Jacqueline Fernandez scores a hat trick

Jacqueline Fernandez scores a hat trick with KICK.

After the riveting success of Housefull 2 and Murder 2 ,Jacqueline Fernandez celebrates a hat trick with KICK , her third 100-crore grossing film.The actress is basking in the success of her latest blockbuster Kick which raced into the 100 crore club and currently stands at a box office total of 226.45 cr. 

 

Jacqueline who received rave reviews from audiences and critics alike is fast becoming a hot-favorite with filmmakers who are vouching for her as a talent to watch out for.

Said filmmaker Karan Johar ,"  KICK is a huge BLOCKBUSTER!!! Watch out for Jacqueline .she is smoking hot!"

Filmmaker Ken Ghosh said, " The screen was still smoldering after the preview of #Kick got over! The @Asli_Jacqueline effect"

Says trade analyst Komal Nahta , " Jacqueline Fernandez looks glamorous and sexy and acts with admirable ease. Her dances are just too outstanding, leaving the audience staring in disbelief."

Adds acclaimed critic and trade analyst Taran Adarsh ,"Jacqueline Fernandez does very well.She looks great and her dance in 'Jumme Ki Raat' is sure to stun you."  This is not the first time that this Sri Lankan beauty has earned such fame. Her last blockbuster hits - Race 2 and Housefull 2 equally garnered her fame.Jacqueline has always shared screen with Bollywood’s top notch actors "

Jacqueline will be next seen in Vikramjit Singh’s romantic thriller Roy with Ranbir Kapoor and Arjun Rampal. 

Aamir Khan launches ‘My Marathi’

Aamir Khan launches ‘My Marathi’

Noted actor, who is also the chief donor of My Marathi project released the book for Communicative Marathi for Beginners’ Level 1 at the University of Mumbai

MUMBAI, August 13, 2014: Bollywood superstar, Aamir Khan on Wednesday launched the book, My Marathi, a Communicative Marathi for Beginners’, Level 1, at the University of Mumbai. The book is an initiative of the Department of German, University of Mumbai and Granthali, a respected name in the Marathi publishing business since 1974.

Expressed his joy at the endeavour undertaken by the University of Mumbai and Granthali, Aamir, who is also the chief donor of the My Marathi project, said, “I want to congratulate all the people who worked together to bring out this book. I am very happy that this book has been released. It will prove extremely helpful to many people like me who do not know the language.”

My Marathi uses the latest integrated communicative techniques for teaching Marathi to non-native speakers. Aamir is also the chief donor of the My Marathi project. Five more books of upto Level 6 will be released in the future. 

Aamir also added, “I am surprised that the Maharashtra government never thought of doing something like this to popularise the Marathi language. I am also surprised that the University of Mumbai’s Department of German spearheaded this project and not the Department of Marathi.”

He also expressed hope and said, “I am sure the ministry of culture can take huge steps to carry out more such projects in Maharashtra.”

The book was released in august presence of Dr. Rajan Welukar, Vice Chancellor, University of Mumbai and the guest of honour was Mr. Michael Siebert, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany. One set of My Marathi consists of a textbook, a workbook and a free audio-visual DVD for Beginners’ level Marathi for non-native speakers (Anyabhashak) and Rs. 1,250 is the printed price made available for in just Rs. 1,000/-.

My Marathi has been authored by renowned writers, Suhas Limaye, and Jaywant Chunekar and is published by Granthali. “Granthali is very proud to publish this book and it will help Anyabhashak. The book will serve as a guide and prove to be a good counselor for the Anyabhashak who are interested to learn communicative Marathi,” said Mr Sudesh Hinglaspurkar, Trustee, Granthali.

According to Dr Vibha Surana, Head, Department of German, University of Mumbai, though there is a lot of political rhetoric about the use of Marathi in Maharashtra, if a non-native speaker wants to learn Marathi language, there are no structured courses to take the learner from the beginners to the most advanced stage of language proficiency.

