Delhi Shorts International Film Festival-2012, Delhi
Festival Date: 07 Oct 2012
Regular Entry Deadline: 15 Sept 2012
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Chennai Shorts Global Film Festival-2012, Chennai
Festival Date: 30 Sept 2012
Regular Entry Deadline: 10 Sept 2012
To participate follow: www.miniboxoffice.com/awards/awards.aspx

Entries open for Students & Professionals categories:
Submit your Short Films, Animations, Documentaries & Music Videos

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Team Miniboxoffice
Film Festival Division

Being in the Mumbai version of South India, Matunga, I was driven to taste some traditional coconut and spices from the land of classical music and learned scholars.

Matunga is the home to a number of Udipi café’s which makes it a hub for the rice lovers. This time I wanted to explore something beyond the typical filter coffee scented well established restaurants. Just taking a step out of the Matunga central station I was pulled by the scrumptious smell of awesome south Indian delicacies. My slip away search ended at an eatery called Ayyappan Idli Stall, which stands on the corner of a lane next to the station opposite the Ram Mandir. The first thing you notice about this place is its infrastructure on the footpath and then your eyes are straight away driven to the never ending menu that this joint has to offer.

This 27 year old dosa counter has been serving over 500 people every single day from 7 am – 10.30 pm relentlessly and yes at the most affordable rates I have ever seen on a Menu card.

With around 70 items on the list and a variety  in every dish I was confused as to what I should eat. You get three idli’s for INR 20 with variations in the same like Schezwan idli, Rasam Idli, Butter Idli, Mysore idli, etc. The famous Upma and Sheera is also served throughout the day. For the ones who like it fried , Medu vada and Sabudana vada are must try options. There is also an entire jain menu of around 20 items.

The uttapa section includes fancy options like pizza uttapa, spring uttapa, veg mix uttapa, etc. But I found the dosa’s to die for! Name it and you have it, from the usual sada and masala dosa to the mysore masala and palak masala, the rava and the spring dosa , it’s all there. And nothing is priced more than INR35-40 except the King of all dosa’s and my weeks treat, The Ayyapan Special dosa which is priced at INR 70. The long dosa filled with masala and spices was a rare combination of the Andhra flavour, potato mash, vegetables and a little creative touch of noodles and cabbage with a heavy cheese coating. The taste was addictive, the blend was just perfect and the unlimited chutney servings made me gulp the entire dosa even on a full stomach.

The usual aerated drinks are also available for those who like fizz even with this feast. Everything is very fresh and served hot at all times of the day and they do not believe in serving in the car. The two chutney combination and delicious sambhar that is given with every Dosa is what really makes the dish all the more relishing.

The best part of this entire experience unlike the others, is the bill. The most expensive dosa and a drink just summed up to a total of INR 82. And the brownie point is that the only thing you need to do to thank god for such a phenomenal food joint is just turn around and do the needful! Convenient isn’t it?

Khaana Rating- 10 / 10

From a sportsmen scandal to sporting glory, from scams to massacres, here is the round-up of the top 10 news of the week.

1.    CWG Scam: Kalmadi’s name missing from the charge sheet

The charge sheet filed by the CBI in the Queens Baton Relay (QBR) scam does not mention Suresh Kalmadi as an accused even though it indicts former OC officials Sanjay Mohindroo, TS Darbari and M Jeychandran of fraud. The three men are also accused of forging false documents in order to sanction payments to businessman Ashish Patel’s company. Although the report clearly mentions that Kalmadi had approved payments to Ashish Patel’s company AM Films and Cars, it does not name him as the accused. CBI officials have stated that since Kalmadi’s name doesn’t feature in the FBI list in the QBR case, therefore his name doesn’t featured in the report. Many of the opposition leaders expressed ‘surprise’ on the omission of Kalmadi’s name in the report.

2.    Government asks Twitter to block fake PM accounts

Upset with the fake PMO accounts that have been operating on the popular micro-blogging side ‘Twitter’, Center has asked for all the ‘imposter’ sites to be shut, fearing that it may ‘misrepresent’ a high office like PMO and may leak wrong information though the option of a blanket ban on Twitter has been ruled out.
The government has also asked Twitter to block such accounts which have posted incendiary and untrue information on the Assam riots and its fallout.
Initially, Twitter did not agree to the government’s demands of blocking the parody accounts but due to political pressure finally agreed to oblige the government. Full story here.

