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New Delhi, Nov 12 (Ians) Diwali, the festival of lights, is a time of celebration and reflection on the triumph of good over evil. And what better way to embrace the spirit of the season than to indulge in some binge-worthy series that capture this eternal battle between light and darkness.

From thrilling crime dramas to supernatural showdowns, here are some web series and audio series that will keep you on the edge of your seat while highlighting the timeless importance ofgoodversusevil.

‘Asur2’

The Cbi is back in action, racing against time to hunt down the diabolical serial killer, Shubh Joshi. Shubh is on a mission to prove that there’s nogoodleft in the world, and darkness will consume humanity. As heroes crumble and the stakes rise, can the shattered Dhananjay Rajpoot (Arshad Warsi) and devastated Nikhil Nair (Barun Sobti) unite to stop Shubh’s vengeful quest? Join the chase, witness the relentless pursuit,...

New Delhi, Nov 12 (Ians) Diwali, the festival of lights, is a time of celebration and reflection on the triumph of good over evil. And what better way to embrace the spirit of the season than to indulge in some binge-worthy series that capture this eternal battle between light and darkness.

From thrilling crime dramas to supernatural showdowns, here are some web series and audio series that will keep you on the edge of your seat while highlighting the timeless importance ofgoodversusevil.

‘Asur2’

The Cbi is back in action, racing against time to hunt down the diabolical serial killer, Shubh Joshi. Shubh is on a mission to prove that there’s nogoodleft in the world, and darkness will consume humanity. As heroes crumble and the stakes rise, can the shattered Dhananjay Rajpoot (Arshad Warsi) and devastated Nikhil Nair (Barun Sobti) unite to stop Shubh’s vengeful quest? Join the chase, witness the relentless pursuit,...

New Delhi, Aug 29 (Ians) Versatile actor Pankaj Tripathi, who has won our hearts with his portrayal of wittiest and sharpest lawyer ‘Madhav Mishra’ in web series ‘Criminal Justice’, said he would love to see the character flourish professionally and also in his personal life.

On the first anniversary of the release of ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’, Pankaj has opened up about his favourite thing about playing Madhav Mishra, and what he looks forward to for his character.

“I would hope to see Madhav Mishra handle much more complex cases that challenge him as a lawyer and bring justice. While it would be great to see him flourish professionally, in his personal life, I would love to see how the Mishra family grows, from Mrs. Mishra’s insights/ instincts to witty nok-jhoks,” shared Pankaj.

The 46-year-old actor said: “Criminal Justice gave me Madhav Mishra, a character I relate to the most...

A poignant, thought-provoking short-film ‘Retake’ produced by Applause Entertainment is officially selected for its American premiere at the New York Indian Film Festival. Written and directed by the talented Shweta Basu Prasad, the film tells the story of a 60-year-old artist who attends the funeral of his mentor and meets his former lover and friend, leading him to question his life choices and artistic pursuits.

The short film will be screened on 13th May in the Shorts A (Narrative) category at 12:15 Pm at Village East by Angelika New York. Starring the iconic Anupam Kher, Zarina Wahab, and Danish Husain, the short film is an introspective story that explores themes of love, loss and contemplation.

Don’t miss the American premiere of Shweta Basu Prasad’s directorial debut ‘Retake’ at the New York Indian Film Festival. The short film boasts contributions from award-winning professionals such as Aarti Bajaj as editor,...

‘Gunehgaar’, ‘The Fame Game’, ‘Mithya’, ‘Suzhal: The Vortex’ and ‘Delhi Crime-2’ were some of the most engrossing slow-burners of the year. Long format, procedural as well dramatic shows and teleplays added to the diverse viewing experience of audiences on the small screen in 2022. They brought along with them ample thrills, chills, and psychological intrigue. Here is our pick of the best, immersive entertainers from this lot.

The Fame Game

You may argue that the series that heralded Madhuri Dixit Nene in the Ott space frittered away its potential at the end but a second season may just redeem it. Yet, for the most part, this show was a perfect blend of drama, emotional heft, mystery, psychological layers, and histrionics with Dixit demonstrating why she is still considered one of the best actors to grace the silver screen. A moving performance by Manav Kaul, strong turns by Sanjay Kapoor, Suhasini Mulay,...

