Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Will 3 be lucky for Shruti Hasan?


It’s three years since she made her debut in films, but the beautiful, talented Shruti Hasan , the daughter of powerhouse performers Kamal Hasan & Sarika, is yet to get her share of fame & fortune. The multi-faceted Shruti Hasan, who took to singing in films at the age of 6, has since then sang for several films, composed music, written songs and also acted in regional films, in Tamil, Telegu, Hindi…, is a Diva in her own right. She’s had fans & loyalists from the very young and there’s no denying that.

An excellent singer, music composer and actress Shruti believes that music is the best way to express oneself. She believes that music is the soul of life…with the latest hit song Kolavari, Kolavari, Kolavari Di…from her film 3 (Moontru) in Tamil, her belief in straight from the heart composition only gets stronger. The song Kolavari Di… has become a nation-wide syndrome.

Three years in the film industry and film 3 (Moontru) in her pocket, perhaps this birthday  which was only a few days back (January 28th), is going to change equations for Shruti, it’s time to accomplish her dreams. While success seems to be round the corner for Shruti, there are her thousands of fans & well wishers who want to get up,   close and personal with her. As one of the Divas on India’s Glam Diva, it’s time to present the young, talented glamorous actress to her fans.

To catch the many facets of the multi-talented Diva Shruti Hasan stay tuned to India’s Glam Diva, coming soon on BIG CBS LOVE.

WISHING MOHAN DAS OF EON FILMS MANY HAPPY RETURNS…


Mohan Das - Producer, Presenter and now venturing into commercial direction with his latest offering SALT & LIGHT under his own banner Eon Films entered the world of films with a short film MAIN KAUN HOON on national integration for Doordarshan’s most prestigious wing Lok Seva Sanchar Parishad. He later assisted Hrishikesh Mukherjee in “Agar Aisa Ho To” (serial) only to assist Tapan Sinha in Shunya Communications outstanding feature “Daughters of this Century” (DOTC).  DOTC which brought Jaya Bachchan back to silver screen after a hiatus of 16 years, had Shabana Azmi, Nandita Das, Deepa Sahi, Debashree Roy, Milind Gunaji, Sulbha Deshpande, and Bengal's heart throb Jeet in pivotal roles. Suporting them in major roles were Papia Sen, Arjun Chakraborty, Amit Banerjee and a host of actors from Kolkata's Tollygunge. Coincidentally, he was involved with both projects in co-producing them.

Under Eon Films banner which is making more inroads into regional film making, Mohan Das has released a Bhojpuri film “Sawariya I Love You” and is now doing “Ghulam” which is on the floors. The film is more than 70% complete.  He is starting his Hinglish project SALT & LIGHT much on the same lines as DOTC – a 5 part feature film. 

Unlike DOTC which was essentially a female centric film depicting the negligence and indifference towards the woman folk of our country, Salt & Light will be essentially a male centric film highlighting male exploitation at various levels.

Here’s WISHING YOU MANY HAPPY RETURNS...

Monday, January 30, 2012

Oprah fever hits India: BIG CBS LOVE brings “Best of Oprah” for its viewers


She came; she met and captivated her audience simply by attending the Jaipur Literati Fest. Now, she’s here to enthrall you with some of her best moments, right on your TV screens. That’s Oprah Winfrey for you, the Queen of talk-shows. BIG CBS LOVE all throughout the month of February will bring to its viewers some of the Best of Oprah episodes from Monday to Friday at 8.00 pm.

Flagging off the celebrations today on January 30th, until the end of the month, BIG CBS LOVE will bring to you, exclusive episodes of the Oprah Winfrey Show which will have some of her best moments spent on the set with various people. Interviews with celebrities, shocking revelations by people and a special episode on Michael Jackson. So, if you’ve missed any of these, you can catch them again and join in on the excitement and the fun.

30th January will see an exclusive interview with Ana Rodarte, who was born with a disfiguring, incurable disease that literally destroyed her face. In the same episode, Oprah also meets with the Jackson brothers who nearly starved to death by their foster parents who later adopted them.

The 6th of February is an exciting day for most young women. The entire cast of “Glee” will be on air with Oprah Winfrey and watch them talk about their personal lives and their journey on the show until now. Friendships and relationships and how much they matter to them will all be a topic of discussion.

It’s been 25 years since the Oprah Winfrey Show has been on air, and in this colourful journey, Oprah has interviewed many celebrities, some who were happy to share their stories and some who confessed many-a-things on the show. Thursday, 9th February will see 25 of the most unforgettable guests who appeared on the show and the hilarious and maybe not so hilarious moments spent with them.

