Cine Blitz

Cine Blitz

An issue of Cine Blitz featuring Hrithik Roshan on the cover
Editor	Nishi Prem
Former editors	Rita Mehta
Categories	Gossip and film magazine
Frequency	Bi-weekly
First issue	December 1974
Company	VJM Media Pvt. Ltd.
Country	India
Based in	Mumbai
Language	English
Website	http://www.vjmmedia.com/cineblitz/

Cine Blitz is a Hindi film and gossip magazine published every fortnight in India. It is based in Mumbai.

Cine Blitz belongs to the VJM Media Group, promoted by Dr. Vijay Mallya. It was originally started by Rifa Publications, headed by Russy Karanjia and publishers of the popular political weekly Blitz. His daughter Rita Mehta was the first editor-in-chief of the magazine. Currently, Nishi Prem is the editor of Cine Blitz.

Cine Blitz also provides a special edition for Vijay Mallya-owned Kingfisher Red airline.

History

Cine Blitz was launched by Russy 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 Cine Blitz had Zeenat Aman on the cover. To give the new magazine "a flying start," Rita Mehta approached Protima Bedi and asked her to do a streak run across Mumbai, first at Flora Fountain and then at Juhu Beach.^[1] 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".

In 2001, Dr. Vijay Mallya acquired a 100 percent stake in Rifa Publications in two phases.^[2] After the takeover, Rifa Publications was rechristened as the VJM Media Group. However, Rita Mehta continued to be the editor-in-chief. In the years to follow, the group went on to add three more magazines to its banner - Hi! Blitz, OK! India and Hi! Living.

The year 2003 saw Cine Blitz going international with the launch of its US and UK editions.^[3] And in 2006, Rita Mehta was replaced as editor-in-chief by Nishi Prem, the former editor of Stardust.^[4]

References

1. ^ Protima's naked run
2. ^ Vijay Mallya to buy Cine Blitz magazine
3. ^ Bollywood gossip mag Cine Blitz is relaunched
4. ^ Cine Blitz celebrates 32nd anniversary

External links

• Cine Blitz website
• VJM Media Pvt. Ltd.
• Worldwide Subscription.