STAR STUDIOS AND CINE1 STUDIOS’ INTENSE SURVIVAL THRILLER ‘APURVA’ TRAILER OUT NOW!

 BRACE YOURSELF TO WITNESS THIS EDGE OF THE SEAT THRILLER - APURVA STREAMING FROM 15TH NOVEMBER ONWARDS ONLY ON DISNEY+ HOTSTAR!

Mumbai, 26th October 2023: After unveiling the intriguing and viral first look amidst huge crowds and tremendous fanfare at the prestigious Lav Kush Ramlila at Red Fort, Delhi - the first of its kind for any Indian film, the power-packed trailer of Star Studios and Cine1 Studios’ APURVA is here! Releasing on 15th November on Disney+ Hotstar, Apurva directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat stars a unique ensemble cast of Tara Sutaria, Abhishek Banerjee, Dhairya Karwa and Rajpal Yadav who have united to showcase one of the most powerful stories of good over evil onscreen, set in one of India's most dangerous places in India – Chambal.

Trailer Link: https://youtu.be/daD91zE7tPs

The engrossing visuals showcase a dramatically raw and fierce transformation of Tara who draws onto her inner strength to survive and live! What happens when an ordinary moment in life suddenly turns into a very dangerous situation and how far will Apurva go to survive? This is the story of Apurva! 

Director Nikhil Nagesh Bhat says “Apurva was a great opportunity to bring an adrenaline pumping, powerful story to life. Audiences will see a dramatically strong transformation of Tara and for the first time we will see Rajpal Yadav in a deadly role, he will surprise fans with this new avatar! Abhishek brings a unique brand of memorability to all his characters, and I feel what he has done in Apurva, will catapult him even further. It was a memorable experience working on this story with such creative stalwarts like Murad bhai, Star Studios and Disney + Hotstar, who have given me a great platform to tell this thrilling story in the way I envisioned it.” 

Tara Sutaria speaks on headlining this unique project, "I am overwhelmed by the immense love and appreciation that our first look has received. ‘Apurva' has been the most challenging and rewarding experience for me with regard to performance and it is also starkly different from any role I've played before. The fierceness and power of this character is what drew me in from the beginning! This is the role I've longed for since I began my career, and I can’t wait for the audiences to watch the film from November 15, on Disney+ Hotstar.”

Cinematic legend Rajpal Yadav whose menacing avatar will take audiences by surprise says, “It is always important to keep trying to innovate and do something different no matter what stage of life you may be in. I was looking for a role that I’ve never done before, something that can shock today’s audiences who are always looking for something new and Apurva was just the right story for me to be a part of which is releasing from 15th November on Disney+ Hotstar!”

Known for his dynamic portrayals on screen, Abhishek Banerjee says "This is one of the most fearsome characters I’ve played so far and to bring the necessary level of evil and menace in each scene was quite challenging but it was a great journey working with such an exemplary team! I am very excited for audiences to watch Apurva from 15th November on Disney+ Hotstar.”

Dhairya Karwa adds, "Exploring the intricacies of the character was challenging and exciting at the same time. It was an emotional journey and a testament to the purest emotion, love, and how far you would go to protect the ones you love. It is one of the most creatively liberating experiences of mine working with such a fantastic team, and I am eagerly awaiting the release of Apurva from 15th November on Disney+ Hotstar!”

Star Studios presents APURVA, a Cine1 Studios and Star Studios Production, is written and directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and produced by Murad Khetani and Star Studios, will be streaming from November 15 onwards only on Disney+ Hotstar.

ABOUT THE FILM:

An edge-of-the-seat thriller, where the prey becomes the predator to survive an abduction, through the night. Apurva, an ordinary young girl (age 23) is enroute to an adjacent town to meet her fiancée, when she is randomly kidnapped by local dacoits during a robbery. Apurva has to outwit lawless, brutal and dreaded dacoits in the ravines of Chambal (large unpoliced ravines across central India) to survive the night before any help comes her way.

About Disney+ Hotstar

Disney+ Hotstar is India’s leading streaming platform that has changed the way Indians watch their entertainment - from their favourite TV shows and movies to sporting extravaganzas. With the widest range of content in India, Disney+ Hotstar offers more than 100,000 hours of TV Shows and Movies in 10 languages and coverage of major global sporting events.

