The Festival Director, Shri Senthil Rajan and the CEO, ESG, Shri Ameya Abhyankar at the Mid Fest Press Conference, during the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2016), in Panaji, Goa on November 24, 2016.

The festival director M. Senthil Rajan and CEO of ESG Ameya Abhyankar addressed the media exclusively for a midweek update, in the on-going 47th IFFI Goa 2016, about the things that happened in first week and what was in store for them in second week. The session was moderated by Manish Desai (PIB).

M. Centhil Rajan opened the session by saying, “We have all crossed the first half of IFFI Goa 2016 with a very good overall response. Our selection of the opening Polish film Andrzej Wajda’s Afterimage and the inauguration ceremony was highly appreciated. Thankfully no criticism came forth about this. The Centenary Award bestowed on the globally renowned singer S. P. Balasubrahmanyam was also well received including the tribute “I Am The Woman” we paid to the film industry divas from 50’s to 90’s of bygone millennium.”

M. Centhil Rajan further added, “Next in line was the opening ceremony of the Indian Panorama section by Chief Guest Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu (Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting) who really admired the package of the feature as well as the non-feature film section and commended both the section’s jury members for their highly transparent selection process.Then the Indian Panorama this year also included mainstream’s hugely successful films like Sultan, Airlift, Bahubali and Allama. Our only regret is that we could not give repeat screenings to most of the Indian Panorama films especially because of the cut on the number of days this year. Then we also had the honour of felicitating many International and Indian filmmakers and their film’s cast as well, who had come for the presentation ceremony. The Red Carpet events also went off well with many renowned celebrities walking on it. We even had many additional midnight screenings. Besides we had many “In Conversation”, “Workshops” and “Master Classes” sessions which really went off well and a huge round of applause also went to NFDC’s 4 days of Film Bazaar’s session.”

M. Centhil Rajan continued by saying, “Most of the films of International Competition and other sections including the Korean Package saw a huge turnout. Now we are looking forward for the huge response for the 2nd week as well. In which the main attraction will be the screening of midweek film Elia K. Schneider’s Tamara in presence of its entire cast and crew. Tamara is the story of a man’s struggle to become the woman that he truly is. The closing ceremony will also be held in the same dignified way as the opening ceremony, in which not only the competition section’s films will be awarded but also the Lifetime Achievement Award will be bestowed on the international persona director Im Kwon Taek. Then we also look forward to the closing film namely Kim Jee-Woon’s The Age of Shadows, which is a film based in 1920’s period, when Korea had fallen under Japanese rule. So now IFFI Goa is looking forward for the Grand Golden Jubilee Celebrations to be Held in 2019.”

On a concluding note the CEO of Entertainment Society of Goa enlightened about this year’s infrastructure and accreditation process, “We had to make a lot of changes in the ESG complex and hence a lot of facilities earlier offered to the media and the delegates had to be shifted within the venue like the media centre and the press briefing room to name just two. Even the online accreditation has come in for a lot of flak. But it will be rectified next year.”

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu presents the centenary award to the Legendary Singer, Shri S.P. Balasubrahmanyam, at the inauguration of the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2016), in Panaji, Goa on November 20, 2016.
The Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Laxmikant Parsekar and the Actor Mukesh Khanna are also seen.

National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) Film Bazaar kicked off its 10th edition with a potpourri of sessions, screenings & panel discussions.

Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development of India and I & B, graced the inaugural day of the 10th NFDC Film Bazaar and took a thorough tour in the morning exploring the various segments.

“I’m very impressed by the Film Bazaar. It is like a filmy supermarket,” said Venkaiah Naidu, Union Minister of Urban Development of India and I & B. “I compliment the efforts & elaborate arrangements made by Film Bazaar & NFDC. This will help go a long way in producing films in India and films, in turn, will also encourage tourism & culture of the country.”

Concluding the 1st day at Bazaar, N J Shaikh, Director Finance, NFDC, said, “It was a packed & happening 1st day at Film Bazaar with both the pitching sessions for the co – production market as well as the Screenwriter’s Lab, sessions at the Knowledge series and the Viewing Room / Industry screening receiving an overwhelming response. Even the Film Offices & the FFO Office at the Bazaar were buzzing with activity. We are eagerly looking forward to a next eventful day at the Bazaar”.

The Knowledge Series sessions enjoyed eager audiences throughout the day. The sessions were as follows:

Open Pitch

In the 2nd edition of Open Pitch, the concept of having filmmakers present their ideas & requirements to an audience of film industry members proved just how effective it was. Introduced & moderated by Urmi Juvekar, filmmakers had the opportunity to screen video presentations depicting their ideas, followed by a Q & A session with the audience.
After lunch, sponsored by Gujarat Tourism Board, the Bazaar went on to witness a panel discussion particularly pertinent for independent filmmakers.

Public Funding For Indie Films

Producer Miriam Joseph, Managing Director, OLFFI, Ilann Girard & Producer, Pallas Films, Thanassis Karathanos discussed the importance & challenges of public funding, and a clear emphasis emerged on developing the project thoroughly before looking for funding. “For independent films, it is always challenging to find funding,” Ilann Girard said. “It is a multi – path relationship, and you have to look at the whole picture and understand the organic needs of your project, so there is a balance creatively & financially. It is very important to remain true to yourself.”

