Atul Kasbekar, Zaheer Kazi, Sameer Pitalwala honoured at Bhamla Foundation 20th anniversary celebrations

It was a simple familial celebration of the 20th Anniversary of Bhamla Foundation, a volunteer-driven organization, comprising of more than 1800 patrons, spread across several cities in India – working for various causes in the field of health, social and child welfare, working for children with special needs,  women’s empowerment, environment protection, waste management, solar energy harnessing, among others.

Bhamla Foundation has also partnered with the MCGM and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and got involved with the production and execution of two major campaigns, the first being with Amitabh Bachchan that aired on Television TB Haarega Desh Jeetega and the most recent and largely appreciated campaign called Jaan Bachao against Diabetes & Hypertension which is endorsed by health icon Akshay Kumar.

The evening held at Taj Lands End, Bandra was an eventful one with Meraj Husain opening the evening and inviting Asif Bhamla on stage. Asif Bhamla spoke on the growth of the Bhamla Foundation and its progress from strength to strength. Vivek Goenka and Karan Bhagat felicitated Atul Kasbekar on his film Neerja and its success followed by the felicitation of Dr. Zahir Ishaque Kazi (Re Elected as President Anjuman-I-Islam) by Ashish Shelar, Sameer Pitalwala by Additional Municipal Commissioner for Eastern Suburbs, Sanjay Deshmukh.

Besides Asif Bhamla, Sachin Tendulkar, Zayed Khan, Suhel Seth, Sujay Jairaj, Vivek Goenka, Meraj Husain, Randhir Kapoor, Atul Kasbekar, Anirudh Dhoot, Karan Bhagat, Dr.Zaheer Kazi, Dr.Sanjay Deshmukh, Aditi Govitriker, Sameer Sata, Karan Bawa, Prasoon Joshi, Ashish Shelar, Saher Bhamla, Karan Ashok Kapoor, Romanchak, Daboo Malik with son Armaan Malik among others were also present.

Asif Bhamla and Sachin tendulkar at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Bhamla Foundation

Randhir Kapoor, Vivek Goenka, Ashish Shelar, Karan Bhagat and Asif Bhamla at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Bhamla Foundation

Sameer Sata, Asif Bhamla and Prasoon Joshi at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Bhamla Foundation

Zayed Khan, Asif Bhamla and Atul Kasbekar at the 20th anniversary celebrations of Bhamla Foundation

 

Global Punjabi Association goes Balle Balle with firebrands Jassi Gill and Babbal Rai

Bhangra and Punjabi music are known for  high-energy and young firebrand talents who keep the tradition alive. Needless to say, with Jassi Gill and Babbal Rai to set the stage afire, Global Punjabi Association decided to symbolically celebrate the nite as ‘Baisakhi Di Raat’.

The two singers who are immensely popular in Punjab belted out popular Punjabi numbers for over three hours nonstop to a housefull audience who joined the duo. The contagious energy of Jassi Gill and Babbal Rai had the crowds dancing till they could dance no more.

Organisers Raaman Khuraana, President – Global Punjabi Association and Gurmukh Singh Syan, Secretary – Global Punjabi Association among others played perfect hosts and the fun-loving Punjabis who celebrated with much gusto admitted that they were awaiting the next fun event with their beloved association.

Here is looking forward to much more. Balle Balle!

ANAND OBEROI BRINGS TOGETHER DABBOO RATNANI-SUNNY LEONE FOR IARRA SUNGLASSES CAMPAIGN

Anand Oberoi of Oberoi IBC brought together Dabboo Ratnani to shoot Brand Ambassador Sunny Leone for IARRA sunglasses. The campaign shoot took place at Filmistan Studios, Mumbai.

 

Anand Oberoi, who is a Chief Brand Coach for many an Indian brand and has helped them grow from strength to strength. Says he, “Oberoi IBC is a full service advertising agency with the mission to play the role of India Brand coach by teaming ​up with the visionary and enterprising entrepreneurs to empower the brands of India.” Over last 20 years, Oberoi IBC has built over 400 brands of the likes of  Priya Gold Biscuits, Flair Pens, Lalqilla Basmati, Zed Black Agarbatti and Kayam Churna among others. “The idea is to give brands a solid identity and recall in the consumers’ mind,” says Oberoi.​

 

IARRA is a budding brand of high fashion and high quality eyewear in India, helmed by Deepak Agrawal and Hiren Meghan, and the current campaign of IARRA is the result of their passion and devotion to give the brand a platform to fly in the fashion market.

 

Using a catchy tagline, Anand Oberoi has enabled the current campaign to garner youth eyeballs. “The brand is a young, high fashion brand and hence it urges the youth to “Be Negative” to the social evils of the society which symbolizes the feature of the sunglasses that are 100 per cent polarized and hence negative to the harmful UV rays of the sun,” he avers.