Over the years, Oprah and her team have hooked up deserving fans to their favorite stars. Oprah says she loves to make dreams come true...but it's not as easy as it looks. Her star studded hook ups with Cher, Justin Timberlake, Diane Sawyer and Usher surprise unsuspecting fans.

17th February sees the “Best of Oprah” concluding with a special episode dedicated to some of the untold secrets about Michael Jackson’s life. Right from his different looks throughout the years to his numerous plastic surgeries to his secret, second family and truths about his marriage with Lisa Marie Presley.

Catch Oprah bringing alive some of the most memorable moments of the ‘Oprah Winfrey Show’ through the ‘Best of Oprah’ special starting from 30th January only on BIG CBS LOVE, Monday – Friday at 8.00 p.m.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Wishing all our readers...


Simon Cowell to launch a new talent competition to find the world's best DJs.


The man who launched a thousand pop careers, is apparently now all set to develop a live talent search show dedicated to finding the world’s next great DJ. The TV host and producer who has partnered with Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s Overbrook Entertainment says, "DJ's are the new rock stars, it feels like the right time to make this show," he said in a statement. Already known to television audiences in Britain and the United States as the acerbic judge on hit talent shows like "American Idol", "The X Factor" and "Britain's Got Talent", the 52-year-old is looking to expand his empire.

The new format will be co-produced by SYCO, Cowell's joint venture with Sony Music, and Overbrook Entertainment, a U.S. entertainment company founded by Hollywood star Will Smith. Smith's wife Jada Pinkett Smith has been involved for Overbrook.

Cowell’s most recent project was bringing talent show The X Factor to the U.S - The show, which crowned Melanie Amaro as its inaugural winner last month, has been renewed for a second season. What do you think? Are DJs the new rock stars? 

Oldman (Gary) receives his first ever Oscar nomination in his career


An active thespian for almost 33 years, Gary Oldman has received an Oscar nomination for the first time ever in his career. Describing his first ever Academy Award nomination as 'extremely humbling' as he took to the red carpet with his stunning wife for the German premiere of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy in Berlin last night, the 53-year-old British actor looked like on cloud 9 - the cat that got the cream.

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a 2011 British espionage film directed by Tomas Alfredson, from a screenplay written by Bridget O'Connor and Peter Straughan based on the 1974 novel Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy by John le CarrĂ©. The film stars Gary Oldman as George Smiley, and co-stars Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, John Hurt, Toby Jones, Mark Strong, Benedict Cumberbatch and CiarĂ¡n Hinds. Set in London in the early 1970s, the story follows the hunt for a Soviet double agent at the top of the British secret service.

The film was produced through the British company Working Title Films and financed by France's StudioCanal. It premiered in competition at the 68th Venice International Film Festival. The film received generally favourable reviews and was the highest grossing film at the British box office for three consecutive weeks.

Deepika grew up watching Madhuri & Sridevi!


Follow your dreams…and your dreams will come true! That’s what model turned actress Deepika Padukone did ever since she realized her calling. An ardent fan of superstars Madhuri Dixit and Sridevi, as a young girl she would be lost in their songs that were shot in the picturesque Switzerland and the Alps…draped in beautiful eye-catching chiffon saris. She often found herself draped in those saris and dancing like her heroes!

Today, a decade later, Deepika, who is known for her Perfect 10 body and dazzling smile, glided in to the industry, thanks to her modeling. Her debut film Om Shanti Om opposite Shah Rukh Khan, was the perfect dream debut a new comer can ever dream of. There’s no looking back for her after that. This beauty who is rated today as one among the top actresses of Bollywood never believed in participating in beauty contests. “Who is to judge beauty?” asks Deepika. No wonder then she truly believes that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder!

A top contender on India’s Glam Diva, this charmer says that she is in the most comfortable phase of her life… a bright future to look forward to, living alone in the city of dreams, good friend Siddhartha Malaya at her side, big banners in her kitty, coffers ringing with success and loads of fan following her all the way… Life’s been on a high for Deepika!

India’s Glam Diva coming soon on BIG CBS LOVE will unfold the life and times of beautiful Deepika Padukone that her fans will love to see. Stay tuned to India’s Glam Diva to know the little known facts of your favorite diva.

Tata Prima Trucks presents Ring Ka King - Wrestling Ka Mahayuddh



International wrestling superstars as Jeff Jarrett, Matt Morgan, Scott Steiner and Monster Abyss participating in the show, Channel Colors ropes in cricketer & Mumbai Indian’s Captain Harbhajan Singh as the goodwill ambassador.

