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

Mumbai, A special court here on Tuesday rejected a plea moved by the Central Bureau of Investigation (<keyword id="19896633" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="cbi" source="keywords">CBI</keyword>) seeking a stay on the broadcast of a documentary series on <keyword id="20552870" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indrani-mukerjea" source="keywords">Indrani Mukerjea</keyword>, a prime accused in the Sheena <keyword id="20659410" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="bora" source="keywords">Bora</keyword> murder case. CBI special judge S P Naik-Nimbalkar said the court does not have the "inherent power" to stop the broadcast, and asked the probe agency to approach an appropriate forum if advised. The judge held that the prosecution had not brought to his notice any legal provision for such directions. The docu-series, titled 'The <keyword id="20112549" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="indrani" source="keywords">Indrani</keyword> Mukerjea Story: The Buried Truth', delves into the disappearance of 25-year-old Bora and is scheduled to premiere on streaming platform Netflix on February 23. In its application filed through public prosecutor C J Nandode, the CBI had asked the court "to issue direction to accused and others concerned for staying/stopping the featuring of the accused persons and the persons connected with the case in the documentary by Netflix and its broadcasting on any platform till the conclusion of the ongoing trial". Bora was allegedly strangled to death in a car by Indrani, her then driver Shyamvar <keyword id="19931853" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rai" source="keywords">Rai</keyword> and former husband Sanjeev Khanna in April 2012. Bora was Indrani's daughter from her previous relationship. Her body was burnt in a forest in the neighbouring Raigad district. The murder came to light in 2015, after Rai revealed about the killing following his arrest in another case. Indrani was arrested in August 2015, and granted bail in May 2022. The other accused in the case, Rai, Khanna and Peter Mukerjea, are also out on bail.

Court rejects CBI's plea to stop broadcast of docuseries on Indrani Mukerjea

<keyword id="43940" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="P-Chidambaram">P Chidambaram</keyword>, former Finance Minister in the UPA government was arrested by the CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) in a money laundering case of 2007. Who was once the most influential ministers during the 10 year long rule of the UPA government is behind the bars now waiting to be probed in the INX Media case. Here are the details about the case against <keyword id="6362104" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="chidambaram">Chidambaram</keyword>. The grounds of Chidambaram’s recent arrest The case filed against Chidambaram that led to his arrest is related to the INX Media scam. This is a 2008 deal that threatens to put the ex-minister into a serious trouble along with his son Karti Chidambaram. Though Chidambaram has claimed that he has no connections with the companies that have received the alleged bribe money in return to issuing an undue foreign investment promotion clearance to INX Media, the High court has recently identified him as the kingpin of the said scam. The details of the case against Chidambaram The underline of the case against Chidambaram is the accusation that he has helped the founders of INX Media to prevaricate justice even after they had been found to violate the foreign investment laws of the country. In the year 2007, INX Media allegedly received foreign funding of Rs 305 crores whereas they had secured permission to raise only Rs 4.62 crores as shares. When the firm was questioned by the Financial Intelligence Unit in 2008, the founders of INX Media allegedly contracted the firm that Karti Chidambaram owned in order to sort out the issue. The CBI now claims that rather than ordering to investigate into the said case, Chidambaram misused his powers through the Foreign Investment Promotion Board that was under him to grant fresh approval for the foreign funds that were already received by INX Media. The probe agency alleges that in return to the favors that Chidambaram did to INX Media, the kickbacks were routed to him through the Shell Companies connected to Karti Chidambaram. In February 2018, Karti Chidambaram was arrested and kept in jail for 23 days for interrogation. In March 2018, <keyword id="1210108" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Indrani-Mukerjea">Indrani Mukerjea</keyword>, the promoter of INX Media confirmed the CBI that a deal worth $1 million took place between them and Karti Chidambaram for making the FIPB grant the approval favoring the INX Media. She also turned as an approver in the said case on July 11, 2019. What is Chidambaram’s response to the allegations? In defending his innocence, Chidambaram has claimed that neither he nor any one in his family was accused of any kind of offence and that both the ED and CBI did not file a charge sheet or FIR against anyone of them. The sources close to him also said the companies that are involved in the INX media scam are not connected to Chidambaram or his son. They also claim that there had been no money trail that is found routing the alleged kickbacks to Chidambaram. What the Delhi High Court says? When reading out the judgment, Justice Sunil Gaur said, "Facts of the case prima facie reveal that petitioner (Chidambaram) is the kingpin, that is, the key conspirator in this case,"

What is the case against Chidambaram

Taking a look at this video series <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qpna1hAndA&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">'The Good Crusaders' by Chivas in association with ET Now</a> will make you feel how little we have achieved in life while chasing our materialistic desires and ambitions. Due to our hectic lives and the overall sense of gloom in the world, we more than often fail to recognise the good we have in and amongst us. 
 
There exists a generous amount of individuals who are striving hard to make a difference in the lives of others and going the extra mile to empower them. Whether it's <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7PSuGUAya4&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=12">this man who took out 500 people with him in his 'Jagriti Yatra'</a> to build India, or this woman spearheading a movement against noise pollution, each and every person in the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_"> 100 Pipers' video series </a>has touched lives and depicted why we need to socially engage in today's fast paced life. 
 
So, pause for a moment from the madness you are living and tune in to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaFdIoFs_IM&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=3">100 Pipers' awe-inspiring stories </a>of some of the most stunning individuals. Take a look at their stories: 
 
1. Indrani Malkani 
 
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qpna1hAndA&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=1">This video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a> tells us the story of Indrani Malkani that wil leave you inspired for a llifetime. Born in Calcutta, Malkani worked in Delhi for a brief while before making Mumbai her home and becoming the ‘school bus lady.’ Living right next to a school, she was irritated by the incessant honking of cars before and after school hours. Additionally, she also believed she had a solution to ease traffic and chaos around schools and was the brain behind the school bus policy, nine years before the state formalized it. It is because of her that now school buses have become one of the most safest ways of travel, have first aid boxes and fire-extinguishers. 
 