Anand Oberoi of Oberoi IBC & Dabboo Ratnani at the IARRA sunglasses shoot, initiative by Oberoi IBC at Filmistan Studios

Anand Oberoi of Oberoi IBC & Sunny Leone share a moment at the IARRA sunglasses shoot, initiative by Oberoi IBC at Filmistan Studios 2

Anand Oberoi of Oberoi IBC & Sunny Leone share a moment at the IARRA sunglasses shoot, initiative by Oberoi IBC at Filmistan Studios

Dabboo Ratnani, Sunny Leone and Anand Oberoi of Oberoi IBC at the IARRA sunglasses shoot, initiative by Oberoi IBC at Filmistan Studios

MUSICAL EVENT – Tigmanshu Dhulia, Jatin Pandit, Mukesh Rishi, Avinash Wadhawan, Ravi Behl, Rajesh Khera, Mamik, Shibani Kashyap

Musical Extravaganza

It was a dual celebration for Rajesh Roy, first was the announcement of Shoot At Site, his turning director with Shetal Jain’s video Aas Paas Kahin, and his birthday celebrations. The eventful night  at The Terrace was attended by director Tigmanshu Dhulia, composer Jatin Pandit, actors Mukesh Rishi, Avinash Wadhawan, Ravi Behl, Rajesh Khera, Mamik, Leslie Tripathi, Swati Kumar, Shomu Mitra,  Sneha Paul, singers Shibani Kashyap, Shetal Gupta, Vandana Vadhera, Preetha Roy, art director Bijon Dasgupta among others. Music, masti and mazaa went on till the wee hours of the morning.

Kavitta Verma awaits her film with Vivaan-Akshara!

Kavitta Verma awaits her film with Vivaan-Akshara!

She made waves with her moves in Sanjay Dutt’s Policegiri. This time around, actress Kavitta Verma is jostling shoulders with Vivaan Shah, Akshara Hasan and Gurmeet Choudhary in Laali Ki Shaadi Mein Laaddoo Deewana, all set for release this year.

“I am a die-hard romantic,” confesses Kavitta. “My favourite quote in fact is Paul Coelho’s words, “It is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” My character of Palak is on the same lines,” says Kavitta, an NSD graduate and an exponent of Kathak, who attributes her toned body to her dancing skills.

Kavitta Verma with Sanjay Dutt in Policegiri

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Kavitta Verma

Next on the cards is an interesting film, where Kavitta has chosen to do a completely deglamorized role. “Yes, I have an innate style sense in me. When this role was narrated to me, I knew it was a challenge to the actor in me. Currently, we are in the process of finalizing the dialogues,” elaborates Kavitta Verma.

When Magazine launch made for Cover Story!

China Gate Group, the brainchild of visionary entrepreneur Krishna Tamang, is a name to reckon with in pan-Asian cuisine. Tamang’s dynamic and innovative chain of restaurants is best-known for its service and for serving authentic cuisine since nearly two and a half decades. The latest offering from China Gate group is Magazine Café, the bestseller hangout to meet, greet and treat at Waterfield Road, Bandra (West).

High-powered Magazine launch parties over a week saw some high powered guests at the place; While Raveena Tandon,  Madhur Bhandarkar, Vivek Oberoi, Sanjay Chhel, Sudhir Mishra, Talat Aziz, Suresh and  Padma Wadkar, Roopkumar and Sonali Rathod,  Krishna Hegde and Leena Prabhoo, Baba Siddiqui, Aashish Shellar were a few who graced the many parties during the week, seen at the launch besides Krishna Tamang and his son Ankit Tamang were  Yashvardhan Tongia, Vinod Kambli, Sudesh Bhosle with son Siddhant and wife Hema, Supercop AA Khan, Aryan Vaid,  Ram Kadam, Asif Bhamla, Aashish and Jo Rego, Soma Ghosh,  Ruhan and Neerja Kapoor, Vikas Bhalla, Sai Gundewar, Aamir Dalvi, Rupali Suri, Rahul Seth, Savio D’Sa, Brij Katyal, Lesle Lewis with singers Sirf Cash and Sirf Sona, Savio John Pereira, Vishwajeet and Sonalika Pradhan of Ozvaganza Melbourne, Kangana Sharma and many others joining the celebrations with their presence.

While Magazine Cafe boasts of an amazing array of mouthwatering cuisine, an exciting ambiance and of course, the foot-tapping extravaganza on store at the dance floor that has a life of its own. A perfect match. And a perfect evening… And an energetic beginning of a lot of good things to come…

Umformung – on nirvana v/s power!

