• Catch the exclusive premier of ?Little Manhattan? on 10 August at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 08, 2007

    MUMBAI: A feel-good comedy that?s perfect for kids and adults alike. In a city known for excitement, two young friends are about to embark on the greatest adventure of all. Gabe (Josh Hutcherson) and Rosemary (newcomer Charlie Ray) have known each other nearly all of their lives, but when they come face-to-face in a karate class, they see each other in a whole new light. Filled with all the magical, marvelous and maddening moments of first love, ?Little Manhattan? is a charming film that is fun for the whole family! Catch the exclusive premier of ?Little Manhattan? this Friday, August 10th at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies.

    Mark Levin, who penned the film Wimbledon and was a co-producer of 80?s staple The Wonder Years, makes his directorial debut with Little Manhattan. Simultaneously heartwarming and grueling, the film is a charming depiction of urban puppy love. Gabe is a precocious 11-year-old who has a happy life on the Upper West Side, playing ball with his friends and preparing for a football career someday under the eye of his doting dad. The only wrench in the works comes from his parents? long road to divorce, and his mom?s decision to start dating while Dad still lives in the apartment. When Gabe decides to sign up for karate class, his world is turned upside down by Rosemary Tesescoe, the "third-prettiest girl" in his class.

    Rosemary is good at karate while Gabe struggles with it, and her offer to help him practice leads to a chance for the kids to get to know each other. This gives rise to Gabe?s eye-opening shift in how he sees Rosemary and girls in general as he discovers feelings he didn?t even know existed. The halting evolution of their relationship avoids sentimentality, guided by Gabe?s internal monologue that is both hilariously uncertain and surprisingly wise. The kids do things like get lost together in Central Park, and ride the subway alone for the first time braving the terrors of the West Village, no less exploring the city and their newfound feelings with a refreshing sincerity. Gabe?s grand gestures manage to inspire the adults around him to rethink some things and take some risks of their own, while his discoveries about the meaning of love are something to which viewers of any age can relate.

    Make sure you tune-in to exclusive premiere of ?Little Manhattan? this Friday night, 10 August at 9 p.m. only on Star Movies.

  • Dil se Dil concert, to celebrate India and Pakistan's 60th Independence Day

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 07, 2007

    MUMBAI: To celebrate India?s 60th Independence Day, Nokia presents the Nokia Dil se Dil musical extravaganza held for the first time, right on the India ? Pakistan border at Attari ? Wagah.

    Routes 2 Roots, a Delhi based NGO with a Chapter in Pakistan is working with Nokia to organize this unique event.

    This concert will bring together some of the biggest music artists and famous stars from both countries, including A.R. Rahman, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Ali Asmat, and Shafqat Amanat Ali, along with hosts Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Wasim Akram, and Shaiyanne Malik. The event held to honour the 60th anniversary of Independence, is an historic coming together of people across the two borders.

    Nokia Dil se Dil will commemorate Independence Day with a single, unifying concert event, with the performances taking place from twin stages, on either side of the Attari-Wagah Border. Live performances will alternate from one stage to the other; visible to the entire live audience no matter on which side of the border they are sitting. This star-studded event will be the first of its kind and will be telecasted Live with the help of innovative utilization of advanced telecommunications, sound engineering, and broadcast technology.

    Says, Rakesh Gupta of Routes 2 Roots, ?The concert will provide a larger platform to spread the message of universal humanity and oneness to people across the world. We are thrilled to be organizing such a historic event and, with the kind of cooperation we have received from the authorities of both the countries, the concert is sure to meet its purpose.?

    Sharing the details of ?Nokia Dil se Dil? music concert, Mr. Devinder Kishore, Director Marketing Nokia India said, ?Nokia believes in Connecting People and Nokia Dil se Dil is a unique, heart-warming initiative of bringing together people of two nations. Music knows no boundaries and we are very happy to celebrate 60 years of Independence with this musical event. ?

    Nokia Dil se Dil is a celebration of our past, acknowledging our shared history and a celebration of our present, displaying our common humanity. (We dance to the same songs!) It is also a celebration of our future, demonstrating our mutual dreams.

    Putting together an event of this magnitude at the border, with complete permission and cooperation from the governments of both the countries, is not only an extraordinary achievement, but represents an extraordinary confidence building measure. The event is being organized by Routes2Roots, a Delhi based NGO with a Chapter in Pakistan with Nokia, the main lead sponsor of the event.

  • SBI Mutual Fund tops Nielsen's Brand Equity Index

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 07, 2007

    MUMBAI: SBI Mutual Fund leads Nielsen‘s Brand Equity Index in the 2007 Winning Brands Mutual Fund, a study that tracks the brand performance of various mutual fund houses.

    The findings also reveal that Reliance Mutual Fund has emerged as a runner up with the fastest growth, almost doubling its index score from the previous year, and jumping from fifth to the second position in 2007. Last year‘s runner up, ICICI Prudential, slipped to the number three position, albeit very close behind Reliance.
    This year also saw the absolute indices of some of the dominant brands like SBI, Prudential, UTI and HDFC appear much lower than in the previous year, states the study.

    The Nielsen Winning Brands Mutual Fund study, in its third year, polled 1,662 Indian consumers via face-to-face interviews across 10 cities in India.

    "The larger brands have shown a dip in their equity strength, while share of mind of some of the smaller brands have actually gone up at the expense of the bigger brands - clearly investors are contemplating more brand options than before," says The Nielsen Company, India financial services research Nipa Parekh.

    On an average, consumers‘ awareness of the investment related brands went up from 12.9 brands last year to 18.5 brands in 2007, showing a significant increase. However, the average number of brands in a consumer‘s consideration set went up slightly from 2.76 to 3.4, which implies a strong need to build brand consideration. This is even more important as Indian consumers are increasingly investing their discretionary money into stocks and mutual funds, according to a global consumer confidence and opinion survey conducted at the end of April 2007.

    "Sustaining a strong media presence is a prerequisite for mutual funds, given the plethora of brands the consumer is aware of. However the task does not end there - it is important to be a part of consumers‘ limited but slowly increasing consideration set by focusing on ground level activities that can give consumers more knowledge and reasons to choose the brand," says Parekh.

    India‘s mutual fund industry is surging ahead, as a growing number of retail investors, lapping up the fund offerings, are finding it a safe and relatively high-return investment vehicle. Tax benefits, however, seems to be the most important trigger for investing in a mutual fund, a probable entry point for many.

    The key drivers for Brand Equity continue to be awareness followed by consideration in the category in general. Quality of awareness also appears to be the single largest driver. Having considered a brand, the last mile to securing the sale is likely to depend on the confidence of the agent, based on basic product characteristics of the mutual fund such as returns and services, while the trust and reputation of a brand should not be overlooked it appears to be more of a hygiene factor.

    The Nielsen Winning Brands Mutual Fund is a tracking study designed to assess brand performance using Nielsen‘s proprietary research methodology, Winning Brands, a proprietary Brand Health Management model of Nielsen worldwide.
     

  • CNN-IBN celebrates the spirit of a 'Rising India' this Independence Day

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 07, 2007

    MUMBAI: As India enters its 60th year of independence, celebrations at CNN-IBN have already begun! In saluting the spirit of the nation, CNN-IBN has lined up an array of programming that celebrates Indian achievements from across disciplines and attempts to define what it truly means to be an Indian.These are in addition to the additional programming line up that began on January 26th leading up to August 15th under the Rising India initiative. The following are some such programming initiatives that celebrate this spirit:

    " State of the Nation: India and Pakistan are celebrating 60 years of Independence and to mark the occasion, ‘State of the Nation‘ this year will involve a first-ever two nation simultaneous opinion poll in India and Pakistan. The basic idea is to capture the public‘s opinion on the state of the two nations and invite people to reflect on their shared pasts and future. This exceptional four-episode series will comprise 3 half-hour episodes beginning August 12 at 10:00pm and concluded by a one-hour show on August 15 at 8:00 pm.

    The four episode series will comprise of debates on topics of concern, which are:
    " Political State of the two Nations (August 12 @ 10:00pm)
    " The Kashmir Question (August 13 @ 10:00pm)
    " Region & the Globe (August 14 @ 10:00pm)
    " India & Pakistan - People 2 People (August 15 @ 8:00pm)

    " Rising India 10 Defining Moments: Rajdeep Sardesai and renowned historian, Ramchandra Guha, will discuss and deliberate the significance of the results of the IBNLive.com poll on the top ten defining moments over the past six decades in an exciting one-hour special on August 11 at 8:00 pm

    " Real Heroes - India‘s Unsung Heroes: Beginning August 6, CNN-IBN identifies 24 unsung heroes from four zones - East, West, South, North - (six from each zone) across the country. Capsules through the day will be aired daily to celebrate their achievements along with regular stories on the news wheel and weekend specials. Every week, six heroes from a particular zone will be profiled and a dedicated half an hour will be aired every Saturday at 1:30 pm summarising the entire zone. The series will be aired as follows:
    " South Zone (August 11)
    " North zone (August 18)
    " East zone (August 25)
    " West zone (September 1)

    " Dil se Dil: The first ever Indo-Pak music concert is scheduled for the night of August 14 till the early hours of August 15 to celebrate the 60th Independence Day of both the countries. Eminent artists and celebrities with the likes of A.R. Rahman, Rahet Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam, Shah Rukh Khan, Wasim Akram, among others, will come together across the border to create an unforgettable night of neighbourly harmony! The historic event will be televised live on exclusively on CNN-IBN on August 14 from 11:00pm till 1:00 am.