“This social lacunae is the genesis of the two year old innovative Marathi Language Teaching Project at the Department of German, University of Mumbai. It undertakes to modernize the teaching of Marathi to non-native speakers using the integrated communicative approach used for German language teaching, prepare Teachers’ Training modules to use this new method, offer Teachers’ Training for Communicative Marathi, network to proliferate such courses in Maharashtra and globally,” she added.

Today, if one wish to learn any foreign languages – German, French, Spanish or Japanese – there are standardized, structured courses with uniform content for each level, which take the learner systematically right from the beginners to the most advanced stage of proficiency in that language. “For mastering a language generally about 700-800 hours of classroom teaching in about 6 levels are required. However, if one wishes to learn an Indian language such standardized courses and content are not available,” Dr. Surana pointed out.

With My Marathi books quality content for teaching material (textbook, workbook and DVD) has been prepared. A part-time Certificate Course in Communicative Marathi is starting at the Department of German.  Teachers’ Training shall also commence soon.

“Teaching of Indian languages needs to be revolutionized,” said Dr. Surana adding that if substantive funding is available similar projects would be undertaken for Hindi and other Indian languages in the future.

The book, My Marathi, is an initiative of the Department of German, University of Mumbai and Granthali and will be available at all the major bookstalls as well as on the online platform – Flipkart.com and Amazon.com. “We are glad that Aamir Khan took the initiative to finance this prestigious project and became the chief donor. At Granthali, we continue our dedicated service for the cause of promoting reading habits by keeping alive the literary movement to educate and empower the readers,” asserted Mr Hinglaspurkar.

Established in 1974 by a group of people from different professions, Granthali's success has largely because of its ability to change with the times, according to him. “Granthali is a unique publishing venture and has earned a place for itself as a Reader’s Movement in Maharashtra. Supporting this innovative Marathi language Teaching Project in promoting our four decade old literary movement financially will help us” Mr Hinglaspurkar appealed.

MUMBAI MANTRA TO NURTURE 100 STORYTELLERS

MUMBAI MANTRA TO NURTURE 100 STORYTELLERS

Submission Date: August 20

Calling for entries from Aspiring writers in

MUMBAI MANTRA - CINERISE SCREENWRITING PROGRAMME

·        A rare mentorship opportunity for 100 Indian screenwriters.

·        Selected screenwriters to be mentored by renowned writers and directors from across the world.

·        2-day Screenwriting Workshops shall be conducted in major cities across the county. 

·        A 5 day residential lab for 12-15 selected writers at a resort destination.

·        From Script to Screen: The Lab will finally culminate with a Pitch Event, a rare  opportunity for screenwriters to pitch their stories to potential producers, financiers, distributors, film festival programmers and curators. 

·        Aspiring writers from <insert city name> to submit their entries before 20^th August 2014

Mumbai, August 2014: Mumbai Mantra announced their new initiative today – The Mumbai Mantra CineRise Screenwriting Programme, reaching out to '100 Storytellers A Year' for which the submission date is August 20^th.

After a successful three-year association with the Sundance Institute, Mumbai Mantra continues its mission to nurture and nourish the creative eco system that it has built over last three years and to reach out to many more storytellers nationwide. Through its new initiative, Mumbai Mantra would be offering support to Indian screenwriters to help them write, polish and pitch their scripts to potential producers, financiers, distributors, sales agents, film festival programmers and curators at the Pitch Event. The program calls out to all the aspiring writers from <insert city name> to send in their scripts to participate in a golden opportunity which will convert their dreams into reality.

Rohit Khattar, Chairman, Mumbai Mantra said, “Our mission at Mumbai Mantra is to provide a springboard for writers which will help them take their scripts to the screen. We want to reach across to every storyteller with a dream. These screenplays (and even those that do not get selected as finalists), shall be part of the CineRise Script Bank and may still get attention from Producers in the future. India is a land of stories and we would like to provide a platform to these stories so that they can travel and cut across barriers.”

