MUMBAI: They cherished us, nurtured us, protected us and adored us, now it?s time to gauge what is the state of the senior citizens of India. On the occasion of India?s 60th Republic Day, CNN-IBN, IBN7 and IBN Lokmat present the 9th edition of their flagship opinion poll ?State of the Nation?. This edition of the bi-annual nationwide poll will highlight the issues & concerns of the elderly population of India. The findings of the poll will deal with key issues impacting the generation aged 60 years and above with an in-depth discussion with eminent panellists from the country.

The Poll has been conducted with an enormous sample size of over 1224 respondents from Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Patna, Bhopal, Surat and Vijayawada .The poll also reveals some interesting facts that the majority of senior citizens in metros and large towns feel that the quality of life is better compared to a decade ago , The poll findings will be revealed in one hour special show which will be aired on CNN-IBN on 25th January at 10:00pm; on IBN7 26th January at 8:00pm; on IBN Lokmat 26th January at 10.00 am and 8.00 pm, with a repeat telecast on 26th January at 12 noon (CNN-IBN), 26th January at 10am (IBN7) .

Also the poll will evaluate their relationship with the younger generation and assess how much do their loved ones truly care for them and delve deep to explore their feelings and provide a forum to hear the voices hitherto left unheard. The poll was conducted nationwide by GFK MODE on behalf of the IBN18 Network.

State of the Nation Poll which was instituted in the year 2006 highlights the ground realities of the country. The previous 8 Editions of State of the Nation extensively covered issues of national importance like Political Forecast, Nation?s Agenda, the Great Indian Middle Class, Two Nation Poll, Modern Indian Women and the Great Indian Urban Family, Country?s Governance, Administration, Police & Bureaucracy

Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief, IBN 18 Network, said, ?While India marches forward as the country with the youngest population in the world, it is important to remember the contributions of the elderly towards shaping this great nation. In this edition of the State of the Nation Poll, we have highlighted the key issues impacting the elderly and how we as a society can be more responsive to their needs.?
 

MUMBAI: With it?s relaunch in 2009, Vh1 lives up to its promise of giving audiences something new to look forward to week-on-week! Vh1, India?s 24-hour premier International Entertainment channel presents the ultimate in entertainment with ?Garnier presents Vh1 Movies that Rock?! With this brand new initiative, Vh1 will constantly provide viewers with something exciting, as they set the standard for uncompromising, cult cinema on television by screening unparalleled movies. From music to lifestyle and fashion, from long-form shows to reality and gossip shows and now movies... Get ready to experience the complete package for International Entertainment content premiering on Sunday, 24th January @ 9 pm only on Vh1!

Defining the soul of music, Vh1 kick starts the movie marathon with the timeless classics Grease 1 and 2, to the king of the Disco floor ? John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. Moving on will be the ultimate dance movie Stayin? Alive and No Direction Home: Bob Dylan Part 1 and 2, focusing on the journey of Bob Dylan from the voice of a generation to being the ultimate rock star. What?s more, get ready to experience the best of ?Elvis Presley? in the months to come! As Vh1 gives you a full evenings worth of high-cultured, jet-propelled rock and roll entertainment, you are guaranteed a real fun fest in front of your television set! Trust us; there won?t be any place like home on Sundays!

Says Ferzad Palia, Associate General Manager, Vh1 India, ?Keeping our promise of bringing the best international entertainment to India, we at Vh1 are delighted to present, along with Garnier Fructis 2in1, some of the biggest musical blockbusters from Hollywood. Movies that defined generations. Movies That Rock! Your chance to Get With It!?
 

MUMBAI: The latest buzz on Zee TV?s Lux Dance India Dance is superstar Salman Khan?s visit on the sets of the show to promote his film Veer! The 3 mentors ? Remo D?souza, Terence Lewis and Geeta Kapur had left no stone unturned to ensure that their favorite superstar was left completely speechless on watching the spectacular acts they had choreographed to songs from his films!

Known for his trademark mischievous sense of humor, Salman had the audience in splits with his wisecracks throughout! He naughtily told his fans how Grand Master Mithun Da (who plays his father in Veer) once pointed out to a crew member of the film with a balding pate, grey hair and a haggard, wrinkled face, saying ?Salman, that?s my batch-mate!?. He went on to compliment Dada about how well he has maintained himself over the years, managing to look only 27 even today!

As if he wasn?t done with spilling the beans on Dada, Salman carried on to tell the audience how Mithun Da, being an excellent cook, used to make the next day?s food for the entire unit of Veer every night and workout in the kitchen with dumb-bells at the same time! The Chef with dumb-bells, eh?

