Amrita Raichand’s 7th season of tempting kiddie delights in Mummy ka Magic

Model-anchor-actress Amrita Raichand, the chirpy mom who is happy cooking for kids, in the ever so popular show, Mummy Ka Magic, is here with the new season, starting Friday 27th, 2 pm, on FOODFOOD. This 7th season, in three years, brings  to you more stories, tips and tricks, more interactions, prettier  plating  and happier Tiffin ideas … All this and more without compromising on health and nutrition! This season will be a lot brighter and happier, and yet super healthy!

In this 30-minute show Amrita in her endearing way makes her way in to the little hearts and tiny tummies! If you want better school attendance for your child, improved school performance, better concentration in the classroom, increased self-esteem… and more, than make sure you need to be serious with your kiddy’s eating habits and food routine. Amrita makes life simple for you and your kids with her latest, healthy, nutritious and yummy servings for your little ones.

Through the show she literally creates magic with simple yet nutritious recipes, tempting the tiny tots with her attractive plating, colorful spread of food, and with ingredients that’s best for kids. The recipes of Mummy Ka Magic are made using healthy ingredients such as mushrooms, broccoli, zucchini, cheese etc. And since the recipes are prepared for kids, these natural colors and presentations simply makes its way into the tiny stomach.

If you are wondering how to wean your toddler from junk food or how to overcome his picky eating, tune into FOODFOOD channel and watch Mummy Ka Magic every Friday at 2.00 pm

The East India Company launches Limited Edition Coins in honour of Sachin Tendulkar

The East India Company announces the issue of a legal tender coin to celebrate the 200th and final Test Game of The World’s Greatest Batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, and with that his remarkable career spanning over two decades.

For almost a quarter of a century, Sachin Tendulkar, the undoubted Global Ambassador of International Cricket, has inspired new talent and supporters alike across the Commonwealth and beyond. He now joins the ranks of ‘Sporting Icons’ such as Mohammed Ali and Nigel Mansell, who are amongst the few who have been honoured with the issue of a legal tender coin.

The issue of a ‘legal tender’ coin is an official mark of distinction and exceptional honour given only to individuals who have accomplished great achievements in human history. Preserved for generations to come, this legal tender coin issue tells a powerful story. A reminder of what can be achieved with unfaltering faith and sheer determination. The coin design has been hand crafted in great detail by one of the world’s most renowned coin designers, Joaquin Jimenez, currently the Chief Engraver at Monnaie de Paris.

The canvas of the coin shows the latitude lines of the globe modelled in cricket stitching to represent the international stage of cricket, which Sachin Tendulkar has undeniably taken to another level. The Gateway of India features to denote Sachin's beloved home town Mumbai where he started and finished his breath-taking career. The star himself and his 200th Test Match milestone are symbolically represented by Sachin's autographed bat, helmet and the number 187 which he wore during his 200th and final Test Match at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai in November 2013, where he announced his retirement while cheered by thousands of his devoted supporters during an emotional farewell.

This is no ordinary coin. Valued at £12,000 each it has been double-struck in 24 carat gold (9.999 Au) and carefully finished to the highest polishing-standard known in ‘legal-coin’ minting. Only 210 gold coins, each weighing precisely 200g, are being issued to pay tribute to Tendulkar at a global level. Only very few will ever see this coin in the flesh, making them exceptionally rare and precious amongst thousands of fans who yearn to own a piece of the Superstar’s legacy.

Every single 200g coin issued is a masterpiece in its own right. Exclusively presented in a custom made presentation box the coin is accompanied by an individually numbered and personally signed certificate of authenticity along with an autographed cricket bat by Sachin Tendulkar.

In addition to the 200g gold coin a second coin design has been released for the wider audience to own a timeless piece of memorabilia of ‘The World’s Greatest Batsman’.  The design is artfully crafted and shows a square cut silhouette of the star batting on the world stage of cricket. This second coin design has been issued in 1oz and 1/4oz gold and 1/2oz silver. Both, gold and silver, are part of a strictly ‘Limited Edition’ and are certified with a numbered certificate of authenticity.

Tendulkar, who turned 41 last month and is currently commemorating his year of retirement, has a huge fan base across the globe and is widely acknowledged as the greatest living batsman. He was the first cricketer to score 100 international centuries,  holds the record for more Test runs than any other player  in history (15,837) and more One-Day International (ODI) runs than anyone else (18,426).

Discussing the coin launch, Sachin Tendulkar said: ‘All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I am very fortunate to have lived this dream for the last 24 years. I am honoured to be recognised with the issue of these special coins, which have been impressively designed with a lot of thought.’

