If you are a Vodafone user, you can do a lot of things with the USSD codes provided by the Vodafone network. In addition to Vodafone balance, you can get to know the following details through the <keyword id="8904878" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="vodafone-balance-check">Vodafone balance check</keyword> USSD codes. <ul><li>Mobile Number and Validity</li><li>Vodafone Main Balance Check</li><li>Vodafone 2G/3G/4G Data Balance Check</li><li>Local, STD &amp; Roaming Minutes Available</li><li>Special Data Packs with Validity</li><li>Exclusive Offers</li><li>Vodafone Balance Enquiry</li></ul>As a Vodafone user, you might want to check the Vodafone main balance, internet balance, talk time, SMS balance and other information related to your Vodafone account. For the use of Indian Vodafone customers, Vodafone has provided a long list of USSD codes that the users can dial in their phones and get the required information or service. USSD can be expanded as Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. USSD codes are used by mobile network operators and software service providers to send and receive text messages. When you want to check your Vodafone balance, internet balance, SMS balance, calling balance, start or stop some services and others. Vodafone balance: *199*2# Vodafone minutes balance: *148# Vodafone data balance: *111*6# Vodafone 2G balance: *141*9# Vodafone Night GPRS balance: *123*8# Vodafone Number (Know your own number): *111*2# or *8888# or 164 Vodafone Special Tariff packs: *145# Vodafone Data Plans Activation: *111*6*1# Account Information Update: *111*11# Activate Vodafone Value Combo: *123*2# Vodafone DND: 1909 Vodafone Alerts: *123# Vodafone Hello Tunes: 5525 or 54206090 Vodafone to Vodafone Night Minutes: *147# Night Minutes: *157# Vodafone latest Offers: 121 Vodafone Special Offers: *121# Movie Masala Alerts: *123*1# Usage Allowance Details: *111*6*2# Vodafone Bonus Card: *111*7# Vodafone Delights: *111*1# Vodafone Customer care: 199 or 9811098110 Vodafone Complaint Number: 198 Installing My Vodafone App on your phone is the easiest way to access any information you want or get the services you need.

