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Jan 10, 2010
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Miss Twincities 2010 |
Miss Twincities 2010 Saudamini
Miss Twincities 2010 Saudamini at Saheli
Jan 9, 2010
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Love Sex aur Dhokha - Official Trailer |
LOVE SEX AUR DHOKHA CREW
Director: Dibakar Banerjee
Producer: Ekta Kapoor
Jan 8, 2010
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Pyaar Impossible Movie Review |
Review : Pyaar Impossible
At one point in Pyaar Impossible, Alisha, a hottie played by Priyanka Chopra asks major geek Abhay, played by Uday Chopra, "Tumhe lagta hai ki log ek doosre ko sirf khoobsurti ki wajah se chahte hain?" That's really shallow.
She could have been talking about the film. Pyaar Impossible is one of those superbly shallow films that manages to offend you on every level - as a viewer, as a woman, as a mother. This Notting Hill-style rom-com is singularly charmless and absolutely impossible.
Pyaar Impossible is a vehicle for Uday Chopra who has also written and produced the film. Uday has cast himself as a lovable geek who recognises his limitations.
In one scene he even says, "Main koi prince charming toh nahin hun." Which is why the college queen Alisha is barely aware of his existence. He saves her life but she doesn't know what he looks like.
They meet seven years later in Singapore. She is now a divorced working mother - a fact she repeats again and again. And her six-year-old daughter Tanya is the most demonic child seen on screen since Damien terrorised us in The Omen.
Somehow, Abhay ends up as Tanya's nanny. In one of the script's many absurd moments, Alisha leaves her daughter with a male nanny whom she has never met.
Before you know it, Tanya is trying to set up her nanny with her mom. She has a sleep over at a friends house so mom and nanny can bond. The next day she even asks Abhay, "Give me the goss."
If this was my daughter, I would donate her to charity. Together Tanya and nanny also foil the rival, Varun, played by Dino Morea, who incidentally has also stolen's Abhay's revolutionary new software program.
If the plot description sounds convoluted, imagine what the film is like.
Director Jugal Hansraj stretches out this limp tale over two and a half hours. The film's message is just as garbled as the plot.
In one scene, Abhay demonstrates to Alisha that ugly people can't find love. So, he makes her unattractive and takes her to several bars. And she is so shocked to find that the boys aren't interested in her ugly avtaar that she starts to weep.
For most of the film though, Priyanka looks like a million bucks - it seems like Jugal and Uday have spent more time on her styling than the script. But for reasons unknown, she acts like a hyper teenager.
Uday plays the nerd with absolute sincerity but it's hard to summon up any affection for him. And Dino seems to have decided that expression is a waste of time. His face just stays blank.
Pyaar Impossible is depressingly dim-witted.
She could have been talking about the film. Pyaar Impossible is one of those superbly shallow films that manages to offend you on every level - as a viewer, as a woman, as a mother. This Notting Hill-style rom-com is singularly charmless and absolutely impossible.
Pyaar Impossible is a vehicle for Uday Chopra who has also written and produced the film. Uday has cast himself as a lovable geek who recognises his limitations.
In one scene he even says, "Main koi prince charming toh nahin hun." Which is why the college queen Alisha is barely aware of his existence. He saves her life but she doesn't know what he looks like.
They meet seven years later in Singapore. She is now a divorced working mother - a fact she repeats again and again. And her six-year-old daughter Tanya is the most demonic child seen on screen since Damien terrorised us in The Omen.
Somehow, Abhay ends up as Tanya's nanny. In one of the script's many absurd moments, Alisha leaves her daughter with a male nanny whom she has never met.
Before you know it, Tanya is trying to set up her nanny with her mom. She has a sleep over at a friends house so mom and nanny can bond. The next day she even asks Abhay, "Give me the goss."
If this was my daughter, I would donate her to charity. Together Tanya and nanny also foil the rival, Varun, played by Dino Morea, who incidentally has also stolen's Abhay's revolutionary new software program.
If the plot description sounds convoluted, imagine what the film is like.
