Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

Actor <keyword id="19962398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vidya-Balan" source="keywords">Vidya Balan</keyword> says she rejected the offer to star in "<keyword id="20209950" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhool-Bhulaiyaa-2" source="keywords">Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2</keyword>" as she feared that if she didn't perform well in the sequel, it would ruin the impact of her work in the original movie. Balan starred alongside Akshay Kumar in Priyadarshan's 2007 hit "<keyword id="20054980" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="bhool-bhulaiyaa" source="keywords">Bhool Bhulaiyaa</keyword>", playing the role of Avni/Manjulika. Fifteen years later, its sequel, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2", directed by <keyword id="20561165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anees-Bazmee" source="keywords">Anees Bazmee</keyword> and starring <keyword id="19897059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Aaryan" source="keywords">Kartik Aaryan</keyword> in the lead, was released and became a huge blockbuster at the box office. "I was so scared because 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa' has given me so much. So I said, if I did something wrong, then everything will go in vain (sab par paani fir jayega). I told Anees ji that 'I can't take this risk,'" Balan told reporters. "But when they came back to me with the third part, I loved the script. I was dying to work on this with Anees bhai and Bhushan. And then it only kept getting better," Balan said. The actor said she liked what the team did with the sequel, which helped her make the decision to say yes to "<keyword id="20055923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhool-Bhulaiyaa-3" source="keywords">Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3</keyword>", set to release on Diwali, November 1. "And then the icing on the cake was working with <keyword id="19932032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madhuri-Dixit" source="keywords">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> ma'am. So, I think it only kept getting better, and I accumulated the courage. I had a great time. He (Bazmee) is the king of entertainment. I had the opportunity to work with him," she added. Balan was speaking at a film event where a new version of the franchise's iconic song "<keyword id="23696186" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ami-Jo-Tomar" source="keywords">Ami Jo Tomar</keyword>" was unveiled. Besides her, Aaryan and Dixit were present. At the event, Balan and Dixit performed the song in perfect sync. At one point, Balan slipped and fell but handled the situation with grace. Dancing alongside a legend like Dixit is no easy task, said Balan. "There is some kind of a tashan in that particular scene in the song. It was difficult for me because I was giving attitude to Madhuri. She is so generous... performing with her was not easy. Everyone supported me, but I think it was so nice of Madhuri ma'am as she realized that it was a big deal for me to be dancing with her. I told myself that it is an honour to share a stage with her, to be in the same frame with her," she said. Dixit, who is new to the franchise, recalled her conversation with Balan before they filmed the track. "We are releasing the song today. I would say to Vidya, 'You don't know how much I love the song because of you.' "When Anees ji said, 'There is a role in the movie and also you have to do a song,' I was like, 'What?' Because I always dreamt of this song and always wanted to perform it somewhere, maybe in a show. And when he said that, I was so happy and excited. I said I have to do this movie and be a part of this cast," she added. Produced by <keyword id="20079736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="T-Series" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="T-Series" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="T-Series">T-Series</keyword>, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" also features Triptii Dimri, Rajpal Yadav, Sanjay Mishra, and Vijay Raaz.

I was scared, says Vidya Balan on rejecting 'Bhool Bhulaiya 2'