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<ul><li>It is after a long time that we have consistently seen <keyword id="2727" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="rahul-dravid" source="Orion">Rahul Dravid</keyword> in the brandverse.</li><li>After his association with CRED, Dravid has signed up a few more brand deals with Piramal Realty, Practo, Orchids, to mention a few.</li><li>According to TAM sports, Dravid had about a 4% share in television advertisements during the first half of 2021. He was also the eighth most-loved sports celebrity in India this year.</li><li>So, as the Former Indian captain dons a new role in Indian cricket history and bags more brand deals, we speak to brand custodians to find out the reasons behind his comeback and decode his equity as a brand endorser.</li></ul>Rahul Dravid, team India’s newly appointed head coach, has found his space back into the brandverse after his clutter-breaking and memorable performance in <a href="https://twitter.com/imvkohli/status/1380451732690411521?s=21">CRED’s campaign</a>. The brand had unleashed Dravid’s unseen side and the audience was astonished! Apart from breaking other bowlers’ patience, we have never seen Dravid break anything or lose his calm at all. We certainly did not expect the zen Rahul Dravid to react as we do in traffic. This Indiranagar ka Gunda won millions of hearts with his acting skills and his ad went on to become the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/creds-ad-featuring-rahul-dravid-was-the-most-viral-ad-in-ipl-2021-report/articleshow/87279382.cms">most viral ad during IPL 2021. </a> Since Dravid’s association with CRED, his popularity seems to be growing steadily. He has signed up a few more brand deals with Piramal Realty, Practo, Orchids, to mention a few. On the field, he was fondly referred to as ‘The Wall’ or ‘Mr Dependable’ for acting as the team’s silent saviour and guiding them out of troubled waters time and again. He was also known as one of the most disciplined cricketers with a sound technique and at one point, he was a bowler’s nightmare. However, he lived under Sachin Tendulkar’s shadow during his entire career and in the last decade, after he resigned from international cricket, he was replaced by MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli in the marketing world too. After experiencing a dry spell in the ad industry for years, he has finally made a comeback. According to TAM sports, Dravid had about a 4% share in television advertisements during the first half of 2021. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/media/article/top-10-sports-celebrities-of-the-brandverse-in-2021-as-per-tam/slidelist/85649566.cms">He was the eighth most-loved sports celebrity in India. </a> Telling us the reasons behind Dravid’s rising popularity, Lloyd Mathias, Business Strategist and former marketer at HP, Motorola and PepsiCo, said, “Rahul has always been a thinking cricketer known for his poise, balance and maturity and his batting best described by the moniker ‘the wall’ have always been the mainstay of India’s cricket through the late nineties and 2000s. So even after his retirement from international cricket, his association with the game as the captain of IPL team Rajasthan Royals and as the head of the National Cricket Academy NCA continued. Another reason for the renewed brand interest is the fact that Dravid is now the Head Coach of the Indian cricket team, one of the key positions in Indian sport. This brings him Centerstage as he helps navigate India’s cricket team over the next few years.” Athletes and sports personalities disappear from the limelight once their sporting career comes to an end. However, Dravid has managed to stay relevant. N. Chandramouli, CEO, TRA is confident that Dravid’s brand value will only rise in the coming years. He said, “Rahul Dravid has kept his brand relevant, but not over-exposed, and therefore even at 48 years, he is likely to see his brand value grow over the years.” So, what’s the secret behind this? Chandramouli says, “Sportspersons usually have a short shelf-life for endorsements, and it declines sharply after their sporting careers are over. However, the two-decade career of Rahul Dravid has had glittering successes and his dependability on the field is legendary. His calm, non-controversial demeanor is at its batting best off the field too. He is a brand’s dream as an endorser, especially for those who want to show dependability.” Shashwat Das, Founder and Director, Almond Branding said that The Wall of Indian cricket will never go out of fashion and the CRED campaign has only strengthened his position as an endorser. He said, "Just last week the batting legend has been officially appointed the head coach of the Indian cricket team. That clearly shows that he has miles to go as far as his contribution to Indian cricket is concerned. The same holds true for the brandverse! I would say his PR team has been doing a commendable job and is a big force behind not only his comeback to the brandverse but also pushing him beyond his typical gentlemen arena. Jammy’s act of breaking things as “Indranagar ka Gunda” was clearly breaking the internet. After CRED, we suddenly are ready to see much more from him. I am sure we will see many more of his brand endorsements in the coming year." With 18.9k followers on Instagram, Dravid’s social media following also adds to the potential consumer base for the associated brands, especially during the lockdown when most of the brands had little to no access to the traditional channels of advertisement. Over the years, Dravid has also managed to stay clean from any controversy -- making him a safe bet for brands. He has endorsed everything from grooming products to insurance brands, staying four feet apart from pan masala brands. In fact, he was a part of a<a href="https://youtu.be/6fOUNhW1YVY"> Tobacco control campaign</a> that helped him reiterate his principles and ethics to consumers. It is his charming personality and tactical acumen that he has always held a special place in India’s marketing world. He has emerged as the perfect option for brands who want to establish themselves as the ‘pillar of strength and trust.’ “Dravid’s allure for brand is his mature and untarnished reputation who has always played fair both on and off the field. A player who despite his awesome achievements has remained controversy-free, stayed low profile and shunned the limelight. This archetype is generally rare among sportspersons and movie stars and makes for a brand endorser that many stable brands would opt for. I think his personality makes a great fit for categories that work around tradition, and value trust and dependability - BFSI, Technology, FinTech and Education/EdTech,” said Mathias. He also said that Dravid’s equity might see a hike after his recent appointment as India’s Head Coach. Mathias added, “Dravid's brand equity should see an upsurge with the Indian cricket head coach role. Brands may see the appeal of someone who’s nationally revered, had a great playing career, morphing into an astute administrator and coach combined with a positive and untarnished reputation as a great rub off.” While we all know that brands chase numbers, some celebrities live forever. Dravid, the wall of Indian Cricket Team, is one of those stars who will shine for years to come. His brand image, relatability and followership continue to remain strong and experts expect the same trend going forward.