2. Avijit Dutt 
 
A filmmaker and an actor, Avijit Dutt was asked to make a film on child abuse 20 years ago by UNICEF and NHRC. The film titled ‘Akkar Bakkar,’ which was also shown in the Parliament to hasten the Child Bill, gave birth to the activist in him and he launched Childline. Since then, he has been providing healthcare facilities at the grassroots level. Listen to him in <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9lwjhRUe0U&amp;index=14&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">this video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
3. Shashank Mani 
 
Shashank Mani believes that enterprise is the tool that can achieve the mission of development in rural India. He launched ‘Jagriti Yatra,’ which takes 500 yatris through a 15-day long train journey across the length and breadth of the country to understand and build the India of smaller towns and villages through enterprise. Listen to him in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7PSuGUAya4&amp;index=12&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
4. Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy 
 
A developmental peadritician by porfession, Dr Vibha Krishnamurthy launched ‘Umeed,’ a one-of-akind center to create an integrated family-centred support system for children with developmental disabilties in India. The aim of her organisation is to change the way families and communities understand and care for children with such disabilities. Listen to her in<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6ppJs50Gn0&amp;index=9&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_"> this video by Chivas in association with ET Now.</a> 
 
5. Sumaira Abdulali 
 
Sumaira Abdulalai is an environmentalist and the founder of the NGO, Awaaz Foundation. It is through her organisation that she has proven that noise pollution need not be the side effect of urbanisation and economic progress. By facilitating a transparent citizen-led movement to link urban development and noise regulation, she has taken a different approach to spearhead a movement against the pervasive environmental hazard of noise pollution. Listen to her in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2smh4gTj9gw&amp;index=13&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET Now</a>. 
 
6. Jahan Peston Jamas 
 
Jahan Peston Jamas, the man behind ‘The Hemp Revolution in India.’ On a trip that took Jamas and his friends to rural Maharashtra,Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, they were surprised to notice the abundance of the hemp plant and their daily uses. They thus started the Bombay Hemp Company and created a new industry around hemp, beginning with the basic needs of food, clothing and shelter. Listen to him in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BH3poHYIQ28&amp;index=11&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ET No</a>w. 
 
7. Rashmi Tiwari 
 
Rashmi Tiwari has been instrumental in curbing trafficking against women and children through her organisation, Ahaan Tribal Development Foundation. Through her centres, Tiwari educates and empowers tribal girls residing in impoverished parts of the country to beat the very poverty that makes them weak and powerless. Listen to her in t<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rURyTkkZut8&amp;index=7&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">his video by Chivas in association with ETNow.</a> 
 
8. Pranik Naik 
 
Disrupting status quo in education, Pranik Naik founded an organisation called ‘LeapForWord’ that provides English-language training to facilitate job placements for the youth. Naik is thus on a mission to make rural India English literate. Listen to Pranik in this<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChHNo0f2F9c&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=5"> video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
9. Dr Ramakant Panda 
 
Growing up in a small village, Dr Ramakant Panda always believed in giving hope when there is none. It thus seemed apt that years later when he became a successsful cardiac surgeon, he would give back. Panda set up the Asian Heart Institute to raise the bar for medical standards in India for heart care. Listen to Ramakant in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezCsQBgXjrk&amp;index=6&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_">video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
10. Shaheen Mistri 
 
A social acitivist and educator by heart, Shaheen Mistri founded the Akanksha Foundation in 1991 with a simple idea- to educate the thousands of children residing in slums. Today, the Foundation teaches 3,500 children in 58 centres and six schools. Listen to her in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aD_24WhvJ74&amp;list=PL52yHaqM139xA1ZzhMc1d18Mc-FcPo5W_&amp;index=4">video by Chivas in association with ETNow</a>. 
 
You can know more about these revolutionary crusaders in this video series by 100 Pipers:

The Good Crusaders: 10 Indians leading by example

Did you know that the first ever <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=miss+universe&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Miss Universe</a> pageant was held way back in 1952? Yep, that long back. 
 
It was held on June 28 in California, USA and the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=miss+india&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">Miss India</a> representing the country for the first time was the gorgeous <keyword id="3366561" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indrani-Rehman">Indrani Rehman</keyword>. She was all of 22 then. 
 
Rehman was also a trained Indian classical dancer of Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathakali and Odissi, all of which she also popularised in the West. 
 
We just happened to stumble upon a picture of her in the <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=swimsuit+round&amp;sortorder=effectivedate">swimsuit round</a> from the <keyword id="3366562" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="first-ever-Miss-Universe-pageant">first ever Miss Universe pageant</keyword> and boy does she rock the vintage look! 
 
The gajra and bindi with the swimsuit is an added bonus of desi swag. We love it! 
 
Here's the original post: 
 
<blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-version="7" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:658px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);">
	<div style="padding:8px;">
		<div style=" background:#F8F8F8; line-height:0; margin-top:40px; padding:62.5% 0; text-align:center; width:100%;">
			<div style=" background:url(data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAACwAAAAsCAMAAAApWqozAAAABGdBTUEAALGPC/xhBQAAAAFzUkdCAK7OHOkAAAAMUExURczMzPf399fX1+bm5mzY9AMAAADiSURBVDjLvZXbEsMgCES5/P8/t9FuRVCRmU73JWlzosgSIIZURCjo/ad+EQJJB4Hv8BFt+IDpQoCx1wjOSBFhh2XssxEIYn3ulI/6MNReE07UIWJEv8UEOWDS88LY97kqyTliJKKtuYBbruAyVh5wOHiXmpi5we58Ek028czwyuQdLKPG1Bkb4NnM+VeAnfHqn1k4+GPT6uGQcvu2h2OVuIf/gWUFyy8OWEpdyZSa3aVCqpVoVvzZZ2VTnn2wU8qzVjDDetO90GSy9mVLqtgYSy231MxrY6I2gGqjrTY0L8fxCxfCBbhWrsYYAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC); display:block; height:44px; margin:0 auto -44px; position:relative; top:-22px; width:44px;">
				&#xa0;</div>
		</div>
		
			<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BFc2YKiwLpZ/" style=" color:#000; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none; word-wrap:break-word;" target="_blank">At the 'First' Miss Universe in 1952! Miss India, the lovely Indrani Rahman, unapologetically flaunts her desi style... #vintage #missuniverse #1952 #eastmeetswest #indranirahman #classicaldancer #inspiration</a>
		<p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;">
			A photo posted by House Of Blouse (@houseofblousedotcom) on
		<time datetime="2016-05-16T02:07:07+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px;">
			May 15, 2016 at 7:07pm PDT</time>
	</div>
</blockquote>

Meet Indrani Rehman, the first Miss India to compete in the first ever Miss Universe pageant in 1952

For Indians, who are always hungry for some bloody drama, the high profile murders make for a delectable watch. Hence, it was little surprising when the recent <keyword id="3021112" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sheena-Bora-murder-case">Sheena Bora murder case</keyword>, which is still developing, was called a ‘prime time murder’ for a reason. 
 