It is particularly befitting that the coins celebrating India’s greatest cricket champion are being released by The East India Company. It is well documented that the entire history of cricket on the Asian subcontinent and India particularly, is inextricably linked to the development of the British Raj via The East India Company. As the company expanded its influence and trade routes across India it took with it this very British past time, and cricket ‘hot spots’ developed at strategic locations such as Calcutta (Kolkata) and Bombay (Mumbai) that remain today. The first distinct mention of cricket being played anywhere in the sub-continent is an account of English sailors of the East India Company written in 1737.

Sanjiv Mehta, CEO of The East India Company, said of the coin launch: “Historically precious metal formed an important part of The Company’s trading activities. We have been issuing our own gold and silver coins for centuries and began to do so again in 2010. EIC originally introduced Cricket to the Commonwealth, then the British Empire, and it made immense sense for us to issue a coin for this special occasion. We feel honoured to have been given the opportunity to pay tribute to one of the Greatest Cricket Players of all time.”

The Sachin Tendulkar ‘Limited Edition’ coins are available to purchase from the East India Company at www.eicgold.com          

5th Jagran Film Festival to open on 5th July in New Delhi : To travel to 14 cities across India

The festival that created a furore with its vast span and a wide spectrum of never before presented cinema is back with a bang. This time, Jagran Film Festival presents an even wider range of cinemas of the world. The 5th Jagran Film Festival will unveil its collection in New Delhi between 5th July, 2014 to 9th July, 2014 and in Mumbai between 23rd September, 2014 to 28th September, 2014. Post its conclusion in Delhi, the festival will travel to 14 cities across India and present Cinema that hardly reaches these regions.

The festival seeks to bring alive the strife and struggles of human beings, social groups and the human race in general which rose against oppression and torture, taming of the human spirit, freedom, liberty  and other human values. This special section brings together seven features, four international and three Indian, dedicated to the fight to free human lives and minds.

“The 5th edition of the Jagran film Festival this year presents a special section ‘Cinema of the Uprising’ with a clutch of seven very special films. Freedom of human spirit has been a subject close to ‘The Jagran Philosophy’ always and when we were deciding on the Festival content, we chose this subject and the films made around this theme”, says Basant Rathore, Vice President, Jagran Group.

The list includes, ‘Beatriz’s War’(East Timor), ‘Outside The Law’(Algeria/Tunisia,France), ‘Battleship Potemkin’ (Russia- Silent),   ‘The Trial of Joan of Arc’ (France), ‘Birsa Munda’ (India), ‘Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’ (India) and Kerala Varma Pazhassi Raja (India).

The Indian Showcase and the International Competition sections which were a rage in the last edition of the festival are back with a clutch of 20 feature films each. The Shorts film section called Jagran Shorts will present a collection of 20 international short films in New Delhi and in Mumbai.

Aditya Narayan collaborates with Culture Machine and 20 artists to celebrate World Music Day

Multi-faceted, Aditya Narayan who has created a prominent impact in the music industry with wonderous hits such as ‘Kabhi Na Kabhi To Miloge’, ‘Ishqyaun Dhishqyaun’ has teamed up with twenty other artists including rapper Blaaze, Jimmy Khan from Pakistan, Vasudha Sharma of Aasma Fame, Chin2 Bhosle of Band of Boys fame to celebrate World Music Day with a cheery rendition of ‘Don’t Worry Be Happy’, originally sung by Bobby McFerrin. The musical roll-out is created by Culture Machine as a tribute to a day that brings everyone together through a powerful force such music.

The energy of music will surge through your veins as you listen to the chirpy video which also includes artists such as Mihir Joshi, Nirdosh Sobti, Ravi Iyer, Igor Vincetic from Serbia, 9 year old YouTube sensation Aditi Iyer, Aditya Narayan, Prajoth Dsa, Vivek Rajagopalan, Aadar Malik, Sheldon Pereira, Ankita Sachdev, Vajra Band, Faraz Sohail, Kamna Karamchandani & Kunal Choudry, Madri Mudgal

BIG MAGIC’s Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal has Akbar passing the test of Love

India’s Comedy Destination - BIG MAGIC’s Har Mushkil Ka Hal Akbar Birbal has something very exciting up their sleeve, this week. The viewers are in for a new set of comical errors in a special two day episode, this Thursday – 26th June, 2014 at 9pm when Rani saheba decides to put the almighty Akbar’s love to test!

As per the track, the emperor Akbar is seen in a jolly good mood but soon his happiness turns into grief when the news of Rani Saheba’s memory loss unfolds in the palace. The pensive emperor rushes to Rani Saheba and takes care of her without knowing that it’s a trick by his beloved wife to test his feelings for her. As the day unfolds, the tables turn as emperor takes advantage of the memory loss and makes the queen do things for him. As the royal couple is out to get each other, this results in a hilarious turn of events, until the ever-witty Birbal figures out what is really going on.