Anees <keyword id="20225892" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bazmee" source="keywords">Bazmee</keyword>'s "<keyword id="20054980" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bhool-bhulaiyaa" source="keywords">Bhool Bhulaiyaa</keyword> 3" has a peculiar connection to his 2007 hit "Welcome" -- <keyword id="2737137" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="majnu-bhai" source="Orion">Majnu Bhai</keyword>'s painting of a donkey standing on the back of a horse -- and the director says he included the artwork as it belongs to him. Eagle eyed fans of the franchise noticed the painting appearing in the opening moments of the film's trailer, which was launched last week. In the trailer, <keyword id="19897059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="kartik-aaryan" source="keywords">Kartik Aaryan</keyword>'s <keyword id="20052396" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rooh-baba" source="keywords">Rooh Baba</keyword> is seen fleecing people of their prized possessions. The director said he added the painting from "Welcome" in the mix as he had painted it. "Rooh Baba collects priceless possessions, claiming they're cursed. When my assistants were looking for valuable props for the movie, I told them to include that painting because it's very special to me," Bazmee told PTI in an interview. "In 'Welcome', my favourite scene is the painting scene, and you can see that painting in many other scenes as well. I love it because I actually painted it," he added. "Welcome", an out-and-out comedy featuring an ensemble cast of Akshay Kumar, <keyword id="20278581" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nana-patekar" source="keywords">Nana Patekar</keyword>, Anil Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal, has become a cult comedy hit and is now a fodder for memes on social media. Bazmee said the 2007 film was fun to shoot. "People still love the film. Recently, someone called me and said, 'I just watched 'Welcome'.' I asked, 'Why so late?' and he replied, 'It was my 25th time.' That felt amazing." <keyword id="20027835" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="horror" source="keywords">Horror</keyword> comedy "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" is Bazmee's follow-up to his 2022 movie "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2", which introduced Aaryan as Ruhaan Randhawa aka Rooh Baba, who pretends to be a psychic. "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2" was itself a sequel to filmmaker Priyadarshan's 2007 movie "Bhool Bhulaiyaa", a psychological comedy, starring Kumar and Vidya Balan. For Bazmee, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" was a perfect movie and he deliberately decided to take a different route for its sequel. "I loved the first film, which was directed by Priyadarshan. Everything about it was great. I didn't want to create anything too similar to that film because it was so beautifully done, and people have fond memories of it. I didn't want to touch that legacy," he said. The filmmaker said he wanted to explore the horror genre for a long time. "Having already made a film in the psychological thriller space, 'Deewangee', which featured a character with a split personality, I didn't want to repeat myself by working in that genre again. "That's when I decided to take the horror-comedy route. Growing up, I heard many horror stories in my village, and I've always been intrigued by the genre. I wanted to create a horror film that could also be enjoyed by kids. So the goal was to make a film that would make people laugh while also scaring them," Bazmee said. The threequel brings back Balan as Manjullika from the first part, while the newcomers include <keyword id="19932032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="madhuri-dixit" source="keywords">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> and Triptii Dimri. According to Bazmee, Balan and Dixit, who is also playing Manjullika, the malevolent spirit from the 2022 film, are the highlights of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3". "I've always wanted to work with Vidya because I personally feel she is not only a great actor but also a wonderful human being. "While planning the third part, I realized how much the audience loved her performance as <keyword id="20556967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manjulika" source="keywords">Manjulika</keyword> in the first film. She did such a brilliant job that people still talk about both the film and her portrayal of the character. Since she's already well-versed with the character of Manjulika, I thought that if she agreed to be part of this movie, it would be great," he said. As a huge fan of Dixit's work, the director said he was keen to cast the actor in the movie. "That's why I envisioned her for this movie. When I discussed the idea with others, including the actors, the rest of the team, and even my assistant, everyone was as excited as kids. They all said that the combination of Vidya and Madhuriji would work wonders. The excitement was shared by everyone involved," he said, adding that he initially narrated the story briefly to both actors to gauge their reactions. When the two stars showed interest in the project, he gave them a full narration, Bazmee said. "By the end of it, they both liked the story and their characters. They were very excited about the film, and that excitement continues till date," he added. If there is a fourth part in the franchise, Bazmee said he is totally ready to bring back Kumar from the original. "Why not? Main toh chahta hoon ki Akshay ji kare. I have a great rapport with Akshay, and if something like this happens, it will be a double delight for both us and the audience," he added. Bazmee, also known for directing entertainers such as "Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha", "No Entry", "Singh is Kinng" and "Ready", said the success of "Bhool Bhulaiyaa" proved that the primary requirement of the audience is simply entertainment. "They want to be entertained by a film, irrespective of the genre. Whether it is a romance, drama, horror, comedy, action, suspense or a thriller, a film should entertain the audience. "They believe that if they're spending 2.5 hours watching a movie, the experience should be worthwhile. As filmmakers, it's our duty to ensure that entertainment is provided and well taken care of. It's the responsibility of a storyteller," he said. The filmmaker said when the second part came out in May 2022, Hindi films were not doing well in theatres. "It was released during the pandemic, people had stopped going to theatres. At that time, 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2' brought a ray of hope to the film industry, proving that people still wanted to return to theatres and watch films. The film's success made all of us very happy," he said. Produced by T-Series, "Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3" is scheduled to be released in Diwali on November 1. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114082054" title="‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ trailer: Internet’s reaction, cameos, speculations and more!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

How did Majnu bhai's iconic painting from 'Welcome' land in 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'?

