MUMBAI: In the coming week, high voltage drama will unfold on Kaali - Ek Agnipariksha as Rachana turns into Kaali. The Maha Episode to be aired on Sunday, December 5th at 8:00 pm, will see Rachana unleashing her wrath on Thakral for the first time. She has challenged Thakral that she will expose him in 3 days. The Maha Episode sees the culmination of the 3 days and Rachana arrives to keep her promise. Remaining true to its title, the Maha episode will see Rachana turn into the aggressor with the awakening of Kaali within her, which will shock Thakral and the world!

Viewers will finally see the rise of Kaali in Rachana as she rises like the phoenix from the ashes. Rachana?s family was forced to take refuge in a temple after their house is burnt down by Thakral?s men. Even after that, the family gets no respite and is assaulted by Thakral?s men. It is then that the Kaali within Rachana surfaces after witnessing her family?s plight and gives her the courage to deal with Thakral?s men single-handedly.

After trying to play by the rules, Rachana finally takes the fight into her own hands. The proverb, Hell has no fury like a woman‘s wrath will have a new meaning in the Maha episode.

Tune in to the Maha episode of Kaali - Ek Agnipariksha on Sunday, December 05th, 2010 at 8pm only on Star Plus
 

MUMBAI: Public Relations Global Network (PRGN), amongst the world?s top five international networks of leading independent public relations agencies, today announced the addition of Perfect Relations as its new Indian member to their network. The decision was taken by PRGN at its semi-annual meeting in Mexico this month. PRGN?s worldwide network will now have 40 independently-owned public relations agencies across six continents, as its members.

PRGN also included CROS Public Relations and Public Affairs in Moscow, thus expanding the network?s global reach and capabilities in two of the world?s fastest growing economies of India and Russia.

?We are thrilled to welcome Perfect Relations and CROS into our fold,? said PRGN President Patricia P?rez of VPE Public Relations in Los Angeles, CA. ?The primary beneficiaries of our new agencies in India and Russia are our clients who have ready access to the wealth of resources, specialized skills, and local connections our PRGN members provide.?

?In an increasingly flat world, clients have ever-changing needs, want access to new markets, are looking for innovative value additions to their businesses and want to be in sync with global trends,? said Bobby Kewalramani, Group CEO, Perfect Relations. ?We believe that by partnering with PRGN, we will derive the multiple benefits of reach, best practice sharing and trend mapping for our clients. At the same time, we will arm the network members, with similar advantages in the Indian subcontinent. We are very glad to be part of the PRGN network.?

Perfect Relations has been at the forefront of the public relations and public affairs arena in the South Asian markets for almost two decades. Widely regarded as the pioneer of public relations in India, Perfect Relations has championed industry growth, developed new markets, created new service benchmarks and introduced innovative services and practices that meet the ever- changing client needs in South Asia.

Perfect Relations has a large network of offices spread across 18 locations with 408 employees handling clientele in such vertical industries as automobiles, technology, financial services and infrastructure. The agency specializes in public relations, public affairs, content and collateral development, media and crisis management workshops, investor relations, CSR programs and digital PR. Key clients of the agency include Fortune 500 giants and Indian superbrands such as Coca Cola, Tourism New Zealand, AIG, Franklin Templeton, Diageo, Sony, Mercedez Benz, Fiat, Skoda, Godrej Group, Marico, Google, Ebay and Shoppers Stop.
 

MUMBAI: MaXposure Media Group has launched the Middle East edition of Estetica, a leading Italian hair fashion magazine. MMG are the publishers of Estetica India, Andpersand - luxury-lifestyle magazine, Spice Route - The official magazine for Spice Jet, Touchdown- the Mumbai airport magazine, Elite Life- The ICICI Prudential magazine and Mercedes Benz Magazine.

Estetica Middle East (EME) is the 26th International Edition of this 60-year-old Italian magazine, the global leader in the hair and beauty publication industry. It‘s a quarterly publication, in both Arabic and English. Not only this, you can also buy the Digital version of the Magazine on Zinio. Respecting the multicultural ethos of the region, we have translated certain sections into Arabic and French as well. Offering all this and more, this glossy product is available for only AED 15!

