NOT ALL ROAD TRIPS ARE JOYRIDES: EXPERIENCE ONE SUCH ON NH10 TOMORROW

Ranveer Honored as ‘Favorite Actor’ by Lions Club Mumbai

SOL Lions Club, the premier collective of prominent & influential citizens of Mumbai, gave Ranveer Singh the ‘Favorite Actor in a Leading Role’ award today. A special event that salutes successful people from entertainment, music, arts, literature & sports, this honour proves the universal appeal that Ranveer’s performance in Bajirao Mastani has achieved.

Having swept the mainstream popular film awards this year, Ranveer also wins this recognition from a collective of people beyond cinema.

It’s a single performance that has dazzled movie goers with its impact, and that prominent citizenry of Mumbai honoured him for his performance as ‘Peshwa Bajirao’ establishes the universal appeal of this act once again.

Bhumi Pednekar ups the glam quotient at ELLE Graduates Awards

Bollywood’s latest talent power house Bhumi Pednekar who has been on a winning spree for her outstanding performance in ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’ stole the show by winning the ‘Breakout Debut’ award at at ELLE Graduates 2016 in Mumbai last evening. 

Bhumi who won a million hearts with her talented debut has also been turning heads with her stunning transformation and is now looked up as a fashion diva among the youth. She has not proved her acting prowess but has also started making an impact with her distinct fashion choices.

The at ELLE Graduates 2016, known for identifying and supporting fresh talent, recognized the immense potential in this young star and awarded her the coveted award for her much talked about and unconventional debut. Here’s to the girl on the go! 

Code Red by Shantanu Dhar is a tale of intrigue, treachery, violence and untold horror across 3 continents

Ardhendu Bose, the vampire, is now a hired mercenary working for the CIA. Damon Broadus, the African-American CIA agent, leads a covert war against vampires, using Ardhendu as a front. The MI6 and CIA have joined hands to wipe out vampires in a top secret mission called Code Red. The best scientists of the MI6 have taken over the research of the late Dr Amitava Bose and they discover that vampires give off an invisible glow, which can be seen only by using heat-seeking satellite imaging technology. Through this, they discover that the vampires of the world are congregating in a hitherto unexplored, part of the Amazon rainforest.

Every animal has a natural predator... It's time humans had one too! After the fall of The Company RED in India, Ardhendu the vampire and 6 mercenaries are hired by the CIA and the MI6 to lead the covert war against vampires across Europe and the US. But deep in the middle of the Amazonian rainforest, all the vampires of the world seem to be congregating. The MI6 and the CIA are at a loss to know why. Damon Broadus, the CIA agent sends these 7 mercenaries to find out what is happening in that dense and dangerous jungle. A tale of intrigue, treachery, violence and untold horror unfolds across 3 continents in a mission called Code Red!

Born in 1968 in Kolkata, Shantanu Dhar earned a Bachelor's in English from the University of Pune and a Ms. in Human Resource Development from Pittsburg State University in Kansas, USA. He is currently employed with a major Indian conglomerate.He regularly writes on human behavior at the workplace in business magazines.

Code Red of The Red Trilogy, is a horror-cum-psychological thriller that takes place across the UK, the US and the Amazon rainforest. An international thriller, Code Red is a fast-paced story that raises several thought-provoking questions. The Company Red: The first book in The Red Trilogy, is a dark and sinister unfolding of hunts, blurring lines between vampires and humans, that wreak havoc in the life of Ardhendu Bose, a fatherless, middle-class Bengali boy in search of an extraordinary existence. This novel is fast on way to be filmed as the veteran film maker, Satish Kaushik, plans on making a major motion picture on the same.

That Woman You See: A fine tapestry of stories that define women of India

The book attempts to explore the heart and mind of the modern Indian woman; who is tired of suppressing her true nature, dreams and desires (in the largely patriarchal society) and wishes to express herself and do her own thing even if makes her look bad in front of her family, friends and society.

The nine heroines, (of the nine stories), in the collection are shown as modern, rebellious, and even possibly queer in popular perception. They unapologetically declare their unorthodox views about different aspects of life thus displaying the different hidden layers of their personality.

The flavour of each story is different. And the author has experimented with narrative style and form. The themes in the book include: pathos, love, infidelity, arranged marriage, colour bias, hope and joy. Giving it a whole new twist, the collection ends with a poem titled – ‘That woman you see,’ which is also the title of the book and gives out a brief description of the collection.