Film Festivals And Markets – Building Audiences And Business Opportunities

Moderated by Deepti D’Cunha, the panelists at this session included respected Festival Programmers Paolo Bertolin & Uma D’Cunha, Sales Agent Chris Paton & filmmakers Raam Reddy (Thithi) & Kanu Behl (Titli), whose debuts have received much critical acclaim. A riveting conversation on the intricacies of the business side of the film industry was as enlightening as it was engrossing. The importance of promoting your film was emphasised, with some gems of advice from the industry veterans.

“It is difficult for independent films in India to get selected at a festival like Venice Film Festival, and whenever a filmmaker does get the rare opportunity to promote their film, they should grab it. After years, there were 2 Indian films, Court & Visaranai, that were screened there,” Paolo Bertolin said. “Although this piece of advice is getting more & more controversial, you should get a sales agent, because they are the ones who know how to maximise your positioning within the festival and who already know how to work with & within the festival. You are faced with many challenges, and you don’t need to do this alone. If you don’t manage to get a sales agent, you should at least get a press agent, so that the film gets the widest exposure and reaches your target audience.”

“NFDC Film Bazaar really changed my life, and it gave me a wealth of knowledge. I was completely clueless when I came here,” Raam Reddy said candidly. “I owe my entire career to NFDC Film Bazaar, because I received so much constructive criticism & feedback from the Work – In -Progress Lab. Dreams can be built here.”

Film Bazaar Virtual Reality Lounge Powered By Samsung Gear Vr Premiere

Allah Rakha Rahman’s “Live – In – VR Experience” Vande Mataram premiered at the VR Lounge, which also allowed participants to curate their viewing experience uniquely, with a range of Virtual Reality (VR) film experiences to choose from.

To Love Or Not To Love: Redefining Romance On Hindi Celluloid’ – Imtiaz Ali In Conversation With Nasreen Munni Kabir

Clippings from several of Imtiaz Ali’s films including Socha Na Tha, Jab We Met & Highway were screened to a packed audience, interspersing a freewheeling discussion about his influences, process & past collaborations.

“What I’ve seen at Film Bazaar is that there are a lot of people who are smart & well – meaning, who intend to be in cinema all their lives,” Imtiaz Ali said. “My session was really interesting as a result of the audience & Nasreen’s engagement. The concept of having Film Bazaar is very interesting; it’s meaningful & provides a platform for emerging young voices, fresh voices, to come into cinema. It’s very good that demand & supply on both sides can find a confluence point.”

Industry Screenings

The Industry Screenings segment opened with Suhas Bhosale’s Koti, an acclaimed Marathi film about a young transgender in a rural village, and went on to screen titles like Trap by B Madhusudhan Reddy & Aloko Udapadi (Sinhala) by Chathra Weeraman amongst others.

About Filmbazaar

Film Bazaar is a platform exclusively created to encourage collaboration between the international & South Asian film fraternities. The market aims at facilitating the sales of world cinema in the region. The 2015 market saw an attendance of 1102 delegates from 38 countries with a country delegation from Canada. The 10th Edition of Film Bazaar was held from 20th Nov, 2016 – 24th Nov, 2016 at the Marriott Resort in Goa, India.

About NFDC

Incorporated in the year 1975 National Film Development Corporation Ltd is formed by Ministry of Information and broadcasting (GoI) with the primary objective of promoting the good cinema movement. NFDC is instrumental for creating an ecosystem to support the financing, distribution & development of independent films across the country.

The Festival Director, Shri Senthil Rajan and the CEO, ESG, Shri Ameya Abhyankar addressing the Curtain Raiser Press Conference, in New Delhi on November 19, 2016.

Goa is all set to host the biggest celebration of cinema with the commencement of the 47th International Film Festival of India (20th Nov, 2016 – 28th Nov, 2016). A curtain raiser press conference was addressed by Director International Film Festival of India (IFFI), C. Senthil Rajan, Vice Chairman, Entertainment Society of Goa Rajendra Talak & CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa, Ameya Abhyankar, in Goa, today.

Speaking on the occasion, Director Festival C. Senthil Rajan averred, that this edition will be a real delight for delegates & media registered for the event. It is a festival of storytellers & IFFI is celebrating directors this year. He further added that IFFI, the biggest Film Festival of India, turns 13 this year in Goa. This festival is not merely a platform to screen films, but also to set new trends & introduce new technologies. IFFI 2016 is introducing a new laser based phosphor wheel projector from Barco Electronics, used for the very first time in any film festival across the globe.

The IFFI this year, will be screening around 300 films from nearly 90 countries with a mix of distinctive & variegated story lines, narratives & emotions, under several sections, he added.

Chief – guest for the opening ceremony will be the veteran filmmaker of ‘Sholay’ fame, Ramesh Sippy, the Guest of Honor will be Sushant Singh Rajput, while special guests include, Prosenjit Chatterjee & Gautam Ghosh, renowned directors.

The gala opening ceremony for the fest will celebrate the journey and contribution of women in Indian Cinema and themed as “Ode To A Woman”, choreographed by the master choreographer, Ganesh Acharya.

IFFI 2016 will also have a special screening package of the award winning films from the 1st ever BRICS Film festival, held in Delhi recently.

The new media centre at the Old GMC Building, Goa, was dedicated to the Media by the CEO, Entertainment Society of Goa & Ameya Abhyankar, on the occasion. The CEO informed that RFID cards have been issued this year to monitor the footfalls & popularity of the films. He further added, on line facility to book tickets for films have been introduced this year. This ticket booking needs to be redeemed at least two hours before the screening of the film, on dedicated redemption counters, specially set up for the purpose. To facilitate speedy filing of stories by the media, IFFI this year has collaborated with Vodafone to offer 200 mbps speed over the WIFI.