Decoding Rahul Dravid’s rising popularity among brands

Recently, Society Tea launched a new campaign ‘Masala Nahi Toh Mazaa Nahi’. Conceptualized by Ogilvy, the campaign revolves around every Indian’s love for cinema and chai. Riding on the strategy of this campaign, Shemaroo Entertainment tactically took over a Society Tea outdoor in Mumbai with a campaign of its own. The Shemaroo Outdoor goes on to agree with Society Tea outdoor to say, ‘Toh masala chai ke saath ek masala movie ho jaye?’. While this campaign between Society and Shemaroo was more like a friendly reply, there have many numerous instances where brands have taken on each other. <keyword id="25952" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mercedes-Benz">Mercedes-Benz</keyword> CEO Dieter Zetsche retired from his post recently, after leading the car manufacturer for 12 years. And while the world spoke about Zetsche’s stepping down, an ad spot by BMW, paying tribute to Zetsche went viral. BMW released a video, bidding farewell to Zetsche, which people might argue is a very nice gesture. The ‘heartwarming’ ad sports a Zetsche look-alike who is seen saying goodbye to colleagues at Mercedes-Benz, returning his ID and then seen leaving for home. The ad ends by saying, ‘Thank you, Dieter Zetsche, for so many years of inspiring competition.’ However, BMW brilliantly adds itself to the spot when they show the character zooming off in a BMW car with the words ‘Free at last’ on the screen, in the last frame seconds of the ad. The ad ticked all the right boxes, it felt like a genuinely heartfelt tribute, while also being smart advertising. However, while people initially lauded BMW for being humble and raising a toast to the CEO of a rival brand, many others later pointed out that the last shot, where Zetsche is seen driving out in a flashy BMW car makes the ad cheeky and not really as heartfelt as most people were making it out to be. <div type="Youtube" id="9rx7-ec0p0A" title="Retirement is about exploring your wide open future." thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/9rx7-ec0p0A/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 <keyword id="1440186" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="competitive-marketing">Competitive marketing</keyword> isn’t really a new phenomenon. For years, rival brands have engaged in guerilla advertising, calling each other out and pulling each other down, in an attempt at achieving one-upmanship. For consumers, it is entertainment, where competing brands end up engaging in pun wars, which can be very witty at most times. Closer home, we came across a few examples of competitive marketing when smartphone manufacturer Xiaomi took a dig at rival brand OnePlus. OnePlus has been putting in some big bucks to promote its latest offering OnePlus 7. It recently roped in Hollywood actor Robert Downey Junior as its face and has been marketing its new phone aggressively. Looking at this as an opportunity, Xiaomi came up with an OOH campaign and placed it right beside OnePlus hoardings with the punchline, ‘Starkly Superior To The Lastest One’, clearly taking a dig at OnePlus. The images were tweeted by Xiaomi India Head, Manu Kumar Jain, and the Twitterverse was quick to notice this, which were shared across platforms widely. <div type="twitter" handle="manukumarjain" handlename="Manu Kumar Jain" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1097747771208040448/8ds587oq_normal.jpg" favoritecount="6767" retweetcount="792" status="&quot;Starkly superior to the latest one!&quot; +1 if you liked these punny ads! 🤓😁 #RedmiK20 and #RedmiK20Pro coming soon!… https://t.co/EVejqmkGRW" createdat="1559458989000" id="1135079389446647811"></div>
 About a month back, Oven Story came up with a series of videos where they promoted their pizza offerings while also poking fun at some of its well-established rivals like Pizza Hut and Domino’s. <div type="Youtube" id="01lS-9YAtqs" title="Oven Story Pizza, ye to #NextLevelCheese hai! III 40sec" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/01lS-9YAtqs/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 European lager beer brand Beck’s Ice too launched a digital film that took a direct dig at competitor Kingfisher, the ad implied that its competitor’s beer was not as smooth as Beck’s Ice. <keyword id="33542" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Burger-King">Burger King</keyword> recently also took its competitive advertising to a different level when it launched an Augmented Reality campaign where it asked people to ‘burn’ its competitor’s ads, and get a Whopper in exchange. <div type="twitter" handle="Ogilvy" handlename="Ogilvy" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1134818095279878146/uHppwvz7_normal.png" favoritecount="4482" retweetcount="4543" status="Title: Burn That Ad Client: Burger King Agency: @DAVID_SaoPaulo_ For their latest campaign, Burger King entices cu… https://t.co/HZSysvXWMs" createdat="1553090752000" id="1108369063951126528"></div>
 In the past too, we have seen some big brands engaging in competitive marketing. Who can forget the Cola wars in India in the 90’s? Or the campaign where Times of India came out with a video, pulling the Hindu down while launching in Chennai, which was dominated by the Hindu. The Hindu also later came out with a campaign titled, ‘Stay Ahead With The Hindu’. Both the campaigns were widely spoken about, despite it being before the time of social media. <div type="Youtube" id="_-qUnFZa6PM" title="TOI CHENNAI EDITION WAKE UP!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_-qUnFZa6PM/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 <div type="Youtube" id="OT3xeaWVINA" title="Stay ahead with THE HINDU" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/OT3xeaWVINA/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 Competitive marketing has an obvious advantage. It makes people sit up and notice. In the age of social media, anything that is a little different from regular communications generates a lot of chatter. Speaking about how brands can stand to gain, <keyword id="873832" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saurabh-Uboweja">Saurabh Uboweja</keyword> Chief Executive Officer Brands of Desire management consulting firm says, “Competitive marketing is a powerful tool if used intelligently. It brings unforced attention, creates dialogue around your brand and establishes your superiority over your adversary.” Since the advent of social media, coming up with campaigns like this has also become common because a lot can be said in just one post. This also makes it cost-effective. Says N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA, “Guerrilla marketing or competitive advertising is usually low cost and usually piggybacks on a larger advertising campaign. It’s like a judo move, where you use the weight of the opponent against them. It becomes good conversation, and is usually remembered for a long time.” He further adds, “If done well, ads like this can be extremely effective. It brings the competing brand into the consumer consciousness, if it is well executed.” However, many also believe it is a double edged sword. Adds Uboweja, “It is sometimes confused with plain or crass sloganeering and may backfire as a result, making a brand appear desperate for attention.” Agreeing to Uboweja, Karthik Srinivasan, Independent Brand Strategist says, “Brands need to be very careful while coming up with campaigns like this. Campaigns go viral when they evoke a strong emotion in viewers, that emotion can be positive, negative, humor or disgust.” Sharing an example when two brands engaged in competitive advertising, while not putting each other down, Srinivasan says, “When Boeing turned 100 back in 2016, Airbus came up with a video thanking the former for the healthy competition. Similarly, Boeing came up with a video to wish Airbus a happy 50th birthday. In both the cases, the brands kept the snide-ness at the minimal. However, that also meant these videos were not as widely shared as the others.” <div type="Youtube" id="xWaTjYpczKQ" title="One thing to say to Boeing" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xWaTjYpczKQ/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 <div type="Youtube" id="5j3ob0CfH9I" title="Airbus, We're Glad You're Here" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/5j3ob0CfH9I/mqdefault.jpg"></div>
 While brands do capture a lot of eyeballs for campaigns like these, they can also face a backlash, making it critical for brands to be very careful. Srinivasan explains, “People only share content like this when they feel strongly. And it’s not a very good idea to do that on a back of a strong negative emotion. In case of Xiaomi, they pulled OnePlus’ legs but the next time they fall short in some regard, people will pull Xiaomi down too. Brand need to realize that a piece of communication can also evoke a positive emotion and such creatives can also do well with consumers, if the campaigns are executed well.”

