Singer Shivangi Sharma Judges International Indian Icon (3III) Reality Show...

Shivangi Sharma, a very talented singer and live performer, judged a talent based reality show- International Indian Icon (3iii) at Chicago.

Sharing about the show, she says,  “So it is a show where contestants from various parts of the world come and participate. They work so hard towards it, putting in a lot of practice.”

“It feels soooooo great to see Indian talents from around the globe. I am super happy to see such talents. And trust me it feels like home when you get to meet all the Indians even from outside India,” she adds.

On asking Shivangi about her experience on being a part of 3iii, she shares, “Honestly I always wanted to start from some International show or something on those lines. It takes a lot to keep the patience to make the right choice, but I am really glad that my patience is paying me off now and that too from some International reality show, which is quite famous in the US, UK, Canada and a few other western countries. So I am really really happy to be part of it.”

International Indian Icon (3iii) is a platform for all the Indians living around the world to showcase their talents in the field of singing, dancing and musical instruments. The selection process includes public online voting, and ratings by the Gee Panel of Judges.

2nd Hindi Cinema Samman Samaroh at Vigyan Bhawan

New Delhi: The most prestigious and historical hall of Vigyan Bhawan saw the 2^nd Edition of Hindi Cinema Samman Samaroh where the big wigs of Hindi Film Industry were honored for their untiring contribution to Hindi Cinema.

Almost 110 years of Hindi Cinema we somehow forgot to honor and highlight the contribution of   this most popular cinema of the World at the cental level with National awards exclusively. We at ICMEI-International Chamber of Media And Entertainment Industry could feel the pain of this need last year,” said Dr. Sandeep Marwah President of ICMEI and Marwah Studios at the second edition of Hindi Cinema Samman Samaroh at Vigyan Bhawan.

This year an award committee was constituted at ICMEI in association with AAFT- Asian Academy of Film And Television and announced National Awards in the first go for Film producers Boney Kapoor, Mehul Kumar, Actor- Director Nandita Das, Actor Sanjay Kapoor and Zareen Khan and Film Educator Deepak Marwah who were sharing the prestigious dais of Vigyan Bhawan with Ministers of Government of India.

Hon. Satya Pal Singh Union Minister of State, Ministry of Human Resource Development responsible for Higher Education and Minister of State in the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Government of India and Vijay Sampla Union Minister of State Ministry of Social Justice And Empowerment, Government of India, presented the awards. The Ministers were also felicitated for their contribution to Hindi Cinema. 

The awards were presented for contribution in various fields of Hindi Cinema to Kirit Somaiya Member of Parliament Tigmanshu Dhulia Rahul Rawail Pankaj Parashar Abhishek Sharma – Director, Saurabh Shukla Manish Pandey Yashpal Sharma Aryaman Ramsay Vivaan Parashar-Actors, Dilip Sen Sameer Sen- Music Directors, Robin Bhatt President SWA & writer Kamlesh Pandey Script writer Kumar Mohan Editor Bollywood & TV Reporter  Vivek Paul Producer;  B N Tiwari President  Ashok Dubey Gen Sec and Gangeshwar Lal Shrivastav Treasurer of FWICE;  Rajendra Singh Gen Sec WICA,  Sudhanshu Srivastav Senior Vice President WIMPSTEA  Sharad Shelar President CCMAHD  Amar Haldipur President CMA  Taran Bajaj Casting Actor & Director and Rhythm Datta, Joint Secretary, Dada

Saheb Phalke Film Foundation Award.

H E Dr. Ashraf Shikhaliyev, Ambassador of Azerbaijan was awarded the Hindi Cinema Samarthak Award.

 “Appreciation is the key to enthusiasm. Our film industry is known to the World. The best film makers     of the World watch Hindi Cinema as it is a total entertainment,” said Boney Kapoor Chairman of the award Committee this time.

“Hindi Films have contributed to Hindi learning not only in India but all over the World. Not only entertainment, Hindi films are the best ambassador of our culture too. People all over the World like and love hindi cinema. I congratulate each and every awardee and especially Sandeep Marwah for taking initiative to start an award like this,” said Satya Pal Singh Union Minister, Government of India.

“Hindi Cinema is the biggest in the country number wise, quality wise and popularity wise. It needs to be honored and highlighted. I am lucky to be associated with now the most prestigious National Award for Hindi Cinema. My best wishes to each and every one present here and to the whole Hindi film industry for marvelous contribution towards entertainment,” added Vijay Sampla Union Minister, Government of India.