He further added that for the general public, 2 events have been planned located in the area between Kala Academy & the Children’s Park. Named as “Goa High Street”, the event will showcase Goan culture, cuisine, merchandizing & music. At the other event named “Children Film Village”, films for youngsters will be screened. Furthermore, as a showstopper, IFFI is introducing “Projection Mapping”, a visual delight at the old GMC Building, Goa, every evening. This will entertain the visitors & passer – by to the area with a visual treat.

IFFI, the oldest film festival of Asia, is going to have a line -up of esteemed personalities from across the globe, including with legendary Korean filmmaker Im Kwon Taek being honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Opening Ceremony on 20th Nov, at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Stadium, Goa.

Centenary Indian Film Personality of the Year – 2016, legendary singer Padma Bhushan S. P. Balasubrahmaniam will also be felicitated at the opening ceremony for his remarkable, extraordinary & exceptional journey in Indian cinema as a singer, actor & producer. He has been one of the most prolific singers of the country with over 40,000 song recordings to his credit.

This festival tries to give the young & aspiring film makers a platform where they get to learn & interact from industry greats. IFFI 2016 will have gala screenings, including 4 World Premieres & 6 International Premieres. With 26 Asian premieres & 104 Indian premiers the 47th IFFI promises to bring the best of cinema from year 2015 & 2016.

The festival will open with a gala opening ceremony, followed by the opening film, AfterImage, the last masterpiece by the legendary Polish writer & director, who passed away last month, late Andrzej Wajda.

The Indian Panorama section will be inaugurated by the Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting, M. Venkaiah Naidu on 21st Nov, 2016 at INOX – II. 2nd time in a row, the Indian Panorama will open with a Sanskrit film, Ishti, while non – feature section will open with the film, Ima Sabitri.

Pluis Fernandez & Prakriti Maduro starrer, Tamara, directed by Elia K Schneider, will be the mid – fest film. This 9 day film fest will conclude with the screening of The Age of Shadows, a film by Kim Jee Woon.

As announced, the Republic of Korea is the focus country of IFFI 2016 & South Korea’s Ambassador to India His Excellency Hyun Cho will grace the opening ceremony. Interesting and acclaimed work of contemporary stalwarts of Korean Cinema like, Sang – ho Yeon, Zhang Lu & Lee Joon Ik will be screened at the festival.

IFFI 2016 in collaboration with the International Council for Film, Television & Audio – visual Communication (ICFT), Paris & UNESCO will also present the ICFT – UNESCO Gandhi Medal to a film, which reflects the ideals of peace, tolerance & non – violence.

The special tribute section of IFFI 2016 honors Polish filmmaker Andrzej Wajda & Iranian filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, both passed away early this year.

IFFI for the 1st time will screen films for specially – abled children with special audio described technology under the Accessible India Campaign / Sugamaya Bharat Abhiyan & a special package of 20 award winning short films based on the Swachh Bharat theme.

The 47th International Film Festival of India brings the best of films from across the globe promising a wonderful 9 day carnival of World Cinema.

The Life Time Achievement Award winner, Mr. Im Kwon Taek addressing a press conference, at the 47th International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2016), in Panaji, Goa on November 20, 2016. 2016.

Internationally acclaimed Korean film director & writer, Im Kwon Taek is being conferred with prestigious “Lifetime Achievement Award” award at IFFI2016.
Regarded as the father of Korean cinema for his long & prolific career and his work on Korean themes & subjects, Im Kwon Taek has been honoured with several national & international awards. Addressing the press in Goa today, Im Kwon Teak said that he is very happy to receive such an honour, but he personally feels that he has not created a masterpiece yet and this award is a message to make better films in the future to come.

His career spans more than 5 decades and he has made more than 100 films. In 2010, Im directed his 101th feature, Hanji & his 102th feature, Revivre in 2014, which was presented in non – competition section of Venice Film Festival. He received the Lifetime Achievement Award at Asian Film Awards in 2015.

Talking about the Indian cinema, Im Kwon Taek said that he is fond of the work of Shahrukh Khan and liked 3 Idiots & Slumdog Millionaire. Responding to a question on influence of India on Korean films, he informed that he too has made a film on Buddha & reincarnation. It would be a great opportunity to co -produce films with India, he added.

Sharing his experience with media, the Director said that he visited India 2 decades ago to attend a festival in Trivandrum. At that time he felt like returning home due to cultural difference, but once back home he missed the distinct culture of India.

Im Kwon Taek, was born in 1934 in Jangseong, Jeollanamdo. He made about 50 films within a decade, when he studied a variety of film genres including melodrama, musical, action cinema, thriller & comedy from Hollywood & Hong Kong cinema. He was recognized as the leading director of Korean cinema in 1980s.

In 2000’s, he directed Chunhyang (2000), the first Korean film in the competition of Cannes Film Festival & Chihwaseon (2002) that won the “Best Director” Award in Cannes.

Visakhapatnam: India rode on a superb bowling performance to beat England by 246 runs in the second cricket Test at the ACA-VDCA Stadium here on Monday.

Chasing 405, England lost wickets at frequent intervals on the fifth and final day to end their second innings at 158.

Rookie off-spinner Jayant Yadav enjoyed a memorable Test debut with figures of 3-30 while star off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also bagged three wickets.

Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and left-arm pacer Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each.

England skipper Alistair Cook top scored for his team with 54 runs.

(Agencies)

HERE’S HOW KARTIK AARYAN’S FANS SURPRISED HIM ON THE SETS OF ‘ATITHII IN LONDON’!