Director Jugal Hansraj stretches out this limp tale over two and a half hours. The film's message is just as garbled as the plot.
In one scene, Abhay demonstrates to Alisha that ugly people can't find love. So, he makes her unattractive and takes her to several bars. And she is so shocked to find that the boys aren't interested in her ugly avtaar that she starts to weep.
For most of the film though, Priyanka looks like a million bucks - it seems like Jugal and Uday have spent more time on her styling than the script. But for reasons unknown, she acts like a hyper teenager.
Uday plays the nerd with absolute sincerity but it's hard to summon up any affection for him. And Dino seems to have decided that expression is a waste of time. His face just stays blank.
Pyaar Impossible is depressingly dim-witted.
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YSR’s Death Secret: Reliance outlets attacked in AP |
Reliance showrooms in Vijayawada were shut down in the evening today as the news regarding YSR’s alleged assignation in the hands of Ambanis has come out. Tight security was placed even in Bangalore based Reliance showrooms as the news is boiling the blood of YSR supporters and also the people on general.A lady talking to the TV channel wept loudly and said, ‘We will take all sorts of revenge on the assassins of YSR if the names come out with full details and proofs”.
TV5 channel stopped taking further opinions from people as it’s igniting killing instincts among the people.
Reliance outlets attacked in AP
Hyderabad: The retail outlets and business establishments of the Reliance Group in Hyderabad and some parts of Andhra Pradesh came under attack from supporters of the late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy late on Thursday.
The provocation was a report in a foreign magazine which was picked up by a local television channel. The report claimed that the Ambanis were behind the copter crash that killed Reddy along with four others on September 2, 2009 in Pavuralagutta, Nallamala hills, Kurnool district. According to reports reaching here, many Reliance outlets in various parts of the State downed shutters.
Jan 7, 2010
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Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone Unseen Photos |
SRK & Deepika @ Dabboo Ratnani Calendar Exclusive Photo Gallery
Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone pics at Dabboo Ratnani Calendar Exclusive Unseen Photos.
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Hrithik Roshan is desirable men of the year 2009 |
They are hot, they are happening and they are here to stay! A list of 20 names that would make your dreams a better place to live in! Here is Red Hot Countdowns list of 20 most desirable men of the year 2009. Watch on to find out what spot your favourite hunks has grabbed!
Jan 5, 2010
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Mammootty, Mohanlal bag Asianet film awards |
Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 3 (IANS) Malayalam superstars Mammootty and Mohanlal reigned supreme at the popular Ujala-Asianet Malayalam film awards 2009 announced here Sunday. While Mammootty bagged the 'Millennium actor award', Mohanlal was named best actor for his role in 'Ividam Swargamanu'.Mammootty had more reason to cheer as his blockbuster movie 'Pazhassi Raja' was adjudged as the best film. Renjith was named best director for 'Paleri Manickam', which also stars Mamootty.
The names of the awardees were announced Sunday by Asianet Television officials. The award ceremony will be held here Jan 18.
Kavya Madhavan was selected as the best actress for her role in 'Banares' while Prithviraj was chosen as the Youth Icon for the year.
Jan 4, 2010
Jan 3, 2010
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I was persuaded to throw condoms at college crowd: Neha Dhupia |
New Delhi, Jan 2 (IANS) Neha Dhupia says she had to be goaded quite a bit to throw a goody bag full of condoms and contraceptive pills at a college crowd here to promote her film 'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi' but realised it was a great marketing strategy that sent out a positive message.
'We had gone to the Mood Indigo festival at IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) in Mumbai and I was asked to throw around this goody bag. I said 'No! I'm not throwing it',' Neha told IANS. 'But my producer (Rangita Nandy) insisted that 'You must because it's got everything to do with the film'.
'And I was like 'No! What are we trying to project?' But I guess that was her way of promoting the film. We are just mediums. So I said yes to it.'
'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi', a Percept Picture Company (PPC) project, is about a one night stand. The movie has been directed by Saurabh Shukla and also features Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey.