“Hindi Cinema is a complete package of Entertainment, Education and Information. It is the best way to learn Hindi, know the World through pictures and has enhanced tourism to a great extent,” added Marwah the promoter of awards. The award function was the third day event of 11^th Global Film Festival Noida 2018.

KAW Questioning the Identity

Kolkata, November 2018:  Our practice as artists are not far away from the lives we lead and the art we admire. Swarup started his questioning early. As a student of fashion, passionate about photography, experiments in imagery came early to him. As a photographer-scenographer-artist-designer, his practice everyday engulfs visual imagery of forms, lines, shapes, and silhouettes on one hand and pursuing their meaning on the other. The body is a reservoir of memories. It is subjected to gaze, to presumption, to judgment, to biases becoming a bed of politics and layers of subtexts. Swarup’s practice as an artist who visualises and actualises images to question the why and wherewithal of this process of subjection that the body undergoes and explore if in some realm of artistic suspension of disbelief the body can be free; free off every trope of identity construction that traditionally dictates what it should be and what it cannot or should not.

Swarup finds it more than a curious and amusing coincidence that all the interrogative questioning words in Bengali start with the letter ‘Kaw’? the first Bengali consonant?

Ki? (What), Key? (Who?), Keno? (Why), Kokhon? (When?), Kothay? (Where?) and  Ki bhabey?(How?).

Swarup weaves in this labyrinth of interrogations about our identities and how we manifest them in our displayed and secret lives; how our identities are constructed and how they gradually dismantle. Swarup Dutta’s solo show KAW is an inquiry into these myths about our identity, who we are and how we become.

Kaw is a series of three bodies of work if viewed in the order in which they have evolved – Khelna-bati, Armour of Weaknesses, and Otherworldly progressing thematically from a space of androgyny to the periphery of struggle, to the eventual evolution of the mutant, ambiguous in both gender and identity. The three bodies of work raise questions about a few dominant ideas. First being ‘play’. This theme becomes a juxtaposition of child-like indulgence, unfettered dalliance to play-acting in a performative sense. His bodies play. With each other, with themselves, with an odd collection of kitchen props which placed out of the usual kitchen context become weapons, sex organs, costumes, and many more things. There is the play of power and there is the play of light. Androgyny is another theme that runs through all the three series. Swarup comments “It would be great if everyone is both male and female”. Swarup’s bodies are androgynous and never sexually obvious, they are various and non-conformist to type, shape, and size. Issues of identity plague us, everyone seems to be trying to save theirs. Which is leading to conflicts worldwide. The artist wants to address these questions of identity and the problems surrounding it, be it sexual, social, political or religious to name a few.

Armor of Weaknesses shows the struggle that the bodies undergo to assume other identities, to become other than what they are. The slipping in and out of painfully and expertly crafted bamboo structures almost like slipping in and out of real and assumed realities and identities.

Otherworldlytakes it to the other end of the spectrum where all lines blur and become hazy. What is may not be? It might as well be something else or something in between. The social construct of identities is kept behind to step into a world of phantasmagoria. In discussing fashion’s association with the otherworldly, he further says, “The individual, the outsider, the pioneer, and the mutant: these are the characters who so frequently lead that mutiny.”

KAW also explores the topic of our encounter with nudity in India. We usually stumble before we engage with this volatile pretension. What does nudity mean within the Indian context? Is it always in the context of erotica that nudity may be discussed? What other ways are there? Playfully nude? Seriously nude? Impoverished nude? Can anything be innocently nude? Are we ready to embrace it?  When a Jain monk take his clothes off or a sadhu does the same, why are they any different? Or is it that in all this a subtext of sexual gaze is omnipresent?

KAW is a personal journey questioning who we are. The formats we follow without questioning. And the mythologies we live in. and the mythologies we invent every day. To Survive!!!

KAW: A solo exhibition by Swarup Dutta, Curated by Dr. Paula Sengupta will be hosted at Akar Prakar, Kolkata on 16^th Nvember at 6:30  pm to 9:30 pm.

Exhibition Dates: From16th November till 14th December, from 11 am to 7 pm, (Sunday Closed). 

Venue: Akar Prakar, Kolkata

The Dark Side of Life: Mumbai City – Brings Mumbai City At Halt...

For the first time in the history of Bollywood, a production house Lakhshya Production held its road show for its upcoming movie ‘The Dark Side Of Life: Mumbai City’. An innovative Promotional exercise, the event was attended by its start cast at Adarsh Nagar Signal, near Oshiwara police station on link road in Andheri West.

