BIG CBS SPARK launches ‘The Great GIG in the Sky’ - The ultimate music destination

The ultimate music destination, BIG CBS Spark further adding to its music offering, launches a new show with an eclectic twist – titled - The Great Gig in the Sky. The show comes with an unusual concept wherein indie-rock artists or bands come out of their recording studios and create music, out in the open. This one of a kind show which provides a wholesome experience by mingling nature with music is conceptualized by Jumpstart. The show will launch this March.

The Great Gig in The Sky looks at music in its most pure and natural form. The show takes the artist on a 2-day trip into the vast outdoors where, at one with nature, the artists along with the other participants in the group, play their hearts out. This is an only acoustic session and does not include any electronic sound amplification.

The Great Gig in The Sky showcases some of the foremost independent artistes in the country and samples their music in its most raw form. The show dwells into the lives of these independent musicians and showcases their most famous works and gives a glimpse into what they are currently working on. The appeal of the show is to get to know the artists as intimately as the people who accompany them on the camping experience.

The show was launched by renowned names from the music industry such as “Indie-Mainstream crossover” musician and singer Nikhil D’Souza, National Award winning lyricist, playback singer and writer for television, film and theatre Swanand Kirkire, songwriter and music composer Ankur Tewari and singer, songwriter and drummer Sidd Coutto.

This offering comes with BIG CBS Spark’s sharpening of its music positioning, while keeping with its recent campaign called ‘Choose Your Set-Top-Box Wisely’, designed to increase awareness and empower consumers with adequate information to make the right choice while choosing their set top boxes, while parallely enabling operators to build their brand equity. Reliance Broadcast Network has a robust well crafted 7 channel and is ready to maximize from the digital wave.

Kareena thought twice before taking up Chameli

She has millions of fans all around the world and one look at her pretty visage leaves people mesmerized. She has appeared opposite the biggest stars and is loved by one and all. That’s Kareena Kapoor for you! This weekend watch the beautiful Kareena on India’s Glam Diva, on BIG CBS LOVE.

The actress who has risen to the heights of superstardom talks about her love, life and career. Since her debut in Refugee, Bebo has always been reckoned to be an actress to watch out for. However success did not come easily to this glamorous diva. After her initial success, Kareena encountered quite a few unsuccessful films. Talking about Kareena, Rajeev Masand, a well known film critic and jury member on the show says, “There hasn’t been an actress who has made more bad choices then Kareena”. But it was this initial set back that led the ‘Chammak Challo’ girl to go on and achieve what she has today!

The actress reveals that she was wary of making bold choices earlier on in her career. But all that changed when she decided to star as the young prostitute with a golden heart in the movie Chameli. Apparently, Kareena had been offered Chameli a year before she actually took up the film as she was initially reluctant to do a risqué role at the beginning of her career. It obviously was a good decision as her portrayal of Chameli garnered her The Filmfare Special Performance Award and the film marked a significant turning point in her career as an actress.

Find out all this and more about your favorite diva on Saturday, February 25 at 9 pm on India’s Glam Diva only on BIG CBS Love.

Jaanleva 555 to have its promotion in Los Angeles

Radio 5 events in Los Angeles will have an exclusive Kalpana Pandit evening at Los Angeles on Feb 25th, wherein the actress will promote her latest Bollywood Film Jaanleva 555, directed by Sandeep Malani. This musical film, ready for release is now on International Platform for Promotions and is actively taking part in every event in the United States. Very recently, the film was showcased at a Multiplex to gauge the response from the Indian Audience and for raising a fund that would benefit with the proceedings of the film to a Medical Institution. 

The event at LA, will have a Musical Ball with the actress accompanied by Cliff Janke, an American who plays one of the lead role in the film. At the event that will be musical with songs and dance, the films promos and the songs will be showcased to the audience.

Jaanleva 555 has 13 tracks composed by various music directors with which 2 tracks are in English composed by Bradley Janke and Mike Paul Hughes. 

Nitin Desai to present an epic musical real love story Ajintha

With the promise to unfold the pages of history of Maharashtra, internationally acclaimed & renowned Production Designer and Producer Nitin Chandrakant Desai presents one of biggest romantic movie of this year Ajintha, another step forward by Iconic Chandrakant Productions Pvt Ltd (ICPPL) in the field of direction. Best-known for producing popular historical TV serials, giving life to great personalities like Raja Shiv Chattrapati, Bajirao Mastani and Balgandharva, a biopic based on the life of Marathi theatre's persona and fashion icon of 19th century.

Ajintha - The Film revolves around, exploring the truth of discovering the Ajanta Caves and its beautiful paintings. It is a love story of British officer who fell in love with the Indian villager named Paro. The beautiful golden era with authentic environment will be unfolded by Iconic Chandrakant Productions for today’s generation.

