Category: Entertainment

Colors Gujarati brings the World Television Premiere of “Gajab Thai Gayo”

Colors Gujarati and Colors Gujarati Cinema have always entertained their audiences either through their shows or through various movies. Colors Gujarati brings to screen the World Television Premiere of Gajab Thai Gayo. “Shani Vaar Ravi Vaar – TV Par Pehli Vaar” will be a bouquet of entertaining movies with superstars like Malhar Thakar, Pooja Jhaveri, and Ujjwal Chopra. This WTP will cover films across genres including comedy, action, romance, drama, etc. Do not forget to watch “Gajab Thai Gayo” on 14th August at 8 pm on Colors Gujarati and 15th August at 8 pm on Colors Gujarati Cinema.

“Gajab Thai Gayo” is a Sci-fi comic movie to be enjoyed with the entire family. It features our favorite Malhar Thakar. The movie based on Sheth Kapurchand Mangaldas Vidyalaya is one of the last existing Gujarati medium schools. The principal of the school wants to preserve his heritage and is struggling with the changing world. Bhagirath is a postgraduate from Princeton University and offers to teach the students for free. Vishwa, the principal’s daughter and a teacher herself doesn’t trust Bhagirath as his teaching methods are unconventional. Bhagat, Vishwa, and Anant, and students – Paheli, and Virat travel to the nearby villages and their journey begins to achieve this goal. To witness this interesting journey please tune into Colors Gujarati and Colors Gujarati Cinema.

On this WTP Malhar Thakar said, “I am very excited about WTP of my movie. The audience has already enjoyed it in theater, and now they will get to see in their homes with their families. So, we will get the new audience as well as the repeat audience as everyone enjoys a good family entertainment like “Gajab Thai Gayo” in their drawing rooms”.

On the marketing front, the movie will be heavily promoted on the home channel and the channel will also explore promotions via reach and engagement activities through digital media. The audience will get to interact with the lead casts as well as through the social media pages of the channel.

Tune in to Colors Gujarati and Colors Gujarati Cinema to witness a blend of comedy and science fiction on the 14th and 15th of August with the World Television Premiere of Gajab Thai Gayo.

VYRL Originals releases the ultimate Ganapati celebration song of the season “O Ganaraya”

With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, VYRL Originals has released “O Ganaraya”, the ultimate Ganpati celebration song of the season. “O Ganaraya” is composed by DJ Chetas and Lijo George, written by Kumaar, and sung by Amit Mishra and Siddharth Mahadevan.

Over the years, VYRL Originals has always come up with the most popular non-film Hindi songs, and with the advent of the famous Ganesh Chaturthi, “O Ganaraya” is the perfect song for the occasion.

As Lord Ganesha is a destroyer of evil and a harbinger of change, this Ganapati anthem heralds the auspicious start of the festivities, as devotees prepare to welcome their favourite deity into their homes and lives, leaving their sorrows behind for a new beginning.

Talking about O Ganaraya, Amit Mishra says, “ O Ganaraya captures the spirit of Ganesh Chaturthi.  You hear it once and you are constantly taken in by its frenetic energy and the beats – you must get up and dance in celebration. It’s such a great piece of music by Lijo and DJ Chetas, brilliantly penned by Kumaar sir and honoured to get the chance to sing along with Mr. Siddharth Mahadevan. Would like to thank Mr. Lijo, Mr. Chetas and VYRL who gave me the opportunity to lend my voice for this Divine Track. May Lord Ganesh Bless Us All”

DJ Chetas says, “Ganesh Chaturthi is the most significant festival amongst us here, and the chance to create a song to celebrate this is humbling and a delight. Working with Lijo, we have created an amalgamation of sounds and instruments that denote the festive mood, and the result is a song that is infectious in its energy and verve. I hope this song becomes the Ganpati anthem of the year.”

Lijo George says, “It’s been an absolute delight to compose this track in time for the festive season. The rhythms, the beats, the instrumentation—all just fell into place when both Chetas and I started working on this. This one is going to be in the playlist for all Ganpati fans for sure”

“O Ganaraya is the perfect song to celebrate the Ganpati festival. You can’t help but be one with the beats and the energy of the composition. It’s my humble tribute to the almighty Ganpati Bappa for this year”, says Siddharth Mahadevan.