After having entertained India with their impressive bouquet of fiction shows, format shows and a number of successful reality shows, Colors, India's leading Hindi General Entertainment Channel is all set to introduce a fresh format to its audiences. For the first time ever, the channel is launching the biggest sports entertainment reality show called 'Tata Prima Trucks Ring Ka King' which will feature 30 top Indian and international wrestling superstars including Jeff Jarrett, Matt Morgan, Scott Steiner and Monster Abyss; Indian wrestlers who have received international-level training like Jwala, Mahabali Veera, Romeo Rapta, Zoravar and Deadly Danda amongst others. And the Indian cricket superstar Harbhajan Singh has been roped as the goodwill ambassador. The show will bring to audiences a mix of drama and reality by adding some Indian tadka to the good old wrestling matches that we have grown up watching in a grandiose and glitzy manner. Tata Prima Trucks presents Ring Ka King – Wrestling Ka Mahayuddh will go on air on Saturday, January 28th 2012 at 8 PM with subsequent episodes airing on Saturdays and Sundays at 8 PM only on Colors.

Speaking about the show Colors CEO, Raj Nayak said, ''Colors has always vowed audiences with some of the biggest reality shows like Bigg Boss, Khatron Ke Khiladi, India's Got Talent and now we are proud to present yet another explosive first of its kind sports reality show – Tata Prima Trucks Ring Ka King'. Coming down to participate in the show are international wrestling sensations. India, for the first time will witness the excitement of a sport and the intensity of a drama, both rolled into one.

He further added “We truly believe that the show will appeal to our viewers and advertisers who are constantly looking for new and innovative platforms to reach out to their audiences. We are glad to be working with Tata Prima Trucks and hope that our relationship only grows hereon.”

In what could be called a modern day clash of the Titans some of the world's most renowned wrestling superstars will be seen battling Indian pehelwans to capture the title of 'Ring ka King’. Tata Prima Trucks Ring Ka King will be a modern day wrestling show that brings together the TNA wrestling superstars and the Indian pehelwans to fight for the title of “Ring Ka King”. In the first four weeks of the show, audiences will see nerve-racking matches that will crown a ‘Heavy Weight Champion’ and a ‘Tag Team Champion’. During the subsequent weeks, the champions will have to save their honor and title and fight against the other contenders who will come their way and throw challenges to claim the belt. Through the show, audiences will get an insight about the intricacies of wrestling and what goes into making a show as enjoyable as this.

Speaking about his association with Tata Prima Trucks presents Ring Ka King, Harbhajan Singh, Goodwill Ambassador, Ring Ka King said, “As a kid, I have always been interested in wrestling. Mein bachpan mein Judo champion hua karta tha. Par uske baad cricket meri life ban gayi. Varna shyaad mein Olympic Judo Champ hota. Being on the cricket pitch has given me the right fighter attitude that is essential to control these wrestlers. I am extremely charged for Ring Ka King. After many years, here’s a mind-boggling reality show that is a perfect mix of action, sports and entertainment that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.”

Explaining the concept of the show further Deepak Dhar, MD, Endemol India said, ''It's an exciting format for us to work with. For the first time ever we are combining sports and entertainment to create something very different and very exciting. While the focus of course will be on the wrestling matches, it is the entertainment and the drama aspect of the show that will put the matches in perspective making them a lot more interesting. Endemol has entered into a partnership with TNA Entertainment, LLC to popularize professional wrestling. Endemol fulfils its commitment to India by constantly bringing best-in-class entertainment to India. ''

Jeff Jarret from TNA, who represents the international wrestlers participating in the show said, ''Tata Prima Trucks Ring ka King is a very exciting project for us at TNA. We know TNA has a lot of fans in India, especially younger fans, so the enthusiasm levels are higher than ever. At the same time, the format of the show is very interesting which will allow fans to see their favourite wrestling stars as not just wrestlers but real people. Of course, we are looking forward to put on an adrenaline filled show that will get all our fans super excited! Let’s see who out of these 30 amazing wrestlers beats the rest to take away the title of ‘Ring ka King’!''

On being title sponsors for the show, Mr. Vinod Sahay, Head- Sales & Marketing, Medium & Heavy Commercial Vehicles of Tata Prima Trucks says, “We believe integrating our majestic Tata Prima heavy weight trucks with Ring ka King represents a natural fit for both our brand and the show. The Prima range of trucks, tractor trailers and tippers bring to India international standards of power, performance and endurance, which ties in very well with the Ring ka King format which aims to bring international standards of wrestling to our country incorporating the same attributes of power, performance and endurance.”

