The huge success of her last film Aashiqui 2 has just sunk in for the actress, Shraddha Kapoor.

The huge success of her last film Aashiqui 2 has just sunk in for the actress, Shraddha Kapoor.

And she recently took time off to treat and pamper herself. The actress, with a few close friends took a trip to Belgium, Amsterdam and Paris.

Shraddha Kapoor, who loves to travel and explore new places planned a 10 day trip with her friends post the massive success of her film Aashiqui 2.

Being a hard core music lover, the actress with her friends also attended the dream music concert, Tomorrowland.

Shraddha who entered the 100 crore club with this film bonded well with her photographer-friend Rohan Shrestha and the young director, Ayan Mukherjee.

This trip was well deserved by the new and young actress of B-town.

Spokesperson confirms "Yes, the actress recently took a 10 day leave after a very long time to celebrate her success with her close friends. She surely deserved this holiday"

The actor, Rishi Kapoor, who remembers long dialogues actually finds it difficult to remember names of people.

The actor, Rishi Kapoor, who remembers long dialogues actually finds it difficult to remember names of people.

Rishi Kapoor has a very lovable habit of calling everyone by different names each time.

Even on sets of his upcoming film, Shuddh Desi Romance, he would keep calling his co-stars Parineeti, Sushant and people of the crew with different names without realizing.

The younger unit on the sets of Shuddh Desi Romance recently learnt about this habit of Rishi Kapoor and once they were aware about this, they found it very adorable.

The people around the star are accustomed to this by now and the sport that Rishi Kapoor is that he himself laughs about this habit of his.

The actor has the highest potential to shock you each time as he is very spontaneous and natural.

Parineeti Chopra says "Rishi sir has an adorable habit. He doesn't remember anyone's name. So he would keep calling everyone by different names. And what he will call you next is always a surprise. Best is, that he is also laughs the most about this habit of his"

Shahid Kapoor's brother Ishaan loves to watch his big brother perform on a live stage.

Shahid Kapoor's brother Ishaan loves to watch his big brother perform on a live stage.

So much so that Ishaan has planned to keep a special get together with his friends on 10th August, for the telecast of IIFA. Shahid Kapoor will be hosting IIFA, for the second time around.

Ishaan loves to watch Shahid hosting stage shows. He feels Shahid has fantastic comic timing and great flair which very few actors have.

Shahid had also hosted the IIFA last year and his brother Ishaan had loved his fantastic performance.

Ishaan thinks that Shahid should do live hosting and performances more offend.

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS India release: 18-Oct-13

CAPTAIN PHILLIPS

India release:    18-Oct-13           

Genre                   Action thriller    

Director:            Paul Greengrass              

Cast:                  Tom Hanks, Catherine Keener

Columbia Pictures’ action-thriller Captain Phillips stars two-time Oscar® winner Tom Hanks in the true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in two hundred years. The film is directed by Oscar® nominee Paul Greengrass, from a screenplay by Billy Ray and based upon the book, A Captain’s Duty: Somali Pirates, Navy SEALs, and Dangerous Days at Sea, by Richard Phillips with Stephan Talty. The film is produced by Scott Rudin, Dana Brunetti, and Michael De Luca.

Shankar Mahadevan and Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra launches anthem “Mujhse Hogi Shuruat

Anti-corruption website ipaidabribe.com launches its hindi version “Maine Rishwat Di” 

Shankar Mahadevan and Rakyesh Omprakash Mehra launches anthem “Mujhse Hogi Shuruat

Mumbai, 9 Aug 2013:“Maine Rishwat Di” (hindi.ipaidabribe.com), the Hindi language version of anti-corruption website ipaidabribe.com was launched here today by singer and music director Shankar Mahadevan, at a launch event hosted by Janaagraha, the Bangalore based NGO.

Ipaidabribe.com is the world’s largest crowdsourcingplatform against corruption focussed on the day-to-day demand for bribery faced by citizens.  In just three years of its launch the site has recorded over twenty five lakh visits and twenty thousand bribe stories from over four hundred cities and towns in India.  The Hindi avtar of ipaidabribe “Maine Rishwat Di” is expected to reach over 600 million Hindi speaking citizens across India giving them an opportunity to report their corruption and bribe experiences, and significantly contributing to corruption data and trends.