Does Competitive Marketing Still Work For Brands?

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/47427542.cms" /> 
 
Who hasn’t heard the iconic “Mere Paas Maa Hai” dialogue from the 1975 blockbuster <keyword id="6407375" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Deewar">Deewar</keyword>? The iconic scene from the movie has Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor, who play brothers, arguing about everything they have earned in their lives, despite being on the on opposite sides of the law. The scene is not only remembered for this amazing dialogue but also for the conviction with which both the actors portrayed their emotions. 
 However, have you ever given a thought to the situation when this quintessential <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> scene is performed by its favourite cousin, <keyword id="2370" type="COMPANY" weightage="100" keywordseo="hollywood">Hollywood</keyword>? 
 
Folks at a popular YouTube channel <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/pinchnpunch">Pinch n Punch</a> gave this a serious thought and dubbed these lines into the 2012 Hollywood movie The Avengers. And the result is just gobsmacking hilarious! 
 In this original scene, superheroes <keyword id="330388" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Tony-Stark">Tony Stark</keyword> and <keyword id="329400" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="100" keywordseo="Captain-America">Captain America</keyword> can be seen arguing about Tony’s behaviour but with a pinch of Bollywood masala, the scene ends up being one amazing fusion to watch out for. 
 
Watch out the video and decide for yourself, who’s better in performing the scene? 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T55F4vz7IAo" width="560"></iframe> 
 
Image courtesy: <a href="http://media.mensxp.com/media/photogallery/2013/Oct/mostmemorabledialoguesbyamitabhbachchan8_1381492296.jpg">MensXP</a> and <a href="http://x.annihil.us/u/prod/marvel/i/mg/7/00/4e8616ae8915d.jpg">Marvel</a>

See What Happens When Captain America Says Mere Paas Maa Hai

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/45374424.cms" /> This weekend, <keyword id="1862071" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Action-Jackson">Action Jackson</keyword> will try out its luck at the <keyword id="25892" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="box-office">box office</keyword>. The movie is directed by Prabhudeva, so you can expect it to be a pot-boiler with some good action sequences and dollops of masala. 
 Starring <keyword id="6354714" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ajay-Devgn">Ajay Devgn</keyword>, <keyword id="62210" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sonakshi-Sinha">Sonakshi Sinha</keyword>, Yami Gautam, Manasvi Mamgai, and <keyword id="354735" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Anand-Raj">Anand Raj</keyword>, the movie is buzzing and is expected to fare well at the BO. The year proved to be a good one for the hero, Ajay Devgn whose Singham Returns managed to do good business on the Box office. Also, Ajay Devgn and Sonakshi Sinha pair is a hit with the audiences, who loved them together in Son Of Sardar, which too managed to collect good earning despite being pitted against Jab Tak <keyword id="1521499" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Hai-Jaan">Hai Jaan</keyword>. 
 