Taapsee Pannu-starrer Shabaash Mithu – the inspiring tale of India’s superstar cricketer Mithali Raj, is all set to premiere on Voot Select

In its endeavor to bring for its audiences a vast repertoire of diverse content, Voot Select is all set for the World Digital Premiere the Taapsee Pannu-starrer ‘Shabaash Mithu’ – based on the inspiring journey of the legendary cricketer Mithali Raj. The gripping sports drama, produced by Viacom18 Studios has already won hearts across India with its theatrical release earlier in July and is set to now capture the hearts of the digital viewers with its grand premiere on Voot Select in Hindi, Kannada, Tamil and Telugu. Directed by Srijit Mukerji, Shabaash Mithu also stars talented actors like Vijay Raaz, Devadarshini, Brijendra Kala, amongst others in key roles.

The film traces Mithali Raj’s journey from her childhood to the struggles she faced as she took the Indian women’s cricket team to the ICC World Cup finals, four times. It all started when her close friend Noorie introduced her to the electrifying sport. A star Bharatanatyam dancer in her class, a young Mithali held the bat for the first time in the company of her friends, which then led to a journey of sheer grit, determination, and hard work, as she went on to eventually become the youngest captain of Indian Women’s Cricket Team. But in a country that worships the ‘Men in Blue’, Mithali and her battalion had to overcome some serious obstacles to emerge as the celebrated ‘Women in Blue’.

Taapsee Pannu shared her excitement on the movie’s OTT release on Voot Select and stated, “This film is very close to me. As someone who prides in championing roles and characters that celebrate women, playing the character of an iconic and truly inspiring cricketer has been a matter of immense pride and satisfaction. It was a challenging character to portray, especially as every chapter in Mithali’s life revealed the many layers of this national inspiration. I am very excited with its release on Voot Select as now this story will have the opportunity to reach a much wider audience and hopefully, inspire other young girls and women to follow their dreams and passion in sports, akin to the relentless spirit of India’ cricket superstar Mithali Raj. I cannot wait to watch this special story once again at home in the company of friends and family and cherish this special moment, and really looking forward to seeing the audience’s reaction to the movie’s OTT release.”

It is time to celebrate the undying spirit of our ‘Women in Blue’ with an entertaining sports drama! Catch Shabaash Mithu, coming soon on Voot Select!

Shaan, Dhvani, Papon…KK’s friends come together to recreate the Yaari anthem for McDowell’s No1 Soda this Friendship Day

Meaningful friendships propel our progress – it is a belief that McDowell’s No. 1 has embraced forever. An iconic song that has always championed friendship is “Yaaron” by the legendary late singer KK.

This year, on Friendship’s Day, McDowell’s No1 Soda is celebrating #ForeverNo1Yaari by recreating the iconic “Yaaron” song with KK’s children and friends. Remembering the voice that provided a sonic background to moments of millions of friendships, KK’s Yaars – Leslee Lewis, Shaan, Papon, Benny Dayal and Dhwani Bhanushali – have dedicated this beautiful rendition of the song to their forever yaar KK. This reimaging of the yaari anthem is sure to encourage every fan, singer, music lover, and friend to repost / reshare their version of ‘Yaaron’ on their social handles as well.

Speaking about this association, Ruchira Jaitley, Executive Vice President and Portfolio Head, Marketing, Diageo India, said, “KK gave voice to the spirit of Friendship, and was linked closely with McDowell’s No. 1 Yaari Jam from the very start. We miss his presence and to celebrate his legacy, we collaborated with his yaars – Shaan, Lesley Lewis, Benny Dayal, Papon, Dhwani Bhanushali – and with his children, to recreate the ultimate anthem “Yaaron Dosti” this Friendship Day. We believe KK will continue to live on in the hearts of his friends and his fans across the country with his musical legacy and with #ForeverNo1Yaari.”

