Idea Cellular to sponsor Filmfare Awards again

New Delhi, January 20, 2010

Worldwide Media Pvt Limited, the joint venture between the Times of India Group and BBC Worldwide, today announced the continuation of its long-term sponsorship agreement on the Filmfare Awards with mobile operator Idea Cellular Ltd.

This will be the second year of association for Idea with the Filmfare Awards, which are given annually for excellence in Indian cinema by Filmfare, the movie magazine produced by Worldwide Media.

The 55th Idea Filmfare Awards are scheduled to be presented on February 27 at the Yashraj Studios in Mumbai.

As in previous years, the nominees for the awards in various categories will be chosen through an audience poll.

According to the Times Group, the response has been overwhelming this year with audiences voting through postal mail, mobile and online media. Fifty per cent weightage will be given to polling results and equal weightage to a specially-appointed panel of judges.

"It’s time, once again, for the biggest awards show of the film industry – the Idea Filmfare Awards. We will raise a toast, as we have for the last 55 years, to the immense talent of our film industry. We have had a successful partnership with Idea Cellular and, along with them, hope to make the Awards show even bigger this year," Mr Tarun Rai, Chief Executive Officer, Worldwide Media Pvt Ltd. said at a press conference today.

Mr Rai said 111 films had qualified this year and awards would be given in 37 categories, with no news categories added this year.

Mr. Pradeep Shrivastava, Chief Marketing Officer, Idea Cellular said, "Brand Idea always associates with champion ideas to offer unique user experience, and entertainment, to our 58 million subscribers, across India. Our continued association with the prestigious Idea Filmfare Awards is a testimony of the brand’s promise to offer the best-in-class entertainment, through our reach and connect with the audience, across the length and breadth of the country. This year again, IDEA will bring stars and the best of movies, closer to our customers, through the 55th Idea Filmfare Awards."

Actress Asin Thottumkal was also present at the event. She has won three Filmfare awards in three different languages. "My association with Filmfare has been a long one. It was the first film magazine that I knew," she remarked.

A press release said Idea would offer rich content on the mobile platform around the Idea Filmfare Awards for its 58 million subscribers. It will also introduce a range of value-added service (VAS) products and contests, specially designed around Bollywood and cinema. Idea contest winners will get to attend the awards ceremony, sitting alongside Bollywood’s celebrities. Select customers will also get to meet and Bollywood stars, as part of the brand association with Filmfare.

Worldwide Media is a 50:50 joint venture owned by the Times of India group and BBC Worldwide. Apart from Filmfare, it publishes Femina, a magazine for women. More recently, it has launched the UK auto magazine BBC TopGear in India. Idea Cellular is part of the Adiya Birla Group.

NNN