Action Jackson will be released on approximately 3,500 screens in India on December 5, 2014. As it is a working Friday, we are not expecting a spectacular start but the overall first weekend sales should be decent. As per our estimations, the movie should be able to collect at least Rs 30-35 crore in the coming weekend. 
 
Another major reason why we feel Action Jackson might be able to get a good opening is that BO didn’t see some great release in the last couple of weeks; Ungli, Happy Ending, Zid and Zed Plus were not able to get the viewers rushing to the movie halls. So, we wish Action Jackson luck!

Action Jackson Box Office Prediction

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/38977996.cms" /> 
 
 
That Bigg Boss is India’s favourite reality show is not news. Every year, the season keeps its promise of bringing more and more masala and entertainment to our home screens. 
 
This year, however, there is a speculation which is making more headlines than even the celebrities who will be a part of the eighth season. Ever since the last season ended with the not-so-surprising victory of Gauahar Khan, there is a tug-of-war going on between whether Salman Khan, who has hosted the last four seasons, will return to host the eighth season or not. 
 
The reason why this discussion started in the first place is that the star himself had stated in the last season that because of all the allegations made on him for being unfair and the behaviour of some of the contestants, he would think twice before returning to host the next season. 
 While there were no formal announcements, there was a lot of guesswork about the new host, and the names included <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="100" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword> biggies like Shah Rukh Khan, Akshay Kumar, Hrithik Roshan, and the young guns Ranbir Kapoor and Ranveer Singh. 
 
Now, resting the rumours, there has been some news that the actor-humanitarian has changed his mind and why? 
Reports suggest that he will be paid more than Rs 5 to 6 crore per week for hosting the show, and this fees is more than double of what he earned in the last season. 
 
While we all know that this is not a big figure for someone whose movies have been joining the 100 crore club consistently for the past few years, there can be other reasons too, which might include his good terms with the channel, or his popularity as the host of nation’s biggest reality show. 
 
Well, whatever the reason be, it is a fact that the show gains immense TRPs because of the connection Salman has with his audience. The makers would do anything that they can to renew the actor’s contract and if that includes paying more than double of what he charged before, than be it. 
 
The popular star would next be seen in his movie Kick, which releases this Friday. Some insiders suggest that Kick would be releasing in more than 5,000 screens, and in 42 countries including unconventional markets like France and Maldives. 
 
Surely, Sallu has his fans spread worldwide. 
 
Image courtesy: Rediff

Bigg Boss 8 To Be The Costliest Season So Far?

<img class="gwt-Image" src="/photo/28137874.cms" /> If you need a rather prolific indicator of <keyword id="143" type="CITY" weightage="80" keywordseo="Bollywood">Bollywood</keyword>’s success on Hollywood-dominated land, just look at the golden shores of the US. <keyword id="24705" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="40" keywordseo="Dhoom-3">Dhoom 3</keyword>, the sequel of the earlier films with the same name, has reasons to rejoice its success. The film may be scoffed at for the content and for packing way too much masala, but it is still celebrating a roaring success offshore. 
 
The film set the North American box office record for a non-English and a Bollywood film, taking in $3.3 million from 236 theatres. The movie, which has been shot on large-screen format, also benefited from IMAX surcharge and went on to wear the crown of being the first Bollywood flick to grab such a huge number of screens across the US. 
 
In fact, Dhoom 3 broke the record set by Chennai Express, which had grossed $2.2 million across the American theatres. Earlier this year, another Bollywood film Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani managed to break into the US top 10, showing in 162 theatres across the country. 
 