Shankar Mahadevan Academy and Janaagraha are running a global talent hunt called “Mujhse Hogi Shuruat”for the best lyrics for an anti-corruption anthem.  Speaking at the event Shankar Mahadevan said “Shankar Mahadevan Academy ties music with technology to spread the learning of Indian music.  People like me in the entertainment industry can contribute to social change through our work.  The Academy’s and my collaboration with ipaidabribe and Maine Rishwat Di issomething I look forward to“.  The noted singer who is also part of the Shankar-Ehsan-Loy trio said he would sing the anti-corruption anthem that could then become a call to action to all Indian citizens to joinipaidabribe.com and Maine Rishwat Di in their fight against corruption. Mahadevan announced that Pankaj Sinha, a contestant from Phoenix Arizona has been chosen as the winner of the “Mujhse Hogi Shuruat” contest by the Shankar Mahadevan Academy.Shankar Mahadevan said“It is important that citizens speak up and take action. The fight against corruption will be a long journey. But I am confident ipaidabribe.com and Maine Rishwat Di will achieve their lakshya”.  Laying emphasis on his point, the singer rendered his song from the Hindi movie Lakshyathrilling the audience.

Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, noted filmmaker who was also present at the event said“Janaagraha’s work is all about social change that is action-orineted and does not stop with talking.  I feel honoured to be part of it” 

Mobile Apps and SMS services facilitating bribe reporting by citizens were also launched at the event.  Citizens without access to smartphones or internet connections can file a bribe report by sending a message to 56363.  Describing the impact of ipaidabribe.com and Maine Rishwat Di, Swati Ramanathan, Co-Founder, Janaagraha said“ipaidabribe.com has succeeded in collecting data on day to day bribes and corruption based on an innovative crowdsourcing model.  It also captures the anguish and distress that citizens experience when confronted with demand for bribes.”

The website provides citizens a platform to not only narrate their story or experience with bribes and corruption, but also aggregates data on amount of each bribe, office and location where it was paid.  Further, citizens also have the option of reporting this to senior officials of the department where bribe was paid, Vigilance department and to the media. The site also facilitate citizens to report stories where they have resisted paying bribes and where they have met honest officials who did not ask for a bribe.

Citizens in fifteen other countries including Brazil, Greece, Kenya, Pakistan, Ukraine and Mexico have found inspiration in this innovative crowdsourced model of fighting corruption and have built similarsites, making ipaidabribe.com a global phenomenon.

Also present at the event was Jayant Sinha, Managing Director, Omidyar Network India Advisors, who launched the Mobile Apps.

Never-Ending Movie generates more than a million impressions!!andpictures.in

Never-Ending Movie generates more than a million impressions!!

Whoever said ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth’ would never have thought that India’s first interactive movie channel ‘&pictures’ would take that quote and turn it around. In just two days of the digital film going live, the country’s first crowd-sourced film has already sent the digital audiences into a frenzy, engaging around 15,000 users! Of these more than 30% of them have accessed the film through their mobile phones. The specially created Twitter hashtag #GiveMovieNamesWithAnd trended organically on the very first day of the never ending film going live in cyberspace.

With the vibrant campaign page andpictures.in bringing in the most traffic, engagement levels are phenomenal with users who access it from desktops staying on the microsite for 5+ minutes, mobile net users staying on the site for 4.2+ minutes and page views reaching over 4 views per person. Though users have the option to participate through Twitter and Facebook, there is maximum fun on the campaign micro site which has led to exceptionally high stay time per user.