Prateik Babbar, who made his mark in the entertainment industry with his work in ‘Dum Maaro Dum’, ‘Darbar’ and ‘Brahmastra’, is all set for his upcoming film ‘India Lockdown’, directed by Madhur Bhandarkar. He talked about his role and what makes the film worth watching.

He is seen playing the role of Madhav, a migrant worker forced to walk back with his wife to his village because of the lockdown.

Speaking about his role, Prateik said: “My role is that of a migrant worker whose life comes to a standstill and he is stuck in a dilemma between whether he should try and survive in a city away from home or will it be wise to go back home and live within your means.”

On the question of how he prepared for his character, the ‘Baaghi 2’ actor added: “We had a lot of prep going for this character. I met...

Film director Madhur Bhandarkar was overwhelmed to see the response his movie ‘India Lockdown’ received after its screening at the International Film Festival of India (Iffi).

Madhur, who is known for making out-of-the-box films that reflect the reality of society, says after getting so much appreciation at the festival he is sure that the movie will be liked by the audience throughout the country.

He says: “This was ‘India Lockdown”s first public screening and the thunderous response from the festival goers have uplifted my spirit. The performances of all actors have been applauded and this has given me an assurance that ‘India Lockdown’ will be loved by people world over as it is real, relatable, and raw.”

The 54-year-old director is known for his films such as ‘Page-3’, ‘Fashion’, ‘Corporate’ among others. Like his earlier movies, ‘India Lockdown’ is also a movie that brings the reality of that entire...

Shweta Basu Prasad, Prateik Babbar, and Aahana Kumra are gearing up for the release of their upcoming streaming movie, ‘India Lockdown’. The three shared details about the Madhur Bhandarkar directorial which is all about the effect of the pandemic and the lockdown on common people.

The trailer of the film, which was unveiled on Thursday, highlights how many people became jobless, the issue of migrant workers while going back to their native places, and sex workers deprived of their source of income.

As the trailer starts with the announcement of a sudden lockdown by the government due to the pandemic, there is a hue and cry everywhere. Actress Shweta Basu Prasad plays the role of Mehrunissa, a sex worker in Kamathipura in Mumbai, who is forced to adapt to the changes brought about by the lockdown and she finally decides to entertain people by showing her dance performances online.

On the other hand,...

Mumbai, Oct 4 (Ians) Actress Swastika Mukherjee has revealed why she wanted to be in the Pankaj Tripathi-starrer courtroom drama ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’.

The show revolves around the death of a popular child star Zara Ahuja, and the prime suspect of her murder – her own brother, Mukul Ahuja. Swastika plays a mother to the accused in the Disney+ Hotstar show.

Talking about what makes the courtroom drama appealing to the masses, Swastika said: “There is pain, suffering, and tedious legal battles but on the other side of the coin you also have wit, humour, beautiful relationships, heartbreaks and so many other elements that are wonderfully balanced in the series.”

“This masterful emotional and contextual balance of the Criminal Justice franchise was one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of it. This type of unique balance is not always seen when you come across serious legal...

Actress Swastika Mukherjee has revealed why she wanted to be in the Pankaj Tripathi-starrer courtroom drama ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’. The show revolves around the death of a popular child star Zara Ahuja, and the prime suspect of her murder – her own brother, Mukul Ahuja. Swastika plays a mother to the accused in the Disney+ Hotstar show.

Talking about what makes the courtroom drama appealing to the masses, Swastika said: “There is pain, suffering, and tedious legal battles but on the other side of the coin you also have wit, humour, beautiful relationships, heartbreaks and so many other elements that are wonderfully balanced in the series.”

“This masterful emotional and contextual balance of the Criminal Justice franchise was one of the reasons why I wanted to be a part of it. This type of unique balance is not always seen when you come across serious legal dramas, yet the makers achieve this incredible feat.

Saanand Verma, who was last seen in Madhur Bhandarkar’s film ‘Babli Bouncer’, remembers working in the movie. Saanand played Sardar’s character in the film. He said: “I have played the character of Jaggi Paji. My character is an important one because the entire story of ‘Babli Bouncer’ revolves around the pub.”

“Jaggi Paji is the one who brings out the idea of female bouncers to tackle the behaviour of female customers who get out of control sometimes. There is an emotional relationship between a boss and her subordinate. Jaggi Paji is also someone who promotes and motivates Babli a lot.”

