GECs
MTV India gets jazzed up in 2005
MUMBAI: This will come as sweet news to Indian lovers of jazz music. MTV India has teamed up with the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz in the US, Black Entertainment Television (Bet) Jazz and the US State Department for the 2005 India Jazz and Heritage Tour from 12-20 January in Mumbai.
One of the highlights will be an evening concert at the Gateway of India. In India the event will air on VH1. Promotion will start in a few days time on MTV.and VH1.
American jazz artists scheduled to appear include Ravi Coltrane, Al Jarreau, George Duke and Earl Klugh. MTV India MD Alex Kuruvilla said, “Music knows no boundaries. MTV India is proud to be associated with the historic performances by American Jazz giants and to be a part of bringing together people and countries, joining forces in the fight against HIV/Aids.”
Bet Jazz executive VP and GM Paxton Baker said, “This week-long event is designed to encourage the interaction between Indian and American cultures. The tour and its various components will also give us the opportunity to increase HIV-Aids awareness, which has become a major social issue in India.”
The 2005 India Jazz and Heritage Tour commences in Mumbai with a master class featuring Ravi Coltrane and participants from the Monk Institute and Indian students. The final Mumbai event will be a charity luncheon with proceeds donated to HIV-AIDS research.
Members of the tour will travel to New Delhi and perform master classes and give lectures in various schools. A musical birthday tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. featuring film footage of his visit there in the 1960s has also been planned. The tour will include a trip to Agra and the Taj Mahal.
BET Jazz is Viacom’s 24 Hour jazz channel. It features many of the finest names in jazz through in-studio performances, festivals, concert coverage, and celebrity interviews. Many of the shows
feature original programming, as well as historic footage, unavailable on any other television network.
GECs
Sony PAL to air Sankat Mochan Hanuman from May 4 at 9 PM
Mythological series brings Lord Hanuman’s tale of devotion and courage back to TV
MUMBAI: Sony PAL is set to bring back the timeless mythological series Sankat Mochan Hanuman, with its premiere scheduled for May 4 at 9 PM. The show revisits the legendary journey of Lord Hanuman, offering viewers a chance to reconnect with one of Indian mythology’s most revered figures.
Centred on themes of devotion, courage and righteousness, the series traces Hanuman’s unwavering loyalty to Lord Ram and his fearless stand against evil. With its mix of dramatic storytelling and visually rich sequences, the show aims to deliver both entertainment and spiritual resonance, appealing to audiences across age groups.
The narrative unfolds as a larger-than-life saga, positioning Hanuman as the ultimate protector and a symbol of strength and selfless service. His journey, rooted in faith and duty, continues to strike a chord with viewers, making the series as relevant today as ever.
The cast features Gagan Malik as Lord Ram, Debalina Chatterjee as Sita, Nirbhay Wadhwa in the titular role, and Saurav Gurjar as Raavan. Their performances bring depth and authenticity to characters deeply embedded in Indian cultural memory.
With its return to television, the show is positioned as more than just a rerun. It taps into a renewed appetite for mythological storytelling, blending nostalgia with timeless values.
As audiences increasingly seek content that resonates beyond entertainment, ‘Sankat Mochan Hanuman’ offers a familiar yet powerful narrative, reminding viewers that stories of faith and courage never really go out of style.