Prakash Johari, CEO, MaXposure Media Group Middle East, said: ?We are very proud of this new venture in the Middle East. Estetica India has been a roaring success, as it has progressed to being a bi-monthly within a year. It has to its credit strong properties like Estetica Awards, a nation wide roadshow and award events that recognises the best of Hairdressers & Salons and a weekly 30 Min Estetica TV Show on a leading Lifestyle channel in India. We believe Middle East is one of the most promising market for beauty companies!?

Vijaya Saran, Publisher, Estetica Middle East said, ?For the beauty sector, the Middle East is not only one of the world?s most affluent regions, but also has one of the highest per capita spends on beauty products and services than anywhere else in the world. Even during the global recession over the last two years, it was one of the few regions where the beauty industry witnessed robust growth. So we had all the reasons to launch Estetica in this region.?

Vikas Johari, Editor, MaXposure Media Group, Middle East, said: ?Estetica is entering the Middle East Market at a time when ‘hair‘ has become an important factor for determining one‘s style quotient. The ?fashion forwards? actually determine the clothes they wear, the look they sport based on their hairstyle. So far we‘ve looked very seriously at other lifestyle musts - watches, jewellery, gadgets etc and now is the time to delve deeper into the relatively under-explored territory of the ‘hair fashion‘ industry."

EME features the best content from its worldwide network of Estetica magazines including France, UK, USA, Italy and India. It is a visual treat, since only the best quality images are printed on the best quality of paper. The GCC region has a blend of cultures and nationalities leading to a demand for the latest in international trends. So, in our first issue, we spoke with some of the industry‘s major players, for their perspective on the ever-growing beauty industry in the region. Adnan Abou Naaj, General Manager, UAE, Qatar and Oman, Madi International, said, ?Estetica Middle East will be an essential guide for beauty professionals here. It connects brands and professional users, introduces the latest products to salon owners.?
Peter Tighe, General Manager, L?Or?al Professionnel, Middle East, said, ?Estetica is an important tool in terms of hair education. It offers global information on the hair industry and can really open up the minds of professionals here to try out new things.?

The cover story in the launch issue rewinds to the late 40?s and the early 50?s, when women had started coming into their own. The aspirational hairstyles and dresses shown in the piece are enough to spark a woman‘s imagination. EME also offers insights into Arab fashion that draws from international chic but has a unique style of its own.

The issue will also help readers make an informed choice through the Estetica Salon Awards, where we review salons incognito. Plus there‘s much information for industry professionals as the magazine put a special focus on hair academies which provide professional training to the ever increasing salons and spas.

Roberto Pissimiglia, President and Publisher, Estetica Network, said, ?If Estetica Network represents an overview and synthesis of the hairdressing and beauty markets, there simply had to be an EME to represent an area of strategic importance for all sector companies and operators.?

Carla De Meo, Editorial Director, Estetica Network, said, ?Dynamic countries, precisely like those of the Middle East, are undergoing full-blown development and giving rise to innovative ideas for the entire world of hair fashion.?

Luisa Barberis, Sales & Marketing Manager Asia/Pacific, Estetica Network, said, ?Yet another edition in our incredible network! Congratulations Maxposure for undertaking such an amazing journey in the Persian Gulf Area. I wish you lots of success!?

Sahara India Sports Awards 2010 saw some of the biggest sports and Bollywood stars gracing the event. With SRK hosting this biggest sports extravaganza, the entire event was like the biggest entertainment masala until one of the sports star from yesteryear came on the stage to receive the award and revealed the plight of sports stars in India. Speaking of himself, he revealed how he was once a sport star who brought accolades to the nation but today he cannot afford to even repair his roofs and make a decent living for his families.

The entire mood of the evening changed; the awards seemed a farce; the auditorium fell into a mourning silence. This is when Saharshri Subroto Roy rose up to the occasion and announced a monitory support of Rs 25 Lakhs for Indian sportspersons in financial strife bringing back smiles and hope to all the sports stars attending . The moment was eased as the audience burst into cheers and congratulated Subroto Roy after the event for grand gesture.

All this and more! Sahara India Sports Awards 2010 will bring some of the most magical moments between sports stars and Bollywood. SISA felicitates the sports talent across the country and entertains as it brings the amalgamation of sports and Bollywood on television.

Watch Virendra Sehwag, MS Dhoni, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraaj Singh, Sunil Gavaskar, Jwala Gutta, Sania, Shoaib, Sreesanth, Vijendra Singh, Suresh Raina, Sonaksshi Sinha, kareena kapoor, Prachi Desai, Jaqueline Fernandes and many more at the most entertaining night for Bollywood and sports aficionados on Television.

