Social Activist Shaina NC supports Artist Pooja Shah!!

Social Activist Shaina NC supports Artist Pooja Shah!!

Artist Pooja Shah, aged 24, launched her artwork, 'Canvas Tint' for the first time at versatile event gallery Ave 29, with Fashion Designer Shaina NC to support her!

Pooja Shah displayed 35 paintings with each having a theme and expressing a different emotion of life, such as Karma, Soul Search, Reflection, Hope, Pillars of Life, Perspective, Reflection and more...

Shaina NC lit the lamp and inaugurated the art exhibition. She even went through all the paintings displayed at the exhibition!

Musical Film “SUFI SALAAM” Launched with song recording by Javed Ali.

Musical Film “SUFI  SALAAM” Launched with song recording by Javed Ali.

Singer Javed Ali rendered first song on launching of musical love story "SUFI SALAAM" on 25th October 2013, at Krishna Recording studio, Goregaon, West Mumbai, under baton of music director Gufy and lyrics by Deepak Agarwal.

Film is being produced under banner of 'Watermarks Films' being written and directed by N.S. Chauhan, with music by Gufy& Ricky Mishra,

lyrics by veteran lyricist Yogesh& Deepak Agarwal, singers are Javed Ali and Roop Kumar Rathod, cinematography by Alendar Singh. Film is co-produced by Choudhary Ram Singh and executive producer is Kanwaljeet (Sam). Other cast are being finalized.

Writer-Director N.S.Chauhana ex journalist for banglore based magazine, and a dress designer by profession, also assisted some writers and directors since last eight years, thought of this film to provide a musical love story for audience having authenticity, this film "SUFI SALAAM" is based on love story of two characters, cast are being finalized, film will roll soon in December after recording all songs. 

Divya Jyoti – a Prayer with Soul

Divya Jyoti – a Prayer with Soul

An amalgamation of extraordinary collection of Bhajans, Mantras, Shlokas and Aartis in a first ever one of its kind Album, featuring a unique blend of Karaoke with Bhajans

The Sangit Kala Kendra Academy launched `Divya Jyoti Bhajan Karaoke DVD’ - an amalgamation of extraordinary collection of Bhajans, Mantras, Shlokas and Aartis in a first ever one of its kind Album, featuring a unique blend of Karaoke with Bhajans – at their annual socio-cultural event on Friday, October 25, 2013, at Sophia Bhabha Auditorium, Breach Candy, Mumbai.

The Divya Jyoti Bhajan Karaoke DVD was unveiled by the President, moving spirit and soul of the Sangit Kala Kendra Academy, Smt. Rajashreeji Birla. Says Mrs Rajashree Birla,  “Over the last decade, I have been listening to Shri Anup Jalota, Shri Suresh Wadkar, Smt Anuradha Paudwal and others. Their intense spiritual expression, not only moves you to a transcendental level of consciousness, but I could also feel a kind of positive energy, through the Bhajans. As a music lover, I have witnessed several karokes. And I thought it would be worthwhile to render spiritual songs into the karoke mode.  I was thinking of the pujas, that we do on various occasions, and mantras such as the Gayathri Mantra, the Lakshmi Mantra and the beautiful Bhajans even in films. So I spoke with Durgaji who was visibly excited to take the project forward. And thus was born “Divya Jyoti” with a repertoire of devotional songs. The whole project is so innovative, so out of the box, that it  cuts across generations. I must also add, that the wordings of all these Bhajans, and songs, have so much of meaning, that even as lyrics, they get into your sub conscious. I was happy to see the entire project strung in, with a fusion of modernity with tradition.”

The event was unique in nature with the culmination of the finals of the Divya Jyoti Bhajan Karaoke auditions, held earlier this month across Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Kolkata. The Top 12 finalists performed on their favourite tracks from the album in front of Chief Guest, Sonu Nigam, who reciprocated with a performance of his own, and celebrity judge, Anup Jalota and the legendary Padma Vibhushan Sangeet Martand Pandit Jasraj. The event was hosted by Durga Jasraj , whose company Art and Artistes has produced the DVD album. Members and luminaries of the Sangit Kala Kendra also participated in the decision making process via voting meters. Three winners of the Divya Jyoti Bhajan Karoke final competition took home a total cash prize of Rs.51,000/-

Sonu Nigam fondly recollected his early days as a Bhajan singer and emphatically stated the Anup Jalota was his biggest inspiration for Bhajans. He even regaled the audience with his own rendition of an Anup Jalota Bhajan and was soon joined by the Bhajan Samrat.  Anup Jalota observed that the competition was very keenly contested and that it was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for him to judge such a unique competition that saw participation from a ten year old child to middle aged men and women.  Manisha Ojha was declared winner of this first ever Bhajan Karoke Competition and she took home a cash prize of Rs.25,000/-. There was a tie for the second and third spots which was a clear reflection of the stiff level of competition. 

