BANGALORE: Radio Mirchi 98.3 FM Bangalore has been appointed as official radio partner for South India?s film awards ceremony ? 54th Fair One Filmfare South Awards scheduled for 4 August in Hyderabad. The film fraternity from across South India - Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada - is expected to be present on the occasion.

As a run up to this, Radio Mirchi will be conducting a series of interviews with stars like Ganesh, Vijay, Ramya about their experiences and also air trivia about movies and songs.

On-air contests which kicked off July 25 ended today. The listeners were invited to be a part of an contest by messaging ‘Ticket along with their answers or by calling in to the Radio Mirchi studios in Bangalore. Three lucky couples from Bangalore stand a chance to win an all expenses paid trip to Hyderabad where they will get an opportunity to stay along with the stars and witness the Filmfare awards as well as participate in the much awaited film dos.

Radio Mirchi cluster business head Karnataka and Kerala Amit Satpathy said, ?We are delighted to be the official radio sponsors for the prestigious 54th Fair One Filmfare South Awards considered no less than the Oscars of Hollywood. With this association Radio Mirchi once gain has re-established their strong affiliation with the film industry of the South.?

Radio Mirchi has been actively partnering with the film industry in the South by studio visits of film personalities such as Ramya, Ramesh Arvind amongst others. The radio station also has been associated with music release of prominent and run away hits alike Aishwarya, Mungaru Male.

MUMBAI: M Subramaniam has replaced Mamta Bharadwaj as Rediffusion DYR Public Relations vice president - south.

Subramaniam comes from IBM where he was responsible for external communications for the company. He will be based in Bangalore and will report to group president Lokesh Tiwary.

Rediffusion DYR Public Relations group president Lokesh Tiwary said, "We are always on the lookout for quality talent who share our perspective, because our challenge is to create an atmosphere which breeds unmatched thinking while retaining a keen focus on deliveries. And I am confident that under his leadership, the agency will continue to raise its benchmark of service, value and delivery and strive to achieve client delight."

Subramaniam said, "I am delighted at having been presented with this opportunity to lead the agency‘s operations in the south. Rediffusion DYR public relations has done outstanding work for clients across different industries in the past and with the PR industry increasingly evolving we will strive to increasingly partner our clients as they continue on their growth trajectory."

MUMBAI: Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Hungama had 0.66 TVR in week 29 2007 whereas the nearest competition had 0.39 TVR.

So, stay tuned to Sa re ga ma pa Hungama on Zee Muzic Fridays & Saturdays at 11:15pm.

1st Reality show on Zee Muzic

In April 2007, in an attempt to veer away from the oft beaten track, Zee Muzic joined hands with Zee TV, the mother channel of Zee Telefilms to telecast the unseen, the unheard and the unbelievable account of the most popular music show in India, Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 Hungama! While Zee TV gave the participants a platform to showcase their singing talents, Zee Muzic went behind the scenes to give viewers a feel of what went behind the pain, the competition and the ambition of coming out a winner. Essentially, a Bollywood music channel, it was a new direction and a new step for Zee Muzic, but one that seems to have paid off today!

Speaking on this, Mr. Irshwin Balvani, Business head ? Zee Muzic, says ?Sa re ga ma Hungama reaching the No.1 position is the reason why everyone?s smiling these days at Zee Muzic. It?s a matter of pride for us. Neha, Manasi and our team have done a wonderful job. I also have to thank Zee Tv for its co-operation. Now we have to work harder to stay at this position and get our other shows to pursue the same heights.?

Neha on top

Playback singer, and first time hostess of Zee Muzic is thrilled. And she has reasons to be. Her debut venture, as an anchor has reached an all time high. A winner all the way, Zee Muzic?s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 Hungama hits jackpot, as it achieves the Numero Uno slot across all music channels in India!

1st time for Neha

It was time to hunt for an apt anchor after finding the apt production house. The choices were many, but eventually Neha seemed like the right choice. Beauty, brains, bravado and a lot of spunk is what Neha added to Sa RE Ga Ma Pa Challenge 2007 Hungama? s behind the scene coverage.

On being asked how she feels, Neha says, ?It feels great to be a part of No. 1 show. When I came on board as the anchor I came with a mindset that we have to do well but now after seeing that all our hardwork is producing such great results we feel inspired to rock even more.?