Shaan, Indian playback singer, in memory of his friend, said, “Friends and friendship has always pushed me to do better and grow in life. No matter how many songs I sang, we always ended up singing KK’s iconic “Yaaron” at every meet with my friends. KK was a very dear friend, and I fondly called him Kakes. I miss him immensely, and the opportunity to recreate his song “Yaaron” is once in a lifetime opportunity, so I am thankful to McDowell’s No. 1 to put together a dedication with #ForeverNo1Yaari to Kakes. He was a phenomenal person, and his music deserves to be celebrated for centuries.”

This rendition will also see KK’s children, Nakul, and Tamara, come together for the first time ever to sing this iconic track. Speaking about the new song, Nakul Kunnath, said, “Yaaron is a track that even we inadvertently relate to and not just because it was my father’s most loved track. Our father always valued friendship, togetherness, love, and we learnt to value it even more from him. He always went out of his way for his yaars and truly was the No. 1 Yaar and will remain one for all of us. While he will be missed, we are excited to celebrate his music this Friendship Day along with all his friends with #ForeverNo1Yaari. We are excited about the rendition and cannot wait for the audience to see it.”

The culmination of the friendship month will see these singers Shaan, Dhwani, Benny and Papon along with composer Leslee and KK’s children, Nakul, and Tamara, come together on KK’s birthday on 23^rd August 2022 with the McDowell’s No1 Yaari Jam-KK Forever concert at Phoenix Market City, Kurla, Mumbai.

Deltin ‘epic weekends’ are back with bolly glitz & glamour to amp up the freedom celebrations

Updating the swank of your Goa party plans, Deltin Royale is back with the all-time favourite ‘Epic Weekends’, this time with massive freedom celebrations, to get your party spirits high amidst luxury swank and fun. The Epic weekend Celebrations is spread from 12th August 2022 to 15th August 2022, this long weekend extravaganza has been dubbed to be the best ‘Freedom Celebrations’ of the sunshine state, packed with Bollywood stardust and groovy music, the best of Goan bands, international acts and a lot more razzle and dazzle.

Deltin Royale is India’s largest offshore gaming and entertainment destination and is known for its unparalleled offerings and services. Basking in the limelight ‘Epic Weekends’is a promise of exhilarating nights with power-packed performances from Sophie Choudry& her troupe on the 12^th of Aug ,  foot tapping  tunes with the legendary Indian playback singer Benny Dayal on 13^th Aug, 14th August wouldbe a laughter riot with Gutthi fame – Sunil Grover while Raghav Sacharwould  take  centre stage on 15th August, concluding four days of grandeur with amesmerising performance as the grand finale. Not to forget are the non-stop thrilling gaming action, delectable & unlimited free flowing beverages and world class service which ‘Deltin’ is known for.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Anil Malani, CEO, Deltin, said, “We are pleased to provide our guests yet another series of exhilarating moments at the ‘Epic Weekends – Freedom Celebrations’. Like all other events, our guests would get a chance to soak in Deltin’s grandeur throughout the day with exciting games, enthralling performances, delectable cuisine, and coveted moments. We are privileged to host renowned performers who make each and every occasion memorable on Deltin. We are eager for the patrons to experience the ideal fusion of entertainment and joyful gaming.”

Deltin Royale is known for its signature experiences, superlative luxury offerings with ‘BestAssured’ top-tier safety protocols in place, and adherence to all hygiene guidelines. To elaborate, Deltin is a whole new dimension when it comes to gaming, entertainment and hospitality.

Mentioned below are the details for the event:

Colors Tamil presents World Television Premiere of Pothanur Thabal Nilayam, a thrilling heist film

Colors Tamil, a meaningful entertainment channel, is all set to transport viewers to the world of the 90s and Retros with the World Television Premiere of Pothanur Thabal Nilayam Powered by Vasanth & Co Aadhi Athiradi Thallupadi this weekend. Premiering on Sunday, August 7 at 2:00pm, the film explores the life of a man and his quest to fulfil his ambitions while also saving his family from humiliation. Tune in to Colors Tamil to witness a one-of-a-kind heist set in a post office that promises tons of laughter.

