MUMBAI: Shemaroo Entertainment releases ‘Beyond the Sea‘ - a refreshingly off-beat biopic of singer Bobby Darin.

MUMBAI: As the Indian economy galloped along at a growth rate of more than 9% in 2005-2006 and the Indian markets outperformed their much fancied counterparts.The sub-prime crisis in US economy saw the Indian markets react adversely to global cues. But due to the strong fundamentals of the Indian economy the spill over effect of the crisis on the Indian markets was still very minor.

Asian Tigers on CNBC TV 18, a special series that provides a global perspective on the influence of the US markets on the Asian powerhouses and more importantly on India, interviewing everyone from the top Investors to Bankers, and Market pundits.

This special series shot entirely in Hong Kong will feature some of the most powerful and tactical minds from the global markets as they share their views on the Indian market and give cues on what lies ahead for the global markets. The series features:

- Edward Pulling, J P Morgan India fund

- Samir Arora, Helios Capital

- Rukshaad Shroff, J FAM

- Paul Schulte, Lehman bros

- Adrian Mowat, JP Morgan brokerage

Udayan Mukherjee, Executive Editor, CNBC TV 18 will anchor this special series and will track, and analyze and will help interpret their views for the Indian investor.

MUMBAI: The crowds that thronged the venue at Nirmal Lifestyle, Mulund in Mumbai were all set to watch Amit and Prashant perform live.But they got a lot more than what they had anticipated. They got to see Sunjay Dutt sing , Riteish Deshmukh shake a leg, Udit Narayan sing, TV star Karishma Tanna and the Chak De India girls Preeti Sabherwal and Vidya Malavde. Adding an extra dose of excitement was the host for the evening, Husain, who has a tremendous fan following of his own.

Amit and Prashant made a grand entry with traditional Maharashtrian fanfare. With orange turbans and lejhim dancers in tow. Together they rocked the show with the songs they have won hearts on Indian Idol. Amit sang his favourite songs Pehla nasha ?, Nasha yeh pyar ka nasha hai? Yaad aa raha hai tera pyar? which drove the crowds crazy. Prashant followed it up with Lo main aaya? Bas ek pal? Sunjay Dutt looking fit and fine, joined them on stage and sang Jaane kya hoga maula re. The crowds loved it. He requested the crowds to vote in large numbers. "May the best man win!" he said before leaving.

The good natured rivalry between Amit and Prashant was there for all to see. They had a lot of fun dancing with the pretty girls on stage. First both did the jig with Karishma Tanna, ( looking lovely in a black mini) as the sang Ishq di galli vich no entry . In return she voted for both of them from the new Sony Ericsson shake control phone! Preeti Sabherwal (looking breathtakingly beautiful) and Vidya Malavde presented Amit and Prashant with their favourite lucky charms?hockey sticks! Riteish Deshmukh looked dapper and had the expected effect on the crowds. He created dhamaal on stage! Producer-director Inder Kumar was there too with his stars to lend support to the Indian Idol contestants. Udit Narayan made a special effort to be there to support the boys whom he has seen from their auditions to this last lap of the show. He sang his favourite song? Kintu parantu, bandhu with Amit and Prashant.

It was a great evening. It had song, dance, music, stars and a great well-behaved Mumbai crowd. Everyone had fun including the little kids from Concern India who were special guests. The evening will remain special for all specially Amit and Prashant as it was their first ever public performance in Mumbai.

Catch them Rocking Mumbai on September 14 at 9 p.m only on Sony Entertainment Television.

MUMBAI: Six years after CNN broadcast the groundbreaking and award-winning documentary ‘Beneath the Veil,‘ the international network returns to Afghanistan and discovers that women still face dangerous and harsh living conditions even after the U.S. and coalition forces invaded the country following the September 11th attacks.

In Afghanistan ? Lifting the veil celebrated journalist and filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy criss-crosses the impoverished country, meets with ordinary Afghans and witnesses firsthand the struggles women face in a nation trying to rebuild amid continued war, corruption and chaos. Obaid-Chinoy learns that stalled foreign aid, repressive clerics and a dysfunctional government stymie progress.

Despite Afghanistan‘s new democracy, little appears to have changed for the better, particularly for women. Six years after the Taliban was overthrown, many women are still forced by their husbands and families to wear burqas. Only two out of five Afghan girls attend school and since most women lack the skills and training to work, begging is often the only option even for a bleak life.

With such limited options, many women have chosen a devastating route of escape from their brutal oppression: self-immolation. Obaid-Chinoy speaks with suicide survivors in hospitals to try to understand what drives them to such desperate actions as setting themselves on fire.

In a country of nearly 32 million, more than one million are widows ? a consequence of 20 years of wars and conflict. Without husbands, the widows are essentially condemned to a life of abject poverty. Even married women do not appear to fare much better. In a culture in which most marriages are arranged and young girls are often sold into marriage by their early teen years, women are frequently doomed to lives of abuse by their husbands and in-laws.