Watching the enthralling performances put together by the contestants of Lux Dance India Dance, Salman decided to shake a leg too. So he got up, went on stage and jived to ?Love Me, Love Me, Love Me? alongside thrilled contestants Vandana & Kruti. Seeing Salman move so well, Master Terence Lewis was keen to see him perform an aerial act with cables like so many of Lux Dance India Dance contestants do. Salman was hesitant at first but gave in when Terence said, ?Salman, you are very strong. I?m sure you can do it!? Watching Salman in mid-air, performing as he hung on to cables, was a delight!

When some of the acts featured the boys lifting the girls high up in the air, Salman confessed, ?Guys, now this is something I just cannot do! I may lift really heavy weights, bench press more than most men do but I can never lift a woman that high up in the air.? Humility, thy name is Salman!

Master Remo D?souza has put together a breathtaking act featuring his contestants Bhawna and Shashank as beautiful fishes in love, swimming and gliding in the ocean world. Terence Lewis had Kunwar Amarjeet and Shakti Mohan bring the romance of Salman?s popular Aankhon Ki Gustaakiya alive with a beautiful aerial act. Geeta?s salsa act to one of salman?s personal favorite tracks featuring Dharmesh, Binny and Kishore was a hit too. The superstar is said to have stood up, applauded and saluted the talented young dancers and their mentors after seeing the beautiful performances.

Do not miss a series of spectacular performances to songs from Salman Khan?s movies in a ?Salman Khan special? episode of Lux Dance India Dance on Friday, 22nd January.
 

MUMBAI: CNN.com is premiering two new web-exclusive video series through content partnerships with Vice?s VBS.TV, overseen by creative director and renowned film director Spike Jonze, and Sub Pop Records, it was announced today by KC Estenson, senior vice president and general manager of CNN.com. Both series ? ?VBS.TV on CNN.com? and ?Indie Asia: On Tour with Handsome Furs? ? will be available globally on CNN.com, as well as via the CNN App. for the iPhone and iPod Touch in the US.

These new series help fulfill the site?s promise of adding more diverse voices and a range of perspectives to complement CNN?s in-depth global news reporting.
?When we unveiled the new CNN.com, we wanted to showcase CNN?s in-depth reporting, as well as introduce a new range of voices to our users through strategic partnerships,? said Estenson. ?Indie Asia will provide users with a unique cultural travel log of Asia, while the original storytelling from VBS.TV promises to bring the CNN.com audience smart, alternative documentary-style videos.?

VBS.TV on CNN.com
Every Wednesday beginning on the 20th January, CNN.com will showcase select original content from VBS.TV, known for capturing exclusive feature stories and in-depth interviews through a unique lens and story-telling style. The first episode, ?Vice Guide to Liberia,? documents Vice Founder Shane Smith as he travels through the war-torn country, interviewing ex-war lords and residents who are struggling to move past a decade of violence.

?Most people who hear about this partnership will think, ?Vice and CNN, hmmm... That‘s an odd pair of bedfellows for you.? And you?d be right. The ?Hipsters? Bible? hooking up with the World‘s News Leader is a bit odd,? said Smith. ?But as our company began to evolve and cover stories around the globe, CNN was our first and only choice for a partner. In a world of hyper-partisan opinion-led ?news,? CNN?s credibility and reach put it in a class by itself. We couldn?t be more excited with a partner unless it was Jimi Hendrix (nod to all the Baby Boomers out there) joining our rock and roll band.?

Available at www.cnn.com/VBS, each episode in the series will be accompanied by photography from the field as well as a first-person narrative to bring the story into full context.

Vice launched VBS.TV in 2007 and is overseen by Jonze, founders Smith and Suroosh Alvi, and executive producer Eddy Moretti.

Indie Asia: On Tour with Handsome Furs
Sub Pop?s indie rock band, the Handsome Furs ? made up of the duo husband and wife team of Dan Boeckner and Alexei Perry Cox - documented their travels during their first tour across Asia with two Flip cams for a new series entitled ?Indie Asia: On Tour with Handsome Furs.? These self-described travel nerds share the fun, excitement and drama of visiting new places, meeting new people and tasting new foods in China, Hong Kong, Vietnam and Thailand with the CNN.com audience.
?As a compact, nimble and experience-hungry two-piece, there are few touring bands more adventurous than Handsome Furs. It?s a real honor to be associated with such an amazing rock band, one so bent on bringing their wholly unique music to such far-flung parts of the world,? said Jonathan Poneman, Sub Pop founder and CEO. ?Likewise, it?s an amazing opportunity for them and Sub Pop to be able to share Handsome Furs? experiences with the millions of people CNN.com reaches every day around the world. In the end, that sort of connection ? on record, at shows and now on CNN.com ? is the whole point.?