Crimes are what the audience trip on. We know that too well by now. It redeems the collective notion of Indians in karma theory they believe innately in. What goes around definitely comes around as well. And, when a rich man or woman commits a crime, they surreptitiously evoke the feelings of not-so-rich Indian middle class that watches the elite with a bit of suspicion and jealousy. 
 The case of Sheena Bora, the famed sister (allegedly daughter) of <keyword id="1210108" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Indrani-Mukerjea">Indrani Mukerjea</keyword>, who shot to fame years after her death, is a classic example of how India’s thirst is ravaging for sensational murders. 
 
After all, aren’t we the same country that fuels our imagination with prime time soap operas that are conniving, filled with crime, and also have a fair share of those who stand by and suffer silently till someone rescues them. Our concept of god, as the saviour is pretty much the same. 
 
Sheena’s story is still developing, in which a shocking dimension is getting added every day. The 24X7 coverage the news report is getting, doesn’t seem enough because the list of people involved is getting bigger by the day. The puzzle is so confusing that it is almost an unsolvable maze now. 
 
Some of the high profile cases that have shook India have had an interesting mix of elite and middle class with the latter feeling helpless. In case of Jessica Lal, the case was a clear one. 
 
<a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=aarushi">Aarushi Talwar’s case</a> was also something that media rode on for a long time. There was sex, gore and double murders in the upscale house of affluent dentist couple. In the absence of everything else, the parents were finally declared the murderers and put behind bars. They continue to languish there, while trying to work up a weak battle once a while. But, the battle has now shifted from middle class to the system that implicates them. The system is so corroded that it has almost become unreachable and inaccessible for the end users. 
 
With Sheena, the case has gotten a lot murkier than all other. This is almost such a tragedy that even Greek tragedies that were written by greatest playwrights fall short of the dramatic equations this has created. 
 Never before did social media use a crime for comic relief. Today, when you open Facebook or Twitter, you only see the images of 24-year-old innocent Sheena, who was looking forward to a life with her technical stepbrother who was her lover, and a social climber in Indrani who seemed to have exploited her gender and looks to the last benefit, and a hapless <keyword id="6360333" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Peter-Mukerjea">Peter Mukerjea</keyword> who claimed he didn’t know Sheena was Indrani’s daughter. 
 
Wow! That was SOMETHING! Now, is this the same man who turned the fortune for Star Group in India? People, remember those days when Amitabh Bachchan resonated with his baritone voice on Kaun Banega Crorepati, a show that gave a fresh lease of life for both the actor and the channel! 
 
Star till then was pretty much a western channel that was yet to mature with Indian content. Peter changed the fortune with a bouquet of programmes. At a time when Star was at its best, it had top 44 shows on the list of a 100 most popular shows in India. This was the calibre of the man, who is now stuck in a marriage and a murder that does not seem to be easy to solve. 
 
Indrani is a challenge to India’s social conscience. A small town girl from Guwahati, who was called Pori in her childhood turned out to be the best social climber ever. There are hardly any journalists and media persons who have NOT tweeted or written about this crime after she was picked up by Mumbai police for interrogation two weeks ago. 
 
Since then, the crime has remained the same with dimensions getting wider and wider. Indrani not only managed to rope in her former husband from whom she had another daughter whom she publicly acknowledges, but mercilessly played a role in ending the life of her own daughter from an alleged live-in relationship that didn’t turn into a marriage. A son from the same relationship escaped the jaws of death because of his presence of mind. 
 
This is some crime that will rankle the ears of India for a long time to come. 
 
(Image: Indiatimes)

Sheena Bora murder case and other bloody trail of India’s high and mighty

Female protagonists are ruling <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> nowadays and we were definitely looking forward to some spectacular showing when Kangana Ranaut-Vir Das-starrer comedy-drama <keyword id="1132893" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Revolver-Rani">Revolver Rani</keyword> and Subhash Ghai-directed <keyword id="2214753" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kaanchi-The-Unbreakable">Kaanchi: The Unbreakable</keyword>, yet another <keyword id="2097207" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Woman-centric-movie">woman-centric movie</keyword>, were released on April 25. <keyword id="1718118" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Samrat-Co-">Samrat &amp; Co.</keyword>, a whodunit movie directed and co-written by <keyword id="1097593" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kaushik-Ghatak">Kaushik Ghatak</keyword>, was the third release of the week. 
 Going by the numbers, it was an extremely poor weekend at the <keyword id="827271" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Domestic-Box-Office">domestic box office</keyword> and the Monday business did not look up either, predicting more gloom and doom. After her stellar performance in <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Box-Office-Queen-OutshinesGulaab-Gang-Total-Siyapaa-Tanks/articleshow/31848837.cms">Queen</a> (it has netted around Rs 60 crore at home and grossed nearly Rs 93 crore worldwide), Kangana-led Revolver Rani has turned out to be a surprise slow-starter at the <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="100" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword> in spite of an intriguing storyline. Sure, it had the best start among the three but netted around Rs 6 crore at home after the first three days in spite of hype and the positive word of mouth. Debut day occupancy was as low as 15% although the movie has hit around 1,500 screens, nearly double the number of <keyword id="6377522" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="queen">Queen</keyword>. 
 
Interestingly, Queen, too, picked up pace pretty late, but managed to nett around Rs 9 crore after the first three days. For Revolver Rani, the crucial Day 4 (Monday, April 28) business was equally dismal and the movie collected around Rs 1.4 crore at home. It has an estimated budget of Rs 24 crore. 
 
However, <keyword id="1417195" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kaanchi">Kaanchi</keyword>, directed by <keyword id="6354581" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Subhash-Ghai">Subhash Ghai</keyword>, suffered a worse fate. This one looks like a clear <keyword id="2076872" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Box-office-bomb">box office bomb</keyword> and collected a paltry Rs 75 lakh on the opening Friday. Weekend earnings remained extremely disappointing and the romance-cum-revenge drama could only manage Rs 3 crore in the first three days. Monday collections stood at an estimated Rs 1.1 crore. With the budget of the movie projected to be Rs 30 crore-plus, industry experts are already calling it another disastrous outing by Ghai. Kaanchi has opened in 1,150-1,200 theatres at home, but the occupancy was less than 15%, especially at single screens. In fact, Kaanchi is the lowest debut-day grosser among Ghai’s recent flops including Yaadein (Rs 1.6 crore on opening Friday), Kisna (Rs 1.5 crore) and Yuvraaj (Rs 2.9 crore). 
 <keyword id="2218677" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Samrat-and-Co-">Samrat and Co.</keyword>, a <keyword id="25276" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="detective">detective</keyword> thriller starring <keyword id="15130" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rajeev-Khandelwal">Rajeev Khandelwal</keyword>, <keyword id="110704" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Madalasa-Sharma">Madalasa Sharma</keyword> and <keyword id="1600791" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Gopal-Datt">Gopal Datt</keyword>, hit around 500 screens at home and was immediately declared a flop. First day collections at the domestic box office were an appalling Rs 25 lakh and total earnings in the first three days stood at Rs 1.45 crore, as per trade figures. Interestingly, first Monday (Day 4) collections were better than the opening day, amounting to Rs 60 lakh. But keeping the film’s budget in mind – in the zone of Rs 18 crore or so – this rahasya (mystery) ride won’t be going anywhere in terms of <keyword id="1996031" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Box-office-performance">box office performance</keyword>. 
 
