What's On India

What’s-On-India, India’s premier TV Search & EPG (Electronic Program Guide) company has announced the launch of a revolutionary new product called “Social EPG”. What’s-On India has integrated Facebook Login on its website and is in the process of extending Facebook Logins into all its Mobile and Tablet Apps as well. The central idea: TV viewers could use Facebook to share each other’s viewing preferences to discover TV shows as well as converse about them!

What’s-On-India’s Social EPGs will help viewers discover shows, films, matches and documentaries that their social networks and peers are talking about as well as share common interest programs to converse about those shows. “Social TV recommendations are considered powerful due to their viral nature and their ability to create tremendous positive or negative word-of-mouth especially for new shows and program launches”, says Atul Phadnis, CEO, What’s-On-India. “Our social network has different clusters of friends representing different interest groups for example -tennis buddies, college friends, school friends, work contacts etc. Each of these interest groups could collectively or individually spark off discovery of common interest TV shows relevant to those specific friend clusters” said Phadnis.

This power to social TV recommendations is due to the fact that they originate from a ‘trusted’ source based on their relationship to the person who made the recommendation. This integration between What’s-On-India’s TV search platforms and Facebook will now help the viewers find, share, and engage around TV content.

The next move from the company is to provide these features on the What’s-On-India applications (iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Symbian & Blackberry) and also integrate the same with other social networking platforms such as Twitter and Google+. All of these features will be powered using What’s-On-India’s proprietary EPG-On-Cloud platform and can be embedded inside third party apps as well.

Wake Up Sid

This is the story of Sidharth Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor), a lazy, unmotivated slacker from Mumbai whose life undergoes a series of changes after taking his final year college exams. Sid’s world is breezy, carefree, and without any true responsibilities. The most important elements in his life are his friends, his camera, his car, and his X-box 360.

Sid thrives around his two best friends, Rishi (Namit Das) and Laxmi (Shikha Talsania), very rarely communicates with his mother Sarita (Supriya Pathak) and takes his father Ram Mehra (Anupam Kher), and all his hard earned wealth for granted. Despite all these traits, Sid is an honest boy; sweet, funny, and above all, a good friend. Aisha Bannerjee (Konkona Sen Sharma), an aspiring writer from Calcutta, learns this soon enough when her path crosses with Sid’s on her first day in Bombay, Ambitious, well-read, and driven, Aisha has come to Bombay to realize her dreams as a writer. Despite their contrasting personalities. Sid becomes Aisha’s first friend in the city.

As Aisha sets up her life in Bombay, with the help of Sid and his gang, Sid allows for time to fly by over long drives, parties that stretch well into dawn, and endless hours doing absolutely nothing. But summers vary rarely dull these days and Sid’s summer is no different. A series of circumstances and events compel him to take stock of his life and take a hard look at himself. Will he, at some point figure out what he’s supposed to be doing with his life?

Bheja Fry 2

The sweet, down to earth but kind of gullible, tax inspector, Bharat Bhushan (Vinay Pathak) is back in this comic sequel to ‘Bheja Fry 1′, to fulfill his long cherished dream of becoming a singer. To advance his media dream, he enters a game show with high hopes of winning the large cash prize with which he can make his own music album. Here he meets Minissha Lamba, a fresh addition to the old ‘Bheja Fry’ team.

Ultimately Bhushan goes on to win the competition with a complimentary stay on a cruise ship. Co-incidentally, it is on this cruise that he meets Ajit Talwar (Kay Kay Menon), an unpleasant sadistic business magnate, who is fleeing from the Income Tax department. Close on his heels is tax inspector M. T. Shekharan (Suresh Menon), who is trying to uncover the identity of a financial con man on the run, for a long time. Amol Gupte is also a part of the cast, who plays the role of an eccentric, withdrawn photographer. What happens next, with so many comic legends thrown together in the fry, will be exciting to know. It will be interesting to see what the new additions to the ‘Bheja Fry’ team bring to us. Will it be better than ‘Bheja Fry 1′ or same or will disappoint us, we will have to see it to know it.