Tata Prima Trucks presents Ring ka King – Wrestling ka Mahayudh will be debuting on Colors on 28th January 2012 and will be telecast every Saturday and Sunday at 8 PM.

Sunidhi Chauhan reveals her Diva look!


Rukhi, rukhi hai zindagi…to Crazzy kiya re…to Bidi jalai lo… Mast singer Sunidhi Chauhan has everything going for her. Right from her live shows to appearing on television as a reality show judge, to singing with international singers Sunidhi has done everything to keep her singing career alive and kicking. The mast singer of the nation, who is a diehard fan of late Michael Jackson & Mariah Carey, is one of the contenders for India’s Glam Diva. In an exclusive interview with BIG CBS LOVE she says that whatever she is today is because of her big break in film Mast.

Sunidhi has been a singer since the age of four and gained recognition as winner of a televised singing contest. Having won several Film fare, Screen, and other film Awards, Sunidhi Chauhan is one of the few female singers to have lent her voice for nearly every leading actress in the Hindi entertainment industry, in the last two decades. From Madhuri Dixit, Aishwarya Rai, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukerji, Kareena Kapoor, Bipasha Basu, Priyanka Chopra, Konkona Sen Sharma and even yesteryear actress, Rekha, her singing repertoire seems fathomless.

On being one of the 13 contestants on India’s Glam Diva, Sunidhi said; “Whenever I have appeared on TV or given live shows, there is never an intention to look like a ‘glam diva.’ I am myself and I think people like it that way. So according to me, that is the Diva look!”

Sunidhi faces competition from B-Town beauties like Deepika Padukone, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif and also from fellow singer friend, Shreya Ghoshal. Catch the beauties of Bollywood battling it out on India’s Glam Diva only on BIG CBS LOVE.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Ooh La LA... Vidya Balan turning item girl for Ferrari Ki Sawaari


After her performance as the boombat ladki in ‘The Dirty Picture’, actress Vidya Balan’s oomph has wooed many, and now eyes are all set for her next surprise! Vidya Balan who got the audiences to groove with her in Ooh La La is all set to get dirtier as she is all set to turn into an item girl. According to reports, she is all set to do her first item number in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's home production Ferrari Ki Sawaari.

With ‘Chikni Chameli’ doing the rounds of megaphones and the mouths of people, we can assume that Vidya’s performance on an item song will be received with much eagerness. Apart from Balan, other popular actresses who’ve been into item songs lately are Katrina Kaif, Mallika Sherawat and Chitrangada Singh, to name a few.

Ferrari Ki Sawaari is produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and directed by Rajesh Mapuskar. She has closely been associated with Chopra’s production house as her debut film 'Parineeta’ and the Gandhian film ‘Lagey Raho Munnabhai’ were from the same production house. So, naturally when she was asked to do an item number, Vidya just couldnt say "No".  
Known for her zeal and dedication in the things that she does, Vidya is sure to offer stiff competition to the Jalebi Bais and Chikni Chamelis, it seems!

Sunday, January 15, 2012

How close are reality to reality shows?



Encashing on the popularity of reality shows and especially that thrill the audiences are taking centre stage. With Bigg Boss 5 of Colors just wrapped up where 14 celebrities were locked inside a house for three months, Star Plus has come up with the Indian version of US adventure reality show 'Survivor'. This show goes beyond the format of Khatron ke Khiladi as Survivor India has 22 contestants, 11 celebrities and 11 non-celebrities where the contestants are marooned on an island with almost nothing with them.

At the exotic islands of Caramoan, Philipines that are approximately 5000 kms away from India, contestants that include Payal Rohatgi, Shilpa Saklani, Abhinav Shukla, Rohit Narang, Jamnadas Majethia, Sylvester Rodgers, Sangram Singh and others are supposed to build their own shelters on the island where they are living with no civic amenities. A rat infested camp, fear of darkness and creepy insects, the life is really tough for the Survivor India contestants.

The thought of living without electricity, bathrooms and something as basic as a toothbrush is really scary. The contestants will also have to struggle for their food as well. The only thing available to eat is plain rice and coconut. Even salt is a luxury for the contestants. To earn luxuries like a fire-kit, peanuts and dal, the contestants will have to go through some rigorous challenges.

While some have started missing their families already, others can't stop cribbing about their hardships.
The format of the show sounds really interesting. Let's see if that can make up for the not too impressive lot of celebrities. So what do you think Survivor India can beat other popular reality shows like Bigg Boss, Roadies, Khatron Ke Khiladi, Big Switch, Swayamvar and others? And do you think its all for real?? Watch out Survivor India-Jo tikega, itihaas likhega on STAR Plus, Sat-Sun 9 pm.