The film will be a challenge for the pages of history giving a complete new idea for people to think. The detailed study and strong research of the ICPPL team is revealed through this movie, which say a local adivasi girl named Paro from Lenapur, the village closest to the caves played an important role for the British officer Major Robert Gill to revive Ajanta Caves.

The film script started a year back and was backed by the Padma Awardee and noted Marathi poet N D Mahanor giving brilliant lyrics to the movie. Keeping in mind with the era and replicating the same, Ajintha, the movie, will be directed by Nitin Chandrakant Desai, Screenplay by Nitin Desai and Mandar Joshi, dialogues (Marathi) are by Abhiram Bhadkamkar, dialogues (English) are by Alice Birch and music baton will be manned by Kaushal Inamdar,  while Director of Photography (DOP) Rajiv Jain and renowned costume designer Neeta Lulla will be recreating the 18^th century with the support of class Make-up designer Vikram Gaikwad. Philip Scot, a UK based actor will enact the lead role of Major Robert Gill and Sonali Kulkarni will enact the role of strong and beautiful young adivasi girl. 

With the bang of the New Year, the shooting of the movie started from January 1, 2012 at Ajanta Caves, Aurangabad. With more than 210 members unit with epic red cameras, jimmy jib, milo and other advance equipments; shot the quality scenes burning the candle at both ends. 

On this occasion, Nitin Chandrakant Desai said, “After serving the Indian cinema for over 26 years, it feels great that I continue to give back to Indian history. This film will be my directorial debut. The movie is filled with great songs, drama, and action; and handled with international standards. It was a huge concept and requiredtremendous efforts to give justice to the era for which we actually casted the UK based actor and the related team based out of UK. I look forward that this movie to be one of the most romantic untold love story in the history of Marathi cinema and to reach out to today’s generation. I wish my journey to provide quality Marathi cinema continues….”

This haunting love story of the iron-chested Major Robert Gill and the tribal beauty, Paro, set against the exotic backdrop of the Ajintha Caves will be ready to release world wide in Mid 2012.

Get a dose of Beaches, Cops, Drama and Action in Hawaii FIVE-0

BIG CBS PRIME, the leading English entertainment channel from BIG CBS Networks is making sure that you have a rollicking time on weeknights by bringing an all-new season of Hawaii FIVE-0. The smashing series from CBS International is a police procedural drama show. Hawaii FIVE-0 is a contemporary take on the classic series about a new elite federalized task force whose mission is to wipe out the crime that washes up on the Islands' sun-drenched beaches. The show is all set to launch on 13^th February and will be shown from Monday to Thursday at 9 PM.

Hawaii FIVE-0 has been rated no. 1 series around the world – Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines, Brazil, Mexico and other countries in APAC and South America. It also won the "Favorite New TV Drama" at the 37th People's Choice Awards in Jan 2011.

In keeping with its promise of offering the latest seasons of programming, BIG CBS PRIME will also be airing sophomore season, which is currently underway in the US.

Hawaii FIVE- 0 starts with the return of a detective Steve McGarrett, a decorated Naval officer-turned-cop to Oahu to investigate his father's murder and stays after Hawaii's Governor persuades him to head up the new team: his rules, her backing, no red tape and full blanket authority to hunt down the biggest "game" in town. Joining McGarrett is Detective Danny "Danno" Williams, a newly relocated ex-New Jersey cop – a working man in paradise who prefers skyscrapers to the coastline – but who's committed to keeping the Islands safe for his 8-year-old daughter; and Chin Ho Kelly, an ex-Honolulu Police Detective, and former protégé of McGarrett's father, wrongly accused of corruption and relegated to a federal security patrol. Chin's cousin, Kono Kalakaua, is a beautiful and fearless native, fresh out of the academy and eager to establish herself among the department's elite. McGarrett, repairing his relationship with his estranged sister Mary Ann, vows to bring closure to their father's case, while the state's brash new FIVE-0 unit, who may spar and jest among themselves, is determined to eliminate the seedy elements from the 50^th state.

Watch Hawaii FIVE-0 launch on Monday, 13^thFebruary, 2012 only on BIG CBS PRIME at 9 pm

Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal has British model Sofia Hayat performing an item number

The sultry British-Asian model Sofia Hayat known to dress up in outlandish outfits is all excited for an Item number in the upcoming movie “Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal”. This is the first time Sofia will be doing an item number in Bollywood. She expressed her delight today on a popular social networking site. The song will be by choreographed by none other than Ganesh Acharya who is behind some of the most popular dance numbers of our generation.