Such feats by Bollywood films, with the industry celebrating 100 years of its existence, continue to create records in a non-Hindi-speaking territory. 
 Almost all the top-line actors/celebrities of Indian cinema have tried to make foray into Hollywood and enjoy a great rapport with the Red Carpet events abroad. Big names like <keyword id="6357912" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="amitabh-bachchan">Amitabh Bachchan</keyword>, <keyword id="6366471" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Aishwarya-Rai">Aishwarya Rai</keyword>, <keyword id="6358615" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Shilpa-Shetty">Shilpa Shetty</keyword>, <keyword id="598" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Deepika-Padukone">Deepika Padukone</keyword>, Shah Rukh Khan, <keyword id="6355846" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Madhuri-Dixit">Madhuri Dixit</keyword> and <keyword id="6354580" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Sridevi">Sridevi</keyword> have a sizeable fan base in the US and it is not surprising that next year’s International <keyword id="131934" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="Indian-Film-Academy">Indian Film Academy</keyword> (<keyword id="19317" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="40" keywordseo="IIFA">IIFA</keyword>) event is going to be held in Tampa Bay, Florida. 
 While IIFA is a global platform which celebrates and presents the Indian cinema beyond its geographical boundaries, the fact that it is going to be held in the US is highly significant. It signals the ‘arrival’ of Indian cinema to the land of high-quality cinema. According to IIFA and <keyword id="1994787" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="40" keywordseo="Wizcraft-director">Wizcraft director</keyword> Andre Timms, the decision to hold the IIFA event in Florida during April 24-26, 2014, was taken following the ‘unprecedented demand’ for the event to be held in the US. “Florida was chosen, following the need for the largest stage to host various larger-than-life sub-events as part of the main event,” Timms had reportedly said. 
 
Slowly but surely, Hollywood seems to be realising that Bollywood is something more than <keyword id="32892" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Slumdog-Millionaire">Slumdog Millionaire</keyword> or the usual song-and-dance routines, although they continue to be the strength and the USP of Bollywood productions. 
 It’s the stuff that can make fairy tales look rather insipid. When the then Miss New York <keyword id="1994786" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Nina-Davaluri">Nina Davaluri</keyword> danced to popular Bollywood song ‘Dhoom Taana’ from the film Om Shanti Om for her talent show round, experts had probably underestimated the reach of Bollywood and wondered if this choice could affect her chances of winning the coveted crown. In fact, no one had placed bets on her victory. It is now history that she won the Miss America crown. 
 
And what a victory it was! 
 
In retrospect, a Bollywood song on the Hollywood-adoring land found its share of takers. It wasn't the divider; in fact, it must have been the unifying agent. The thickly Hindi-flavoured Bollywood had crossed the shores and reached the global audience, much like Butter Chicken Masala and the spicy Indian curry. 
 
Is it, therefore, surprising that the world looks at Bollywood as India’s biggest export? It is the largest film industry in the world and the biggest employment churner in India. Bollywood and its local counterparts within the country produce more than 1,000 films annually across 20 languages, predominantly for a film-watching population of half a billion who are well under 25 years of age. 
 
What more can you say about a film industry that has existed for over 100 years, and has produced numerous stars and superb cinematic moments for the fans to cherish? Hollywood was not even in the concept stage when the theatre-inspired Bollywood was experimenting with entertaining people in many languages. 
 
Bollywood came into existence in 1899 with the production of a short film and Hollywood took its first gasp of breath a good 11 years later in 1910. Now, crunch some numbers. While Hollywood produces 500 films per year, Bollywood does more than 1,000 films even during a lean year. Hollywood movies are watched by more than 2.6 billion people worldwide with English being the language of communication. But Bollywood, even with its severe language limitation (the medium is Hindi, a language spoken by the majority in India), enjoys a viewer base of 3 billion. 
 
After Indians started to migrate in the early 80s, the late 90s saw a spate of movies with the NRI life as their key theme. And the old plots were resurrected, with flavours to suit those who had left home to earn more of the foreign soil like seen in ‘DDLJ’. Needless to say, these movies packed lots of emotions – that of being away from homeland, the feeling of alienation and the search for identity. Bollywood had matured with time. 
 
Hollywood continues its triumph in many areas but what Bollywood has made possible is quite another thing. A multilanguage-based film industry, sniggered at for being the song-and-dance trade, managed to turn that very aspect into its strength. 
 
But you have to consider another thing as well. Although Pakistan and India don’t see eye to eye in many areas, Bollywood gets the singers from Pakistan to sing some quintessential numbers. And many of those songs have become super hits in both countries. Movies build the bridge between the two nations, if nothing else. 
 But Pakistan is not the only country where you will find Bollywood fans. Bollywood finds its audiences in West Africa, Dubai, Prague, the US and the UK. And not all of them are Hindi-speaking people. There are Berliners who have learnt Hindi to be able to follow those films; there are Russians who have watched Bollywood’s dream merchant <keyword id="6358412" type="PERSON" weightage="40" keywordseo="Raj-Kapoor">Raj Kapoor</keyword>’s classics and shed tears when he passed away and there are the Japanese and the Chinese, too. 
 