Debashish Ghosh, Chief Knowledge Officer – EsselGroup, Technology and Digital Strategy while talking about the high user engagement on ‘the never &ing movie’ says “All innovative campaigns do well for obvious reasons. But this one has really surpassed even my expectations. Counting all social shares, mentions, tweets etc, exposure for the Brand ‘&Pictures’ as a result of the ‘never &ing movie campaign’, has gone to several hundreds of thousands, possibly crossed million. All of this essentially drives home the point that the initiative is perhaps tending to become one of the better case studies of Ideation Led Digital initiatives in India and perhaps even the world. The fact that there is almost 50% mobile engagement proves that people are constantly following the campaign and engaging at will. This is PURELY because of the power of the idea and digital execution. “

He further added, “The compelling part of the idea is that it hands control to consumers ... and consumers love it! Especially when brands recognize that consumers are cognitive and intelligent in their approach. In my opinion - that’s what made consumers align so easily with the concept. They felt ONE with it and a part of it. And most importantly - it is a TOTALLY FUN experience which is yet serious and non-frivolous. It lends a sense of fulfillment to consumers in co-creating that ultimate ‘Junta Scripted’ movie. This innovative idea is in sync with the brand ethos and helps showcase &pictures as being significantly different from all existing movie channels. The results have proven that we were right in our choice - so far - and the participation by consumers have been phenomenal.“

Talking about the phenomenally high response to the digital film, Mr. Akash Chawla, Marketing –Head, National Channels, ZEEL, says “The digital film has been extremely successful in reaching out to the right kind of audiences and creating a huge buzz for ‘&pictures’ as a brand. As a movie channel, it has been the perfect medium to engage users with the brand through the creation of a film that is ‘for the people and by the people’. We have urged users to get their creative juices flowing and there have been over 2200 responses for the script and dialogues with thousands liking and following dialogues through the day.”

“Our data on the campaign has shown us that we have gained a large group of loyal followers who have been following the progress of the film from the stage of inception. These users follow the campaign as they leave their places of study and work leading to a huge spike in traffic between 7-11 PM. Though digital trends in the past show that people have been averse to the idea of signing up, it is encouraging to see that they haven’t resisted the process or let it stop them from participating in the campaign.”

  

Join us as we premiere the film that YOU made possible! The film premieres on Monday, August 12 on andpictures.in. Stay tuned!

Sonam Kapoor who just got out of the success of her recent films; Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Raanjhanna has no time to enjoy the moment now.

Sonam Kapoor who just got out of the success of her recent films; Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Raanjhanna has no time to enjoy the moment now.

Before the huge success of her recent films could sink in, the pretty actress got into shooting for her next film with YRF.

YRF had planned the shooting dates much in advance and got the dates from Ayushmann, Rishi Kapoor and Sonam.

However Sonam was busy promoting her films before and immediately got into shooting for YRF post that as promised.

However, this only means that a bigger celebration is in que for the actress.

The actress who hasn't even been home to have a celebratory dinner with close friends and family has postponed the celebration as of now.

After all, work comes first. Especially for the dedicated and professional actress Sonam.

Sonam says "I have been inundated with calls from friends from the industry, family and well wishers. My house is filled with flowers and this calls for a big celebration for everyone. I will plan it once my shooting schedule is over."

Iftar party hosted by veteran actor Sanjay Khan and his wife Zarine Khan.

Iftar party hosted by veteran actor Sanjay Khan and his wife Zarine Khan. Mr. Waahiid Ali Khan attended the party with other eminent personalities from the Bollywood industry and from the political circle. Chief Minister Prtihviraj Chauhan, Mhd. Arif Nasim Khan (Cabinet Minister of Maharashtra), Ghulam Nabi Azad, Abu Azmi, Kabir Bedi, Kajol,Tanisha, Adnan Sami, Suzzane Roshan, Javed Akhtar, Shabana Azmi were also present at the party.

Mr. Waahiid Ali Khan is quite a known name in the industry and happens to be a close friend of the Khans. The iftaary party was hosted at Sanjay Khan's Juhu residence where Sanjay Khans son-in-law Hrithik Roshan, who is recuperating from a brain surgery was also present.