He also added: “Playing a Sardar is difficult for a person who doesn’t wear a pagdi(turban) as it’s quite tight on the head. During the shoots, I used to get headaches because sometimes we used to shoot for 20 hours. But as an actor, it was...

Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach (Disney+Hotstar)

Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Shweta Basu Prasad , Purab Kohli, Swastika Mukherjee

Directed by Rohan Sippy

“Juvenile cases make me uneasy,” confesses cop Gauri Karmakar(Kalyani Mulay) to her senior as they stroll to the scene of the crime where a 12-going-on-10 year old girl has been murdered.

Gauri,if you remember, had marital issues with her husband in the second season. Men in Criminal justice don’t like their women working. Our lawyer-hero Madhav Mishra can barely tolerate his wife’s ambitions as a beautician.

Luckily , Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach doesn’t get into gruesome details of the crime. This is not to say that proceedings are conducted on a superficial level. The astutely conceived story is intriguing: the whole culture of pushing a juvenile star into premature stardom , and not allowing Zara(Deshna Dugad) to grow any older than 10 as that’s the age...

The world of Ott is churning new content at lightning speed. Each passing day, a new web series or film is being announced or dropping on one Ott platform or the other. As August nears its end, let’s take a look at some of the highly-anticipated web series that are premiering in the coming days on different platforms.

Maharani 2: August 25 (SonyLIV)

The first to land on the Ott platform is the second season of the Huma Qureshi-starrer political drama ‘Maharani’. The multi-season drama tells a fictional story, but is inspired by the political upheaval in Bihar in the 1990s when the then Chief Minister Lalu Prasad made his homemaker wife Rabri Devi his successor.

The second season of the show, which sees Huma playing the lead character of Rani Bharti, will see Bheema Bharti (played by Sohum Shah) stepping out of jail, and clashing with his wife Rani in pursuit of power.

Mumbai, Aug 24 (Ians) The world of Ott is churning new content at lightning speed. Each passing day, a new web series or film is being announced or dropping on one Ott platform or the other.

As August nears its end, Ians takes a look at some of the highly-anticipated web series that are premiering in the coming days on different platforms.

Maharani 2: August 25 (SonyLIV)

The first to land on the Ott platform is the second season of the Huma Qureshi-starrer political drama ‘Maharani’. The multi-season drama tells a fictional story, but is inspired by the political upheaval in Bihar in the 1990s when the then Chief Minister Lalu Prasad made his homemaker wife Rabri Devi his successor.

The second season of the show, which sees Huma playing the lead character of Rani Bharti, will see Bheema Bharti (played by Sohum Shah) stepping out of jail, and clashing with...

Actress Khushboo Atre, who plays the wife of Pankaj Tripathi’s character Madhav Mishra in the web series ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’, reveals what it was like to work with her co-star in the third season and her role in it.

She shares: “In the last season, they were newlyweds and now people will get to see what happens after some time of marriage. Pankaj ji is a very simple man. He is very easy and accommodating to work with. Also, the chemistry we have built together on screen comes very naturally. Hence, it looks very effortless on screen as well. He is an academy in himself.”

The actress who worked in ‘Raazi’, ‘Illegal – Justice, Out of Order’ and others, reveals how her character Ratna will evolve in the third season.

“I think honesty is the biggest value while preparing for any character. Ratna is very real and honest so I try to achieve that.

Actor Purab Kohli regrets not getting to share screen space with acclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi in the upcoming courtroom drama ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’ and called it a “missed opportunity”.

“During the filming of the series, Pankaj Tripathi and I hung out a lot. We have a few scenes together in the court but sadly not with each other.

“That was a missed opportunity for me. I mentioned it to director Rohan Sippy and the writer too. Requested them for at least one scene where I get to act with Pankaj Tripathi but that did not happen sadly,” Purab said.

With wit and humour by his side, the lawyer Madhav Mishra, reprised by Pankaj Tripathi returns for the third installment of ‘Criminal Justice’ along with Shweta Basu Prasad, Swastika Mukherjee, Purab Kohli, Aditya Gupta, Deshna Dugad and Gaurav Gera.

‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’ will stream on Disney+ Hotstar on August...

Pankaj Tripathi, who is set to reprise his role of Madhav Mishra, silver medalist and lawyer, in the upcoming season of ‘Criminal Justice’, has shared that in real life he is very similar to his character in the show given his patience level.