The trailer for the much-talked-about <keyword id="20055923" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhool-Bhulaiyaa-3" source="keywords">Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3</keyword> dropped today, and the internet is buzzing with excitement, confusion, and, of course, tons of opinions! Directed by <keyword id="20561165" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anees-Bazmee" source="keywords">Anees Bazmee</keyword>, this third installment of the popular horror-comedy franchise brings back a blend of psychological thrills and laughs. The nearly four-minute trailer, released on <keyword id="20079736" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="T-Series" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="T-Series" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="T-Series">T-Series</keyword>' YouTube channel, has given fans a lot to talk about! <div type="Youtube" id="6YMY62tMLUA" title="Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 (Official Trailer): Kartik Aaryan,Vidya B,Madhuri D,Triptii | Anees B | Bhushan K" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/6YMY62tMLUA/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YMY62tMLUA]]></url></div> The trailer kicks off with a nod to the franchise’s iconic ghost, Manjulika, played by <keyword id="19962398" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vidya-Balan" source="keywords">Vidya Balan</keyword>, who delivers her famous scream, “I’m Manjulika!” As the trailer unfolds, it becomes immediately apparent that <keyword id="19901745" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Triptii-Dimri" source="keywords">Triptii Dimri</keyword> is playing <keyword id="19897059" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Kartik-Aaryan" source="keywords">Kartik Aaryan</keyword>’s love interest. Rooh Baba delivers his signature one-liners, while Sanjay Mishra, Rajpal Yadav and Ashwini Kalsekar attempt to amp up the humour quotient of the film. But then, <keyword id="19932032" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madhuri-Dixit" source="keywords">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> appears on screen — and also claims to be Manjulika! Yes, two <keyword id="23489537" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="manjulikas" source="keywords">Manjulikas</keyword>, double the mayhem. Fans are already calling it the “Battle of the Manjulikas,” as Vidya and Madhuri’s characters face off, wreaking havoc. Understandably, the situation starts to tense as both Manjulikas unleash terror. There seems to be a whirlwind of confusion for poor Rooh Baba, who’s now stuck between romance, comedy and horror. In the trailer's final moments,Triptii Dimri’s character tells Rooh Baba that they’re soon to be married, only for him to shout and storm off — a hint that Triptii’s character might just be a ghost herself! Cameos from Rajesh Sharma and some hidden easter eggs have also left fans speculating about surprise twists. Of course, social media is divided. Some are thrilled to see the legendary Vidya Balan and Madhuri Dixit sharing the screen in a spooky dance-off. "Watching Madhuri dance on screen again is going to be a treat! VidyaBalan vs MadhuriDixit is going to be fire!” wrote one user. <div type="twitter" handle="Super_Adian" handlename="Super_Adian" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1843948482941653185"></div>But for every fan, there’s a critic that is a little more skeptical. One user wrote, “CRINGE... Unreal downfall of legendary actresses like Madhuri Dixit &amp; Vidya Balan. Why did they accept these roles?" Other cameos and details that fans seem to enjoy were Majnu bhai’s painting (from the Welcome franchise), Sanjay Mishra going “Netflix kisne chalu kiya sallaa” and Karthik’s “hatt” — a nod to his memorable role in Pyaar ka Punchnama. <div type="twitter" handle="TheAaryanKartik" handlename="TheAaryanKartik" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1843944717475528867"></div>Then again, several netizens are of the opinion that the first installment of the movie starring <keyword id="19896353" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="akshay-kumar" source="keywords">Akshay Kumar</keyword> was the best. Speaking of which, many speculate that Khiladi Kumar will return to the movie for a surprise cameo! "Rooh baba se do do manjulika nahi control hogi usme akshay kumar ki help lagegi isiliye isme akshay kumar jarur honge,” shared one X user. And we must say that we wholeheartedly agree. <div type="twitter" handle="Akshay443536" handlename="Akshay443536" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1843945343786037312"></div>Whether fans are cringing or cheering, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 is shaping up to be a Diwali blockbuster. With all the excitement (and confusion) around the double-Manjulika chaos, it's clear that this horror-comedy is set to stir things up — especially with its clash with Rohit Shetty’s Singham Again.

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ trailer: Internet’s reaction, cameos, speculations and more!

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], August 23 (ANI): Since its launch this March, the grand theatre at the <keyword id="17161081" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Nita-Mukesh-AmbCultural-Centre" source="Orion">Nita Mukesh AmbCultural Centre</keyword> has set a new benchmark for theatrical experiences in Mumbai and India with acclaimed productions such as iconic Broadway musical 'The Sound of Music', timeless Broadway classics like 'West Side Story', regional theatre such as 'Charchaughi' and '<keyword id="6355846" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Madhuri-Dixit" source="Orion">Madhuri Dixit</keyword>', and the recently concluded musical concert, '<keyword id="18509348" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="sona-tarasha" source="Orion">Sona Tarasha</keyword>'. A landmark amongst the cultural centre's many special showcases is its opening show and India's largest theatrical production, 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation'. With an India-inspired narrative, larger-than-life sets, and outstanding cast and crew - 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation' - directed by Feroz Abbas Khan - captures the spirit of India through its rich repository of arts, and takes the audience through different eras of our country's glorious history and culture. The marquee production's blockbuster debut run entertained an audience of close to 38,000 across soldout shows and was popularly hailed as a world-class experience, the likes of which has never been seen in our country - a must-watch for every Indian. Following the love that the show received from Indian and global audiences, and a popular demand for it to be back on stage, 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation' is all set to unfold afresh at The Grand Theatre - the Cultural Centre's 2000-seater performing arts marvel - starting September 21 this year. "With immense joy and pride, I announce the return of 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation' at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre. It was the first step in our journey of showcasing the best of India to the world. Following repeated requests to bring it back, we are delighted to present this magnum opus once again, on popular demand!" said Founder and Chairperson <keyword id="7024" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="nita-ambani" source="Orion">Nita Ambani</keyword>. "We have cherished the love and appreciation that poured in from audiences after every single show! Come join us in reliving and creating many more memories with this immersive ode to India's rich cultural legacy," Nita Ambani said. As India's largest-ever theatrical production returns on stage, prepare to embark on an epic journey through the country's rich cultural heritage, with orchestra-style music by popular Bollywood duo Ajay-Atul and breathtaking costumes by ace designer Manish Malhotra. The audience will be able to immerse themselves in exemplary dance, drama, music, and the magic created by some exceptional Indian talent such as Vaibhavi Merchant (Guest Choreographer), Mayuri Upadhya (Lead Choreographer), Samir and Arsh Tanna (Choreographers) and internationally celebrated, multiple award winners such as Donald Holder (Lighting Design), Neil Patel (Scenic Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), John Narun (Projection Design), Renuka Pillai (Makeup Design) and Shruti Merchant (Associate Director). The Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre is a first-of-its-kind, multi-disciplinary space in the sphere of arts, within the Jio World Centre, located in the heart of Mumbai's Bandra Kurla Complex. It is home to three performing arts spaces: the majestic 2,000-seater Grand Theatre, the technologically advanced 250-seater Studio Theatre, and the dynamic 125-seater cube. The Cultural Centre also features the Art House, a four-storey dedicated visual arts space built as per global museum standards with the aim of housing an array of exhibits and installations from the finest artistic talent across India and the world. (ANI)

Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre brings back 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation' on popular demand

<ul><li>Delhi Police has filed an FIR against former <keyword id="7349800" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bharatpe" source="Orion">BharatPe</keyword> co-founder Ashneer <keyword id="3433" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="grover" source="Orion">Grover</keyword>, his wife <keyword id="10739150" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="madhuri-jain" source="Orion">Madhuri Jain</keyword> Grover.</li><li>The FIR, a copy of which has been seen by PTI, was filed under eight sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 that deals with criminal breach of trust, 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 and 468 (forgery).</li></ul>New Delhi, The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police has filed an FIR against former BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, his wife Madhuri Jain Grover and family members Deepak Gupta, <keyword id="346867" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="suresh-jain" source="Orion">Suresh Jain</keyword> and Shwetank Jain for an alleged Rs 81 crore fraud after a complaint by the fintech unicorn. The FIR, a copy of which has been seen by PTI, was filed under eight sections of the Indian Penal Code, including 406 that deals with criminal breach of trust, 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 467 and 468 (forgery). BharatPe in the complaint alleged that Grover and his family caused damages of about Rs 81.3 crore through illegitimate payments to bogus human resource consultants, inflated and undue payments through passthrough vendors connected to the accused, sham transactions in input tax credit and payment of penalty to GST authorities, illegal payment to travel agencies, forged invoices by Madhuri Jain and destruction of evidence. If convicted, Grover, Madhuri and others can face up to anything between 10 years to life imprisonment. EOW now has the power to arrest all the accused. BharatPe welcomed the registration of FIR saying, "For the last 15 months, the company has been facing a vicious and malicious campaign run by Grover against the company, the board and its employees". "The registration of the FIR is a step in the right direction, which unearths various suspicious transactions made by the family for their personal pecuniary gains," it said in a statement. The FIR, it said, will now enable law enforcement agencies to investigate deeper into the criminality and bring the culprits to books. "We have full faith in our country's judicial and law enforcement systems and are optimistic that this case will reach its logical conclusion. We will continue to extend all possible cooperation to the authorities," it added. In December 2022, BharatPe filed a criminal complaint against Grover and his family with the EOW of Delhi Police, alleging fraud of Rs 81.28 crore, criminal breach of trust, conspiracy, cheating, forgery and destruction of evidence. The same month, it also filed a civil suit with the Delhi High Court against its former MD and co-founder Grover and his family, seeking up to Rs 88.67 crore in damages for alleged cheating and embezzlement of funds. The suit, running into 2,800 pages, alleges that Grover, his wife Madhuri Jain and other family members created fake bills, enlisted fictitious vendors to provide services to the company and overcharged the company for recruitment. Madhuri Jain was the head of controls at BharatPe and was fired earlier in 2022 after a forensic audit revealed several irregularities. Subsequently, Ashneer Grover resigned as CEO in March 2022. BharatPe, last year, hit the headlines when Grover was accused of using inappropriate language and threatening a Kotak Group employee for failing to secure an allotment and funding for the Nykaa IPO for himself and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover. Thereafter, BharatPe appointed Alvarez and Marsal, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas and PwC to conduct a corporate governance review and determine whether Grover had committed willful misconduct. This led to the ouster of Jain and Grover from the company and its board in March. On May 10, 2022, BharatPe said that after the detailed review, the company had decided to take steps against employees involved in misconduct and claw back Ashneer Grover's restricted shares. "The complaint was received at EOW and enquiry has been conducted into the allegations levelled against alleged persons. From the contents of the complaint and enquiry conducted so far, prima-facie offences punishable under Sections 406/408/ 409/420/467/468/471/120B IPC (Indian penal code) are made out," the FIR copy reads. BharatPe had filed an arbitration claim in Singapore to claw back restricted shares (1.4 per cent) allotted to Grover and prevent him from using the title of a founder. In January this year, Koladiya sued Grover reclaiming the shares transferred in December 2018. Last month, the company's co-founder <keyword id="10222571" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="shashvat-nakrani" source="Orion">Shashvat Nakrani</keyword> sued Grover over "unpaid shares". MZM Legal is advising BharatPe on the criminal complaint. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/apps/news/is-whatsapp-secretly-listening-to-your-private-conversations-heres-how-to-check/articleshow/100155980.cms">Is WhatsApp secretly listening to your private conversations? Here’s how to check</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/artificial-intelligence-takes-center-stage-at-google-i/o-here-are-all-the-ai-announcements-made-at-the-annual-conference/articleshow/100151380.cms">Artificial Intelligence takes center stage at Google I/O: Here are all the AI announcements made at the annual conference</a>