With distinguished screenwriter and academic Anjum Rajabali as its Convenor, the Mumbai Mantra CineRise Screenwriting Programme is a detailed step-by-step process of nurturing, which will have 8 defined stages of creative intervention.  The Programme invites applications from enthusiastic and determined Indian screenwriters from any part of the world. The programme is also open to non-resident Indians and even those with mixed Indian parentage.

Says Anjum Rajabali, "Indian screenwriting is in an exciting phase right now, and poised to take a leap to another level. Young aspirants are coming up with very promising work. By giving a much-needed boost to their efforts, this programme will help create an eco-system where all kinds of cinemas can co-exist.”

Says Aparna Purohit, Head – Creative Initiatives, Mumbai Mantra, “To provide comprehensive support to the writers, a 2-day screenwriting workshop will be held in different cities across the country. Among the submitted applications, 100 stories will be selected for the workshop out of which the finalists will come in for intensive interactions with experienced writers and directors at the workshop. The selected participants can choose the Center closest to their homes.”

The first day of the workshop will be open to EVERY enthusiast (for a nominal fee), including applicants who did not get selected in top 100. Those selected (in the top 100) will be invited to attend and shall not be required to pay any fees. The workshop will be an intensive introduction to screenwriting where some valuable lessons about the craft will be imparted. It will help participants understand the creative tools required to be able to create a robust screenplay. Those who do NOT make it to the top 100 this year can therefore use this guidance to apply to the programme next year. 

After the workshop, these 100 screenwriters shall have 2 months to submit the first draft of their screenplays basis which the final selections will be made. 12 to 15 deserving screenplays will make it to the final selection. These screenplays will be sent to the Mentors and other experts, for detailed evaluation and notes. The Mentors will be leading film Screenwriters and Directors.

After receiving notes from the Mentors, the writers will have 1 more month to send in the second drafts of their screenplays. Post this; the finalists will be invited to a 5-day workshop at a Resort destination. Here, the screenwriters will have 4-5 exhaustive one-on-ones with the Mentors, who will be renowned writers and directors from the Indian as well as the International film Industry.

Using the notes from the workshop the writers will revise their screenplays and turn in their third draft, in readiness for an S2S event (From Script to Screen). This draft will then be pitched to studio heads, independent producers, directors, financiers, distributors, film festival directors & curators at the Pitch Event to be held in Mumbai. This is one of the highlights of the programme.

Adds Aparna Purohit, “The last three years have been a great learning experience but our journey has only just begun. Our mission is to create a platform where new, independent voices in cinema are not stifled. This new programme is a step forward from our last initiative.”

About Mumbai Mantra

Mumbai Mantra Media Ltd, the Media & Entertainment vertical of the Mahindra Group, is actively evaluating opportunities in content and infrastructure in the domestic as well as international media and entertainment space.

Mumbai Mantra has also made a commitment towards providing a platform for independent voices in Indian cinema to champion an emerging generation of exciting filmmakers. The first step was a multifaceted 3 year agreement with the Sundance Institute founded by Robert Redford. This included the Mumbai Mantra | Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab in India and the Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking Awards, awarded annually at the Sundance Film Festival. 16 Filmmakers have been awarded and 25 Screenwriting fellows have been through the last 3 Screenwriting Labs. Post this, a new initiative Mumbai Mantra CineRise '100 Storytellers a Year' has just been announced, which shall help nurture 100 screenplays annually.

About Mahindra

The Mahindra Group focuses on enabling people to rise through solutions that power mobility, drive rural prosperity, enhance urban lifestyles and increase business efficiency.

A USD 16.5 billion multinational group based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra employs more than 180,000 people in over 100 countries. Mahindra operates in the key industries that drive economic growth, enjoying a leadership position in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and vacation ownership. In addition, Mahindra enjoys a strong presence in the agribusiness, aerospace, components, consulting services, defence, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, real estate, retail, steel, commercial vehicles and two wheeler industries.

In 2014, Mahindra featured on the Forbes Global 2000, a comprehensive listing of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies, as measured by revenue, profit, assets and market value. The Mahindra Group also received the Financial Times ‘Boldness in Business’ Award in the ‘Emerging Markets’ category in 2013.