Drawing the Venn diagram of himself and the character, which essentially looks like concentric circles, Pankaj said: “I am very similar to Madhav Mishra. Just like him, I can also keep my cool in the face of challenging situations. I tell myself that things will get better with time so I need not worry too much.”

With wit and humour by his side, Madhav Mishra is known for his patience in the face of toughest of situations, something that Pankaj deeply believes in. “I have always believed that it is important to keep your patience and cool. When you lose it, it leads to more chaos,” he said.

Actress Swastika Mukherjee, who will be seen playing a mother in the courtroom drama ‘Criminal Justice’, says playing such characters makes her life easier.

This is not the first time she will be seen playing a mother, Swastika has earlier played a mum in movies such as ‘Dil Bechara’ starring late actor Sushant Singh Rajput. The daughter of late Bengali star Santu Mukhopadhyay shares how her character as a mother closely mirrors her own personality.

“Whenever I essay the role of a mother; life becomes easier. The task at hand also becomes easier because the instincts and emotions are always there when you are a mother in your personal life too,” Swastika said.

She added: “The only thing required is a trigger which the screenplay gives you. In the series, both the kids are going through misery and are part of a dysfunctional family, so it was important for me...

Actor Purab Kohli says that the major reason behind doing the Pankaj Tripathi-starrer ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’ is its director Rohan Sippy.

The third installment of Criminal Justice has Shweta Basu Prasad, Swastika Mukherjee, Purab Kohli, Aditya Gupta, Deshna Dugad and Gaurav Gera.

“This is actually the second time I got approached for Criminal Justice. They wanted me in the second season too but I couldn’t be a part as I was filming for a different project and there were date clashes. But I am so glad that I got a second chance in Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach. Extremely happy to be a part of season 3,” said the star.

Purabh also added how working with the season’s director, Rohan Sippy had always been on his list.

“Rohan and I wanted to work for a very long time. A major reason behind accepting this role was him,” the star added.

Actress Shweta Basu Prasad, who made her foray into the Hindi film industry as a child artist with the 2002 film ‘Makdee’, is currently gearing up for her upcoming series ‘Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach’.

She recently shared her approach and preparations for her part in the series. To get a better grip around her character, she sketched its back story.

The actress described the way she dives deep into the lives of her characters during her acting process.

“I wrote a backstory for my character, Lekha, to develop a deeper understanding of her. It’s a practice I follow for all my characters, across projects. This is an important step towards shaping my performance as it is integral to know the person I am about to portray on screen.”

The third season of the show will see actor Pankaj Tripathi reprising his role of lawyer Madhav Mishra as the show deals...

She won the National Film Award at the age of 10 as a child artiste for her acting in the film ‘Makdee’ followed by a huge appreciation in the film ‘Iqbal’. Now, Shweta Basu Prasad is gearing up for Madhur Bhandarkar’s upcoming film as well as more projects lined up, says more than being visible […]...

Mumbai, Feb 21 (Ians) Popular TV actor Shaheer Sheikh will be seen along with Shweta Basu Prasad in the upcoming short film ‘Yatri Kripya Dhyan Dein’, releasing on February 24. The film is a story of Sumit, a charming man in his 30s, who is driving home in his new car. On his way, he […]...

Four stories, three directors, two writers and one legend! Netflix’s ‘Ray’ is an anthology series with gripping stories inspired from the works of Satyajit Ray. The trailer gives us a glimpse into these timeless stories as they come to life. With a plethora of emotions, the tales - Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa, Forget Me Not, Bahrupiya and Spotlight, are full of twists, thrills and turns. ‘Ray’ is all set to release on June 25, 2021 - exclusively on Netflix!

Helmed by Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji and Vasan Bala, these stories feature intricate and complex characters enacted by Manoj Bajpai, Gajraj Rao, Ali Fazal, Shweta Basu Prasad, Anindita Bose, Kay Kay Menon, Bidita Bag, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Harshvarrdhan Kapoor, Radhika Madan, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, among others.

Talking about his film in 'Ray' - ‘Hungama Hai Kyon Barpa’, Director Abhishek Chaubey said, “I’m drawn to stories that twist with whimsy and humour.