Interestingly, Bollywood and Hollywood had signed a pact back in 2010 in order to leverage their industry experience and diversity, and use the same for the benefit of global audiences. Termed as the ‘historic co-operation pact,’ it will also see two of the world’s biggest movie industries come together for content protection and distribution. 
 
Now, in a situation where Bollywood and Hollywood have come together, the world will sure be one big cinema hall! And entertainment? Unlimited, of course. Treat yourself!

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A While, Hollywood; Bollywood’s Gyrating Here!

<ul><li><keyword id="99676" type="PERSON" weightage="100" keywordseo="Shilpa-Shetty-Kundra">Shilpa Shetty Kundra</keyword>, who has been missing from the big screen for the past 13 years has become the face of yet another brand. </li><li>She has 13 brands in her kitty from varied categories like Food &amp; Beverages, Telecom, Skincare, FMCG, Chocolates, and more. </li><li>As Shilpa signs another brand, we try to decode what still makes the actor relevant and how she has become an example of breaking age-disparity in the industry. </li></ul>Shilpa Shetty Kundra, the 43-year-old Bollywood actress, has bagged yet another brand in her kitty. She is now the face of home decor brand, Stellar Homes USA and represents 13 brands in total. Shilpa was last seen on the silver screen in the 2007 film Apne but she never really left the limelight. She continued judging various TV reality shows, became an entrepreneur by starting her own fitness channel called The Shilpa Shetty app and invested in a start-up called Mamaearth. Shilpa has over 1.6 million subscribers on her YouTube channel, which covers fashion tips, her fitness regime and a cooking show. While on Instagram, she has gained more than 6 million followers in a short span of time. According to media reports, she has a net worth of $20 million. This year, her long sabbatical of 13 years will also come to an end as she will be seen in two movies -- Nikamma and Hungama 2. Brand Journey Shilpa was 16 and a part of the modelling world when an aerated drinks brand approached her. Today, she regrets falling for money and choosing shortcuts. Shilpa is now wary of the kind of brands she chooses to work with. She has walked out of the meeting rooms if she doesn’t resonate with the brand. “Earlier, I really didn't think about whether I suited the brand. It was only about whether I was getting paid enough to leverage my name. But in the last five years, there has been a change in my thought process. When people take you seriously as a brand or rather someone synonymous with health and fitness, you become more responsible. So if something doesn't resonate with my personality or something that I can't use at home for my family or me, I won't endorse it,” admits Shilpa. Before her big release lined up this year, Shilpa turned down a Rs 10 crore offer from an Ayurvedic Slimming Pill brand because she did not want youngsters, who look up to her, to fall for fad diets. “There's so many brands I have turned down, I can't sit down and list those,” she breaks into a chuckle. She says she would have bagged a lot more brands and made more money had she not been so fastidious. Pan Masala brands and Aerated Drinks are completely off her list and she says she wouldn’t consider endorsing them ‘for all the money in the world.’ Explaining her modus operandi of choosing deals, she says, “I'm very particular and there's a lot of due diligence that goes into the brands that I work with. And I really believe that there is no shortcut in life. If you were to tell people that by popping pills you will lose weight, I think people who actually work out the right way will start losing faith in what they're doing. And I just feel that though we stopped focusing on mental health, and we will be talking about prizes and losing weight, fitting into a certain size, I think mental health is equally important. And I can't endorse something that doesn't fall into line with my philosophy.” The secret behind her relevance in the industry It was during her post-pregnancy period that Shilpa was asked a lot of questions about her fitness regime on the internet. She joined social media to help people out and realised that the audiences’ love for her hasn’t changed. She used that to her advantage and started her own application. It is her penchant for fitness and strong social media following, that brands still find her relevant. “After all these years, I feel like I stayed relevant. Today, I'm doing two films after 13 years but people still know me, not only because of television, but also because I stand for propagating good health. I want to bring about an awareness and want to play the role of a catalyst. As actors, we are always looked up to, and we have the power of social media. I used that to start my own YouTube channel,” shares Shilpa. Now, Shilpa Shetty is in-between meetings, looking for a fundraiser for her application to expand her reach further. Experts Speak Ashutosh Harbola, CEO and Co-founder, Buzzoka thinks that Shilpa had a strong influence on the industry since she made her fortune in Big Brother; her brand image changed after that and IPL, he says, added a cherry on the cake. “Shilpa Shetty is an ever-blooming social media star and her constant touchpoint with her audience makes her