“It is an eye opener for Mumbaikars who are so involved with the daily hustle bustle of a metro life that they are unaware of the impending unfortunate events which could occur in our city lives,” said producer Rajesh Pardasani while reminding us of the tragic events surrounding Jia Khan and Pratushya Bannerji.

Director Tariq Khan puts it plainly, “Hopelessness and despair is one such state of mind which creeps deeper into our minds without us realising about such a parasite growing within us which all of a sudden brings one into a situation of being cornered in life which brings rise to suicidal tendencies in a human being. Our film delves into the subject and even if it succeeds in bringing a single soul to normalcy, would be a winning moment for us.” This is relevant in present times even with the recent example of a senior law enforcement officer committing suicide.

The soul-touching songs are rendered by Jubin Nautiyal, Amit Mishra, Mohammed Irfan, Altamash Faridi and Aftab Hashim Sabri. Principal cast of the film includes Mahesh Bhat, K.K Menon and Nikhil Ratnaparkhi who are supported by Avi, Gul Sayed, Deep Raj Rana, Neha Khan and Alisha Seema Khan among others.

“The film deals with such tragic consequences those which could have been avoided with a balanced mind of an individual which is most lacking in our city lifestyle,” mentioned Naghma Khan of Shaaz Media Entertainment and the project designer of this film.

‘The Dark Side Of Life: Mumbai City’ is releasing on 23 November across cinema halls nationwide.

MAN WITH MIDAS TOUCH DHANRAJ JETHANI, THE SHOWMAN WITH A DIFFERENCE...

Dhanraj Jethani is more popularly known in inner circles as a self-made entrepreneur, who had a belief in his vision and the guts to achieve what he had envisioned. He is a man with Mission and Vision.

Mr. Dhanraj currently heads the Dhanraj Group which has business interests in several sectors ranging from Real Estate to Film Production.

The businesses are currently being managed by a very talented and loyal team of executives from his offices located in many locations in the country. Affectionately called as Dhanrajbhai, by friends and family members, he is the Chairman and CEO of Dhanraj Group. With the advent of time Shri Dhanrajbhai successfully ventured into several businesses.

All the businesses have not only be highly profitable but have achieved top position in all the businesses that the group has taken up. Success and fame are close companions of Dhanrajbhai, but, it was the legacy of this great man in the making who choose social service as his third companion. Dhanrajbhai spends considerable time and funds in community service to bring a smile on the face of the underprivileged, however, unlike other businesses he chooses to keep this practice personal and quiet without any publicity.

Today Dhanraj Group is a conglomerate with its investments in a number of businesses which are mainly into Real Estate, Information technology, Construction, Media and Film Production. At the age when most people choose to retire, Shri Dhanrajbhai, still leads the spirit of the group from the front with a level of energy that increases every day. It is this energy and zeal that has made even the most difficult challenge achievable and injected a can-do attitude among each and every member that works for Dhanraj Group.

The latest foray of the Group into Film Production is a brainchild of Shri Dhanraj Jethani himself. Being the Chairman and Managing Director of Dhanraj Films Pvt. Ltd., he achieved many rare feats which is impossible even for those in this industry since 10s of years. With the intelligence and management capabilities he was successfully in completing his first ever film in a period of just 54 days, The film’s name is ‘ BIN BULAYE BARAATI ‘which has even amazed the people who are said to rule the Mumbai Film Industry since generations. The curiosity and thrill generated by the movie not only in india but, all around the world, was unimaginable and comparable to any of the movies that star the biggest superstars of Indian Film Industry. Then after in the year of 2013, Dhanrajbhai ventured with noted Director Vikram Bhatt and produced ‘ ANKUR ARORA MURDER CASE ‘ and finally in 2015 he produced ‘UVAA’ with all the new star cast.He also tries his luck in distribution of Hindi movie ;1920 Evil Returns’ and ‘HATE STORY-2’ for all India.

Dhanrajbhai also owns one Print Media Firm which is the owner of one of the biggest brand in Gujarati News. The group’s Gujarati Newspaper ‘Desh Pardesh Ni Aajkaal’, which was launched before 18 years, has achieved tremendous response over the years. With fearless journalism with high ethical practices and quality news ‘Aajkaal’ has went on to become Gujarat’s highest selling Evening Newspaper.

