Top 10 Hollywood flicks to watch and gift this holiday season

Though we love our dose of Bollywood films, our admiration for Hollywood movie never ceases. The mind boggling content, visuals, animation and VFX in Hollywood films are always astounding.  Now as the year 2014 draws to a close and the holiday season is around the corner, here is your chance to own this year’s biggest Hollywood blockbuster movies on Blu-ray that you might have missed in theatres. Watch the most popular movies that created a buzz at the box office and enjoy the cinematic brilliance in the comforts of your homes in high definition. Sony DADC brings the perfect treat for movie buffs with the Blu-X’mas offer this holiday season. Customers can avail exciting offers and discounts running online & in retail stores till 31st December, 2014.

  

Get the best Hollywood movies right from the world of animation to rib tickling comedy to high octane drama and adventure as ‘Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC’ brings to you these must watch movies from its library. Get your family members together with some popcorn or get friends to crash at your place or simply snuggle in your warm blanket and enjoy high definition cinematic experience of movie viewing and indulge in the holiday spirit!

Some must watch movies of 2014 on Blu-ray that comes with loads of exciting bonus content:

• Gravity
• Frozen
• Edge Of Tomorrow
• Godzilla
• Amazing Spider-Man 2
• Captain America:  The Winter Soldier
• The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug
• Guardians Of The Galaxy
• The Lego Movie
• 12 Years A Slave

Merry Christmas On Big Magic on Saturday, December 27 at 7:30 PM

It is that time of the year again to rejoice and merry, as Christmas is here! Celebrating this festival with audiences BIG Magic brings to you an enjoyable episode this holiday season.  Experience the spirit of Christmas, as the popular Shaktishaali, Verma and Mehta family come together in a one hour special this Saturday, December 27th from 7.30 to 8.30 pm.  With a lot of Chatpata fun and entertainment, artists across the shows of Ajab Gajab Ghar Jamai and Uff! Yeh Nadaniyaan come together to celebrate on the comic caper Mahisagar ensuring audiences have their perfect dose of laughter and entertainment.

As the special episode unfolds, Mahi plans a Christmas party for her mother-in-law Anusuya, to cheer her up. To up the entertainment dose, she invites all her friends including Himani Shivpuri, Upasana Singh and Sumit Vats. The fans will witness a lot of fun, laughter and celebrations with a special dance competition where the actors will be seen competing with each other. The performances will surely keep you in splits throughout and keep you wanting more.

Don’t miss the Christmas Special sprinkled with humour on MahiSagar at 7.30 pm this Saturday, December 27th only on India’s one stop destination for Humour – Big Magic.

Merry Christmas to all our readers and well wishers....

Iconic singer Edward Maya to perform for the first time in Mumbai

Spill Resto Bar will host an exclusive gig of ‘Edward Maya’ for the first time in Mumbai. Edward renowned for his electronic music magic will be in Mumbai and perform Live at Spill Resto Bar. To be held on Sunday, December 21st, 2014 from 8 pm to 1 am, guests at the gig can revel with surreal music with unlimited booze and upfront access to the star.

Edward Maya is a Romanian DJ, musician, producer, performer, and composer. In the summer of 2009, Maya launched his first song as an artist, "Stereo Love", reaching No.2 in the Romanian singles charts. Later that year, "Stereo Love" became a hit in clubs all over the world. 

While this success was followed by concerts worldwide, the song entered the top-5 singles charts in Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and UK. "Stereo Love" has received over 200 million YouTube views since August 2009. 

On 13 May 2011, Maya released his second single "This Is My Life". To help maintain control of his career and provide opportunities for other artists, Maya has formed his own record label, Mayavin Records. Maya released the song and video for his third single "Desert Rain" on Christmas night worldwide. His fourth single 'Mono in Love' was released on 29 November 2012 also featuring Vika Jigulina.

For booking and details, Contact: 9833654002/ 9920108389

Day 3 at Thespo 16 marked with out of the box theatre experiences : Unfolds triple dose of performances, workshops, music and more

​​The iconic theatre youth festival, Thespo 16 reached the Day 3 mark and continued to entertain, educate and enthral the theatre wallahs. After a thoughtful reminiscence to the 16 December Delhi rape incident the previous day, Day 3’s flavour was out of the box and filled with youthful spirits.

The energy at Prithvi Theatre was contagious when the day began with Josephine Joy’s workshop ‘Out of the Box’ where the UK based performer and deviser shared innumerable ways of creating movement and sound for unconventional performance spaces. She amazed the young theatre enthusiasts with nuances of how to tell stories without speaking; breaking the boundaries of traditional theatre set ups and exploring what one can do outside of a black box studio. Also Kaizad Gherda, grade 8 western classical pianist trained from the Royal School of Music offered a deep understanding of music for theatre and shared some trade secrets of applying various styles, themes and scales of performance in his workshop, ‘Understanding Music for Theatre’.

As the sun went down, Meera Shenoy’s favourite folk, jazz and blues numbers reverberated all across the quintessential venue. Her melodies gave way to a film screening of its kind when Alliance Francaise Bombay presented 'Ariane Mnouchkine - L'Aventure du Theatre du Soleil' (1974) where Director Catherine Vilpoux recounted the noteworthy journey of veteran French stage director Ariane Mnouchkine, her inspirations, her dreams for the theatre, her love of cinema and most of all her unique and extraordinary bond with audiences.

Soon, Halifax theatre artist Gillian Clark took to the stage with her platform comedy act, ‘Understudy’ about a nine year old boy named Dylan who is on a journey of self acceptance after he has clearly been miscast as Sheep #11/ Wiseman #1. The show features Shakespeare, Shakira and Sequins and stands out while presenting a unique perspective of nine years old Dylan deftly told by Clark.

