BEVERLY HILLS, CA: Dr. B.K. Modi, founder of Mod Corp Global and head of Buddha Films, and his wife Veena hosted a dinner reception on Wednesday evening in honor of 150 people at their lovely Beverly Hills home to welcome the upcoming Indian Splendor Film and Art Festival which will be held from August 10-15 at UCLA.

Indian Splendor, in association with the UCLA Film & Television Archives, will celebrate contemporary Indian film, art, music and dance in a five-day festival which will culminate on the anniversary of Indian Independence. Dr. Modi told the gathering that “There is a lot of excitement all over the world for this event. Indian Splendor brings a feeling of brotherhood, equality, harmony and love.”

Renowned film producer Ashok Armitraj, was presented as the Indian Splendor cultural ambassador. “Indian Splendor means creating one world,” said Mr. Armitraj Dean Rosen, Chair of the UCLA department of film and television, said and added that the film is the marriage of art and commerce and Dr. Modi is a master in both areas.” Toni Robbins, motivational guru, was the guest of honor. “Dr. Modi is a man driven not only by business success but by the heart.”

Also present to support the launch of India Splendor were Tom Levyn, former mayor of Beverly Hills and Reginald Hudlin, President of entertainment, BET Networks.

A lively contemporary Indian music played in the background while the guests dined on a delicious buffet of delectable Indian dishes.

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LOS ANGELES, CA - Vidhu Vinod Chopra fans in Los Angeles were in for a rare treat on March 24 when the eminent director headlined the event preview of Indian Splendor Film and Arts Festival. He fielded questions from 'LA Weekly' critic David Chute and members of the audience after a special screening of his latest film 'Eklavya.'

Hosted by the UCLA Film and Television Archive and ModiCorp Global, the event was held at the newly opened state-of-the-art Billy Wilder Theatre at the Hammer Museum, here. Indian Splendor will be hosting a festival of new films and art from India in August.

Asked about the chances of 'Eklavya' getting the India nomination for the Oscars, Chopra was outspoken and called the Producers Association (who recommends Indian films for Academy Awards) "a bunch of idiots." The director was quizzed on his latest film as also on his filming style and a number of other related issues. Asked about "how exaggerated" was 'Eklavya' "so far as the royal families and their faithful servers go" Chopra, who is returning to directing after seven years, said that the story was based on a real life situation and that 'Eklavya' represents present day India where both the contemporary and the past live side by side. "I didn't want to go away from reality. It is a marriage between contemporary and the past." Explaining the theme behind the film, the director said it is a story of "reason versus rituals."

Chopra, who is all set to start work on his first Hollywood project titled '64 Squares,' said that he "wants to make global films" but "out of India." Recounting how he had been asked by Francis Ford Coppola to join him after being nominated for an Academy Award for short documentary in 1979, he said that his ambition was never to make "great money or settle down in Hollywood." He said that he was very thankful for what he had. "I am who I am because I grew up in Kashmir." He explained that Kashmir has the tradition of the Sufi culture where "Sufis slept in a coffin and thanked the lord for another day". He said that he did not make films with an eye at the box office but made "films for posterity."

The evening commenced with live performances by artists from Artwallah after UCLA Dean of Film and Television Robert Rosen and ModiCorp Chairman B.K. Modi introduced the idea behind 'India Splendor' to the nearly 300 odd attendees. Modi said that India known for its "Hitech, thanks to Silicon Valley" should also be known for "Heritage and Holistic". He explained that the world should know about "the Indian heritage of not invading any nation" and that India has always "been all inclusive and nothing exclusive".

Dancer Parijat Desai's 'Padam' had the audience asking for more as she dexterously interpreted the Fugee number "Killing me softly" in a rare combination of traditional Bharatnatyam and modern day hip-hop. The other notable performers were Ashwini Srikantiah who sang a couple of songs at the piano and Bernard White who read out a short story by Bhargavi C. Mandava.

Srikantiah is the artistic director for Artwallah, White a Sri Lankan-born American actor who has made appearances in 'Scorpion King,' 'Matrix' and 'City of Angels' and television serials like 'CSI' and 'X-Files' while Mandava is a young Indian American writer living in Los Angeles. Her novel "Where the Ocean Meets" was published in 1996. The piece de resistance of the Artwallah presentation was the emcee DLo. Tamil Sri Lankan American DLo had the house in splits with her gags targeted at the South Asian community.

http://www.indiajournal.com

The Beverly Hills Courier
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The BK Modi promoted Spice Group will invest $100 million over the next two years to expand its multi-brand technology retail chain Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd.

The retail outlets offer products such as mobile handsets, accessories, airtime connections, recharge vouchers, gaming devices, direct to home television services and other such telecom related products.

