October 24, 2008

"Thala" Deepavali

Ultimate star Ajith who made waves with Billa is all set to capture hearts again with his Aegan. The movie will be hitting the theatres on October 25th. Aegan has been given a ‘U’ certificate by the censor board, with some cuts. The film is directed by Raju Sundaram and Nayantara again pairs with Ajit.

October 02, 2008

Renovate 100 Theaters in TamilNadu - Pyramid Saimira Plans

Pyramid Saimira Group, India`s leading entertainment conglomerate, has announced its plans to renovate 250 theatres in the 4 states of South India, with an investment of Rs 2 billion over the next 18 months.

The first theatre that will be renovated under this initiative is Jyothi Theatre, a single- screen theatre on the outskirts of Chennai.

Speaking about the renovation of Jyothi theatre, P. S Saminathan, chairman, Pyramid Saimira Group, said, ``The company will be renovating theatres in 100 centers in Tamil Nadu, with an investment of close to Rs 750 million. It will be extending its renovation initiative to the other states also, with Kerala in November, Andhra Pradesh in December and Karnataka in January,`` Saminathan said.

``The company is looking to invest close to Rs 2 billion in infrastructure improvement program, which will offer all cine-viewers in South India, the best movie- viewing experience,`` Saminathan added.

All the theatres will have computerized ticketing facilities and seat selection kiosks, Along with the latest digital projection and DTS sound technology, the theatres will be equipped with an in-built mobile zone enabled with blue-tooth, video booth for live TV, radio and overhead projection facilities.

The theatres will also have modernized security facilities, with fire retardants, safety lighting and metal detectors, Facility for news gathering mechanism with Broad band and video conferencing will also be available.

Strong Public Support for Smoking Ban in India

Most Indians support plans to tighten existing laws for a complete ban on smoking in public places, according to results of a survey published Thursday.Some 92 percent of the 1,030 people who answered the survey in Mumbai, New Delhi, Chennai and Kolkata, strongly favoured curbs on lighting up at work or in hotels, bars, restaurants, cinemas, schools and hospitals, it said.
Eighty-four percent also agreed that breathing second-hand smoke was a serious health hazard, mirroring the findings of similar surveys conducted in other countries that have now gone smoke-free.

India has some 120 million smokers -- about one-fifth of the population. The country has already outlawed spitting and urinating in public to little noticeable effect, but health experts say urgent action is needed as a newly prosperous middle class succumbs to "western-style" ailments such as lung cancer and heart disease.