FIR against BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, his wife, family

<keyword id="15300629" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="superstar-madhuri-dixit-nene" source="Orion">Superstar Madhuri Dixit Nene</keyword> says digital platforms have freed storytellers from the trappings of the box office and have made it possible for actors to take up "bold" subjects like her latest Prime Video release "Maja Ma". In the film, the actor plays Pallavi Patel, a closeted lesbian on a quest to keep her perfect family together while maintaining her individuality. <keyword id="285" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="madhuri" source="Orion">Madhuri</keyword> made her OTT debut with the <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> series "The Fame Game" earlier this year. "Times were different in the 90s. With the advent of OTT, different stories can be told without having to think of the constraints of releasing them in theatres. On OTT the stories can be told the way you want to and you can pick subjects you want to," the actor told PTI in an interview. Makers are now telling stories for a global audience, Madhuri said. "On OTT people watch films and series from all over the world, with different topics and that has made it possible for people here to come out and make a bold film like this," she added. Directed by <keyword id="2648" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="anand" source="Orion">Anand</keyword> Tiwari of "Bandish Bandits" fame, the first Amazon India original movie, also features Gajraj Rao, Ritwik Bhowmik, Rajit Kapur, Simone Singh, Sheeba Chaddha, and Ninad Kamat. Madhuri is known for commercial outings such as "Tezaab", "Dil", "Khalnayak" and "Hum Aapke <keyword id="13210400" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="hain-koun" source="Orion">Hain Koun</keyword>...!" as well as critical successes "Mrityudand", "Prahaar", and "Pukar", "Lajja" and "Dedh Ishqiya". The 55-year-old actor said her star status never influenced her career choices. "In my mind, I never saw myself as a superstar. Even when I was doing films like 'Khalnayak', 'Beta', 'Raja', 'Mrityudand', 'Prahar'... I don't think I looked at myself as an actor belonging to one particular genre. I look at the story that we are going to tell through the movie," she said. The film has received mixed reviews, but both the actor and the director are elated with the response. Anand said he is happy to see all kinds of reactions, but the real success for him is that the film could initiate a conversation around destigmatising homosexuality. "The audience we are addressing is the one that would not sit together and watch this film together. They have had conversations. If the audience agrees with the conversation and thinks this needs to go further or be braver, it is great," he said. Anand said members of the LGBTQIA+ community were involved with the project right from the scripting stage. "Besides, there were people from the community who watched the film prior to the release, to make sure we were doing it sensitively and with the right spirit," he added. As an actor, Madhuri said she made sure to not adhere to the stereotypes and just focus on the character's journey. "She is a mother, a lovely wife, part of the community and an important figure as she helps women to organise Garba. She plays all these roles but what comes out is a small part of her personality. We see these people every day. There was no stereotype or anything that we followed. We followed the story of this woman and her journey," she added. The actor believes stars promoting inclusivity through their films attract more attention to the subject. "I have my own fan base, an audience that looks up to me. When we started making this film, our intention was to make it with a lot of sensitivity and graciousness. If the message reaches more people because of my presence, I will be happy," she added. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/news/soon-you-might-be-able-to-touch-and-feel-the-online-products-through-your-smartphone/articleshow/94961160.cms">Soon you might be able to touch and feel the online products through your smartphone</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/jaypee-and-amrapali-groups-collapse-leaving-buyers-in-the-lurch/articleshow/94961447.cms">Jaypee and Amrapali Groups collapse, leaving buyers in the lurch</a>