For the latest updates and entertainment from Disney+ Hotstar, follow us on (Instagram) @DisneyPlusHotstar, (Twitter

Govt ensuring last mile coverage to provide health services to remote areas: Prof SP Singh Baghel, MoS, Health & Family Welfare....

 

 

Need to address healthcare concerns of people in India who cannot afford quality healthcare

 

Industry should come forward in promoting blood donation and organ donation across country

 

 

NEW DELHI, 26 October 2023: Prof SP Singh Baghel, Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Govt of India today emphasized that the government is working towards providing last mile coverage to provide health services to remote areas in the country. He further added that there is a need to address the healthcare concerns of Indians who are not able to access quality healthcare.

 

Addressing the 17th edition of ‘FICCI HEAL 2023’, Minister Prof Baghel further said that under the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM), the government, through telemedicine, is trying to provide medical coverage to citizens who cannot access affordable healthcare. He emphasized on the need to promote organ donation and blood donation through massive campaign and urged the industry to come forward to play a lead role in promoting these across the country.

 

Speaking on the success of Ayushman Bharat Program, Prof Baghel stated that over Rs 70,000 crore have been utilized under the PMJAY scheme to promote affordable healthcare in India. He informed that till date over 1.80 crore Ayushman cards and 2.31 crore Ayushman Bharat Health Account (ABHA) ids have been created. He urged FICCI to organise a consultative meeting with healthcare providers, empanelled under AB-PMJAY, with the Health Ministry officials to deliberate on the concerns and issues of the industry.

 

Highlighting the importance of Jan Aushadhi centres, Prof Baghel underscored the need to promote more affordable and generic medicines while prescribing to patients.

 

Dr Harsh Mahajan, Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee and Founder & Chief Radiologist, Mahajan Imaging and Labs said that the ‘METAmorphosis’ in healthcare is deeply rooted in the adoption of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, genomics, and precision medicine, which are revolutionizing diagnosis, treatment, and healthcare management. “These technological advancements are driving unprecedented improvements in patient care, drug discovery, and healthcare research. They demand that we consider the ethical, legal, and social implications of these advancements, and ensure that healthcare remains accessible, equitable, and compassionate,” he added.

 

Dr Narottam Puri, Advisor, FICCI Health Services and MVT Committees; Principal Advisor- QCI; Board Member & Former Chairman – NABH; Advisor- Medical Operations, Fortis Healthcare Ltd said, “At a time when lifestyle disorders are on a rise, technology-backed public and private affordable healthcare is the only solution to confront the new pool of diseases. The future healthcare- its service design and delivery require reimagining healthcare—making it more personal, collaborative, and integrated, enabled by digital capabilities.”

 

Dr Ajay K Singh, Senior Associate Dean for Postgraduate Medical Education; Director, MMSCI, Harvard Medical School said that unequal access, affordability, healthcare spending and shortage of healthcare professionals are important challenges of healthcare scaling in India. “AI and AI solutions are going to be the answer to scalability in healthcare in India,” he added.

 

Dr Sanjeev Singh, Co-Chair, FICCI Health Services Committee; Medical Director, Amrita Institute – Faridabad and Chief Medical Superintendent, AIMSRC Kochi also shared his perspective on the healthcare sector in India.

 

FICCI-KPMG Knowledge Paper ‘New Age Healthcare Delivery Models in India’, was released during the event

Media reports claiming that the Union Government is compromising on smoking warnings for OTT Streaming Services are false and misleading

The Union Government has extended the COTP film rules to OTT Platforms which has been operative from 1st Sept 2023

By bringing OTT under the tobacco control rules, India has become a world leader in tobacco control measures

There is no compromise with the rules; action will be initiated for any non-compliance with the OTT Rules 2023

New Delhi, 21st October, 2023

A reputed news publication has recently made a claim that the Union Government has reached “an uneasy compromise” with OTT (over-the-top) streaming services on adding smoking warnings to their content. The report further claims that some platforms have chosen less intrusive warnings as a result of such an agreement. The news report is misinformed and claims are false, misleading and based on misrepresented facts. 

Considering public health as a priority issue, the Government of India has extended the COTP (Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products) film rules to OTT platform also.  OTT rules 2023 became operative from 1st September 2023. Under these rules, now all OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney + Hotstar, Jio Cinema, Sony LIV, ALTBalaji, Voot etc. have to display anti- tobacco health spots, anti- tobacco health warning as a prominent static message and audio-visual disclaimer on the ill-effect of tobacco use as prescribed in the rules.