The producers were trying to pull off a successful marketing stunt by throwing bags full of condoms, contraceptives, Disprin pills, et al, and Neha finally did it after realising that the exercise had a message attached to it.
'There was a message in all this - that if you have a hangover or if you are having a very drunk night - you must have contraceptives, protection, or antacid pills like Disprin. Everything was there in the bag. The message was - take it and go party. The bags had everything except cash to buy the alcohol,' said the 29-year-old.
The former beauty queen says she was pleasantly surprised with the response from the young students.
'The way the students reacted to me was so beautiful. It was the first time I ever went up to the stage and sang. I sang like a rock star or at least I thought I was. They just grabbed the bags. But if at that time, even if I would have thrown the wire of the mike, they would have grabbed it. Actually, initially I was hesitant about throwing it, but I learnt how to laugh with it,' she said.
After 'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi', in which she plays a mysterious woman called Sophia, Neha is looking forward to movies like 'Action Replay', 'Raftaar' and 'Pappu Can't Dance Saala'.
She, however, admits that she would like to do a romantic movie opposite Bollywood's king of romance Shah Rukh Khan.
'I am looking forward to a nice romantic film which hasn't come my way yet. I am hoping to get that soon. I am a big Shah Rukh fan and I would like him to be in it but then it doesn't have to be him. It can be anybody. It's just that Shah Rukh is magnificent,' she added.
'We had gone to the Mood Indigo festival at IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) in Mumbai and I was asked to throw around this goody bag. I said 'No! I'm not throwing it',' Neha told IANS. 'But my producer (Rangita Nandy) insisted that 'You must because it's got everything to do with the film'.
'And I was like 'No! What are we trying to project?' But I guess that was her way of promoting the film. We are just mediums. So I said yes to it.'
'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi', a Percept Picture Company (PPC) project, is about a one night stand. The movie has been directed by Saurabh Shukla and also features Rajat Kapoor, Vinay Pathak and Ranvir Shorey.
The producers were trying to pull off a successful marketing stunt by throwing bags full of condoms, contraceptives, Disprin pills, et al, and Neha finally did it after realising that the exercise had a message attached to it.
'There was a message in all this - that if you have a hangover or if you are having a very drunk night - you must have contraceptives, protection, or antacid pills like Disprin. Everything was there in the bag. The message was - take it and go party. The bags had everything except cash to buy the alcohol,' said the 29-year-old.
The former beauty queen says she was pleasantly surprised with the response from the young students.
'The way the students reacted to me was so beautiful. It was the first time I ever went up to the stage and sang. I sang like a rock star or at least I thought I was. They just grabbed the bags. But if at that time, even if I would have thrown the wire of the mike, they would have grabbed it. Actually, initially I was hesitant about throwing it, but I learnt how to laugh with it,' she said.
After 'Raat Gayi Baat Gayi', in which she plays a mysterious woman called Sophia, Neha is looking forward to movies like 'Action Replay', 'Raftaar' and 'Pappu Can't Dance Saala'.
She, however, admits that she would like to do a romantic movie opposite Bollywood's king of romance Shah Rukh Khan.
'I am looking forward to a nice romantic film which hasn't come my way yet. I am hoping to get that soon. I am a big Shah Rukh fan and I would like him to be in it but then it doesn't have to be him. It can be anybody. It's just that Shah Rukh is magnificent,' she added.
Jan 2, 2010
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Vidhu Vinod Chopra Apologises to Media |
Noida, Jan 2 (IANS) Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra Saturday apologised to the media for asking a reporter to shut up when he was asked him if his film '3 Idiots' was lifted from Chetan Bhagat's book 'Five Point Someone'.'I really think I'm silly (but) I was provoked (to react that way). But I shouldn't have done this. I saw myself on TV (later) and saw how I was shouting 'shut up! shut up!' like an animal. I told myself - 'what nonsensical behaviour',' Chopra told reporters here.
The producer lost his cool when he was asked whether 70 percent of the film, which has grossed over Rs.100 crore in the first four days, was taken from the book -- as claimed by Bhagat. Chopra got angry and demanded to know if the journalist had seen the movie and read the book.