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3.    Bhupathi-Bopanna lose in the Cincinnati final

Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna lost to Sweden’s Robert Lindstedt and Romania’s Horia Tecau in the ATP Cincinnati Masters final. The sixth seed Indian pair lost 4-6 4-6 to the fourth seeded rival team. This was their second final of the season after winning the Dubai ATP in February. India’s Leander Paes and Czech Radek Stepanek lost out in the second round itself. Full story here.

4.    India beat New Zealand to enter Under-19 World cup final
India stormed into the ICC Under-19 World Cup finals after defeating New Zealand by 9 runs in the semi-finals. India had set a target of 210 runs for New Zealand who faltered at 200/9 in 50 overs. Opener Prashant Chopra was the top-scorer for the Indians with 104-ball 52, followed by number three batsman Baba Aparajith who scored 44 runs. Even skipper Unmukt Chand played well and scored 31 runs off 44 deliveries. For the Kiwis, left-arm spinner Ben Horne was the top wicket-taker, picking up 3/23 in six overs. India will now face Australia in the finals. Full story here.

A jubilant Indian team celebrates their win

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5.    Legendary editor Helen Gurley Brown dies at 90.

Celebrated author and former editor of ‘Cosmopolitan’ magazine, Helen Gurley Brown died at a New York hospital at the age of 90. She was famous in print industry of the 1960s. Though, at that time, many feminist groups had objected to Brown’s liberal mindset, Cosmopolitan magazine’s sales increased tremendously under the leadership of Brown, who functioned as the editor  for 32 long years. Her famous works include “Having It All”(1982), “The Late Show: A Semi wild but Practical Survival Plan for Women Over 50”(1993) and “Sex and the Single Girl”( 1962).

Helen Gurley Brown

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6.    Pujara scores maiden century in the India-New Zealand test match

Replacing Rahul Dravid at number 3, Cheteshwar Pujara scored a smashing 119 in the ongoing test match between India and New Zealand in Hyderabad. India finished the first day with a comfortable 307 for 5.  Though the senior most player Sachin Tendulkar  did not last long and got out after scoring only 19 runs, young players like MS Dhoni (29 not out) and Virat Kohli (58) took charge of the game. The second and final Test of the two-Test series will be held in Bangalore from August 31-September 4.
 This match was the dawn of Indian cricket’s new era without the stalwarts like VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid in the starting line-up. Full story here.

7.    Norway killer Breivik gets 21 years for mass massacre

Anders Behring Breivik has been sentenced to 21 years for the murder of 77 people in a gun and bomb massacre last year in Norway as the court found him to be sane and thus responsible for his actions. Breivik had confessed carrying out the attack and claimed that he had  targeted the ruling centre-left Labour Party for its support of Muslim immigration. Breivik also faces the possibility of indefinite extensions to his sentence. Full story here.

Anders Behring Breivik

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8.    2G case: SC clears Chidumbaram, dismisses Swamy’s petition

Dismissing Janata Party’s leader Subramanian Swamy’s plea, the Supreme Court cleared current Finance Minister Chidambaram’s name from  his alleged involvement in the 2G spectrum sale scam along with others accused in the case, including former bureaucrats and former telecom minister A Raja. The ruling stated that after reviewing all the material on record, the court concluded that there was “no deliberate act or abuse of position” by Chidambaram in relation to the 2G scam. However, Swamy expressed his displeasure with the judgment and said that he would seek a review. Full story here.

9.    Report says Kingfisher Airlines might face operational shutdown in the coming months

Reports by the Centre for Asia Pacific(CAPA) states that Kingfisher Airlines may have to shut down its operations if 600 million dollars are not pumped in the organization in the next two months. It also claimed that though in the first quarter, the promoters invested $133.9 million, this amount is barely sufficient for the survival of the company. The airline had the lowest market share in July which stood at 3.4 percent. Full story here.

Kingfisher Airlines: King of Troubles Times?