Featuring some of the best in comedy and television entertainment, Har Mushkil Ka Hal – Akbar Birbal is a fresh, comic take on the much-loved childhood folktales. The first in the genre of Historical Comedy, Akbar Birbal has captured the audience’s imagination with its delightful storyline and stellar cast featuring Kiku Sharda, Delnaz Irani, Vishal Kotian and Kishwar Merchant. Aired on BIG MAGIC at 9pm, the show has received a lot of adulation from fans and critics alike. Over social media, there has been an outpouring of praise for the well-crafted script, the actors’ quick comic timing and their unique chemistry.

Don’t miss a rib-tickling episode of Har Muskhil Ka Hal – Akbar Birbal at 9 pm this Thursday 26th June only on India’s Comedy destination – BIG MAGIC

Emotional Atyachaar narrates a story of a girl whose blind faith in love made her pay a heavy price

This week, Emotional Atyachaar unveils the tale of a girl who is embittered by a characterless boy

Love is a wonderful emotion, but at the same time it can act as a double edged sword.It can takeone to highest heights but even has the power to make themfall intothe darkest lows. What happens when the person you love the most turns out to be a deceiver? The upcoming episode will showcase the story of Laurel,whose life takes an unexpected turn when she discovers some shocking truth about the person she loved.

Laurel, a young and charming girl moved to the city to pursue higherstudies and took up a room in a girl’s hostel. Ironically she befriended Simi, who was considered to be strange by everyone. Life took a new turn for her when she met Ranjan, the hostel warden’s son. They hit it off instantly, but all is not well in paradise, as, in due time Lauren got suspicious about Ranjan’s behavior. She noticed that Ranjan seemed to know too much about her whereabouts. Things got even worse when her only friend Simi asked her to stay away from Ranjan. One day Laurel found a pen-drive which fell from Ranjan’s pocket as he was hurriedly leaving her room. She was left baffled as she went through the contents of the pen-drive which had a video of Simi in her room.

Laurel decided to dig deep into the matter and was taken a back when she discovered atrocious truths about Ranjan.To add to the terror, Laurel found out that Simi had a dark secret with Ranjan, which devastated her life. 

What shocking truth did Laurel learn about Ranjan? What was it that Simi hid about him from Laurel? To find out, tune in to ‘Emotional Atyachaar 4’, this Friday 20th June 2014, at 7 pm only on bindass!

Love can be a true healer! Watch it on "Love by Chance"

bindass’ show, Love by Chance narrates the story of a confused boy who falls for his demanding girlfriend’s doctor

Love is always linked with what is written in the stars. One does not go in search of love, instead love finds you. The upcoming episode of the show narrates the story of Rahul, a young and smart boy who is having a hard time coping up with his dominating girlfriend. Fate plays its hand when cupid strikes this confused lad in the most unpredictable circumstances.

Rahul is in a relationship with Simran, a beautiful and independent girl who treats him as her assistant all the time. He is tired of Simran’s behavior, but still chooses to put up with it for the sake of love. One day however, Simran decides to call off their relationship and ironically, Rahul breathes a sigh of relief as he is a free soul now. But little did he know what was in store for him. Simran meets with an accident right after breaking up with Rahul and out of the goodness of his heart, he takes her to a nearby hospital. This is where he meets Dr. Nidhi, a charming and intelligent doctor who is in charge of treating Simran.

It is love at first sight for Rahul, which makes him do things he had never dreamt off in order to ask Nidhi out for a date. Nidhi agrees to go on a date but an unpredictable twist awaits them before their journey on the road of love begins.

Will love blossom between Rahul and Nidhi? Or is this the end of their story? What is the barrier in their way to love? To find out, do not miss Love by Chance on 21st June, 2014 at 7pm, exclusively on bindass

Sunny Side Up Season 2 with Chef Chinu & guest Esha Deol

The beautiful Esha Deol makes a special apprearence on the culinary show, Sunny Side Up on FOODFOOD,hosted by celebrity Chef Shilarna Vaze (Chef Chinu). Here Esha is all set to  share one of her recipes with the viewers

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should be engaged in lightly…and that’s what celebrity Chef Shilarna Vaze (nee Chinu), a young and dynamic chef, did when she decided to change gears! With a degree in Political Science, her calling however was food. She decided to enroll at the prestigious Diploma de Cuisine course at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris, one of the top-ranking culinary institutes in the world. She is back to share her great culinary learnings.

A traveler, blogger and eco-food connoisseur, Chef Chinu, brings a fusion of recipes that break all the rules of the kitchen, push all the boundaries of flavor, and stimulate your palate like never before, in the popular show Sunny Side Up, from Monday June 16, at 8.00 pm, on FOODFOOD. What's more interesting is,  as a special guest, she invites her buddy, beautiful actress Esha Deol (Chinu worked in Esha’s first film Na Tum Jano Na Hum), who shares some little known secrets  about her culinary skills, her mom Hema Malini’s favorite recipe, her husband Bharat being a foodie cravings  and more… in Chinu’s food haven full of good food and great conversation. With a bit of music, art and humor thrown in, this show will be the perfect formula to relax while you eat!

