News Broadcasting
‘Telebrands’ gets into Hindi film production
MUMBAI: ‘Telebrands’, the US based telemarketing and mail order has made its entry into the entertainment industry with a film titled Aryan in association with ‘K Factor Entertainment Pvt Ltd’.
Purportedly the largest telemarketing, mail order and wholesale organisation headquartered in the United States with operations spanning over fifty two countries, the company revolutionized the concept of telemarketing in India in 1994 by providing ‘Telebrands India’ which markets products in over 127 cities in the country.
‘K Factor Entertainment Pvt Ltd’ is a new company set up by Vinay Anand, younger brother of music director Anand Raaj Anand and remix expert Harry Anand. Vinay will produce the film jointly with Poonam Khubani who is a partner in ‘Telebrands’.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Vinay explained the name given to his company. “The success of my elder brother’s Anand Raaj Anand’s Kaante and Harry Anand’s remix Kaanta Laga, during the biggest recession period of the audio market, inspired the name.”
Aryan was launched at Riverdale Studio in Mahim on Sunday evening. The film stars Sohail Khan, newcomer Sneha Ullal, Inder Kumar (the guy who replaced Amarr Upadhyay as Mihir Virani in Balaji telefilms’ flagship Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi before Ronit Bose Roy stepped into his shoes), Gulshan Grover, Farida Jalal, Satish Shah, Supriya Karnik, Master Ehsaan Chandna and Kapil Dev in a special appearance.
The mahurat shot was filmed on an interview of Kapil Dev by Sohail Khan. In the interview, Dev (who plays himself) explains that one needs to be madly passionate about his/her goals in life if he/she want to make it big in this world.
Balaji Telefilms chairman Jeetendra and daughter Ekta Kapoor, the creative head of the company were present on the occasion. Jetendra gave the mahurat clap. The film has been written and will be directed by Jeetendra’s nephew Abhishek Kapoor who has earlier had a failed stint as an actor.
The director volunteered a little about the film. “It is based on boxing. Sohail wants to make it as a boxer but loses his focus along the way. He goes on to become a television anchor. This interview re-inspires and recharges him and puts him back on track.”
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, soon after the mahurat shot, Hiten Israni (‘Telebrands’, Director) said, “Anand Raaj Anand came up with this idea and we quite liked it. He introduced me to Gattu, who had the script ready. His narration was quite live. I thought I was seeing the film. We joined hands.”
Israni was not hesitant to reveal his future plans as well as the budget decisions taken with respect to his company’s new agenda. “We want to make many more films in the future. Our future track will not depend on the fate of this film. We are sure about implementing our decisions. Also, we at ‘Telebrands’ want to have a full fledged production house which will churn out soaps, thrillers, talk shows, chat shows and game shows on television. In fact, we have already shot a pilot for a soap which has gone for approval to a channel. I don’t think we’ll have much problem with the channels. Our tele-shopping programme is telecast on nearly 40 channels. We have a good equation with most of them. On date, we have thought of investing close to five million dollars,” he revealed.
Quite charged up about his new venture, Israni concluded on a spirited note, “I discount the theory that I am taking a risk in today’s times because most films are falling flat at the turnstiles. In a sense, every business is a risk.”
Aryan is being planned for a Diwali 2004 release.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to air live counting day coverage for five state election results on May 4
The channel is rolling out its biggest election coverage machinery yet for results day on 4th May
NOIDA: The votes have been cast. Now comes the reckoning. CNN-News18 is pulling out all the stops for results day on 4th May, when counting begins across five battleground states — West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry — in what promises to be one of the most closely watched electoral verdicts in recent memory.
The channel’s coverage, titled Battle for the States: The Verdict, kicks off at 7am and runs through the day across linear TV, connected television and YouTube. It is the culmination of CNN-News18’s multi-format editorial initiative, Battle for the States, which has tracked the polls from the beginning under the theme Road to Power.
At the operational heart of the coverage will be the Live Results Hub, the channel’s central command centre built to collate, verify and process real-time data flowing in from reporters stationed at counting centres across constituencies. The hub combines newsroom intelligence, analytics and on-the-ground reporting to deliver what the channel promises will be the fastest and most accurate results coverage in English news.
Leading the on-air charge will be primetime anchors Rahul Shivshankar, Anand Narasimhan, Aman Sharma, Nabila Jamal and Shivani Gupta. They will be joined by a wide panel of commentators including author Chetan Bhagat; GVL Narasimha Rao, senior leader of the BJP; Smita Prakash, editor of ANI; activist Saira Shah Halim; political analyst Sumanth C Raman; Abhijit Iyer Mitra, senior fellow at IPCS; Amitabh Tiwari, founder of VoteVibe; columnist Abhijit Majumdar; Nalin Mehta, managing editor of MoneyControl; political analyst Tehseen Poonawalla; senior journalist Subir Bhaumik; and political analyst Manojit Mandal.
Shivshankar, who serves as editorial affairs director at CNN-News18, set out the stakes plainly. “Counting day is one of the most watched events in the electoral cycle, where speed and credibility are tested in real time,” he said. “Battle for the States: The Verdict is built on that promise, combining ground reporting, sharp analysis and cutting-edge election technology to give viewers the clearest and fastest route to the verdict. On May 4, CNN-News18 will once again be the nation’s most trusted channel to witness democracy in action.”
Smriti Mehra, chief executive of English and Business News at Network18, framed the coverage in broader terms. “Elections are defining national events, and audiences turn to brands they trust in moments that matter,” she said. “CNN-News18 has consistently led from the front in every election coverage, and this special programming reflects the scale of our ambition and editorial strength.”
The channel has form here. It claims to have been India’s most preferred English news destination for election results for the past 20 years, covering everything from the 2024 general elections to the Delhi, Maharashtra, Bihar and BMC polls on the back of what it calls an “Always First, Always Right” record. Five states, one day, and a nation waiting for answers. The clock starts at 7am on 4th May.