Catch the king of Bollywood on Sahara India Sports Awards 2010 on 4th December at 10pm only on Star Plus.
 

MUMBAI: Food lovers get set to embark on a culinary ride with the famous foodie ? Bikramjit Ray on CNN-IBN?s award-winning show ?Secret Kitchen?. In its 6th season, the show will flaunt an all new avatar showcasing a wide range of culinary pleasures all the way from high-end cuisines to a sneak peek into the most popular Indian restaurants from across the country. This mouth-watering gourmet journey begins from 27th November, 2010 every Saturday at 1:30PM & 6:30PM with a repeat every Sunday at 12:30PM & 7:30PM only on CNN-IBN. The 12 episode series will also give viewers a chance to experience the flavours of Big Bucks restaurants, Family eateries, Local food joints, Party favourites and Business Luncheons.

The highlight of the show is to delve into myriad cultures and cuisines that form an intrinsic part of India?s ethnic fabric. Capitalising on this unique flavour in our country, Bikramjit Ray will acquaint viewers with the choicest flavours from distinct destinations digging into culinary secrets, unearthing the most delectable recipes and touring the finest restaurants across all the metros.

A true connoisseur of good food, Bikramjit loves to indulge in scrumptious and lip smacking delicacies. A master of the field, Bikramjit will suggest the viewers some of the most interesting restaurants which are worth visiting. The viewers can also recommend some of the most exquisite restaurants by logging on to www.ibnlive.com/secretkitchen or by sending Hiddenrecipe <comment> as a SMS to 51818.

Season 6 of ?Secret Kitchen? will feature restaurants across the following categories:

Big Bucks restaurants: Want to impress that special someone? This category features those restaurants that are ideal for impressing your lady love or celebrating a special occasion. Bikramjit Ray gives you all the knowhow on the most critical tips to follow at such restaurants ranging from what to order, how much to splurge and just how to strike up a great bargain.

Family places: This category guides viewers to the best family eating joints. Bikramjit throws light on the ambience of the restaurant, whether the restaurant is child-friendly, what to order, etc.

Local hits: These restaurants are the most favourable ones in the non expensive category. Bikramjit throws light on what you can expect at these joints.

Party favourites: The best party places are the focus of this segment. It highlights the worthiness of a particular hang out, what are the best cocktails available, etc.

The Business lunch: Under this category, the anchor recommends 3 top places where one can go for a quick business meal when timelines have to be adhered to.

Speaking about the 6th season of Secret Kitchen, Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN-Lokmat said, ?We thank our viewers for making Secret Kitchen a success and encouraging us to return with the 6th season of the show. We hope that the new season of Secret Kitchen will also guide viewers to enjoy the most delectable dishes available at the best restaurants across India.?

MUMBAI: Hill & Knowlton, which has pioneered the PR industry?s involvement at the annual Cannes Lions Festival, is to become its first ever PR partner.

The week-long Festival, founded in 1954, has traditionally been an advertising dominated event but has recently expanded to include other communications disciplines including PR in 2009.

?This is a great honour?, said Tony Burgess-Webb, chief marketing officer of Hill & Knowlton. ?Creativity is fundamental to effective communications and Cannes Lions is the epi-centre for creativity in communications. By getting actively involved, we have tried to set a lead for the PR industry worldwide.?

In 2009, the first year for PR award entries, H&K hosted its first PR seminar and first ever Cannes Lions ?tweet-up? with Biz Stone, co-founder of Twitter to highlight the importance of social media. In 2010, H&K hosted another PR seminar with ImprovEverywhere and created a street event, a spoof ?VIP Party? gently satirising Cannes Lions? VIP party culture*. H&K also created a dedicated videoblog called Cannes Eye, webcasting two editions daily of interviews with leaders and CMO?s from brands such as Kraft, J&J and Procter & Gamble.

Festival CEO, Phil Thomas said: ?Cannes Lions has evolved way beyond pure advertising and creative PR is key to what brands want. H&K understood this very early on and have shown real leadership. We are pleased to recognise this by making them our first ever Official PR Partner".

The Cannes Lions Festival is the world‘s only truly global meeting place for professionals in the communications industry. In 2010 over 8,000 delegates from 95 countries attended seven days of exhibitions, screenings, as well as over 50 high-profile seminars, 30 workshops and master classes presented by renowned worldwide industry leaders.