one adhesive that can bind the reached this far by bridging two generations of country – its diverse cultures, readers. By being nimble-footed and in languages, dialects and religions – it complete communion with the times it has is the Hindi film industry. transcended distinct eras and continually Bollywood, as it is popularly differentiated itself from competitors. With known, has a huge following in India news stands piled high with magazines of and around the world. Hindi movie every description and every interest, it is lovers who span the globe devour extraordinary that Filmfare should be the every scrap of information they can fifth-most read English magazine in the country lay their hands on about their (Source: internal data). favourite movies and movie stars. Just as Filmfare is recognised as India's oldest Movie magazines also double as and most distinguished film and entertainment fashion ramps because clothes worn magazine, so too, are Filmfare Awards venerated by film icons set trends for their as the oldest and most prestigious. Despite a loyal fans. plethora of other tribute payers, Filmfare It is in this very special world of Awards – and its iconic trophies – stand out as part fantasy, part dreams, part the pinnacle of achievement. desires that Filmfare flourishes. Cocooned in impeccable History credentials, Filmfare has been the The history of Filmfare parallels the history of window into Bollywood's biggest the Indian film industry which it has mirrored in films and into the lives of its biggest its pages for over 57 years. A Times of India divas for more than five decades. enterprise, Filmfare commenced publication in It cannot be a surprise that this 1952 and is, today, the oldest English language exceptional publication boasts a film magazine in India. readership of 2.23 million each 1952 was a time when millions were still issue (Source: IRS 09 R1). searching for answers, seeking relief and succour. Films were a perfect Achievements escape transporting, for those three Filmfare has been inextricably hours, people into a magical world entwined with the development of of dreams and make-belief. It was in a newly independent India that Filmfare made Market its debut giving its Cassandras have been predicting the death of readers the first glimpse the magazine since the advent of the internet, into the glamorous lives only to be proved wrong with equal regularity. of celluloid celebrities. The fact is that the readership numbers, The issues of the particularly in India, are looking very robust. magazine flew off news According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers stands. Pictures of report, revenues for newspapers and magazines favourite stars were grew at a compounded annual average rate carefully cut out and (CAGR) of 15% in the last four years – a figure gently pasted into scrap higher than anywhere else in the world. books and on the walls The growth is driven by a young demographic of the homes of adoring and a set of circumstances typical to the Indian fans. Such was the draw of landscape – an increasing number of working Filmfare. women leading to double income homes, more For the next 32 years, disposable money, rapid urbanisation, smaller until 1984, the magazine households and the yawning gap between the continued to be published haves and the have-nots that Indians are in a every fortnight when it hurry to bridge.The young Indian consumers, was made into a monthly. particularly in urban areas, find in glossy It reverted to the magazines fortnightly frequency in experiences which November 2007. are in sync with In 1953, in a novel their growing exercise to determine the aspirations and Award winners, the readers bring imageries the Indian film industry. Every breath, every step of Filmfare polled various that break the that this huge business has taken has been award categories. More than monotony of their faithfully captured on the canvas Filmfare has 20,000 respondents cast stressful lives. presented – issue after issue. their franchise setting in But the It is, therefore, no idle boast that if a motion the legend of publication segment researcher were studying the history of Indian the Filmfare Awards. that interests almost cinema – and particularly the Hindi genre – he In 1954 the magazine every one, without would have to turn to Filmfare to discover the hosted the first Filmfare exception, is the landmarks that pushed it into its next orbits. evening – then called movie magazine; But what is remarkable about Filmfare is the The Clares – in honour because if there is fact that the magazine in the stand, today, has of Clare Mendonca, 76 SUPERBRANDS and it is this same language that Filmfare At about the same time it ascertained a growing employs to reach out to thousands of demand for Filmfare in regional languages; the avid movie lovers.The magazine's strong first of these has been launched in Tamil with editorial content has always been its Telugu and Malayalam next in line. Apart from mainstay. Filmfare steers clear of tabloid reaching the local populace these editions will journalism. It is the only Indian film also reach the language diaspora – particularly magazine that talks not just of the stars in Malaysia, Singapore and the Middle East. and their not so private lives but also of The growing access to the internet among trends in the movie world. Indian youth has opened up a fresh new avenue, The photo shoots of Filmfare are leading to a different segment of readers, who legendary and every star at one time or may or may not pick up the magazine but will another has posed for the magazine's be loyal followers of the Filmfare brand on the pages and many a star image has been net. Filmfare.com aims to provide film and reinvented by the stellar troupe of celebrity content that is exclusive.The long-term Filmfare photographers.The Filmfare goals of the website include becoming the photo features meld art and fashion – ultimate film portal. Filmfare can now also be making it the perfect fanzine. accessed on Twitter and Facebook where tens Over the years, Filmfare has blended and thousands of followers prove how popular into the fabric of the Indian culture just the brand is in all forms of media. Filmfare is as much as the Hindi movies making sure that Bollywood fans, anywhere in themselves.The brand derives its the world, get Filmfare content on mobile authenticity from a team of journalists phones, websites, live events and any other who are intimately involved with the medium that can reach the passionate reader celebrities. In other words, if there is on Bollywood activities and Indian movies. something the stars want to say, the fans read it first in Filmfare. Promotion In The Big Ticket section, the Filmfare attempts novel ways of generating news magazine not just reviews and previews and staying in touch with both its current and movies but also keeps a check on every potential readers. One such effort is the Filmfare Cover the magazine's first film critic. Since launch event. Not then these awards have acquired so only is this much consequence that they are often covered referred to as the Indian equivalent of extensively by the the Academy Awards. media, it is also a With a view to strengthen their testimony to the delivery, Filmfare and Femina were close relationship hived off into a subsidiary by the Filmfare enjoys Bennett Coleman group.The new with movie stars. ownership, Worldwide Media is a While the 50/50 joint venture between the Times shoot itself has of India Group and BBC Magazines, the become a publishing division of BBC Worldwide. celebrated event, issues featuring Product the stars are A glitzy and alluring round up of all unveiled by the that a Bollywood buff would want to stars themselves know about Indian movies and movie at a press stars would best describe the package conference that Filmfare puts together for its packed to the hilt. readers every fortnight. The language of movies is universal Brand Values Filmfare is not just music CD, DVD and book based on a film magazine; it is the most respected brand Hindi cinema that hits the stands. in film journalism.This Its other deliverable – the Filmfare publication has lived by Awards – are more than an event, they a credo that has stood are a chronicle of the highs of the the test of time – a Indian movie industry. statement of belief From a modest ceremony which that the magazine will lasted for less than a couple of hours, publish only well- the Filmfare Awards have, today, researched articles and morphed into the most breathtaking accurately portray the extravaganza that the country waits for magical world of each year. movies and the stars Never compromised, never allowed that make this very to lower in prestige, the awards' special world possible. ceremony has always been marked by a distinct brand of elegance, dignity and www.filmfare.com unparalleled magic.Today it is an exclusive by-invitation-only evening for the crème-de-la-crème of the industry. Things you didn’t know about Filmfare Recent Developments One of the reasons for Filmfare's The Filmfare statuette was made in silver to continuing success is the fact that celebrate the 25th year of the awards the magazine is never standing still. Researching the market and President Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt was understanding emerging reader wants the Chief Guest at the Filmfare awards function has helped Filmfare re-invent itself in 1960 several times over. In early 2008, in Superstars like Ursula Andress, Gregory Peck one of its more recent developments and Will Smith have been a part of Filmfare Filmfare revamped its look and overall celebrations layout and re-emerged as a fortnightly.