Tuesday, March 29, 2016

JAI HO! MADAME TUSSAUDS CELEBRATES HINDI FILM AND CULTURE

MARCH 29, 2016 | EDIT

JAI HO! MADAME TUSSAUDS CELEBRATES HINDI FILM AND CULTURE AS BOLLYWOOD ICONS TRAVEL WASHINGTON, DC

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EXTEND YOUR HOLI CELEBRATIONS AS VISIONS OF TURQUOISE AND GOLD ARRIVE IN THE NATION’S CAPITAL FOR LIMITED TIME ONLY

[March 28, 2016] – Shimmers of gold sequins and flashes of turquoise will be in the air as Madame Tussauds Washington, DC welcomes the traveling Bollywood Figures Exhibit. Beginning on March 28th the figures of Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Kha, Aishwarya Rai, Kareena Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan and Hrithik Roshanwill join the wax likeness of Beyonce and Jimmy Fallon in the Nation’s capital. The vibrant exhibit, which features incredibly lifelike wax figures of these Hindi cinema legends, will be on display at Madame Tussauds through September 2016.

A team of studio artists from Madame Tussauds referred to countless images and videos, capturing hair and eye color, skin tone, and facial structure in order to create identical replicas of each Bollywood film star. Since the figures were individually launched, they have been traveling across the world visiting Madame Tussauds locations including London and New York. The figures arrive in the Nation’s capital after this weekend’s Holi Festival, the Indian’s culture celebration of spring, also known as the festival of colors.

Each incredibly lifelike figure is outfitted in attire that matches their likeness’ unique and individual style:

Shah Rukh Khan, one of Bollywood’s most renowned actors, often referred to as “King Khan” is dressed to impress, styled in a black tuxedo identical to what he wore to the 5th International Rome Film Festival in 2010.

Aishwarya Rai, one of the leading contemporary actresses of Indian cinema who was featured in the blockbuster action thriller Dhoom 2, looks gorgeous in a lilac gown recreated after her appearance at Cannes in 2010.

Kareena Kapoor, who is noted for her performances across a range of film genres, from romantic dramas and comedies to independent films and major Bollywood productions is adorned in a black embellished dress which was donated by Ms. Kapoor when she first met with Madame Tussauds artists.

Amitabh Bachchan, regarded as one of the greatest and most influential actors in the history of Indian cinema is seen in a traditional velvet dress-coat similar to the actor’s attire at Salon du cinema at the Grand Halle de la Villete in 2009.

Hrithik Roshan, a heartthrob and an acclaimed actor is the recipient of numerous Best Actor awards. Showcasing an incredible set of abs, Roshan’s figure is dressed in faded jeans and a unbuttoned sleeveless red shirt, items which were donated by the actor himself.

Madame Tussauds, Washington DC is thrilled for its visitors to see the traveling Bollywood set before they continue their worldwide tour later this summer. To participate in the conversation on social media, be sure to @DCWax and use #MTDCBollywood.

About Madame Tussauds Washington, DC

Madame Tussauds Washington, DC is a fully interactive, full-sensory experience, where visitors are able to touch, see, and hear major historical events and celebrities. The attraction, highlighted by the Presidents Gallery which features wax figures of all 44 US Presidents, showcases likenesses of some of the world’s most recognized individuals, including: international superstars Zac Efron, Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Beyonce, Michael Jackson, Taylor Swift, Miley Cyrus, and Rihanna; entertainment and sports giants Jimmy Fallon, Oprah Winfrey, Babe Ruth, and Tiger Woods; among others.

Madame Tussauds Washington, DC is a proud participant in the Washington DC Explorer Pass. Go City Card provides multi-attraction passes that maximize the fun, savings, and convenience of sightseeing with flexible purchase options for every type of traveler. For more information, visit www.madametussaudsdc.com or call 202-942-7300.

UBA Pro Basketball League Season 2, Hyderabad Leg- Day 7

MARCH 29, 2016 | EDIT

UBA Pro Basketball League Season 2, Hyderabad Leg- Day 7 Delhi Capitals stay alive with second semis win over Mumbai Challengers

Hyderabad, 29th March 2016: The United Basketball Alliance (UBA) Pro Basketball League Season 2 saw the second round of semifinals action today, at the Gachibowli Indoor Stadium. North division toppers Delhi Capitals kept their campaign alive with a win over Mumbai Challengers.

Dignitaries grace the occasion

The evening was also graced by the presence of multiple achievers across different fields. Beauty pageant, Mrs Sangeetha Singh, winner of the Mrs Australia Planet 2015 was on hand and met the Mumbai and Delhi teams before tipoff. “I have played a bit of basketball in my time as well. I’m really looking forward to this exciting match and hope the best team wins.”

Telugu actor Sudheer Babu attempted a few midrange jumpshots before successfully making a layup. “Basketball is a very loved sport and UBA is doing a fantastic job [of promoting it],” he said.

Also, in attendance were current Senior India men’s forward Rikin Pethani and former India international Manoj Tripathi.

For the second South Division semifinals, Shri Dasyam Vinay Bhaskar, Member of the Telangana Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Warangal West constituency, was present.

Delhi Capitals bt Mumbai Challengers 72-61 (SF#2)

The Mumbai Challengers had drawn first blood in their semifinal series against the Delhi Capitals. The team with the best league stage record, Delhi Capitals, entered today’s game on the back foot after losing the opening game of the series yesterday.