Kartik Aaryan, who is currently stationed in London for the shooting of his next, ATITHII IIN LONDON!, was pleasantly surprised by his fans sweet gesture. While shooting for the family entertainer, the handsome & talented actor received a special gift from his NRI fans, much to his surprise. The PYAAR KA PUNCHNAMA star got a special cake on the sets of ATITHII IIN LONDON!. Kartik was happy to receive a special customised cake of ATITHII IIN LONDON! featuring his co – star Paresh Rawal and his pictures printed on it. When Kartik’s fans (based in London) got to know about him shooting at a particular locale, they decided to pay him a surprise visit with a customized cake. They also spoke to him at length and told him how excited they are to see him share the screen space with his co -star Paresh Rawal, who was appreciated for his performance in the 1st part, ATITHII TUM KAB JAOGE, Kartik averred, “Sometimes, it’s just the way someone meets you that does the trick. I was surprised that so many people dropped in on the sets in London to meet & interact with me. It felt nice to connect with them.”

SHILPA SHETTY KUNDRA SPECIAL GUEST AT THE SHARJAH INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR!

Actress turned businesswoman Shilpa Shetty Kundra, turned author with her bestseller book, “The Great Indian Diet”. Shilpa’s health & fitness book topped Amazon’s Bestseller list and continues to remain one of the highest selling books. She also became the 1st Indian celebrity to release her book in UAE as his excellency Sheikh Nahyan, launched her book in Dubai. Shilpa Shetty Kundra has now been invited as special guest at the Sharjah International Book Fair alongside other eminent names in the literature space. Back for its 35th edition held at the Expo Centre Sharjah, Shilpa had a book reading session at the fair and a candid interaction with the audience. The organizers had been very keen to have her as their celebrity guest as she made the ideal space to represent the health & fitness literature segment. Says Shilpa, “UAE is a growing market and it was an honor to take my book there. Advocating a healthy & fit lifestyle has always been something I have felt strongly about and this takes me one step closer to my goal. I read out a few key segments and answered questions the audience had”.

ANANYA BIRLA LAUNCHES HER DEBUT INTERNATIONAL SINGLE “LIVIN’ THE LIFE”

Ananya Birla, well – known in India as a leading innovator enters a new phase of her life as she launches her debut International single “Livin’ the life”. The 22 – year old has been exclusively signed by leading record label, Universal Music Group. The major has launched Ananya’s musical career with the release of the single “Livin’ the life” now available globally through its network. Ananya Birla’s single was launched amidst a host of celebrities and some exciting entertainment! Featuring Illusionists, street dancers and even a sand artist, Ananya Birla made her sensational debut performance on stage, belting out her single “Livin’ the Life”. The highly infectious & up – tempo pop / dance single is produced & co – written by Internationally acclaimed music producer Jim Beanz who has previously worked with global superstars Nelly Furtado Cheryl Cole, Demi Lovato et al. Says Ananya, “I’ve always loved music, and making music. I discovered I needed to try to spread love to others. I believe that if you discover who you are really are, you can overcome any challenge.” The music video of the song, shot on the beautiful Santa Catalina Island in California showcases a visual representation of the song’s impactful theme. The video is directed by international director Rock Jacobs.

MACAO HOSTS IT 1ST INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL & AWARDS

The 1st International Film Festival & Awards Macao (IFFAM) would entail the 12 Asian genre film directors & their chosen genre favorites for the Crossfire section of the official programme. Crossfire is a non -competitive section introducing the festival audience to influential genre titles from Europe & South Asia. The 1st International Film Festival & Awards would be held in Macao from Thurs 8th Dec, 2016 to Tues 13th Dec, 2016. Shekhar Kapur will serve as Jury President at the inaugural festival. He adds IFFAM Jury President to a list of jury positions at prestigious festivals including the 63rd Cannes Film Festival, the London Film Festival & the Tokyo International Film Festival, as well as a sponsor role with the International Indian Film Festival in Goa. Kapur comments, “This is Asia’s time. Over the past few years, consumerism has catapulted the Asian market into international renown, but what we are now experiencing is the renaissance of culture as inspired by the Asian communities. As an Indian director, I’m excited to be chairing the Macau Film Festival as Indian storytelling has so much in common with Chinese forms of storytelling.” Hosting an international film festival, Macao hopes that the event gathers film works across the globe as well as prominent actors & film stars from around the world, thus bringing in world – class exchange opportunities & unleashing a synergistic effect through advancing local cultural & creative industry development and Macao’s destination glamour.

CHITRANGADA SINGH INTRODUCES INDIA TO PREMIUM LACE APPAREL DESIGNED IN EUROPE

Intrika, an online lace designer wear brand launched their debut collection at their global launch in Mumbai. The fashion show where Chitrangada Singh was the showstopper was attended by the glitterati of Mumbai. A label dedicated to induce Indian wear with a perfect mélange of contemporary European lace & avant – garde silhouettes. After decades of conceptualization & complex designing, European lace exudes elegance that accentuates the glamour quotient in traditional Indian wear. Rachna Narang, Executive Director, Intrika avered, “The delicate balance between beauty & a stylish wardrobe is being constantly reinvented. But some things remain a classic. They become timeless and last outlive seasonal trends & fads. Intrika’s range is one of sophisticated ease & affordable luxury. Our clothes are extensions of legacy & heritage, but at the same time belong to the present – creating an endless circle of timeless style for everyone. We hope that every little bit of Intrika that Indian women bring into their life adds color & joy, accompanying them through their own memories & experiences.