OTT has made it possible to make a bold film like 'Maja Ma': Madhuri Dixit Nene

Former <keyword id="12987696" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bharatpe-co-founder" source="Orion">BharatPe Co-founder</keyword> and managing director <keyword id="2988161" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="ashneer-grover" source="Orion">Ashneer Grover</keyword> said on Tuesday that <keyword id="830092" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="zomato" source="Orion">Zomato</keyword> should have acquired its arch rival <keyword id="6358977" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="swiggy" source="Orion">Swiggy</keyword> than 10-minute grocery platform <keyword id="12724311" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="blinkit" source="Orion">Blinkit</keyword> to avoid the mayhem it is experiencing on Dalal Street. Zomato's share price tanked over 11 per cent on Monday and more than 7 per cent to hit an all-time low of Rs 43.05 on Tuesday. According to <keyword id="3433" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="grover" source="Orion">Grover</keyword>, merging Swiggy would have seen Deepinder Goyal-led Zomato to reach Rs 450 a share. "On the stock market - letsblinkit served piping hot misery to zomato in 10 minutes! Yeh hi agar Swiggy ko merge kar liya hota to Rs 450 ka stock hota!" (<keyword id="14560447" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="had-zomato" source="Orion">Had Zomato</keyword> merged with Swiggy, its stock price would have been Rs 450) tweeted Grover. Zomato acquired Blinkit for about $568 million, saying quick commerce is a natural extension of its food delivery business. The shares of the food delivery platform touched a new low of Rs 43.05 on Tuesday, wiping out more than Rs 89,000 crore. In May, Grover had said that buying Zomato shares, even when it had been falling for months, wouldn't be a bad idea. "It's all about perspective. If you were a Zomato employee and exercised your ESOP (employee stock ownership) at Rs 140 or higher post IPO, you probably paid more cost per share as Income Tax, than what you can buy today from the market freely. At Rs 56 per share price, markets are giving everyone ESOPs," he had tweeted. Grover, along with his wife <keyword id="13057738" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="madhuri-jain-grover" source="Orion">Madhuri Jain Grover</keyword>, has incorporated a new company called 'Third Unicorn Private Limited' that has both husband and wife as directors, according to the data available on Tofler. Third Unicorn has an authorised share capital of Rs 20 lakh and a total paid-up capital of Rs 10 lakh. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/dgca-gives-clean-chit-to-spicejet-says-no-safety-violation-found/articleshow/93133139.cms">DGCA gives clean chit to SpiceJet, says no safety violation found</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/sports/news/star-javelin-thrower-neeraj-chopra-ruled-out-of-commonwealth-games-due-to-groin-injury-ld/articleshow/93133172.cms">Star javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra ruled out of Commonwealth Games due to groin injury (Ld)</a>

Ashneer Grover blames Zomato's Blinkit acquisition for its share price fall

Best Bollywood comebacks to OTT; Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Bobby Deol and more

Leaving the <keyword id="2988161" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="ashneer-grover" source="Orion">Ashneer Grover</keyword> controversy behind, fintech platform <keyword id="7349800" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="bharatpe" source="Orion">BharatPe</keyword> has closed one of the highest growth quarters in its history, facilitating over Rs 3,600 crore in loans in the first quarter (April-June period) of FY23. This is a growth of 112 per cent over the last quarter. BharatPe said it also reached an all-time high of $18.5 billion in annualised total payment value (TPV) -- a growth of 50 per cent over the last quarter. "Post a successful FY22 that we closed with a 3 times growth in merchant loans, 2.5 times growth in payments and a 4 times jump in revenue, BharatPe has recorded its' best ever quarter in Q1, FY23," said <keyword id="4534514" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="suhail-sameer" source="Orion">Suhail Sameer</keyword>, CEO, BharatPe. "We are on an incredible growth journey, driven by a huge shift in behaviour towards digital payment modes, rise of <keyword id="6358921" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="upi" source="Orion">UPI</keyword> and the increased acceptance of new-age fintech products," he added. The company facilitated disbursals to over 1.2 lakh merchants in Q1, FY23, up from 66,000 merchants in the last quarter of FY22. Additionally, BharatPe's other product offerings, including the card acceptance POS businesses (BharatSwipe) and its investment platform for merchants recorded consistent growth (over 30 per cent) compared to the last quarter. "We are on track to achieve our target of $2 billion in loans facilitated (through our NBFC/bank partners) across both consumer and merchant business by the end of FY23 as well as scaling TPV to $30 billion by March 2023," said Sameer. The company saw its biggest-ever controversy starting earlier this year when its Co-founder and CEO <keyword id="12917061" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="ashneer" source="Orion">Ashneer</keyword> and his wife <keyword id="13057738" type="General" weightage="50" keywordseo="madhuri-jain-grover" source="Orion">Madhuri Jain Grover</keyword> siphoned off funds worth crores and were later sacked by the company.

