MUMBAI: India?s only successful crossover star in Hollywood- Anil Kapoor, unveiled the DVD of ?24: Season 8? - the final season of the American television series 24. The suave star, currently rubbing shoulders with the likes of Tom Cruise (for Mission Impossible 4) launched the DVD on Friday, 24th December at the Planet M store in Powai, Mumbai. The DVD was released by Excel Home Entertainment. The ageless actor who also celebrated his birthday on the same day interacted with audiences and the media and autographed DVDs for fans and also spoke about his experience while working with the team of ?24?.

The effervescent star, who has received rave reviews for his stint in the last season from the American media, spoke at length about his experience with ?24? and his forthcoming ventures in Hollywood. Omar Hassan (The character played by Anil Kapoor), the President of the fictional Islamic Republic of Kamistan (IRK) was hailed by Los Angeles Times as the most promising performance in Season 8 ? final season of ?24?.

The actor who has appeared on the prestigious ?Today Show? on NBC and is been seen as a representative of Indian Diaspora in the west has widened the audience base of the show in India. Says Anil Kapoor, ?I am amazed at the following the series garners in India. The addictive nature of the narrative and the relentless plot twists in the political thriller are the hallmarks of the show.?

The DVD was released by Excel Home Entertainment at Planet M and is packed with host of riveting features. Says M.N Kapasi, ?We are pleased to put together a fantastic offering with excellent bonus features that extends the excitement to the DVD. The bonus features includes scene makers, the ultimate CTU, Deleted Scenes, virtually New York, Cole?s Arrest. On the other hand, Amit Gupta, COO, Planet M says, ?24 has always been a fantastic offering and with the addition of Mr. Kapoor, it just gets more exciting. It?s the finale season and we are overjoyed to have the launch for the same at Planet M.?

The DVD is available at all leading stores across the country at Rs. 1,499.00.

MUMBAI: From the IPL to the iPad, from CWG to 3G (add 2G scam to taste), it‘s been quite a decade this. It‘s been such a crazy decade that nobody even knows what to call it. The double-zeros? The 2000‘s? The naughties? (If you‘re Tiger Woods, then yes)! But now it‘s over, and it‘s time to say R.I.P. which is why Star World is R.I.P.ping The Decade with Vir Das, in a New Year special that gives the (very well then) Naughties the send off they deserve. The show will be aired on Friday, 31st Dec‘10 at 10:00 pm only on India‘s leading English GEC - STAR World.

This special year-ender programme is the first of its kind to be broadcast on an English Entertainment channel. It will make you laugh, cry, may be fall in love or maybe NOT, as Vir Das and his team pay respectful, loving homage to skewer the decade‘s biggest stories, people and events in India‘s first ever stand-up and sketch show in English. The Good the Bad and the Ugly Truth of the decade gone by such as the Commom Wealth Games controversy, Tiger Woods scandal, Sheila and Munni becoming fantasies, Google becoming a verb and much more will be touched upon, albeit with a touch of comedy!

Over an hour, R.I.P.ping up the Decade will take you through a unique mix of stand-up and biting, irreverent sketch comedy. The show features an all-star comedy cast including Vir Das (Badmaash Company, Walking on Broken Das), Ashwin Mushran (Lage Raho Munnabhai), Anu Menon (Channel V‘s Lola Kutty), Kavi Shastri (Rishta.com), Sorabh Pant (CNBC-TV18‘s News on The Loose), Aditi Mittal, Rohan Joshi and Tanmay Bhat.

The music for the show has especially been composed by India‘s premier comedy-rock band Alien Chutney featuring Vir Das, Kaizad Gherda and Sidd Coutto, with special guest Ankur Tiwari.

STAR World takes the plunge and brings this new concept for the first-time to the Indian audience?

So get ready for the new year countdown with Vir Das and a host of other personalities in ‘R.I.P.ping the Decade‘- on Friday, 31st December at 10.00pm only on STAR World!
 

MUMBAI: Watch out as MTV, India?s largest multimedia platform, brings the extravaganza of ?Tuborg presents Sunburn Goa 2010?, Asia?s premiere electronic dance music festival, right to your doorstep. For the first time ever, you can log on to mtvindia.com/sunburnfestival or connect to wap.mtvindia.com/sunburnfestival on your mobile on 27th, 28th and 29th December from 3.30PM, to watch the streaming of the festival LIVE from Candolim Beach, Goa! With this revolutionary digital innovation fans will be able to enjoy the out-of-the-world Sunburn experience in the comfort of their own homes or on the go!

You can catch all the freshest juice of the festival like celebrity interviews, after party sneak peeks, celebrity shots & much more! What more? MTV also gives you the chance to take part in the fabulous ?Get Sunburnt Contest?-a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to win a fully paid 3 nights- 4 days trip to Goa along with VIP passes to ?Tuborg presents Sunburn Goa 2010?! To enter, all you need to do is log on to mtvindia.com/sunburnfestival & upload your hottest ?Sunburn look? & you might have your Sunburn dreams come true! With this phenomenal pioneering initiative, MTV has re-iterated its position as market leader in the digital sphere, as it gives everyone the chance to relish the Sunburn experience.