Praises for the Book:

'That Woman You See is a fine tapestry of stories that define women of India.' – Priyanka Sinha Jha, author Supertraits of Superstars

‘With the consummate ease of a master storyteller, Sujata Parashar brings to life nine women, each striving for a life less ordinary. That Woman You See will make you cry, smile, and fall in love with the women in your life all over again.’ – Siddhartha Gigoo, winner of the Commonwealth Short Story Prize 2015 (Asia)

A novelist, poet, short story writer and activist, Sujata Parshar’s debut novel, ‘In pursuit of infidelity,’ (2009) explored the man – woman relationship outside the institution of marriage from a modern woman’s perspective. It was a bestseller. The second in the series, ‘In Pursuit of Ecstasy,’ (2011) studied the youth -parent relationship in modern times and made an attempt to portray how the seeds of dissension between the two impact the society at large. The book was long listed for the Economist Crossword Book Award 2012. Her latest novel, the third in the “Pursuit” series, ‘In Pursuit of a Lesser Offence,’ was released in 2014 and explores the relevance of institution of marriage in current times. Her first short fiction, ‘Wake me only when the Sun is high,’ (2011), and her first book of poems (2012) in the series, ‘Poetry Out and Loud,’ have won awards.

She is active in the literary circles and contributes to literature as member of the planning board of Kumaon Literary Festival, (KLF), it’s an annual retreat literary festival held in the hilly region of Kumaon to promote literature art and culture. She’s also on the planning board of Delhi Poetry Festival, (DPF).

Sujata holds a Masters in Human Rights and is a certified professional in the field of Travel and Tourism management. She also has a rich and diverse professional portfolio: She has worked for a European airline, a business hotel in India and a seaside resort in Singapore before joining the social sector as a social worker and trainer. She is currently on the executive board of Empowering Minds; a national level NGO located in Delhi. Sujata loves to travel and unwinds by watching a period film.

Gear up for an unparalleled musical experience with Indian Ocean and 5 other phenomenal bands Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla!

1 Night. 1 Venue. 6 Bars. 6 Live Performances..

Mark your calendar for the 23rd of January and get ready for an unforgettable musical experience as 6 famous bands including the pioneers of the fusion rock genre, Indian Ocean will be performing at Dublin Square for Daddy's All Barr Jamm.

Along with Indian Ocean, The Colour Compound, Bombay Bassment, Kanchan Daniel & The Beards, M.Mat, Jehan will also be performing back to back at various locations across Dublin Square. That’s not all, to make sure that you shop till you drop, over 600 + brands will be on Flat 50 % off at the mall.

Spread across a retail space of about 2.1 million square feet, Phoenix Marketcity - a shopper’s paradise located in the heart of Mumbai is an international standard hub of retail with domestic and international brands along with entertainment options and commercial office spaces. Housing close to 350 plus brands in the ranks of Zara, Nautica, Accessorize, Claire’s, Hush Puppies, Catwalk, Puma, Aldo, Charles & Keith, Swarovski, Vero Moda, Jack and Jones, Only, French Connection, United Colors of Benetton, Luxury Boulevard, La Senza, Lifestyle, Diesel, Avirate, Hamley’s, Mango, Promod, DKNY, Boardriders and many more. Phoenix Marketcity also offers a variety of entertainment options such as Happy Planet, PVR Gold Class, 16 Lane Amoeba Bowling Alley, Snow World, What The Fun, Lasertag and more; the mall provides over 75 dining options serving quality meals that are perfect for quick lunch, pre or post shopping as well as a night out of entertainment.

So head to Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla this weekend for a fun-filled evening!

Date: Saturday, 23rd January 2016

Venue: Dublin Square, Phoenix Marketcity, Kurla

Time: 7.00 p.m. Onwards

Entry: FREE

The story of four girls on a journey of life, love and lunacy in Mumbai City

nexGTv - India's biggest subscription-driven video entertainment mobile App, and Fluence – India’s largest celebrity digital network, unveiled their unique association with renowned international celebrity and Bollywood superstar Priyanka Chopra. nexGTv, Fluence and Priyanka Chopra have come together to create ‘It’s My City’- an original 14-part mobi-series about four girls on a journey of life, love and lunacy in the big city of Mumbai! The mobi-series premiers on nexGTv on Friday 22nd January 2016, with new mobisodes every Tuesday and Friday.

A singer, producer and superstar par excellence, Priyanka’s runaway success with Quantico and recent powerful performances in Bajirao Mastaani and Mary Kom have endeared her to people, making her a household name worldwide.