Before theatre lovers and performers could call it a day, they witnessed a play inspired by Malala Yousufzai’s life, Tomar Dake performed by Kolkata’s Theatre Shine. It portrayed a hard-hitting picture of social injustice in north and west Asian countries and serves as a call to break the monarchy that tramples upon human rights in the name of democracy.

Day 4 has in store a delectable mix of performances and experiences, each getting better by the day. Besides two workshops ‘Speak the Speech by Shernaz Patel’ and ‘Understanding Music for Theatre by Kaizad Gherda’, there is a fringe performance ‘Avyakt’ by Natakwalahs who present an intriguing and unexpected conversation between a retired school clerk and a stranger. Some flavours of the fervent Marathi  theatre will come to life with a platform performance ‘Happy Endings’ where the protagonist takes matters in his own hands to ensure he gets his happy ending unlike most other life situations, and  ‘Castle of Glass’, a play that weaves together a delicately intense tale of artist Kumar Devdhar. Add to that Bass guitarist, singer and songwriter Vivek Date’s evening rock and roll renditions that are sure to add another distinct colour to the much awaited day 4.

The 16th edition of Thespo, the annual drama festival for theatre-wallahs below the age of 25 is taking place from 15th to 21st December 2014. Organized by QTP, under the aegis of Theatre Group Bombay, it will be taking place in two venues this year: the iconic Prithvi Theatre, which has been the home of Thespo since 2008, and Sitara Studio, the city’s latest indie cultural space that used to stage Marathi plays back in the 1970s. The festival, this year, is centered on the theme ‘Plug-In to the Tamasha’.

CarTrade.com launches new TVC; establishes itself as your go-to destination for buying a car!

CarTrade.com, India’s leading portal for new and used cars has launched a new TV ad campaign to highlight how easy it is for users to pick the car of their choice. The TVC drives home the key message through its key line: “Car Hai Lena, CarTrade Hai Na! (If you have to buy a car, look no further than CarTrade). It further reinforces how using the mobile site or its app offers customers the convenient choice of browsing through over 1.3 lakh used cars and thousands of certified cars.

Created by Madison, the creative showcases a dog, Rocky who shares his woes with the viewers. He explains how he has been chasing cars for years but hasn’t yet managed to find one that pleases him. Then, one day, he sees his friend Bosco, zipping stylishly in a car of his choice. Further on, Rocky finds out that Bosco managed to pick just the right car through CarTrade.com. Rocky then himself browses through the CarTrade app and finally finds the car of his dreams.

Speaking on the TVC, Mr. Vinay Sanghi, Founder and CEO, CarTrade.com said, “The creative is highly innovative in terms of characterization and yet effective in communicating its core message of choice of cars and trust. The use of dogs makes the TVC catchy and endearing, while their humanized emotions help the common man relate to the messaging instantly.”

The Mumbai-based online platform, CarTrade.com has over 4.0 million unique visitors every month researching for new and old cars. In the short span since its inception in 2012, CarTrade.com has earned itself the position of being the leading auto portal in the country. It has also successfully organized the highly fragmented used-car market in India. This latest campaign aims to strengthen its brand identity of offering a seamless experience of buying your dream car through CarTrade.com. 

CarTrade.com is one of India's leading auto websites and helps consumers to buy and sell new and used cars. Unique offerings on the site such as used car price information, condition check of cars and on road dealer prices help consumers to buy and sell with confidence. Over 4.0 million unique consumers come to CarTrade.com every month to use these features. The site has new and used car dealers from all over the country who list their cars with prices for sale.

The company is promoted by Vinay Sanghi, the former CEO of Mahindra First Choice. Rajan Mehra, Managing Director at Nirvana Venture Advisors and former country head of eBay India is a Founder-Director in the company. Shareholders include Canaan Partners, Epiphany Overseas Ventures and Warburg Pincus.

Experience the adventurous life of firefighters with “Planes: Fire & Rescue“ on Blu-ray & DVD

Salute and experience the life of fire fighters who risk their lives to save others with “Planes: Fire &Rescue”. Get ready for some high-flying fun for the whole family as ‘Home Entertainment Services by Sony DADC’ releases this computer animated, comedy-adventure film where world-famous air racer Dusty learns that his engine is damaged and he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting . The movie comes in 3D Blu-ray, Blu-ray & DVD filled with exciting bonus content for you to have an amazing viewing experience in high definition.

Bring home the thrill of a lifetime with Disney’s Planes: Fire & Rescue. This heart-pumping comedy-adventure features a dynamic crew of elite aircraft devoted to protecting historic Piston Peak National Park from raging wildfires. When world-famous air racer Dusty learns that he may never race again, he must shift gears and is launched into the world of aerial firefighting. Dusty joins forces with a team of veteran firefighters; together, they battle a massive fire, and Dusty learns what it takes to become a true hero.

The voice cast of the movie includes Dane Cook (Dusty Crophopper), Stacy Keach (Skipper), Brad Garrett (Chug), Teri Hatcher (Dottie), Danny Mann (Sparky), and Cedric the Entertainer (Leadbottom). The movie is directed by Roberts Gannaway.

Priced at Rs. 1499/- for 3D Blu-ray, Rs. 1299/- for Blu-ray and Rs. 599/- for a DVD copy, get ready to fly high with some nonstop action, memorable characters and a never-before-seen bonus features of exciting must watch and unseen deleted scenes.

Celebrity Mania on Uff! Yeh Nadaniyaan: Catch the sizzling Sara Khan creating confusion

Our struggling actor Pappu is always on the lookout of doing something insane. This time again is no different as he lands his family in some rib tickling situations owing to his antics.   Catch a leading celebrity Sara Khan create some havoc in the Verma family, this Thursday, December 18th at 8:00 pm on BIG MAGIC.