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10.     Lance Armstrong to be stripped off his seven Tour de France titles

As Lance Armstong refuses to challenge the doping charges levied on him, the USADA said that they would strip him off his title and ban him from competitive cycling. 40 year old Armstrong, a cancer survivor, is one of the most celebrated athletes of all time as he has won the Tour de France title seven times in a row between 1999 to 2005. He retired from professional cycling last year. However, he has refused to participate in the USADA process, as he believes it to be “one sided and unfair”. Nevertheless, the agency claimed that they had blood samples of Armstrong from 2009 and 2010 that were “fully consistent” with doping.

Lance Armstrong

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Introduction

My Name is: Akshada Bhalerao

Age: 23

BMM College: R. D. National College

BMM Specialisation: Journalism

Currently Working at: Disney Media Distribution and Syndication for The Walt Disney Company India (Which now includes the UTV group as well)

Akshada’s Take

Does being a BMMite give you an edge over others?

It does give you an edge because you’re exposed to most of the spheres of media and you begin to understand them. Working on many presentations gives you analytical powers and in tricky situations you do get last minute jugaad ideas as well.

Do the subjects in BMM help you know the reality of the job? Is there any place for theory in the creative world?

Well, it depends on what line of work you’re in. Theory is not emphasized as much in any line of work. It just helps you understand the very basics. Other stuff, you learn on the job.

BMM or BMM from a particular college? Does it make a difference?

Well, not college per say. But yes, exposure does matter. It’s very important to have good teachers, visiting faculty from the field, good projects and other activities.

Internships during colleges – are they relevant in the long run?

Internships are relevant, I feel. You know what you’re getting into later.

Career Queries

Work Ex or Higher Studies? What’s your pick? Why?

I’d suggest, start with work. It helps you sort many things in your head. A PG later doesn’t hurt.

How did you start your career?

I was confused after BMM. I had taken up Journalism only because I liked to write. But my strong liking has always been towards TV. Even in my internships, even though they had been with news channels, I was handling the production aspect for them. So I worked in production for reality shows.

Were you clear about which field you wanted to get into right from the beginning?

Like I said, I wasn’t clear if I wanted to be in hardcore journalism. Internships helped get a clear perspective.

Any particular incident that helped you decide on your career option?

Nothing in particular.

Tips for BMMBoxers

BMM is… A very good course if you want to be in Media

Your favourite subject in BMM: Literature

5 Tips for BMMites:

• Stick to Deadlines
• Respect time, yours and others
• Take interest and try to explore things on your own
• Stay updated about the industry you are interested in
• Don’t take it too hard if your boss shouts at you!

Contact Me

Students can post queries in the comment section. I will respond as soon as I can.

Interview by Prasiddhi Munoth

After the holy festivities of Eid and savouring street food the Islamic way, it was turn for some loud and vibrant Punjabi spices to complete the celebrations. Craving for some Indian fried fish and clay oven meat, my feet dragged me to Linking Road – the most happening and popular hangout in Bandra. Right opposite our sandwich hub on the main road stands the ever crowded ‘Jai Jawan’. Operating from a small eatery with only take away or eating in the car options this place has been the ultimate joint for lip-smacking sea food and Chicken since 1975. With only six items on the menu this place is packed with foodie’s who would be ready to spend half their fortunes for a piece of the fried fish. Working for very limited hours in the evening from 6.30 pm to 12 am, this place has a footfall of more than 400 people every day.

The fried prawns, seekh kebab, chicken liver, chicken tikka and the chicken tandoori have a demand that is surely more than its supply. Reaching this place with pure enthusiasm of feasting on some amazing fried fish my hopes were shattered on discovering that the fish was SOLD OUT and that was three hours before their closing time! The fish and prawn rates are decided according to the weight and quantity of the same but a plate of deep fried fish would cost you INR 190-200 approximately.

The next best economical option was the half  tandoori chicken priced at INR 120. One leg piece and one breast portion of the intricately marinated chicken is cooked like the typical Indian barbeque. The chicken was tender and very well prepared, what made it different from the tandoori chicken in other places was the precision with which it was crafted i.e., the spices were in exact proportion. This filling was converted into a meal by simply adding a few fresh pav’s to it. The mint and coriander chutney along with cut onions were the cherry on the cake. A decent rate card with limited options but sufficient quantity is the reason for it being a very famous hangout amongst students and meat lovers.

