Dear Readers of my blog,
First, I’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who has read this blog since I started it last year. Thank you for your constructive criticism, your encouragement, your kind words and the time you’ve spent here with me. As many of you are already aware, I’ve taken a break from journalism – in particular the maniacal schedules of television – to write and teach. I’m currently working on a book on Bollywood (details of which I will share with you in the coming weeks and months), and since the idea for it came to me from the blog, I thought it would be wonderful to involve all of you in it.
So here’s what I propose ... I’m announcing a contest on this blog, inviting you to send me reviews of any Bollywood film/s of your choice released in 2011. This is an informal contest, so I’m not throwing any legalese at you. Here are some basic guidelines that I request you to follow:
1. Each of you can send in as many reviews as you wish. Each review will be considered a separate entry.
2. Each review can be 200 words or less, not a word more please
3. The film you choose should have been released in 2011
4. Please pick a film / films from among the 121 releases of 2011 that I have reviewed on this blog
5. It goes without saying that I’m looking for original writing. However, since I am a one-woman operation without a large support staff, I can’t guarantee that I will spot instances of plagiarism. But remember that this blog is an open space and the Internet is filled with vigilant souls who will no doubt inform me if they see a post that appears to be lifted from previously published material. In fact, I request all of you to be watchful on my behalf.
6. If you choose to send in an entry, I will assume that you have the copyright to the material you’ve sent me.
7. Please do not feel any pressure to agree with my review/s of the film/s you choose. All I’m looking for are well-articulated views which show that the writer has a perspective on cinema.
9. Please make sure you e-mail me your postal address and contact numbers along with your review
10. The contest is open to anyone who is interested
11. The entries must be in English
12. Caveat: Poor grammar and spelling mistakes are frowned upon on this blog.
13. As I said, this is an informal contest so there is no formal jury. I will pick the three best-written reviews from all the entries. The choice of winners will be solely, completely and entirely at my discretion.
14. If I feel that any additional rules are required, I will add them here as and when the need arises along with the date on which the addition is made
15. The three winning entries will be quoted in my book, either in full or in part
16. The three winners will also receive a signed copy each of the book once it’s published
17. Deadline for sending in your entries: 11.59pm on February 22, 2012 (Modified on February 24, 2012, at the request of several regular readers of this blog: The deadline for the contest has been extended to 11.59pm on Sunday, February 26. Thank you for your enthusiasm! And I really really can’t extend it beyond that because I’ve got my own deadline for the book J )
18. If the deadline is extended (solely at my discretion) I will make an announcement here on the blog and/or on Twitter
19. I will let you know later how and when the winner will be announced
20. “Previously published material” as mentioned in Rule 5 includes material already posted on a blog – yours or someone else’s. Please do not send me a review that you have already uploaded on your own blog or a blog being run by a third party or even a review that you earlier posted in the comments section anywhere on this blog. That won’t be much fun, now will it? (added on February 13, 2012)
Although I said this contest is open to anyone who is interested, I am particularly keen to encourage students and regular bloggers to participate. If you are a teacher please spread the word on my behalf among your students. If you have friends who are committed bloggers, please tell them about this contest too.
As Uriah Heep might have said … This is just my ’umble way of saying thank you to the social media and the blogosphere. J
Warm regards, Anna
Anna..awesome..for starters I never write on gunpoint and worse I watch movies far and few..so can you read this http://nebuchadnezzarsjourney.blogspot.com/2011/07/because-you-dont-get-to-live-life-twice.html because this was written without any intent to make it a review
ReplyDeleteNot much of a movie reviewer by the way, but I extend full support to your book contest. http://kgcoolguy.blogspot.com/
ReplyDeleteI am surely gonna try my luck...as you know I love watching movies and commenting on them....so do wait for my entries..!
ReplyDeletehello mam... nice 2 read bout ur new book.. anyways wishing u good luck.. im trying to write in 4 ur review.. will just handpick some movies and work on the same.. if not so im there 2 buy ur book.... cheers..:-) god bless...
ReplyDeleteFirst, let me say how much I look forward to reading a book on Bollywood written by you.
ReplyDeleteSecondly, this contest is a superb idea.
No way I can make the deadline, though, especially since I can't submit reviews on movies I have reviewed earlier (I take it that even re-writing the review [since it's WAY longer than 200 words anyway] is not an option?)
A contest with a million dollars as prize money wouldnt have been so stern in its rule notification!! All the same, I wish you all success with your book and contributions from bloggers. I aint a great one at blogging myself. Umesh Menon
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