Visit us at www.mahindra.com

For more information, please visit www.mumbaimantra.com
For Press Enquiries, please contact mukta.mumbaimantra@gmail.com

Raja Natwarlal Song Launch 'Flip Your Collar Back'

After Madonna and Beyonce, Shahid performs at O2 Arena in London

Shahid Kapoor recently performed in London on songs from his films, R...Rajkumar and Phata Poster Nikla Hero which are extremely popular because of their peppy music and the interesting grooves.

The actor got massive response there in terms of the audiences. The performance took place at

​the ​

O2 arena, which is one of the biggest stadiums there.

The entire

​arena ​

was packed with Shahid’s fans. There were about

​20,​

000 people cheering and hooting while Shahid gave a power packed performance on stage.

Usually it is only the mainstream performers like

​Madonna​

 and Beyonce who are able to pull

​in ​

that much crowd. But going by Shahid’s popularity even there, this was not really a surprising turnout.

Shahid was absolutely thrilled to perform there and it was a wonderful experience for the actor as well as his fans.

“Udānn”

COLORS weaves a tale of freedom with “Udānn”

~ Conceptualized by Mahesh Bhatt, the show celebrates the aspirational journey of Chakor as she takes life in her stride ~

~ Udānn to soar high on 18^th August. 2014, every Monday to Saturday at 8.30 PM on COLORS ~

Mumbai, 14^th August, 2014: For those who learn to overcome their fears, freedom beckons. Bringing alive this emotion of freedom, COLORS announces the launch of Udānn – the tale of Chakor, a free-spirited young girl whose existence is pawned by her helpless and poverty-stricken desperate family when in her mother’s womb, as collateral for money. Through Udānn, COLORS brings a heartwarming story addressing the social issue of bonded labour, widely prevalent in the world even in the 21st century. Conceptualized by ace director Mahesh Bhatt, Udānn marks the journey of 7-year-old Chakor as she rises like a phoenix towards her dreams to showcase a mind without fear. Produced by Dhaval Jayantilal Gada and Guroudev Bhalla Productions Pvt. Ltd., the show has been written by award-winning writers Robin Bhatt and Javed Siddiqui. Udānn is all set to sear through our hearts starting 18th August, 2014 and will air every Monday to Saturday at 8.30 PM on COLORS.

Commenting on the show, Raj Nayak, CEO – COLORS said, “We at COLORS have always taken the baton on creating awareness on social issues since the channel first launched 6 years back. The various issues we have addressed through our shows have since become a voice of change which has positively influenced audiences across the country. Udānn is our newest attempt to highlight issues and practices which continue to plague our country even today. Through Chakor, our young protagonist, we are looking forward to create awareness about bonded labour and its implications on the society and the lives of those who have been affected by it. We hope that the audiences will join Chakor on her journey from innocence, realization, hope, freedom and achievement.”

Set against the rustic backdrop in the hinterland of Uttar Pradesh where bonded labor is dominant, Udānn is an honest rendition of life and society. Bringing to light the innocence of a young but sharp-minded child, Chakor whose unhindered zest for life strengthens when faced with challenges at the hands of the Rajvanshi family headed by the zamindar Kamalnarayan, her story celebrates the spirit of survival and hope.

Caught between the social divide of the rich and the poor, the resilient story of Chakor takes flight amidst a restrained childhood with her parents Kasturi and Bhuvan, and growing up in a Zamindar’s household she has been pledged into. A political representative ironically entrusted with the responsibility of safeguarding the interest of the downtrodden, the zamindar and with his wife make Chakor the village’s sole child bonded laborer. Unaware of the circumstances which have led to her being wagered, Chakor experiences a gamut of emotions as she struggles to take wings and find her rightful place under the sun.

Speaking about the concept of Udānn, creative genius and ace director Mahesh Bhatt said, “Nothing communicates better than the truth. Through Udānn, we hope to create an advocacy for the liberation of women as they fight against injustice. Chakor is a young girl who wants to fly even though she has been mortgaged while she was still in her mother’s womb. She finds herself pitted against the entire world as she stands tall against a practice which cripples human aspirations.”