The wait to get your meal might be a little long because of the sheer number of people present but is surely worth the wait. The owner was too busy to speak to me but the quality food he served spoke enough of his love for serving and traditional Punjabi delicacies. However, this authentic place is pretty technologically advanced, you can check out their website www.jaijawanfoods.com . Well after doing absolute justice to my taste buds this week, I shall take leave until my hungry stomach drives me to some whacky hangout next week. Till then there is only one thing I can say after a worthy dinner – ‘Balle Balle’.

Khaana rating-7.5 on 10

In today’s business world marketing is all about generating the customer’s interest in the goods and services the company offers. Essentially a company’s marketing strategies drive company sales techniques, business development models, business communication etc. and the ultimate aim of it all is to win, satisfy and retain a customer.

It is imperative that any marketing campaign be designed around the customer. His needs, his choices, his demands should be the focus point of it all. So then the first and foremost aim of marketing should be to communicate the key message to  potential as well as existing customers.

The trick here is to create a series of marketing techniques so that the customer gets ample time and opportunity to recognise and respond to the message being sent across. A lot of marketing tools and techniques can be used for this purpose. We will talk about some that are the most impactful, and therefore common: the key elements of a marketing campaign.

1. Publicity: All publicity is good publicity, or so they say. Well, this might not always be the case, but yes, publicity of any type does help boost sales because all the attention of target group is directed towards you. And let’s face it most big names have had their fair share of bad publicity! Cadbury had the worm episode, Coca-cola and Pepsi had the pesticide issue to tackle with, and Nano had to deal with the ‘on fire’ instances. But they all got past it with time and in the end it all worked out in the favour of the brand as the problem was strategically handled. PR has a major role to play when it comes to correcting bad publicity and infusing the media with all the ‘correct’ information.

2. Advertising: Another way of getting into the customers mind is to put your brand out there. This is what advertising does in order to get that coveted place in the customers’ mind – the ‘top-of-the-mind-recall’. Actually advertising and public relations, and all tools of marketing for that matter, have the same intent – to get the customer to first recognise, then be curious about, and ultimately desire the product. And if the desire can be converted into a purchase, then the marketing strategy behind the whole process can be considered to be a success.

3. Online Presence: Social Media is at the forefront of marketing campaigns today. You need to incorporate the online environment very neatly into your strategy. Be it Twitter, Pinterest, blogs, Facebook or your very own website, you need to incorporate these tools to get in touch with your TG. A sound online campaign can give you new customers and help you please current customers. Since the media is instant, you can measure your online performance instantly and alter/re-design your strategies as per the requirements.

4. Telemarketing: This is one element in the marketing tools kit that needs careful handling. But when applied in the right direction, this too is a great marketing tool. For instance, telemarketing works great when it comes to the business to business (B2B) segment.

It must always be kept in mind that the ultimate aim of all forms of marketing is to attain a satisfied, happy customer. Therefore, all the marketing tools so engaged in need to be fine-tuned and well balanced.

From India’s best performance at the Olympics so far, to the deaths of a veteran politician and an acclaimed cinematographer, here are the top 10 news this week.

1. Yogeshwar Dutt wins bronze at London Olympics

29 year old, Sonipat-born Dutt won the Bronze medal in the 60 kg freestyle wrestling after defeating North Korea’s Jong Myong Ri by 3-1. He fought three repechage rounds to win this prestigious medal. With this win, Dutt became the third Indian to win an Olympic award in wrestling after KD Jhadav (Helsinki Olympics, 1958) and Sushil Kumar (Beijing Olympics,2008). The Haryana government has announced a prize of Rs one crore for Dutt for his medal winning performance. Full story here.

2. Sushil Kumar wins silver at the Olympics; takes medal tally to six

Making it the best ever Olympics for India in terms of number of medals, Sushil Kumar won the silver medal in the final of Men’s 66 kg Freestyle Wrestling, taking the medal tally for the country to 6. He had reached the finals by defeating Akhzurek Tanatrov of Kazakhstan 3-1 in the semi finals but lost to Japan’s Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu in the finals by 3-1 and had to settle for silver. A Rs. two crore cash award was announced by the Delhi government whereas the Haryana government announced a prize of Rs. 1.5 crore for Sushil. With this win, Sushil became the first Indian to win two successive Olympic medals in an individual category. He had previously won a bronze in the same category at Beijing Olympics in 2008. Full story here.

