MUMBAI: Mumbai?s popular radio station, hosted Priyanka Chopra & Uday Chopra recently in their studios. The duo had made a visit to Fever 104 FM to promote their upcoming flick, Pyaar Impossible, which hits cinemas today. The actors got candid on the station and shared many secrets with Fever RJ Harssh on the Fever No.1 show, including how Priyanka used to be a geek as a child. Priyanka also gave away dating tips to Fever 104 FM listeners while Uday answered rapid fire questions about himself on the show. 

Fever 104 FM also conceptualized a unique ?Possible-Impossible? on-air contest where RJ Harssh posed situations & listeners were asked to guess if these were possible or impossible for the actors. Autographed CDs & T-shirts of the movie were given away to the first correct responses for each situation.

Speaking on the promotion, says Mr. Neeraj Chaturvedi, Marketing and Promotions Head, Fever 104 FM, ?We are very excited to host Priyanka Chopra and Uday Chopra in our studios and conceptualize this unique promotion for the movie. I wish them luck and hope that ?Pyaar Impossible? becomes a great hit.?
 

MUMBAI: ICICI Bank along with CNBC-TV18, India?s leading business channel and Overdrive India?s premier Car and Bike magazine, presented ?CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards 2010?. The awards focused on the road ahead for the auto industry in the face of increasing need for green technology and environment conservation.

The CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Auto Awards 2010, which were presided over by Honourable Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, witnessed some of the biggest names in Indian auto sector including Ratan Tata, Pavan Goenka and Force India Driver Adrian Sutil among others, come together to honour the excellence in Indian automobile industry.

Speaking at the award ceremony, Omar Abdullah, said, ?Indian auto industry has a lot to pat itself on its back. The fact that the Auto Expo is the third largest in the world is a testament to the fact. He also added that he is looking forward to the Indian automobile industry to rise from its difficult period.

With sustainability and environment conservation being the need of the hour, automobile manufacturers are under constant pressure to more to reduce the carbon footprints of their vehicles. CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards 2010 reiterated this need for green technology by bringing together all the industry stakeholders on a single platform and highlighted the road ahead for the Indian Automobile sector.

To recognise the contribution of the automobile sector and highlight its forward march, ICICI Bank car loans and CNBC-TV18 presented the CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards 2010, the most trusted awards on automobiles for consumers, manufacturers and auto experts alike.

The winners for these defining awards this year were:

Category Winner
Car of the year Tata Nano
Bike of the year  Bajaj Kawasaki Ninja 250R
UV of the year  Mahindra Xylo
SUV of the year  Toyota Fortuner
Compact Car of the Year  Tata Nano
Midsize Car of the Year  Skoda Laura
Premium Automobile of the Year  Mercedes Benz E-Class
Performance Car of the Year  BMW Z4
Import Car of the Year  Porsche Panamera
Performance Bike of the Year  Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
Import SUV of the Year  Audi Q5
Manufacturer of the Year  Maruti Suzuki India
Motorsport Award of the Year Force India
Storyboard auto Commercial of the Year -Car Fiat Linea- Agency: Bates 141
Storyboard auto Commercial of the Year-Bike Bajaj Discover DTS-i- Agency: Lowe Lintas
Green Award of the Year  Reva Electric Car Company
Hall of Fame Hero Honda Splendor
Viewers Choice Car of the Year Hyundai i20 

Speaking on the occasion, Shereen Bhan, Executive Editor, CNBC-TV18 said, ?CNBC-TV18 Overdrive Awards are most credible and widely accepted benchmark for automobile excellence today. The awards have served the dual purpose of honouring the best in Indian automobile and bringing together the best minds in the auto sector to discuss the critical issues facing the industry.?

Spokesperson from ICICI Bank said that ICICI Car loans has been an integral part of the auto industry and has played a pivotal role in the critical growth phase of the Automobile industry. It is a pleasure to be part of the event which recognises the best in the Automobiles sector. Going forward also he said the Bank would be playing a industry shaping role. He also mentioned that the Bank has also been pursuing an agenda towards environment accountability under the branding of ‘Go Green‘. Under ‘Go-Green‘ initiative several actions are underway in the Bank and in keeping with that only the theme for these awards also is kept ‘Green‘.

Award Methodology: The vehicles vying for honors are scrupulously evaluated by an elite jury comprising of senior editorial staff from OVERDRIVE and automotive experts of national and global renown. Judging is conducted on various parameters based on quality, value and relevance to the Indian automotive context. The results are only disclosed at the glittering awards night, to ensure fair and unbiased verdicts.