A revolutionary film maker, an auteur, and the creator of the iconic Feluda series, Satyajit Ray is also celebrated for writing some of the best short stories India has ever seen. Vastly varying in genre and style, these stories are full of thrills, twists and turns with a strong emotional core keeping you completely hooked till the end. For the first time ever Viacom 18’s Tipping Point produces four such passionately curated stories under 'Ray'.

Four tales of love, lust, betrayal and truth tied together by the visionary writings of Satyajit Ray. Each story in the upcoming Netflix anthology ‘Ray’, explores vulnerabilities and multiple shades of each character. Complemented by a stellar cast that includes Manoj Bajpayee, Gajraj Rao, Ali Fazal, Shweta Basu Prasad, Anindita Bose, Kay Kay Menon, Bidita Bag, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Harshvarrdhan Kapoor, Radhika Madan, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Akansha Ranjan Kapoor, among others.

Netflix's 'Ray', anthology...

Jaipur, March 13 (Ians) Bollywood actress Aahana Kumra on Saturday shared a photo from Jaipur airport where she can be seen wearing a Kung Fu Panda mask.

The actress, seated in a flight, looks unrecognisable thanks to the mask, and lets her enjoy a whole lot of anonymity while travelling.

"Ok! I got this all figured out! My new #TravellingFace #KungFuPanda #Po #travel #travelphotography #mask #wearamask," Aahana captioned her post.

Aahana recently concluded shooting for her upcoming film, Madhur Bhandarkar's "India Lockdown".

Sharing the news on Instagram on Friday, the actress wrote: "#IndiaLockdown ki wrap pawri ho rahi hai!!And everyone's invited!! With the king of jalwa @imbhandarkar."

The story of the film revolves around the universal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, irrespective of strata and demographics.

The film also features Prateik Babbar, Sai Tamhankar, Shweta Basu Prasad and Prakash Belawadi in key roles.

--Ians

abh/vnc...

Mumbai, March 8 (Ians) National Award-winning filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar has wrapped up shoot of his upcoming film "India Lockdown" in a start-to-finish schedule. The film has been shot in various parts of Mumbai and Pune.

The film features Prateik Babbar, Sai Tamhankar, Shweta Basu Prasad, Prakash Belawadi and Aahana Kumra among others.

"We have finished shooting for the film. With such amazing actors by my side, it has been a memorable experience. The post-production will start soon," said Bhandarkar.

Producer Pranav Jain added: "I was pleasantly surprised to see the shoot getting over in a perfectly planned manner. Working with Madhur, his team and the whole cast has been a wonderful experience."

The story of the film revolves around the universal impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, irrespective of strata and demographics.

--Ians

aru/vnc...

Filmmaker Madhur Bhandarkar goes on floor with his new film India Lockdown next week, and he says he wishes to travel with the film to various festivals and share the narrative on how our side of the world suffered, thrived and lived with hope amid last years lockdown.

"On one hand, there are people who, due to the pause in lives, got a chance to restore their hobbies, passion and personal relationships. On the other hand, in sections of society, the very basic stability has gone for a toss because of Covid-19. I am sure it is the scene globally. But I wish to travel with the film to various film festivals and share the narrative on how this side of the world suffered, thrived and lived with hope," Bhandarkar told Ians.

"It is a strong, character-driven story, coming from different walks of life. Our audience will be able to relate to them,...

New Delhi, Oct 29 (Ians) Saqib Saleem has worked in films as well as the Ott space. The actor feels that both platforms can co-exist, and adds that Ott has created space for mid-sized films, series and documentaries.

Talking about if the digital boom can take over the cinema-going experience, Saqib disagrees. "I think both can coexist very happily. What Ott has done is it has given a lot of space for those mid-sized films, series and documentaries. But watching a film with 200 people on a screen and laughing together or feeling an emotion together -- I think that is irreplaceable," he told Ians.

He strongly believes that there will be a lot of work coming on the Ott space but there will be big ticket films coming as well.

"So, yes, there will be a lot of Ott work in the coming years but the cinema-loving audience will always be there.

Comedy Couple (Zee5)

Starring Saqib Saleem,Shweta Basu Tripathi

Directed by Nachiket Samant

For a film about two stand-up comedians there is very little to laugh about in Comedy Couple. In one sequence in a civil court the hero rebukes his friend for smoking. “Tu court mein aaya hai!”