 
 If you are still wondering what has led to the wholesale box office debacle, a close look at all the three flicks may help decode the failures. Directed by <keyword id="2218682" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Sai-Kabir-Shrivastav">Sai Kabir Shrivastav</keyword> (he also did the story and the screenplay) Revolver Rani narrates the story of <keyword id="315181" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Alka-Singh">Alka Singh</keyword> (<keyword id="2201" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kangana-Ranaut">Kangana Ranaut</keyword>), a dacoit-turned-politician in the thick of power game and in love with Bollywood aspirant <keyword id="1555785" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rohan-Mehra">Rohan Mehra</keyword> (<keyword id="671" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vir-das">Vir Das</keyword>). Kangana plays the <keyword id="2218683" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chambal-girl">Chambal girl</keyword> to perfection – raw, raunchy, power-loving and trigger-happy. But one must not write it off as another one of the Bandit Queen saga. The ground realities, the ingrained satire and the layers of turbulence unfold well in the movie, but the story fails at times – losing the smooth flow and meandering during the second half. Overall, it has loads of merit, but it’s hardly a feel-good movie and that could be one of the key reasons behind the slow business pick-up. As <keyword id="122490" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="film-critic">film critic</keyword> Anupama Chopra so rightly said, “If you can enjoy bad people doing bad things, then Revolver Rani will be fun.” 
 
Kaanchi, on the other hand, simply drags on and loses all the suspense of a revenge drama that it later turns out to be. The movie features two newcomers in lead roles, <keyword id="562167" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kartik-Tiwari">Kartik Tiwari</keyword> (aka <keyword id="2104801" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kartik-Aaryan">Kartik Aaryan</keyword>) and Hindi movie debutante Indrani Chakraborty (aka Mishti), while the ‘big baddies’ are played by <keyword id="6357910" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Rishi-Kapoor">Rishi Kapoor</keyword> and <keyword id="14672" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Mithun-Chakraborty">Mithun Chakraborty</keyword>. The naïve rural beauty Kaanchi fights against power and corruption as her love Binda, her land and her life are at stake. But as is the Bollywood norm, the twists and turns get too filmy to be convincing, the characters become stereotypes and the dialogues are mere lip service. At the end, we are looking at a mere shell instead of a strong script, powerful performances and the ‘gale’ of change. 
 Samrat and Co. does no better in terms of cinematic art. Rajeev Khandelwal (<keyword id="239627" type="POSITION" weightage="100" keywordseo="private-investigator">private investigator</keyword> Samrat Tilakdhari) lacks the earlier sparkle of Table No. 21. And if you are expecting Rajeev and Gopal (Samrat’s <keyword id="6419345" type="POSITION" weightage="80" keywordseo="assistant">assistant</keyword> and friend, <keyword id="2218675" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Chakradhar-Pandey">Chakradhar Pandey</keyword>) do a Holmes-Watson act, you could be mightily disappointed. But currently you have a mystery to solve. Try and predict if these three would do well at the domestic box office over the first week. Your guess is as good as ours. 
 
Images: Indiatimes

Box Office: Kangana Fails To Lift Revolver Rani; Kaanchi Lacks Ghai’s Golden Touch

Mumbai, Disney+ Hotstar on Friday unveiled its new series "<keyword id="19830179" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="karmma-calling" source="Orion">Karmma Calling</keyword>", starring actor <keyword id="6384030" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="raveena-tandon" source="Orion">Raveena Tandon</keyword> in the lead. The show, which will debut on the streamer's platform on January 26, 2024, is based on the popular American series "Revenge", which aired from 2011-2015 and was produced by ABC Signature, a part of Disney Television Studios. It is adapted and directed by <keyword id="210784" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ruchi-narain" source="Orion">Ruchi Narain</keyword> of "Guilty" fame. Set in the world of glitz and glamour, filled with deceit and betrayal, "Karmma Calling" will feature Tandon as Indrani Kothari, the reigning queen of the Alibaug society. Tandon, who made her series debut with the 2021 show "Aranyak", said she has not played a character like Indrani Kothari in a long time. "Karmma Calling is definitely more than what meets the eye and explores different facets of the world of the rich. Collaborating with Disney+ Hotstar was a great experience and playing Indrani helped me explore more for myself as an actor. It is a never-seen-before and never done before role and I am looking forward to audience reactions," the 51-year-old actor said. Narain said "Karmma Calling" is set against the backdrop of the ultra rich and affluent Kothari family and all that conspires around them in their world. "The series has massive grandeur, scale and a glamorous outlook with a story that weaves in revenge, deceit, betrayals and also navigates experiences of the Kothari family. The series is definitely going to be your 'guilty pleasure' watch and leave you craving for more. Collaborating with Raveena Tandon and Disney+ Hotstar has been an incredible experience," she added. Gaurav Banerjee, Head - Content, Disney+ Hotstar &amp; HSM Entertainment Network, Disney Star, said they are happy with how 2023 has turned out for the streaming service with shows such as "The Night Manager", "Taaza Khabar", "Saas Bahu aur Flamingo", "Aarya" season three and "The Trial". "The upcoming Hotstar Specials' Karmma Calling narrates the story of Indrani Kothari's world, where her Karma will not let her rest. A world that shows the opulence and lives of the riches. The series marks Disney+ Hotstar's first association with the versatile Raveena Tandon," he added. "Karmma Calling" is produced by R.A.T Films.