This step of the Government has been commended by various public health organizations and experts. By bringing OTT under the tobacco control rules, India has become a world leader in tobacco control measures. 

Hence, the media report is not factually correct and does not reflect the correct picture of the Union Govt’s commitment towards improving public health as one of its priority duties. All OTT platforms are required to strictly comply with the provision of the OTT Rules 2023 as it became effective from 1st September 2023. There is no compromise with the rules and action will be initiated by the Government for any non-compliance with the OTT Rules 2023. 

DORITOS LAUNCHES AN ‘EXPLOSIVE’ NEW TVC FOR DORITOS DINAMITA

• The rolled fiery tortilla chip is adapted and customised for the Indian palette 

• The ‘Har Bite Mein Blast’ TVC showcases the ‘explosive’ Doritos crunch and fiery flavour of Doritos Dinamita

• A robust 360-degree surround campaign is also planned across multiple platforms

 

Link to the TVC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBi5aC_uZi4

New Delhi (18 October, 2023): Igniting its bold persona, Doritos, the world’s number one Nacho Chip brand*, has unveiled a ‘detonating’ new TVC campaign to introduce its explosive new launch – Doritos Dinamita. The bold new introductions are seasoned with extraordinary flavours and deliver a big crunch in every bite.

Drawing inspiration from its globally successful format, Doritos Dinamita has launched in two ‘explosive’ flavours – Fiery Lime and Chilli and Sizzlin’ Hot – which have been adapted and customised for the Indian palette. With this differentiated offering, Doritos aims to retain its leadership in one of the fastest growing tortilla chips market in the world.

Bringing to life the snack’s ‘explosive’ format, the film features a bunch of campers who are stranded in the middle of nowhere but saved by the bold move of the youngest in the group. As the campers desperately wait to be rescued for over two days, they fail to get the attention of the chopper hovering over them. Just then, the youngest of the lot stumbles on the last packet of Doritos Dinamita in his backpack. Looking at the dynamite shape and explosive flavour of the chip, he has a ‘eureka’ moment. He crunches on the chip to create an explosion that diverts the chopper back to the campsite, successfully rescuing all of them.

Speaking on the new film, Pranshu Sahni, Category Lead, Doritos, PepsiCo India, “At Doritos, we have always our consumer at the centre of our communication, connecting with them through our innovative products and bold storytelling. While the all-new Doritos Dinamita perfectly embodies the boldness of the consumer it's designed for, we wanted to amplify its crunch with a compelling narrative. Through our film, we’ve not only highlighted the ‘explosive’ nature of the product, but also our strong believe in bold self-expression.”

Vikram Pandey (Spiky), National Creative Director, Leo Burnett said, “New Doritos Dinamita is shaped like a dynamite and has a fiery taste, this gave rise to the idea of ‘Har Bite Mein Blast’. Our film dramatizes this idea in the brand’s signature style of humour. The film will be followed up with an extensive integrated campaign that will play up the blast aspect of the product." 

Not limited to a TVC, the Doritos Dinamita ‘Har Bite Mein Blast’ campaign will be brought to life through a robust 360-degree surround campaign. Doritos Dinamita is available at INR 20 and INR 30 across all leading retail and e-commerce platforms in India.

AGENCY CREDITS:

Creative Agency – Leo Burnett 

Dheeraj Sinha – CEO & Chief Strategy Officer–South Asia 

Raj Deepak Das – CEO & Chief Creative Officer–South Asia 

Samir Gangahar – President-North 

Vikram Pandey – National Creative Director

Saarthak Dutt – Executive Creative Director 

Atin Ahluwalia – Creative Director 

Hardik Trivedi – Creative Director 

Syed Imran Imamuddin – Associate Creative Director 

Sneha Rajpurohit – Senior Copywriter 

Bikash Patra – Art Director

Neha Kapoor – Vice President

Uday Lalotra – Brand Services Partner

Shriya Sachdeva – Senior Brand Services Associate

Noor Samra – Senior Vice President

Shailja Dhoundiyal – Brand Strategy Director

Production House – The Pack

Director – Vivek Kakkar

***

About Doritos:

Doritos, the world’s number one nacho brand*, is present in over 55 countries globally. Doritos is targeted at Indian consumers in the 18-to-30-year age bracket, residing in urban and semi-urban centres. Doritos is available in the following flavours: Nacho Cheese, Sweet Chili, Sizzlin’ Hot, Dinamita Fiery Lime and Chilli, Dinamita Sizzlin’ Hot and in five price points, at INR 10, INR 20, INR 30, INR 50 & INR 85. The product is available across India through a mix of large format retail chains, online channels, and neighbourhood stories.