With India’s first celebrity led mobi-series, nexGTV takes the big leap in digital entertainment with original content. Created by Fluence and produced in association with Priyanka’s production company, Purple Pebble Pictures and Endemol-Shine India, this bi-weekly series will be available exclusively on nexGTV - India’s biggest Live TV platform with 150+ channels, 1000+ movies, as well as hundreds of TV shows and video-on-demand.

Speaking in her capacity as Mentor and co-producer of the show, Priyanka Chopra said, “Digital is the new frontier of content and I’m diving right in!  It’s a super exciting world in which I find myself equally fascinated with and immersed in completely. The thought behind ‘It’s My City’ is progressive… to go where the young audience has moved towards… to connect with them in a style that they can identify with and for me personally, to engage with them in a whole new way.  I’m excited to be embarking on this journey with such amazing partners… nexGTV who not only have created a robust platform for mobile entertainment but have also made a firm commitment to creating and delivering quality, original content. I’m thankful to Fluence and Endemol-Shine India for being such a formidable force and co-producers in our maiden digital venture.  It’s time to just press ‘PLAY’!!!

Speaking on the association, Mr. Abhesh Verma, Chief Operating Officer, nexGTV, said, “As the first South Asian woman to win the hugely popular People’s Choice Award, Priyanka Chopra is today an undisputed beacon of strength and a role model for countless young women worldwide. As someone who has challenged and redefined the status quo numerous times over the years, she epitomizes the young, Indian woman of today and is therefore the perfect match! In associating with Priyanka for ‘It’s My City’ mobi-series, we have attempted to channel her own experiences as a young woman wanting to create her own special identity in a city far from home”.

Mr. Abhesh Verma further mentioned, “We are confident that our audience will find our first Original series a must-watch, inspiring young women everywhere to face the world confidently and on their own terms”.

Speaking on the behalf of Fluence, said Rishi Negi “Fluence is in the business of creating unique and differentiated digital experiences with India’s top talents. Priyanka Chopra is one such amazing and versatile actor who has mesmerized fans across the globe, she is also one of the most influential social media celebrities in India. Creating this series with Priyanka for nexGTv is another step towards our growing focus on digital content development. This collaboration will draw audience subscriptions and views for the show and the platform via social media by engaging Priyanka’s close to35 million fans and followers in a new and highly compelling way”.

‘It’s My City’ will premiere as a 14-episode premium, original series that revolves around the everyday lives and struggles of four young girls – Manika, Sonali, Tina and Nikki – living together in the same flat in Mumbai.  Mirroring the reality of our everyday lives, the series captures the highs and lows, trials and tribulations, ups and downs of these girls as they set out to achieve their dreams and conquer the world.  Captured in a light hearted fashion, this sit-com, also offers a unique and real insight into the lives of Indian girls staying away from their families in pursuit of their dreams…in the city of dreams…Mumbai! It captures their struggles and successes with ambition, careers, faith, friendship and romance. In her inimitable style, Priyanka Chopra appears in and as herself assuming the mantle of an official landlady, unofficial guardian and protective friend.

Adds Priyanka, “This is a contemporary story featuring real stories and real conversations and situations.  There is a huge parallel that can be drawn to my own reality…of a young girl coming to Mumbai to literally make my dreams come true.  I hope the stories are something the audience will identify with”.

‘It’s My City’ Premiers on nexGTv today, 22nd January 2016 with new mobisodes every Tuesday and Friday

Purplehed releases >>Burn Like the Sun<< A tribute to Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam

Purplehed, a production house comprising young artists hailing from IIT and NIT have come up with their creative rendition of acknowledging Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam this Republic Day. The brand new music video is inspired by the teachings of Late Dr. Kalam and his vision for India. The former president always preferred to call himself a teacher and one of the key visions he had was to see educated India. ‘Burn like the Sun’, the music video portrays educating and empowering people to break external and internal shackles which stop them to progress.

Ashutosh Upadhyay, popularly known by his stage name Purplehed is the Founder, of Purplehed Productions. He has penned the lyrics of ‘Burn Like the Sun’ straight from his heart. Besides singing the song himself, he also plays a crucial character in the video. Talking about his inspiration behind the video he said, “Dr. Kalam has always inspired me with his teachings. He was a man with pure heart and soul. The idea behind establishing this record label is to explore diverse music and dance art forms with the aim to inspire people with Dr. Kalam’s teachings”.