Western Union association with Shah Rukh Khan’s Chennai Express celebrates international & domestic consumers’ enduring commitment to send money home

 

Western Union association with Shah Rukh Khan’s Chennai Express celebrates international & domestic consumers’ enduring commitment to send money home

All India mass-media campaign rolled-out from mid-July across 10 states

Mumbai, India, 8 August 2013: Western Union, a leader in global payment services, has signed up yet another Bollywood production; formalizing an association with Indian film superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s anticipated 2013 blockbuster - Chennai Express to be released during the Eid holiday.

The storyline of Chennai Express signifies the hardship the movie hero undertakes against all odds to ultimately win his love.  The movie association is pertinent to Western Union’s own consumers who send money back home to support their families whether they are overseas non-resident Indians or domestic migrants.

In honour of the holy season of Ramadan and celebration of Eid – Western Union’s association with Chennai Express, follows closely with the company’s 10 Guna Zyada’ promotion where 30 international remittance receivers across ten states in India enjoyed the opportunity to increase their principal amount received ten-fold* which ended 6 August 2013.

Mr. Kiran Shetty, Managing Director & Regional Vice President, Western Union India said: “There is a hero featured in every Bollywood movie and at Western Union, every time Western Union moves money for consumers whether that is from overseas or within India, there is a hero celebrated by family and loved ones across the whole of India.

“We are talking about 11 million customers in India alone last year and we expect this to grow with our expansion of international direct-to-bank and domestic direct-to-bank services.

“Our association with Bollywood is a celebration of this heroism and there is no better way than to celebrate with the “King of Bollywood”, Shah Rukh Khan’s special movie release.

In India - regular support, education and gifting are the top three reasons to receive international remittances from family and loved one’s overseas, according to Western Union research in 2012.

Mr Shah Rukh Khan said, “We are delighted to be to be associated with a global brand like Western Union that has been connecting families across the world and within India.

“Cinema is exactly like that. In fact, Chennai Express is a family entertainer for every person across the world. I am glad Hindi Films continue to inspire real life stories and it is my pleasure to be a part of this important journey.

 “It is a special heroic sacrifice to leave home in the name of greater opportunity for family and loved ones. I am glad Bollywood continues to inspire real life stories and I am honoured to be a part of this important journey,” he said.

Tanaaz Bhatia, Managing Director, Bottomline Media Pvt.Ltd, said, “Western Union brings loved ones together, this is in perfect sync with the theme of Chennai Express making it a perfect blend.  We are thrilled to be a part of this association as the movie and Western Union promise ten times more excitement for all Indians, this festive season”.

Western Union’s mass media campaign rolled out in India mid-July in the major states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala & Karnataka. It included TV, radio, print and outdoor advertising as well as point of sale activation at Western Union^® Agent locations.

Western Union’s association with Chennai Express continues its tradition of Bollywood sponsorship. Western Union’s “Great loves that binds overseas Indians back home” 2012 survey conducted by Nielsen asked Indians by birth or descent across major regions of the world with large Indian diaspora, the top three things that connected them most to India. The top three iconic characteristics connecting overseas Indians most to their roots are, perhaps not surprisingly were Indian food, Bollywood and traditional festivals.

Western Union’s 10 Guna Zyada’ promotion conducted via a raffle of money transfer transactions offered over 5,000 consumers a chance to win ‘Eidi’ ranging from INR 501 up to INR 5,001, while 30 lucky winners had the opportunity to win a grand prize of up to INR 120,000.

The competition within the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala & Karnataka - ended 6 August 2013; and winners notified will be by 16 August 2013.

* Maximum prize limited to INR1,20,000.  Other terms and conditions apply.

About Western Union

The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is a leader in global payment services. Together with its Vigo, Orlandi Valuta, Pago Facil and Western Union Business Solutions branded payment services, Western Union provides consumers and businesses with fast, reliable and convenient ways to send and receive money around the world, to send payments and to purchase money orders. As of June 30, 2013, the Western Union, Vigo and Orlandi Valuta branded services were offered through a combined network of approximately 520,000 agent locations in 200 countries and territories and approximately 115,000 ATMs. In 2012, The Western Union Company completed 231 million consumer-to-consumer transactions worldwide, moving $79 billion of principal between consumers, and 432 million business payments. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com.