The doped/drunk/zonked friend replies, ‘Nahin main to shirt mein aaya hoon.’

Ha ha.

Elsewhere one havaldar tells another a distasteful joke centering on a pun on the word ‘A-daab’.

I suggest you hold on to these moments. They are funnier than anything that our ‘comedy couple’ does on stage. Saqib Saleem and Shweta Basu Prasad try hard to breathe life into their characters as stand-comedians who share a live-in relationship. Their on-stage jokes are so flat I wondered if the whole stand-up routine is an elaborate gag on self-destruction.

In a recent webseries Four More Shots Please a real-life...

Comedy Couple movie review is here. The ZEE5 original movie is produced by Yoodlee Films and stars Saqib Saleem, Shweta Basu Prasad in lead roles.

Comedy Couple premieres on ZEE5 on October 21, 2020.

Comedy Couple story

Deep Sharma (Saqib Saleem) and Zoya Batra (Shweta Basu Prasad) are in a live - in relationship and are an upcoming stand up comedians who perform together. The movie is about their relationships and the ‘jokes’ they say and happen around.

Comedy Couple story

He is an ex It wala belonging to a traditional family, She is the darling daughter of an independent artiste – her mother happily settled abroad - Zohra Batra (Pooja Bedi).

Together, they set the stage on fire – cracking jokes on those typical stand up themes – small town munda, saher ki ladki, khee khee, hee hee, sex, beer and oh dear that gaumutra, all is happening in Gachchi (Marathi 2017) fame director Nachiket Samant...

Veteran actor Rajesh Tailang attempts a comic role in the upcoming film, Comedy Couple, and hopes to get more offers in the genre after the film releases.

Talking about his character in the film, Rajesh told Ians during the virtual trailer launch of the film on Friday: "I have done comedy in theatre but never on screen. This is the first time I have got a chance to do such a role. It was my dream to do comedy and with this film, I have fulfilled my dream. Actually, nobody gives me a chance to do comedy roles. Hopefully after this release, I will get more such roles."

In the film, he plays father of the male protagonist, Deep, portrayed by Saqib Saleem.

Saqib said: "I think because (Rajesh) sir does not get a chance, in this film he seized the chance of exploring his character. He was enjoying himself while acting.

Actor Saqib Saleem plays the lead role in the upcoming digital release, Comedy Couple, and he says his character in the film is so relatable that he feels like he has played himself in the film.

"Deep is a fictional character, very relatable. One of his characteristics is that at times he tells little lies to handle a situation. Although he does not have any intention to hurt anyone, at times his habit unintentionally becomes a big deal," Saqib said, during a virtual press conference.

"I loved playing the character because it is a real, fun character where I could easily start playing myself!" he added.

The film also features Shweta Basu Prasad, Pooja Bedi, Rajesh Tailang and Pranay Manchanda among others.

According to Saqib, it was his dream to work with Pooja, though he regrets not sharing screen space with her in the film.

"I am lucky that I...

Serious Men(Netflix)

Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui,Indira Tiwari,Nassar,Aakshath Das,Sanjay Narvekar,Shweta Basu Prasad

Directed by Sudhir Mishra

It’s about memory retention, ratta maar ke. The boy-genius played with astonishing wisdom by Akshath Das, is really not a prodigy his father is determined to prove him to be.

It’s a lethal mind-game that eventually leads to monstrous tragedy, and only the father and son are supposed know about it. Nawazuddin Siddiqui over-ambitious patriarch’s act will move, stir and terrify you. In what is arguably his finest performance to date he is chillingly real in his parental paranoia , killingly clued-in as the Tamilian Dalit Ayyan Mani, a lowly assistant at a science institute researching on alien microbes which don’t exist. Never did.

Just like his young son Adi’s prodigious mind. An invention of the modern age wherein a non-existence idea acquires authenticity by sheer repetition.

Fancy a miracle drug that perks up the mind. A little unimaginatively, perhaps, the drug is called Magic, though the name is meant to underline its sheer energising power. A band of do-gooder scientists want to introduce the pill and heal the world, but therein lies the rub.

Rated 18+ Crime Drama High Uncensored Official Trailer Mx Player

https://youtu.be/ml5iIlAGsbg

Pharma giants don't like the idea of a world that is permanently healed by a pill. The drug mafia is irked, too -- what happens to all the ‘maal' if a single pill starts defining bliss?