The scribe said he had seen '3 Idiots' but had not read 'Five Point Someone'. This further angered Chopra, who got up and started shouting: 'Then you shut up. When you have not read the book, then how can you say that the movie is 70 percent of the book?'
Chopra's reaction evoked anger among the reporters with many demanding that the filmmaker apologise. But he didn't -- until Saturday.
Now Chopra says that he doesn't want to meet Bhagat 'for the rest of my life because it's all being done with very bad intention'.
He went on: 'Do you know the man (Bhagat), apart from signing the contract, took his money. I (even) paid him (the) bonus before the movie (was) released. That man is not saying it now. Actually the bonus I was supposed to pay him after the film was released has been paid to him.
'He took the money and now the money is in the bank. Look how it was all manipulated. He started it all when I left Mumbai,' said Chopra.
But Bhagat is adamant that he has not been given due credit for the storyline and that most of the sequences in the film have been lifted from his bestseller.
Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Shameful Act @ 3 Idiots Promotion
Vidhu Vinod Chopra says shut-up to journalist on Chetan Bhagat-book row
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Bollywood Actress Celina Jaitley Interview |
"I am here to be No. 1" - Celina Jaitley
This is one 'accident' that Celina was waiting for to take place. Being in the industry for 6 years now, she has played a leading lady in close to dozen odd films. Though she may have played an integral part in some of her major films like No Entry, Jaanasheen and Red, she has also enjoyed good success in comic affairs like Golmaal Returns and Tom Dick and Harry.
However, just like any other actor who, despite all the fame and adulation, craves for one film which showcases his/her acting talent to the fullest, even Celina was no different. She patiently waited for that day to arrive when she would be the central protagonist in a dramatic affair that would revolve around her. Accident on Hill Road turned out to be one such film which, as the title suggests, is a gritty dramatic thriller where Celina has managed to make people sit up and notice her act that required her to go way beyond the sexy image that she has built for herself and instead showcase the new facet of her persona. On the eve of the film's release, she chats with us, explains her stance of working in diverse films and her long term goal to be Number One actress in the country one day.
With the kind of emerging market for small yet effective films, is Accident On Hill Road just the right kind of film for you?
Absolutely, this is just the right film and it is arriving at just the right time. In fact I do believe that if it would have come when I had just started my acting career, I may not have been able to do complete justice to it. For this film, I had to not just drain myself emotionally but also go through some physical stress. For starters, I had to chop off my hair. Then I had to also put on some weight to go with the character. I guess the experience that I have gained as an actor over the years helped me portray this real tough character.
So has this turned out to be THE film of your career?
I won't quite say that since I am still young and the good thing is that my whole career is not residing on Accident On Hill Road. But yes, as an actor I am proud of being a part of noir cinema. All these years, the only categorisation has been around commercial and parallel cinema. However, now even noir cinema has emerged. I am glad that such films are being made today.
You just mentioned that you had to cut your hair short for the film. Wasn't it heartbreaking? Why didn't you just go ahead and wear a wig?
(Laughs) That would have meant looking like an alien. You know, when you have very long hair and then go on to wear a short wig, you have to pull all your hair back. It leads to a very funny sight and your head suddenly starts looking like a 'matka'. Since it was a quick schedule, I thought it would be better to cut my hair and give myself the right kind of look for the character.
The film is said to be based on a true story. So what kind of study did you have to do for it?
More than studying for the part, I had to apply myself well and be subtle rather than going over the top. The script also facilitated this since the film belongs to the kind of genre where characters have to underplay their part. For example in a film like No Entry and Golmaal Returns, I could just play myself since the screenplay and dialogues were written in such a manner. Also, I had to be careful about not over acting because the moment you do that, it all starts looking slapstick. In a similar fashion, I played completely real and identifiable character in Accident On Hill Road.
So where does all of this leave the sexy and glamorous Celina? One hopes that she is not left behind...