After a leading celebrity goes missing, a huge reward is announced to find her. Meanwhile the celeb decides to hide in the Verma household as a researcher. Pappu recognizes her from the picture flashed in the news and tells his family about her and the reward. While the nadaan parivaar gets together to make her stay extra comfortable Pappu summons the police and is eager to get the huge reward. The actress has now found out that they know her truth and tricks them back with her acting skills. Will Pappu win this huge reward and gift Tanya the marriage she dreamt of? Will the Nadaan parivaar be tricked by this smart beauty?

Uff! Yeh Nadaniyaan revolves around the Verma family whose conversations and situations promise to keep viewers in splits. A righteous mother, self-proclaimed writer, a ditsy wife clumsy younger brother and two conniving twins; each with their own unique perspective of life constantly land each other in amusing situations with plenty of misunderstandings, crazy pranks and comic characters. Full of fun and masti, Uff! Yeh Nadaniyaan airs at 8pm, Monday – Friday on Big Magic. Watch the special episode filled with hilarity on Thusday, December 18th  at 8:00 PM on Big Magic.

Twitter reveals the Most Influential Tweets from Prolific Tweeple in India and Worldwide for #YearOnTwitter 2014

The year 2014 has undoubtedly belonged to social media and the digital platform. Right from the Pope to Presidents and celebrities, everyone has made a substantial impact through social media. The digital medium products such as selfies, retweets, posts on the most influential books thread, video bytes, challenges like the Ice Bucket and several other me too challenges, announcing breakups and marriages, open letters, celebrity fall outs and unisons with publications etc.; have ensured that the narrative is always chronicled on social media.

As the social soundtrack to life in India, Twitter has revealed the four most influential Tweeple in India for its #YearOnTwitter 2014 campaign, namely Shah Rukh Khan, Sachin Tendulkar, Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. The portfolios of two of these biggies - Amitabh Bachchan (@srbachchan) and Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) are handled by Fluence, the leading celebrity digital network that has made news throughout the year with its disruptive activities and signings.

Starting 16th December ’14 till 31st Dec, the top 5 Tweets that created maximum impact from this set of Indian Tweeples will be showcased under the Perspectives section on 2014.twitter.com, along with other global movers and shakers such as Lady Gaga, Robert Downey Jr. and Neymar Jr. These influencers were chosen for their reach in the country and the news they made during the year on Twitter. Sachin’s picture of him posing with his mother holding his autobiography for the first time, him receiving the Bharat Ratna, Amitabh Bachchan’s thank you message for fans wishing him on his birthday and him sweeping the streets for Swach Bharat Abhiyaan were amongst the most talked about Tweets in the year.

Speaking about their influential clients, Ashish Joshi, VP Digital & Business Head Fluence says, “I would like to congratulate Mr Bachchan and Sachin, two prolific personalities who the people love and who have the power to influence the country with their statements. While it is an honour for Fluence to be associated with personalities of this calibre this association comes with the responsibility of constantly innovating and coming up with ideas that are true to their personalities and are also loved by their fans.  We hope continue to succeed in our efforts while handling these incredibly charismatic and influential people and set new benchmarks for ourselves in the years to come.”

Rishi Jaitly, Market Director for Twitter India and South East Asia added, “No doubt that 2014 was a breakthrough year for Indians using Twitter to connect to their world and heroes such as Amitabh Bachchan and Sachin Tendulkar with 12 million and nearly 5 million followers, respectively. We’re honored to feature them on our global #YearOnTwitter site which showcases the best of the world’s Twitter celebrities and how they connect with their followers in a more personal, authentic way. We look forward to enabling many more millions of Indians to stay engaged with their favourite idols through our platform for live, public conversations on their mobile devices.”

Established in 2013 by CA Media, Fluence has created waves in the nascent sector by signing on some of the biggest names in the industry such as Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, Sonu Nigam, Lata Mangeskhar, etc.

Bollywood music composer Viju Shah makes Gujarati debut with Aa Te Kevi Dunniya

Produced by Vijay Khatri under the banner of Bhagat Entertainment, Gujarati  film Aa Te Kevi Dunniya continues to create the right buzz. Remember 'Tu cheez badi hai mast mast' and 'Tip Tip Barsa Paani' from Mohra? And 'Dil Le Gayi Teri Bindya' and 'Saat Samundar Paar' from Vishwatama? Well, it was Viju Shah who composed their music and also of many films like Gupt, Tere Mere Sapne, Tujhe Meri Kasam amongst others. The music composer is now making his Gujarati music debut with Aa Te Kevi Dunniya.

Ask him why he chose Aa Te Kevi Dunniya to enter Gujarati films and he says, "I was offered a lot of Gujarati films earlier, but I was unsure about taking them up at that point of time. But this time, the director of Aa Te Kevi Dunniya - Tejas Padiaa was constantly in touch with me and was persistent that I should do this film. He also showed me his previous zero budget film Lo Ho Gai Party. There were many filmmakers who speak to me but then don't follow up. But Tejas' enthusiasm was excellent, which made me say yes to the film."

Aa Te Kevi Dunniya boasts of an interesting premise in which two thugs find themselves in a parallel world where their heavy amount of loot means nothing, and all that matters is karma. Produced by Vijay Khatri, Aa Te Kevi Dunniya stars Raj Jatania, Yatin Parmar, Kinjal Pandya, Sunil Vishrani, Jayesh More, Krishna Rawal, RajKumar Kanojia, Falguni Desai, Padmesh Pandit and Sanat Vyas and is all set to release on 9th January, 2015.

The Violence Against Women Project’ reinvigorates the pertinent issue

After an impactful start yesterday, Thespo 16 came back with an extraordinary day 2. India’s most exciting youth festival lived up to its image every bit as the opening plays and performances took place besides music, interactions, introspection and whole lot more by people under the age of 25. It was a buzzing sight when Mumbai’s theatre lovers gathered at the hub of arts and culture, the Prithvi theatre.