BloombergUTV Autocar India Awards 2012 honours the Automobile Industry


BloombergUTV, India’s premier business channel and Autocar India presented the ‘The BloombergUTV Autocar India Awards 2012’ presented by HDFC Bank at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai. The awards based on the theme “Evolution is Simple. Survival of the Fittest”, saw a fierce competition amongst the most reputed names in the auto sector. A total of 24 awards were given away across the two and four wheeler segments. 
 
A Jury Panel comprising of experts like Hormazd Sorabjee, Shapur Kotwal, Renuka Kirpalani, Narain Karthikeyan, Manvendra Singh, Rishad Cooper, Karthikeya Singhee, Dilip Roger, Rajeev Khanna, Colvyn Harris, Mahesh Chauhan and Malvika Mehra selected the winners from the top contenders in each  category. The list of award winners is annexed along with. 
 
Maruti Suzuki Swift bagged the Car of the Year (Jury Choice) and Best Compact Car of the Year awards while the Mahindra XUV500 bagged three awards viz., ‘Viewers’ Choice Car of the Year Award’, ‘Best  Value-for-Money Car’ and ‘SUV of the Year’. The Volkswagen Passat won the ‘Green Car of the Year’
Award.

Honda CBR250R walked away with dual honours winning both the ‘Bike of the Year’ as well as the ‘Viewers’ Choice Bike of the Year Award’.

Mr. Pawan Goenka, President – Automotive & Farm Equipment Sectors at Mahindra & Mahindra was awarded the ‘Man of the Year’ award for his contribution towards the automotive industry.
 
Mr. Deepak Lamba, Business Head – BloombergUTV, while congratulating all the winners, said, “As a business channel that gives viewers a clean and clear understanding of various industries, we have been  closely associated with the Indian automotive sector. We have a dedicated team that tracks, analyses and de-mystifies the automotive sector for the viewers throughout the year.  The BloombergUTV

Autocar India Awards, held towards the end of the fiscal year, are a culmination of the team’s year-long effort and also helps us maintain a close relationship with the sector, and celebrate their success. Over the last three years we have seen it grow in stature, popularity and prominence and are looking forward to some more exciting and award winning work next year.

Noted Bollywood actor Neil Nitin Mukesh graced the  Awards Ceremony hosted by Mini Menon, Executive Editor – BloombergUTV and Renuka Kirpalani, Editor of The Autocar India Show on BloombergUTV. The evening was well-attended with industry stalwarts coming together to applaud the achievements of their peers. 
 
The BloombergUTV Autocar India Awards 2012 was presented by HDFC Bank and powered by Tata AIG Insurance. KPMG were the Knowledge Partners and GLADE Auto Sport Car Perfume was the Car Style Partners.
 
The awards function will be telecast exclusively on BloombergUTV on 14th Jan at 11.30 am and 15th Jan at 10.00 pm…..don’t miss the ride 

Saturday, January 14, 2012

WISHING SUNNY GORAYA MANY HAPPY RETURNS…



Sunny Goraya who has done a lot of modeling stormed onto the television industry with a bang on role as Priya Bhabhi’s (Saakshi Tanwar) laadla devar in Balaji’s “Bade Achche Lagte Hai..”. An instant hit with the viewers for his friendly smile, soft spoken mannerisms and innocent cutie looks, he developed a large female fan following post the serial. On the anvil is Rajshri Productions new film LOVE U MR. KALAKAAR, where Sunny has a meaty role under the sun. Even we too LOVE U MR. KALAKAAR.

Here’s WISHING YOU MANY HAPPY RETURNS...

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Reality star Bret Michael & country music artist Chely Wright reveals their darkest fears on Oprah Winfrey Show


Some wounds heal and some last forever. For the first time since his brain hemorrhage in April 2010, rocker and reality star Bret Michaels will appear via satellite on the Oprah Winfrey show on BIG CBS LOVE to share about his injury, the lessons he learned, and the recovery process ahead of him. 

For decades, Bret Michaels has been the hard-partying front man of Poison, a glam metal band that's sold more than 25 million records. Bret's wild ways earned him a bad-boy reputation, which paved the way for reality TV stardom. On the night of April 21, 2010, Bret says he felt something explode in his head. Doctors discovered Bret had suffered a brain hemorrhage, a serious condition that's often fatal, and they prepared his family for the worst.

