Cover Story

Can Ronnie Screwvala cast a spell in television?

Ronnie Screwvala understands the magic as well as the reality of cinema. Today Disney UTV is king of the Bollywood box office. Its television business, though, has continued on the journey started five years ago without getting too far.

Ronnie Screwvala on how he intends on taking Disney UTV to greater heights

In his first media interaction since The Walt Disney Company took over UTV, Ronnie Screwvala, now turned employee, tells Chaitanya Kalbag and Ajita Shashidhar how he intends to take the company to greater heights.

With plenty to gain from doing so, India makes an effort to improve relations with Iran

With plenty to gain from doing so, India makes an effort to improve relations with Iran.

Good monsoon this year may yield a bumper kharif crop

Kharif sowing has made steady progress this year on the back of a good monsoon, raising prospects of a bumper crop. Rice, oilseeds and cotton, among other major crops, had been sown across 75 million hectares as on July 26 - up 18 per cent over the area cultivated last year.

Why mega steel projects in India are in limbo

ArcelorMittal and South Korean steel giant POSCO abandoned planned mega projects in India recently. The problem for both was the same - delays in land acquisition and in the allocation of iron ore mines.

Social entrepreneurs can play a bigger role in mid-day meal scheme implementation

The world's largest school lunch programme may be fraught with shortcomings but it can still be saved if social entrepreneurs play a bigger role in its implementation.

What ails mid-day meal scheme implementation in India

The mid-day meal scheme (MDMS) is one of the biggest such programmes in the world. But irregularities in its implementation have led to numerous controversies and tarnished its image

Saroj Poddar has ambitious plans for his Adventz Group

Saroj Poddar has ambitious plans to make his $3 billion Adventz Group a formidable player in fertiliser and engineering businesses.

How different things work: Dance bars

The Supreme Court decision, striking down the Bombay Police (Amendment) Act of 2005, has cleared the path for the return of dancing girls to the bars in and around Mumbai. A closer look at the 'bar dancer' phenomenon.

Planning Commission's Latest Poverty Estimate: Who said what

The population below the poverty line declined at 0.75 percentage points per year before our government came to office in 2004/05. It has fallen more than two percentage points per year between 2004/05 and 2011/12, Manmohan Singh, Prime Minister, in The Economic Times

Review: BlackBerry Q5 and Kindle Paperwhite 3G

An app to make work easier, a new kindle and an affordable BB.

Porsche has given the Cayman a new lease of life

Porsche has given the Cayman a new lease of life and one which is creating quite a buzz. We take the car for a spin to find out the truth within.

A guide to business lunch etiquettes

A few wrong moves over an important business lunch could spell the difference between bagging a deal and going home empty-handed.

Want to cycle for a cause without ending up in a roadside heap? Some tips

Want to cycle for a cause, like they did in Mumbai recently for energy conservation, without ending up in a roadside heap? Some tips

How to tie a bow tie

Hold the tie around the neck, allowing the left end (A) to be a little longer than the right end (B). Now neatly cross end-A over B.

How a spot of meditation can keep flu at bay

Six world's airport restaurants that promise to make travelling a joy

No longer is the frequent flier expected to live on cold sandwiches alone. Presenting six airport restaurants across the world that promise to make travelling a joy for the palate.

Hong Kong On a Plate

From brilliantly inventive Michelin-star restaurants to classic Cantonese cuisine, Hong Kong has a dining scene as vibrant as the city itself.

A guide for frequent fliers

With a host of frequent flier programmes to pick from, read between the lines before pledging your loyalty.

Events to look forward to in August

Located in the heart of Normandy's dairy region, Livarot hosts a festival on Aug 6 and 7th, devoted to cheese.

Book review: Brand Breakout: How Emerging Market Brands Will Go Global

A must-read for emerging market companies which want to build global brands.

A number of mega development concepts have either stalled or are going nowhere

The Ultra Mega Power Projects, the New Exploration Licensing Policy, the National Highways Development Project and the SEZ policy were all expected to change the face of the nation.

As the 2014 general election nears, Google Hangouts is proving especially popular

Indian politicians of all hues are taking to new media because the general election is less than a year away. A report by IRIS Knowledge Foundation and The Internet and Mobile Association of India released in April expects social media to play a big role in the 2014 elections.

Venture capital model gains traction in Shariah financing

With Islamic banking nowhere on the horizon, Shariah-compliant funds look promising considering they can also attract funding from charitable institutions such as the Wakf Boards. But, it needs to observed what kind of returns they can generate in the long run.