Disney+ Hotstar announces Raveena Tandon-led series 'Karmma Calling'

Acclaimed <keyword id="405631" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Rabindra-Sangeet" source="Orion">Rabindra Sangeet</keyword> artist <keyword id="387180" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sumitra-Sen" source="Orion">Sumitra Sen</keyword> died on Tuesday morning in Kolkata. She was 89. She is survived by her two daughters, Indrani Sen and Sraboni Sen, both of whom are acclaimed Rabindra Sangeet singers too. The <keyword id="2998886" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="deceased-singer" source="Orion">deceased singer</keyword> was suffering from different age-related ailments for quite some time. She had also contracted bronchopneumonia recently. The news of her demise was shared by her younger daughter Sraboni Sen through Facebook at around 4.30 a.m. Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee has expressed condolence for the death of the legendary singer. "I express my condolences over the death of legendary Rabindra Sangeet artist Sumitra Sen. She died in Kolkata on Tuesday. She was 89. She mesmerised millions of Rabindra Sangeet lovers through her performance for years. As a music teacher, also, she was highly regarded by her students," she wrote in her message. Sen was admitted to a city hospital for the last few days and on Monday, she returned home. According to her elder daughter Indrani Sen, despite her declining health, the veteran singer was fully in her senses and was able to recognise each who came to visit her. The legendary singer was born on March 7, 1933. From a very young age she started taking lessons in Rabindra Sangeet and received critic's accolades for her district style. She will be cremated on Tuesday. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/thelife/news/pope-benedict-xvi-a-man-at-odds-with-the-modern-world-who-leaves-a-legacy-of-intellectual-brilliance-and-controversy/articleshow/96699003.cms">Pope Benedict XVI: A man at odds with the modern world who leaves a legacy of intellectual brilliance and controversy</a> <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/pushpa-the-rise-raises-10-million-rubles-at-russia-box-office/articleshow/96683340.cms">'Pushpa: The Rise' raises 10 million Rubles at Russia box office</a>

Rabindra Sangeet artist Sumitra Sen passes away at 89

New Delhi, There was no surprises in store as all the marquee players, including Mumbai Indians' Harmanpreet Kaur, Delhi Capital's Meg Lanning and Royal Challengers Bangalore's Smriti Mandhana, have been retained by their respective Women's Premier League franchises (<keyword id="3796649" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="wpl" source="Orion">WPL</keyword>), the league announced on Thursday. The window for the five franchises to retain players for the WPL 2024 season came to an end on October 15. While 60 players, including 21 overseas cricketers, were retained across five franchises, 29 players were released from their existing squads. Besides Kaur, who led MI to title triumph in the tournament's inaugural edition this year, the team has retained Hayley Matthews, <keyword id="7003888" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="yastika-bhatia" source="Orion">Yastika Bhatia</keyword>, Natalie Sciver-Brunt, Amelia Kerr and <keyword id="16747274" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="isabelle-wong" source="Orion">Isabelle Wong</keyword> among others. The Delhi-based franchise, which finished runners-up in the first edition, retained a total of 15 players, including 5 overseas players. The UP Warriorz, who finished third, have retained their core group and have decided to hold on to the services of five of their overseas players, while the South African ace pacer Shabnim Ismail has been released. Also released from the squad are Devika Vaidya, <keyword id="1089092" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="simran-shaikh" source="Orion">Simran Shaikh</keyword> and <keyword id="13655028" type="General" weightage="80" keywordseo="shivali-shinde" source="Orion">Shivali Shinde</keyword>. Speaking about the players released from the team, Delhi Capitals' head coach Jonathan Batty said, "It wasn't an easy decision at all for us to let go of these players. They were all a crucial part of our very memorable inaugural season, and I wish them all the very best. "We've got a solid squad in place, and will aim to make it more complete at the upcoming auction." The following players from the five WPL franchises were retained and released from the squad: Delhi Capitals: Retained Players: Alice Capsey, Arundhati Reddy, Jemimah Rodrigues, Jess Jonassen, Laura Harris, Marizanne Kapp, Meg Lanning, Minnu Mani, Poonam Yadav, Radha Yadav, Shafali Verma, Shikha Pandey, Sneha Deepthi, Taniyaa Bhatia, Titas Sadhu Released Players: Aparna Mondal, Jasia Akhter, Tara Norris Gujarat Giants: Retained Players: Ashleigh Gardner, Beth Mooney, Dayalan Hemalatha, Harleen Deol, Laura Wolvaardt, Shabnam Shakil, Sneh Rana, Tanuja Kanwer Released Players: Annabel Sutherland, Ashwani Kumari, Georgia Wareham, Hurley Gala, Kim Garth, Mansi Joshi, Monica Patel, Parunika Sisodia, Sabbineni Meghana, Sophia Dunkley, Sushma Verma Mumbai Indians: Retained Players: Amanjot Kaur, Amelia Kerr, Chloe Tryon, Harmanpreet Kaur, Hayley Matthews, Humairaa Kaazi, Isabelle Wong, Jintimani Kalita, Natalie Sciver, Pooja Vastrakar, Priyanka Bala, Saika Ishaque, Yastika Bhatia Released Players: Dhara Gujjar, Heather Graham, Neelam Bisht, Sonam Yadav Royal Challengers Bangalore: Retained Players: Asha Shobana, Disha Kasat, Ellyse Perry, Heather Knight, Indrani Roy, Kanika Ahuja, Renuka Singh, Richa Ghosh, Shreyanka Patil, Smriti Mandhana, Sophie Devine Released Players: Dane Van Niekerk, Erin Burns, Komal Zanzad, Megan Schutt, Poonam Khemnar, Preeti Bose, Sahana Pawar UP Warriorz: Retained Players: Alyssa Healy, Anjali Sarvani, Deepti Sharma, Grace Harris, Kiran Navgire, Lauren Bell, Laxmi Yadav, Parshavi Chopra, Rajeshwari Gayakwad, S. Yashasri, Shweta Sehrawat, Sophie Ecclestone, Tahlia Mcgrath Released Players: Devika Vaidya, Shabnim Ismail, Shivali Shinde, Simran Shaikh.