Absolutely not. The glam part of me will always be alive. It's just that as an actor I have reached the point where I can afford to diversify a little and do a movie
like Accident.... Every actor should now and then dabble in a film belonging to this genre because the world also needs reality.
So after being in the industry for a little over half a decade, do you think that you have got your due?
See, I am doing good work, I am seeing some good appreciation coming my way and I am also getting paid well. I guess this is good enough considering the fact that I don't have parents from the industry and I have learnt everything entirely on my own and grown myself.
Any regrets from the past?
No, because I don't look at the past any more. I make a plan for myself and then I achieve it. I have strived for appreciation, I am working on gaining more of it and I am sure there would be a lot of it in future. My main appreciation is my fans and worldwide following and that can only come from the kind of work that you have done over a period of time. I am here to be Number One and I feel that one day, I would be able to achieve that.
However, just like any other actor who, despite all the fame and adulation, craves for one film which showcases his/her acting talent to the fullest, even Celina was no different. She patiently waited for that day to arrive when she would be the central protagonist in a dramatic affair that would revolve around her. Accident on Hill Road turned out to be one such film which, as the title suggests, is a gritty dramatic thriller where Celina has managed to make people sit up and notice her act that required her to go way beyond the sexy image that she has built for herself and instead showcase the new facet of her persona. On the eve of the film's release, she chats with us, explains her stance of working in diverse films and her long term goal to be Number One actress in the country one day.
With the kind of emerging market for small yet effective films, is Accident On Hill Road just the right kind of film for you?
Absolutely, this is just the right film and it is arriving at just the right time. In fact I do believe that if it would have come when I had just started my acting career, I may not have been able to do complete justice to it. For this film, I had to not just drain myself emotionally but also go through some physical stress. For starters, I had to chop off my hair. Then I had to also put on some weight to go with the character. I guess the experience that I have gained as an actor over the years helped me portray this real tough character.
So has this turned out to be THE film of your career?
I won't quite say that since I am still young and the good thing is that my whole career is not residing on Accident On Hill Road. But yes, as an actor I am proud of being a part of noir cinema. All these years, the only categorisation has been around commercial and parallel cinema. However, now even noir cinema has emerged. I am glad that such films are being made today.
You just mentioned that you had to cut your hair short for the film. Wasn't it heartbreaking? Why didn't you just go ahead and wear a wig?
(Laughs) That would have meant looking like an alien. You know, when you have very long hair and then go on to wear a short wig, you have to pull all your hair back. It leads to a very funny sight and your head suddenly starts looking like a 'matka'. Since it was a quick schedule, I thought it would be better to cut my hair and give myself the right kind of look for the character.
The film is said to be based on a true story. So what kind of study did you have to do for it?
More than studying for the part, I had to apply myself well and be subtle rather than going over the top. The script also facilitated this since the film belongs to the kind of genre where characters have to underplay their part. For example in a film like No Entry and Golmaal Returns, I could just play myself since the screenplay and dialogues were written in such a manner. Also, I had to be careful about not over acting because the moment you do that, it all starts looking slapstick. In a similar fashion, I played completely real and identifiable character in Accident On Hill Road.
So where does all of this leave the sexy and glamorous Celina? One hopes that she is not left behind...
Absolutely not. The glam part of me will always be alive. It's just that as an actor I have reached the point where I can afford to diversify a little and do a movie
like Accident.... Every actor should now and then dabble in a film belonging to this genre because the world also needs reality.
So after being in the industry for a little over half a decade, do you think that you have got your due?
See, I am doing good work, I am seeing some good appreciation coming my way and I am also getting paid well. I guess this is good enough considering the fact that I don't have parents from the industry and I have learnt everything entirely on my own and grown myself.
Any regrets from the past?
No, because I don't look at the past any more. I make a plan for myself and then I achieve it. I have strived for appreciation, I am working on gaining more of it and I am sure there would be a lot of it in future. My main appreciation is my fans and worldwide following and that can only come from the kind of work that you have done over a period of time. I am here to be Number One and I feel that one day, I would be able to achieve that.