RAVEENA TANDON TO TURN BOOK – AUTHOR!

Raveena Tandon, otherwise an altruistic social – worker, whose passion is child -welfare will add yet another feather to her career crown, that of a “Book Author”. The star – actress in a cryptic mode, said “My book which I will soon be focusing on, is neither a biography nor is it a fiction. We would be more excited because we would have a holiday dedicated to us little kids, on Chacha Nehru’s birth anniversary,” Today’s super – confident kids are fortunate that they are tech – savvy right from a very tender age, she feels. Tandon has been judging an educational initiative, by the Seven Seas Academy. “A nationwide contest hunt for India’s young masterminds, to promote the prime importance of health supplements for vital brain development among children. It’s so heartening that 2 winners are being sponsored for an educational trip to “NASA”!” says Raveena. “Even when I was going thru a major personal crisis, decades ago, I used to often spend quality time with kids at an orphanage home. It was unconditional love that they would always give me in return,” insists Raveena who had adopted 2 young girls (actually nieces) whose parents had passed away, when they were young. Currently, the evergreen actress is “waiting for the release of the hard -hitting, bold movie THE MOTHER directed by Ashtar Sayyed, which has violence against women as its theme”.

PRIYANKA CHOPRA REVEALS ‘SARVANN’ POSTER ON GURU NANAK JAYANTI

Choosing the auspicious day of Guru Nanak Jayanti, Priyanka Chopra revealed the poster of her upcoming Punjabi film SARVANN which she is co – producing with producer Vashu Bhagnani. ‎Announcing the look of the film, Priyanka Chopra averred, “Guru Nanak Jayanti is a great day for us to start a new journey in Punjabi cinema with our debut film production, SARVANN. We’re very proud to work with such an amazing team to present this wonderful story. After the success of our Marathi venture, VENTILATOR, Purple Pebble Pictures is also very pleased to extend our collaboration with Pooja Films for SARVANN.” Breaking language barriers and backing good stories is not new for either Priyanka Chopra or Vashu Bhagnani. After the Marathi hit VENTILATOR, SARVANN Sarvann is the 2nd project that the 2 production houses are collaborating on. Adds director Karaan Guliani, “Produced by an all – women team of Priyanka Chopra, Dr. Madhu Chopra & Deepshika Deshmukh, SARVANN is a coming – of – age story of a young man who discovers his true identity. The movie stars Punjabi film & music superstar Amrinder Gill, the rising Punjabi hit singer Ranjit Bawa, who is making his acting debut with SARVANN & Simi Chahal of BAMBOOKAT fame. The film is written by the popular & successful writer Amberdeep Singh with music composed by Jatinder Shah. SARVANN releases worldwide on 9th December, 2016.

HOW ‘SAANSEIN’ TRIUMPHED OVER ‘ROCK ON 2’?

PM Narendra Modi’s demonetization decision has certainly impacted the entire country; especially cinema business has gone for a toss. ROCK ON 2, which was touted to “rock” at the BO considering its 1st part ROCK ON was super successful, didn’t open on a great note. However, those who took a timely action are now heaving a sigh of relief. SAANSEIN producer Goutam Jain took a bold step and decided to push the release of his debut film at the 11th hour. While many speculated that SAANSEIN was being postponed as the makers didn’t want to clash with ROCK ON that comes from a big banner and trade is also quite upbeat about this Farhan Akhtar starrer. But if that would have been the case then SAANSEIN, which is now scheduled to hit the screens alongside Shah Rukh Khan & Alia Bhatt’s DEAR ZINDAGI on 25th Nov, 2016, wouldn’t have opted to arrive along with yet another biggie. It would have rather gone solo to arrive in theatres. Some others even wondered if the makers of SAANSEIN are taking an appropriate decision to shift the release, but looking at the current scenario and the way demonetization has affected the new releases, it seems SAANSEIN team was provident and took a calculated smart move. Though the film will face competition from SRK’s DEAR ZINDAGI, but that will perhaps not deter the film from doing the required business, because by that time, things may settle for better. Goutam Kumar Jain says, “It’s a calculative move. Since we had to take a call fast, we decided to postpone the film. We aren’t scared of the competition and we are quite confident of our product. We understand it will be difficult for people to prioritize a film over other basic necessities.”

KAREENA REVEALS WHAT COULD BE HER CHILD’S NAME ON #NOFILTERNEHA!

Kareena Kapoor Khan & Saif Ali Khan are awaiting this Dec eagerly for their little bundle of joy to arrive. On #NoFilterNeha’s latest episode on Saavn, Bebo got into an interesting conversation on what could be the name of the saifeena baby! When Neha Dhupia joked about how the name of the baby will be affected by the polar opposite choices Saif & Kareena have, Kareena admitted saying – “Right now, obviously we haven’t even locked a thought of anything. But yeah, Saif is more of a historian because he reads so much.” And we all know that Kareena is a fashionista! Marrying both their passions, Neha came up with a rather unique name for the baby “Zeus Chanel Kapoor Khan”! A sporting Bebo laughed it off saying “Never know”. We love the sound of Zeus Chanel Kapoor Khan! Do you?