Singh Is Kinng

Happy Singh lives in a small village in Punjab. He is always compassionate and helpful, but often ends up causing more damage so much so that the Village Panchayat gets together to reprimand him. When the community gets news that one of their residents, Lakhanpal Singh, is an underworld don in Australia, they decide to delegate someone to counsel him. The villagers chose Happy, so that they can get rid of him. Happy’s ticket and other costs are paid for, and the Panchayat even asks a reluctant Rangeela to accompany him. Due to a mix-up, both end up in Egypt, leading to romance in Happy’s life when he meets with Sonia, a Criminologist, who would prefer to have criminals killed than reform them. Both friends do find their way to Australia, where they locate Lakhanpal, who humiliates them and asks them to leave. Both befriend a boutique owner and live in her house. When rival goons attack Lakhanpal.

Do Dooni Chaar

Life can be tough for a man who teaches at a school for a living, lives in a DDA flat in Delhi and is coping with the double digit inflation rates and single digit increments in his salary. Add to that, a teenage daughter, a fast-track son and a wife who loves the good life. The life of the Duggal’s is passing by in simply taking care of the basics. Until one day, they decide to dream. Their ticket to dreaming comes in the form of a wedding invitation. An innocent little wedding invitation. What follows is a journey of chaos, realizations, calculations, confrontations and bonding. This crazy Duggal’s will fight it out at home (and the neighborhood) for what they think is a ‘good buy’ for the family! This family bonds in the most unexpected and hilarious situations. And just when they think they are sorted out, comes one big, lurking temptation. Much like the apple in the Garden of Eden. And then, begins another journey that will drive them, and you, pretty much nuts.

Do Dooni Chaar talks of the middleclass man and his struggle in coping with the fast, new ‘India Shining’. It’s funny, real and heart warming.

9X Music

Good News for DD Direct Plus Users, They have Again Added the Popular Hindi Music Channel 9X Music.

9X Music Now Available On The Following Transponder

Frequency – 11150
FEC – 3/4
Symbol Rate – 27500
Polarization – Vertical

Parineeti Chopra

Mumbai, 8thth May: Parineeta Chopra bagged the certificate as a brilliant actor in her first film itself. Among the recent bunch of newcomers, Parineeti is surely the brightest and most talented of the lot with an infectious amount of energy. Her debut film Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl (LVRB) didn’t click at the B.O. yet Parineeti sweeped all the Best Debutant awards last year. Now the feisty actress is looking forward to the release of her first big solo film- Ishaqzaade where she is paired opposite one of the most promising debutants Arjun Kapoor. Both shared a candid conversation with film analyst Komal Nahta on the show ETC Bollywood Business on ETC.

Already being considered as the next big thing to happen in Bollywood, talking about his break, Arjun said, “I met Shanoo Sharma, who was the casting director at YRF, in a very strange way. She saw my pictures on Facebook. She had met me long before when I was overweight ,weighing around 140 Kg. At that point, no one including me thought that I would become an actor one day. When Shanoo saw my pictures on Facebook, she thought I am a random person who’s got an interesting look. Shanoo messaged me on Facebook and then she asked me to meet her and then she realized whose son I was. She ask me to give an audition. I had never given an audition before, I was merely talking to dad but I never knew that anyone can give me so much confidence to me so soon. One day I got a call from Aditya Chopra and he asked me to come and meet him at YRF office. I had met almost all the stalwarts in Bollywood industry because of my family background but I never met him. So, I was pretty nervous to meet him. But when I met him, I found him pretty normal, he gave me the confidence to become an actor. Eventually I got lucky…I got the movie in my first audition itself and I signed a three movie contract with YRF. Every Bollywood actor dreams of working in Yash Raj film one day. I was lucky to start my career with Yash Raj Films.”

Talking about her sister Priyanka Chopra, Parineeti said, “My offer did not come to me because I was Priyanka Chopra’s sister, I had to go through an audition. She is like any other elder sister, who scolds me, takes care of me. If I have doubts about anything on films..she is the first one I call. I know if I ever fail or fall, she is always going to be there for me. She gave me only two advise; firstly be yourself no matter what and secondly work really very hard. ”

