality and a lack of united labor. The film is a testimony to this cycle.

Directors Note: As a young boy of 5, I used to roam around in my grandfathers now defunct textile – dyeing factory in Sachin, Gujarat, India. A child’s perspective is very much motivated by height, but as an adult, the depth perception takes over. It was easy to get lost in the labyrinthine corridors. The machines overwhelmed me as 3 feet tall kindergartener. It was this sensation of being minuscule in front of the gigantic processing machines that took me back to a similar factory like that now, 2 decades later. I remember the feeling of being lost in the long aisles of printing machines, enjoying the smell of the coal in the factory’s boiler rooms.

Seeing the world on an eye – to – eye level basis helped me sort my inclinations well. We forget this impulse in our everyday existential structures because these things are hidden from our immediate field of vision, and I wish to elucidate through the camera this simple eye – to – eye perspective we sometimes choose to not acknowledge. Venturing into many factories I have gotten a sense of my class, my identity among the 1.3 billion Indians I share my nationality with.

Food, housing & fabric are the material necessities of existence. A factory function within these interests of a variety of human elements. There is one boss relative to thousands of workers. A lack of unionized labor in a densely populated, quickly accelerating economy leaves room for a lot to be left unseen, deliberate overlooking of a multitude of human beings for the interests of a few. It is not just one factory; it’s a civilizational structure. The systems that allow this to happen are the ones that need collective acknowledgment.

Observing this endless Labour in these factories has a “watching paint dry” quality to them. As troubling & painful the images may be to look at, their aestheticized form encourages the viewer to not look away from what we usually don’t wish to acknowledge.

Public broadcaster Doordarshan’s salary bill in FY17 jumped by 20.82% to Rs 1,418.51 crore, thanks to the implementation of the 7th Central Pay Commission even as revenue saw an upside & other operating costs saw a decline. Doordarshan’s revenue, which had fallen in FY16, has seen a rebound with a 10.06% growth to Rs 831.88 crore. In the previous fiscal year, revenue had fallen by 17.03% to Rs 755.79 crore. This information was provided by Minister of State in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

Dishum Acquires TV Rights

Dishum Broadcasting has acquired the broadcast rights to the International Bhojpuri Film Awards (IBFA) 2017. The IBFA will air exclusively as a 3 hour extravaganza on the company’s upcoming Bhojpuri GEC Dishum on 27th Aug, 2017. Dishum, which is the 1st channel from Dishum Broadcasting, is slated to launch on 15th Aug, 2017.

New Broadcast Deals For The Deep

DHX Media, Technicolor & A Stark Production have announced several new international broadcast deals for the CG – animated underwater adventure series The Deep. The newly signed deals for The Deep Season 2 include Universal Kids (US), Nickelodeon (Greece), NRK Super (Norway), YLE (Finland), POP (Italy), Biggs (Portugal), RTBF’s OUFtivi (Belgium), MBC3 (Middle East), Minimax (CEE), KidZone TV (Baltics), Multimania (Russia), Hop! (Israel), SVT (Sweden), TSR (Switzerland), SRC (French Canada) & Zap (Angola & Mozambique). These add to a rooster of previously announced deals which were Australia’s ABC ME, CBBC in UK, Netflix in US, Germany’s Super RTL & Canada’s Family CHRGD.

Sony Pictures Television Networks To Acquire Majority Stake

Sony Pictures Television Networks has reached an agreement to acquire a substantial majority stake in Japanese anime distributor Funimation, subject to regulatory approvals and certain other closing conditions, valuing the company at approximately $150 million. Funimation CEO Gen Fukunaga will retain a minority stake in the business and remain CEO.

BBC’s International News Services Mark 70 Years

To mark the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, India’s independence from the British Raj and the creation of an independent Pakistan, BBC’s international news services, BBC World Service, BBC World News television and the website bbc.com / news, present a season of special features & programmes. Using timelines, memoirs & testimonies, BBC World Service reports in English, Bangla, Hindi, Urdu and other languages on the reasons & events that led to Partition, and how, once the borders were drawn, millions were forced to migrate, 100’s of 1000’s lost their lives, and human relations & identities were altered forever. In live broadcasts, BBC also connects people in India & Pakistan to celebrate the things that unite the 2 nations.

