Sonali Bendre does charity for children’s education

Sonali Bendre, who’s hosting the television reality show, Mission Sapne 2, feels it’s important to give it back to society by helping the needy.

The actress recently donated Rs 5 lakhs to a school in India thereby taking care of it completely in terms of sanitation, water supply and education facilities. Sonali will take time out from her busy schedule to visit one of the schools to monitor the facilities provided to the children.

Sonali says, “I am part of the campaign ‘Support My School’ to generate awareness and funds for schools across India. It gave me great pleasure to be associated with such a cause that not only impacts several lives, but has a vision of building India’s future. 

"I was so touched by this initiative that I decided to go ahead and donate a particular amount to this school that will help in holistic growth of the children present there,” she adds.

Ranveer Singh to host Crime Patrol

The upcoming episodes of the longest running crime reality show - Crime Patrol on Sony Entertainment Television will pay tribute to the Heroic Super Cops. To salute the bravery of the Cops of our country and felicitate the service provided them in safeguarding the society, the channel will telecast a special series in association with Bajiarao Mastani team. In this special series, Ranveer Singh aka Bajirao of Bollywood will be seen hosting Crime Patrol on 14th and 17th of December. 

Ranveer Singh, who will be seen promoting his upcoming film Bajirao Mastani on Crime Patrol said, “I am glad to associate with Sony Entertainment Television's longest running and pioneering crime show, Crime Patrol. This week Crime Patrol along with Bajirao Mastani pays tribute to the Heroic Super Cops of our country. I will be hosting the show for 2 episodes, thus making a contribution towards creating awareness about crime in our society. I have always admired and supported the show and it was a wonderful experience working with the Crime Patrol team.”

Ranveer Singh brings the moustache back in vogue with #BajiraoMovember !

The trailer of Sanjay Leela Bhansali's magnum opus has been received with an unprecedented response as the creative maverick brings to life a forgotten era.  

Telling a tale, he has been yearning to capture on celluloid , Bhansali presents his lead Ranveer Singh in a never-seen-before avatar as Bajirao,sporting a bald look and a fine mustache reminiscent of the kind that was sported in the early 1700's. 

Sources reveal that the actor's fan base ,are loving his drastically different look in the film and are popularizing what they call the #BajiraoMovember movement .The social media platform is in a frenzy with Ranveer's look in Bajirao Mastani with several fans sending images to Ranveer of them sporting the mustache. 

Says Ranveer, "During the initial stages of the filming process I had to stick a fake moustache since I didn't have the time to grow a real one before we commenced filming. It was very difficult to shoot with the stick-on mooch. But the two-month delay caused by my shoulder injury gave me just enough time to grow out my real one, replete with the curled handlebars and the works. I have grown to become quite attached to my moustache. I curl it in the mornings and play with it all day. I feel it's a serious style statement ; it gives a guy an edge & an attitude. The #BajiraoMovember movement has picked up and fans are sending in their pictures of their 'mooch' . I love seeing them! I check all out myself - I find them very cute and rather amusing! The fashion fraternity often credits me with bringing back the moustache as a style statement and I'm very grateful for that."

Jon Favreau’s “Chef” to get an Indian adaptation starring Saif Ali Khan

Iron Man and Jungle Book director’s hit indie film to be remade in Hindi by Abundantia,                                     Eros International & Alumbra Entertainment

In a major move that is set to put the Indian movie business on the world content map, Abundantia Entertainment, Eros International and Alumbra Entertainment today announced that they would produce the Hindi remake of the high-profile Hollywood hit, ‘Chef’. The producers also confirmed getting leading man, Saif Ali Khan, to star in the iconic role.

‘Chef’, is a 2014 breakthrough hit film that was written, produced and directed by Jon Favreau who also featured in the titular role essaying Chef Casper. The multi-talented Favreau shot to fame with the 1996-film,Swingers and since then has had a long and distinguished career in Hollywood. Amongst his vast of range of films, Jon has directed Iron Man, Iron Man 2 and Elf among others and has been the executive producer onIron Man 3 and Marvel’s Avengers franchise.  