BharatPe is doing just fine after Ashneer Grover's exit, records 112% growth

<ul><li><keyword id="163007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="muthoot-finance" source="Orion">Muthoot Finance</keyword> is one of the largest <keyword id="130134" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="gold-loan" source="Orion">gold loan</keyword> NBFC in India and it has been using its <keyword id="6354839" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="marketing" source="Orion">marketing</keyword> strategies effectively to make the brand a household name.</li><li><keyword id="9213956" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="abhinav-iyer" source="Orion">Abhinav Iyer</keyword>, GM, Marketing &amp; Strategy, Muthoot Finance tells us all the brand has been doing to not only grow its business but also to grow the category as a whole.</li></ul>It is no secret that Indians love gold. In fact, gold accounts for a large part of most Indian family’s wealth. While for years, securing loans against jewellery was looked at as a last resort, the last few years, especially the pandemic, has brought about an attitudinal shift in Indian consumers. Gold loans have been on a consistent rise over the last few years and this growth is coming from both micro enterprises and individuals. The pandemic hit many businesses and while things have been slowly moving towards normalcy, a lot of sectors still remain impacted, and people are still trying to find the balance. In such a scenario, gold loan has come up as both a convenient as well as a quick option to get cash. Over the years, there has been a shift in perception when it comes to taking a loan out on gold jewellery and one brand that has been trying to help the segment grow by trying to fasten this change is Muthoot Finance. Over the last few years, the brand has consistently stayed in the public consciousness with its marketing strategies. <keyword id="6357912" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan" source="Orion">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword> has been a face of the brand for four years now. It has also been the Principal Team Partner for Chennai Super Kings, having turned it into a trusted, household name. <div type="Youtube" id="WZl9-VYIErY" title="Muthoot Finance - Haathi Pe Bharosa Karogey Toh Pakka Jeetogey - 2.5 Lakh Customers" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/WZl9-VYIErY/mqdefault.jpg"></div> <div type="Youtube" id="ZpFUp9_P4X8" title="Muthoot Finance- Haathi Pe Bharosa Karogey Toh Pakka Jeetogey!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZpFUp9_P4X8/mqdefault.jpg"></div> We recently caught up with Abhinav Iyer, GM, Marketing &amp; Strategy, Muthoot Finance to understand how the pandemic impacted the company’s business and the role the brand has been playing in not only educating consumers about the sector but also helping the sector grow. Muthoot Finance’s growth story While the pandemic was not kind to many sectors and businesses, Muthoot Finance was able to sustain its growth, Iyer tells us. The consolidated AUM has grown by nearly 80% in the last three financial years from 2017-18 to 2020-21. Its consolidated net profit has grown by 114% during the same period. In other words, it has more than doubled during the said period. “We have grown considerably when it comes to our book size in the last few years. This year too, we are looking at growing our book size by 15%. We have made similar growth in terms of percentages when it comes to our profitability too. We serve over 2.5 lakh customers every day through our network of over 5000 branches. Contrary to common perception that we are a South-based brand, we are today a national brand, and grown consistently over the last decade,” shared Iyer. The brand has also been on an expansion mode. Over the last 2-3 years, it has added over 200 branches across the country. “If stock prices are a testament, we have made a healthy northward stride. From every stretch of imagination, we have grown, in terms of our physical branch presence, our customer base and our profitability over the last two, three years. And our marketing strategies have contributed considerably to this healthy and sustained growth,” added Iyer. Creating a winning marketing strategy It is often said that during times of crises, marketing budgets are usually the first to get slashed. We saw a lot of brands that stopped communicating with its consumers during the pandemic. However, Muthoot Finance is one brand that does not believe in this. In fact, it believes in staying in the public consciousness, staying constantly engaged. It has a half-yearly marketing strategy where it comes up with a high decibel campaign every six months, a strategy that has worked well for it. The brand recently launched its campaign ‘Hathi pe bharosa karoge toh pakka jeetoge’, featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The brand also recently launched the second season of its radio campaign called Muthoot Finance Sunheri Soch. At a time when more and more brands are steadily increasing their spends on Digital, while decreasing spends on traditional mediums, Muthoot Finance is one brand that has been consistently using mediums like Print, Radio and Outdoor. Speaking about its latest radio campaign, Iyer said, “Storytelling is the oldest form of teaching’ and we also believe that radio has always been seen as a credible and authentic medium of communication, hence we chose it as our primary medium of communication to reach out to our target audience and new customers. We also wanted to have a female voice this season and bring freshness to the table, hence this year we are extremely delighted to partner with <keyword id="6355846" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="madhuri-dixit" source="Orion">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> for Season 2. We have extensively researched and customized our series to be launched via radio alongside strong amplification across all prominent digital channels. We recorded a significant increase in our new customer acquisition and queries post the launch of Season 1. Thus, we did not hold back ourselves in investing again in radio and celebrating the art of <keyword id="282281" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="storytelling" source="Orion">storytelling</keyword>." On why the brand continues to invest on traditional mediums while also investing on newer mediums like Digital, Iyer added, “We are a national brand with around 5440 branches across India. More than 70% of our branches are in semi-urban and rural areas. We have served nearly 70 crore customer (including repeat customers) since our inception. So from all those parameters, we are a large, spread-out, national brand. So its important that some of these mass mediums are always there as part of our media mix. It would never be possible for us to do away with any of the mass mediums because the reach from mass media is critical for us. Meanwhile, digital is also a very important cog in the wheel. In the last three years, our digital and our IT teams have been working tirelessly to ensure the technological upgradation of our products and services. We launched our Gold Loan at home offering during the pandemic. That was a huge value-add from a technology perspective. There was a time you had to visit a branch to repay your loan interest. Today, you can do that using any digital payment platform, our chatbot or our WhatsApp business account. So today, it is not compulsory for people to visit the branch physically for availing loans or paying their interest. We are also investing substantially on digital marketing. Atleast 10% of our marketing budget is invested into digital marketing.” He also added that TV still makes for the largest chunk, between 40-45% of its marketing budgets. On what it got right when it comes to its marketing strategy, Iyer said it was a combination of a few things. “In the last few years, we have been on a marketing transformation journey. Firstly, partnering with Mr Bachchan has helped us cut across geographies, gender and age groups. Secondly, we partnered with Chennai Super Kings in 2018 when they were just coming back after a short break. <keyword id="6354832" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ms-dhoni" source="Orion">MS Dhoni</keyword> is also someone who enjoys almost the same stature that Mr Bachchan does in Bollywood. He’s a trustworthy, dependable and balanced individual. So our partnership with CSK helped us in the Tamil Nadu market where we have about 900-950 branches. We have also been using transit medium very effectively and The Greater Kailash metro station and the Nandanam station in Chennai have our branding and it has completely transformed the stations. We also came up with a unique initiative during the Kumbh mela when we created huge gold lockers to help devotees keep their valuables at a safe place. This campaign helped us win numerous awards. Lastly, over the years, we have created a culture of launching half-yearly campaigns, new communications to bring about an attitudinal change in the minds of people. We try to be present throughout the years on all major ATL and BTL mediums. I believe these strategies have helped us grow as we are also trying to grow the category.” Owing to its presence in smaller towns and cities, the brand also focuses a lot on regional communications. The brand puts out its communications in 11 languages to ensure its reach is far and wide. Future areas of focus In what the scope for the segment is in the future, Iyer said, “Overall there are around 25,000 tonnes of gold (household jewellery) in the country and less than 5% of it is monetized. So there’s a huge potential for growth, both for us and the industry as a whole. So the focus would be on getting new customers to try and opt for gold loans. Its also a very simple product, you only pay interest for the number of days for which you have availed the loan. There is a whole lot of customer benefits which can help people benefit from the product. So our primary objective, even from a marketing perspective would be to grow the category significantly and help the category prosper by itself. We will also constantly keep working on bringing about an attitudinal change in people through our marketing and communications,” concluded Iyer.

