MUMBAI: NDTV Profit in association with Car India and Bike India will host the fourth Car and Bike Awards, 2009 on 20th February at ITC Hotel, Mumbai, to felicitate the best of the best in the automobile industry. The award seeks to recognize and reward the best design, unmatched technology, style and performance in the automobile industry.

Since its inception in 2006, the awards have grown not only in strength but also in reputation. The awards are benchmarks for auto excellence in India and are widely trusted by consumers, manufacturers and auto experts alike.

Announcing the awards, Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Editor-Auto, NDTV Group said "Over the last 4 years, NDTV Profit Car & Bike Awards have emerged as the most coveted awards in the automobile industry - which stands for credibility and a sense of fair play. There is complete transparency in what we endeavour to put out - since we have a responsibility to our viewers and readers to carefully assess, select & recognise the best automobiles of the year".

The Car & Bike Awards are unique in a number of ways. It rewards environmentally friendly work done by the industry with the Green Award and recognizes Marketing and PR efforts of the players which contribute to the product‘s success with the CNB-AAA awards. The categories in this include Best PR & Communications Team, Best Integrated Campaign 4 Wheeler, Best Integrated Campaign Two Wheeler and Brand Ambassador of the Year. Nominees for the Best Brand Ambassador this year are Priyanka Chopra (Hero Honda), Saif Ali Khan (Chevrolet), Shah Rukh Khan (Hyundai), Hrithik Roshan (Hero Honda) and Farhan Akhtar (Maruti).

Last year, a ground-breaking rule was introduced allowing the previous year‘s winners to come back and defend their crown - welcomed by the industry as well. As a consequence, the 2008 Car of the Year - Hyundai‘s i10 and Bike of the Year - Bajaj 220DTSFi will also compete for the 2009 awards.

The Car & Bike Awards are the only awards that reward viewers by offering them the chance to drive home a new car or bike through the categories: CNB Viewers‘ Choice Awards Car and CNB Viewers‘ Choice Awards Bike.

To ensure a foolproof and fair selection process, the eminent jurors assess and award each nominee in complete isolation to other jurors. Each car and bike nominated are tried and tested by the jury along with a detailed research on each nominee‘s specifications, its market performance and its immediate competition. The process is monitored by our auditors Mazars who then tabulate and document all votes by the jurors.

The jury consists of an expert panel of auto aficionados with an eye for detail and extensive knowledge of car design, performance analysis and testing. Jury members for both Car and Bike category include, Siddharth Vinayak Patankar, Editor-Auto, NDTV; Amit Chhangani, Assistant Editor, Car India; Aspi Bhathena, Executive Editor, Car India & Bike India; Rayomand Banajee, racing driver and Sam Katgara, former ace rallyist and racer. The jury also includes H S Billimoria, the creator of NextGen Publishing and Nawaz Sandhu, ace lady rallyist for the car category and Bunny Punia, an automobile journalist for the bike category.

MUMBAI: Accolades, Applause, Awards and A.R. Rahman are synonymous. First Indian to win the prestigious golden Globe for his score in Slum dog Millionaire and dedicate it to his country, he has done India proud.

This shy music maestro has a penchant for creating the most unconventional music and has reinvented himself time and again and come out in flying colors with each new composition. Recognition and appreciation is still following and he has been awarded the Bafta Award too, for best musical composition for the same film.

The film has also bagged 10 nominations at the Oscars scheduled on the 22nd Feb and Rehmaan is a very strong contender for it.

B4U Music congratulates A.R Rahman on his historic win at the Golden Globe and Bafta., and sends him best wishes for his nominations at the Oscars.

To honor the musical genius, B4U Music is extremely proud to dedicate the entire fortnight starting 16-2-09 to 1-3-09 by creating a special programme called A.R.Rahman Best Hits through the day.

The programme has an array of versatile compositions from the latest block busters such as Delhi 6, Ghajini, Slum dog Millionaire, Yuvraaj, Jaane tu Ya Jaane Na. A blend of slow romantic melodies to foot tapping numbers it‘s a complete treat to watch.

Tune in every day on B4U Music and cheer the accomplishment of this talented composer.

MUMBAI: After the grand success of CBF Stunner 10 presented by Bindass and Honda, the finalist position was a tie between Jigar Bhagaria from Gujarat and Aamran Khan from Mumbai. The prize for the winners was fixed at Honda Stunner bikes, a mega cash prize and the opportunity to host a show on UTV Bindass. Now a new surprise has come their way, UTV Bindass has given them a once in a lifetime opportunity to audition for a part in the forthcoming films from the UTV stable.

UTV Motion Pictures has Produced Mega hits like Jodha Akbar, A Wednesday, Dev D, Welcome To Sajjanpur, Aamir, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, etc. UMP has a slate of around 16 movies scheduled for 2009 with a pool of some of the best directors of the country like Ashutosh Gowarikar, David Dhawan, Vishal Bhardwaj and many more.

Zarina Mehta, CEO of Bindass says, ?During the shoot of CBF Stunner 10 we realized that these two boys have tremendous potential. So keeping with UTV Bindass?s trend of encouraging youth, we are delighted to present Aamran and Jigar with a chance to showcase their talent and audition for one of our films.?

Alpana Mishra of UTV Motion Pictures said that, ?I saw the show and was quite impressed by potential of both the winners. Aamran is a great dancer and has amazing energy levels and Jigar for his confidence and earthiness. I find them quite interesting and am happy to give them a chance of auditioning for my movie.?

MUMBAI: This weekend MY FM‘s special show MY KA LAAL got a starry glimpse when Balika Vadhu‘s small wonder Avika Gor graced the show. Bubbly and excited, Avika was in the studios of MY FM Bilaspur on the 15th speaking about her show Balika Vadhu, her life and dreams, likes and dislikes and things that matter to her. Avika was accompanied by her doting father who also spoke to MY FM listeners about his daughter, how she manages between being herself and her character Anandi and how life has changed for her after becoming a celebrity.

MY KA LAAL‘s regular listeners were thrilled to have their favourite young star on the show and MY FM got a wonderful response especially from the younger lot. Avika‘s special show was also quite in line with the crux of the MY KA LAAL show which features aspiring and talented children from city schools to host shows on MY FM.

Speaking about her life and dreams she said she has big plans with hopes to continue in the industry and play several characters, but she‘s equally focused on her studies. She also spoke about her love for Bollywood songs and movies, Indian clothes and her co-stars on the show.

Apart from MY FM Bilaspur, the special show was aired in rest of the 16 MY FM Stations. Speaking about Avika Gor‘s appeareance on MY KA LAAL, Mr. Harrish M Bhatia, COO - 94.3 MY FM, said "MY KA LAAL is a very special show for young achievers and Avika was a perfect fit for our show. With her bubbly and cheerful talk, she really made the day for our listeners, young and old alike. MY FM wishes her great success and joy in all her endevours.

MUMBAI: RED FM has found Malishka‘s biggest fans! This Valentines day, RED FM, the station for expression, put their ‘dewaangi‘ to test by bringing the craziest dares on air from February 9. The three lucky winners, who proved their ‘dewaangi‘ for Malishka met their favorite RJ on Valentines Day and spent an evening with her.

The three winners were treated like superstars! A Mercedes picked them up from the RED FM office and took them shopping at a leading apparel store. This was followed by a relaxing session at the Spa at Taj Lands End. The winners then attended a Valentine‘s Day party, with lots of masti and fun with the RED FM team, where they finally met their favorite RJ - Malishka, who were bowled over with her wit and humour.

MUMBAI: Hollywood?s biggest names will gather at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles for the 81st Annual Academy Awards. STAR MOVIES will televise the star-studded event ?live? on Mon, 23 Feb at 6.30 am (IST).

The primetime encore at 8.30 pm will include an exclusive, on-the-ground Red Carpet Special hosted by CHANNEL [V]?s Dominic Lau.

This year?s ceremony promises to be a memorable one with first-time host Hugh Jackman fronting the telecast.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is this year?s frontrunner with 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director and a Best Actor nod for Brad Pitt. The Golden Globe-winning Slumdog Millionaire scored 10 Oscar nominations and is in the running for Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Picture.

The other contenders in the Best Picture category are the inspirational biopic, Milk, which landed eight nominations, the Holocaust drama The Reader, which scored five nominations, and the based-on-fact Frost/Nixon, which also earned five nominations.

In the Best Actor competition, Brad Pitt will face off against The Visitor?s Richard Jenkins, Frost/ Nixon?s Frank Langella, Milk?s Sean Penn and The Wrestler?s Mickey Rourke.

One of the closest contests will be in the battle for the Best Actress trophy. After winning a Golden Globe and BAFTA Award for her turn in The Reader, Kate Winslet is the odds-on favourite to take home the Oscar. But she faces stiff competition from Oscar winner Angelina Jolie (Changeling), awards darling Meryl Streep (Doubt), veteran actress Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Anne Hathaway (Rachel Got Married).

Viewers can look forward to a change of pace this year with Australia?s Hugh Jackman taking over hosting duties. The Emmy-winning star promises the 2009 ceremony will be less formal and more fun than previous years. ?We?re in the world of showbiz, and the Oscars have to be more show than business,? says the actor. ?The fact that they?ve hired me is a sign they?re taking a different route.?

Will the feel-good fable Slumdog Millionaire beat out the all-star cast of Benjamin Button? Will Brad Pitt win his first Oscar? Will Kate Winslet finally take home a statuette after six Oscar norms? When the envelopes are opened, be among the first to know who the winners are when STAR MOVIES brings you the 81st Annual Academy Awards? ?live? on Mon, 23 Feb at 6.30 am (IST) with a primetime encore at 8.30 pm.