relevant even when she doesn't have too much in her kitty. From a brand's perspective, it's the right fit. Since the social and digital-first audience is always on social media, their appetite for relevancy is much filled. Also, Shilpa has been testing a couple of other platforms too which is keeping her both busy and buzzed. We all saw her entry on TikTok and it's a perfect example of being in the news for the right reasons,” says he. “Post her marriage, she is amongst the rich kids of Instagram making the world drool on her cuteness and the lavish lifestyle,” adds Harbola. N Chandramouli, CEO, TRA Research, highlights how strong her social media currency is, which is one of the reasons why brands still love her. “It is not easy for an actor who has been out of an active acting career for over 10 years to continue to stay relevant. However, Shilpa Shetty has reinvented herself in many new avatars to do what she is good at. She is a fitness icon, TV reality show judge, fashionista, partner in a spa chain, has over 1.6 million subscribers on her Youtube food channel, 6 million followers on her Instagram, among other things. Guess that's more than enough to keep her relevant with new-age millennials and others,” says Chandramouli. Social Media and Brand Expert, Karthik Srinivasan thinks Shilpa’s relatability factor for millennials and Gen Y has worked in her favor. “Shilpa Shetty, I believe, appeals to and can be recognised by a whole lot of middle-aged and older women unlike an Ananya Panday or Alia Bhatt. That relatability is what perhaps works in her favor. Ditto for actors like Vidya Balan. To some extent, it's also a factor of a 40+ woman actor to continue to want attention, work and assignments. Some may choose to shun the limelight and live a more obscure life surrounded by people close to them, as a way to escape the excess attention of earlier times. Shilpa Shetty has been in the limelight long after her exiting the film industry, including her foray into owning teams and so on. So, modeling and films continue to help her position her brand,” explains Srinivasan. An inspiration for other actresses The Khans of Bollywood and actors like Akshay Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan, still continue to be the Top 10 celebrities. Senior actresses, on the other hand, struggle to find film projects. As they vanish from the limelight after they get married, brands stop approaching them. Shilpa is unhesitant to agree that she found her calling much later in her career arc and feels women are finally stepping up to turn the tables. “I found my calling very late but I guess better late than never. Also, times are changing. You see actresses are far more daring today. It's also a more egalitarian world now. Women are given far more opportunities. I think women today are willing to take risks. And yes, it's a different world. And I think that's the only thing that's constant - change,” says Shilpa. Srinivasan also thinks the situation is changing, thanks to actresses like Shilpa Shetty and Vidya Balan and script writers that are breaking the age stereotypes. “I think as an industry, Bollywood (and the regional film industries, in particular) have moved definitely away from age-limits for women actors. While there's always (and still) a demand for young women actors, there are scripts being written for older ages as well, who do not fit the conventional stereotypes of a leading woman in films,” says Srinivasan. He adds, “From a branding point of view, I was very pleasantly surprised to see Tapsee Pannu featured in a Horlicks ad where she was specifically called out as being 30+. Or a Kangana Ranaut playing a mother of a boy in Panga. This scenario was unheard of a few years ago when only men had the freedom to be called 30+, 40+ and still get away with conventional roles in films. 40+ Shilpa Shetty is a variant of the 30+ Tapsee and Kangana.” Chandramouli, on the other hand, feels the onus also lies on actresses. “Brands take endorsements from 53-year-old male actors endorsing colas, and 77-year-old males endorsing everything. When it comes to women celebrities, there are occasions when you will see someone like Madhuri Dixit, who is above 50 years get endorsements. But many don't get as lucky as her. And this age-related aberration is one of the strangest as many times when choosing actors playing an older role, directors tend to cast younger actors. To correct this is the responsibility of female actors as also it is of brands and advertising agencies. Many times due to the paucity of opportunities, women celebrities above 40 tend to start focusing on other areas of their interests in work and personal life. In a highly competitive world, they must continue to stay relevant in their interest areas, stay connected with audiences, and find new interests which find newer fans. Since all endorsements are a commercial arrangement, the fee of endorsement also matters, for the potential endorsers must be willing to adjust fees in line with market demand. For the brands and agencies, it is important to have greater acceptance, to try the different, reink campaigns with such potential endorsers.” While many actresses have come and vanished with time, Shilpa Shetty Kundra has never left the showbiz, setting an example for other female actors in the industry.

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