MAM
DT Cinemas launches ‘Bollywood before time’ promos
NEW DELHI: In an innovative way of creating buzz around its multiplex, the Gurgaon-based DT Cinemas has launched a new promotional campaign for both Hollywood and Bollywood movies to establish itself in the flourishing film exhibition business.
DT Cinemas, a venture of DLF City Centre launched in Gurgaon in March this year, has introduced the `Hollywood Before Time’ and `Bollywood Before Time’ promotions. This is a concept wherein big flicks are shown to selective
audience a few days before the release of the movie in the country.
DT Cinemas’ chief executive officer, Kajal Aijaz, says: “Such sneak previews help in creating a positive buzz about the movie. This concept has proved to be very successful abroad. Also, such previews are a win-win situation for the distributor, producer and exhibitor.”
The audience mostly comprises winners of SMS contests. The interactive contests also enable the multiplex in increasing the association with the target audience.
The multiplex has conducted previews of recent English movies Johnny English and X Men-2 and Hindi movies Bhoot and Supari a day before their nationwide release. “Bhoot was again an invitation affair through an arrangement with the film’s director Ram Gopal Varma,” added Aijaz.
Defending the argument that a Thursday night preview wouldn’t be a preview in the true sense, as the general public gets to see the movie within few hours, Aijaz says: “It’s extremely difficult to get a print earlier, even if it’s a day earlier. Under the `Hollywood Before Time’ and `Bollywood
Before Time’ promotions, we try and show movies one to four days before the film is actually released in theatres in the country.”
The multiplex, which is being positioned as `getting more out of movies’, has imported the state-of-the-art projection systems from the US-based company Christie. DT Cinemas intends to acquire five more existing cinema halls in the near future.
The average cost of acquisition is expected to be in the range of Rs 150-300 million as the multiplex is evaluating Delhi
Development Authority tenders for its expansion plans.
Brands
Uidai partners with Google to help users locate Aadhaar centres
Verified Aadhaar centres to appear on Maps with services and access info
MUMBAI: Finding an Aadhaar centre may soon be as easy as finding your favourite café. In a move aimed at making public services more accessible, the Unique Identification Authority of India has partnered with Google to display authorised Aadhaar centres on Google Maps. The feature, expected to roll out in the coming months, will allow residents to locate verified centres quickly and confidently.
More than 60,000 Aadhaar centres, including state of the art Aadhaar Seva Kendras, will be mapped. When users search on Google Maps, they will be directed to authorised facilities rather than unverified listings, helping curb misinformation and confusion.
The listings will do more than drop a pin. Users will be able to see the nature of services offered at each centre, whether it is adult enrolment, child enrolment, or limited to address and mobile number updates. Details such as operating hours, parking availability and divyang friendly infrastructure will also be shown wherever applicable.
Uidai CEO Bhuvnesh Kumar, said the collaboration is part of the authority’s continued effort to improve ease of living for Aadhaar holders by making authorised centres simpler and faster to navigate.
The partnership will deepen in its next phase, with Uidai using Google Business Profile to manage information and respond directly to public feedback. Looking ahead, the two organisations are also exploring the option of enabling appointment bookings through the Google Maps interface, potentially allowing residents to plan their visits with greater efficiency.
Google India country head, strategic partnerships Roli Agarwal, said integrating verified Aadhaar centres would help millions access trusted services with confidence, bringing essential government infrastructure closer to the people who need it most.
If all goes to plan, a routine Aadhaar update may soon begin not with a queue, but with a search bar.