Adding to this, Prashant Bhatt, Weekday Programming Head – COLORS said, “Social issues like bonded labor is widely prevalent even in 21st century urbanized India and needs to be brought to fore and fought against. Udānn narrates a tale about the life of Chakor who has a strong survival instinct which keeps her sailing through the toughest situations. Her rebellious yet endearing nature proves that simplicity and innocence together will make for an attractive viewing proposition for audiences. In Chakor’s story that represents the unrealized hopes of countless Indians, suppressed by this barbaric practice of bonded-labor, viewers are sure to find an inspiring story of hope and resilience.”

Producers for the show Dhaval Jayantilal Gada and Guroudev Bhalla said, “Telling a story like Udānn requires a lot of heart, courage and conviction. A lot of research has gone into ensuring that the story is told in the right spirit and we have worked closely with NGOs fighting against bonded labor to ensure realistic representation. In our endeavor to bring alive a true to life story we have maintained an authenticity in treatment ensuring relatability across all aspects including visual conceptualization, scale and narrative. Beautifully conceptualized by Mahesh Bhatt and written by Robin Bhatt and Javed Siddiqui, Udānn is a true labor of love.”

Through Udānn, COLORS celebrates the strength of a girl who is free spirited, forward thinking and has a positive outlook towards life as she emerges stronger when faced with trials and tribulations. The show features relatable characters that bring to life the struggles of bonded laborers and the nature of their relationship with different pivotal characters in the show.

Udānn brings together power-packed performances by a strong ensemble cast who will be instrumental in the life of lead actor Chakor (Spandan Chaturvedi). The initial episodes of the show will focus on Chakor’s relationship with her warmhearted mother Kasturi (Sai Deodhar-Anand), her weak and under-confident father Bhuvan (Rajiv Kumar) and her strong willed younger sister and playmate Imli (Tasheen Shah). As Chakor’s life reaches crossroads at the tender age of 7, she moves into the home of the cruel and short-tempered zamindar Kamalnarayan Singh (Sai Ballal) and his shrewd authoritarian wife Rajnandini Singh (Prachee Pathak). Here she finds solace in Shakuntala Singh (Suhasini Mulay), the zamindar’s mother and a strict follower of Gandhian principles. As the story progresses, Chakor will undertake a journey that will change not only her life but also challenge the concept of bonded labor.

Udānn is another path-breaking show and COLORS will leave no stone unturned to ensure that Udānn achieves widespread reach across India and make the show the talk of the town. The show will see a robust high decibel 360 degree marketing campaign, pan India, that will effectively leverage all mediums like outdoor, on-air, radio and digital to garner mind space of the viewer.

Witness the zest for life of 7-year-old Chakor as she finds her wings to freedom through Udānn, starting 18^th August, 2014, every Monday to Saturday at 8:30 PM on COLORS!

About ‘COLORS’:

‘COLORS’ is Viacom18’s flagship brand in the entertainment space in India. A combination of ‘emotions’ and ‘variety’, COLORS launched on 21st July 2008 offers an entire spectrum of emotions to its viewers. From Fiction shows to Format shows to Reality shows to Blockbuster Movies – the basket contains all ‘Jazbaat Ke Rang’. ‘COLORS’ is dedicated to promoting ‘Cohesive viewing’, through programmes like Shastri Sisters, Sasural Simar Ka, Balika Vadhu - Kacchi Umar Ke Pakke Rishtey, Udānn, Beintehaa, Rangrasiya, Meri Aashiqui Tum Se Hi, Uttaran, Comedy Nights With Kapil, The Anupam Kher Show – Kucch Bhi Ho Sakta Hai, 24, Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa and Bigg Boss amongst others.

Vikram Bhatt, the real creature

Filmmaker Vikram Bhatt has contributed for his upcoming film Creature 3D, as the film team was uncertain of how the creature's expression should be, Vikram lent his own expression to the character of the Creature.

According to the sources, "The team had to create the animal from scratch through VFX. They faced a problem when they had to manage the expression on its face. When this was explained to Vikram, he told the team he would give his own expressions for the animal, which, through technology were later superimposed on it."

When asked Vikram about it, he says, "The process is called expression capture, where the face is marked with track points, and the computer recreates your expression. It was a weird experience, growling and snarling, and imagining how the creature would react. But then, no one knows the character better than I do. I gave him life, you see." 

Creature 3D, starring Bipasha and Imran Abbas, directed by Vikram Bhatt, produced under the banner of T-series, is slated for 12th September release.

Gokulashtami celebrations

Gokulashtami celebrations on the sets of 'Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai'

SAB TV’s popular alien comedy series ‘Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai’ narrates an exciting and comical tale of an alien family finding its place amongst humans on ‘Earth’.

In the recent track of ‘Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai’, all the actors and crew celebrated the auspicious occasion of Gokulashtami. Suhas Bagwe       aka Shishir Ghotala, the youngest member of the alien family was the happiest as he got the golden opportunity to dress up as Lord Krishna during the celebrations. The entire set was decorated in traditional style and the enthusiasm of the cast enhanced the joyous mood on the sets.

Suhas Bagwe aka Shishir Ghotala said, “I was really happy as we were celebrating Gokulashtami on the sets. I had no idea that I would get to dress as Krishna during the sequence. I always wanted to dress up like Krishna whenever we had a fancy dress competition in school and now I can do it on the show and everybody will get to watch it. It doubled my happiness. All the senior actors complimented me on my look. We also plan to do a dahi-handi sequence!!  I am truly excited for this festive track!”

 

Enjoy the celebrations of Gokulashtami celebrations on ‘Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai’ an out-of-the-world comedy series!

 

 

Tune in to ‘Badi Dooooor Se Aaye Hai’ from Monday to Friday at 9:30 pm to get your dose of daily laughter only on SAB TV!

Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai

​​

Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai says Team Mary Kom

~ Hosted by Priyanka Chopra, the event celebrates the unbreakable spirit of Magnificent Mary ~

Mumbai, 13^th August 2014: Jo Chahta Hai Wahi Kiya, Apni Hi Sharton Pe Yeh Hai Jiya … Dil Yeh Ziddi Hai says the team of Mary Kom as they celebrate this unbreakable spirit of Magnificent Mary. ‘Ziddi Dil’ was crafted as an ode to Mary and her ‘Never-Say-Die’ spirit, the same spirit that made her believe she could and so she did. Known to be a go – getter herself, Priyanka hosted the event along with the maverick host turned director Omung Kumar.

From the red corner of the ring – MC Mary Kom for the first time made an appearance for this event. As a token of their awe for MC Mary Kom, the music of the film was launched in her presence which mirrors her dedication, commitment and passion for boxing. All the music in the film echoes the mood of the ongoing track in the story with minute detailing and conceptualization for each song. From music stalwarts like Sunidhi Chauhan, Vishal Dhadhlani, Arijit Singh to Priyanka herself have lent their voice to the songs. The film’s music has been orchestrated by debutant music director Shashi – Shivamm.

Further elaborating, Ajit Andhare – COO, Viacom18 Motion Pictures said, “VMP identifies with Mary’s Ziddi Dil Spirit. We strive to live by it every day in our quest to produce content led cinema. Mary Kom- the film is the perfect testimony to this very sprit that we are celebrating today.”

Added producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali said, "Mary Kom's story is an inspiring one that touched my heart. Not many films are based on biopics of living people, so this is a rare experiment. I am extremely proud of it”.

Director Omung Kumar said,"It was great to host the show with Priyanka, actually we had a lot of fun and we had the honor to present the real Mary Kom to the world on whom the movie is made, to celebrate her life we launched our films music. Our films music is a mixture of fun in ziddi, love in Sukoon and saudebaazi, sadness in adhurein, Lori in chaoro, and inspiration in salaam India and ab Teri Baari hai. Great range for our film".