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3. Union Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh dies of multiple organ failure

After battling liver cancer for six months, Union Minister for Science and Technology and two-time CM of Maharashtra Vilasrao Deshmukh passed away at a private hospital in Chennai after suffering a cardiac arrest and multiple organ failure. The 67 year old politician was supposed to undergo a liver transplant which could not be done due to medical complications. As a mark of respect, the Indian Flag was flown at half-mast on Tuesday and Thursday at all government offices in Delhi. The funeral took place at his hometown Latur, which was attended by many Bollywood celebrities and politicians, including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi. Full story here.

4. Renowned columnist and TV host, Fareed Zakaria accused of plagiarism; charges dropped

The editor-at-large of Time magazine and CNN host Fareed Zakaria was suspended from his job after he confessed to the plagiarism charges. The 48 year old Indian- American and Padma Bhushan awardee had been accused of lifting a paragraph from writer Jill Lepore’s essay on gun control which was published in April issue of The New York Times and using it for his Time’s column titled “The Case for Gun Control”. He acknowledged it as his mistake and apologized “unreservedly” to Lepore and his editors and readers. Time and CNN accepted his apology, and each temporarily suspended his column and his show respectively. However, after an internal review of his works, his suspension was revoked by both the media houses which are owned by Time Warner. Full story here and here.

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5. Mitt Romney picks Paul Ryan as his running mate

Republican candidate for the Presidential elections, Mitt Romney, chose the seven-term congressman Paul Ryan as his Vice-Presidential running mate. The 42 year old Wisconsin born politician has served as the chairman of the House Budget Committee. The Republican supporters believe that with his political and economic background, Ryan can lend credence to Romney’s claim that the Republican candidate can help the nation save its struggling economy. In his maiden speech, Ryan criticized Obama’s economic policies. Full story here.

6. Mobile radiation limit to be reduced from September 1

New mobile norms regarding excessive radiation from cell phone handsets and towers will be effective from September 1, which will slash the radio frequency (RF) limit to 1/10^th of the existing levels.  It will also be compulsory for the manufacturers to display the specific absorption level (SAR) — the rate at which RF energy is absorbed by the body on the mobile handsets. A fine of Rs. 5 lakh per tower will be levied if the rules are violated. Full story here.

7. Celebrated fashion photographer Prabuddha Dasgupta dies at 58

Prabuddha Dasgupta, known as the ‘finest’ fashion photographer in India and famous for his black and white photography passed away during a shoot in Alibaug after he suffered a heart attack. He shot to fame after his Pierre Cardin ad campaign. His best known works include the controversial Book tittled ‘ Women’ which is a collection of photographs of nude women and ‘Ladhak’, a personal expolaration of India’s finest wilderness.

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8. Cinematographer Ashok Mehta dies of lung cancer

Fondly called as ‘Chachu’ by everyone in the Hindi film industry, renowned cinematographer Ashok Mehta breathed his last after battling lung cancer for several years. He was 65. His life story resembled a Hindi film as he had started his career as a canteen boy and later graduated to a camera assistant and then finally became one of the most sought-after cinematographers of his time. His most famous works include Shekhar Kapur’s ‘Bandit Queen’, Shyam Benegal’s ‘Mandi’ and ‘Trikaal’, Aparna Sen’s ‘36 Chowringhee Lane’, Shashi Kapoor’s ‘Utsav’, Subhash Ghai’s ‘Ram Lakhan’, Khalnaayak and Kisna, M F Hussain’s ‘Gaja Gamini’, among others. Full story here.

9. Assange gets asylum from Ecuador

Ecuador has granted political asylum to the WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, much to the disappointment of the British government. Britain is of the opinion that it is ‘obliged’ to extradite Assange to Sweden, where he will be tried for rape and sexual assault. This decision is likely to sour the relationship between Britain and the Latin American nation and it has also led to a standoff in front of the Ecuador embassy in London, where Assange has been holed up for the last two months. Full story here.

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10.  VVS Laxman plans to retire after the New Zealand match

The veteran of 134 tests, 37 year old batsman, VVS Laxman is likely to announce his retirement from international cricket after the two-Test series against New Zealand starting August 23 in Hyderabad. Though no official confirmation has come from the BCCI or the Hyderabad Cricket Association, it is believed that Laxman will be calling quits on his 16-year international career in a day or two. He has a Test average of 45.97. Full story here.