Directed by Praveen, the 2022 film features himself and Actor Anjali Rao in the lead roles while Actor Jagan Krish, Actor Venkat Sundar, Actor Seetharaman form the stellar ensemble cast.Set in the 90s, Praveen (played by director-Actor Praveen) returns from the US, aspiring to become a rich businessman by starting a computer business, unlike his father (played by Actor Venkat Sundar) who is a postmaster.

At a time when the concept of computers sounds like gibberish to the common man, Praveen reaches out to various banks for a loan. Parallelly, his father gets the responsibility of safeguarding the post office’s savings but fails. With only a few hours left to prove his father’s innocence, the rest of the narrative revolves around whether he is successful in retrieving the stolen money and if his ambitions are finally fulfilled.

Commenting on the premier, director-actor Praveen said: “It is a unique idea since a heist inside the humble post office is unheard of. We put in a lot of effort to get the setting right, to ensure that every minute detail captures the essence of the 90s. This being my debut film, it is overwhelming that it is being telecast on a popular channel like Colors Tamil. It has been a rollercoaster ride to direct and act in my own film and I am certain that the audiences will have a blast this weekend on their television screens.”

Get ready for a weekend filled with comedy, suspense, and thrills with the World Television Premiere of Pothanur Thabal Nilayam, this Sunday, August 7th at 2:00pm, only on Colors Tamil.

Colors Tamil is available on all leading cable networks and DTH platforms ­ Sun Direct (CH NO 128), Tata Sky (CHN NO 1515), Airtel (CHN NO 763), Dish TV (CHN NO 1808) and Videocon D2H (CHN NO 553).

Amazon Prime Video – O Womaniya! 2022 report launch

Media consulting firm, Ormax Media and entertainment platform, Film Companion today released O Womaniya! 2022, the most definitive report on female representation in Indian entertainment. The report is supported by Prime Video, India’s mostloved entertainment hub. The report highlights on-screen and off-screen representation of women, by analyzing 150 theatrical films, streaming films and series released in 2021 across 8 Indian languages (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Punjabi, Bengali and Gujarati). In a first, the report received collaboration from multiple entities within the media and entertainment industry. This includes industry bodies like the Producers Guild of India and Active Telugu Film Producers Guild, streaming services like hoichoi, SonyLIV, Voot and ZEE5, along with film leading film studios like Clean Slate Filmz, Dharma Productions, Emmay Entertainment, Excel Entertainment, Purple Pebble Pictures, RSVP and Sikhya Entertainment.

The report studied the representation and participation of women across three major categories –‘content’ that included female representation on-screen and behind-the-camera, ‘marketing’ that studied female representation in promotional trailers of films and series, and ‘corporate’ that analyzed female representation in board rooms of top 25 media and entertainment firms. Key findings of the report include:

• Low representation off-screen:Women have low representation behind-the-camera with only 10% head of department (HOD) positions across key divisions (production design, writing, editing, direction and cinematography) held by women. Out of the 56 theatrical films analyzed across languages, not even one was directed or edited by a woman. Even in media and entertainment corporate houses, that are at the center of decision-making, only 10% of senior leadership roles were held by women, having a cascading effect on inclusivity through the production and execution chain.
• Low representation on-screen:Only 55% of the films and series passed the Bechdel Test¹. Even in promotional trailers analyzed through the Trailer Talk Time Test², women had only 25% talk time with 48 titles even allocating 10 seconds or less to female characters.
• Women hire more women: The percentage of female HODs doubled when a woman greenlit a series or a film. Similarly, a higher percentage of films passed the Bechdel Test (68%) and women had higher trailer talk time (35%)if the title was commissioned by a woman.
• Streaming is driving the change: Streaming films and series performed better than theatrical films across all parameters indicating the change the sector is ushering in representation on and off-screen. For instance, representation of female HODs in streaming films and series was five times higher than theatrical films. Similarly, 64% of streaming series and 55% of streaming films passed the Bechdel Test, as opposed to more than half of theatrical films failing it. Likewise, streaming films and series provided more talk time to female characters in trailers, leading theatrical films by 10 percentage points and 14 percentage points respectively.