The Asian tour featured in the series is in support of the band?s second record, Face Control, which got an 8 out of 10 from indie tastemakers, Pitchfork.com and other critical acclaim. Boeckner is also a member of indie rock break out band Wolf Parade.

Available at www.cnn.com/IndieAsia, a new episode of Indie Asia is slated to appear regularly in the travel section of CNN.com beginning on Thursday, 21st January.
 

MUMBAI: Worldwide Media Pvt. Limited, the Times Group- BBC Worldwide joint venture today announced a continuation of its long term sponsorship agreement on the Filmfare awards with IDEA Cellular Ltd., to present the 55th Idea Filmfare Awards. It?s time to gear up for this year?s most sizzling event ? The Idea Filmfare Awards 2009; a time when your favorite stars walk down the red carpet for India?s oldest and most coveted cinema awards.

Recognizing and honoring the best talents in the Indian film industry, this year will mark the 55th year of Filmfare Awards and the second year of its association with the pan-India mobile operator, Idea Cellular. The fastest growing mobile company has been recently conferred the prestigious ET ?Emerging Company of the Year Award?.

Scheduled for the 27th February at the famous Yashraj Studios in Mumbai, the 55th Idea Filmfare Awards looks forward to bringing you yet another dazzling show acknowledging achievements of our stars with glamour, great performances, suspense, excitement and a thoroughly entertaining evening. With a plethora of films lined up to prove their worth to the black lady, this year too promises to be a power packed show. Once again, the black lady will have a touch of yellow, as the Idea logo will continue to don the most coveted Filmfare trophy. 

Continuing the rich legacy of being Bollywood‘s most significant and unbiased honor, this year once again will see nominees being chosen through audience poll. Through this polling, Indian cinema audiences will get a chance to voice their opinion on who they feel, deserve the revered title and recognition of a ?Filmfare Winner?, in their respective categories for the year 2009. This year, the response has been overwhelming, with audiences voting through postal mails, mobile and online media. 50% weightage will be given to polling results and equal weightage to a specially appointed panel of judges known for their unerring judgment in the choice of the winners.

Speaking on the occasion, Tarun Rai, Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd. said, ?It?s time, once again, for the biggest awards show of the film industry ? the Idea Filmfare Awards. We will raise a toast, as we have for the last 55 years, to the immense talent of our film industry. We have had a successful partnership with Idea Cellular and, along with them, hope to make the Awards show even bigger this year.?

Mr. Pradeep Shrivastava, Chief Marketing Officer, IDEA Cellular said, ?Brand IDEA always associates with champion ideas to offer unique user experience, and entertainment, to our 58 million subscribers, across India. Our continued association with the prestigious Idea Filmfare Awards is a testimony of the brand?s promise to offer the best-in-class entertainment, through our reach and connect with the audience, across the length and breadth of the country. This year again, IDEA will bring stars and the best of movies, closer to our customers, through the 55th Idea Filmfare Awards?.

Idea will offer rich content on the mobile platform, around the 55th Idea Filmfare Awards, for its 58 million subscribers. Idea Cellular will also introduce a range of VAS products and contests, specially designed around Bollywood and Cinema. Idea contest winners will get to attend the Idea Filmfare Awards ceremony, sitting alongside Bollywood?s most sought after celebrities. Select customers will also get to Meet & Greet Bollywood stars, as part of the brand association with Filmfare.
 

MUMBAI: Navia, the OOH arm of Starcom Media Vest Group added yet another feather to its cap with its awareness-campaign for the launch of the 3D movie ‘Toy Story2‘ from Disney Studio highly which is acclaimed as one of the most popular animated features of all times.

As part of its strategy, the campaign entailed the use of chosen sites to achieve the maximum spread and create an impact with a limited budget. Key sites across the city were booked for the campaign and one site was prepared for the high visibility innovation. The selected billboard was put out at Juhu to target both movie trade as well as potential viewers. 

The creative was adapted to highlight the three- eyed character as the Protagonist and execute a not-to-be-missed innovation by making the alien character come alive, what with the animated eye-popping dimension of the character and the ubiquitous antennae which caught the attention of passersby. The proximity of the campaign-sites to hangout areas and educational institutions also ensured high visibility and word of mouth for ‘Toy Story 2‘.