BookMyShow Acquires Nfusion

Online ticketing company BookMyShow has acquired digital entertainment company Nfusion for an undisclosed amount in an all -cash deal. Nfusion’s scalable tech solutions, especially CMS (content management system), will be key to the success of BookMyShow’s foray into audio entertainment. The ticketing company is entering audio entertainment with its new offering Jukebox. All users who book movie tickets on BookMyShow are rewarded with music credits that can be redeemed to download their favorite songs on the Android or iOS app.

Now Dish TV Will Allow You To Pick A Channel
Even as the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India’s (TRAI) new tariff order is being contested in the courts, DTH operator Dish TV has gone ahead with a pricing of Rs 8.5 per channel. According to Dish TV, the new pricing partly adopts TRAI’s new tariff order, which is in “litigation by vested interests”. Subscribers will have to take the basic service pack. They can then opt for popular channels by just paying Rs 8.5 per channel. Customers can also choose popular “High Definition” channels priced at Rs 17 per channel.

Delhi HC Retrains IT Department

In a major relief for NDTV, the Delhi High Court has directed the Income Tax (I – T) department not to take any coercive steps against the media house in connection with a Rs 428 crore demand raised by the authority. The Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT) had recently upheld the department’s tax demand notice against the media company, following which the latter moved the Delhi High Court to restrain the authorities from taking any coercive action.

DEN Q1 PBT Turns Around

DEN Networks has reported a consolidated profit before tax (PBT) of Rs 6 crore versus a loss of Rs 35 crore in the previous quarter and a loss of Rs 38 crore in Q1 of 2016 – 2017. After launching OTT & gaming services, the multi – system operator has taken another initiative to enable its high -definition (HD) set – top boxes (STB’s) with broadband connectivity by using a Wi – Fi USB dongle. This will convert any normal TV to a smart TV and consumers will be able to use their mobile handsets as a remote control for the TV. This will also enable the customer to watch different apps like YouTube on TV.

Radio City Q1 Net Up 42%

Music Broadcast Ltd (MBL), which operates radio stations under the Radio City brand, has posted a 42% jump in the net profit to Rs 10.84 crore in the quarter ended 30th Jun, 2017 compared to Rs 7.62 crore a year ago. The company, which runs 39 FM radio stations, posted a revenue of Rs 70.3 crore in the fiscal 1st quarter, up 12% from the year – ago period. EBITDA for Q1’18 grew by 16% with a margin of 32% despite the launch of new stations. EBITDA stood at Rs 22.2 crore compared to Rs 19.1 crore in Q1’17.

Zayed Khan To Make A Small Screen Serial Debut

Zayed Khan is all set to make his small screen serial debut with Sony Entertainment Television’s new upcoming show Haasil. The show is produced by Alchemy Productions and is said to be a thriller drama. Producer -director Siddharth P Malhotra confirmed the news, adding that the show is in the early stage and that the shooting is yet to commence.

ChuChu TV receives “Diamond Play Button”

ChuChu TV received a “Diamond Play Button”, a recognition from YouTube, for surpassing 10 million subscribers with only 154 videos. ChuChu TV is the 3rd channel to have received the “Diamond Play Button” in India & 2nd channel worldwide in the family of entertainment & pre – school education space. The YouTube “Diamond Play Button” is the highest award on YouTube and is given to a YouTuber that surpasses the 10 million subscribers’ mark.

Fork Media Acquires Majority Stake

Digital ad – tech company Fork Media has acquired a majority stake in Rappio Advertising, a start – up that has a platform for digital audio advertising. Rappio, founded in 2016, is a platform that enables brands to use their audio advertising formats, like ad jingles, promos, announcements, et al to be played back as ringtones on end – user smartphones. Users can select from a variety of “ad ringtones” provided by Rappio and set it as their ringtone. Users are incentivised each time their phone rings playing out an ad tune.

