|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
IT is billed as the biggest sporting event after Sania Mirza’s heart-warming performance at the Australian Open. Which is why ESPN and Star Sports are going to town over Narain Karthikeyan’s Formula-One deal with Jordan. The immediate spin-off for the channels has been the rush of advance advertising spots booked by leading corporates for the F-1 season that kicks off in March 2005. The main beneficiaries of course will be Tata Motors, JK Tyres and Bharat Petroleum who jointly pooled in a $ 5 million to secure an offer from Team Jordan for Karthikeyan. The motor sport prodigy from Coimbatore is understandably over the moon with the deal and is looking forward to becoming one of the fastest drivers in Formula One. "The whopping cost is not a participation fee but due to the technology involved in the race," says Karthikeyan, all set to become one of the most recognisable faces in the Indian sports thanks to the air time being planned for him by ESPN-Star Sports. Wear fare
ALL you clothes horses get ready. Star One’s celebrity-studded new reality show Fashion House starting February 19 will be aired on Saturdays and Sundays at 9 p.m. for seven consecutive weeks. Mumbai couturiers Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla will identify 16 designers from different parts of the country who will be given weekly themes. At the end of every week two designers will be dismissed from the contest. The prize for the winner is a lucrative six-month internship at Versace and a worldwide merchandising deal for the production of the winning outfit under the Versace label. The series will be studded with Bollywood and cricket stars, as well as international celebrities that includes, among others world’s best known model Naomi Campbell. Says Deepak Segal, executive vice-president, STAR Network: "Fashion House is a new format that has never been seen in India." More than that, it reiterates Star One’s image of providing contemporary programming to urban upscale viewers. The CM is back
THE kajallined eyes, Bihari accent and Sadhnacut hairstyle are all coming back. So is the moon-faced wife. Raamkhilavaan C.M. and his family are staging a comback on Sab TV as the Patna High Court has lifted the stay and allowed its telecast. The serial was pulled off the air following a court order that the resemblance of characters to real-life Bihar was too uncanny to be coincidental. Raamkhilavaan revolves around a self-serving chief minister who has mastered the art of manipulating democracy for personal gain. In his nefarious projects, he is abetted by his scheming wife Imarti Devi and daughters —Rajneeti, Ghotali and Sarkar. Serial maker Ashvini Dheer fought a court battle for freedom of expression and finally after two years of wilderness, it is homecoming for Ramkhilavan C.M. & Family. Say the producers. "Why single out Laloo? The serial reflects the entire political scenario in the country. It’s just 100 per cent entertainment." Small screen’s dark angel
SHE’S the new dark angel of the small screen and the way she’s going about her evil ways, Richa Gujarati could leave Ramola Sikand and Kamolika far behind. "I am having a great time doing a role with shades of grey," says the girl who plays Kali in Kkusum. Richa, a student of paramedics, who was earlier seen in Chacha Chaudhary on Sahara One, Kya Hadsaa Kya Haqeequat on Sony and Kitne Kool Hai Hum on Zee, says playing Kali in Kkusum has been a fulfilling experience. "Kali is full of attitude. Even I have attitude in real life," says Richa, who has been inspired by negative characters like Kajol’s in Gupt and Ajay Devgan’s in Khakee. Would she do negative roles in films? No, she says emphatically. "I’ll neither do negative characters nor the bold roles that Mallika Sherawat and Bipasha Basu do." Coming from a newcomer that sure is a bold statement. — NF |