Theatre wallahs know that Thespo guarantees all round fun from morning till night. This year is even bigger and better. The cultural carnival that has garnered Indian as well as international participation this year offered a truly immersive theatre experience on day 2 with two workshops, a fringe and a platform performance, live band and a play.

In a half day workshop on ‘Collaborative Writing’, UK-based maker of performances, writings, drawings and films, Rachael Clerke offered a perfect mix of fun while one learns as the youthful theatre enthusiasts learnt through writing exercises, stolen quotes and games, how to look at writing as a collaborative practice rather than something that is confined to writer-director-actor set-up.

Second half of the day unfolded another energetic workshop, ‘The Aesthetics of Indian English Theatre’ by playwright, stage director and film maker Mahesh Dattani where he shared the ins and outs of theatre dialogue writing and the vivid choices available to playwrights writing in Indian English.

As the sun went down, Shubhangi Joshi’s acoustic and soft rock overture rocked the iconic Prithvi theatre for over an hour. The Fringe performance ‘The Violence Against Women Project’ conceptualized by Gillian Clark, became the high point of the day. The act came from the heart and struck a chord with everyone while earnestly marking two years of the incident. It also initiated a cross-cultural discussion on the meaning of sexual violence against women in urban India and Canada and role of social media as a catalyst.

Another heartfelt performance offered theatre’s trademark simplicity coupled with impact when a monologue ‘Aparajeeta’, a 30 minute platform performance by Drashtaa India unravelled story of a woman always been rejected from the world bringing out trials and tribulations through her journey.

Keeping up the Plug-in to the Tamasha vibe, NOW Group’s play ‘Normal’ closed Day 2 on a gripping note with a real-life tale of the 1931 German serial killer and offered a glimpse into the mind of a man who can put Hannibal Lecter to shame! Theatre lovers returned home satiated with drama, arts, culture and music along with anticipation for the upcoming days of the vibrant most sought after theatre fest Thespo 16.

The tamasha continues on Day 3 with a notable line up of two fascinating workshops, ‘Out of the Box by Josephine Joy’  as the name suggests brings some unconventional moments to life and ‘Understanding Music for Theatre by Kaizad Gherda’ will showcase how music is the most adaptive member of a cast and its various themes and applications. Topped with Meera Shenoy’s musicals to mark the sunset followed by platform performance ‘Understudy’ and a Bengali play, ‘Tomar Dake’ that presents a visually striking portrayal of social injustice inspired by Malala Yousufzai’s life. Day 3 also features a film screening in association with the Alliance Francaise Bombay of 'Ariane Mnouchkine - L'Aventure du Theatre du Soleil' (1974), where director Catherine Vilpoux traces the iconic artistic journey of veteran French stage director Ariane Mnouchkine.

The 16th edition of Thespo, the annual drama festival for theatre-wallahs below the age of 25 is taking place from 15th to 21st December 2014. Organized by QTP, under the aegis of Theatre Group Bombay, it will be taking place in two venues this year: the iconic Prithvi Theatre, which has been the home of Thespo since 2008, and Sitara Studio, the city’s latest indie cultural space that used to stage Marathi plays back in the 1970s. The festival, this year, is centered on the theme ‘Plug-In to the Tamasha’.

Go Bold To Be Beautiful range by Varuna D Jani

With the onset of the party season, every woman’s diary is full of social events, cocktail evenings and celebrations with the ultimate wish to dazzle them all. Keeping this is mind  Varuna D Jani, renowned jewellery designer and adornologist known for having her own ethereal take on sparkling femininity, has created an exclusive Bold And Beautiful range of big, bold and opulent jewellery pieces to add spark and grandiose to your party attire.

The ‘Bold and Beautiful’ range by Varuna D Jani comprises of a beguiling collection of Bold Gemstone Jewellery cocktail rings, cuff bracelets and flamboyant ear rings accented in the finest quality of precious stones diamonds , gold and white gold. The collection created by Varuna D Jani is flattering, thick, layered, explosively colourful, individual and created with the eye of an expert.

Style is borne out of a certainty of your own look and being at ease with your own personality. This party season showcase your eternal style and be the trailblazer with that one big, bold and beautiful statement piece! Add oodles of panache to your look, with one flattering piece; whether a ring, earrings or a necklace let it shout and announce to the world that you have arrived.

Available in a spectrum of precious stones and diamonds these are statement pieces are blend of subtle and edgier pieces. This collection is perfect for the interesting and self-assured woman who knows that less is more and that accessorising with one great jewellery piece can speak volumes for one’s style. A cocktail ring or a pair of studded earrings or simply a cuff can complete your look and make you the cynosure of all eyes with Varuna D Jani’s spectacular eye catching signature jewellery.

Taking inspiration from a spectrum of colours and an amalgamation of precious stones in all hues, these are jewellery pieces which suit every mood and distinctive personalities. One can pick from a range of cocktail rings to add colour and style to your look. Add a burst of colour to your simple ensemble by teaming a dress up with a pair of earrings in multi-coloured sapphires or a cocktail rings created tanzanites or yellow sapphires in the centre, surrounded by a cluster of iridescent diamonds, to complete your look. A dazzling bracelet in white gold setting with a string of yellow gold studded with diamonds is certain to make you the showstopper at any occasion.

Varuna D Jani believes that every woman is born unique and so should be her jewellery. Talking about her collection she states, “What remains eternal is a woman’s style and jewellery should accentuate her persona and élan. My collection is an amalgamation of jewellery in precious and semi-precious stones embedded with diamonds in cluster settings for the bold and beautiful woman of today. The pieces are created to suit various personalities and create a magnificent melange of class and grandeur.

Varuna D Jani’s Fine Jewellery Collection has a wide range of earrings, bracelets and rings to choose from that allows you to create your own jewellery and craft your own patterns. Invent style and timeless elegance with fine jewellery by Varuna D Jani.