About PepsiCo India:

PepsiCo entered India in 1989 and has grown to become one of the largest food and beverage businesses in India. PepsiCo India’s diverse portfolio includes iconic brands like Pepsi, Lay’s, Kurkure, Tropicana 100%, Gatorade and Quaker. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Pep+ “Winning with Pep+” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of the business. We believe that continuously improving the products we sell, operating responsibly to protect our planet and empowering people around the world is what enables PepsiCo to run a successful global company that creates long-term value for society and our shareholders. In 2009, PepsiCo India achieved a significant milestone, by becoming the first business to achieve ‘Positive Water Balance’ in the beverage world, a fact verified by Deloitte Touché Tohmatsu India Pvt. Ltd. The company has been Water Positive since then. For more information, please visit www.pepsicoindia.co.in.

DRI busts major gold smuggling syndicate in pan-India operation

Posted On: 15 OCT 2023 3:02PM by PIB Mumbai

 

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a syndicate involved in smuggling foreign-origin gold through land and train routes. In a meticulously planned and well-coordinated operation involving DRI teams across three locations, a huge quantity of smuggled gold, weighing around 31.7 Kg valued at around Rs. 19 crores, was seized in Varanasi, Nagpur and Mumbai on 13 and 14 October, 2023.

Acting on specific intelligence, the Nagpur DRI team apprehended two carriers of gold when they alighted at Nagpur railway station from a train that started from Kolkata. Foreign marked gold weighing 8.5 Kg was recovered from them. Following interrogation of the carriers, the DRI team also identified and apprehended two receivers of the smuggled gold.

The Varanasi team managed to apprehend two of the accused and their car when they were travelling in UP, after a 3-hour dramatic chase on the road and a search operation inside the forest, with the help of local police. About 18.2 Kg of gold was recovered from the duo and from a cavity made below the handbrake of the car.

The Mumbai team managed to trace five accused on the roads of Mumbai after they had travelled from Varanasi by train, carrying gold. The team recovered 4.9 Kg gold from them.

An interrogation of the accused revealed that the syndicate used to smuggle gold into India via the borders of Bangladesh and further diverted the same to Mumbai, Nagpur, Varanasi etc. With due diligence and coordinated plan of action, the DRI arrested 11 people -- five people in Mumbai, two in Varanasi and four in Nagpur. The arrested persons cover offenders at all rungs of the gold smuggling syndicate viz. carriers/passengers, handlers, and final recipients of the smuggled gold.

The operation shows the persistent ability of the DRI to work in a professional way to unearth syndicates that pose a threat to the economic security of the country. It also highlights the fruitfulness of inter-agency cooperation in such a pan-India operations.

***

RB/PK

Dazzling extravaganza of the year! CNM &ND Parekh Pre- Primary School

Grand Carnival Extravaganza for their students and outside community.

Step right up to the most dazzling extravaganza of the year! CNM &ND Parekh Pre- Primary School is set to ignite the evening with The Grand Carnival, an event that promises to leave you spell bound.

Prepare to be enchanted as the grounds metamorphose into a resplendent wonderland, adorned with heart-pounding rides, enchanting games, an assortment of delectable delights to tantalize your taste buds.

From the spine-tingling roller coaster rides to classic carnival games, there's an endless array of entertainment to satisfy all ages. Savor the whimsical allure of cotton candy and popcorn, or relish savory indulgences that will appease even the most discerning palate.

But that's not all! The stage will come alive with the talents of remarkable performers, as they mesmerize with their acts, serenade with live music, and enthrall with captivating dance performances.The evening will be an unceasing cascade of entertainment , ensuring that every moment is one of pure joy and mirth.

So, mark your calendar and assemble your loved ones for an evening of indelible memories at CNM & ND Parekh Pre-Primary School's Carnival.

This is an opportunity to forge lasting conections and relish every single moment .

CNM & ND Parekh Pre-Primary School Cordially invites you to the most exhilarating event of the year.

The Grand Carnival!

Date: 21st October 2023

Time- 5.00-9.00 PM

Venue: CNM & ND Parekh Pre- Primary School.