'We plan to open 400 stores by the end of this year by investing Rs.500 crores (Rs.5 billion),' Dilip Modi, vice chairman, Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd. told a press conference here.

In order to have a pan-India presence, the company plans to open 1,500 outlets in the next couple of years in 200 cities.

'At present, Hot Spot outlets are in Delhi and Mumbai, two of the most important mobile markets in India. We plan to open similar outlets in 200 cities over the next two years,' he added.

This retail chain, which was started in the year 2005, is expected to earn revenues of Rs.500 million in its second year of operations.

http://www.indiaenews.com

The BK Modi promoted Spice Group will invest $100 million over the next two years to expand its multi-brand technology retail chain Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd.

The retail outlets offer products such as mobile handsets, accessories, airtime connections, recharge vouchers, gaming devices, direct to home television services and other such telecom related products.

'We plan to open 400 stores by the end of this year by investing Rs.500 crores (Rs.5 billion),' Dilip Modi, vice chairman, Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd. told a press conference here.

In order to have a pan-India presence, the company plans to open 1,500 outlets in the next couple of years in 200 cities.

'At present, Hot Spot outlets are in Delhi and Mumbai, two of the most important mobile markets in India. We plan to open similar outlets in 200 cities over the next two years,' he added.

This retail chain, which was started in the year 2005, is expected to earn revenues of Rs.500 million in its second year of operations.

http://www.indiaprwire.com

The BK Modi promoted Spice Group will invest $100 million over the next two years to expand its multi-brand technology retail chain Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd.

The retail outlets offer products such as mobile handsets, accessories, airtime connections, recharge vouchers, gaming devices, direct to home television services and other such telecom related products.

'We plan to open 400 stores by the end of this year by investing Rs.500 crores (Rs.5 billion),' Dilip Modi, vice chairman, Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd. told a press conference here.

In order to have a pan-India presence, the company plans to open 1,500 outlets in the next couple of years in 200 cities.

'At present, Hot Spot outlets are in Delhi and Mumbai, two of the most important mobile markets in India. We plan to open similar outlets in 200 cities over the next two years,' he added.

This retail chain, which was started in the year 2005, is expected to earn revenues of Rs.500 million in its second year of operations.

http://story.malaysiasun.com

New Delhi, March 14 (IANS) The BK Modi promoted Spice Group will invest $100 million over the next two years to expand its multi-brand technology retail chain Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd.

The retail outlets offer products such as mobile handsets, accessories, airtime connections, recharge vouchers, gaming devices, direct to home television services and other such telecom related products.

"We plan to open 400 stores by the end of this year by investing Rs.500 crores (Rs.5 billion)," Dilip Modi, vice chairman, Hot Spot Retails Pvt. Ltd. told a press conference here.

In order to have a pan-India presence, the company plans to open 1,500 outlets in the next couple of years in 200 cities.

"At present, Hot Spot outlets are in Delhi and Mumbai, two of the most important mobile markets in India. We plan to open similar outlets in 200 cities over the next two years," he added.

This retail chain, which was started in the year 2005, is expected to earn revenues of Rs.500 million in its second year of operations.

http://www.indianmuslims.info

Spice Mobile has released 15 new phones into the market across all segments, from entry-level to high-end.

The models launched include higher-end phones such as the S-1000, a touch-screen Windows Mobile smartphone, the S-909, a slim slider phone that can also be used as a remote for your PC, S-900, S-8, S-800 and the S-808. The mid-range phones include the S-640 which has a touch screen that uses handwriting recognition technology, S-600, S-555, S-5 and the S530; and the low end range includes the S-450, S-404, S-500 and S-410.

Amongst the visually stimulating laser theatrics and graphics were some of India’s leading models sporting the various phones. Bollywood actress, Katrina Kaif, brand ambassador for Spice Mobiles said a few words with regards to a new phone that will be released shortly. The model number and features have not been released yet but it is said to be targeted at the mass rural population of the country. The Chairman Dr. B. K. Modi, and CEO Mr. Kunal Ahooja, along with Ms. Kaif also announced that this is to be the country’s first mobile to be costing under the 1000 rupee pricing.

Various conflicting views were provided as to the features of this phone. Weather it will have voice only capabilities or texting as well and weather or not it would be available in different languages across the country. So far it seems speculative but since the release is set for somewhere in the month of May we should expect to have more information on that model a little later.

Mr. Ahooja also mentioned that Spice will release 2 more phones later during this year. One is Spice's TV clamshell phone, with a very unique design concept (a swivel screen). The release is scheduled for somewhere during the middle of the year. At the end of 2007 Spice will also release a second mobile to be used a s DVD player using micro discs with movies. Spice will tie up with Indian DVD / VCD making companies to manufacture these micro-disc movies for their phones.

Mumbai is the last city this range of models have been released in.

http://www.tech2.com