Thespo 16, ‘the’ carnival for young theatre kick-starts: wows young theatre flag bearers with workshops,

Monday the 15th marked the opening of theatre lovers’ favourite week as Thespo, the annual youth theatre festival in its 16th edition kick-started at the quintessential paradise of arts, Prithvi Theatre. Like every year, day 1 was buzzing with excitement when theatre lovers thronged to the iconic Prithvi Theatre to ‘Plug-in to the Tamasha’ as this year’s theme goes.

Team Thespo has handpicked 6 plays from a record 186 entries and curated the much awaited annual fix of plays along with 6 platform performances, 7 fringe performances including film screening and play readings, 15 workshops and 4 live music acts.

Day 1 opened with a daylong workshop of its kind, ‘Magic Hour by Arghya Lahiri’. As a seasoned theatre Lighting Designer and Director, Lahiri shared innumerable nuances of lighting theory, lamps, accessories, their uses and ability, lighting systems, rigs and an array of approaches to designing and executing light plans from his vast pool of theatre experience. The young of vibrant theatre wallahs welcomed the deep understanding and appreciation of a lighting designer’s role within the theatre as passionate flag bearers of Indian theatre.

‘Playing Comedy’ turned out to be a fun workshop when Imran Rasheed and Nitin Bharadwaj explored comedy in all its complexity. The young attendees gathered firsthand insights about the "pulse" of comedy through physical exercises, music, gestures and props and most of all the craft of making a character comic.

Thespo 16 is special in many ways. Besides bringing the best of plays from India as well as Sri Lanka and Canada, the landmark theatre fest is presenting a fabulous opportunity for young theatre fraternity to hone their craft and exchange ideas in a fun and collaborative way.  The upcoming days are adorned with variety. Day 2 has in store an exciting line up with sessions such as ‘Collaborative Writing Workshop by Rachael Clerke’ and ‘The Aesthetics of Indian English Theatre by Mahesh Dattani’, along with an irresistible reason to sway to the acoustic folk and soft rock sounds with singer-songwriter and guitarist Shubhangi Joshi’s live performance.

Evening of Day 2 will unfold some not to be missed experiences such as an 80 minute play ‘Normal’ that presents a gripping account of the real-life German serial killer Peter Kurten. A noteworthy fringe performance on ‘Violence Against Women Project’ will mark 2 years since the Delhi gang rape and showcase how social media can  be leveraged to as a catalyst to address sexual violence against women. A 30 minute platform act ‘Aparajeeta’ by Drashtaa India will present another shade of women voices through a monologue that unfolds a poignant tale of a woman who yearns for existence.

Launched as a platform in 1999 one-act play festival, Thespo has truly come a long way. The arts and culture carnival has consistently showcased great talent of young performers aged 25 years and under. Surpassing boundaries of nationality, languages and art forms, its 16th edition promises to be an occasion where all come together for the pure and simple love of theatre. As actors, dancers, musicians, writers, directors, enthusiasts and even first-timers meet on this dynamic platform, one can be assured of an invigorating and memorable experience like no other.

For Mumbai’s art and culture aficionados, it is a week marked in their annual calendars for an eclectic experience where arts, culture, music and meeting new people all unite to entertain, educate and enthral performers and theatre-goers alike. In short, there is something for everyone at Thespo. All one needs to do is – Plug-in to the Tamasha!

The 16th edition of Thespo, the annual drama festival for theatre-wallahs below the age of 25 is taking place from 15th to 21st December 2014. Organized by QTP, under the aegis of Theatre Group Bombay, it will be taking place in two venues this year: the iconic Prithvi Theatre, which has been the home of Thespo since 2008, and Sitara Studio, the city’s latest indie cultural space that used to stage Marathi plays back in the 1970s. The festival, this year, is centered on the theme ‘Plug-In to the Tamasha’.

Canon launches Red Line range of professional camera bags

Canon India, a leader in the digital imaging space, has launched the Red Line range of professional camera bags, that will be available exclusively at Canon’s own brand shops, the Canon Image Square, across the country. Designed specifically for enthusiasts and photographers, Canon India’s flagship line-up of bags feature maximum durability and weather resistance, allowing users to safeguard their equipment with ease.

Available in two categories – Professional and Classic, the bags complement Canon’s extensive range of cameras and lenses. The Professional line features camera backpacks and shoulder bags for professional DSLR users whereas the Classic line carries camera shoulder bags suited for first time DSLR users.

The price range of the Red Line series ranges from INR 1,799 to INR 16,900 giving consumers a wide price range to choose from. The RL PB-01 which is the flagship backpack features a lightweight construction, capable of fitting a complete set of photographic equipment and a 15” laptop. Additionally, it can hold a tripod and a pair of trekking poles and features a waterproof zipper and a rain cover for use in extreme weather conditions. For maximum security, equipment can be placed in a compartment that can only be accessed from the back. The quick access compartment located at the top of the bag also allows users fast and convenient access to equipment so that one doesn’t miss a shot.

The RL PS-01 (which is the full- size shoulder bag equivalent of the RL PB-01) boasts of similar features. Made of durable fabric, the bag is designed with a handle at the bottom for easy access from overhead cabin compartments. To make it even more travel-friendly, it can also be attached to a luggage wheeler to minimise the carrying load. These professional bags are meant for those enthusiasts and photographers who have up to 2 DSLR cameras, multiple lenses and other accessories like flashes etc. They are also suitable for wildlife photographers who use longer lenses.

The Classic Line features two bags, the Classic Camera Bag M and Classic Camera Bag S. Lightweight and compact, both shoulder bags feature front and side pockets for accessories and a tough base to take the rigors of everyday use. This makes them highly suitable for first time DSLR users who have also bought up to two lenses.