But Bret, a survivor in every sense of the word, lived to share his story. In his first television interview, Bret looks back at that terrifying night and looks forward to a full recovery.

In the same episode, country music recording artist Chely Wright talks about how after a lifetime of hiding her homosexuality, the end of a 12 year relationship spiraled her into a suicidal place that ended in her deciding it was worth possibly losing her career to live her truth.

Chely Wright was living a lie and fearful that revealing the truth about her sexuality would cause her to lose her career and the support of her family. Contemplating suicide, Chely realized that being open and honest was worth the risk and since her public announcement she has received an outpouring of positive responses and encouragement from her father. Both Bret and Chely felt they had possibly reached the end of their lives and it took realizing what they had to lose for them to fight for what they stood to gain.

Watch Bret and Chely share the circumstances that changed their lives, forever, on Thursday, 12th January, 2012 at 8.00 p.m. on the Oprah Winfrey Show, only on BIG CBS LOVE

Monday, January 9, 2012

Stars descend at Andheri Sports Complex for Umang Police Show


To support Mumbai Police at their annual entertainment “Police show colors Umang 2012” on January 7, 2012 in Mumbai, all the stars descended at Andheri Sports Complex for Umang Police Show.  The evening saw all the bigwigs from the film fraternity were there to regale. Right from Amitabh Bachchan to Aamir Khan, Shahrukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Katrina Kaif, Akshay Kumar, Farah Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Madhuri Dixit, Rani Mukherjee, Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan, Yash Chopra, Sonakshi Sinha, Govinda, Salman Khan, Ajay Devgn, Jaya Bachchan and Dharmendra, who were there in full attendance at the colors Umang Mumbai Police Show 2011.


While Dharmendra chose to dance on to the tunes of his upcoming movie the others were present there to show gratitude to the Mumbai Police. Home Minister RR Patil too was present for the event. The last act by Priyanka Chopra on Desi Girl along with Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan and Shahrukh Khan proved to be a perfect finale!! All in all the event was a major success!!  

















Sunday, January 8, 2012

MyTV officially launched last nite at Hotel Westin


India’s first social TV channel “MyTV” was officially launched last nite at Hotel Westin, Mumbai by Mr. Rajiv Shukla, Member of Parliament in the presence of Pankaj Thakar, Founder & CEO, Cellcast and Ashutosh, Head of MyTV, Cellcast. As soon as the channel went on air, there were whistles and cheers followed by a presentation on what was going to be aired on the channel. Interestingly, the channel will be ad-free which will be a soother to those who abhor ads in between. The launch was rounded up by a special performance by Mekaal Hasan Band, followed by a cocktail and dinner party that lasted till the wee hours.



Mr. Rajiv Shukla, MP

Of the programs that are being aired as of now include Glitter Mania, Cricket Howzatt, Gold Safe, Astro Talk, BhavishyaPhal, Bid2Win and My Studio. Glittermania is a two hour show where callers can participate by solving simple puzzles and winning the prize money on offer. Calls will be taken live every few minutes. Cricket Howzatt is an interactive cricket quiz-based game show that has questions and picture puzzles and each question has one winner.

Of these programs, Gold Safe is a new interactive entertainment quiz show which will provide viewers a fantastic opportunity to participate in Games and win prizes everyday by answering simple questions and solving easy puzzles.

For those interested to look into the future, the channel has Astro Talk, which is the only show in Indian TV with a multi-platform engagement process. It brings experts to interact with users on all screens on Pan India basis. At the same time, BhavishyaPhal Sitaron Se Hal is a daily live program that will showcase various streams of Astro sciences such as Crystal Ball Gazing & Pendulum Dowsing, Tarot Card Reading. In this show you will get instant solution for your problem. The general mood of the show will be based on Holistic Living, Modern yet spiritual, Classy, New Age, Scientific rather than religious.
                                   
Bringing in their most popular show that was showcased earlier on other channels, they are bringing in Bid2win - an interactive game show based on reverse auction format where consumers get the opportunity of winning aspiring-branded products like LCD TVs, Tablet PCs, Laptops, high end Mobile Phones, Digi-cams, iPods, etc. by bidding low & unique.
                       
In My Studio hidden musical talent from across the country will be unearthed to bring fresh music to audiences over television, web and mobile. Some of the most promising music bands and individual artists from across the country will be invited to be a part of my studio.

Big Deal and Chor Machaye Shor are two other projects that will be coming soon to join the game, Getting great products at great prices to viewers across the country is what The Big Deal is about. Whereas,l Chor Machaye Shor is a new interactive show which provides viewers a fantastic opportunity to participate in real-time and win prizes by solving simple puzzles to win products and cash prizes.