On this occasion Siddharth Shriram, Special Advisor, Usha International Ltd, says, “Usha is happy to be associated with this event as the theme ‘Against all Odds’ merges well with our company’s belief of financially empowering women from marginalized sections of the society.  Our silai school initiative for the last four years has been creating income generating opportunities for women residing in remote corners of the country to make them self-reliant within their family unit and thus improve the quality of their life including health, education and entertainment”.

Produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures & Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Mary Kom will hit theaters on 5th September 2014.

'Satyagraha' famed writer Anjum Rajabali

'Satyagraha' famed writer Anjum Rajabali teams with Mumbai Mantra's new initiative

 

Distinguished screenwriter and academic Anjum Rajabali, who is known for his work in ‘Satyagraha’, ‘Aarakshan’ and ‘Raajneeti’ among others, has joined hands with Mumbai Mantra for their new initiative - Mumbai Mantra CineRise Screenwriting Programme '100 Storytellers A Year', which was announced of late.

With Anjum Rajabali as its Convenor, the Mumbai Mantra CineRise Screenwriting Programme is a detailed step-by-step process of nurturing, which will have 8 defined stages of creative intervention.  The Programme invites applications from enthusiastic and determined Indian screenwriters from any part of the world. The programme is also open to non-resident Indians and even those with mixed Indian parentage. For which the submission date is August 20th.

Said Anjum Rajabali, "Indian screenwriting is in an exciting phase right now, and poised to take a leap to another level. Young aspirants are coming up with very promising work. By giving a much-needed boost to their efforts, this programme will help create an eco-system where all kinds of cinemas can co-exist."a

Rohit Khattar, Chairman, Mumbai Mantra said, "Our mission at Mumbai Mantra is to provide a springboard for writers which will help them take their scripts to the screen. We want to reach across to every storyteller with a dream. These screenplays (and even those that do not get selected as finalists), shall be part of the CineRise Script Bank and may still get attention from Producers in the future. India is a land of stories and we would like to provide a platform to these stories so that they can travel and cut across barriers."

Said Aparna Purohit, Head - Creative Initiatives, Mumbai Mantra, "To provide comprehensive support to the writers, a 2-day screenwriting workshop will be held in different cities across the country. Among the submitted applications, 100 stories will be selected for the workshop out of which the finalists will come in for intensive interactions with experienced writers and directors at the workshop. The selected participants can choose the Center closest to their homes."

The first day of the workshop will be open to EVERY enthusiast (for a nominal fee), including applicants who did not get selected in top 100. Those selected (in the top 100) will be invited to attend and shall not be required to pay any fees. The workshop will be an intensive introduction to screenwriting where some valuable lessons about the craft will be imparted. It will help participants understand the creative tools required to be able to create a robust screenplay. Those who do NOT make it to the top 100 this year can therefore use this guidance to apply to the programme next year.

After the workshop, these 100 screenwriters shall have 2 months to submit the first draft of their screenplays basis which the final selections will be made. 12 to 15 deserving screenplays will make it to the final selection. These screenplays will be sent to the Mentors and other experts, for detailed evaluation and notes. The Mentors will be leading film Screenwriters and Directors.

After receiving notes from the Mentors, the writers will have 1 more month to send in the second drafts of their screenplays. Post this; the finalists will be invited to a 5-day workshop at a Resort destination. Here, the screenwriters will have 4-5 exhaustive one-on-ones with the Mentors, who will be renowned writers and directors from the Indian as well as the International film Industry.

Using the notes from the workshop the writers will revise their screenplays and turn in their third draft, in readiness for an S2S event (From Script to Screen). This draft will then be pitched to studio heads, independent producers, directors, financiers, distributors, film festival directors & curators at the Pitch Event to be held in Mumbai. This is one of the highlights of the programme.

Kriti Sanon buys a new house

Kriti Sanon, who made her big debut with Sajid Nadiadwala's Heropanti recently bought herself a house in Bombay (Andheri)
The actress has been doing up the interiors of her house and setting it up on her own.

