Cine Blitz

History

Cine Blitz was launched by Russi Karanjia's Rifa Publications in December 1974, and his daughter Rita Mehta became the first editor-in-chief of the magazine. The first issue of December 1974, had Zeenat Aman on the cover. To give the new magazine "a flying start", Rita Mehta approached Protima Bedi and asked her to streak across Mumbai, first at Flora Fountain and then at Juhu Beach. Pictures of it would be carried in the inside pages of the inaugural edition.

The ensuing controversy forced the magazine to then (falsely) claim that the naked run was actually shot in Goa and later superimposed on images of Mumbai. However, the goal of popularising the new magazine was achieved and Cine Blitz went on to become one of India's leading film and gossip magazines for years to come. Its attitude was reflected in its rather tongue-in-cheek tagline of "C to Z of Hindi Films - Everyone covers AB".

For the subsequent three decades Cine Blitz continued to be a leading film magazine.

The acquisition lead to the revamp of the magazine, and in 2003 Cine Blitz launched its international editions, US and UK editions catering to the Asian diaspora, with launch function in London. And in 2006, Rita Mehta was replaced as editor-in-chief by Nishi Prem, the former editor of Stardust.

In 2009, to mark its 35th anniversary, the magazine released a coffee table book about history of Hindi film industry, Love & Longing in Hindi Cinema by editor Nishi Prem.

Since May 2020, Cineblitz launched an exclusive digital only edition and in June 2020 Cineblitz announced its Annual Awards.

References

Bibliography

References

1. Wendy L. Bowcher. (2012). "Multimodal Texts from Around the World: Cultural and Linguistic Insights". Palgrave Macmillan.
2. Kasbekar, Asha. (January 2006). "Pop Culture India!: Media, Arts, and Lifestyle". ABC-CLIO.
3. "Cine Blitz profile". The Hindustan Times.
4. (6 February 2008). "R.K. Karanjia: Living through the Blitz". The Hindu.
5. "Protima's naked run: Cine Blitz Profile". [[Hindustan Times]].
6. "CineBlitz Film Magazine". VJM Media.
7. Alokananda Chakraborty. (30 October 2001). "Business houses and publishing: Is there a synergy?". afaqs!.
8. "(India's) Vijay Mallya to buy ''Cine Blitz'' magazine".
9. "International edition of Cineblitz launched in London". Economic Times.
10. (10 September 2003). "Bollywood gossip mag 'Cineblitz' is relaunched". Redhotcurry.
11. Punn, Goher Iqbal. (February 28, 2006). "Cineblitz celebrates 32nd anniversary". DB Corp Ltd..
12. (1 December 2009). "Coffee-table book 'Cine Blitz Gold' launched in Mumbai". [[Daily News & Analysis]], DNA.
13. (2009). "CineBlitz Gold book launch with Vijay Mallya, Aamir Khan, Katrina Kaif & Karan Johar". First Post.
14. (13 December 2009). "Covers and coffee". [[Indo-Asian News Service]].
15. (June 13, 2012). "Chairman of UB Group Vijay Mallya, actor Aamir Khan, Guru Dutt's son Arun, actress Katrina Kaif and filmmaker Karan Johar during the launch of Cine Blitz magazine's new book Love and Longing in Hindi Cinema in Mumbai.". HT Media Limited.