Chef Chinu, who settled in Goa, worked for some of its finest kitchens - A Reverie and Sublime. While waiting to open a restaurant of her own, Chinu started a successful sushi delivery service, Ninja Sushi that further boosted her reputation as one of India's most adored chefs.

As the host of the popular show, Sunny Side Up, she helps you stay energetic with a heady mix of sugar n spice and dollops of happiness, sprinkled with expert tips … all served fresh, on a smoking hot platter! 

Stay tuned to Chef Chinu’s Kitchen Rhapsody in Sunny Side Up starting Monday June 16, at 8.00 pm, only on FOODFOOD.

Yeh Hai Aashiqui narrates a tale of love which has to fight societal inequalities

Love does not discriminate; it pays no attention to society rules. On the contrary, it brings people from different walks of life together, for a life changing experience. This week, the show brings forth a wonderful tale of love between two people of extreme societal class. The story revolves around Shivam, a rich boy who is trained by one of the world’s best dancers and Sneha, a self-made dancer residing in the slums.

Shivam is instantly impressed by Sneha when they meet during a dance competition and she defeats him, without any professional training. After seeing Sneha’s talent, he wants her to join his dance group and help her to accomplish her dreams but, she suddenly disappears. Shivam leaves no stone unturned to find Sneha and meets her after three years only to realise that he has fallen for her. But the road to love is never easy and when Shivam’s parents learn about his love, he is left in dilemma. They compel him to make a choice between his family and his love.

The question to be answered is whether the two lovers will bind together through their passion for dance or he will sacrifice love for the sake of his family’s pride. Lavin Gothi, last seen in Bade Acche Lagte Hai, will essay the character of Shivam opposite Sneha Gupta, who will be seen playing female protagonist, Sneha. Apart from Lavin and Sneha, popular television actor, Rithvik Dhanjani will be seen hosting the show, who will take the viewers through the entire story.

Watch this touching love story, on ‘Yeh Hai Aashiqui’, this Sunday, 8th June 2014, at 7 pm only on bindass!

Kavita Seth to perform and celebrate life at a divine Sufi evening on 10th June at Nehru Center

A popular playback singer in Hindi and several other film industries and having sung in 23 languages, Kavita Seth is a very well known performer cinema of Ghazals and Sufi music. Kavita has performed all over the world and won several awards including the coveted Filmfare award for Iktara (Wake Up Sid), her most recent chartbuster number being Tum Hi ho Bandhu (Cocktail).

Kavita after winning her first Filmfare and when she was at the peak of her career, the singer lost her best friend, husband, mentor to cancer. And that is when she decided to dedicate an annual music concert to Mr. Seth called Anandotsav. The concert, a celebration of life is Kavita’s dedication to her beloved mentor, friend and husband K.K. Seth on his birth anniversary. The singer has joined hands with Dharma Bharati Mission to work towards a Hunger Free India.

Classic sufi songs and renditions of timeless poetry by Sufi poets like Maulana Rumi, Bulleh Shah, Kabir and Hazrat Amir Khusrow in the mellifluous voice of Kavita Seth will ornament in the evening.

Anandotsav, a Karwaan Group presentation is all set to bring to the city an unforgettable evening with renowned Bollywood and Sufi singer, Kavita Seth on Tuesday, 10th June 2014 at Nehru Center at 7:30pm.

Tickets for the concert are available at Nehru Center, Book my show.com & Rhythm House.

bindass finds its one in a million candidate for ‘DreamStart’ initiative

After facing fierce competition amongst top 7 candidates, Renee Verma has earned her first Dream Start with an internship with UTV Motion Pictures. bindass, India’s leading youth entertainment brand, launched their much sought after initiative ‘Dream Start’ last year in December 2013. With an attempt to open various gateway of exciting opportunities and experiences for the youth of today, this initiative kick-started with a roaring response from more than a lac aspirants across the country in the initial phase. After battling through the initial phase, only 500 applicants were shortlisted. Post that, only top seven made it to the personal interview round. Following an intensive selection process, DreamStart found its most deserving candidate, Renee Verma, who earned the internship at UTV Motion Pictures- the studio that has given Indian movie goers super-hits like Rang De Basanti, Khosla ka Ghosla, Dev D, Jodhaa Akbar, No One Killed Jessica and many more.

bindass’ flagged off this project with a vision to fulfil some cherished dreams of youth today that they strive to fulfill. Battling nearly three months of fierce competition, the most deserving candidate who proved her mettle throughout and hence received the coveted internship is Renne Verma. Having won many laurels in her academic career Renee was conferred with some prestigious awards and scholarships like Times NIE Student of the Year 2008, the Sumitomo Scholarship for 2013-17 for Academic Prowess at College level. Apart from being the CBSE Topper in Humanities, Renne is an avid debater and has received the merit for Outstanding Contributor in British Council National Inter-school Drama Festival in 2012.