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FASHION OF THE DECADE |
FASHION OF THE DECADE - Jennifer Lopez, in a gown cut in a loose V leaving little to the imagination, appears on stage during the 42nd Grammy Awards at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, Feb. 23, 2000. Double-sided tape prevented any mishaps with the dress
FASHION OF THE DECADE - Ashton Kutcher attends an event to kick off Golden Globe weekend at the Pacific Design Center, Jan. 16, 2003, in Los Angeles. The actor who showed his playful side in the television show 'Punk'd' kept right on trend wearing various trucker hats
FASHION OF THE DECADE - Hotel heiress Paris Hilton holds her pet chihuahua Tinkerbell at a Miami Beach hotel, March 11, 2004. The breeding of tiny teacup dogs helped make man's best friend become a woman's best accessory
FASHION OF THE DECADE - Kelly Osbourne, daughter of 'Prince of Darkness' Ozzy Osbourne, sports a tiara at a party after the MTV Video Music Awards in New York in this Aug. 29, 2003 photo.
FASHION OF THE DECADE - In this photo released by Martha Stewart Living Television, comedian David Spade spoofs host Martha Stewart on the set of her show 'Martha,' Sept. 13, 2005. Spade walked on set wearing a blonde wig and poncho, which Stewart originally received from a fellow inmate upon her release from prison.
FASHION OF THE DECADE - Singer Janet Jackson, left, covers her breast after her outfit came undone during the half time performance with Justin Timberlake at Super Bowl XXXVIII in Houston, Feb. 1, 2004. The 'wardrobe malfunction' was seen by 90 million Americans and led to an investigation of indecency on the airwaves.
Jan 1, 2010
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MSN Business Leader of the Year: Ratan Naval Tata |
The clash of titans, MSN India's initiative to catch the pulse of readers and get them to vote business leader of the year, showed up an outright winner.
Nearly 60 per cent of MSN viewers voted for Ratan Naval Tata, followed by a tie between Anand Mahindra and Nandan Nilekani, both scoring 10% each. Next on our readers' preference are Vijay Mallya and N R Narayana Murthy.
A quick glance at what makes Tata, the audacious visionary, our readers' favourite:
That Ratan Naval Tata, the current chairman of India's largest conglomerate Tata Group, is a true visionary emerged even before the onset of 2009. Tata's daring double acquisition -- first steel maker Corus in 2007 and later luxury car marquees Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008 -- provided the perfect background for 2009 to unfold and become the year when the name Tata would be the most spoken about Indian business group world over.
Known for several similar audacious acquisitions, Tata's panache for remarkable product launches within India, earned him a reputation of price-sensitive and quality-conscious business strategist.
Adversity is an opportunity for Ratan Tata
Voted as the Business Leader of the Year by MSN India readers and rightly so, Ratan Tata is never one to be bogged down by criticism and the recessionary market. In fact, he has always set his eyes on opportunities within any adversity.
Be it the Singur controversy surrounding the building of a manufacturing unit for Nano or the burning down of the Taj Mahal hotel during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Tata never spared a moment to reconstruct his plans and shift strategies. His aggressive overseas expansion plan and selective domestic launches targeting the entry segment in markets have made Tata Group an irresistible attraction for any wallet-conscious consumer.
Born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai, Tata became the chairman of the Tata Group in 1991 after serving in various capacities in different companies of the Group. Despite it being the family business, Tata had to work hard to earn his stripes.
He joined the Group, founded by great grandfather Jamshedji Tata, in December 1962, after turning down a job with IBM, on the advice of J R D Tata, Jamshedji's first cousin.
The Humble Beginning
Tata is a science graduate, with a structural engineering degree from Cornell University, New York. He also underwent the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School. He began his career in the family business at Tata Steel in Jamshedpur, on the floor along with other blue-collar employees, digging up limestone and working at the blast furnaces.
His first major assignment at the Group was as director-in-charge of The National Radio & Electronics Company (NELCO) in 1971. When he took over charge of the Tata Group from J R D Tata in 1991, his first task was to move out the old guard and replace them with younger managers.