"Just Think : The Final Justice" - a film that will make you change the way you think

Afraid of being rejected or deserted inside their hearts and spirits, Rapists are nothing but little men who need to feel powerful…

Exactly two years ago, five men raped a 23-year-old woman in a moving Delhi bus, inserted a rod into her, pulled her intestines out, and threw her and her male friend out in the cold streets. While the incident is yet to be erased from memory, the recent rape by an Uber cab driver in the political capital of the country shook the nation once again. With rape incidents fast becoming everyday news, one thing is clear - In these two years nothing much has changed. While we blame women for wearing provocative clothing or being out till late at night, hardly anyone speaks about the ill, ugly mentality that thinks of committing such heinous crimes. It was time to understand the psychology of these rapists and what makes me commit this ghastly acts.

Working on this psychology, Eon Films in association with Ved Arts has come up with new short film “Just Think : The Final Justice”. Directed by Satish Shukla who has helmed the baton doing many of the episodes of “Crime Patrol Dastak” conceived this while working on one of the episodes. He put it across to his friend and producer Neeraj Tyagi as well as Mohan Das of Eon Films who immediately agreed to be a part of this project.

Director Satish Shukla on the monitor

An 8 minute silent film with a message to “Stop this SHAME right in the Minds from where it rises,” director Satish Shukla says, “We often tend to look beyond the headlines instead of getting to the root of the problem - How We Think. While we often teach our women to be more careful and ask them not to go out alone at night or avoid strangers in dark alleyways, we for a change, don’t teach our Men NOT TO RAPE. For a change, we need to change this thought. And this can only change if it’s stopped from within.” He further added, “As every shame rises from within, it’s natural that every shame should be stopped from within. We need to STOP this SHAME right in our minds and think of the Final Justice before committing such a ghastly crime.”

Starring Moni Rai and Latika Gill, "With this silent film we are trying to put across a message loud and clear: No law can change a Human. It’s unto one’s own self to change the thought process and choose between the right and the wrong,” says Mohan Das who is presenting the film. “We are not only planning to take it across to various festivals, but also planning for special screening at colleges as well as looking for a special screening in the public service category on various satellite channels as well as on the government regulated Doordarshan. If we are able to change the thought process of even a few men, our goal of doing this film will be accomplished.”

Produced by Neeraj Tyagi, the cinematography of “Just Think: The Final Justice” has been done by Anik Verma, music composed by Sunil Patni and the editing by Laxman More. 

Sofitel Mumbai BKC hosts the book launch of “Being Mortal” by Dr. Atul Gawande

In association with Literature Live, Sofitel Mumbai BKC hosted the launch of the book “Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End”. The soiree was attended by Mumbai’s socialites Ms. Neena Gupta, Mr.& Mrs. Rati and Nadir Godrej amongst others. The evening was anchored by Mr. Anil Dharker who led a thought-provoking conversation with the author Dr. Atul Gawande.

Mr. Biswajit Chakraborty, General Manager, Sofitel Mumbai BKC inaugurated the launch and said “Catering to the luxury traveler who seeks an offering of local and international culture, Sofitel Mumbai BKC takes pride in supporting the arts, film, literature and music. Hospitality today is changing rapidly and guests seek more than traditional services and Sofitel offers the perfect backdrop blending gastronomy, culture and design.”

Sofitel Mumbai BKC has always brought its guests exceptional and memorable events such as UK’s all girl acapella music group The Tootsie Rollers and the mentalist Nicolai Friedrich. Their recent association with the launch of Being Mortal is one such event which adds to creating Sofitel memories.

A MD, MPH, surgeon, writer, and public health researcher and a professor in both the Department of Health Policy and Management at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Department of Surgery at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Atul Gawande in his book tackles the hardest challenge of his profession: how medicine can not only improve life but also the process of its ending. Full of eye-opening research and riveting storytelling, Being Mortal asserts that medicine can comfort and enhance our experience even to the end, providing not only a good life but also a good end.

Shreyas Talpade and Aniket Vishwasrao enjoy “An evening with Classic Pause Wines”

What better way to bring in the holiday season than an evening of fine wine and conversation? Pause Wines, the niche and premium Indian wine maker, hosted an elegant evening at Hotel Ramee Guestline in Juhu to welcome the festive season with its classic range of wines. Wine experts, influencers and wine enthusiasts came together to enjoy Pause wines’ exquisite range. Actors Shreyas Talpade and Aniket Vishwasrao graced the occasion to make the merriment even livelier, while wine sommelier Ajit Balgi enlightened everybody on the intricacies of wine drinking and food pairing. The audience also participated in a wine cocktail making competition, where they enjoyed some unique concoctions through the evening. Pause Wines is a company nurturing, cultivating and offering premium wines.

The evening was held to make wine lovers experience different type of wines by Pause. Chairman and Managing Director of Pause Wines, Mr. Rajesh Patil marked the beginning of the evening by opening a bottle of Shiraz in the presence of film stars Shreyas Talpade and Aniket Vishwasrao and raising a toast to good times along with the guests at the event. As wine glasses clang together, ‘cheers’ unanimously echoed all across the venue.

The evening witnessed a fascinating talk by Ajit Balgi, one of the leading wine professionals, on how to pair wine with Indian cuisine. While most people associate wine with European cuisines, Balgi stressed how wine can be enjoyed in harmony with the Indian spices and flavours as well. By now the guests were in a celebration mode and gelled over a round of cocktails and a wine cooler competition.

Through the evening, the attendees swirled and sipped through the enviable portfolio of Pause Wines. This included reds like Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, Merlot and its award winning Shiraz, whites like Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, as well as a Rosé – Pause Ruby Red, all which are currently available in Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka.

As part of the evening, Mr. Patil announced how the company aims to expand to other territories like Delhi, Rajasthan, UP, Chandigarh, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh by next year, and how a sparkling wine offering is underway as well. Another exciting announcement made by Mr. Patil was that the Pause vineyards would soon be open for wine tours. Spread over 100 acres of rich farmland near Dindori, Nashik, it has a 60,000 litres production capacity with a state-of-the-art processing setup imported from Italy and exemplary in-house Vignerons and Sommeliers on hand.

