News Broadcasting
Now Disney’s Interactive Planes land in Retail
Mumbai: Watch out for cute & hi-end planes this season for your little pilots at home. As the movie buffs wait for the release of Disney’s upcoming production “Planes” at theatres; My Baby Excels and Thinkway Toys have launched the interactive range of high quality toys & plush of the movie characters starring Dusty, Ripslinger and El Chupacabra. All the toys are suitable for kids – 4 years and above and are available at leading retail stores.
Disney’s Planes, an action-packed 3D animated comedy adventure features Dusty (voice of Dane Cook), Skipper (voice of Stacy Keach), El Chupacabra (voice of Carlos Alazraqui) & Ishani (voice of Priyanka Chopra) is set to release on 23rd August. Spin-off of “Cars”, the movie is about the Dusty – an acrophobic crop-dusting plane with high hopes of becoming an air racer.
On the launch of Planes toy range, Mustafa Kapasi, COO – MBE says, “Disney is known for its high quality content through its compelling stories, feature films, television shows, etc. It’s a brand with legacy of 100 years that has been entertaining people across all age groups. We at MBE always focus on quality product which offers great value to the consumers and we continue doing it with the launch of Planes toy range”.
U-Command Super Charged Dusty: Experience the real life plane flying with deluxe infrared remote controlled Super Charged Dusty with interactive features like Dusty’s original film voice & phrases with sound effects and his movements of eyes and mouth while speaking. Kids can control Dusty with joysticks or by pressing the wireless remote to make him talk, move and turn in more than 1,000 action combinations. This cool interactive collective is priced at Rs. 6999.
Dusty Bubbles Plane: It comes with Bubble attachment on wings. Launch Dusty in the air and bubbles come out. Propeller spins as Dusty glides through the sky. The package includes Bubble Solution and Dipping Trays. This unique plane is priced at Rs. 1699.
Rubber Band Sky Gliders: A sling shot sky glider along with a rubber band launcher. Kids can race their favourite plane – Dusty, Bravo & Ripslinger amongst them which is made from light, soft & fully harmless materials. Sky Gliders are priced at Rs. 699.
Plush Toys: Kids can now cuddle up to their favourite Planes character with 10 inch Plush figures of Dusty and Skipper. Made of soft felt, they are perfect for introduction of younger kids to the world of Planes; priced at Rs. 699.
The range are priced at Rs. 699 onwards and are available across leading stores like Hamley’s, Landmark, Shopper Stop, Lifestyle among others as well as on the leading E-commerce websites like Flipkart.com.
News Broadcasting
News18 hosts Tamil Nadu town hall ahead of 2026 polls
MK Stalin headlines ‘Next Big Leap’ event from 10am on 23 February in Chennai with leaders and icons.
MUMBAI: Tamil Nadu’s political pot is simmering and News18’s town hall is stirring it up just in time for the 2026 assembly elections boilover. Set for 23 February from 10am onwards in Chennai, the News18 Network Town Hall gathers heavyweights under the banner ‘The Next Big Leap for Tamil Nadu’ to dissect the state’s political pulse, economic edge, and cultural clout. With the 234-seat assembly contest looming as a fiercely competitive showdown, the event spotlights how Tamil Nadu’s identity-driven politics and engaged voters continue to ripple across national debates.
Chief minister MK Stalin leads the charge with a keynote on the theme, sketching his government’s blueprint for governance, development, and staying power pre-polls. Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin chimes in on ‘Voices, Vision & Way Forward’, unpacking generational shifts and fresh narratives. From the opposition corner, AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami tackles ‘Baton Change at the Ballot?’, floating alternatives to the status quo.
Economic vibes get a nudge from industries minister TRB Rajaa on ‘Investment Story Intact?’, probing the state’s draw for big bucks. BJP’s K Annamalai dives into ‘People, Trust & Political Ideology’, positioning his party in the Dravidian-dominated turf. IT Minister Palanivel ThiagaRajan explores ‘Code, Capacity & Citizenship’, on tech’s role in citizen-focused services. TVK’s KG Arunraj questions if ‘Winds of Change are Possible’ in this pattern-prone state.
A panel on innovation features IIT Madras director Prof V Kamakoti, M&M’s Velusamy R, and Electronic Industries Association’s Dr Sasikumar Gendham, musing how AI and knowledge hubs are remaking opportunities. Culture gets its due with composer Anirudh Ravichander on ‘Tamil Music for the World’.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director Rahul Shivshankar noted, “The News18 Network Tamil Nadu Town Hall… reflects our core editorial focus, to capture the political mood of the state and spotlight the ideas that will shape the next phase of governance and growth.”
Network18, CEO of English & business news Smriti Mehra added, “As Tamil Nadu moves closer to a defining electoral moment… we see it as our responsibility to drive informed and meaningful conversations.”
Network18 managing editor for South, Vivek Narayan said, “The News18 Network Townhall in Tamil Nadu is designed as a platform where policy, politics and public interest intersect.”
Backed by associate partners Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles and Reliance Industries, the live event streams on CNN-News18, News18 Tamil, CTV, and Youtube from 10am on 23 February perfect for catching the sparks, even if you’re not knee-deep in Dravidian drama.