Speaking about the findings, Shailesh Kapoor, Founder-CEO, Ormax Media, said,“While it’s no surprise that female representation in mainstream entertainment is low, the degree of skew, such as 10:90 on some key parameters, should be a wake-up call. While streaming titles, especially series, are more women-inclusive in on and off-screen representation, theatrical films continue to perform very poorly, and in fact, have shown no positive growth at all since the previous report, which covered content released in 2019 & 2020. We hope that this report serves as a starting point for the industry to come together and discuss ways to address the evident imbalance.”

Anupama Chopra, Founder & Editor, Film Companion said, “Data is essential to understanding how drastically skewed the gender equation in the Indian film industry is. O Womaniya! provides us with the starting point for discussion and debate. Starting out as an effort by Ormax Media and Film Companion, the initiative has now found resonance with the entire industry. The support that we have received from film bodies, streaming services and studios is heartening. We will continue to build this momentum and hopefully lead the way to change.”

Talking about the significance of the report, Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Prime Video said, “While there have been improvements in female representation in Indian entertainment, there hasn’t been any data-backed report in India that can hold a mirror up to the current reality. O Womaniya! 2022 fills the much-needed gap with its rich insights. We are thrilled to join hands with Ormax Media and Film Companion on an initiative that is in sync with our philosophy on equitable representation. The report serves as a good starting point to initiate discussions on the need to involve more women, particularly in decision-making roles, as that has a ripple effect on inclusivity in the entire ecosystem. Change has to be persistent and intentional, and we need to take constant steps to improve these numbers year after year.” Elaborating on the role of streaming in improving female representation, she added, “Streaming services have certainly opened the doors for more inclusive storytelling that provides greater opportunities to women. Streaming has given voice to more female storytellers resulting in an increase in stories that are driven by female characters with agency. At Prime Video, we have rolled out an inclusion policy playbook that has institutionalized certain guidelines to ensure just female representation on and off-screen. These range from mandatory female representation in writers’ rooms, and evaluating every script on specific parameters. I am certain that streaming is going to further lead the charge on diversity, equity and inclusivity in Indian entertainment.”

O Womaniya! 2022 was also supported by actor Vidya Balan, who over the last 17 years, has led and furthered the mandate on female-led stories across theatrical and streaming films like The Dirty Picture, Kahaani, Tumhari Sulu, Shakuntala Devi, Sherni, Jalsa, and more.

Reacting to the findings shared in the report, Vidya Balan said, “As an actor, I have noticed the change in female representation in films in the last decade and a half. From seeing just a handful of women on sets to now having women lead film-making by taking charge of direction, editing, and other key departments, we have come a long way. While this change has been underway for a while,it’s now become stronger with streaming services that have introduced the much-needed diversity in storytelling and on sets. However, the report indicates that we still have a lot of ground to cover. And this can only happen when we have more women in the boardrooms, prompting change right at the heart of decision-making. As female actors in positions of influence, we need to push for more female representation behind the camera in order to have more sensitive, authentic and relatable representation in front of it too. I am glad to be associated with the report and commend Ormax Media, Film Companion, Prime Video, and all other entities for taking the step towards documenting female representation in Indian entertainment. We now need to move the needle from intention to action, and work towards minimizing and disrupting biases.”

SunithaRangaswami, anindependent consultant ongender and women’s economic empowerment provided counsel on making the Indian entertainment industry more inclusive for women.

Roposo’s The MIC, a unique Live singing competition, celebrated its finale with Gaurav Gerera emerging as winner of the first season

Roposo, India’s leading creator-led live entertainment commerce platform, celebrated the finale of its maiden Live singing competition, ‘The MIC’. Gaurav Gerera was declared the winner of the competition in an enthralling event conducted on 2nd August 2022 in Mumbai. Like the entire competition, the finale was also live streamed on Roposo and simulcast on lock screen platform Glance, with the grand finale being viewed by more than 1.17 million viewers.

As the winner, Gaurav received a prize money of Rs 2 lakh. He, along with the top two runners-up, Neha Saxena and Shubhangi Kedar received an internship opportunity with Pritam Chakraborty’s JAM8 Studio. The winner will also get to stream multiple live shows on Roposo, which will enable him to reach out to millions of users through exclusive jam sessions and audience interactions, that will be simulcasted on Glance as well. 