MUMBAI: MOVIES NOW, the English Movie Channel from the Times Television Network, has taken over the English Movie Channels category with a 38% market share in less than a week of its launch. MOVIES NOW launched on 19th December 2010 as the First HD English Movie Channel in India, with a line up of well researched content and carefully selected library of Popular Blockbuster titles with high-energy and panache.

The bi-weekly TAM ratings for week 52 of the year 2010 clearly show that MOVIES NOW is now in the running to become the market leader of the English Movie Channels category. The mid-week ratings show that MOVIES NOW has garnered 11.6 GRPs for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday across 6 metros. The closest competitors on the other hand, have received just about half the GRPs. (Source: TAM Media Research, CS 15-34 AB, Top 6 Metros, Biweekly data for wk 52 ?10 ? Sun,Mon,Tues)

MOVIES NOW has clearly challenged the status quo in the category, in less than a week of its launch. The channel is a part of TIMES TELEVISION NETWORK and complements the urban focus of the network where it has met with great success via TIMES NOW, ET NOW and zoOm.
 

MUMBAI: This year the excitement at India?s premier amusement park EsselWorld reaches a whole new level as it completes a milestone celebrating 21 years.

Launched by Pan India Paryatan Pvt. Ltd. (PIPPL), pioneers in the entertainment and leisure industry, EsselWorld pulled people out of the staid environment of conventional pleasure trips and unfolded before them the exciting new scenario of a complete leisure destination. A sprawling complex on the coastal Gorai village in northwest Mumbai, ?The Island of Fun? sprawled over 64 acres has been a refreshing gateway to a whole new world of excitement and fun for families & children over the last 21 years etching some of the best joy filled memories in their hearts.

Mr. Shirish Deshpande, CEO EsselWorld was joined by child acting sensation Master Darsheel Safary and Andy, Riki, Mayoor, Mithu & Mimi (the official EsselWorld mascots) in cutting a traditional birthday cake as the all the children and park guests sang and cheered out loud for the most fun filled place in India.

Commenting at the event Master Darsheel Safary said, ?EsselWorld is one of my favourite places. I have been coming here for the longest time and always have a blast. I wish EsselWorld a Happy Birthday and many more to come.?

Commenting at the event, Mr. Shirish Deshpande CEO - Pan India Paryatan Pvt. Ltd. (Essel World and Water Kingdom) said, ?It?s an emotional time for all of us, the thrill of completing 21 years gives us a different high all together. A word of gratitude to all the children & families that have visited us and let us be part of some of their most cherished memories. We promise to continue putting in our best to providing more screeches, laughter, goose bumps & joy in the years to come.?

With over 70 never before seen attractions EsselWorld gave the socially active, gregarious, more outgoing and open to newer forms of entertainment. Since opening its magical gates in 1989, EsselWorld attracts 1.8 million visitors each year of which a sizeable amount of this number are children.

EsselWorld is a unique destination that offers an opportunity to mix adventure with pleasure.

MUMBAI: UTV World Movies the one stop destination of world?s greatest movies is here this Christmas to celebrate this festival with its patrons. The channel will showcase a brilliant line up of films starting this 25th December till 31st December, 2010. The celebration just does not end here! The channel has some really cool contests running on various online platforms like facebook, twitter & Blackberry with lots of exciting give away.

UTV World Movies would show case the best of its film in the slot ?Christmas Fiesta? with line up of films like The Fifth Element, The name of the rose, Love Highways, Chinatown, Pistoleros, The Accused & Goodfellas. These films will be on air at 11 pm every day from 25th- 31st December, 2010.

The channel has been actively building its social media footprint since May 2010 across Facebook, Twitter and Blackberry Messenger. Over the months, we have not only built a strong base of fans, but more importantly have also built solid relationships. From movie updates, to the latest in world cinema, to just simple tips on what movies to watch during a date, UTV World Movies has strived to be the very best friend for our fans.

Keeping this in mind, when Christmas came rolling around, we decided that what better way to thank our fans who?ve stood by us all this time, than to host a giveaway. The likes of which, we ourselves have never seen before. The channel would give 70 gifts daily, to 70 lucky winners! It doesn?t end here the bumper prize would be free trip to two couples to an exotic location abroad.

Manasi Sapre, Programming Head, UTV World Movies ?We at UTV World Movies join the festive season of Christmas to make it even more christmassy! The channel will be showing some of the best movies from 25th to 31st December, 2010. Along with a great line up of films the channel also celebrates via interactive means like Facebook,twitter and blackberry where UTV World Movies fans would be showered with lots of freebies.?

Let UTV World Movies be your Santa this Christmas