Garima Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; June 22, 2014)

Pretty much like the rest of the country Aditi Rao Hydari, too, is making the most of, the ongoing World Cup frenzy and enjoying the tournament with her friends. She is also using technology to satisfy the football enthusiast in her through the Fastest Finger Football (FFF) contest. Launched by Microsoft Devices, FFF is an on-ground experience that gives participants a chance to win a trip to Spain and watch an FC Barcelona match live. A total of five winners also get to visit the Camp Nou football stadium in Barcelona to watch the team play.

Aimed at creating an engagement platform, FFF lets football enthusiasts come closer to their favourite sport on the all new Lumia 630. In this interactive soccer gaming experience, two participants, armed with the smartphone, can compete to score the maximum number of goals, through augmented reality and NFC-enabled game. Five winners will be chosen early July based on individual scores, after which they the new Lumia 630 will fly to Barcelona and meet players during La Liga in August. Says Aditi, “My friends and I are enjoying watching our favourite teams play. My new phone, which is a powerhouse, makes it even more thrilling with its exciting Fastest Finger Football app, which allows me to play with my friends. What better way to launch the new smartphone than by giving consumers a chance to go to Camp Nou - the paradise for footballers - and watch FC Barcelona play live."

Says Ravi Kunwar (Director-North, Nokia India, a subsidiary of Microsoft Mobiles Oy), “We are excited to take our partnership with FC Barcelona to the next level and believe in connecting the youth with things they are passionate about and football is one of them. With the Lumia 630, we have introduced people to the best of Lumia and Microsoft, which offers them high-end technology and apps."

Consumers will get to bring on their football action at locations like malls, Cafe Coffee Days and Mc Donalds across 15 cities, including Chandigarh, Jaipur, Ahmedabad and Delhi NCR. Contest closes June 30.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; April 18, 2014)

Director Ayan Mukerji is known to be Ranbir Kapoor’s close friend, but it has now emerged that Aditya Roy Kapur has also joined the Kapoor scion’s friends’ circle. It seems that Kapur loves attending house parties; Ranbir and Aditya have been catching up with each other at bashes thrown by their common friends.

In fact, the duo, that worked together in Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, has kept in touch all this while. A source says that since both Ranbir and Aditya love football — they often play the game as well — it should not be surprising that they are now planning to attend FIFA matches in Brazil. FIFA 2014 will be held in the South American country from June 12 to July 13 this year.

Says the source, “Ranbir Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur recently went to Spain for the Spanish football league. Now they plan to attend FIFA in June. Both are trying to work out common dates so that they can spend some time together after the matches as well.”

Both Ranbir Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur remained unavailable for comment.