Director Nikhil Rao and his co-writers (Nishant Goyal and Emil Thomas) create space for ample drama and suspense to sustain a nine-episode saga with that premise. What's more, the series reserves a smart tease for its last scene, leaving you with high hopes about season two.

The screenplay introduces Akshay Oberoi as Mumbaikar Shiv Mathur,...

Actor Saqib Saleem admits he is not a great writer. He says he has been trying to write a secret set for stand-up comedy over the past five years but has never been able to complete it.

"For the last five years, I have been trying to write my secret set for stand-up comedy, which I have never been able to complete. It also has to do with the fact that I am not a great writer," Saqib said.

The actor's interest in stand-up comedy has increased lately because of his upcoming role in "Comedy Couple", a rom-com co-starring Shweta Basu Prasad that is based in Gurgaon against the backdrop of the burgeoning stand-up comedy scene in the city.

"Over the past six months, I have been watching a lot of stand-up comedy. First I was watching it in general but then I started watching it for the film and I really enjoy it,...

Actress Shweta Basu Prasad tries comedy in the upcoming film Comedy Couple. The experience of working in a comedy made her realize every genre comes with its charm and challenges.

"Every genre has its charm and challenges. Comedy is challenging because you have to make people laugh and I feel laughing and crying are strong emotions. So, if it is a well-written script half the job is done," Shweta said.

As an artiste, she keeps certain things in mind. "Also, as a performer you have to keep in mind the thin line between overdoing and underdoing things. It could be a great joke but if you overdo it, it might not work," she said.

"It is, of course, a collaborative effort between co-actors and that matters a lot in the comedy genre. The execution matters a lot, too," she said.

The film is being billed a comedy romance, or com-rom.

ReviewThe film is hollow in its understanding of caste and dangerously makes light of caste-based discrimination.Balakrishna GaneshanSudhir Mishra's film Serious Men opens with a song that goes "Raath kaala chaatha jis par ithne saare ched/ tezaab udela kisne is par jaanu na paaye" and as it plays, Ayyan Mani (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) narrates in the background: “I like this song very much. I don't know why. I don’t know its meaning. And a song which we don't understand can be played in all situations. Life is also such — complex. We are born without a meaning and die without one. Like how my grandfather died. While he was returning to the village on a train, he unknowingly boarded the first class compartment. And somebody jokingly said in his ears, 'Dada, you have boarded the Brahmin compartment. And he died of a heart attack'. Now what is the meaning of this?...

As the coronavirus pandemic rages on in India, boutique producer Yoodlee Films has managed to complete production of four projects while adhering to Covid-safe guidelines.

Kanu Behl, known for “Titli” which played Cannes in 2014 and “Binnu Ka Sapna” that won Clermont-Ferrand in 2019, is now is post-production on “Agra,” starring Rahul Roy (“Aashiqui”) and Priyanka Bose (“Lion”). The film that was at Busan’s Asian Project Market in 2015, explores confined spaces and suppressed sexuality in small town India, and is headed for the festival circuit.

Heist caper “Bahut Hua Samman,” directed by Ashish Shukla (“Banned”) and starring Sanjay Mishra (“Masaan”) completed post during the pandemic and will premiere on Disney Plus Hotstar on Oct. 2.

Yoodlee has also completed principal photography on two films: romantic comedy “Comedy Couple,” directed by Nachikent Samant (“Habaddi”), starring Saqib Saleem (“Bombay Talkies”) and Shweta Basu Prasad (“Hostages”); and horror-comedy “Zombivali,” directed by Aditya Sarpotdar (“The Raikar Case...

Just when you thought you had seen all that sums up the brilliance of Nawazuddin Siddiqui, he springs a new surprise reminding there is much more to come. He does it every time. He just did it again.

In Serious Men, Sudhir Mishra casts Siddiqui as Ayyan Mani, a Dalit migrant from Tamil Nadu in Mumbai. He lives in a one-room chawl with wife and little son, and works as a personal assistant to an important man in an important organisation.

Ayyan could be summed up by the cliches of socio-cultural constraint that such a backdrop normally brings in its wake, except that there is a quirk about the protagonist that lets Siddiqui revel in his role. Far from being one among the countless hordes that suffer silently in the dank underbelly of Maximum City, self-made Ayyan has learnt to use everything and everybody at his disposal, in a bid...