Under him, Tata Consultancy Services went public and Tata Motors was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998, Tata Motors came up with the Tata Indica, the first truly Indian car, and Ratan's brainchild.
Today, under his dynamic leadership, the Tata Group has the largest market capitalisation of any business house on the Indian stock market.
Kingsize Leaps: Corus, Jaguar and Nano
Ratan Tata was also responsible for possibly two of the Group's biggest business deal coups in the recent past. In 2007, Tata Sons acquired Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel and aluminium producer. Last year, Tata Motors fought of hard competition to buy iconic British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company for 1.15 billion pounds ($2.3 billion).
But his biggest achievement is undoubtedly the Tata Nano, marketed as the world's cheapest car. Fighting off intense hurdles, including a racing deadline, his commitment to deliver the car at the record-low pricing of Rs.1 lakh (with his 'a promise is a promise' declaration ringing in the background) and a belligerent Mamata Banerjee, Tata eventually succeeded in launching the Nano at the New Delhi Auto Expo on January 10, 2008.
The price of the Nano might have gone up slightly since then, but nobody seems to mind that too much. Especially Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who successfully invited the Nano project to Sanand near Ahmedabad, at an investment of Rs.2000 crore. The corporate world also hailed the Nano's exit from its troubled nesting grounds of West Bengal, as it finally got Mamata out of the way of Ratan Tata's dream project.
The Game Changer: DoCoMo
Tata's recent joint venture with the Japanese firm DoCoMo Inc has created a revolution of sorts in the telecom sector, what with call tariffs of 1 paisa per second charged for calls anywhere in India. The new network forced other players, right from Airtel down, to reduce their call-charge rates.
Only on December 30 this year, Ratan Tata succeeded with another dream project, a Nano of sorts in water purifiers. Marketed on similar lines, as a water purifier of the masses, Swach (which is Hindi for 'clean'), is a two-foot-high affair that promises to deliver safe, clean drinking water to millions of Indians. The purifier is also sold at competitive prices, in two variants of Rs.749 and Rs.999.
The launch of the water purifier was a low-key affair as compared to that of the Nano, but it appears set to emerge from the shadows of its more popular cousin and serve the masses.
Power Lists and more
Ratan Tata has also received several honours during his career, including the Padma Vibhushan last year and an appointment as an honorary 'Knight Commander of the British Empire' this year.
He was listed among the 25 most powerful people in business by Fortune magazine in 2007, and has also made it to Time magazine's 2008 list of the World's 100 most influential people.
Tata, who is due for retirement as chairman of the Tata Group by 2012, has indicated that an expat might lead the group as chairman. But it remains to be seen who will take over at the helm, as there is a lot of time yet left for Ratan Tata to continue doing what he does best. In any case, his retirement will undoubtedly leave huge shoes to fill.
Source: India Syndicate
Nearly 60 per cent of MSN viewers voted for Ratan Naval Tata, followed by a tie between Anand Mahindra and Nandan Nilekani, both scoring 10% each. Next on our readers' preference are Vijay Mallya and N R Narayana Murthy.
A quick glance at what makes Tata, the audacious visionary, our readers' favourite:
That Ratan Naval Tata, the current chairman of India's largest conglomerate Tata Group, is a true visionary emerged even before the onset of 2009. Tata's daring double acquisition -- first steel maker Corus in 2007 and later luxury car marquees Jaguar and Land Rover in 2008 -- provided the perfect background for 2009 to unfold and become the year when the name Tata would be the most spoken about Indian business group world over.
Known for several similar audacious acquisitions, Tata's panache for remarkable product launches within India, earned him a reputation of price-sensitive and quality-conscious business strategist.
Adversity is an opportunity for Ratan Tata
Voted as the Business Leader of the Year by MSN India readers and rightly so, Ratan Tata is never one to be bogged down by criticism and the recessionary market. In fact, he has always set his eyes on opportunities within any adversity.