The critically appreciated and commercially successful ‘Chef’, which boasts of a famous supporting cast with the likes of Robert Downey Jr., Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson and Dustin Hoffmanand amongst others, is the story of professional Chef, Carl Casper, (played by Favreau himself). Carl, quits his job at a popular Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity to its controlling owner. As he tries to figure out his next move, he finds himself in his hometown, Miami, where he teams up with his ex-wife, friend and son to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen and his zest for life and love. What follows is an endearing journey of relationships, self-discovery and success.

Earlier this year, Abundantia Entertainment, founded by Vikram Malhotra (formerly COO - Viacom18 Motion Pictures) acquired the remake rights from Favreau’s company, Fairview Entertainment and went on to partner with Eros International, India’s leading film studio and Alumbra Entertainment.. The Hindi version will be distributed and released by Eros worldwide.

Speaking on his passion project going global, Jon Favreau said, “I’m delighted to see ‘Chef’ get an Indian remake. I'm excited to see how this personal film translates to the Indian culture. The themes of food, music and family should resonate well.”

Terming ‘Chef’ as one of the most endearing and inspiring films of recent times, Vikram Malhotra, Founder & CEO of Abundantia, said, “Ever since I first saw ‘Chef’ I knew that this film had to be made in India. Charming relationships, a feel-good story and a unique journey of self-discovery make ‘Chef’ the ideal film to bring alive in an Indian context. Add to that the blazing spirit of entrepreneurship and the rapidly evolving food scene in India and the context for a Hindi remake is brilliantly set. We are proud and honored that an icon of Hollywood like Jon Favreau has chosen us to take forward his passion-project in another part of the world. I am also delighted that one of the finest actors in our country, Saif Ali Khan, will helm the title role in the Hindi version”.

Partnering on the project, Sunil Lulla, Managing Director, Eros International Media Ltd added, “Eros has been at the forefront of breaking content barriers and taking Indian movies worldwide. Be it our global blockbusters like English Vinglish, Tanu Weds Manu Returns, Bajrangi Bhaijaan or our upcoming line-up like Bajirao Mastani, we are keenly focused in making content speak a universal language. We are delighted to bring a special film like ‘Chef’ to the Indian audience in their own language and look forward to working closely to make ‘Chef’ connect to millions of movie-goers in the Hindi language.

The work on the Hindi remake has begun and a script that will adapt ‘Chef’s’ story to the Indian palate, keeping the flavor of the film intact, is already underway.

Vikram Malhotra and Ridhima Lulla of Eros International made the formal announcement with Jon Favreau in Los Angeles on October 26th.

About Abundantia Entertainment

Named after the Roman goddess of abundance, good fortune and success, Abundantia Entertainment was founded in 2013 by Vikram Malhotra, the erstwhile COO of Viacom18 Motion Pictures – one of the country’s leading movie studios. Abundantia is modeled to be India’s premier content development and Production Company and together with some of the top talent in the business, is underway to become the incubator of ideas and innovation in the entertainment industry. Buoyed by the success of its 2015 superhit ‘Baby’, Abundantia boasts of an enviable line-up of films for 2016 & 2017, namely the film adaptation of the popular book, ‘Karachi, You’re Killing Me!’, director Nishikant Kamat’s period love story, ‘Missing’ and a film on Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, uniquely titled ‘Toilet – Ek Prem Katha’. Abundantia’s latest film Airlift, starring Akshay Kumar and Nimrat Kaur, is all set to release on 22^nd January, 2016.

Vikram Malhotra, (formerly COO - Viacom18 Motion Pictures) built a formidable reputation by delivering new-age, clutter-breaking cinema and is the name behind some of the most memorable and successful films of recent years like Tanu Weds Manu, Kahaani, Gangs of Wasseypur, Special 26, OMG - Oh My God, Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, Madras Café and Queen. Along with Vikram, Abundantia boasts of a highly talented team with skills from both within and outside the media & entertainment industry. 

About Eros International Media Ltd

Eros International Media Ltd. (BSE Script Code: 533261; NSE Script Code: EROSMEDIA) is a leading global company in the Indian film entertainment industry that acquires, co-produces and distributes Indian films across all available formats such as cinema, television and digital new media. Eros International is part of Eros International Plc, which became the first Indian media Company to raise capital and be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Eros International has experience of over three decades in establishing a global platform for Indian cinema. The company has a competitive advantage through its extensive and growing movie library comprising of over 2,000 films, which include Hindi, Tamil, and other regional language films for home entertainment distribution. Eros International has built a dynamic business model by combining the release of new films every year with the exploitation of its film library. For further information please visit:www.erosintl.com

BOND IS BACK IN FRANCHISE’S BIGGEST HIT: SPECTRE TAKES SPECTACULAR OPENING WEEKEND OF 31.9 CRORE

Eon Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios and Sony Pictures Entertainment’s Spectrecontinued its sweep of the global box office with its India release. The hugely anticipated 24^th Bond film posted a gross of INR 31.9 cr (USD 4.8m) approximately in its opening weekend making it the biggest James Bond film of all time in the country.