Here’s how Muthoot Finance is bringing about a perception change around gold loans with its marketing initiatives

Bollywood actress <keyword id="6355846" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="madhuri-dixit" source="Orion">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> Nene is all set to make her digital debut with the <keyword id="4118279" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Netflix-series" source="Orion">Netflix series</keyword> 'The <keyword id="3124162" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="fame-game" source="Orion">Fame Game</keyword>', which is slated to release on February 25. 'The Fame Game' also stars <keyword id="3799" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sanjay-kapoor" source="Orion">Sanjay Kapoor</keyword>, Manav Kaul, Lakshvir Saran and Suhasini Muley, Muskkaan Jaferi. The story revolves around Bollywood icon Anamika Anand, who has it all but is her life perfect or a perfectly crafted facade. 'The Fame Game', formerly known as Finding Anamika, will take us into the world of superstar Anamika played by the evergreen, ever-gorgeous Madhuri Dixit Nene! Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, the series marks her streaming debut. 'The Fame Game' brings together Sri Rao as the showrunner and writer and Bejoy Nambiar and Karishma Kohli as directors. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/air-indias-control-to-be-handed-over-to-tata-group-today/articleshow/89149336.cms">Air India's control to be handed over to the Tata Group today</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/electric-car-shipments-likely-to-grow-50-in-2022-says-a-new-gartner-report/articleshow/89151369.cms">Electric car shipments likely to grow 50% in 2022, says a new Gartner report</a>

You Searched For "madhuri" and got 11 results

I was scared, says Vidya Balan on rejecting 'Bhool Bhulaiya 2'

PTI

How did Majnu bhai's iconic painting from 'Welcome' land in 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3'?

PTI

‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3’ trailer: Internet’s reaction, cameos, speculations and more!

BI India Bureau

Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre brings back 'The Great Indian Musical: Civilization To Nation' on popular demand

ANI

FIR against BharatPe co-founder Ashneer Grover, his wife, family

PTI

OTT has made it possible to make a bold film like 'Maja Ma': Madhuri Dixit Nene

PTI

Ashneer Grover blames Zomato's Blinkit acquisition for its share price fall

IANS

Best Bollywood comebacks to OTT; Sushmita Sen, Karisma Kapoor, Bobby Deol and more

Soniya Tiwari

BharatPe is doing just fine after Ashneer Grover's exit, records 112% growth

IANS

Here’s how Muthoot Finance is bringing about a perception change around gold loans with its marketing initiatives

Samarpita Banerjee

Madhuri Dixit's debut OTT series 'The Fame Game' to release on February 25 on Netflix

IANS

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides