FILMFARE AND MANIKCHAND GUTKA PART COMPANY
Keeping in view the alleged underworld links of Manikchand Dhariwal, the owner of
Manikchand brand gutka, the owner of Filmfare magazine, Bennett, Coleman and Co Ltd has decided to discontinue the sponsorship of Manikchand for the annual Filmfare awards this year.

Filmfare awards have been sponspored by Dhariwal Industries since 1999 under the title Manikchand Filmfare Awards.

Dhariwal is wanted by the Mumbai police under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for his alleged underworld links and a local court has issued non-bailable warrant against him.

The Times group said, “Filmfare is a magazine of great repute, and we believe that this association of Filmfare awards with Manikchand as its sponsors would tarnish the image of Filmfare and the Times group.”

Star News launches Valentine Day special
Star News channel launched a special series called Khullam Khulla Pyaar Karenge on 10th February. The series will explore various facets of love.

The series will be featuring in special segments daily on Star Savera and City 60, and will have programmes such as Kya Yehi Pyaar Hai, Aur Kya Hai Chemistry, Hum Hain Naye, Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha and will culminate with a half-hour viewers’ special on 14th February with “Maine Pyaar Kiya”.

A beginnig of the Valentine season was made by showing the transition in the portrayal of love; from the quiet romance of yesteryears to a bold representation of it in the present times. On 11th February, Aur Kya Haih Chemistry will look at love in the light of science.The interplay of love and science will unfold in this segment.

On 12 February, Hum Hain Naye will focus on the unusual ways in which people choose to express their love; with weddings and engagements under water, while scuba diving or inside ice caves, etc. Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha, that will be aired on 13 February, will be a celebrity special segment, which will showcase as part of the 10 pm news bulletin and will feature the life styles and love stories of celebrity couples.

Maine Pyaar Kiya on 14 February 14 will be the grand finale of this Valentine's Day special on Star News. Viewers can find another expression to their feelings by leaving love messages for their loved ones on the show. This will feature as a half hour special segment on City 60.

UTV fixes price band at Rs 115-130 for IPO
UTV Software Communications has fixed the price band at Rs 115-130 for its initial public offering (IPO) issue of 6,999,950 equity shares of Rs 10 each through a 100 per cent book building process to part finance its expansion plans.

The size of the IPO will be Rs 910 million at the upper end and Rs 805 million at the lower end of the band. The issue is scheduled to open on 21 February and close on 25 February.

The issue comprises fresh equity of 4,500,000 shares of Rs10 each and offer for sale by CDPQ (a Canadian private equity investor) of 2,499,950 equity shares of Rs10 each for cash. It consists of 349,950 equity shares reserved for employees on a competitive basis and a net issue to public of 6,650,000 equity shares. The net issue to public would constitute 34.11 per cent of the fully diluted post issue paid-up capital of the Company.

The proceeds from the IPO will be used for enhancement of production facility & office infrastructure, investment in the ‘Kids Channel’ (Hungama TV) project, funding of SFX & post-production expansion, investment in movie Production and distribution initiatives and general corporate purposes.
The roadshows will be kicked off from Mumbai on 14 February, followed by Delhi and Ahmedabad.

UTV has recently partnered with Fox Searchlight on Mira Nair’s “The Name sake”. It has also announced its latest Hindi feature production “Rang De Basanti” starring Aamir Khan directed by Rakesh Mehra.

UTV Software Communications Ltd’s unconsolidated restated total income and profit after tax for the six months period ended 30 September, 2004 was Rs 638.43 million and Rs. 63.68 million respectively.

The equity shares are proposed to be listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and the National Stock Exchange (NSE).

India TV's 'Most Wanted' helps nab sex racketeer Rekha Naik
India TV's Most Wanted has once again proved instrumental in nabbing the infamous alleged sex racketeer and film producer of Mumbai, Rekha Naik.

On 6 February Most Wanted presented a detailed report on Rekha Naik at 9 PM in the evening, as a result of which calls came in regarding the same to the Crime Prevention control room which started receiving information about Rekha Naik from the Mumbai viewers. As soon as India TV's crime prevention team received the information, they quickly supplied it to the crime branch of Oshiwara police station. The police conducted many raids, and at around 3 am in the morning Naik was nabbed.

The police claimed that Rekha Naik was actively involved in running a sex racket. She used to supply girls to the people from the film industry. Most of the girls were aspirant models or actors.

Madras HC restrains BCCI
The Madras High Court has passed an injunction restraining the Indian cricket board from awarding television telecast rights to any broadcaster or party till the next date of hearing on 17 February.

The court's observations came on a petition filed yesterday by Zee Telefilms contending that cancellation of the bidding process by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) amounted to breach of its fundamental rights under Article 226 of the Indian Constitution.

The court's observations today also means that the BCCI would find it hard to negotiate with any broadcaster, including Indian pubcaster Doordarshan, on the rights for the upcoming India-Pakistan cricket home series beginning early March.

'Monk' scores for USA Network
US cable broadcaster USA Network has announced that its funny detective Monk is doing extremely well in the ratings.

It claims that last Sunday (6th February) it ran past all other cable competitors in the US when it aired the show. USA ranked number one in prime time on Sunday night.

USA Network had a 6-11 pm back-to-back marathon programme which ran opposite the NFL Superbowl. For the uninitiated Monk played by Tony Shalhoub who won a Screen Actors Guild Award for his role on Saturday has suffered from intensified obsessive- compulsive disorder and a variety of phobias since the murder of his wife, Trudy, in 1997. Despite his photographic memory and his amazing ability to piece tiny clues together, he is now on psychiatric leave from the San Francisco Police Department.

Aided by his friend and practical nurse, Sharona Fleming (Bitty Schram), Monk works as a freelance detective/consultant. He is looking to convince his former boss, Captain Stottlemeyer (Ted Levine), to allow him to return to the force. Stottlemeyer wavers between admiration for Monk and annoyance at his eccentricities.

Ben Stiller to host Nickelodeon's kids' choice awards
Hollywood funnyman Ben Stiller ( latest film “Meet the Fockers”) will be hosting the awards for the first time. Nickelodeon’s 18th Annual Kids’ Choice Awards will be held on 2 April.

According to an official communiqué, this award function has been hailed as a “mini-Oscars,”. Nick India will announce telecast timings at a later date. Nickelodeon executive vice-president development and original programming Marjorie Cohn said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Ben Stiller as a first-time host of Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice this year. He’s hilarious, and loved by kids.”