Hailing from Delhi, the young candidate has started her internship at UTV Motion Pictures as an intern and will be learning the practical know-how of the industry from the experts themselves. Having reached its finale, ‘DreamStart’ project’s offering started from 26th Week at UTV Motion Pictures. Taking this a step further, bindass will document and showcase the May 2014 and will go up to August experience of her internship at the UTV Motion Pictures, as webisodes that will promoted across bindass’ digital platforms.

Fugly stars say Fur is Ugly in new PETA ad

Fugly, a youth entertainer produced under Akshay Kumar and Ashvini Yardi’s banner Grazing Goat Pictures starring Mohit Marwah, Vijender Singh, Arfi Lamba and Kiara Advani is buzzing and will have viewers on the edge of their seat. The abuse rabbits suffer on Chinese fur farms is real and gruesome that's why the talented quartet jumped at the chance to shoot a brand new ad campaign for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India encouraging their fans to stay away from angora fur and wool. The ad shows the four stars sitting together with an angora rabbit next to the tagline "Fur Is Worn by Beautiful Animals - and Ugly People". Their point? That PETA Asia's undercover video shot on fur farms in China – the source of 90 per cent of the world's angora fur and wool– shows rabbits screaming in pain as workers violently rip the fur out of the rabbits' skin.

The shoot took place during FUGLY’s film promotions in Mumbai as the stars are gearing up for the release on the 13th June 2014. The ad was shot by ace photographer Gaurav Sawn. Asif Ahmed did the hair, and makeup was done by Adrian Jacobs. The outfit and styling were the work of Taaneeyaa Oak.

Says Vijender Singh, "PETA Asia investigation found workers violently ripping the fur from the animals' sensitive skin as they scream in pain. Rabbits are in shock, having their fur plucked out."

"The rabbits who have their fur cut go through an equally brutal process. They are under a lot of stress", explains Kiara Advani "Not only does this make them struggle to get out of the situation and go through pain and stress, it's extremely traumatic, terrifying."

Adds Arfi Lamba, "Rabbits are kept in tiny filthy cages surrounded by their own waste. These cages offer very little protection from natural element. And then they spend their entire life in these cages, where these thin wires cut into their sensitive footpads."

Concludes Mohit Marwah, "Angora fur also known as angora wool is found in scarves, jackets, and more including those sold in India. Please stop using fur and wool and stop cruelty against animals."

After their fur is yanked out, the rabbits are left in shock, able only to lie motionless inside their tiny, filthy cages. After they endure this process every three months for two to five years, their throats are cut and the skin is ripped from their bodies.

Rabbits who have their fur cut or sheared also suffer: During the cutting process, their front and back legs are tightly tethered – a terrifying experience for any prey animal. All the rabbits spend their solitary lives in barren wire cages that harm their sensitive feet. They're denied solid flooring, bedding, and the companionship of other rabbits. PETA Asia's investigator visited nine angora fur farms in China, where there are no penalties for animal abuse on rabbit farms.

PETA encourages consumers to read garment labels and to put garments that contain angora fur, wool or any other animal derived ingredients back on the rack.

BKC wakes up to Sofitel Mumbai BKC’s Cycle-2-Work on World Environment Day

Sofitel Mumbai BKC, this morning celebrated World Environment Day with ‘The Smart Commute’ Cycle2Work. Cycling being one of the easiest and cost effective ways to incorporate exercise into one’s daily routine, this mode of transport allows one to avoid traffic while keeping fit and reducing the carbon footprint at the same time. Promoting cycling and its benefits, the hotel Sofitel Mumbai BKC organised a race ending at the venue.

Receiving a good response from the Mumbaikars, the event culminated at Sofitel Mumbai BKC from four different locations in the city- Thane, Worli, Goregaon & Shivaji Chowk.

In lieu with the Hotel’s campaign PLANET 21, Sofitel Mumbai BKC tries to ensure a responsible and sustainable development with a goal of protecting the planet and environment. The commuters were also treated to some light, scrumptious and healthy breakfast post the race from its De-Light low calorie menu to ensure they meet their fitness goals in style.

Celebrities attend the Luxury audio brand Harman Kardon's Exclusive Glitzy Launch!

Harman Kardon, the premiere audio and infotainment group officially launched itself in India, dedicating to bringing the experience of pure, streaming audiophile quality sound living up to its dynamic brand philosophy. The event held at a SOBO 5 star was kicked off with Mumbai’s affluent people gathering to commemorate the launch of the new face of cutting-edge sound in India.

