Date:07/04/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/04/07/stories/2004040701850600.htm

Back Film producers guild announces new awards

Our Bureau

Mumbai , April 6

THE Film Producers Guild of India (FPGI) has announced the `Apsara Film Producers Guild of India Award' to commemorate its golden jubilee anniversary. PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) will audit the awards.

The nominees for the Apsara FPGI Awards will be announced on May 5, and the awards function will be held on May 29.

These awards will laud Hindi film, Regional film and Television talent on the same platform.

"Making it an annual event, this initiative is the first step undertaken by the Guild to establish a benchmark and a standard,'' a press release said.

The Guild has constituted a committee comprising Indian entertainment industry stalwarts for awards. The committee includes Mr Ramesh Sippy, Director of the awards; Mr Amit Khanna, Mr Shekhar Kapur for the Film awards; Mr Govind Nihalani for the Technical awards; Mr Ronnie Screwvala for the Television awards and Mr Yash Chopra along with Mr Amit Khanna would head the Special award category.

Apsara, the award has been designed and sculpted by Tanishq - 22 karat gold plated trophy has been etched with one of the paintings of the caves at Ajanta and Ellora.

The winners will be voted by the cast of a ballot by all the 153 members of the Guild and not by a viewer's choice poll. Members some of whom include Aamir Khan, Shyam Benegal, Amitabh Bachchan, Ashitosh Gowarikar, Kamal Barjatiya will all be participating in the voting process. A total of 36 categories, including 24 from cinema and 12 from television (both fiction and non-fiction), will be honoured. .

"With big-budget blockbusters competing alongside television content and crossover films, entries will be judged on overall quality, content, cinematic brilliance and individual merit," a press release said.