One Word. Four Letters. A billion believers. SWAG has become the cultural zeitgeist that perfectly echoes the beliefs of the youth and celebrates the unwavering spirit of the new generation. Bringing this philosophy to life, Pepsi® today, has launched its all-new summer anthem which is ready to add more fizz to your next party. An extension of the Har Ghoont Mein Swag campaign, the anthem features two of the biggest youth icons of India – Badshah and Jacqueline Fernandez who are ready to take India by storm with their musical hattrick.

Taking Pepsi®’s proposition of ‘More Fizz, More Refreshing’* a notch higher, the peppy new anthem encourages youngsters to own their individuality, quirkiness and wear their hearts on their sleeves. The anthem is set in the context of a typical youngster’s life that has a lot of fun and irreverence. Pepsi has partnered with One Digital Entertainment and Universal Music Group for brands for bringing this campaign to life.

The anthem was launched today at a star-studded event in Mumbai this morning. Jacqueline Fernandez and Badshah grooved to this new masterpiece that is definitely going to be an earworm.

Speaking on the anthem, Saumya Rathor, Category Lead, Cola, PepsiCo India, said, “As a culture curator, Pepsi has connected with consumers time and again with music & dance and has worked with the most iconic superstars to curated powerful pieces of culture across the world. The lyrics, ‘Check my Fizz’ is all about celebrating the unshakeable self-belief and confidence of today’s youth. With Badshah dropping the beats, Jacqueline Fernandez burning up the screen with her dance moves, and Bollywood heavy hitter Ahmed Khan directing the video, we’re hoping to have India singing the song right back at us.”    

Commenting on the song and his long-standing partnership with Pepsi®, Badshah said, “I am extremely excited to be a part of Pepsi’s new summer anthem once again. I am a quintessential challenger and Pepsi’s challenger philosophy of owning your swag and living life with solid self-belief has always resonated with me. I hope people enjoy the song as much as I have enjoyed creating it!”

Talking about the number, Bollywood star, Jacqueline Fernandez, said, “Our generation is all about owing everything with confidence and self-belief be it their opinions, their choice of clothes or their career choices. I am super thrilled to be a part of Pepsi’s new summer anthem which takes this philosophy forward and in style – with a jaw-dropping number which is sure to take on the music scene by storm. The song is effortless, peppy and extremely relatable. The dance steps, the music, the colors, and the costumes all come together to add to the perkiness of the song. I cannot wait for my fans to dive into this SWAG experience.”

Ace Bollywood Director, Ahmed Khan said, “This new summer anthem is a supercool dance number that perfectly reflects today’s generation – uninhibited, confident, and full of swag. We have showcased this very attitude in the music video. I had an absolute blast working with Jacqueline and Badshah and that fun translates on screen. I can’t wait to showcase the magic we have created yet again with Pepsi.”

The song is available for streaming on YouTube and popular streaming platforms.

You can watch the peppy number here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jf1k1FGOIsg

&pictures will showcase Haathi Mere Saathi on 7^th November at 8 pm

When humanity serves nature, nature serves humanity! This festive season, echoing the importance of coexistence, &pictures brings a heart-warming tale of friendship, love, harmony and full-on hope with the channel premiere of Haathi Mere Saathi on 7^th November at 8 pm. Translating the remarkable bond shared between humans and animals, the film narrates the heroic story of how the two races come to protect each other from people trying to destroy the ecosystem. With the premiere of this film, the channel aims to bring mindful cinema to fore and celebrate a thoughtful and spirited festive season with its audiences.

With a powerful message that strings us all together and reflects on our deeds, this adventure film is written and directed by the talented Prabhu Solomon. Haathi Mere Saathi is an essential plea of great relevance and the cast including Rana Daggubati, Pulkit Samrat, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Zoya Hussain and Anant Mahadevan deliver this message with utmost dynamism. This Diwali weekend, get ready to revel in the land of the mighty elephants with the &pictures premiere of Haathi Mere Saathi on 7^th November at 8 pm.

Sharing his experience, Rana Daggubati said, “The unspoken bond between humans and animals has always been special to me. Haathi Mere Saathi has taken the emotion to a new height. I have always taken something back from my projects, but this film has transformed me in ways I never thought. It helped my conscience grow bit by bit. As an actor, my focus has been to give quality content to my audience and Haathi Mere Saathi is a movie that will entertain and inspire the viewers. I am glad to be a part of cinema with a cause.”

Talking about the film, Shriya Pilgaonkar said, “I am really proud of this film and what it stands for. Haathi Mere Saathi has been very fulfilling as an artist and as a person. Not just because I love elephants but also because I got to be a part of a project that stands for something much larger. It’s an important, relevant film especially given the times we are living in where there is so much that the world is going through. We need to understand our responsibilities towards nature for the planet to heal. The hope is that it will make people look inwards and also entertain them.”

Sharing his thought behind making this movie, Prabu Solomon said, “I have tried my best at exploring the land in its rawest form. Haathi Mere Saathi is one such story inspired by one of my trails. I believe art adds an edge to a cause and this film was my canvas to the world. I wanted this film to be a thought-provoking masterpiece and seeing the response obtained from the audience quenched my purpose to an extent.”

