Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Aminah Sheikh

Stories by Surajeet Das Gupta &Amp; Aminah Sheikh

Modi in talks for Sony BMG stake

Modi in talks for Sony BMG stake

Rediff.com   17 Jul 2008

In yet another move to strengthen his association with the Sony Group, Spice Chairman B K Modi is in talks to buy stake in Sony BMG, the group's music subsidiary.

Nariman Point to Borivali in 45 mins

Nariman Point to Borivali in 45 mins

Rediff.com   12 Jul 2008

In two years, Mumbaikars will be able to take the waterway, forking out Rs 70 for a 45-minute journey between the city's commercial centre Nariman Point and its suburbs in Borivali, while enjoying the Arabian sea breeze. The high power committee chaired by Maharashtra chief secretary Johnny Joseph, in a meeting on Thursday, has finalised the bidding criteria for the ambitious passenger water transport project along the western coast of Mumbai.

Paid mobile entertainment losing steam

Paid mobile entertainment losing steam

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2008

Consider this. Leading broadcaster Star India's mobile interactive division, Star Mobile Entertainment -- which made some serious headway in the space by launching a service whereby mobile users could opt to view soaps from across Star India's network -- recently reviewed its operational strategy.

BCCI opens 2nd innings with Champions T20

BCCI opens 2nd innings with Champions T20

Rediff.com   10 Jul 2008

Twenty20 cricket is back again, but this time in an international avatar. The Board of Control for Cricket in India is expected to offer telecast rights for the Champions Twenty20 tournament in which domestic clubs from various countries will battle it out for top honours this September.

ADAG eyes 51% in MTN via share swap

ADAG eyes 51% in MTN via share swap

Rediff.com   8 Jul 2008

The MTN-Reliance Communications merger, if it gets through, will create a telecom behemoth of 115 million subscribers in 25 countries.

How domestic airlines can save Rs 2,500 cr a year

How domestic airlines can save Rs 2,500 cr a year

Rediff.com   4 Jul 2008

Domestic airlines will save around Rs 2,500 crore annually if they import aviation turbine fuel directly rather than buy it from state-owned oil marketing companies. This would help them shave off around 14 per cent of their burgeoning fuel bill and cut the industry's projected loss of Rs 8,000 crore for the current financial year by a little less than a third.

Adlabs promoter, NDTV arm in talks for film JV

Adlabs promoter, NDTV arm in talks for film JV

Rediff.com   3 Jul 2008

NDTV Imagine, the entertainment wing of Prannoy Roy-promoted NDTV Network, is close to forming a 50:50 joint venture with Manmohan Shetty - the former promoter of Adlabs - to enter film production.

Nahata, Dhoots in telecom feud

Nahata, Dhoots in telecom feud

Rediff.com   30 Jun 2008

A no-holds-barred boardroom battle has broken out between Mahendra Nahata and the Dhoots of Videocon, 36:64 partners in Datacom Solutions, a company which wants to launch mobile telephone services all over the country in a month-and-a-half.

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

MTN may extend deadline for talks with RCom

Rediff.com   16 Jun 2008

A high-profile team from MTN is also expected to meet Reliance Industries Ltd next week to take stock of the situation. RCom had informed the bourses on May 26 that it has entered into exclusive negotiations with MTN for 45 days soon after the South African giant aborted its talks with the Sunil Mittal-controlled Bharti group. The deadline will end on July 8.

Hollywood, here I come, says Anil Ambani

Hollywood, here I come, says Anil Ambani

Rediff.com   26 May 2008

Sure, while Mumbai's tinsel town has made some attempts to break in (Aamir Khan's Lagaan made it to the 2002 Oscar nomination for foreign films), few Indians have managed to enter this exclusive club. Not anymore. The efforts of the threesome have finally paid off and the Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group (ADAG) is set to put its imprint on Hollywood.

Telecom outsourcing deals under Trai lens

Telecom outsourcing deals under Trai lens

Rediff.com   20 May 2008

Move to ensure deals do not hit govt licence fees, revenue share.

3 PSBs to part-fund Tata Motors' JLR buy

3 PSBs to part-fund Tata Motors' JLR buy

Rediff.com   12 May 2008

Leading Indian public sector banks State Bank of India, Bank of Baroda and Syndicate Bank are close to committing a part of the $3 billion bridge loan that Tata Motors has to raise to finance the acquisition of Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford.

For Bharti, negotiations with ex-PM hold key

For Bharti, negotiations with ex-PM hold key

Rediff.com   9 May 2008

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal's bid for telecom major MTN Group has to contend with some tough negotiations with Lebanon's former prime minister Najib Mikati, one of the wealthiest men in his country, as well as stiff black economic empowerment policies in South Africa that provide for a major share in the management of companies located in the country to blacks.

<i>Panchvi Pass</i> bowled by IPL

Panchvi Pass bowled by IPL

Rediff.com   8 May 2008

Commercials aired during the original show time will also be re-run without charging advertisers additional fee, said sources. In other words, an advertiser will get three times more air time on Star Plus for the same amount it had paid originally.

Big TV's DTH launch to set off price war

Big TV's DTH launch to set off price war

Rediff.com   5 May 2008

The battle for subscribers in the direct-to-home space is set to get hotter, with new player Big TV expected to fire a price war. Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's Big TV will be commercially launched sometime in May and is looking at tying up over 5 to 5.5 million subscribers even before its launch.

Yash Chopra, theatre chains at war again

Yash Chopra, theatre chains at war again

Rediff.com   23 Apr 2008

Bollywood's King of Romances Yash Chopra is flexing his muscle once again over revenue-sharing with theatre chains.

IPL cash registers start ringing

IPL cash registers start ringing

Rediff.com   18 Apr 2008

Vijay Mallya, whose team Royal Challengers will take on Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata Knight Riders in the inaugural match in Bangalore, has already got busy counting the cash.

Sony-WSG to net Rs 380 cr from IPL

Sony-WSG to net Rs 380 cr from IPL

Rediff.com   16 Apr 2008

The consortium of Sony Entertainment Television and World Sports Group, which paid BCCI $60 million (Rs 240 crore) as the telecast rights fee for the first season of the Twenty 20 league has already recovered its money. Sony-WSG will together earn around Rs 380 crore (Rs 3.8 billion) worldwide from the league. Sony is confident of selling 11,800 seconds across 59 matches, at a premium. Vodafone, Godrej, Hyundai, Coca-Cola & Max New York and StanChart has already booked spots.

HD TV ready for grand India entry

HD TV ready for grand India entry

Rediff.com   15 Apr 2008

HD TV is all set to make a grand entry in India by the year-end. Direct-To-Home operators -- Dish TV and Reliance Communications -- are planning to offer HD TV set top boxes, though at a premium.

India a hot destination for CEOs

India a hot destination for CEOs

Rediff.com   14 Apr 2008

The brain drain, it seems, is passe. India is becoming one of the hottest destinations for expatriates (both those of Indian origin and foreigners) for top jobs. That is because big business houses in India are ready to offer pay packets that are equivalent to and sometimes more than global benchmarks. This is a key finding of a study of senior recruitment trends by US-based SpencerStuart, a leading executive search firm that specialises in recruiting CEOs, presidents and COO