Today Shri Dhanraj Jethani is one of the most respected figure not only in business circles, but also in the Indian Film Industry and in Political Circles.

Rewards Galore at R City Mall with Diwali Indiawali...

Mumbai, November 19: R City Mall, the biggest mall in Mumbai to shop for branded clothes & lifestyle products just had its massive prize distribution to close the grand, “Diwali Indiawali”, which ran for 3 weeks, was celebrated with an extravagant Indian flair. The gifting ceremony of the bonanza saw Pooja Chopra, ex Femina Miss India World in attendance to hand over the prizes to the lucky winners. R City gave away prizes worth INR 50 lacs which included a brand new Vento car, 3 domestic trips, 4 iPhones, 24 gold coins & gift vouchers to over 20,000 customers.

The flamboyance of a celebration also saw a flea market set up in the courtyard area where handmade products and fine artefacts from across India were displayed and sold. The traditional affair was amped up with special regional performances, & acts from the different parts of the country were showcased during the weekends which further added to the delight.

Mr Rajiv Malla, CEO, Malls – Runwal Group, says, “We received an overwhelming response from our customers. We are delighted to have gotten a record-breaking footfall of 9 lakh of visitors over the course of the 3 weeks.”

Mr Santosh Pandey – Head, R City Mall, says, “R City Mall believes in putting the customer first, always. This kind of seasonal celebrations have been planned to keep the customer experience and customer gratification in mind, and definitely, we received a massive response of appreciation from our most loyal customers. We will be planning for more rewarding campaigns in the upcoming year for all.”

Diwali Indiawali saw more than 20,000 eager participants for the shop and win contests, as well as over 50,000 raffle coupons, were filled. The traditional Indian touch added to the delight of the customers.

आर सिटी मॉल की दीवाली इंडियावाली कैंपेन का धमाकेदार समापन

मुंबई, 19 नवंबर: ब्रांडेड कपड़ों और जीवनशैली उत्पादों की रिटेल के लिए मुंबई में सबसे बड़ा मॉल आर सिटी मॉल ने अपना कैंपेन दीवाली इंडियावाली का समापन करने के लिए,बड़े पैमाने पर पुरस्कार वितरण किया।

यह कैंपेन 3 सप्ताह तक मनाया गया। वितरण समारोह की शान बढाइ पूर्व फेमिना मिस इंडिया पूजा चोपड़ा। वह विजेताओं को पुरस्कार देने के लिए उपस्थित थी।

आर सिटी 50 लाख रुपये के पुरस्कार दिए, जिसमें एक नई वेंटो कार, 3 घरेलू यात्राएं, 4 आईफोन, 24 स्वर्ण सिक्के और 20000 लोगो के लिए उपहार वाउचर शामिल थे।

एक उत्सव की चमक में मॉल में एक फ़्ली मार्किट भी स्थापित किया जहां पूरे भारत से हस्तनिर्मित उत्पादों और बढ़िया कलाकृतियों को प्रदर्शित और बेचा गया था। परंपरागत संबंध विशेष क्षेत्रीय प्रदर्शन के साथ बढ़ाया गया था, और देश के विभिन्न हिस्सों से कार्य सप्ताहांत के दौरान दिखाए गए थे।

मॉल – रनवाल ग्रुप के सीईओ श्री राजीव मल्ला कहते हैं, “हमें अपने ग्राहकों से भारी प्रतिक्रिया मिली। हमें 3 सप्ताह के दौरान 9 लाख आगंतुकों की रिकार्ड तोड़ उपस्थिति रही। ”

श्री संतोष पांडे – हेड, आर सिटी मॉल कहते हैं, “आर सिटी मॉल हमेशा ग्राहक को खुश रखने में विश्वास रखता है। इस तरह के मौसमी उत्सवों को ग्राहक अनुभव और ग्राहक संतुष्टि को ध्यान में रखने की योजना बनाई गई है, और निश्चित रूप से, हमें अपने सबसे वफादार ग्राहकों से सराहना की भारी प्रतिक्रिया मिली है। हम आने वाले वर्ष में सभी के लिए अधिक फायदेमंद अभियानों की योजना बना रहे हैं। ”

दीवाली इंडियावाली ने दुकान के लिए 20,000 से अधिक उत्सुक प्रतिभागियों को देखा और प्रतियोगिताएं जीतने के साथ-साथ 50,000 से अधिक राफल कूपन भी भरे। पारंपरिक भारतीय कार्यक्रम ने ग्राहकों की खुशी में चार चांद लगा दिए