Three start-ups that are making a big difference to Indian farming

A new generation of start-ups has developed a host of agricultural tech products such as livestock disease diagnostic kits and compact cotton spinning machines to make farming easier, safer and more efficient.

Indigenously designed device can make a big difference to TV viewing

A media player designed indigenously by Lukeup can make consumption of TV content and the Internet easier, and more fun. If the start-up can pull it off, it will become a great testament to India's nascent hardware product story.

Children of industry stalwarts who have chosen to work with the underprivileged

We profile some of the children of industry stalwarts who have gone beyond the conventional corporate career they were pre-ordained for, to either work for the underprivileged or for a better environment.

The cloud could fill the gaps in India's education sector

The cloud could be the wonder pill for what ails Indian education, but its adoption is hampered by costs and poor last-mile connectivity. Its widespread implementation can change the academic landscape.

RBI risks its credibility to save the falling rupee

RBI pushes up interest rates to protect the rupee but tries to sidestep the consequences. With the rupee moving largely in one direction, the RBI seemed to believe this was a low risk opportunity exploited by the financial sector.

Mauritius provided a perfect setting for the international leg of BT Pro-Am of Champions

The picturesque Belle Mare Plage in Mauritius provided a perfect setting for the international leg of BT Pro-Am of Champions.

Mumbai's Vicinia looks like a postcard Wi-Fi restaurant

Vicinia looks like a postcard Wi-Fi restaurant, but its fare is nothing to rave about.

Neung Roi brings you the best of Thai cuisine on a platter

Neung Roi brings you the best of Thai cuisine on a platter.

5 Top Tables in Hong Kong Worthy of a Culinary Stopover

This Lan Kwai Fong 40-seat restaurant may sound rather star-struck but the menu at this two-star Michelin restaurant is truly fit for a celebrity.

Seven ways to ensure that your brain remains energised

Tension at home and work wreaking havoc on your mental health? Here are seven ways to ensure that your brain remains energised, no matter how tough the going gets.

Six myths about alcohol that are better off dispelled

Many a mystery lies hidden in your glass of golden ale, and not everything you hear about it is true. Presenting six myths about alcohol that are better off dispelled.

Tips for mid and senior executives looking for better jobs

Mid-to-senior level executives take into account not just a fatter pay package while looking for a change. They also look for a better work profile and greater responsibilities as they build their careers. The most important skill required to find the opportunities available is networking.

How a smart turnaround strategy helped Havells to make a comeback

When Havells acquired Sylvania in 2007, all that it was looking for was growth and a strong global presence. Instead, it had to grapple with a major crisis at Sylvania, triggered by the global financial turmoil. The situation threatened to pull Havells down, and it had to come up with a smart turnaround strategy.

It's a man's world at Gucci this season

It's a man's world at Gucci this season as the iconic brand launches a men only store in Milan ahead of the men's fashion week where it showcases its Spring/ Summer 2014 look.

Top shop: New products in the market

4 accessories your car doesn't need

If your overall wheel diameter exceeds what the manufacturer has made room in the wheel well for, the tyres can start rubbing against the wheel well-liner each time you drive over a bump.

Daniel Carroll picks out five must-try cigars of 2013

Daniel Carroll, cigar enthusiast and co-founder of the Cigar Club of India, picks out five must-try cigars of 2013.

The Agera has been named the hypercar of the year

Crafted and curated to technical finesse by Swiss manufacturer Koenigsegg, the Agera has been named the hypercar of the year.

Fitbit Aria Smart Scale

The fitbit Aria is more than just another weighing scale! Unlike its counterparts, its function does not end with measuring your weight.

'Like Disney, Ronnie believes what grabs him will knock the socks off audiences'

Ronnie, as Screwvala is better known, is seen as an enigma in the Indian media and entertainment business, like Disney was when he was shaping the future of Hollywood.

Realty tips: Ways in which real estate developers try to cheat property buyers

Some of the common ways in which real estate developers try to cheat property buyers.

Best Of The Lot on Eicher-Volvo tie-up case study

BT receives scores of responses to its case studies. Below is the best one on the Eicher-Volvo tie-up (June 23, 2013).

Kudos to Business Today for a well researched cover story The Best Companies to Work

Kudos to Business Today for a well researched cover story The Best Companies to Work For (August 4). However, it was disappointing to see that one of the most promising sectors - retail - was not covered in the sector rankings.