On expected lines, franchises retain top guns ahead of WPL-2

<ul><li>Streaming services grew at 50-60% during the pandemic, now it’s fallen to around 13%.</li><li>Ad supported models and new regional players are disrupting the market.</li><li>Higher acquisition and production costs and churn are troubling players who are seeing effects of slowdown.</li><li>The original content that’s streaming on OTTs is also falling into a rote, say consumers and film-makers. </li></ul>The year 2020 was a watershed year for many industries, as lockdowns put enormous restrictions on people. Ramesh Bharadwaj was stuck at home waiting for the pandemic to end. To pass time and keep his mind off crazy thoughts, the 27-year-old script writer started watching web series. And he subscribed to more and more OTT platforms to keep himself occupied. “Last year (2022), I realized that I had the big three — Prime, <keyword id="128682" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="netflix" source="Orion">Netflix</keyword> and <keyword id="2739840" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hotstar" source="Orion">Hotstar</keyword>, and one more Telugu OTT. I was spending over ₹5,000 a year on these services. When I came to senses, I retained two and cancelled the rest,” he told Business Insider India. Bharadwaj joins the list of many people who are cutting down on the number of OTT subscriptions. Apart from costs, the screen-time has drastically reduced after they started stepping out after the pandemic. Binge watching is no more in vogue — which is taking the shine off the growth rates of OTT players compared to the pandemic. The ‘cool factor’ goes poof The dullness that’s seeped into the OTTs is not just because of screen fatigue and too many options. The ‘alternate’ content that’s made streaming cooler than TV, is also fast waning. Akshay Bardapurkar, CEO and Founder, Planet Marathi too says that people are moving away because there is nothing exciting to watch. “People want to devote their free time to watching OTTs but the quality of content post-Covid is not up to its mark. You don’t subscribe to OTTs for one series or a movie, you need continuity and that’s seen a downfall post-Covid,” he adds. Bharadwaj too tells that he is watching a lot less of streaming services because there’s nothing exciting to watch. “The last time I enjoyed a series was Khakee and Panchayat Season 2,” he sighs. Experts also say that all the web series are sounding and looking the same too. “The thriller genre is overdone on OTT and they’re falling into a rote. In order to make people watch the next episode, they’re having to invent ‘kicks’ in each episode and extend a story that can be told in 1.5 hours to 4-4.5 hours across eight episodes,” Indrani, a documentary filmmaker tells Business Insider India. “They’re nothing more than sophisticated soaps,” she opines. The growth curve has flattened In 2023, the number of people using OTT platforms increased by 13.5%. While it’s still double-digit growth, it’s nowhere close to the 50-60% seen during the pandemic. OTT players call these reduced growth numbers as signs of stabilization and maturity. “The curve has flattened over time. This had to happen. But we at Hoichoi are seeing some pockets of high growth,” Soumya Mukherjee, COO of regional language OTT player Hoichoi tells Business Insider India. The business is moving but at a much slower pace. “Now, the (OTT) growth is more organic, influenced by factors like cheaper data, content variety and the widespread availability of digital platforms. The fervour witnessed during the pandemic-induced surge has mellowed down to a more gradual pace,” said Sameer Jain, managing director of Primus Partners. Bharat binges but on AVOD model All in all, 423.8 million Indians watch content on an OTT platform. An average user holds 2.8 subscriptions each. And India has over 100 million paid subscriptions in India. Most of the new subscribers are coming from non-metroes. “Metropolitan areas and some smaller urban centers are showing signs of saturation, experiencing minimal growth. Notably, smaller towns and rural areas, where only 23% of the population is engaged compared to the national average of 34%, are driving this growth,” Jain tells Business Insider India. This new-growth patch for OTT is coming at a new business model – AVOD or advertising-based Video on Demand. Popularized by Jio Cinema which offered Indian Cricket World Cup for free with ads, the model involves some ‘free content’ and some ‘premium’ offerings behind a paywall. The large OTTs, which disrupted linear TV, are now being disrupted. “A clear structural disruption for the India content/telecom ecosystem may lead to early consolidation signs for India OTT, strain on global OTT giants (behind the paywall), and India OTT shifting to free offerings,” says Karan Taurani, media sector analyst at Elara Capital, says in a note. Mushrooming and churn During its high-growth phase, many new and regional players have mushroomed thanks to low-entry barriers. India now has over 47 OTT platforms across languages like Haryanvi etc in addition to multiple options in South languages. “The acquisition cost of new customers is very high, and their churn is also very high,” Archana Anand, chief business officer of ZEE5 Global said at an event in November. The average cost of customer acquisition for an OTT platform currently ranges from ₹250 to ₹650, as per Jain. “The growth rate of paid subscriptions decreased by about 20% in 2022 from its peak during the pandemic. Moreover, users are now frequently activating and deactivating subscriptions,” he sums up. Mukherjee too says that there would be consolidation in the sector. “A lot of newer and smaller players will survive only on the aggregator model. And large players and established language players will be able to go on independently,” he believes. Even when it’s becoming difficult to acquire customers, OTT players are having to spend heavily on new shows. In 2022, where spending on original shows alone ranged from $600-700 million, which does include the cost of acquiring movies etc. Most OTT players are now stuck between a rock and a hard place — having to keep churning out new and interesting content for viewers who are not swelling as fast. (This is an article in the ‘Boom to Bust’ series which will discuss post-pandemic trends.)

Boom2Bust: Streaming services slip after their pandemic-highs

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) With the ban on TikTok creating a huge vacuum for the 15-second videos in the Indian Internet space, Facebook-owned Instagram on Wednesday announced the extension of the testing of Reels which allows users to record, edit and share short multi-clip videos, to India. With Reels, Instagram users can share short videos with their followers on Feed and, if they have a public account, make their reels available to the wider Instagram community through a new space in Explore. "With the rise in video consumption overall and videos making up over a third of posts on Instagram in India, Instagram has a big role to play in unleashing expression in the country," Ajit Mohan, Vice President and Managing Director, Facebook India, told reporters in a video call. "With Reels, we're unveiling the future of entertainment on the platform, in a way that ignites creativity. With the multiple creative formats, whichever way you want to express yourself, it can now be on Instagram," Mohan added. Instagram is used by over a billion people globally across many surfaces -- Feed, Stories, IGTV and Live. With Reels, people can express themselves while entertaining others, whether that's by trying out a fun new dance or spreading the message on something they care about. People can record and edit 15-second multi-clip videos with audio, effects and new creative tools on Reels. "Instagram has always been a place where culture is created, because people come to share the things they care about and be entertained. "We're constantly listening to our community, and have heard that they want to make and watch short-form videos on Instagram and have the opportunity to be discovered by our broader community," said Vishal Shah, Vice President of Product, Facebook. "We're excited to expand the test of Reels to India and give the next generation of creators born and bred in India a chance to share their native and cultural context -- and be potential global stars." The feature will start rolling out to users in India from 7.30 pm from Wednesday and at the onset, will be populated with content from a diverse set of public figures and creators, such as Ammy Virk, Gippy Grewal, Komal Pandey, Arjun Kanungo, Jahnavi Dasetty aka Mahathalli, Indrani Biswas aka Wondermunna, Kusha Kapila, Radhika Bangia, RJ Abhinav and Ankush Bhaguna. India is the fourth country, after Brazil, Germany and France, where this new format is being tested. This entertainment experience builds on the work done in the past year to enable expression, such as the vast library of music available on the platform; the Spark AR effects on Instagram that enable more creation and expression on the platform; and the 'Born on Instagram' programme, which has led to discovery and growth of creators from all across India. --IANS gb/na