The opulent space of the venue played host to the eminent glitterati of Mumbai like The opulent space of the venue played host to the eminent glitterati of Mumbai like Jacqueline Fernandes, Harman Baweja, Mugdha Godse, Manish Paul, Sonu Sood, Randeep Hooda, Aftab Shivdasani, Deepti Gujral, Asif Azim, Candice Pinto, Shamita Shetty, Hemangi Parti, Vivek Oberoi, Shreya Saran, Monali Thakur, Shibani Dandekar, Vikas Gulati, Smruti Shinde, Arjan Bajwa, Riyaz Amlani, Ken Ghosh, Narayani Shastri , Arzoo Gowitrikar, Sunil Grover, Sajid Ali and many more who had congregated to grace this special evening.

The event was in true Harman Kardon style, unique, elegant and absolutely classy and the ambience that was replete with a full spectrum of high, mid and resounding bass tones to create a unique and intimate acoustical experience. The prominent faces of Mumbai were spellbound by the performances and interiors of the venue that perfectly recreated the exclusive grandeur and magnificent ambience of this suave event.

One can think of Harman Kardon as the milestone of diligent artistry, unconventional designing and irresistible charm that can make Harman Kardon products a part of your dreams in just one look. Beautiful sound integrated with the most up to date technology is what defines Harmon Kardon. With this, HARMAN International (India) Pvt. Ltd announced the opening of an exclusive Harman Kardon Sound Lounge in Mumbai. The first exclusive Sound Lounge in Maharashtra, second in India will feature a comprehensive range of its premium lifestyle products under the Harman Kardon brand. Operated by Sahil International, authorized sales and service partner for HARMAN lifestyle division products in India, this showroom is situated in the prime location of the Palladium Mall, Lower Parel. This exclusive Sound Lounge in Mumbai is unswerving to be a one-stop-shop for all music enthusiasts who want to experience and buy world renowned Harman Kardon range of products.

Harmon Kardon, the brand renowned for a rich heritage of acoustical innovation, excellent quality and unparalleled engineering gives control to enjoy the best in class sound that keeps getting better and better with each new product. It gives a powerful, distinctive Harman Kardon sound in a pristine portable package that redefines how one carries their music.

Harman Kardon has indubitably turned this ultra exclusive event into a grand success and has proved to be the master of classic style, power and precision.

Fugly’s Fashionable Foursome visit Bangalore

Bollywood’s young trendsetters Mohit Marwah, Kiara Advani, Vijender Singh and Arfi Lamba, who together comprise the star cast of Akshay Kumar and Ashvini Yardi’s Grazing Goat Pictures youth entertainer Fugly, were in Bangalore on the 4th of June to continue their Indian city tour to promote the forthcoming film, which releases on 13th June 2014.

The foursome began with an afternoon press conference, during which they met members of the media. The fashion forward stars then headed to a bespoke evening fashion show, which was organised to promote the film. During the high-profile event, Mohit, Vijender, Arfi and Kiara relished the feast of fashion that was paraded in front of them, as a cache of stylish, new season trends sashayed down the catwalk.

Kiara, who is noted for being an emerging fashionista and scoring high on the style stakes, looked stunning.

Vivanta by Taj presents Manhattan Short 2014 in India - Call for Entries

For the many uber-talented short film-makers in India, it’s time for the proverbial knock of opportunity. Manhattan Short, the international platform which showcases, celebrates and awards short films from across the world has given a call for entries. The film movement which begins now will culminate in a six-day festival across the world including Mumbai this September-October. Championing the voice of the Short Film genre along with Manhattan Short is Vivanta by Taj, Manhattan Short 2014 in India's chief patron, which was associated with the festival in India last year as well. Vivanta by Taj has a strong bond with short films through a variety of activities.

Having had modest beginnings in 1998, the Manhattan Short has today become the most sought after platform of its kind. Dedicated to the short film genre and witnessing hundreds of entries from across the world every year, the festival has long established its global exposure. Into its fifth year in Mumbai, the global film festival is looking for indie short films that will represent India in the much competed final round

Unlike its older, more different contemporaries a la Berlin, Cannes and Toronto festivals which have juries, the Manhattan Short is powered by the audience. This means that the audience that comes in to watch the films votes the winners. This year, Manhattan Short 2014 in India is rooting for an Indianfilm to win the global competition.

Audiences here can go to www.manhattanshortindia.com and vote for the films they feel should represent the country on the finalist list of the global competition. These 10 films are screened across Manhattan Short venues around the world, Mumbai having been on the map since 2010. What’s more, even the eventual winner is decided by audience voting.

This year will witness Vivanta by Taj and Manhattan Short India launch the ‘Vote for India’ initiative. Having planned both digital (a dedicated live broadcasting microsite) and on-ground events, this project will seek to inspire young film-makers in India to bag the big prize. The top three film-makers from India will get a paidopportunity to work with Vivanta on an exciting project.

The festival’s credibility coupled with India’s indie film scene growing with surety have attracted huge numbers of participants and cinema lovers to the competition’s entry rounds and final screenings.

“Manhattan Short in India has made itself into a coveted space. Right from inception, we have encouraged numerous raw talents to showcase their works to an already established global audience. This wide perspective is critical to see where they stand!” offered Mr Anil Sadarangani, Festival Director of Manhattan Short in India.

Mr. Veer Vijay Singh , Chief Operating Officer, Vivanta by Taj – Hotels & Resorts said, “We feel extremely proud to present the Manhattan Short Film Festival in India and drive the “Vote for India” initiative as it blends perfectly with Vivanta by Taj’s ideology of celebrating the idiom of style and spirit. Like all our brand properties around installations, design, music, technology, adventure and curious discoveries, even with this interesting initiative, we aim to provide a base for talented young Indian filmmakers and enable them to carve a niche in the industry. India has tremendous potential and a lot of people have begun developing an interest in making short films. We are excited to kick start this initiative and definitely hope to see an Indian win this year’s Manhattan Short Film Festival.”

Film lovers in Mumbai are in for a treat during the main festival dates of October 1st to October 5, 2014, for the screenings will be preceded by master classes and workshops by eminent film professionals. In the past, Manhattan Short India master classes have featured names such as Karan Malhotra, Shobhaa De, Sarika, Namrata Rao, Shan Mohammed, Gitanjali Rao, Kailash Surendranath and more.

The venue in Mumbai, Sitara Studio, an erstwhile theatre platform which has recently hosted independent artists of all sorts, promises to add an eclectic vibe to the festival. It will join venues across the world to host the festival simultaneously.

Budding film-makers will know this call for entries could well be a take-off point for their careers.

To send in entries, visit: www.manhattanshortindia.com 

Last day for submission:  July 15, 2014

Emotional Atyachaar narrates a chilling story of love crime

When in relationship, it gets extremely difficult to fathom that the person you love has an ulterior motive in being close to you. This is what Bharti learned the hard way as she was naïve and blindly in love with Vivaan. Their love story started when the two met at a café and Bharti was instantly smitten by Vivaan’s charming personality. Soon enough the fatal attraction led to a deeper emotion of love and in no time, they started dating.

Bharti and Vivaan’s relationship was smooth sailing and one day, he took her to his beach house. While looking around and exploring the house, Bharti came across a room which Vivaan forbade her from entering. Bharti found it strange when Vivaan not only stopped her from going to the room, but also asked her to stay away from it, claiming that there were valuable heirlooms of his family. She gave a pass to this incident, but started noticing certain peculiar habits of Vivaan. All this was followed by a couple of more happenings and this raised doubts about him in Bharti’s mind.

In order to clear the doubts and suspicion, Bharti decided to investigate by getting in touch with Vivaan’s acquaintances. While in an attempt to discover Vivaan’s reality, she stumbled upon some appalling truths which stunned her, leaving her absolutely shocked. Bharti was prepared to determine Vivaan’s fishy character, but his reality was terrifying and beyond imagination.

What was it that Bharti found out about Vivaan which was so startling? Was her life at risk? The show ends its ‘Love Crime’ series with a gripping tale of mystery and betrayal in a relationship.

To find out, tune-in to ‘Emotional Atyachaar 4’, this Friday 6th June 2014, at 7pm only on bindass!

Pooja Bhamrah marks showbiz voyage with Yeh Jawani Ta Ra Ri Ri

Waiting in the wings to become the next Deepika Padukone to take the world of entertainment by storm, aspiring scientist turned mesmeric model Pooja Bhamrah has transformed into an attractive actress in youth oriented show ‘Yeh Jawani Ta Ra Ri Ri’. Marking her debut in Channel V’s block buster show was a strategic move for pretty Pooja, who wanted to get familiar with the nuances of camera movement.

Punjabi kudi Pooja (and Bollywood loves all Punjabi kudis) is playing a character – Devika - who is completely opposite of what she is in real life. Devika in Yeh Jawani is real smooth girl, who is full of herself. She can be pretty shrewd at times but deep down she is harmless, says the model who hasn’t formally studied acting but has done a short term theatre workshop with Neeraj Kabi (of Ship of Thesus fame). .

The Mumbai-bred girl has done her B-Tech in biotechnology and aspired to get into research but destiny had its own plans. She started modelling 2 years ago and ever since then there has been no looking back. “Acting isn’t really as easy as it seems. However, life has just changed for the better. I’m much busier now juggling between ramp and acting. I was a little apprehensive and had my own inhibitions but the entire team supported me supremely and helped me give my best,” says the savvy diva who aspires to play a strong feminist character someday - more like on lines of Gulabi Gang. Well, Pooja is right on the dot in aspiring to be like ‘Dhak Dhak’ girl Madhuri Dixit and former beauty queen turned superstar Juhi Chawla.  