1st show for magic works

Rohit Roy, who?s been Zee Muzic?s anchor for a wildly popular show called Wild 10, was spreading his wings into producing software for television along with his wife & actor, Manasi. With Zee Muzic?s deep rooted association with the couple, Magic Works seemed like an apt place to start a show that was new to Zee Muzic too. For 1st time producers, Rohit and Mansi surely have come up with a remarkable job, and not to mention a show that showing us the figures!

Talking about it on behalf of Magicworks, Manasi says ?We both are extremely delighted that our very 1st show has reached the No.1 position. We are very happy with our association with Zee Muzic. We hope to keep doing good work & be associated with No.1 shows like we already have.?

MUMBAI: The hunt for India‘s first official ‘Bathroom Singer‘ has started! FILMY‘s upcoming reality show Bathroom Singer auditions will be on 5 August in Mumbai.

Bathroom Singer is an extraordinary show about ordinary people and their journey to stardom. The show is a hunt for an untrained singer who can capture the hearts of millions with a unique combination of singing and the entertainment quotient or ‘jhaag‘.

Judging the performances of the contestants will be Bhojpuri superstar Ravi Kishan, and talented singer-cum-composer Shibani Kashyap. While Kashyap will focus on the singing aspect of the contestant, Kishan will judge the ‘jhaag‘ or the entertainment quotient.

Anchoring the show is one of the funniest men on television today, the adorable Gaurav Gera.

So, get set to turn your bathroom into a stage. Because if you have the ‘jhaag‘, you can win fame, glory and fortune of Rs. 25 lakhs, courtesy FILMY!

The Mumbai audition is on Sunday, 5 August, 9 am onwards, at the Goregaon Sports Club, Malad (W). You can either come directly to the auditions, or pre-register on the phone by calling 505 6789 from your mobile phones or 12 7777 from your MTNL or BSNL landline. For more details, log on to the official Bathroom Singer website www.bathroomsinger.in

MUMBAI: Marking yet another landmark in the history of live TV experience, dishtv, the pioneers of DTH technology in the country, brings the first of its kind in the world, technology innovation - dishtv on computer. This special set top box when connected to the desktop PC, can alter between computer and Live TV merely at the click of the button.

Dishtv on computer extends unparalleled experience to the viewers by offering the boutique 171 channels; value added service, active features, gaming and the like.

Re-iterating dishtv‘s pioneering commitment to the Indian market, Mr. Jawahar Goel, Managing Director, dishtv says, "With this new innovation of dishtv on computer, a cutting - edge home entertainment device, dishtv builds on its position as the ultimate authority re-defining the television viewing space.. Enriched with all dishtv content and value added services, it will provide the customers with digital TV viewing experience while working on computer, at just the click of a button".

It offers a dual advantage of being compatible to computer and television both and is extremely convenient to use. Its working is very similar to that of regular dishtv Set top box where dish installed on the roof/ terrace, faces a particular direction and the VGA box ( special set-top-box compatible with computers) is connected to the PC. The set top box doubles up the usage of the computer from a mere computing machine to one that is an entertainment gizmo. It is ideal for -

• Consumers with a TV and a computer who can now become multi TV homes.
• Consumers who want to swap digital viewing between computer and TV, as the box has dual compatibility.
• Computer users who want to switch between information and entertainment on the same machine.
• Specially suited for corporates and SOHO‘s, where televisions are not available, yet live TV can be enjoyed.
• Young geeks who have computers but no TV‘s like students, young IT pros etc.

The VGA box comes at a price of Rs 4150 inclusive of equipment, installation and taxes. The product will be launched in a phased manner and is currently being made available at select top cities of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Pune, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad. The box will be sold through hi-end consumer durable outlets that already sell dishtv. Additionally it is also being distributed, thru a special tie-up with TVSE, into computer and peripherals outlets.

Dishtv has demonstrated its technological prowess and innovative spirit thru a spate of new introductions. Unique among them have been, Mobile dishtv for vehicles and ships, powering live TV on aircrafts aboard Kingfisher airlines. With this unique and unparalleled product, dishtv satisfies the needs of knowledge and information seeking audiences, who aspire to be updated all the time, wherever they be.