Television’s favourite bahu wins Vodafone presents Bigg Boss 5


After spending 98 days in a house under the prying eyes of 55 cameras, Juhi Parmar has been declared the winner of Vodafone presents Bigg Boss 5 being aired on COLORS. During the past 3 months, the Bigg Boss house has witnessed unlimited entertainment and drama by contestants who displayed their varied personalities. After giving her fellow contestants a tough fight, Juhi Parmar emerged victorious and walked away with the grand prize of Rs. 1 crore and the winner’s trophy. Giving Juhi a tough fight and walking away as the first runner-up was Mahek Chahel while Sidharth Bharadwaj was the second runner-up. While Juhi won the title of Bigg Boss, Mahek’s long-time boyfriend, Danish Khan proposed to her on the stage for marriage, to which Mahek replied with an ‘I do’.

Juhi is the second female contestant to prove her mettle and win Bigg Boss after Shweta Tiwari won Bigg Boss Season 4. Being one of the most popular bahus on Indian television, her fame and strong fan-following has helped her gain the maximum votes. Survival on television’s most intense reality show has not been easy for Juhi. Her cordial and straight forward nature along with her patience has made her win the hearts of not only the audiences who have voted for her, but also her fellow contestants. Be it dealing with fights and conflicts or making friends, Juhi always remained on the front-foot. She has always stood her ground in fights due to which she never got along with Sidharth Bhardwaj and Amar Upadhyay, but her maturity allowed her to remain cordial with the pair of them. Juhi is definitely walking away after having gained tremendous respect from everyone who has been a part of her life, especially her husband television actor Sachin Shroff, and finding life-long friends in Pooja Bedi, Sky Wlker and Sunny Leone.

Upon being announced the winner of Vodafone presents Bigg Boss 5, an ecstatic Juhi Parmar said, “The feeling that follows after being declared the winner of Bigg Boss is something that I cannot put in words. A woman is the epitome of endurance and being the second woman to win Bigg Boss helps prove that point to all that ever doubted it. Tackling the various situations that I have experienced inside the Bigg Boss house has given me a lot more confidence to go back home and continue being what I am. Thanks to Bigg Boss, I have made some life-long friends whom I probably would have never met if I had not agreed to be a part of the show. There is a lot that I am taking back home with me that I have learnt while being a part of this amazing journey of Bigg Boss 5.”

Juhi’s winning evening was a star studded evening with power packed performances.  While Salman was seen in his ‘Lovely Singh’ avatar from Bodyguard, Sanju Baba did not miss the opportunity to wish the contestants ‘All The Best’. Malaika Arora Khan’s rendition of ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ and Rakhi Sawant’s performance on ‘Chikni Chameli’ left the audiences spell bound. Not to be left behind, the evicted contestants also shook a leg while participating in the grand celebration of the finale. Sunny Leone took to the dance floor and wowed the audiences in the Punjabi kudi avatar while grooving to the songs ‘Jugni’ and ‘Sadi Gali’. Showing the world her adas was transgender Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, who performed a mujra act to ‘Salaam-e-ishq’ and ‘In Aankhon Ki Masti’. Shonali also showcased her sexy side by delivering a sensual performance. Bringing the grand finale to its pinnacle was a group act by Shakti Kapoor with all the girls who have participated in this season of Bigg Boss, which created a sense of nostalgia given that the show started with Shakti being the sole man inside the house.

This season of Bigg Boss has truly been the season of double vaat. With not one but two hosts leading the contestants while they were inside the house, the lives of all the contestants have been touched in one way or another by the differences between right and wrong that the hosts have taught them along the way. The show started with Shakti Kapoor as the only man locked up inside the house with 13 women from different walks of life. Eventually, the house witnessed additions in the form of Amar, Sidharth, Sky and Sunny who added fuel to the fire of changing equations. The fifth season of Bigg Boss also witnessed an Indian television first when director Mahesh Bhatt entered the house to approach Sunny Leone for Pooja Bhatt’s upcoming film Jism 2. This season also witnessed another Bigg Boss first when family members of the contestants were sent inside the house bearing goodies and bringing news of the loved ones that were being sorely missed. Bigg Boss Season 5 has seen guest entries in the form of Swami Agnivesh and international celebrities like cricketer Andrew Symonds and sumo wrestler Yamamotoyama, The atmosphere inside the house, this season, has been extremely volatile with innumerable fights and contestants having ‘blow-hot-blow-cold’ relationships throughout.