Haathi Mere Saathi is a heartening tale of Bandev’s (Rana Daggubati) perseverance and his deep connection with nature. A man who dedicates his life, living in the jungle, to the purpose of protecting the elephants and their ecosystem. It’s about his glorious fight to preserve the natural habitat for the elephants and other resident creatures against the people wishing for the latter. To protect the jungle, the inhabitants come to the rescue of one another, leading to the greatest story of friendship.

To find out more about Bandev’s thrilling journey, catch &pictures premiere of Haathi Mere Saathi on 7^th November at 8 pm!

 A Soulful Diwali: Local kirana store owners, milkmen, vegetable vendors, sweepers & such other people are our Silent Covid Warriors – is the essence of the film starring Shivaji Satam!

Mumbai 2^nd Nov 2021: India’s leading food FMCG company, Empire Spices and Foods Ltd. (ESFL) popular for its flagship brand Ram Bandhu has released a Marathi short film titled ‘A soulful Diwali – खरे प्रकाशपर्व’.

The heart-touching campaign was created with the aim of supporting and honoring selfless community workers like local kirana store owners, the milkman, the vegetable vendors, the sweepers and other such silent warriors who worked tirelessly during the pandemic. The film captures the story of a kirana store owner played by award winning Marathi actor Kishor Kadam at Gokuldham Society and his apprehensions through the journey of the poignant film. 

“At Ram Bandhu we feel indebted to the countless covid warriors who are helping us fight this pandemic. We wanted to express our gratitude through this film. This Diwali let us light a lamp in the honor of the covid warriors of our neighborhood; the local kirana store owner, the milkman, the vegetable vendors, the sweepers and other such silent warriors”, shared Hemant Rathi Chairman, ESFL. 

 Commenting on the film, Umesh Rathi, Managing Director, ESFL said “Small businesses have taken a hit during the pandemic and are still recovering from the impact of it. The local retail stores have played a pivotal role in providing the households with essential goods while risking their own health and safety. This film is a salute to all such selfless Samaritans”.

 Renowned Actor, Shivaji Satam who features in the film shared, “The script was so heart touching that I couldn’t say no to it despite having several other engagements. I appreciate the fact that an established brand like Ram Bandhu has chosen to put forth this kind of a message during Diwali. I am really happy to be a part of such a noble endeavor”. 

The film has been produced by Whiteline Studios. Hemant Bele, Creative Head, Whiteline Studios shared, “This Diwali short film ‘A soulful diwali – खरे प्रकाशपर्व’ by Ram Bandhu is a small effort to give our unsung covid warriors the recognition they deserve and to make this Diwali one filled with love, light & gratitude”.

Lead Actor Kishor Kadam said “It is a privilege to be part of such a film with a social message and to enact the role of one of our unsung covid warriors”.  

ESFL recently announced Madhuri Dixit-Nene as the brand ambassador for Ram Bandhu’s papad and pickle products.

 ESFL’s brand portfolio includes the brands Ram Bandhu, RBM, Temptin’ and Zaiqa. These are loved by the masses for the taste, variants and convenience that they bring. The company has its presence in the markets across 12 states in India with more than half a million retail shops, a large team of field force and 1000+ distributors dedicated to supplying the best products and culinary delicacies to the consumers. The company also has been exporting its products to countries like US, UK, Qatar, Dubai, Canada, Germany, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Bahrain.

Catch Gen Z’s favourite ladies Sara Ali Khan & Kusha Kapila as they get candid about online dating, Body positivity and loving yourself on Tinder’s Swipe Ride series

Popularly known to spark connections with new people, Tinder is all set to up the dating scene in India with its latest offering – ‘The Swipe Ride’ series. Aimed to bring the uninhibited and meaningful conversations about what women really expect in terms of their dating lives in a society like India to the forefront, this series is sure to crank the dating scene in today’s fast paced world. In the first episode of Tinder swipe rides, dynamic duo actor Sara Ali Khan and social media queen, Kusha Kapila get candid with Tinder member, Meghana, who is on her way to meet her Tinder date. The short ‘trusty ride’ is not preachy, but filled with fun, hilarious one liners such as ‘Sara Ali Khanfidence’, and relatable conversation that ranges from spelling the importance of being authentic on a date to having an original and non-google inspired dating bio with good pictures.

Swipe right to authenticity

Sara and Kusha highlighted the importance of being your true self when it comes to online dating. Sara firmly believes this when she says “You can tell when someone is pretending to be something versus when someone is who they really are. Karo toh honesty se karo, imandari se karo aur shiddat se karo.” Both Sara and Kusha believe that being pretentious doesn’t take you far in life and certainly not on trustworthy dates. They also spoke about how passion is important in the beautiful concoction of dating. During the lovely and positive conversation between the three dynamic ladies, Sara emphasized on not falling under the norms set by society of looking “perfect”, but accepting and loving oneself the way they are. 

Nothing over self-love and acceptance

The trio parted on some truly promising mantras that will be useful while going on a date. One such mantra is: while finding love is important, it is equally critical to love yourself unconditionally. As Sara rightly puts it out, “I feel that because I was a fat child, may be in those very formative years of my life, whether it’s with a guy, whether it’s with friends, whether it’s with just society in general, I never found my defining aspect through the way that I looked!”