The other notable feature of this initiative is the active participation of the Birla family. Among the 50 tracks featured on the album, `Thumak Chalat Ramchandra’has been sung by Vasavadutta Bajaj (daughter of Smt. Rajashree Birla), `Gayatri Mantra’ and `Vaishnav Jan To Tene Kahiya’ has been sung by Aryaman Vikram Birla (son of Shri Kumarmanglam Birla), `Hum Ko Man Ki Shakti Dena’ has been sung by Anandmayi Bajaj (daughter of Vasavadutta Bajaj) and `Payoji Maine’ has been sung by Advaitesha Birla (daughter of Shri Kumarmangalam Birla).

Sangit Kala Kendra (SKK) was founded in 1973 by Late Shri Aditya Vikram Birla to encourage and nurture the various performing arts.
The objective of Sangit Kala Kendra is contained in the line 'Entertainment and Enlightenment through the Arts', which expresses the essence of the aim that Sangit Kala Kendra aspires to achieve. Bringing the finest quality of entertainment and presenting premier artists has been a trademark of the organization since its inception. In fact, in its first year (1973), Sangit Kala Kendra held programs of Mukesh, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shivkumar Sharma and Jagjit and Chitra Singh; and continues the tradition to date. Hosting almost 18 programs a year, the Sangit Kala Kendra's spectrum of entertainment is wide, encompassing drama, classical music and dance, light music and folk dances, kavi sammelans, cooking demonstrations and car treasure hunts. Since its inception the Kendra has been presenting prestigious art events and thereby has acquired recognition as one of the premier cultural institution of the country.

EK NAZAKAT BHARI RAAT

EK NAZAKAT BHARI RAAT

The launch of Salima Lalanii's latest collection , aptly titled "Colours n Contrast" was a grand affair with the creme de la creme in attendance at her exclusive store, “Nazakat” in Khar. Tehseen Poonawalla, entrepreneur and political commentator, arrived well in time despite his hectic schedule. Alexey Novikov, honourable consul general of Russia was accompanied by his wife Alina who took a special liking for the myriad hues of maroons and spent quality time at the gathering. Industrialist Aneel Murarka was among the many buyers of the new collection which received an overwhelming response on the opening day.

Nandita Palshetkar looked striking in a black outfit. Pinkey Ahluwalia, the Belgian vice consul was accompanied by Josephina, also vice consul at the Belgian consulate. Umaesh Pherwani looked dapper in a red shirt.Sandhya Shetty was flooded with compliments for her latest unreleased item number in a forthcoming Bollywood flick. Chetan Hansraj arrived late, straight from a shoot in karjat, though his wife lavina more than made up for his absence, arriving well in time and staying on till the wee hours. Viveck Shettyy was at his flamboyant best and kept his friends in good humour with his witty one liners.  Salima Lalanii played the perfect host and attended to each of her guests personally. Also spotted were stand-up comedian Uday Dahiya and musician Somesh Mathur.

The collection will showcase high-end prêt and Indian bridal wear in myriad hues of maroons and burgundies, bringing out the deep, dark, colourful and sensuous side of a woman whilst complimenting her beauty and vulnerability. “Deep colours with clean silhouettes will rule the season,” forecasts Salima about the trends for the coming season. The champagne-chocolate event will see fashion icons, tinsel town celebs, socialites and elite personalities in attendance, always scouting for exclusivity.

Salima’s fashion store Nazakat is a reflection of her own soft-spoken nature and showcases the best of both western and traditional, with a strong leaning towards bridal outfits. “I believe in knowing people and my outfits are tailored for their personality and not just the body. In a sense, my work is very functional and hard to miss, I love to play with colours, and my creations are subtle yet sensual,” says Salima of her designs for the discerning tinsel town celebs and the NRI clientele, she exclusively caters to.

From a humble beginning, she has crafted her own path to fame and success over the past decade through her store Nazakat and takes great pride in her evolution as a fashion designer, as she says, “I have never worked with any designer. It is all me and my learning.”