Sofia tweeted “So excited. Tonight my first rehearsal with ganesh for my item number”. She later tweeted “First rehearsal with Ganesh Achareya for my first ever itm number, how excited am I!!” Sophia Hayat is also starring in a Hindi movie, Diary of a Butterfly, which releases in March this year.

Rash Productions’ “Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal” is a hard hitting gangster movie set in Bihar and Mumbai. It will be a great to see if she can live up to Ganesh Acharya’s expectation who has previously given us massive hits like Chikni Chameli and Beedi.

Jeena Hai Toh Thok Daal is a movie which shows horrid realities of the underworld crime as well as the changing times of Bihar state. The movie stars Ravi Kissen, Hazel, Sharat Saxena, Murali Sharma, Rahul Kumar and Yashpal Sharma. The movie is directed by the first time director Manish Vatsalya. 

India’s Glam Diva to premiere on BIG CBS LOVE today at 9.00 pm

After the super success of its first Indian property, ‘India’s Sexiest Bachelor’, BIG CBS Networks, India's No. 1 English Entertainment Network, today announced its second home grown property, India’s Glam Diva, on BIG CBS LOVE. The show will bring together the exceptional women Divas from across the industries, who have created a mark in Bollywood, Television, Sports, Corporate and more, to compete for India’s final choice of the most glamorous diva. Starting February 4th, the show will be aired every Saturday and Sunday at 9.00 pm.

The stunning ladies competing for the title are: Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra, Vidya Balan, Aishwariya Rai Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Sonam Kapoor, Sunidhi Chauhan, Bipasha Basu, Ekta Kapoor, Sonakshi Sinha, Sania Mirza, Freida Pinto and Shruti Hassan.

The winner will be selected on the basis of public voting and the opinions of an eminent jury who will shortlist the divas, and will help the audience choose their glam diva. The jury consists of renowned fashion designer-cum-social activist-cum - politician, Shaina NC, dancer-choreographer-entrepreneur-philanthropist, Shiamak Davar and film critic and entertainment reporter for CNN-IBN, Rajeev Masand. Backed by the expert jury, the programming team and audience feedback from across the country, the first phase saw shortlisted top 14 contenders for the coveted title.

The show has been divided into three segments. First Segment will give you a peek into the minds of divas who will be judged on the basis of their X factor, their public appearances, the brands they are associated with and their business sense, judging their minds. The second segment will include the attributes that make them so hot - Is it the eyes, lips, complexion, skin, attire, sex appeal or is it a combination of all...? Essentially evaluating the body. The third segment – after Mind and Body, will be Soul. It will be an electrifying combination of these factors that make for the winner.

India’s Glam Diva will be hosted by the beautiful singer and anchor, Shibani Dandekar. Shibani was also the host for the previous hit property, India’s Sexiest Bachelor.

Commenting on India’s Glam Diva, the BIG CBS Spokesperson said: “Our first home grown property India’s Sexiest Bachelor was a huge hit with the audiences. Going by the overwhelming response received, we are proud to announce the launch of India’s Glam Diva. Here are some of the most gorgeous and glamorous celebrities who will be judged by our esteemed jury along with the viewers’ votes. India’s Glam Diva gives the audience an opportunity to be a part of the biggest Diva hunt on Indian television while our partners stand to gain tremendously from this association.”

Voting mechanism will include sms, a special BIG CBS Love face book page and other social media vehicles e.g. Facebook, youtube and Twitter. This involves the audience to vote for their favorite Diva and thus be a part of the selection process. The show will be promoted on radio, via BIG 92.7 FM, and other on-ground activations as well.

Catch India’s Glam Diva starting February 4th, every weekend, Saturday-Sunday, at 9:00pm exclusively on BIG CBS LOVE.

RIP RAj Kanwar...

Producer-director of hit films like Deewana, Andaaz, Judaai, Jeet, Badal, Daag - The Fire, Jaan and Laadla, Raj Kanwar passed away in Singapore following post-kidney transplant complications and died soon after the surgery. For a long time, Raj had not been keeping good health and was mainly confined to his bed and had gone to Singapore for kidney transplant operation. His body is being flown to Indian for the last rites.

Known to launch many new faces in Bollywood like Lara Dutta, Priyanka Chopra, Shah Rukh Khan, Arya Babbar and Luv Sinha, Raj Kanwar had also directed a number of films including Har Dil Jo Pyar Karega, Kartavya, Ithihaas, Farz, Dhaai Akshar Prem Ke, Ab Ke Baras, Humko Deewana Kar Gaye and Sadiyaan. May his soul rest in peace..

Wishing Riteish and Genelia : A Very Happy Married Life...!!!