Bigg Boss is and always will be the biggest, the most awaited and the most loved show on Indian television. The experiences and the memories of living in a house with strangers and fighting to prove their mettle will forever be engraved within the hearts and minds of the contestants.

Friday, January 6, 2012

BIG CBS LOVE brings the sizzling Season 17 of America’s Next Top Model to India


With 14 hot contenders of previous seasons coming together to compete for the final glory, BIG CBS LOVE, the English entertainment television channel that is extremely popular among young, urban women in India is all set to bring ace supermodel Tyra Banks back to your TV screens. Premiering this January, watch the 17th cycle of America's Next Top Model - America's Next Top Model: All-Stars which begins January 9, Monday to Friday at 10pm.

America's Next Top Model is a reality show that chronicles the transformation of everyday young women into potentially fierce supermodels. Cameras catch each candid moment as participants face weekly tasks that determine who makes the cut. Participants demonstrate both inner and outer beauty as they master complicated catwalks, rigorous photo shoots and publicity skills.

The latest cycle features fourteen returning models that are from previous cycles. The winner of this cycle will receive a campaign with the Express fashion brand, a chance to be a guest correspondent on the hit newsmagazine “Extra,” a fashion spread in Vogue Italia, the cover of and a spread in Beauty in Vogue, a blog on Vogue.it and a US$100,000 contract with Cover Girl cosmetics. The judging panel, once again consists of Executive Producer and talk show host, supermodel Tyra Banks, author, filmmaker and fashion photographer Nigel Barker and former American editor-at-large for Vogue magazine AndrĂ© Leon Talley.

This season will witness models from the past coming back to seek their moment of glory. Lots of celebrity guests, quirky photo shoots, and top notch drama amongst the contenders makes America's Next Top Model: All-Stars the most anticipated model hunt ever.

Catch all the beauty, fashion, glamour and glitz of America's Next Top Model starting January 9, Monday to Friday at 10pm only on BIG CBS LOVE.

Cell 18’s latest offering ‘Perfect Bachelor’ gathers momentum on-air on ETV Marathi


Starting 26th December the hunt for Maharashtra’s eligible bachelor has begun. Cell 18’s newest show, Perfect Bachelor that is regaling the audiences on ETV Marathi is a reality show which will hunt down Maharashtra’s most eligible bachelor. The show is being hosted by Rahul Mahajan who is best known for his swayamvar on national television. The judges of the show are Neha Pendse, Sai Lokur and Shruti Marathe who will be responsible in tracing down the winner based on their good looks, talent and the tasks they perform.

The show has twelve contestants fighting for the title of Perfect Bachelor. The candidates are all living in a large house and are given different tasks to perform on which they will be judged. Four beautiful girls are also staying in the same house along with these young men, albeit in a huge room close to the boys’ dormitory and have been roped in to try and gain the guys attention towards them. The bachelors will be eliminated on a weekly basis, based on their performance of the task that week.

Perfect Bachelor that is conceptualized by Cell 18 and supervised by Zubin Driver is a bi-weekly show that is being aired on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9.30 pm to 10.45 pm, beginning 26th December.

Catch the latest season of the exciting Survivor series only on BIG CBS Prime


BIG CBS Prime, the channel with the latest and newest shows on TV catering to the urban male is back with the 23rd season of the fantastic series Survivor. Premiering January 9th Survivor: South Pacific will be aired Monday through Thursday at 9.00 p.m.

The season was filmed in the vicinity of Upolu, Samoa, where the 18 castaways will be divided into two Tribes of nine: the Savaii Tribe and the Upolu Tribe, named after the two islands of Samoa. The “Redemption Island” twist makes a comeback in this latest season of the show.

Last season, on Survivor: Redemption Island, players who were voted out were sent to Redemption Island to live in exile and participate in one-on-one duels. The winner of each duel earned the opportunity to continue fighting for a chance to return to the game and to compete for the title of Sole Survivor; the loser was sent home. The winner of each duel earns the opportunity to continue fighting for a chance to return into the game and be able to compete for the title of Sole Survivor; the loser is sent home.

The tribes are made up of individual from all walks of life, who are all out to achieve the same objective, to be the Sole Survivor. While 16 of the contestants are new to the competition, two are former castaways who will be given another chance to compete for the million dollar prize. This season, the new castaways are joined by returning contestants, Oscar “Ozzy” Lusth and Benjamin “Coach” Wade.

Catch all the action on Survivor: South Pacific, from Monday – Thursday, at 9.00 p.m. only on BIG CBS PRIME