In 2008, OVERDRIVE initiated a pioneering award for eco-friendly initiatives by car manufacturers and agencies. This continues this year with the inclusion of a ?Green Award? and a ?Safety Award?. Keeping in mind consumer benefits, the OVERDRIVE Awards will run separate categories to pick the compact, mid-size and executive cars of the year, along with the coveted Car Of The Year.

All vehicles homologated and introduced in India, in the calendar year 2008 are eligible for the OVERDRIVE Car, Bike and UV/SUV Awards. Engine changes to an existing vehicle will not make the vehicle eligible though a mechanical change or body style alteration which significantly alters a vehicle?s positioning will make it eligible. CBU imports introduced in India in 2008 and with a run under 250 units for cars, 100 units for SUVs and 200 units for bikes qualify for the Import of the Year award.

The objective of the award is to find a single, decisive winner. The voting process, therefore, is designed to pick one outstanding contender and not to provide a scale of merit of the competing cars. A jury consisting of a minimum of five persons is entrusted with the task of voting. Each jury member is an expert in evaluating cars and has a fair amount of experience with a wide range of vehicles. The jury will be assisted by the objective test data and analysis by Overdrive India, which has exhaustively tested all the eligible vehicles.

The winners were selected by an eminent jury consisting of Hari Singh, five time Indian National Rally champion, Sirish Chandran, Editor, Overdrive, Bertrand D‘Souza, Deputy Editor, Overdrive, Shubhabrata Marmar, Deputy Editor, Overdrive, Gaurav Gill, Indian National Rally champion, Production WRC driver, Vikram Mathias, Former National Rally Champion and Siddharth Lal, CEO, Eicher Motors.

About CNBC TV18: CNBC-TV 18 is India‘s No.1 business medium and the undisputed leader in business news. And its leadership epitomizes the fact that India means business. It delivers quality and involved audiences that comprise a comprehensive viewership base greater than similar offerings in the business space across all media. The channel‘s benchmark coverage extends from corporate news, financial markets coverage, expert perspective on investing and management to industry verticals and beyond. CNBC-TV18 has been constantly innovating with new genres of programming that helps make business more relevant to different constituencies across the country. CNBC-TV18 is currently available in over 30 million households in India.

About ICICI Bank: ICICI Bank Ltd (NYSE:IBN) is India‘s largest private sector bank and the second largest bank in the country with consolidated total assets of about US$ 102 billion at September 30, 2009. ICICI Bank?s subsidiaries include India?s leading private sector insurance companies and among India‘s large securities brokerage firm, mutual fund and private equity firm. ICICI Bank?s presence currently spans 19 countries, including India.

MUMBAI: The latest buzz doing the rounds is that superstar Salman Khan will soon make an appearance on the sets of Zee TV?s Lux Dance India Dance. The superstar is currently on an aggressive marketing campaign to promote his forthcoming film, Veer. If Salman?s previous appearances at Zee TV?s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and the first season of Lux Dance India Dance are anything to go by, one can expect the spirited actor to be at his mischievous best and dance up a storm on the sets of this popular dance reality show.

In the meanwhile, the news of Salman?s upcoming appearance has spread like wild fire amongst the top 18 contestants of the show and the talented bunch has already swung into overdrive with the help of their mentors Remo D?souza, Terence Lewis and Geeta Kapur, rehearsing day and night to dazzle their heartthrob with superlative performances. 

The second season of Lux Dance India Dance, with its stupendous opening and countrywide following, has emerged to be the definitive platform for marketing upcoming Bollywood films. Akash Chawla, Marketing Head, Zee TV said, ?We?re extremely happy to have actors and the makers of the biggest upcoming blockbusters visit our sets to encourage the young talent. Salman, who will be amongst the first to visit our sets this season, has always been a sheer delight on the sets. His presence and energy blend very beautifully with the vibe of the show. In the coming weeks, we will make announcements about various film celebrities that will grace the sets with their presence.?

Do not miss this rocking episode of Lux Dance India Dance on Zee TV at 9:30 PM on Friday, 22nd January.

MUMBAI: Future Group affiliated store Mother Earth has partnered with Shop for Change, a fair trade organization, to launch India‘s first Shop for Change certified products. Shop for Change has launched the fair trade certification with Mother Earth t-shirts and plans for further extension to other cotton products. The Shop for Change certified t-shirts abide by fair trade standards, thus ensuring that cotton farmers receive a fair deal for their produce. The certification guarantees fair trade practices, which means that farmers who grew the cotton for the Mother Earth t-shirts and their families are empowered to improve their lives and care for the environment. The range will be available across all Mother Earth stores in India.