Aug 26 will see a very interesting Hindi feature film hit the theatres. The film is Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar’s Umformung – The Transformation.  Umformung – The Transformation is winner of Best Story – Indian Cine Film Festival, Best Background Score – Noida International Film Festival, Best Director and Best Background Music –10^th Free Spirit Festival, Merit for Newcomer Director – World Film Award, and Merit for International Film – World Film Award, Jakarta, Best Background Score – 5^th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival,   Official Selection – 4th Washington DC South Asian Film Festival, Maverik Movie Awards, Khajuraho International Film Festival, Miami Independent Film Festival among others.

Elaborates criminal psychologist turned filmmaker Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar, “the story of intense dimensions, two parallel stories juxtaposed in one worldUmformung – The Transformation is about a Buddhist monk in search of the ultimate truth on one hand, and a ruthless entrepreneur who knows that power is the ultimate truth on the other.”

Produced by Rita Jhawar and Saharsh Khaitan under the banner of NEZ Moving Pixels and KLK Productions, Umformung the Transformation, directed by Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar, is all set for a worldwide release by Reincarnation India on August 26.

Watch out for this film…

Rajendra Rathore’s next two singles with Shahid Mallya and Ganesh Patil

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Director Rajendra Rathore, the ad filmmaker known or his simple-yet-splendid ads like Texmo Pipe Fittings with Sonu Sood and Sonal Chauhan and Silver Coin Aata with Hema Malini, has now made his foray into the world of music videos.  Under the banner of Rathore Films and Entertainment, Rajendra Rathore has produced two singles, Mahee Ve by Ganesh Patil and O Re Piya by Shahid Mallya. The composer for both the singles is Parivesh Singh. The album was recorded at AVM Studios, Andheri West. Sirisha Reddy who features in the music video and lyricist Sagar Lahauri who has penned down both the songs were also present at the recording.

 

Buddhism goes the global way with Umformung – The Transformation

Not long ago, criminal psychologist-filmmaker Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar’s Hindi feature film Umformung – The Transformation made news when monks and sex workers came together under one roof at Kolkata to watch the film. Now, Mumbai witnessed a celeb-studded Poster Launch of the film that speaks of equality among all of God’s creations. Besides Director Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar and Producers Rita Jhawar and Saharsh Khaitan, music director Sanjib Sarkar, actors Sushil Bhosale, Neha Kapoor, Parijat Chakraborty, Yogesh Anand of Reincarnation India, present at the do at Bora Bora Club in Andheri West were chief guest Bappi Lahiri, and celebs Shaleen Bhanot, Mudasir Ali, Gaurav Chopra, Aamir Dalvi, K K Goswami, among others.

The story of intense dimensions, two parallel stories juxtaposed in one world Umformung – The Transformation is about a Buddhist monk in search of the ultimate truth on one hand, and a ruthless entrepreneur who knows that power is the ultimate truth on the other.

Languid and unbiased, the film unfolds as Karma unfolds. The journey of the monk from the idyllic monastery set in the mountains to prostitutes at a city brothel and his movement into the path of self-actualisation, alongside the transformation of the builder when life comes half way to meet her on her path of self-destruction, forms the crux of Umformung – The Transformation.

And that is all that Dr. Sudeep Ranjan Sarkar set to achieve along with social entrepreneurs Rita Jhawar and Saharsh Khaitan, when he made his maiden film based on Buddhist principles. Umformung – The Transformation, interestingly,  the film is the winner of Best Story – Indian Cine Film Festival, Best Background Score – Noida International Film Festival, Best Director and Best Background Music –10^th Free Spirit Festival, Merit for Newcomer Director – World Film Award, and Merit for International Film – World Film Award, Jakarta, Best Background Score – 5^th Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival,   Official Selection – 4th Washington DC South Asian Film Festival, Maverik Movie Awards, Khajuraho International Film Festival, Miami Independent Film Festival among others. Umformung – The Transformation is distributed by Yogesh Anand Reincarnation India.

Unfazed by the accolades and worldwide acclaim, Sarkar is humble.  “Umformung – The Transformation isn’t just a film for me. It is a marriage of poetry, philosophy of life and a painting of moving images,” confesses the director, adding that the diverseness of the audiences of  the screening was a simple way to illustrate the open arms of Gautam Buddha and his tenets.

“Guided by Senior Rimpoche from McLeodgunj, Himachal Pradesh from His Holiness Dalai Lama’s temple, the film looks at Buddhism as a way of life and how detachment is the ultimate truth. A sex worker in that sense is no different from any of us in the so called respectable society, and by her straightforwardness and honest approach to life, is actually an inspiration to a monk to find Nirvana!”

Now that is one concept we are looking forward to see on celluloid!