Hoping for two off days before the finals, Mumbai Challengers were eager to close out the series today. Ranbir Singh picked up from where he left off in Game 1, opening his team’s scoring with a strong drive. But his 3-point shooting was below par, which hurt Mumbai’s offense. Mumbai centre Gagandeep Singh kept his numbers up with early points in the paint and from the freethrow line. For Delhi, forward Smithin Setu put up the initial points, cleaning up after his teammates in the paint. Delhi point guard Sachin Sharma nailed a couple of transition buckets to keep the scoring even. Gritty defense from both teams resulted in a low scoring first quarter with Mumbai up 12 to 11.

In the second quarter, Mumbai’s super-sub Brar Dildar came off the bench and hit all three of his 3-point attempts. Gagandeep continued to hit shots from inside the paint and Mumbai seemed poised to run away with the game. But guard Vinay Kaushik and forward Ajay Pratap Singh knocked down a couple of 3-pointers for Delhi to go with strong drives to the basket, keeping their team in the game. There was not much to separate the two teams at halftime with Mumbai still up by only 2 points 28 to 26.

Player of the match in Game 1, Jagdeep Bains joined Mumbai’s scoring party early in the second half operating in the low post. His frontcourt mate Nikhil Dahiya used his athleticism to hit some tough mid-range buckets. Delhi was still unable to stop Gagandeep on the inside, who put his full array of moves on display today, even hitting a deep mid-range banker that seemed out of his range. Delhi’s bench players peppered the Capitals’ scoring in the third quarter with contributions from multiple players. While Delhi used their full bench strength, playing all 12 players on their roster, Mumbai stuck to an 8-man rotation.

Leading by 6 points entering the final period, Vinay Kaushik stepped for Delhi, ferociously driving to the basket and finishing in the paint or earning his points at the freethrow line. Apart from Gagandeep, the other Mumbai players struggled on the offensive end with the team shooting an overall 33% from the field. Delhi’s 19 offensive rebounds led to 21 second chance points, hurting Mumbai down the stretch. Delhi gained the lead midway through the fourth quarter and continued to fire away, led by player of the match Vinay Kaushik’s 15 fourth quarter points. Delhi ended up winning by double-digits 72 to 61 and evened the series at 1-1. Vinay Kaushik was awarded a cash prize of INR 25,000 for his play today. The deciding third place match will be played tomorrow.

Delhi Capitals (Vinay Kaushik 21pts 5asts, Smithin Setu 11pts 12 rbs, Satyajeet 8pts) btMumbai Challengers (Gagandeep Singh 22pts, Brar Dildar 11pts, Nikhil Dahiya 9pts)72-61 (11-12, 14-16, 16-20, 30-13)

Late evening result from 28th March: Chennai Slam bt Pune Peshwas 88-72

The second semifinal series was between southern division rivals and last year’s finalists, Chennai Slam and Pune Peshwas. The defending champions had lost their last league game to the Peshwas and were eager to get revenge in the first of the three semifinals today.

Peshwas’ shooting guard Narender Grewal lit it up from 3-point range in the early minutes, knocking down his first two triples. For Chennai, forward Ashutosh Rai put his mid-range game on show, draining four jumpers in the first quarter. Chennai’s veteran centre Gopal Ram overpowered the leaner Gaurav Ohlan in the post to finish on baby hooks or easy lay-ins. On the other end, Gaurav Ohlan sparked the Pune offense taking advantage of the space given to him by the Chennai defense. He showed his mid-range touch, ending up with 8 first quarter points. Pune upped Chennai in the first period with the score at 21-17.

Chennai point guard Agu turned up the heat in the second quarter with an early 3-pointer. But Pune answered through Narender who hit another couple of 3-pointers in the early minutes of the second quarter to keep his team in the lead. At this point, centre Gopal lit up the scoreboard for Chennai using his size and touch to score down low. Neither Gaurav Ohlan nor any other Pune defenders were able to control Gopal’s scoring run (12 points in the second quarter). Chennai tightened up on the defensive end as well, pushing the tempo on Pune turnovers for easy transition buckets. Apart from Narender and Gaurav, no other Pune player was able to find the bottom of the basket as Chennai outscored Pune 27 to 12 in the second quarter.

Up 44 to 33 at halftime, Chennai kept its foot on the gas, led by Agu and Gopal. Agu knocked down a 3-pointer to start the third quarter and continued to be aggressive driving to the basket. Gopal remained unstoppable in the post, muscling his way to the basket and shooting above 70% from the freethrow line. Lengthy forward Arjun GK came off the bench for Chennai to provide the hustle element, scrapping for offensive rebounds and loose balls and making the right cuts to the basket. Chennai continued to remain on top, ending the first quarter up 62 to 48.

In the fourth quarter, Narender Grewal (32 points) hit another couple of triples for Pune in their hunt for a comeback. Gaurav Ohlan (21 points) put on an impressive mid-range show, hitting on multiple jumpers. But there was little support from the rest of the Pune team with no other player scoring in double digits. Gopal and Agu kept firing away to maintain the gap between the two teams. Shooting guard Carmel stepped up to knock down late freethrows and Chennai closed out on a blowout 88-72 victory.

Chennai Slam (Gopal 30pts 10rbs, Chukwunanu Agu 18pts 7asts 7stls, Arjun GK 12pts 10rbs) bt Pune Peshwas (Narender Grewal 32pts 11rbs, Gaurav Ohlan 21pts 10rbs, Arjun Mehta 4pts 7asts) 88-72 (17-21, 27-12, 18-15, 26-24)

MARCH 29, 2016 | EDIT