Instagram brings TikTok-like short videos to India with 'Reels'

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image">Mike Theiler/ReutersQuartz co-CEO Jay Lauf</div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Quartz has lost five key people in the past few months, including some who were key to its revenue diversification plan.</li><li>They include the people leading its fledgling membership program. </li><li>Quartz has gone through rapid change since its sale a year ago to Japanese <keyword id="6354777" type="COMPANY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Media">media</keyword> company Uzabase, and some former employees said there was confusion among staff about the strategy behind the membership program.</li><li>Co-CEO Jay Lauf said the company is doing just fine, though, and that he was "pleased" with the membership program.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime?module=article&amp;area=summary">Click here for more BI Prime stories</a>.</li></ul>Quartz has lost five key people in the past few months, including some who were central to its revenue diversification efforts.Those helping lead Quartz's diversification efforts who left were Sam Grobart, who was in charge of Quartz's fledgling membership program, and his deputy, Sarah Kessler. Also leaving were Solana Pyne, Quartz's head of video, which was used to help drive membership; and Sari Zeidler, head of growth.Editorial people who left included Indrani Sen, who was head of Quartz's lifestyle content, Quartzy, which insiders said was a heavy traffic driver.Read more: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/yahoo-finance-is-launching-a-55-a-month-subscription-service-2019-4">Verizon Media revealed splashy plans for Yahoo Finance and Yahoo Sports. Here's what advertisers are saying about it.</a>In addition, earlier in the year, Quartz lost its chief revenue officer, Joy Robins, who went to The Washington Post; and Adam Pasick, who headed editorial for the app, to The New York Times.Launched in 2012, the business news publication was widely admired as a mobile-first, digital-only outlet for global business people. It was known for experimenting with new ways to deliver news through chat bots and putting the user first with tightly written articles and so-called native ads that resembled articles rather than annoying banner ads.But Quartz has undergone massive change since it was sold in July 2018 by Atlantic Media to Uzabase, a Tokyo-based public media company.The new company moved quickly to diversify Quartz's revenue with a $100-a-year membership program that promised access to exclusive, in-depth story packages called Field Guides; events; and conference calls with reporters. Quartz <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quartzs-app-takes-on-social-platforms-with-richard-branson-others-2018-11">introduced a new app</a> that featured business bigshots like Beth Comstock and Roger McNamee who would comment on stories in the app. <a href="https://digiday.com/media/pivot-paid-quartz-lays-off-business-side-employees-second-time-year/">It laid off 11 business-side people</a> in two rounds this year.Six months after rolling out the membership program, Quartz, which had been free for most of its existence, put up <a href="https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/05/quartz-built-on-free-distribution-has-put-its-articles-behind-a-paywall/">a metered paywall</a> to encourage membership signups.A lot of publishers are pivoting to paywalls and memberships to allay their reliance on <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword> revenue, but the jury's out on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/only-a-few-publishers-will-be-able-to-sell-subscriptions-at-scale-2019-3">how many will be able to generate meaningful revenue this way</a>.<h2>Some former employees said the membership program felt rushed</h2>Some former Quartz employees said they were unsure what the strategy behind the membership program was and said that it felt rushed. Quartz co-CEO Jay Lauf told Business Insider that the recent departures would be replaced by new hires or promotions from within. He said he couldn't give financial figures now that Quartz was part of a public company, but that he was "pleased" with the results of the membership program so far. "Our approach, which is member-specific content and access to our journalists and the community, are things we're encouraged by," he said.Overall, he said, Quartz's business was strong. "Usabase has been a really supportive and energetic new owner. They've been investing in Quartz." <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/general-mills-cmo-brad-hiranaga-marketers-job-create-markets-2019-8">General Mills chief brand officer says marketers should not focus on creating advertising, but creating markets</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