* Deepika Padukone and Shah Rukh Khan do not endorse Western Union® services nor the brand

MARYAN - AR RAHMAN & BHARATBALA along with DHANUSH to have a special screening in Mumbai

MARYAN - AR RAHMAN & BHARATBALA along with DHANUSH to have a special screening in Mumbai

The Mozart of Madrass - AR Rahman and the Brilliance of Bharatbala along with the superb talent of Dhanush, have got their Tamil romantic-drama 'Maryan', receive an overwhelming response from audiences, media as well as critics. Maryan got released on 19^th July and still creating ripples Internationally as well in Southern India.

AR Rahman and Bharatbala will be hosting a special screening of maryan in Mumbai on Saturday - 10^th August.

A.R. Rahman has used the tunes that will resonate in your heart, long after the show is over. The wizard has brought his genius for the movie’s BGM score.

Dhanush, who recently made a sparkling debut in Bollywood with Raanjhanaa, revels and excels in a role that gives him huge scope to perform; his performance is real and heart-wrenching – whether he is showing joy, pain or love. Ace actress from Malayalam cinema, Parvathy makes presence of a very powerful  performance.

Ace ad filmmaker Bharathbala, who shot to fame with his patriotic videos Vande Maataram and Jana Gana Mana, makes his debut in Tamil cinema with Maryan. Maryan comes with the promise of delivering great music and visuals.

Renowned French Cinematographer Marc Koninckx’s, visuals are poetic and out-of-this-world as he has fully exploited the wide visual canvas that Bharathbala has offered him.

Model/Vj/Actress Pooja Misrra scorches the ramp as the finale showstopper for Jewel Trendz at I.I.J.W.

Model/Vj/Actress Pooja Misrra scorches the ramp as the finale showstopper for Jewel Trendz at I.I.J.W.

Just when we were getting bored of the regular showstoppers at fashion weeks, came a surprise we had to write about.There we were seated at the front row of Jewel Trendz fashion show at the I.I.J.W. when as though lightening struck the audience as in glided the gorgeous showstopper.In an electric blue bebe gown tall and statuesque Model/Vj/Actress Pooja Misrra mesmerized us with her beauty,confidence and grace.Very aptly such a bombshell was chosen to walk the finale showstopper for Jewel Trendz show at the highly celebrated IIJW.Have a look at the photographs to be spell bound.

NEXT ATTRACTION HOLLYWOOD - UPDATE

NEXT ATTRACTION HOLLYWOOD

·         ONE DIRECTION: THIS IS US (3D) – 6^th September

·         GROWN UPS 2 – 13^th September

·         2 GUNS – 20^th September

·         ELYSIUM – 23^rd September

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Runs Into The 100 crores Club

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Runs Into The 100 crores Club

First Film Of Indian Cinema To Cross 100 crores During The Month Of  Ramadan

05th August 2013: After a tremendous success across nation, Viacom 18 Motion Pictures and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra' s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has entered the 100 crore club. It is Bollywood's first movie which has crossed 100 crores in the month of Ramadan. The movie has become a raging movement across the country with the motivational display of Milkha Singh's life by Farhan Akhtar.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has caught a momentum like no other movie so far and is being going strong in its 5th week. Ajit Andhare, COO of Viacom 18 Motion Pictures says, "This milestone is extraordinary. It validates our belief as a Studio that Cinema is a force of good. And at its best, it can engage an entire Nation in an inspiring and uplifting conversation."

The movie has gone tax free in a lot of cities across India. "That Brands, State governments, Celebrities, and most importantly - people at large, found resonance with this larger conversation in somewhat cynical times gives us hope about our future as a Nation & Society." said Ajit Andhare.

Even after a success of going tax free the movie has become the first Indian biopic to enter the 100 crore club, Andhare continues, " So this 100 Cr for BMB is special and the entire team at Viacom 18 and ROMP feels proud and fulfilled today.".

With the very best talents like Farhan Akhtar, Sonam Kapoor, Yograj Singh, Art Malik, Divya Dutta, Pawan Malothra, Prakash Raj, Dalip Tahil and endorsement of Milkha Singh, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has earned 103.2 crores (net India Box-office) till the fourth weekend. It has also got a great response overseas with a total of 20 crores approx.

The actor, director, producer, singer is elated with this kind of response Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is receiving.

The actor, director, producer, singer is elated with this kind of response Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is receiving.

The film is soaring at the box office and has managed to cross the 100 crore mark.

Bhaag Milkha Bhaag is Farhan’s third hundred crore film. The  first two were achieved as producer and director of Don 2

Farhan Akhtar is an ace producer, director and now his acting is also being appreciated from all quarters. Infact, the film continues to achieve critical acclaim and audience appreciation. It is snowballing at the cinemas due to positive word of mouth.

Farhan is being closely compared to the vetran superstar, Raj Kapoor.

Raj Kapoor has been known to step into varied space of filmmaking and yet excelling at them all. He carried the tag of an all rounder for his direction, production along with his acting.

Farhan Akhtar, the multi facet talent seems to be following the footstep of Raj Kapoor.  

Farhan has got critical acclaim for all his ventures. He adorns many feathers in his hat and he outshines at each one of his skills.

Pooja Chopra bags two Brand Ambassador contracts

Pooja Chopra bags two Brand Ambassador contracts

Recently Pooja Chopra faced trauma  when a jewellery brand filed a case against her for losing one earring at an event during the promotions of Commando. But her honesty stood by her and she has been signed by one more jewellery brand, Dwarka Dass Jewellers as a Brand Ambassador.

And as they say when it rains , it pours, Pooja  has also been signed by Graviera Clothing to be their Brand Ambassador. 

"It feels nice to be endorsing brands of such high repute, being a miss India I endorsed quite a few brands and now as an actor, happiness!. Wish to sign more in the coming time", says Pooja on being brand ambassador for two companies

Ekta Kapoor wishes to repeat Imran-Sonakshi.

Ekta Kapoor wishes to repeat Imran-Sonakshi.

The lover boy of B-town, Imran Khan will be seen romancing the desi diva Sonakshi Sinha in their upcoming film Once Upon a Time in Mumbai Dobaara.

Ekta Kapoor, who is very fond of this pairing has been heard expressing her wish to repeat this jodi on the silver screen in  her future project.

She is of the opinion that Imran and Sonakshi make a lovely pair and they share a very strong chemistry.

Nothing concrete has come to play yet but their pairing surely has the spark to lead to the success of a film.

Imran and Sonakshi have shared good chemistry with other actors too in the past, but the current pair that is making a buzz in B-town is the OUATIM-D pair; Imran and Sonakshi.

When we spoke to Imran Khan in an earlier interview and asked him that we had heard Ekta Kapoor saying this more than often he said "I am also hearing the same. I don't know of any project as of now. But Ekta has been excited about our pairing and chemistry on screen".

Buddhadeb Dasgupta finds his Anwar in Nawaz

Buddhadeb Dasgupta finds his Anwar in Nawaz

The National Award winning director Buddhadeb Dasgupta is all set to release his next hindi film ‘Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa’ starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui. Buddhadeb’s has also directed hindi films like Andhi Gali, Bagh Bahadur and Woh. The story of Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa was ready around two years back but Buddhadeb war in search of the right face for a common man’s role. Nawazuddin is indeed one of the finest actors but it was after Buddhadeb watched Gangs of Wasseypur and Kahaani, he immediately signed Nawaz for Anwar’s character.

“I was not finding a right face for Anwar. I waited for the right face to play Anwar when I saw Nawaz I signed him and film went on the floor. I feel Nawaz is the most talented actor in the hindi film industry. It was after I watched Gangs of Wasseypur and Kahaani. Nawaz is a wonderful actor” says Buddhadeb Dasgupta. 

The film is produced by Leo Eight Pixmedia Pvt. Ltd and is currently under post production. 

‘&’ Now Showing...‘&pictures’! India’s first interactive movie channel launches on 18 August

‘&’ Now Showing...‘&pictures’!