The young actress Kriti Sanon comes from Delhi and has been staying alone in Bombay since sometime now.

The actress who has recently moved in the city had been looking to buy a flat for herself post the massive success of her film Heropanti

Kriti was very keen to design her personal space by herself keeping in mind her needs and taste.

She has been visiting home furnishing stores as well looking up online for various designs.

Sonu’s Princess Makeover

Sonu’s Princess Makeover at Hong Kong Disneyland

‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ is a TV series that showcases the simple lives of the residents of Gokuldham society as they together resolve trivial issues with funny and meaningful solutions.

Tapu sena and their families from the show recently won an all-expenses paid trip to Hong Kong Disneyland through a Disney contest in India where they had the most magical time of their lives amidst the adventurous rides and memorable moments with the iconic Disney characters to keep them company. Nidhi Bhanushali who portrays the role of Sonu in Tapu Sena got a golden opportunity to visit Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique, a magical beauty salon where little girls can make their dream of becoming a princess come true! Sonu was transformed into Princess Cinderella for a day at the boutique. 

Nidhi Bhanushali aka Sonu said, “I had the most amazing experience at Hong Kong Disneyland. I was thrilled to visit Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique for a princess makeover. The attendants at the boutique treated me like a real princess and changed my entire appearance! I got to be Cinderella – my favourite Disney princess ever! All the cast and crew complimented me. I will always cherish this beautiful memory.”

Watch the Taarak Mehta family have an incredible time with Disney characters in Hong Kong Disneyland.

Tune into Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah to catch all the fun and excitement from Monday to Friday 8.30pm only on SAB TV!

Rajeev Raja presents Jazzification

Block your diaries for Friday, August 22^nd, 2014, 7.30 pm and get ready for a swinging, rocking, groovin' time at the Tata Theatre, NCPA.

Presenting Jazzification. A concert that ‘jazzifies’  the tunes of your favourite Bands and musicians from down the ages- the Beatles and Led Zeppelin to Doors to Michael Jackson,   Adele and many more.

Featuring renowned flautist Rajeev Raja accompanied by an array of stellar Jazz musicians such as Merlin  D'souza(Piano/Keys), Sanjay Divecha(Guitar), Karl Peters(Bass), Ryan Sadri and Rhys Sebastian(Saxophones), Karim Ellaboudi(Piano/Keys) and Ruben Steijn(Drums). 

Rajeev Raja has composed music for the Bollywood film Bas Yun Hi and has also played with Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Taufiq Qureshi, Susmit Sen of Indian Ocean fame etc. He has his own Indo-jazz band called the Rajeev Raja Combin

Kriti Sanon

Kriti Sanon is glued to a different kind of music as prep for her next

Young actress Kriti Sanon, who made her big Bollywood entry with Sajid Nadiadwala’s Heropanti is currently prepping for her upcoming next film, SINGH IS BLING opposite Akshay Kumar.

She has been learning different dance forms for her role. She has started learning Salsa as well as Ballroom dancing to begin with.

The pretty actress has been practicing regularly and since the dance form requires a certain posture she is getting into the nitty gritties to learn the style and perform seamlessly.

So, her tutors have given her special music to hear so that she can understand the beat and improve her musicality.

Not only is she working hard to perfect her moves, but also listening to this particular genre of music to make her performance more nuanced.

She wants to leave no stone unturned for this role and so she has been listening to a particular genre of music in loop from some time now.

Sunita Kapoor's surprise for daughter Sonam Kapoor.

Sunita Kapoor's surprise for daughter Sonam Kapoor.

Sonam Kapoor who has started shooting in Karjat for the next schedule of Sooraj Bharjatya's Prem Ratan Dhan Payo was  in for a surprise from her mother Sunita Kapoor - 

If sources are to be believed, Sunita Kapoor recently visited the chalet  Sonam was put up at and redesigned the entire space so as to resemble Sonam's room,looking into minute details from the upholstery to the amenities she uses at home .