Sony Pictures India released the film exclusively in high-quality 2K digital format in 1250 screens (the largest 2D Hollywood release ever) in four languages - English, Hindi, Tamil and Telugu - and in 2D and IMAX formats. It is the first film to release in India in five IMAX screens.

“The action leaves you breathless” said the Times of India while Mumbai Mirror said it “makes it impossible to allow your eyes to stray away from the screen” adding that it is a “must-watch”. Alluding to the opening scene, Hindustantimes.com said “You get your money’s worth in the first 15 minutes” and declared it “A joyous ride.” The Economic Times called it “entirely entertaining” and wire service IANS adjudged it “a dazzling film.” Rajeev Masand said the movie is “pretty good blockbuster entertainment” and “like a satisfying masala Bollywood film.” Of course, the action scenes could not go unnoticed with Subhash K Jha judging that “The action sequences in Spectre are absolutely the best I’ve seen in Bond.” 

Vivek Krishnani, Managing Director, Sony Pictures India commented on the record opening saying, “We are very happy thatSpectre's opening in India is mirroring its global success. The film was hugely anticipated and the ‘masala’ action film has connected with audiences across India. The weekend box office numbers are proof of that and we are sure that James Bond will continue entertaining audiences in weeks to come." 

ABOUT “SPECTRE”

A cryptic message from the past sends James Bond (Daniel Craig) on a rogue mission to Mexico City and eventually Rome, where he meets Lucia Sciarra (Monica Bellucci), the beautiful and forbidden widow of an infamous criminal.  Bond infiltrates a secret meeting and uncovers the existence of the sinister organisation known as SPECTRE.  

Meanwhile back in London, Max Denbigh (Andrew Scott), the new head of the Centre for National Security, questions Bond’s actions and challenges the relevance of MI6, led by M (Ralph Fiennes). Bond covertly enlists Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) and Q (Ben Whishaw) to help him seek out Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), the daughter of his old nemesis Mr White (Jesper Christensen), who may hold the clue to untangling the web of SPECTRE. As the daughter of an assassin, she understands Bond in a way most others cannot. 

As Bond ventures towards the heart of SPECTRE, he learns of a chilling connection between himself and the enemy he seeks, played by Christoph Waltz. 

Sam Mendes returns to direct SPECTRE, with Daniel Craig reprising his role as 007 for the fourth time. SPECTRE is produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.  The screenplay is by John Logan and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade and Jez Butterworth, with a story by John Logan and Neal Purvis & Robert Wade.

About Albert R. Broccoli’s EON Productions

EON Productions Limited and Danjaq LLC are wholly owned and controlled by the Broccoli/Wilson family. Danjaq is the US based company that co-owns, with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios, the copyright in the existing James Bond films and controls the right to produce future James Bond films as well as all worldwide merchandising. EON Productions, an affiliate of Danjaq, is the UK based production company which makes the James Bond films. The 007 franchise is the longest running in film history with twenty-four films produced since 1962.  Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli succeeded Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and have produced some of the most successful Bond films ever including CASINO ROYALE, QUANTUM OF SOLACE, SKYFALL and SPECTRE. 

About Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer 

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer is a leading entertainment company focused on the production and global distribution of film and television content. The company owns one of the world’s deepest libraries of premium film and television content.  In addition, MGM has investments in domestic and international television channels and is the majority owner of and distributor for United Artists Media Group (UAMG). For more information, visit www.mgm.com.

About Sony Pictures Entertainment

Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE) is a subsidiary of Sony Entertainment Inc., a subsidiary of Tokyo-based Sony Corporation. SPE's global operations encompass motion picture production, acquisition and distribution; television production, acquisition and distribution; television networks; digital content creation and distribution; operation of studio facilities; and development of new entertainment products, services and technologies. For additional information, go to http://www.sonypictures.com.