India’s first interactive movie channel launches on 18 August

Add caFrom L-R - Mr. Akash Chawla, ZEEL Marketing head (National Channels); Mr. Bharat Kumar Ranga, ZEEL Chief Content & Creative Officer and Mr. Ruchir Tiwari, ZEEL, Cluster Programming Head ption

AddMr. Ruchir Tiwari, ZEEL, Cluster Programming Head (Hindi Movie Channels) caption

Mumbai, 6 Aug 2013: The new premium and interactive Hindi movie, ‘&pictures’, unveiled details surrounding its launch. Officially going on-air on 18 August 2013, it goes beyond a television channel to help viewers come close to their favourite movie stars. Targeting viewers with a younger mindset, ZEEL, CCCO, Bharat Ranga and ZEEL, Marketing Head (National Channels) Akash Chawla and ZEEL, Cluster Programming Head (Hindi movie channels), Ruchir Tiwari introduced ‘&pictures’ innovations, programming slate and marketing strategy.

ZEEL Chief Content & Creative Officer, Mr, Bharat Ranga said, “&pictures’ marks a defining moment for us with the launch of a movie channel for people who are young at heart. Over the past 20 years, ZEE has built a reputation for content that is entertaining, profitable and of high quality…while at the same time, it has been inspiring and empowering to audiences. A new movie channel allows us to build upon our existing film and digital resources to create a continuing conversation with an audience that is interested in staying connected and engaged with the world around them.”

Speaking about the symbol ‘&’ and the logo, Mr Ranga adds, “The Ampersand sign in ‘&pictures’ signifies ‘Udaan’ (flight) & ‘Neev’ (rooted) and celebrates the duality of contemporary Indians. The Ampersand in the logo merges seamlessly with the ‘p’ of pictures and connotes the ease with which today’s viewer blends his ambition to soar high while remaining rooted to his sacrosanct values. The color red similarly radiates his bold ambition as well as the richness of his traditions.”

With a view to set new benchmarks in engaging audiences, many innovations have been lined up in the coming months. Taking the first step towards interactivity the channel has announced a contest for India’s first digital crowd sourced film on Twitter. It will be a democratic movie in every sense of the word – of the people, for the people, by the people. The channel will also soon be launching some advanced products that will take interactivity to a new level altogether. ‘&pictures’ programming slate is anchored by 24 hours of daily content including the premieres of upcoming big ticket films in its first year. The premieres include much awaited releases, Chennai Express, Zanjeer, Besharam, Ghanchakkar, Commando and Aatma.

Mr Akash Chawla, ZEEL Marketing head (National Channels) said, “The name and logo of the channel has been decided post a detailed study of more than 1000 brands across the world and after testing it with consumers in India. The main differentiator for ‘&pictures’ will be the innovative mediums of interactivity initiated to engage with audiences.‘&pictures’ will redefine the consumer experience around content. We intend to spark change through entertaining interactive initiatives. We have just launched the first digital crowd sourced film that will significantly enhance consumer access to the content they're looking for – from wherever they choose to access and consume content. The core of brand ‘&pictures’ stems from the fact that today, viewers are not watching TV as the sole activity that they do…TV viewing is accompanied with time spent on mobiles, chatting on various, social media platforms, etc.”

Adds ZEEL, Cluster Programming Head (Hindi movie channels), Ruchir Tiwari, “Our programming model is designed to disrupt conventional wisdom. ‘&pictures’ aims at entertaining and celebrating today’s Indian irrespective of their age and is a reflection of how people across different mindsets are evolving. Our content will be specifically designed for the viewers who also have the strong desire and inimitable capacity to conquer the world and yet stay rooted to their culture. Building credibility and trust with our audience is paramount, so naturally we’ll provide a rich schedule right out of the box…and, we’ll do it the ‘&pictures’ way!” The library consists largely of films released in the last 10 years. It includes newer titles include Kai Po Che, ABCD, Barfi, English Vinglish, Tanu Weds Manu, Love Aaj Kal, Agent Vinod, Agneepath, Desi Boyz, Kambakt Ishq and Break Ke Baad.

‘&pictures’ will be available through all Pay TV packages across the country.