Be it the Singur controversy surrounding the building of a manufacturing unit for Nano or the burning down of the Taj Mahal hotel during the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, Tata never spared a moment to reconstruct his plans and shift strategies. His aggressive overseas expansion plan and selective domestic launches targeting the entry segment in markets have made Tata Group an irresistible attraction for any wallet-conscious consumer.
Born on December 28, 1937, in Mumbai, Tata became the chairman of the Tata Group in 1991 after serving in various capacities in different companies of the Group. Despite it being the family business, Tata had to work hard to earn his stripes.
He joined the Group, founded by great grandfather Jamshedji Tata, in December 1962, after turning down a job with IBM, on the advice of J R D Tata, Jamshedji's first cousin.
The Humble Beginning
Tata is a science graduate, with a structural engineering degree from Cornell University, New York. He also underwent the Advanced Management Program from Harvard Business School. He began his career in the family business at Tata Steel in Jamshedpur, on the floor along with other blue-collar employees, digging up limestone and working at the blast furnaces.
His first major assignment at the Group was as director-in-charge of The National Radio & Electronics Company (NELCO) in 1971. When he took over charge of the Tata Group from J R D Tata in 1991, his first task was to move out the old guard and replace them with younger managers.
Under him, Tata Consultancy Services went public and Tata Motors was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In 1998, Tata Motors came up with the Tata Indica, the first truly Indian car, and Ratan's brainchild.
Today, under his dynamic leadership, the Tata Group has the largest market capitalisation of any business house on the Indian stock market.
Kingsize Leaps: Corus, Jaguar and Nano
Ratan Tata was also responsible for possibly two of the Group's biggest business deal coups in the recent past. In 2007, Tata Sons acquired Corus Group, an Anglo-Dutch steel and aluminium producer. Last year, Tata Motors fought of hard competition to buy iconic British car brands Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford Motor Company for 1.15 billion pounds ($2.3 billion).
But his biggest achievement is undoubtedly the Tata Nano, marketed as the world's cheapest car. Fighting off intense hurdles, including a racing deadline, his commitment to deliver the car at the record-low pricing of Rs.1 lakh (with his 'a promise is a promise' declaration ringing in the background) and a belligerent Mamata Banerjee, Tata eventually succeeded in launching the Nano at the New Delhi Auto Expo on January 10, 2008.
The price of the Nano might have gone up slightly since then, but nobody seems to mind that too much. Especially Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who successfully invited the Nano project to Sanand near Ahmedabad, at an investment of Rs.2000 crore. The corporate world also hailed the Nano's exit from its troubled nesting grounds of West Bengal, as it finally got Mamata out of the way of Ratan Tata's dream project.
The Game Changer: DoCoMo
Tata's recent joint venture with the Japanese firm DoCoMo Inc has created a revolution of sorts in the telecom sector, what with call tariffs of 1 paisa per second charged for calls anywhere in India. The new network forced other players, right from Airtel down, to reduce their call-charge rates.
Only on December 30 this year, Ratan Tata succeeded with another dream project, a Nano of sorts in water purifiers. Marketed on similar lines, as a water purifier of the masses, Swach (which is Hindi for 'clean'), is a two-foot-high affair that promises to deliver safe, clean drinking water to millions of Indians. The purifier is also sold at competitive prices, in two variants of Rs.749 and Rs.999.
The launch of the water purifier was a low-key affair as compared to that of the Nano, but it appears set to emerge from the shadows of its more popular cousin and serve the masses.
Power Lists and more
Ratan Tata has also received several honours during his career, including the Padma Vibhushan last year and an appointment as an honorary 'Knight Commander of the British Empire' this year.
He was listed among the 25 most powerful people in business by Fortune magazine in 2007, and has also made it to Time magazine's 2008 list of the World's 100 most influential people.
Tata, who is due for retirement as chairman of the Tata Group by 2012, has indicated that an expat might lead the group as chairman. But it remains to be seen who will take over at the helm, as there is a lot of time yet left for Ratan Tata to continue doing what he does best. In any case, his retirement will undoubtedly leave huge shoes to fill.
Source: India Syndicate
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