Business news outlet Quartz has lost 5 key people in the past few months

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Dominic-Madori Davis is a reporter at Insider, and Keishel Williams is an editing fellow.</li><li>Together, they attended an invitation-only virtual "<keyword id="1112328" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Influencers">Influencers</keyword> Dinner" salon hosted by behavioral scientist Jon Levy.</li><li>Below is their conversation about what the unique event was like.</li></ul>It was a Tuesday night in May when we attended an "<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Influencers_Dinner">Influencers Dinner</a>" salon - a virtual party hosted by author and behavioral scientist Jon Levy. There were games, breakout room trivia, and a musical performance by singer-actress Jihae, who's set to star in the upcoming season of "Succession." The event was co-hosted by actress Nia Vardalos - best known for starring in and writing the hit movie "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - and also counted CEOs, an Oakland Raiders linebacker, a serial entrepreneur, and a film producer in attendance. About 124 people attended the evening, which was actually somewhat of a reunion for past guests of Jon's parties.Before the pandemic, these virtual parties were dinner soirées. Insider <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/master-networker-jon-levy-party-2015-1">covered</a> one six years ago when it was held at Levy's New York apartment. (During that one, Bill Nye "The Science Guy" gave a presentation in Levy's living room.) The caveat is that the dinners are supposed to be secretive - guests, unaware of who else will be attending, are only given a date and a time. After arrival, no one is supposed to talk about work or boast about achievements. It's a time to connect and understand one another as equals. It's a safe space, in a sense, for these high-profile guests to simply exist. And then there was us. Guests were told reporters would be there, but our identities were never revealed. In our anonymity, we watched the event unfold.<h2>Our 'therapeutic' experience at the salon </h2>Levy discussed his new book "<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Youre-Invited-Science-Cultivating-Influence/dp/0063030977">You're Invited: The Art and Science of Cultivating Influence</a>" and then sent guests into breakout rooms where we had to work together with other strangers to quickly answer trivia questions such as: what came first - Tumblr or Myspace? (Myspace, obviously.) Later on, Jihae - who afterward told us she found the night "refreshing" - sang her new single "<a href="https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=BgrY8AbFTlk">Utopia</a>" as well as a rendition of Sam Cookes' "A Change is Gonna Come."Edited for clarity, here's our post-salon conversation about what else we saw happen during the evening. Keishel Williams: What was your first impression when you logged in?Dominic-Madori Davis: Oh my god, I thought it was going to be him promoting his book for two hours, but it definitely turned into therapy in a sense. KW: I'd had a chance to read a bit of excerpt from his book, so I knew that there are specific ways he likes to get things done in order for people to feel like they're connecting with each other. DD: That first game where we had to quickly check our phones, then put them down, and try to remember what was on the right of our screen was interesting - it got pretty deep fast.<div type="image" title="Dom Davis and Keishel Williams virtual event photo" height="1130" width="2880" msid="83114688" hostid="261"></div> KW: One thing that I think we both wanted to know: What about these gatherings makes busy, important people want to attend? DD: The artist that performed that night said one reason she really likes going there is because it feels like a "wisdom circle."KW: That's an interesting way she put it.DD: I agree, it seemed everybody was really into the whole introspective thinking about how they live their lives and how they can better themselves.KW: I felt a bit like that too. I also spoke to someone, South African-Canadian actress Kandyse McClure. She's attended several in-person salons in New York and LA, in addition to a few of the virtual ones, and said one of the reasons she enjoys attending is because Jon himself is very authentic. And that even though she's an accomplished actress, and is usually in a room with other accomplished people, she doesn't feel like they're going there to network. They just go in there to connect on a human level. For you, did you feel a sense of kinship with any of the people, when you had to do the breakout sessions?DD: Oh my gosh, during the breakout session, I was muted right when everyone was introducing themselves, and then the breakout session ended because my group jumped right into the activity. So I didn't really know who I was with the entire time until like the final two seconds when everyone went around, introducing themselves. I was muted, so they didn't know I was a reporter at all. KW: I'm not sure how many people were in your group but it was just five of us in my group, so it started off a little awkward where nobody really wanted to start talking first. But as soon as the ball got rolling we were all speaking and really trying to figure out the answers [to the games]. We were done at an early enough time that we had time to chat after and find out who was who and what they enjoyed about being there. After that, we all decided that we wanted to speak further and I thought that was a really great way to connect.DD: It was really interesting to play all the games and everything. It gave me 'safe space for notable people' vibes.KW: I believe there was a photographer in my group. Indrani [ Pal-Chaudhuri]. There was also a journalist, Joel Stein - he was in my group as well, and a few other people.DD: Yeah, there was also a journalist in my group. I forget if he worked for either the Wall Street Journal or the Washington Post, but he was a journalist and I had heard of him and I think I looked him up on Twitter afterward. We were like six people in my group, and they just jumped right into the activity. Everyone, I mean, I don't know, were we allowed to Google? I'm not gonna say we were Googling.[Laughter.]There were things that, at 23 years old,I'm not sure if I would have known about them. I think the one question I got was 'what was older Tumblr or my space,' and I was like, obviously MySpace. That thing is ancient. But one of the other questions I was like, oh I don't know, I'm gonna need to be like an adult to answer this stuff. What did you think?KW: For me, it was very interesting to see the mix of people. I tried to make sure to keep a count, and there were about 124 people there. There was an Emmy Award winner, Barry Kibrick. And then there were entertainers, there were other stars, there were producers, photographers, musicians, CEOs, medical professionals. DD: Wow. KW: What do you think made this particular virtual version work for them? Because when [Levy's] events first started, they were dinners and he brought together these 12 people, strangers, to cook together and get to know each other that way. But now he had to move it virtually. What do you think made this still remain such an intimate experience for them?DD: I don't know, I think they're really just longing to connect with other people. I'm thinking if the dinners were still on, it's kind of like you just go to a stranger's house, in a sense, and meet other strangers. It must be people just really want to connect with each other and other people and probably find a sense of humanity in one another.KW: Yeah. You said you spoke with the musician [Jihae], what was that conversation like?<div type="image" title="Several Influencers Dinner alumni participate in a salon hosted by Jon Levy at a 2019 event." height="2400" width="3600" msid="83114695" hostid="261"></div>DD: She told me that she was recommended by one of his guests to be the musical performer. She said that it was great to meet new people, and it reminded her of going to diplomatic receptions with her dad as a teenager, watching diplomats, generals, and politicians maneuver intelligent questions to each other. That's also the vibe I got ... and I guess there's not, like, a superficial vibe to [the parties], which I guess is the recurring theme.KW: Exactly. Authentic, that genuine connection. The fact that these people are so accomplished but they don't seem to be coming there to get something from each other, rather than just be in each other's company. DD: Yes. KW: I know Jon did mention specifically that was one of his aims when he decided to do these types of events. Even though it's called a <keyword id="6375238" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="networking">networking</keyword> event, people don't necessarily come there to network because 'networking' brings a somewhat negative connotation that you go into a room, you carry your business cards, and you pretty much just want to know what someone does, in order to know how you fit into their circle. DD: Yeah, I know that the idea of networking can be so uncomfortable because to the root of it, it's basically, like you said: How does this person fit within my circle and how can we possibly lean on each other to do good? There's an element of using each other and it can be uncomfortable. KW: So he really tries to make it more like a vibe where people are coming to create friendships and close connections. And I think just the short time that we've been there, I was able to see some of that taking place. DD: Having an influencer circle where it's not necessarily branded straight as networking, but you go to get genuine relationships that can then more organically and authentically bring you together. I think people feel much more comfortable with that type of branding and with that type of setup than just straight networking.

We attended a virtual salon with Emmy award winners, actresses, and athletes. Spending 2 hours playing games with influential strangers was strangely therapeutic.

You Searched For "indrani" and got 13 results

Court rejects CBI's plea to stop broadcast of docuseries on Indrani Mukerjea

PTI

What is the case against Chidambaram

BI India Bureau

The Good Crusaders: 10 Indians leading by example

Sponsored BI

Meet Indrani Rehman, the first Miss India to compete in the first ever Miss Universe pageant in 1952

Poulomi Das

Sheena Bora murder case and other bloody trail of India’s high and mighty

Preetam Kaushik

Box Office: Kangana Fails To Lift Revolver Rani; Kaanchi Lacks Ghai’s Golden Touch

Sanghamitra Mandal

Disney+ Hotstar announces Raveena Tandon-led series 'Karmma Calling'

PTI

Rabindra Sangeet artist Sumitra Sen passes away at 89

IANS

On expected lines, franchises retain top guns ahead of WPL-2

PTI

Boom2Bust: Streaming services slip after their pandemic-highs

Katya Naidu

Instagram brings TikTok-like short videos to India with 'Reels'

IANS

Business news outlet Quartz has lost 5 key people in the past few months

Lucia Moses

We attended a virtual salon with Emmy award winners, actresses, and athletes. Spending 2 hours playing games with influential strangers was strangely therapeutic.

Keishel Williams,Dominic-Mado…

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides