MUMBAI: The Times of India brings on board Livon to partner for the 11th season of its flagship talent-hunt platform - Livon Times Fresh Face powered by Set Wet. Since a decade, the hunt has been the national platform that brings together young and talented collegians from all over the country. What sets the competition apart is the focus on recognizing real talent. Last year, the contest introduced the concept of ‘What’s your Fresh Factor?’, wherein the participants go beyond exhibiting their charming personalities and demonstrate their talents in unconventional ways. In continuation, this season will focus on both talent and personality while the search will be more rigorous and advanced. Entering the next decade of the property, there is a twist in the launch of this edition, Bollywood personalities, Nushrat Bharucha and Amit Sadh will be flagging off the contest via a Facebook Premiere with anchor Sanket Bhosale. Apart from discussing their own fresh factor, they will also be opening up about their life and creative journeys and engage in some interesting games and activities.
Over the years, it has snowballed into a multimedia platform. Garnering over 1 million social media followers and over 1 lakh participants till date, the past editions have wowed the audience and created a stronger connect with the participants creating the largest talent-hunt platform in India. With celebrities like Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Siddharth Malhotra, Sonakshi Sinha, Ayushmann Khurrana, Neha Kakkar and Yami Gautam sharing their stories about their Fresh Factors in the previous editions, it has always been a star-studded event.
This year the hunt will stretch over 180 college auditions and open mall auditions across 11 cities; Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Pune, Chandigarh, Nagpur, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad and Indore. The talent-hunt is targeted at college students in the age group 16-22. Interested participants can apply via the Livon Times Fresh Face Season 11 website. This year, girls get salon finish hair with Livon Serum and boys styled by Set Wet. The competition will be spread across several rounds of audition, starting with the college auditions followed by open mall auditions, leading participants will then compete at the semi-finale from where the winners will move to the city finales; city winners will then go on to compete at the Grand Finale, which will be held in Mumbai. The most talented male and female participants with the Fresh Factor will be crowned Livon Times Fresh Face 2018.
Commenting on the contest, Sanjeev Bhargava, Director of Brand TOI said, “The Times of India is not only a chronicler of change but an enabler of positive change. We attempt to impact positive change in many different ways through initiatives that empower the citizens of this country to impact the environment, the health issues facing the country, improving the economic and political awareness in the country. One of the key areas we have identified is to empower the upcoming generations of Indians with self-confidence and recognition, opening the doors to new opportunities for them. Livon Times Fresh Face is one such initiative. We believe that by reaching out to ambitious and talented youth in colleges around the country, and encouraging them to recognize and showcase the power of their talent and personalities, we are not only giving these bright future stars a big platform but also inspiring thousands of other fellow students through our events and amplification in media. The change their talent can bring about is what will contribute to defining the future of this country.’’
Expressing her views, Bollywood actress Nushrat Bharucha said, “Having seen the talent garnered in the previous years, I have to say I am amazed at how gifted the youth of the country is. I am so honoured to be a part of the Livon Times Fresh Face and I am confident we will be seeing a lot of extraordinary talent this year. If you think you have the personality and talent that will wow the world, this is definitely where you should head to.”
Speaking about the contest, famed actor Amit Sadh said, “I have always held that talent and determination will help you scale the heights you want to reach. I know for a fact that our country is full of young and talented individuals and it is very heartening to see them get the platform and recognition they deserve with Livon Times Fresh Face. I’m very glad to be a part of this initiative and I cannot wait to see what this edition has in store.”
Last year, the participants contributed towards a power packed competition, showcasing their talents in various arenas from martial arts to belly dancing. With this edition the property hopes to expand engagement and discover some fresh and innovative talents.