Shop for Change is a Section 25 not-for-profit company, established to build on successful international models of fair trade certification and marketing, has already certified 2,500 cotton farmers. It was established through a partnership between International Resources for Fairer Trade (India) and Tradecraft (UK) and has received an initial financial backing from the European Union and Dutch foundations ICCO and Hivos. 

On being the first Indian company to adopt the Shop for Change Fair Trade certification in India, Kishore Biyani, Group CEO, Future Group said, "As the Indian consumer is increasingly exposed to different trends in the market, I see a significant opportunity for conscious consumption. I look forward to Mother Earth‘s partnership with Shop for Change to tap this new market opportunity and continue to provide our customers with more evolved products."

Seth Petchers, CEO, Shop for Change Fair Trade said, "We strongly believe that India is ready to embrace the concept of fair trade. Shop for Change Fair Trade can be effective and make a difference with a growth in partnerships. Our collaboration with Mother Earth is a first step towards promoting fair trade in India. We are happy to make this pioneering move with Future Group, and are in the process of partnering with other brands. We encourage consumers to look out for the Shop for Change tag on products and are confident of their appreciation of the benefits of fair trade."

Shop for Change has devoted itself to the cause of betterment of farmers, not only ensuring farmers their rightful dues but also giving them an opportunity to develop their communities with better market prospects and enhanced knowledge. The Shop for Change certified cotton in the t-shirts is from farmers from Agrocel Industries Ltd. and Chetna Organic Agriculture Producer Company.

MUMBAI: Founder of the much acclaimed and famous ?Granthali Prakhashan? Shri Dinkar Gangal will speak with Nikhil Wagle, Editor, IBN-Lokmat in Great Bhet on Saturday, 9th January, 2010.

Granthali the brainchild of Dinkar Gangal, with 250 publications and130 awards to its credit has come a long way since its inception in 1974. The mission behind the foundation of Granthali Prakashan was to extend the reach of Marathi literature beyond the confines of the privileged sections of society to the masses. The basic idea was to imbibe progressive and broad minded thinking through some thought provoking socio-political issues subtly weaved into most books of Marathi literature. 

Viewers can watch Dinkar Gangal talk intensely about the Granthali?s 35 year old fruitful endeavour that has today evolved to take shape of a mass movement. Keeping in tune with evolving times, Mr. Dinkar will also talk about the web portal of Granthali, which is being developed to reach readers on a larger scale.

Also watch Dinkar Gangal sharing his strong views on the present scenario of media as he critically analyzes the changing roles of media.

To watch this motivating discussion, tune in to GREAT-BHET on IBN-Lokmat on 9th January 2010, at 9:30pm.

You can also watch this ?Great Bhet? on Sunday i.e. 10th January 2010 @ 12:00 pm & 5:00 pm.

MUMBAI: Zee TV brings in a hearty New Year for its viewers with ?Bhavnao Ko Samjho?, a one and a half hour fultoo stand up comedy event with 15 top comedians of the industry. Our very own Afsha Musani & Dhairya Sonecha are back as hosts to entertain the viewers. To have you in splits of laughter, we have the Kings and Queen?s of comedy like -Sunil Pal, Jhonny Lever, Raju Shrivastava, Ehsaan Qureshi, Shailesh, Sambhavana, Parag, Arti Khanpal, Khayali, Sudesh Lahiri, Rajeev Thakur, Seema Motwani, Anu Mudgal, Rahman, Raj Kumar and Ranchu amongst others.

For the first time two little superstars of 2009, Afsha Musani and Saloni, will come together on stage to shock the audiences with their comedy act. The evening doesn?t end here?.the laughter ride will also have glimpses of Sa Re Ga Ma Pa L?il Champs ? Hemant Brijwasi, Shreyasi, Swarit and Vaishali singing melodious songs.

Commenting on this Mr. Ashish Golwalkar, Non-Fiction Head, Zee TV, said, ?Through various shows/events and activities, Zee TV has always believed in & showcased differentiated programming. With ?Bhavnao Ko Samjho? we bring in an evening full of laughter mixed with some music elements.?

Sunil Pal, producer of the movie said, ?I am thankful to Zee TV for creating this event for the film?s promotion. It was an honour working with my comedian friends; without their support, my dream would not have come true. ?Bhavnao Ko Samjho? emerged from a very popular character of mine called ?Ratan Noora? from where I picked this phrase.?

?Bhavnao Ko Samjho? is the first movie of its kind produced by Sunil Pal with 50 comedian artists. Releasing on 15th January, the movie has also registered for Guinness Book of World Records.

Don?t miss the comedy marathon on Zee TV on Sunday, 10th January 2010 from 8 pm onwards