Connoisseurs of the Colours-n-Contrast collection will also get to experience the `New Beautiful Color Collection’ by Elizabeth Arden. Salima’s icing on the collection is a Midnight Sale happening on the same day with a generous 40% off at the store.

SAB TV in association with Toy-Kraft launches Baalveer board game

SAB TV in association with Toy-Kraft launches Baalveer board game

Mumbai, October 24^th, 2013: On 8^th October, 2012, Indian television unleashed its first child superhero, Baalveer. A fantasy drama set against the mystical worlds of fairies and evil Paris, Baalveer immediately connected with kids. Over the last one year, this bond has grown stronger, with Baalveer emerging as the most popular TV character amongst kids today. And what best way to commemorate the first anniversary of this show than bringing kids one-step closer to the world of Baalveer through launch of ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ Board game.

Post the success of their first venture SABurbia.com board game; SAB TV and Toy-Kraft are back with ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’.The board game immerses the players in the Pari world reeling under the threat of Bhayankar Pari.The goal is to rise as Baalveer and overcome obstacles in an endeavor to save Rani Mahal.

Baalveer Board game was unveiled at ‘Kids India’s’ toy exhibition by Mr. Anooj Kapoor, EVP & Business Head, SAB TV, Dr. Shyam Makhija, Director, Toy-Kraft & entire starcast of Baalveer comprising of Dev Joshi(Baalveer), Shruti Seth (Rani Pari), Shama Sikander(Bhayankar Pari) & other Pari’s.

Mr. Anooj Kapoor, EVP & Business Head, SAB TV stated, “With Baalveer board game, we provide a unique opportunity for the consumers to engage with the brand and its most popular characters. We are glad to partner with Toy Kraft and I’m sure this experience will create lasting memories for children”.

Dr. Shyam Makhija, Director, Toy-Kraft said, "By releasing the new board game – Baalveer, Toy-Kraft and SAB TV have now forged a stronger link into this licensing foray after the success of the first release – SABurbia.com. This has been a joint action all the way and the complementary synergies of both the companies have been very well exploited. The company is very bullish on the future prospects as more licensed ventures are being explored with SAB besides board games. So far Toy Kraft has released 13 IP based games which is a record of sorts."

‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ will be available in 42 major cities in leading stores like Landmark, Crossword, Hamleys, Shoppers Stop and Planet M. The cities include Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Gurgaon, Ahmedabad, Lucknow, Bhopal, Indore, Baroda and Jaipur. The game will be aggressively promoted on television, print and outdoor digital media. Moreover, on-ground activations will also be carried out in leading malls to generate curiosity and buzz around the product.

Priced at Rs. 549/-, ‘Baalveer and the Evils of Bhayankar Pari’ provides the children an extended platform to connect with their favorite character Baalveer and the fantasy world around him. The board game is sure to bring smiles and cheer to children across India as they commence on the ultimate expedition to become their ultimate superhero, Baalveer!

About SAB TV:

SAB TV is a part of the network of Television channels owned by Multi Screen Media. SAB TV is India’s only family comedy entertainment channel with a core brand promise of ‘Asli Mazaa SAB ke Saath Aata Hai’. SAB with its impressive lineup of innovative programs and light-hearted content ranging from daily family comedy to path breaking concepts like silent comedy shows is dedicated to promoting an enjoyable “family-viewing” experience.

Its programming mix includes Jo Biwi Se Kaare Pyaar,Baalveer,Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chasmah, Chidiya Ghar, Jeannie aur Juju, Lapatagnj, FIR,SAB Khelo SAB Jeeto, Wah Wah Kya Baat Hai and features classic films over the weekends. For its differentiated programming and healthy entertainment SAB TV has also won the Brand Leadership award in Media & Entertainment space.

About Toy-Kraft

ToyKraft, India’s edutainment toy brand company that stimulates originality and encourages creativity in children. It was established in year 2007, founded by current directors Dr. Shyam Makhija & Mr Anuj Mehta. ToyKraft offers diverse portfolio of toys across age and interest groups, has witnessed strong consumer interest and has earned 15 toy awards in this short span. Currently the company has more than 200 products under ACORN, CROWN HOBBIES, GAMELOGY, M'TEK, POGO - MAD KITS & the freshly launched I-SERIES. The range is well retailed through specialty toy stores, large format retail chains and e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Firstcry etc. apart from the brand’s very own online shop - www.toy-kraft.com.