MUMBAI: Get set to go on a roller-coaster ride this August as Star World lines up a series of new shows, new specials and new seasons for your ultimate entertainment!!! This August, from the season finale of Mark Burnett‘s reality show On The Lot to presenting the brand new sitcom The Jane Show and a gripping new legal drama In Justice; the 35th Annual AFI Life Achievement Award to Al Pacino and Barbara Walters Special: 10 Most Fascinating People of 2006 to the new seasons of Ultimate Force, According to Jim, Ghost Whisperer, Beauty and the Geek, NCIS, Monk and Two and a half men, you can experience the best of English entertainment in your living room! And if that‘s not enough, catch the most talked about celebrities let their hair down and be at their candid best as Karan serves up a heady brew only on Koffee with Karan- Season 2. So get set to experience the best of English entertainment all this month only on Star World!!!

Combining the talents of legendary Oscar-winning director Steven Spielberg and reality-show mastermind Mark Burnett, On the Lot offers 16 aspiring filmmakers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Each week contestants work to a tight deadline to produce short films across a range of genres, from comedies and romance to sci-fi and horror. The finished film then debuts in front of a live TV audience who vote for their favourite. In the end, the public decides whose film will be left on the cutting-room floor. As the competition comes to a close, find out who wins a $1-million deal at DreamWorks as Star World presents the Final Premiere Show on Tuesday, August 14th at 8pm and the Season Finale on Wednesday, August 15th at 8pm.

It‘s time to see how the ‘normal‘ nine-to-five working world can be anything but the way it is in this new Star World sitcom, The Jane Show, which premieres on Thursday, August 9th at 10 p.m. Jane‘s been plugging away at her first novel for the past ten years, paying her bills by working for an eccentric author. When he suddenly dies, Jane‘s left with no job, no money, and a heap of regret. Tired of the struggle, Jane decides she needs some structure in her life, a sense of stability, a regular pay-cheque and a dental plan. At 33 years old, is that too much to ask? So, reluctantly putting on hold her dreams of being a great novelist, she jumps headlong into the working world. But as Jane navigates the strange new rules and rituals of corporate culture at Spirits Brokerage, our hyper-imaginative heroine is also confronted with the harsh realities of being a single woman in her thirties.

Star World presents a gripping new legal drama In Justice inspired by real life stories of the wrongfully accused which premieres Sunday, August 12th at 8 p.m. Every year, hundreds of innocent men and women get convicted of crimes they didn‘t commit. In the blink of an eye an innocent man can lose his life to the mistakes of an imperfect system. The innocent have finally found a champion in a blustery but charismatic attorney named David Swain (Kyle MacLachlan). A legendary litigator, Swain is the head of the Justice Project, a high-profile, non-profit organization made up of hungry young associates who fight to overturn wrongful convictions, liberate the falsely accused and discover.

the identity of those really to blame. Whether the ego driven Swain is doing this in the pursuit of justice or publicity remains to be seen. Thank goodness he has his partner, crackerjack investigator and ex-cop Charles Conti (Jason O‘Mara, The Agency), to keep him honest. He‘s the serious to Swain‘s swagger and together they work to rectify the mistakes of the justice system one case at a time.

On Friday, August 17th at 9 p.m., the American Film Institute (AFI) pays tribute to a true movie icon. At the 35th Annual AFI Life Achievement Award to Al Pacino, Hollywood honours an Oscar-winning screen legend. From Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, to Tony Montana in Scarface and Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, Al Painco has given moviegoers a range of memorable characters. Celebrate the work of one of Hollywood‘s most charismatic actors as Star World brings you the 35th Annual AFI Life Achievement Award to Al Pacino.

On Sunday, August 25th at 8 p.m, Barbara Walters takes a look back at 2006 and the people who made their impact on the world that year on Barbara Walters Special: 10 Most Fascinating People Of 2006. On the list are some of the year‘s most prominent names in entertainment, politics, sports and business like Andre Agassi, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Jay-Z, Steve and Terri Irwin, Anna Wintour, Sacha Baron Cohen, Patrick Dempsey and Nancy Pelosi!

Star World also brings to you a host of brand new seasons of your old favorites! Starting Sunday, August 5th tune in to the new season of Ultimate Force. Also, watch out for the new season of According to Jim starting August 6th and Ghost Whisperer starting August 14th. There‘s still more! Watch the new season of Beauty and the Geek starting August 22nd and NCIS starting August 24th. Watch Series 5 of Monk, which starts on August 27th, and Series 2 of Two and a Half Men, which debuts on August 30th.

So this August, tune in to Star World and treat yourself to an assortment of the latest shows, new seasons and specials, all through the month!!!