JEETENDRA RECEIVES MUMBAI GLOBAL ACHIEVER’S AWARD

Different achievers from the fields of sports, journalism, politics, fashion, business, media & social service were awarded for their contribution in their respective industries. Anup Jalota, Gufi Paintal & Arun Bakshi were seen at the awards night. Jeetendra received Mumbai Global Achiever’s Award. Dr. Ajay Sahai, actor Nandkishore Agarwal, producer Abhishek Soni were also awarded. Rakhi Sawant received the award for her recent social initiatives. Kanchan Avasthi who’s seen as Sarla in the hugely popular Serial AMMA received the award for her performance. Hina Khan of YEH RISHTA KYA KEHLATA HAI & Himani Shivpuri too won the awards. Writer Dhiraj Mishra who’s known for his recent patriotic movies like JAI JAWAAN JAI KISAAN & Chapekar also won the award. Others who received the award are Ravi Buley from AMAR UJALA, Iqbal Parvez from NDTV, Sonal Singh from Zee TV & RJ Alok from Dainik Bhaskar Digital for their contribution in the field of journalism.
Rajkumar Tiwari, founder & editor of Mumbai Global Achiever’s Award said he started this initiative to recognizes the hard work put in by varied personalities.” The 2nd edition of Mumbai Global Achiever’s Award was held in Mumbai at Bhaidas Hall, Vile Parle.

TRAILER OF FILM AASRA RELEASED

Trailer & poster of the reality based film AASRA was unveiled in Mumbai, where producer Sadanand Krishna Shetty, director Raj Sagar, actors Raghuveer Yadav & Sunil Pal were present with entire technical team. Atul Kulkarni, Omkar Das Manikpuri & Ashok Samarth were conspicuous by their absence at the event. The film is based on the producer’s real life struggle for 21 years in a slum area in Poona. He said that after going through lots of hard work, he decided to show the problems faced by slum dwellers to every citizens of India. Raj Sagar added that he was lucky that actors like Atul Kulkarni, Raghuveer Yadav, Omkar Das Manekpuri, Ashok Samarth & Sunil Pal were playing the real characters in this film, besides Sadanand who has essayed the role of main protagonist in film, which was shot in real locations. AASRA is based on SRA (Slum Rehabilitation Authority), how a person Sadanand Shetty comes to help the poor people.

GOVINDA GIVES AWAY MEDALS TO WINNERS OF LOKHANDWALA HALF MARATHON / 10KM

One more feather added to the Celebration Club’s cap. A Half Marathon / 10K was organized on 6th Nov, 2016 for a very noble cause – Promoting & Encouraging Girl Child Education. The Marathon was flagged off sharp at 6 am – 21K & 6:15 am – 10K, as planned, from Celebration Club by actors Dino Morea, Mukesh Rishi, Corporator Jyotsna Dighe & Sub Inspector Subhash Khanvilkar from Oshiwara Police Station. There were a total number of 674 participants, from all age groups – young boys, girls, men, women & senior citizens who participated joyfully & enthusiastically. Some of them came from as far as Thane, Pune & Kolhapur. Prize distribution at the end of the marathon, in cash & medals was handed out by Govinda.

HEMWANT TIWARI AN INDIAN ACTOR WHO HAS WORKED ABROAD

Indian stars starring in a Hollywood project is a trend now but when you are a lead in a series that stars the Hollywood legend Eric Roberts who’s done movies like THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE EXPENDABLES et al, you need a special mention. He is Hemwant Tiwari, who is a hard worker born in a small village in Rai. Hemwant has achieved the feat of featuring in MEDINAH (TV Series) along with Eric Roberts. He moved to Mumbai in 2007 and did his acting course from Barry John which finished in 2008, after that he did a lot of theater work to garner experience & polish his skills. Amongst other ventures he has just finished the filming of a feature film in which he plays the lead and it releases next year. The story of his next Television series MEDINAH revolves around an accident that happens due to a failed experiment which prompts teleportation of 12 random people into a different dimension. It is being produced by Emmy Award winning Production Company Arab Telemedia group. It is Arab world’s first Sci -Fi series. Ahmed – Al – Baker who is the director of this series says that he loved everything what was offered by Hemwant Tiwari for his character. So After Priyanka Chopra he is another actor from India set to play lead in a TV Series.

RAVEENA TANDON JOINS INDIA’S TOP MASTERMINDS IN MUMBAI FOR THE GRAND FINALE OF SEVEN SEAS ACADEMY

Seven Seas, Merck’s heritage brand announced the launch of its novel educational initiative, the Seven Seas Academy – a nationwide hunt for India’s young masterminds, aiming to create awareness about the importance of brain development among children. Through this activity, Seven Seas reached out to more than 60,000 students across 200 schools in 10 cities, from where 20 of India’s smartest kids came together in Mumbai to get a chance to explore the stars at NASA. With Children’s Day around the corner, Raveena Tandon joined the children in Mumbai as part of the grand finale. Yuvraj Varma & Ravi Yadav from Chandigarh emerged victorious, winning the coveted title of India’s young masterminds and a full paid educational trip to NASA along with their families. Talking about the importance of health & nutrition among children, celebrity mom & brand ambassador Raveena Tandon averred, “With Children’s just gone, the Seven Seas Academy was the ideal manner to celebrate this lovely occasion. Being a mother to 4 lovely children myself, I understand the importance of brain development and am personally involved in ensuring the right nutrition for my children.”