    " Secret Kitchen - Independence Day Special: CNN-IBN foodie Bikramjit Ray is out to discover the flavours and tastes that were brought to India from across the border in 1947 and which have now become and integral part of Indian cuisine. Taking his viewers through some of Delhi‘s well-known and obscure locations, Bikramjit unravels some deliciously divine secret recipes that were once imported from what is now Pakistan. The show will air on August 15 at 11:30 am

    " Only in India: We Indians have a knack of doing a lot of things in our own quirky ishtyle that makes us who we are and differentiates us from the rest of the world. This half-hour light-hearted show takes a look at things like galli Cricket, lassi preparations using a washing machine, among other innovative Indian take-offs from what was originally a Western concept. The show will air on August 14 at 8:30 pm

    " Cricket 360 Special - Dream Team of 60 Years: A special show on Cricket with an elite panel of experts and studio audience, that would reveal the findings of an interactive cricketnext.com survey on what Indians think makes their Cricket Dream Team! The show will air on August 11 at 7:30 pm

    " Best of India Rocks: Hosted by AR Rehman, a special feel-good, thought-provoking, emotional and patriotic musical tribute to India on the occasion of Independence Day. The show will feature prominent Indian musicians with the likes of, Rabbi Shergill, Euphoria, Silk Route, Indian Ocean, among many others! The show will air on August 15 at 10:30 am & 9:30 pm.

    " Six Decades of Sports - Special: This half hour programme will not only showcase the most glorious moments in the history of Indian sports, but also reveal the findings of the IBNLive.com poll stating the Best Indian Sportsperson of 60 years! The show will air on August 15 at 7:30 pm & 11:30 pm

    " Splendid 60: Six Decades of Cinema - Director‘s Special: The show will re-trace the major steps and developments in Indian cinematic history to gain insight into this diverse, colourful and vibrant industry that is an important part of Indian culture. In addition to remembering the eventful journey of Indian cinema, it will also focus on some of the top filmmakers choosing their personal all-time favourite film of the last six decades! The show will air on August 11 at 10:30 pm.

    " 60 Years of Advertising: Advertising has come a long way in the past few decades - from merely a handful of agencies producing most Indian advertisements to a booming industry that is showing no signs of slowing down! The show will look back at the evolution of advertising in the country and highlight the developments that helped it become a multi-billion Rupee business involving some of the brightest and most creative minds in the country today.


    " Independence Day Special - Morning Show: Starting early on August 15, CNN-IBN‘s special breakfast show will dip across various centres and cover stories on the different ways the country celebrates Independence Day. As a part of the same show, a special segment will cover an eight-city LIVE quiz with children to see what the nation‘s future generation has to say. To air on August 15 at 8:00 am.

    " What is Indianness? Special capsules through the news wheel will focus on both ordinary and celebrity citizens and how they define what being an Indian means to them.

    "We at CNN-IBN have been celebrating the 60th year of Independence since the beginning of the year. However, with the actual anniversary drawing nearer our special programming is picking up pace leaving viewers spoilt for choice. We have tried our best in capsulating the spirit of the past 60 years of Indian culture and its influence on the India of today." Said, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN and IBN 7

    "Our Independence Day line-up is jam-packed with some exciting and exceptional programming to cater to all our viewers. The properties will be promoted extensively on-air as well as off-air to increase their visibility and brand-recall." Said, Dilip Venkatraman, Director Marketing and Online Projects, CNN-IBN and IBN 7

    "As our Independence Day properties will be widely promoted through various mediums they will prove lucrative for those choosing to advertise with us as it would provide their brands excellent exposure." Said, Sanjay Dua, National Sales Head, CNN-IBN and IBN 7

    CNN-IBN is celebrating 60 years of Indian independence with its ‘Rising India‘ initiative - one that captures the sprit on India, a spirit that has made India a global challenger. Programming around ‘Rising India‘ provides a glimpse into the past, present and the future of the Indian economy. An initiative that looks for an answer to the question - What is it that defines and unites the diverse cultural continent? From trivia and interesting facts about how India has evolved and changed over the last 60 years to the stories that inspire, stories of unsung heroes, unusual traditions and lifestyles that define India today - Rising India has it all covered for a holistic look at India then and now.

  • The jane show on 9 August at 10 p.m. only on Star World

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 07, 2007

    MUMBAI: It‘s time to see how the ‘normal‘ nine-to-five working world can be anything but, the way it is in this new STAR WORLD sitcom - The Jane Show.Jane‘s been plugging away at her first novel for the past ten years, paying her bills by working for an eccentric author. When he suddenly dies, Jane‘s left with no job, no money, and a heap of regret. Tired of the struggle, Jane decides she needs some structure in her life, a sense of stability, a regular pay-cheque and a dental plan. At 33 years old, is that too much to ask? Make sure you catch the exciting new series, ‘THE JANE SHOW‘, which premiers this Thursday, 9 August at 10 p.m. only on Star World.

    Exhausted by the roller coaster ride of the artistic life and craving stability, and a "normal" life like everyone else, thirty something novelist "Jane Black" decides to get a nine-to-five sales job - regular hours, a steady pay cheque... a dental plan. Once Jane joins the 9 to 5 world she realizes that the normal life is anything but. In an office filled with odd and eccentric characters, Jane soon discovers that following a more conventional path is not as simple as it may seem. Maybe Jane is the normal one after all?

    Billed as The Office meets Sex and the City, produced by Shaftesbury Films, the new, half-hour comedy stars Second City alumnus Teresa Pavlinek as Jane, an ordinary office worker on some not-so-ordinary adventures. Patricia Zentilli stars as Jane‘s too-perfect best friend Susan, and together they deal with issues many women can relate to, including dating, job stress, love, and their oddball coworkers.

    As the show opens, meet Jane who is on the subway reading The Delightful Girl‘s Etiquette Manual, specifically the chapter on dating. Later, in the office Jane is caught by Iggy reading the RushDate.com website. Jane decides to investigate speed dating and meets quite the character in Clint, played by Jonathan Crombie.

    So make sure you tune in to the all new series "The Jane Show" this Thursday, August 9th at 10 p.m. only on Star World.

  • Javed, Shabana and Farhan enjoy koffee with Karan on 12 August at 9 p.m. only on Star One and Star World

    Submitted by ITV Production on Aug 07, 2007

    MUMBAI: Karan‘s guests this week are an extremely special couple. She is an actor par excellence?in fact, almost an institution!

    From path breaking alternate cinema to plausible mainstream? She‘s been there, she‘s done that! Her contribution to the society as well as the fraternity has never gone unnoticed and on a lighter vein, she can be the life of a party. He on the other hand, ruled the roost in the 70s! He gave dignity and stature to writing in Indian cinema. He then went on to become an impeccable poet and lyricist. Words alone are not enough to describe how beautiful his words can be and again on a lighter vein? he easily has the best sense of humor in town. Meet Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi in a very interesting episode of Koffee with Karan, this Sunday, August 12th at 9 p.m. on Star One and Star World. Also, making the episode even more exciting is son Farhan, who drops in for a quick cuppa!

    The very opinionated and individualistic couple talks about their warm relationship of 23 years! They share with Karan how they are so different from each other but yet have so many similarities, which makes living together all the more interesting! They share some funny anecdotes and experiences faced by them in the film industry. Shabanaji busts the myth that poets are romantic and declares on the show that Javed saab does not have a bone of romance in his body! She also shares her passion for collecting recipes even though she hardly ever cooks! Farhan and Javedsaab talk about the healthy friendship they share with each other. Karan asks Javed saab what he thought about Don and how he reacted when Farhan told him he wanted to remake it. The father-son duo also gives their reaction to Ram Gopal Verma‘s remake of Sholay!

    After the question-answer session, the show takes another turn with the rapid fire round! Which film, besides Don, deserves a remake according to Javed Akhtar? Which recent song does he wish he had written? How would he describe Koffee with Karan in a couplet? Which Don does he prefer- the old one or the new one? Who according to Shabanaji is the most talented actress in Indian cinema? Who according to her is the most stunning looking woman? If she had Sonia Gandhi‘s private number, what would she like to tell her? Who is the winner of the most desired possession on the show - the coffee hamper! Find out on this Sunday‘s episode of Koffee with Karan.

    So, don‘t forget to tune in as Karan catches up with the super- talented couple- Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar along with son Farhan Akhtar on Koffee with Karan this Sunday, August 12, 2007 on Star One and Star World, at 9 p.m.
     
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