The grand finale of Roposo’s The MIC was divided into four riveting segments: a duet, a chorus, a collective segment, and finally the Medley Mashup. The top 6 finalists namely Nishikant, Yuvraj Kaushal, Gaurav Gerera, Neha Saxena, Krutika Lele, and Shubhangi Kedar went head-to-head in an electrifying final episode, in the presence of a live audience on Glance and Roposo. The audience chose their favourite singer for each segment, and Gaurav, Neha, and Shubhangi were selected as the top three finalists of the competition. After much deliberation by Glance and Roposo users who voted in real-time, Mumbai’s Gaurav Gerera was crowned as the winner of Roposo’s ‘The MIC – Season 1’.

The finale also had enthralling performances by talented artists like comedian Akash, rap band ‘DOGZ MUSIC’, lyrical beatboxer Abhishek Kurme aka ‘Beatslayer’, and percussionist Yogendra, who made the whole finale an unforgettable experience for the audience. While the live and interactive contest kept users entertained, one of the highlights of the show throughout has been Magic – The Mic, a virtual mascot who hosted each episode and kept the excitement levels high through his funny quips and comical personality.  

Commenting on the success and conclusion of The MIC, Abhinav Jain, Vice President, Roposo said, “We launched one of our main music IPs, The MIC, on World Music Day. This is a unique live streaming singing competition that was conceptualized in-house. Music is one of Roposo’s most popular categories, and we are proud to have brought an innovative experience to the millions of music lovers on Roposo. It also gave the power largely to the users, since they were able to decide the winner in real time through our unique interactive features. It also provides an impetus to music creators who can engage with their audience in real-time and act upon their recommendations and requests. We are stoked by the success of the first season and may look at continuing this for show through different seasons in the time to come.” 

Popular rapper trio DOGZ MUSIC, who performed at the finale, commented, “With digital platforms on the rise, creators now have several avenues to showcase their talent, something which we felt was missing earlier. Platforms like Roposo not only provide young musicians with a stage to showcase their talent, but also enable them to develop a huge following considering the scale of users it has onboard along with Glance. We’ve seen several music competitions; however, The MIC was a first-of-its-kind contest where talented individuals could compete in a livestreaming format and the winner was chosen based on live votes on the platform instantaneously. We were really impressed by the concept and the talent that has emerged from The MIC.”

Talented Beatboxer, Beatslayer aka Abhishek Kurme, who performed an amazing set at the finale, added, “Roposo Mic was a first-of-its-kind experience. I felt it was a unique reality show, as performances were happening live, both in-person and virtual. I felt the concept of the audience deciding the winners was quite innovative. I’m happy that Roposo gave such a unique opportunity to singers and I’m grateful that I got to be a part of it as well.”

Talking about his win, Gaurav Gerera expressed, “I am overjoyed that the viewers chose me as the winner of The MIC. During the finale, I performed a medley of songs, and I am thrilled that everyone loved it and it helped me win the title. It has been an incredible journey for me and I’m glad that Roposo provided me with such an amazing chance to showcase my talent in front of millions of viewers and receive instant and overwhelming validation from listeners. The experience was top notch and I’m glad to know that the platform is helping aspiring singers like me to build a career and connect with music lovers across the country and the world.”

Almost 200 budding singers from different cities auditioned for Roposo’s The MIC. Of these, 20 participants were shortlisted for the two-month program based on their song selection, performance, and versatility. The first-of-its-kind singing competition saw them battle each other in a one-on-one knockout format. Millions of users from Glance and Roposo voted for their favorite performer via a live poll feature during these battles and helped them advance to the next round of the competition. The six finalists emerged through the course of multiple phases of the competitions.

With the success of The MIC’s first edition, Roposo has added to its vision of being the leading digital destination for pop culture and introduced new age ways of finding unique singing talent and bringing them to the fore. With several fresh and interesting initiatives lined up, Roposo is all set to continue its journey of discovering and promoting creators across different verticals while helping them become trendsetters, finding a greater audience reach and monetizing their talent.