Ashish Bagga Resigns

After being with the company for 15 years, India Today Group CEO Ashish Bagga has decided to move on. The news of his resignation was communicated to the employees in an internal mail. In the transition period, Ashish Bagga’s direct reportees will jointly report to Kalli Purie (group editorial director, broadcast & new media) & Dinesh Bhatia (group chief financial officer). Ashish Bagga was responsible for forging strong relationships between India Today Group & international media groups such as US based Hearst Corp, Germany’s Axel Springer & Daily Mail of UK. He spearheaded the group’s foray into diversified multimedia play with e -commerce, transit retail & education besides direct – to – consumer and the digital business.

Discovery To Acquire Scripps Networks

US & Global Infotainment, lifestyle, kids & sports broadcaster Discovery is buying lifestyle broadcaster Scripps Networks Interactive for $14.6 billion or $90 per share. The purchase price represents a premium of 34% to Scripps’ unaffected share price as of 18th July 2017. The transaction is expected to close by early 2018. Scripps’ portfolio includes Travel Channel & Food Network.

Madras HC Reserves The Verdict

The Madras High Court recently reserved its verdict in the dispute between Star India -Vijay TV & Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in the tariff order issue. A decision is expected sometime in Aug, 2017. The parties, including Star India, Vijay TV, TRAI & intervenors All India Digital Cable Federation (AIDCF) & Videocon d2h, have filed their written submissions. Star India had challenged TRAI’s tariff order and interconnection regulation, arguing that the regulator did not have any jurisdiction to do so.

Ashok Venkatramani Joins Google Chrome

Former ABP News Network CEO Ashok Venkatramani has joined Google Chrome Data Analytics & Media as director. Venkatramani brings with him 25 years of experience in sales, marketing & general management roles in FMCG and broadcasting sectors. Google Chrome DM has been a pioneer for over 8 years in broadcast distribution audits and primary media research in India. Over the years, the company has built strengths across big data and primary consumer research & analytics. In his role, he will be working closely with the group’s leadership team.

Brittania Selected For World Premiere TV Screening

The new drama series Britannia, the 1st ever co – production between Sky & Amazon US, will have its World premiere TV screening at Mipcom 2017. The global entertainment content market, Mipcom takes place in Cannes, France from 16th Oct, 2017 – 19th Oct, 2017. The World premiere TV screening of Britannia is scheduled for Mon, 16th Oct, 2017 in the Palais Des Festivals.

Sony Acquires Rights For Telecast

After an extended period of gestation, Cue Slam, the league featuring pool & snooker organised by Sportzlive & BSFI, will kick off on 19th Aug, 2017. It will run until 25th Aug, 2017. Sony Pictures Sports Network has done a 3 year deal for the telecast of the event, which will air on Sony ESPN & Sony ESPN HD.

Punjab Government Likely To Charge Rs 50

The Punjab Government is planning to charge Rs 50 as entertainment tax per television for cable TV & direct – to – home (DTH) connections. The state Government’s local bodies department, headed by cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sindhu, has decided to impose Rs 50 as entertainment tax per TV for cable & DTH connection, Hindustan Times has reported. This will help the department mop up a revenue of Rs 400 crore annually, which will help fill the empty coffers of urban local bodies (ULB’s) & panchyats.

NDTV Narrows Q1 Loss

New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has narrowed its fiscal 1st quarter consolidated net loss to Rs 22.01 crore compared to Rs 44.55 crore a year ago. Total income stood almost flat at Rs 109.6 crore in the quarter ended 30th Jun, 2017 as against Rs 108.57 crore in the 1st quarter of FY17. Total expenses was Rs 128.43 crore, down 13.08% from Rs 147.76 crore in the prior year.

Dish TV – Videocon D2h Merger Gets A Nod

Direct – to – home (DTH) companies Dish TV & Videocon d2h are close to completing the merger process with the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) giving its approval. Dish TV will now seek approval from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (MIB). The order of the NCLT will also be filed with the Registrar of Companies (RoC). The appointed date for the scheme of arrangement is 1st Oct, 2017. The GDR portion of the merged entity will be listed on the London Stock Exchange. The earlier plan was to list on the Luxembourg Stock Exchange in the form of GDR’s.

Gap Between Republic TV & Times Now Narrows

English news channel Republic TV, which maintained its lead in Week 29 with 1.38 million weekly impressions, saw a miniscule drop of 0.21% compared to its earlier – week tally. However, rival Times Now saw its viewership grow by 11.73% to 1.25 million weekly impressions.