ANIL KAPOOR UNVEILS THE NEW IMARBLE COLLECTION FROM QUTONE

Anil Kapoor who unveiled the new range “imarble” from Qutone averred on the demonetisation after effects , “This is temporary and will iron out issues like corruption in the long term for India” but what is important is Companies like Qutone who firmly believe in “Make in India” initiative will be the ones who will actually make the difference.” The company launched a new range of their product imarble by Global Brand Ambassador Anil Kapoor with Manoj Agarwal – C. M. D, Qutone & Sunil Manglunia, M. D. Qutone at Acetech 2016. Qutone with its innovative designs & technology has won the award for Best Design. Manoj Agarwal – C. M. D., Qutone expressed his exhilaration & averred, “Qutone has done us all proud not only in India but across international seas too and it is a great feeling of pride to be touching newer skies with our product offerings in the form of innovative product solutions combined with world best technology and creating masterpieces with the “Make in India” label. Sunil Manglunia – Managing Director, Qutone added, “Qutone has attitude, style & exuberance and we found synonymous traits in Anil Kapoor. Anil Kapoor added, ”I am extremely happy to be associated with Qutone.”

WINS DIEUS BRINGS THE CINEMA – A 100 MINUTE DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

International filmmaker Wins Dieus, NRI from Los Angeles has completed the entire shooting & post production work of Winangel Productions’ THE CINEMA which was shown to the media at Star House. Raaj Bhanot is in charge of India operations. Wins Dieus has also spotted the locales for shooting in India & abroad for his next film MOONMAN DRACULA which will be made in 3D. After the completion of the entire shooting of this film, he will also start the shooting of the mega budgeted feature film titled SATURN X – THE WARRIOR AYYAPPA for which he has finalised the locales in India also such as Konark Temple, Lodhi Gardens, Romthank Pass – Manali besides shooting in Romania, Scotland, New York & Los Angeles. Jackie Shroff and few more have been signed already for this film which will be made in English & varied languages of India like Hindi, South languages et al. From the age of 19, Wins Dieus has dabbled in films and is a trained director, cinematographer, stereographer, (trained in 3 D filmmaking), writer, screen writer, lyricist, art director, graphic designer et al. and has been the special correspondent of India Unbound, an English Magazine.

SRK’S BIOGRAPHY BY SAMAR KHAN RELEASED!

Royal Stag Mega Music unveiled Samar Khan’s book on Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic journey and his life in the film industry. Aptly titled “25 Years Of A Life”, the book captures interesting incidents & anecdotes from King Khan’s successful journey in the industry through the eyes of the directors he has worked with. From Aditya Chopra’s “Raj” who became the King of Romance with DILWALE DULHANIA LE JAYENGE to Farhan Akhtar’s DON, Samar Khan’s book includes 30 chapters and each one of them is a director’s take on a particular character created by them and portrayed by SRK. The book was launched by Shah Rukh Khan in Mumbai. Abbas Mustan, Kundan Shah, Anubhav Sinha & Piyush Pandey graced the occasion. Shah Rukh Khan averred, “25 years in the film industry was a big dream for a boy who came from Delhi all those years ago. These years have been full of excitement, hard work & varied ups & downs and this book is a tribute to all the film makers who believed in me & my dreams. I am extremely thankful to all my fans who have made me what I am today.” Samar Khan averred, “This book was the perfect chance for me to tell the SRK story from a different lens.” Piyush Pandey, Executive Chairman & Creative Director, South Asia – Ogilvy & Mather averred, “The book celebrates the Baadshah of Bollywood and is an ode to the life & times of the greatest performer of our times”

MUVIZZ.COM’S NEXT VENTURE ‘BHONSLE’ GETS SELECTED BY NFDC
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Muvizz.com’s upcoming feature film BHONSLE has been selected into The Co -Production Market, organised by NFDC’s yearly event, The Film Bazaar. The film written and to be directed by ace director Devashish Makhija, will have Manoj Bajpayee playing the title role BHONSLE. Piiyush Singh, COO Muvizz.com, Manoj Bajpayee & director Devashish Makhija had earlier worked together on a short film TAANDA. Manoj Bajpayee who earlier essayed the role of a cop in TANDAAV will again be seen portraying the character of a cop. The film begins with the advent of Ganesh Utsav and the deity’s 10 days journey has a parallel resemblance to BHONSLE’s life. Manoj will perform the role of a retired cop who is desperately seeking an extension in his tenure. Piiyush Singh, COO & Co – Founder, Muvizz.com averred, “We, at Muvizz have always strived to support content oriented cinema. BHONSLE is a perfect example of cinema that we represent on our platform.” Devashish averred, “BHONSLE was written in the year 2014 but got selected by NFDC in 2016, proving that eventually art is valued. Muvizz & I have worked together for TAANDAAV and we share the same passion for content -driven cinema. ”The platform recently gave backing to varied projects such as the documentary on the life & work of Gazal Maestro Jagjit Singh, ALBERT PINTO KO GUSSA KYUN AATA HAI (a contemporary remake of the old classic) and short films like TAANDAAV & KRITI.

AKSHAY KUMAR & TWINKLE WERE DATING FOR A YEAR BEFORE THEY TIED THE KNOT

When they were seeing each other Frank Sinatra’s hit song “Strangers In The Night” played a very important role during their courtship. It was Twinkle’s favorite song so Akshay & Twinkle use to keep listening to it on the loop during their courtship while they were shooting together. Recently when they came on a chat show Koffee with Karan. Akshay surprised Twinkle by singing the song for her. Says a source, “This is the 1st time ever they came together on a chat show. In fact, Akshay’s special effort took Twinkle by surprise. “And the way Akshay sung the song, it surprised not just Tina but all the others present on the sets of the show. They also danced to the number.”