Pooja is good at multi tasking as she juggles between modeling for a Kolkata based designer at Fiat’s launch event and the Lemark show. A graduate in Biotechnology, Pooja could have well chosen a cushy 9 to 5 high paying job but then this cerebral Punjabi beauty was destined to rule the ramp. While she was preparing for her MBA entrance exams, Pooja got a lucky break in modeling and stormed into the Indian fashion scene with Punjab international fashion week by Storm fashion company where she walked the ramp for the first. Since then there has been no looking back. Very soon, she was up there winning multiple beauty pageant crowns and other accolades. Miss Queen of India 2011, Miss Oriental Tourism India 2012, Max fashion Icon 1st runner's up all of them followed in quick succession brining Pooja into the limelight.

Having won the initial level beauty contests, the prestigious fashion shows of country beckoned Pooja. Her long legs and confident poise while walking on the ramp gave her a cutting edge over other newcomers and Pooja soon became a regular at every other fashion week. Lakme Fashion Week S/R 2014, India bridal fashion week 2013,  India Resort Fashion Week 2013, Lakme Fashion Week Autumn/Winter Festive 2013,  IIJW 2013, Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013 , Bangalore Fashion Week 2013, India Resort Fashion Week 2012 - Lakme Fashion Week Winter Collection 2012….the list is endless.

Some of the prominent designers that Pooja has walked for include Manish Malhotra, Shyamal and Bhumika, Shantanu Nikhil, Shivan and Naresh-, Shane and falguni peacock,  Sabhyashachi, Vikram Phadnis, Rocky S, Narendra Kumar, Archana Kocchar, Priya Kataria Puri, Neeta Lulla, Satya Paul and many others.

This leggy lass has also adorned the print version of many ad campaigns and magazine shoots namely Jashn, Mandate Magazine, Killer jeans, 99lables.com, Franklin Templeton investments, Riot catalogue, Remanika, Global Desi  and the prestigious editorial for Femina Pune and Femina mumbai.

As of now, Pooja has set her sights on the film world. To eyes like the sunflowers canoodling on a breezy summer morning, like the blue ocean spreading across the expanse, like the sight of a dew drop safely nestled in the heart of a lotus, like a serene sight of the calm rivulet making its way through the stones with an endearingly delicious resonance, Pooja Bhamrah brings out the best of poetry in the hearts of many a man. And then she starts talking and the poetry lithely is transformed into a melodious symphony in motion. Every word uttered feels like pearls dropping on the floor so precious, they leave a lasting impression. You are bamboozled by this amazing combination of beauty with brains – a rarity in our modeling industry and yes the film industry too.

Abhishek Bachchan, Global Ambassador for the END7 Campaign, Featured in New Video on NTDs in India.

Abhishek Bachchan, Bollywood superstar and global ambassador for the END7 campaign, was today featured in an official new video to raise awareness of India’s large-scale programs to control and eliminate neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by 2020.

The video shows Abhishek Bachchan’s February 2014 visit to the Banamalipur Community Centre in Odisha State, India, an eastern state that has one of the highest burdens of NTDs in the country. Here, the Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA) is providing treatment, care, and education to patients suffering from, and the community at risk for, lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis) and other NTDs. Lymphatic filariasis is one of the most common NTDs worldwide and in India, where the disease poses a threat to more than 500 million Indians.

                                                         

“These are staggering numbers. We need the support of you, the media, to take the word out there,” said Mr. Bachchan.

At CASA, he met with patients suffering from chronic lymphatic filariasis and listened to their experiences dealing with the hardships caused by this disease, including disability, disfiguration, stigma and ostracization. As the video shows, Abhishek Bachchan also took a deworming pill (albendazole), one of the two drugs used to treat early lymphatic filariasis infection and stop transmission of this disease. The drugs used to treat lymphatic filariasis infection are safe and effective and can also treat intestinal worms.

“Preventing lymphatic filariasis is easy, and no one can catch it directly from another person. If everyone in affected areas takes just two pills every year, the disease would be gone,” added Dr. Neeraj Mistry, managing director of the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, which runs the END7 campaign.

While India is poised to control and eliminate NTDs by 2020 through some of the largest and longest-running NTD programs in the world, this visit confirmed that improving the mental and social well-being of those suffering is also essential. This goes beyond delivering drugs and requires the engagement of families, local community organizations, and the media and entertainment industries.

In the informative video, Abhishek Bachchan appeals to the media and the public to back the END7 campaign and do their part in building a stronger response to NTDs. Every Indian can help make the defeat of NTDs India’s next major public health victory.

“There’s a lot of work left to be done. Let’s help eliminate these diseases by 2020,” Mr. Bachchan concludes.

The END7 campaign is the first and only global public awareness campaign dedicated to controlling and eliminating the seven most common NTDs by 2020. It was launched in 2012 by the Global Network for Neglected Tropical Diseases, an advocacy initiative of the Sabin Vaccine Institute.