But Obaid-Chinoy does find some faint signs of hope as well. In the northern town of Taloqan, she finds a girls‘ school which seems to embody the promise of the "new Afghanistan." A fiercely courageous teacher, who once risked her life to teach girls in secret, now teaches in a modest facility that educates 4,000 girls. Despite this progress, the school has not received the aid it needs to build new classrooms and the girls say they face strong resistance to study at home.

In 2001, Beneath the Veil introduced viewers to one family devastated by the Taliban. The father had been kidnapped, the mother executed and their young daughters were left alone in a house with Taliban fighters for days. Obaid-Chinoy returns six years later to find out how the father and two daughters have fared since liberation, finding a mixed message of Afghanistan‘s pain and progress.

In a nearby village, Obaid-Chinoy speaks with a cleric who also speaks hopefully. He tells her that despite the crushing poverty, he is optimistic for the reconstruction of his war-ravaged village ? perhaps a health center might open someday and more food may become available for the people.

Obaid-Chinoy concludes: "I have found joy and hope in places I least expected it, but I have also learned that progress is slow. Afghanistan‘s problems were not fixed by the invasion?hanging in the balance, are the future of Afghanistan and the lives of its people, people desperate for peace?and for hope."

Airtimes: Indian Standard Times

Saturday, September 15 at 1130 & 1930

Sunday, September 16 at 0030 & 1130

Monday, September 17 at 0030

MUMBAI: Amrita TV which pioneered trend-setting reality shows in South Indian television like "Super Star","Super Star Junior"," Super Dancer " and "Vanitaratnam" has generated phenomenal audience response in Bangalore and Chennai

The Amrita TV crew caravan plans to hit Bangalore and Chennai again in mid-September.

On 15 September, the channel is holding auditions at Bangalore for "Raga Ratnam Junior" a Carnatic music talent hunt in the 10-15 age group .

On 16 September auditions will be held for " Super Dancer Junior", for the 10-15 age-group aspirants -- which is a sequel to the hugely successful "Super Dancer" which ended in August, with the winner driving home a Suzuki Swift and the runner-up a Suzuki Alto .

The Bangalore auditions for both the reality shows will be held at Hotel Grand Ashok

From Bangalore, the Amrita crew will proceed to Chennai for auditions of "Raga Ratnam Junior" on 19 September.

It is the positive feedback that prompted Amrita TV to conduct auditions of "Super Star Global " in Bangalore in June - the only music talent hunt in Indian television which promises a Mercedes for the winner .

It was soon followed by auditions in Bangalore in July for "Best Actor", a reality show targetting potential acting aspirants in the 18-35 age group,wherein the first prize winner earns a trip to Hollywood .

Both "Super Star Global" and "Best Actor" are now being aired Monday through Friday, on prime time on Amrita TV

Amrita TV,launched in 2005, as a 24-hour Malayalam, general entertainment & news satellite channel with a global footprint, has been honoured with 26 State Awards for Excellence in Television--the only channel in India to be bestowed with such a recognition in just two years since inception.

MUMBAI: Come rain, come storm - the Ahmedabad Traffic Police has always been vigilant in its duty to regulate the busy Ahmedabad traffic and to ensure the Amdavadis‘ reach their destination - hassle free! In a continued endeavor to contribute to society, Radio City 91.1FM, India‘s Leading Radio Network is extending support to the Ahmedabad Traffic Police in a unique initiative. Helping the traffic police overcome a shortage of staff in managing the challenging traffic situation of the growing city of Ahmedabad, Radio City is urging the Cityzens of Ahmedabad to come forward as traffic volunteers to help the Traffic Police create traffic awareness in the city. Also in recognition of their unwavering dedication and efforts, the FM station gifted 500 protective raincoats to the Ahmedabad Traffic Police at the Traffic Park, Laldarwaza today.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Manoj Aggarwal, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Ahmedabad said, "We would like to thank the people of Ahmedabad and Radio City in particular to recognize and value our efforts. We are very happy that Radio City has come forward to associate with us to our endeavor to make Ahmedabad a better city! Thanks to Radio City, Ahmedabadi‘s who are proud of their city and want to do something for the betterment of it, now have the opportunity to volunteer for this activity."

Mr. Rana Barua, National Head - Marketing, Radio City 91.1FM said, "As pioneers to private FM in India, Radio City is not only an innovative infotainer but also an organization sensitized to the needs to the society we live in. The provision of raincoats for the traffic personnel is Radio City‘s effort to make life a little easy for these traffic guardians who are trying so hard to manage the bustling traffic of Ahmedabad."

Mr. Barua added, "We would want to sustain the great work done by the Ahmedabad Traffic Police. To help them serve Ahmedabad better, we invite our listeners to join in with a helping hand by assisting the Traffic Police in improving the city."

Recognized as a radio station that has always stepped forward to contribute and appreciate the efforts put in for the betterment of the society, Radio City contributed 500 raincoats to the Traffic Police in Ahmedabad.