Talking about the growing wine culture in India, Mr. Rajesh Patil, Chairman and Managing Director, Pause Wines, said, “While wine is increasingly becoming popular, it is yet to become an integral part of Indian people’s regular lives. While countries like France have a consumption of 3-5 litres per person, India stands at a mere 0.2 mm per person. However, the aspirational middle class are setting in motion a routine shift in wine consumption ratio and drinking habits. Pause Wines aims to propel that growing trend of acceptance, and make it more accessible to the diverse populations of India. With the industry all set for an upswing in 2015, we are all set to give Indian wine enthusiasts an authentic taste and world-class experience of wine.”

Says Actor Shreyas Talpade, “I have always known that wine is good for health in many ways. The good thing I like about Pause Wines is that it caters to Indian palette and that it focuses on wine and Indian food. Would like to thank Pause Wines for making me part of the celebrations”

For wine lovers in Mumbai, sipping the classic award winning wines from Pause along with Bollywood stars and wines experts at this elite wine tasting evening turned out to be a memorable Friday evening and inspired their holiday spirit to the fullest.

Ajay Devgn one-on-one with Adda52 players in Mumbai

It was a dream come true for poker players of Adda52.com when they had a brush with Bollywood as they met Action Jackson star, Ajay Devgn at a glittery 'Meet and Greet' in a Mumbai five-star.

Adda52.com, India's largest online poker site was the brand partner for Prabhu Deva directed and Eros International's Action Jackson. As part of an exclusive tournament series, winning poker players were flown to Mumbai to meet the reel life Action Jackson-Ajay Devgn at Hotel Sun-n-Sand in Juhu, Mumbai. Trilok Chander, Abhineet Jain, Pulkit Goyal and Tarun Goyal were those who proved their poker mettle to reign across the fortnight long promotion and came out on top to book a trip to meet the Bollywood stalwart.

Clad in a crisp, white kurta, Ajay Devgn looked every bit the toughie that he is. The players were in awe of the raw charisma of the superstar and expressed their extreme joy at Ajay Devgn spending a lot of time with them.

Tarun Goyal, one of Adda52.com's regular players was elated after meeting Ajay Devgn and said, "Ajay is a nice and cool guy and it was fun interacting with him. He is really looking nice in the movie. I am also thankful to Adda52 for organizing such events and giving me the opportunity to meet the celebs."

Abhineet Jain, one of the poker pros was in seventh heaven as he had left no stone unturned for this event. He said, "I have been playing poker at Adda52.com for the more than a year now. Few days back, when I came across the Action Jackson Tournament, I decided to go all the way to win this tournament series to fulfill my dream of meeting a Bollywood star, none other than Ajay Devgn. After meeting him I am looking forward to watching the movie even more."

Adda52.com is India's largest online gaming site which offers gaming interface for card games like poker and rummy. Adda52.com is the pioneer of online card games in India and has the best and most user friendly playing software. With instant play games more than a million users are winning cash regularly. With multi table cash games and poker tournaments on offer, the website is 100% secure and safe. Payments are processed through secure channels and all major credit/debit cards are accepted on the website. Adda52.com is a gaming portal managed by IIT-IIM Alumnus and has been certified from iTech labs for fair play and random number generator (RNG).

Andy Magro debuts album with half of proceeds benefitting charities

International singer, songwriter, actor and model, Andy Magro, dreams of making a positive difference in this world.  On his 24th birthday, December 12, 2014, armed with a new EP debut album, "Never Stop Dreaming," and a new charity organization, "United for Charity," he hopes to do just that. Fifty percent of all sales revenue will be channeled through his charity. The proceeds will then be forwarded to multiple charities throughout the world benefitting everything from environmental causes to helping people in areas that are hit by catastrophic hurricanes, earthquakes, or tornadoes.

"My goal is to raise awareness about different kinds of charity needs," said Magro. "We need people to help protect nature, endangered animals, our environment, the ocean, our drinking water, or even providing homeless kids a home." He says that he considers himself a normal person with philanthropic interests. He wants to use his talents in a way that propels people to want to help.

The EP will consist of four original songs written and performed by Magro and will be available worldwide, through digital format on iTunes, Amazon, JB Hi-Fi, etc. The album will also be made available on CD, based on demand, and is expected to be part of a social charity campaign launched within a few weeks. The songs, three English and one Italian Pop/Rock/Rap song, showcases Magro's singing and songwriting talents. The album and song titles represent his professional life's journey and the passion needed to achieve the beginnings of success.

Magro is already a supporter of SaveTigersNow.org, a global campaign dedicated to saving tigers from extinction, which is headed by World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the award-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio. Magro credits his personal interest in acting to DiCaprio, a recognized environmentalist who uses his fame to garner environmental issue awareness. Magro plans to follow his idol's lead with the launch of his charity organization, "United for Charity," which coincides with the release of his new album.

For more information regarding his charity or EP, please visit www.andymagro.com. Magro's mission is to make a positive impact on the environment and encourage others to do the same. "By buying my music, you'll be helping people and the environment," Magro said.

Andy Magro began acting when he was 13-years-old after establishing his own drama/film class at school. He has since then developed his many talents including singing, songwriting, acting, and modeling, compiling an impressive portfolio. As a dedicated environmentalist, his hope is to allow his music and charity organization to fuel a philanthropic passion in others.

Official Film Selection Announcement for this Year's Coldsmoke Awards

Coldsmoke Winter Film is honored to announce the Official Nominations for the 10th Coldsmoke Awards to be held live in Bozeman, Mont. on January 10, 2015. The Coldsmoke Awards is a one night only live show featuring MCs, filmmakers and icons from the winter culture. This remarkable pool of talent comes together on the Coldsmoke stage to celebrate the very best in winter film. The awards have been coined the Oscars of winter film and never fail to provide a wild and zany vibe only the winter mountain culture can create and appreciate.