The company maintains international toy safety standards & has exported its toys to Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Russia, Romania, Bulgaria, Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan, UAE & USA.

MTDC pays tribute to Manna Dey

MTDC pays tribute to Manna Dey

MTDC pays tribute to the legendary Indian playback singer, Shri Manna Dey by making a sand sculpture by renowned sand artist Shri Sudarshan Pattnaik from Orissa at Girgaon Chowpatty, Mumbai. The entertainment capital of India, Mumbai and Maharashtra mourns the sad demise of Padma Bhushan Manna Dey.  

Mumbai Embraces Hot Air Balloon Safari

Mumbai Embraces Hot Air Balloon Safari

Mumbai, October, 2013: Romanticizing in air is not a fable, floating in the clouds is not a dream and experiencing solitude & stillness in air is not fairytale. India’s only commercial hot air ballooning organization, Sky Waltz, in association with Government of Maharashtra and Rainbow Riderss today announced the launch of Hot Air Ballooning in Lonavala from 29^th October, 2013. Hot Air Ballooning has taken the tourism industry of Rajasthan by storm and is now ready to set ablaze the tourism industry of Maharashtra.  

Initially there will be one balloon with carrying capacity of 8 passengers. Priced at INR 12,000 per head, the ride lasts for approximately one hour but the whole experience lasts for approximately three hours – from pick up to drop back. As Hot Air Ballooning is seasonal and dependent on wind movement, the first year will have flights from November 2013 to mid April 2014. However, by middle of September, the weather is conducive to start flights.  From the base at Lonavala, the balloon will be airborne twice a day at sunrise and late afternoon / early evening.  

The launch of Hot Air Ballooning Safari in Mumbai was announced by Shri. Chhagan Bhujbal, Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, in the presence of Dr. Jagdish Patil, Hon’ble, Managing Director, MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation), Mr. Samit Garg, Founder & CEO – Sky Waltz, Jai Thakore, Founder & COO – Sky Waltz, Mr. Sangram Pawar, Director – Rainbow Riderss.

Announcing the launch of Hot Air Ballooning in Mumbai, Shri Chhagan Bhujbal, Hon’ble Minister of Tourism, Government of Maharashtra, said, “Increasing tourism footfalls across the country in the past decades has provided an impetus to not only the development but also the introduction of innovative & exciting tourism products.  The Indian Tourism Industry expanding exponentially and both, the State and National Governments are looking to introduce and promote Aero-Sports/Adventure Tourism.”

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), the direct contribution of the tourism industry to the country’s GDP is expected to grow by 7.7% per annum to INR 3, 805.2 billion by 2022 with Maharashtra, at present, attracting the highest number of tourists to the country per year, i.e. approx 60.14 million.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Samit Garg, Founder & CEO – Sky Waltz, said, “In the last few years, we have seen an exponential growth in the demand for Hot Air Ballooning. This clearly reflects the embracing nature of adventure tourism and sports. Our partnership with Rainbow Riderss will enable enthusiasts of Maharashtra and neighbouring states to experience the thrill of Hot Air Ballooning in Lonavala.”

Echoing Samit Garg’s sentiment, Dr. Jagdish Patil, Managing Director, MTDC (Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation) said, “Maharashtra boasts of more than 5.2 million foreign tourists setting foot in the state each year. The state offers numerous popular and adventure spots frequented not only by the locals but also others.” He further added, “Hot Air Ballooning is a well established and highly successful adventure sport globally that has been successfully incorporated into India’s Tourism environment.”

Mr. Sangram Pawar, Director – Rainbow Riderss, the official franchise partners for Sky Waltz, catering to the Maharashtra region said, “The Government of Maharashtra is exploring and adding new dimensions to the area of tourism and highlighting more destinations on the map to boost tourism in the state.”

Franchise partners Rainbow Riderss has embarked on extensive marketing to promote Hot Air Ballooning as an adventure sport. The growing popularity of hot air ballooning can be gauged from the fact that 93.5 FM and Girikand Cars & Coaches have already come on board as radio and travel partners for the season.

About Sky Waltz Balloon Safari:

Sky Waltz is the first and the largest licensed and approved commercial Hot Air Balloon operator in India, authorized by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) - Government of India. Sky Waltz Balloon Safari is a new and exciting Tourism and Corporate based product that is offering both Indian and Foreign Nationals a unique and memorable experience. After commencing its operations in 5 locations in Rajasthan, Sky Waltz has now launched its operations in PUNE / LONAVALA / MUMBAI.