Anurag Upadhyay, Co- founder, Purplehed, has beautifully choreographed the act alongwith the modern contemporary dancer Krupa Shah. In the past, she has given credit acclaimed performances in renowned theatres like NCPA (Mumbai) and Sri Ram Centre, Delhi. Anurag and Krupa are playing the imaginary lead characters in the video.  Expressing his enthusiasm about the video Anurag said, “Choreographing this lovely piece was an extreme pleasure. This video is to reignite the spirit of knowledge in the youth in order to educate and develop India. In my opinion, everybody deserves to get basic education in this country. This is the first step towards development of the country”.

The music video is directed and edited by Jackson Garg who has also worked on the trailers of Bollywood movies like Lunchbox, Ugly, Dolly ki Doli etc. He has also edited videos for the popular YouTube channels The Viral Fever, Video Daddy and many more. He has also dabbled with acting in few advertisements. 

The production house plans to launch their incredible music video on Purplehed VEVO Channel on YouTube on account of Republic Day this year and aims it to contribute in the vision of Late Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam.

Purplehed was founded by two brothers Ashutosh Upadhyay, an alumnus of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur and Anurag Upadhyay an alumnus of National Institute of Technology (NIT) Warangal. They both have always been passionate about performing arts in the areas of music and dance. The journey of these brothers with Purplehed has been all about leveraging their entrepreneurship and team building skills to set up a venture out of their art. Purplehed is a platform that bridges the gap between Directors and Artists, allowing the right people to find the right roles.

A day in the lives of Jaqueline and Varun!

Ever wondered what the inside life of a celebrity looks like? Is it as glamorous as it looks? What do they do in their free time? Well, Jaqueline Fernandes and Varun Dhawan are two of the biggest stars in Bollywood at the moment and getting previews of their lives is not the easiest thing but Shaan Muttathil, one of the most sought after celebrity make-up artists in B-town, gives us a glimpse into the lives of these celebrities and he does it pretty well!

Shaan who recently uploaded a video on his YouTube channel, managed by One Digital Entertainment, captures the behind the scene fun and frolic Varun and Jaqueline had at an award ceremony in Dubai. These candid moments are something no fan has witnessed before. You will only have to watch it to know!

Watch the video right here:

Xtra power deodorant by Envy 1000

Envy 1000 evolving as a top brand from Vanesa Care, one of the leading manufacturers of Personal Care products has introduced its new Envy 1000 “Torque” and “Energy” for the man who desires a refreshing start to their day. The deodorants are specifically designed with extra power capacity, which will make you feel refresh throughout the day.

Xtra Power is an impactful, warm & masculine fragrance accentuated by energy, masculinity and strength. It promises to give you long freshness with a strong, masculine fragrance. Expect this deodorant to please your senses and keep you feeling charged all day long.

The Envy 1000 Torque epitomizes raw force with a powerful new fragrance to get your pulse racing. The opening notes are fresh grape fruit that brings in a gush of confidence. The middle notes are aromatic, fresh and spicy with a woody base of patchouli, oakmoss and amber. Now with Xtra Powerful Envy 1000 Torque make winning hearts and race a habit.

Envy 1000 Energy is power fragrance for the man who has ‘never say die’ spirit towards life.  Zest of this powerful fragrance comes from its top notes which consist of green apple and grape fruit middle consist of carnation, sage and geranium while base notes are enriched patchouli , fir and cedar. With Envy 1000 Energy by your side be ready to conquer world.

Mr. Saurabh Gupta, Director - Marketing, Vanesa Care, states Indian youth are now fast maturing into quality seekers who are not ready to compromise on either performance or the style and needs value in their every spends. We have developed ultra stylish and xtra powerful Envy 1000 Energy and Torque understanding the same mindset.

Envy 1000 “Energy” and “Torque” are easily available at Rs. 195/- each at all major retail outlets across India.

Call for Application for Habitat Photosphere Award for Photographers

The India Habitat Centre (IHC), New Delhi has announced four awards of Rs 2.00 lakh each to be given to four selected Indian photographers to create a body of work on the theme of sustainable development. The award is part of a year-long photography festival titled Habitat Photosphere initiated by IHC and curated by eminent art historian Dr Alka Pande. The selection of the four Indian photographers (age no bar) is through open call for participation. The works of these four awardees will then be exhibited in a month-long exhibition at the India Habitat Centre in December 2016.

The last date of submission of application is February 5, 2016. The award is open to all photographers and artists using either fixed or moving lens to direct their work. The final art work could be in the form of photographs, videos, photo installations, animations or a large photo book. The details of application procedure can be found on:

http://www.indiahabitat.org/download/mission_statement.pdf

The award of Rs.2 lakh will cover the expenses related to travel and research undertaken by the photographer. The IHC shall bear the expense of the document/catalogue/book, printing and mounting of the exhibition in the outdoor spaces of the India Habitat Centre. The selected four awardees can create photographic work, which could be in the form of a photo, photo animation, photo book, photo installation, video, or a short documentary of not more than 25 minutes.