ATHIYA SHETTY TO SURPRISE KIDS ON A FREE AIR RIDE

Athiya Shetty is a part of the airline major event called Flight of Fantasy. She will be joining kids from her grandmother’s NGO Save the Children. Athiya is excited to be a part of the event. The Flight of Fantasy is an annual event hosted out of Delhi & Mumbai alternatively and is a special joy ride for children from select NGO’s. “This year we will be hosting it in Bombay at the T2, CST Airport. By means of this special 45 minute joy ride over the city we expose children from marginalized backgrounds, to the world of aviation and also plan a fun filled day for them at the airport. This includes a short presentation on avionics, music, games & snacks for everyone. Kids are fascinated by aeroplanes. I have seen them getting excited when one flies above their heads. I can’t wait to see their reaction when they soar high,” she averred. Her mother, Mana Shetty, looks after the NGO now. “I have known many of those kids since I was 13. There was just a wall between my school (American School of Bombay) & their premises. I have seen the complete school; the ones my age have graduated,” adds Athiya.

‘TOILET – EK PREM KATHA’ TO RELEASE WORLDWIDE ON 2ND JUN, 2017.

TOILET – EK PREM KATHA, a love story with a satirical flavour, is directed by Shree Narayan Singh & produced by Aruna Bhatia, Plan C Studios & Abundantia. Presented by Viacom18 Motion Pictures & KriArj Entertainment.

GULZAR HONOURED WITH THE TATA LITERATURE LIVE! POET LAUREATE AWARD 2016

Legendary poet, lyricist, writer & filmmaker Sampooran Singh Kalra, best known across the world as Gulzar, was honored recently as the “Tata Literature Live! Poet Laureate for 2016”, which carried a citation, plaque & cash prize on the inaugural day of the festival, 17th Nov, 2016, in Mumbai, where the celebrated poet also read some of his recent work. Says Gulzar saab, “When Anil Dharkerji called to tell me about the award, for a moment, I felt like there might have been a mistake, akin to walking into a dimly lit room, where it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. I have a number of books, but wasn’t sure Anilji knew of my writing outside of films. It gives you a little more confidence and assurance in your work.” Gulzar’s poetry & lyrics have given expression to, and shaped the feelings of, millions of Indians for over 5 decades now. The 7th edition of Tata Literature Live! coincides with the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare and Gulzar saab pays his tribute with a charming ode written specially for the festival. The poet – lyricist who won his 1st National Film Award in 1972 for Koshish has gone on to win the Padma Bhushan, India’s 3rd – highest civilian award in 2004; the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2013; the Sahitya Akademi Award in 2002; 5 National Film Awards, 20 Filmfare Awards, a Grammy and an Academy Award for his song “Jai Ho”! in movie SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE.

SPECIAL ATV WAS ORDERED FOR SHAH RUKH – ALIA STARRER ‘DEAR ZINDAGI’

Alia never fails to impress us and DEAR ZINDAGI star firmly believes in supportive nature. During the shoot, Alia & SRK both of them had to walk a lot to reach their 1st mark for every take and then do the same over & over again for different shots as it was a walk & talk scene. The 1st day of shoot with SRK was on a secluded beach in Goa Alia & SRK both of them had to walk a lot to reach their 1st mark for every take and then do the same over & over again for different shots as it was a walk and talk scene. An ATV was called on set that day, so that SRK & Alia could just ride the ATV up & down on the stretch of the beach and not tire themselves up. The film is directed by Gauri Shinde & produced by Gauri Khan, Karan Johar & Gauri Shinde. DEAR ZINDAGI is slated to hit the cinemas on 25th Nov, 2016.

TEASER OF AMOLE GUPTE’S SPY -SUPERHERO FRANCHISE FILM ‘SNIFF’! IS OUT!

Eros International’s Trinity Pictures, India’s 1st franchise studio launched the teaser of its 1st feature film, SNIFF, a big – scale kid’s live action – adventure film. Helmed by director, Amole Gupte, of TAARE ZAMEEN PAR & STANLEY KA DABBA fame, the man behind several acclaimed children – centric films, reputed to spot talent in children and introduce fresh new faces in Indian film industry (Darsheel Safari in TAARE ZAMEEN PAR, his son Partho in STANLEY KA DABBA et al), is all set to launch his next discovery Sunny Gill, an 8 – year – old “wonder” boy who plays the lead character in this family entertainer that revolves around a young Sikh boy, who is a spy in the making along with his curious gang of extraordinary cohorts. The film also stars Surekha Sikri, Sushmita Mukherjee, Manmeet Singh, Putul Guha et al. The film is slated to release in summer 2017.

SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI RECEIVES AN EMOTIONAL SURPRISE ON THE SETS OF ‘PADMAVATI’!

Sanjay Leela Bhansali, one of the finest filmmakers in the country, has always been lauded for bringing depth & emotion into every single frame he captures. This comes easy to the director as he is a warm & emotional person even off screen. It was only recently that the filmmaker’s former AD’s dropped in on the sets of PADMAVATI at a popular studio in the suburbs, to wish their mentor luck. The group of assistant directors who worked with Sanjay Leela Bhansali in SAAWARIYA wanted to show their support & encouragement and surprised him by showing up on the sets. Sanjay Leela Bhansali was extremely touched & overwhelmed when he saw them on the sets. They wanted to come & wish him luck in person as soon as they heard that PADMAVATI went on the floors. Bhansali has been like a mentor to them and they owe everything they’ve learnt to him. Very few people know the filmmaker personally and those who do truly love him – On the sets Bhansali ensures that his crew is well looked after and are treated to the most lavish food. He is protective of his team and constantly encourages them to do their best.