Parineeti made her way through the tinsel town. Narrating her story she said, “I have always grown up thinking. I want to be a banker rather than an actor. I was studying in England and then moved to London to hunt for a job in a bank. I wanted to become an investment banker. Due to recession, even after being a good student, I wasn’t getting a job. So I came to Mumbai to stay with my sister thinking I will do an internship and then go back to London after six months. In YRF, I met Rafique..later my six month internship got converted into a job..till then I kept flowing with the flow and had stop thinking about going back to London…and started thinking that I want to become an actor..that is something I want to do. Later I met Manish Sharma during band Baja Baraat and one day I told him…‘Main soch rahi thi ki main actor banu.’ Toh wo hasa and said..good plan!!…After around 20 days, Manish told me, why don’t you meet Shanoo, casting Director..she will train you…I met Shanoo..she shot me in the camera..I had no clue what was happening….Shanoo showed the same clips to Adi the same night and told him there is this girl you should really check out and he found me good enough. After this entire episode, Manish told me that three months ago before i met Shanoo, Adi had told to Manish that ‘ye jo marketing me ladki hai na Parineeti..she would be the best Dimple(Character name of Parineeti in Ladies v/s Ricky Bahl)either you ask her to quit or I will..she has to be in the film..’ and I had no clue that all this is happening in YRF..and finally I gave my resignation after Band Baja Baraat, and thought of joining a Film school. Few days later Manish called up, asking me to come to YRF office..and there Adi offered me a three movie contract with YRF. Adi said, it is not a typical solo actor launch movie..but if you do well in this movie we can work out the later in due course and that’s what exactly happened.”

This is just a glimpse of the spicy conversation. To get your hands on the entire gossip tune in to ETC Bollywood Business on ETC on 9th May, Wednesday at 8:30 PM.

Satyamev Jayate

Aamir Khan First Television Show Satyamev Jayate Every Sunday at 11.00 A.M to 12.30 P.M On DD National. You can Watch Satyamev Jayate Also On Satr Utsav Channel. Both These Channels DD National and Star Utsav are Available on DD Direct Plus DTH

Thrissur Pooram Live

Watch The Live Telecast of Thrissur Pooram 2012 on DD Malayalam Channel. Thrissur Pooram Live on 1st May 2012 On DD 4 Channel.

The Balancing Act With Pratishtha

Mumbai, April 11th 2012: Zee Jagran – India’s First Wellness Channel –that has carved a niche as a television channel which offers a fine blend of Physical, Psychological & Spiritual Wellness, has now taken up the challenge to enrich the lives of teenagers. Continuing its tradition of enriching the lives of its viewers, Zee Jagran is launching a unique program called ‘The Balancing Act’. Spearheaded and anchored by India’s ace Yogacharya and Mind Therapist, Pratishtha Sharma, ‘The Balancing Act’ is a talk-show targeted at the youth especially teenagers and their parents and primarily addresses issues and problems related to this sensitive age i.e. teenage. The program gains more relevance because of the ever increasing issues that the teenagers of today’s generation are faced with. ‘The Balancing Act’ will be aired on every Saturday & Sunday at 7:30 PM, starting 14th April 2012.
‘The Balancing Act’ is designed to identify and address the age-old and new challenges faced by teenagers and offers practical and highly doable solutions. Some of their major problems – like increasing competition and parent’s expectations from the growing children besides new age issues like ‘Mobile and Internet’ – will be taken up and tackled during the program, and it will also have teenagers as live audience along with a distinguished panel of experts. Today, teenagers are far more restless and confused as compared to earlier which is leading to a plethora of psychological and mental ailments like depression, anxiety neurosis, etc. Some of the common issues which will be taken up during the course of the program are Severed Parent-Child Relationships, Unstable Teacher-Student Relationships, Peer Group Rivalry, Infatuation, Labelling Children, Sibling Rivalry, Examination Pressure, Depression, Adolescent Smoking & Drinking, Over Exposure to New Age media (Internet Etc.) and early exposure to Techno Gadgets (i-phones, i-pods, mobiles etc.)
While speaking about the program, Mr. Anil Anand, Zee Jagran – Business Head quotes famous author & psychotherapist/specialist in family therapy, Virginia Satir: “Adolescents are not monsters. They are just people trying to learn how to make it among the adults in the world, who are probably not so sure themselves!!!” Hence it was thought to offer a solution driven platform to this young audience along with those who are a critical part of their environment – parents, teachers, friends, siblings, etc. It’s a show targeted to provide some “take home value for the teenage generation of the country!”
Zee Jagran along with India’s first women Yogacharya and Mind Therapist Pratishtha Sharma present the show The Balancing Act which brings together Teens, Parents and Teachers on a single platform where they can freely speak their heart out. The show will also have eminent guests to give their expert views and counsel the students. The main motto of the program is to help teenagers to reduce their tensions by counseling and providing solutions to the challenges they face in day-to-day life so that they can build a bright future for themselves and for the country as a whole.