 

An eight member jury consisting of a wide range of experts from photographers, artists, curators, filmmakers to environmentalists, political thinkers, and socio-cultural scientists will select the 4 awardees. The jury will judge the applicant on the basis of innovation of idea, craft, technical skill compounded with relevance to the theme of sustainable development.

The winners will be given 6 months after the announcement to produce a body of work. The advisory group and mentors Aditya Arya, Bandeep Singh, Prabir Purkayastha and Parthiv Shah will be involved with process of mentoring the awardees and curating their project which is inclusive of selection + printing and production process + display of the artworks. A body of work developed especially for the month long exhibition from 1st - 31st December 2016, by all four photographers which would be showcased outdoors for maximum interaction with visitors to the India Habitat Centre. This would also channelize their thinking and energies on the broad theme of environmental damage, restoration and preservation.

Reflect on life with Manasi Scott’s new single ‘High’

The multi-talented Manasi Scott is all set to uplift your spirits with a new international dubstep track titled ‘High’. The song is now exclusively available on Artistaloud.com, the one-stop destination for commercial and independent talents. The energetic and inspiring song was written by Manasi herself in just 5 minutes. The song has been produced by Mr. Doss who added a remarkable music arrangement that perfectly synced with the melody and lyrics.

Manasi Scott, a singer, song writer, actress & host has always been supportive of independent artistes. Like her charismatic personality & positivity, this latest track also reflects these attributes. ‘High’ is a song about strength and overcoming darkness and facing head on, the things that bring you down. It’s a song against addiction and for freedom.

Talking about her new dubstep track Manasi Scott said, “High is a song I wrote to empower myself against negativity of any kind. It’s a song against addictions and darkness. The track is about soaring and overcoming all that gets us down. High has been a cathartic journey for me.”

So, experience the positivity as you get high on the music. ‘High’ is currently available on Artist Aloud, Hungama, iTunes India and iTunes International.

Enjoy the song on http://www.artistaloud.com/ManasiScott

GET READY FOR SINGHGIRI ON 30TH JANUARY

From negative to Positive, Saheem Khan turns over a new leaf

Actor Saheem Khan who has been mostly seen in negative roles in his various episodic stints of Crime Patrol and Savdhan India is going for a super image makeover. However this makeover is also laced initially with a negative image as a stalker to finally emerge ‘positive’ for Sony TV’s popular series, Crime Patrol.

In this special episode that will show Saheem in a negative to turn positive role will be aired on 20 and 21st January, and revolves around Saheem’s character who is a stalker. This stalker starts stalking Mansi a beautiful girl whom he sees by the roadside enjoying pani puri with her best friend. Scarred and marred by the incidents, she goes and complaints at the local police station. However, as the stalker continues to stalk her, she goes to stay at an undisclosed location as suggested by the police. But he ends up there too. She’s too scared and worried and rushes to the police station and charges them with being in connivance with the stalker and giving him her details.

The story continues and Mansi realizes that the stalker is a police inspector by the name of Prashant Bhortake. However, Mansi will prove to be a master at the game, and she will tactfully get the inspector suspended from duty, for having stalked her, and for putting a false charge on her. Now she starts playing the game and ends up in Bhortake’s house and challenges him. This will be when the viewers will start wondering what the girl is upto. But with the story progressing, her real criminal attitude will come out. It eventually gets revealed that Bhortake was actually stalking the girl Mansi, as he believes she must have apparently killed her husband. The story will then deal with the way in which Prashant will return with full gusto to catch Mansi red-handed as the killer of her husband.

Produced by Purple Canvas Productions, this special episode that will showcase Saheem as an inspector has been directed by Lalit Marathe, who has in the past directed Ram Gopal Verma’s movie Chapri, starring Isha Koppikar. While Saheem is playing Prashant Bhortake, Jia Mustafa of Pavitra Rishta fame is essaying the role of Mansi. On this wonderful opportunity in a positive role, Saheem says: “Yes, this is a big opportunity for me. I have the experience of being part of 56 episodes of Crime Patrol and around 85 episodes of Savdhan India. I have also done two Bollywood movies as lead, but all the roles on TV have been negative. For the first time, I will be playing a cop for Crime Patrol and I am super excited about it. Even my fans will love me in a police avatar and I think the uniform suits me.”

Wishing all readers, advertisers, subscribers and well wishers....