Each year, filmmakers and inspiring characters from far and near travel to Bozeman for this event. As the winter culture gathers, a unique opportunity to connect with people from all over the winter world is created. The Coldsmoke Awards is open to the public and has proven to be one of the best events Bozeman has to offer.

The Coldsmoke Awards is a live event where filmmaker attendance makes the show and $10,000 in cash prizes will be awarded. Various local and national press and media also attend which creates a great opportunity for exposure.

Coldsmoke Awards Official Nominations

Many thanks to all filmmakers who entered this year and congratulations to all the nominated films. The following films have been nominated for awards at the 2015 Coldsmoke Awards.

Best Cinematography - Awarded to the film with the most incredible cinematography.

Afterglow, Sweetgrass Productions

Icefall, Kate Soice/Mammut

The Little Things, Marie-France Roy

Explorers Award - Awarded to the film pushing geographic and personal exploration the furthest.

500 Miles to Nowhere, Cloudbase Collective

Desert Ice, 3 Strings Productions

Higher, Teton Gravity Research

Femme Fatale Award - Awarded to the film for most inspiring female presence and performance.

Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Pretty Faces, Unicorn Picnic

Pure, Shades of Winter

Mountain Roots Award - Awarded to the film most rooted in local community, geography, engagement and voice.

Land of No Use, Henry Worobec and Chris Kamman

The Little Things, Marie-France Roy

Tribute, Freeski-Crew

Best Powder - Awarded to the film featuring the deepest, most consistent, choke and awe-inducing powder riding.

Afterglow, Sweetgrass Productions

Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Pure, Shades of Winter

Best Urban Riding - Awarded to the film featuring the most technical, stylin' and impressive urban riding.

Almost Ablaze, Teton Gravity Research

Hangout, PVS Production

Ten and Two, Stept Productions

Soul Award - Awarded to the film most invoking a soulful and moving experience.

Far From Home, Chair 83 Productions

The Little Things, Marie-France Roy

Winter's People, Right on Brother

Adaptive Award - Awarded to the film showcasing the most progressive achievements and inspiring story in adaptive winter sports.

EnAbled, Menno Koelewijn & Edwin Spee

The Edge of Impossible, High Five Foundation

Vasu Sojitra: Out on a Limb, T-bar Films

Best Web Series - Awarded to the best overall web series.

Adidas Snowboarding; Welcome, Adidas Snowboarding

Bomb Snow TV, Bridger Brigade Productions

Tiny House Tour, Right on Brother

People's Choice Award - Awarded to the film receiving the most votes in the Coldsmoke People's Choice Online Contest. The filmmakers in this category will receive $3000 bucks.

Voting is still open, and there's plenty of time to ensure your favorite film takes home the People's Choice Award. Plus, every time you vote you're entered to win a Canadian cat skiing trip for two to Powder Mountain and $1000 to get you there.

The Coldsmoke Award - Awarded to the film embodying the ideas and values of Coldsmoke Winter Film and the winter culture in the most compelling and unique way.

Rising Star Matthew Ziff lands a role with Jean-Claude Van Damme in the Kickboxer Reboot

Matthew Ziff

Jean-Claude Van Damme's 1989 martial arts classic Kickboxer is set to reboot. Actor and martial artist Matthew Ziff has joined the cast. Van Damme then starred as Kurt Sloane, a martial artist who learned the ancient kickboxing art of Muay Thai in order to avenge his brother's death by defeating his killer, Tong Po.

Van Damme is slated to join the cast of the remake, and according to The Hollywood Reporter, he will now play the role of Master Chow; a new version of Sloane's sensei. Negotiations are still being finalized.

Tapped for the lead role is Kurt Sloane; a martial artist and stuntman Alain Moussi of X-Men: Days of Future Past. The villainous Tong Po will be played by WWE superstar and martial artist Dave Bautista, also known for Guardians of the Galaxy. The remake will be directed by In the Blood's John Stockwell.

While Ziff's role in the reboot has not yet been announced, he is looking forward to the remake. He's best known for his film Treachery. He co-starred with Michael Biehn; an estranged father who reunites with his son, only to have things unravel when a thunderstorm traps them in a cabin, forcing the family to reveal deeper secrets. That role garnered Ziff the "Best Actor" award at the 2014 Hoboken Film Festival. He was also honored with the "Rising Star Award" at the Florida's Sunscreen Film Festival; which is supported by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

UFC welterweight champion, George St. Pierre who recently played the role of Batroc in Captain America: The Winter Soldier will also star in the film. New Orleans native and Kung Fu Cinema favorite Larnell Stovall has signed on to be the action choreographer. He's elated to be filming in his hometown. This is not the first time Stovall and Van Damme have worked together. He was also action director on Universal Soldier: Day of Reckoning.

Four-time Martial Arts Hall of Fame inductee T.J. Storm has joined the cast. He will also co-star with Ziff in another film set to release next year named The Martial Arts Kid, as this film lends its voice to bullying. While shooting on the set of Kickboxer, Ziff recently tweeted a photo taken with Storm and Moussi.

The latest to join the cast as Kurt Sloane's brother Eric, is IpMan 2's Darren Shahlavi and the female lead is actress Sara Malakul Lane.

Producing the film alongside Tim Field of Radar Pictures are Dimitri Logothetis and Nick Celozzi. Field was quoted as saying, "We are so excited to have Kickboxer roll into production and to have JCVD (Jean-Claude Van Damme) in the role of Master Chow, passing the torch to Alain, to have him lead the franchise to a new generation."

Kickboxer began shooting this week in New Orleans and is said to also shoot in Thailand with a scheduled release date in 2015.