Serious Men movie review is here. Directed by Sudhir Mishra, the movie is based on the book of the same name by Manu Joseph. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the lead in the movie produced by Bombay Fables and Cineraas Entertainment. Serious Men will release on Netflix on October 02 October 2020.

Serious Men Movie Review

Sudhir Mishra’s new film Serious Men revolves around Ayyan Mani (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a middle-aged Dalit working as an assistant to a Brahmin astronomer Acharya (Nassar) at the Institute of Theory and Research in Mumbai. He lives in a slum with his wife played by Indira Tiwari and son Adi (Aakshath Das). Furious at his situation in life, Ayyan develops an outrageous story that his 10-year-old son is a mathematical genius - a lie which later gets out of control.

Watch Serious Men Official Trailer

https://youtu.be/naXf8R1aOik

Based on the book of the same name by Manu Joseph,...

Within three weeks of release, Hostages 2 has emerged as a hit amongst audiences. There was good anticipation around what the second season would have to offer, considering the fact that the first season had closed on a cliffhanger. However, the makers played a smart card by kick-starting the second season from exactly the point where the first one had ended, and hence the overall impact of the thriller was retained.

Released on 9th September, Hostages 2 saw good curiosity built up around it days leading to the D-day, and as a result once the streaming began at Disney + Hotstar, there was a heady kick-start. Audiences were already prepared for what was in the offing and once the thrilling tale started unfolding, there was no looking back.

As a matter of fact what worked further in the favor of this 12 episode season was the fact that there were multiple layers...

Ayyan Mani has many dreams, but his vision is the 4G model, i.e. the four generation model that he explains in the trailer of the Netflix Film, Serious Men, where the fourth generation of an under-privileged family is able to join the world of the eponymous serious men.

Directed by National Award winner Sudhir Mishra, and starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Ayyan Mani, the film is based on the novel by the same name, written by author Manu Joseph. The script has been brought to life by writer-producer Bhavesh Mandalia (Oh My God! and Angrezi Medium) and filming occurred in Mumbai.

Talking about Serious Men on Netflix Sudhir Mishra said, “The great thing about Manu Joseph’s novel is that it is funny and wacky, yet deeply emotional. The film charts its own graph for the transformation of the story to another medium, but it still remains an endearing story...

OTTThe series has too many distractions and plot entanglements to keep us invested in the ‘hostages’ and their safety for 12 long episodes. Saraswati DatarIt is worth exploring why shows streaming on Ott platforms are dropping shows with over 10 episodes these days. Hostages Season 2, now streaming on Disney+Hotstar, is 12 episodes long, and a laborious watch. Ironically a stressful situation like a hostage drama should have been tightly edited and kept to an engaging single digit number of episodes. But sadly, creators Applause Entertainment and Banijay Asia Productions stretch the sequel endlessly. Season 2 picks up exactly where Season 1 ends after Prithvi (Ronit Bose Roy) successfully kidnaps Chief Minister Kl Handa (Dalip Tahhil), who we realise is Prithvi’s wife Saba’s biological father. Saba needs a bone marrow transplant to save her life and Handa is the only one who can help. Season 1 saw Prithvi take Dr Meera’s (Tisca Chopra...

Mumbai-based Yoodlee Films has resumed production on two of its features – rom-com Comedy Couple and horror comedy Zombivali.

Comedy Couple stars Saqib Salim and Shweta Basu Prasad and is directed by Nachiket Samant. Marathi-language Zombivali is directed by Aditya Sarpotdar and stars Amey Wagh, Lalit Prabhakar and Vaidehi Parshuram.

The producers, who spoke to Deadline recently about the ongoing coronavirus-related challenges in the country, say they are employing numerous virus-related safety measures to get back to work. These include having a Covid officer on set to ensure that strict hygiene and sanitization stipulations are followed.

“We have employed specialized personnel on the sets who are responsible that all health and safety measures are followed to the ‘T’ by everyone. Though we have masks, face shields, and sanitization tunnels in place, these Covid officers will reinforce our safety efforts. Covid is a reality we are all grappling with, but the show must go on,...

OTTNetflix India had been teasing the announcement with the hashtag #ComeOnNetflix on Twitter.Tnm StaffA still from 'A Suitable Boy'After a suspenseful build-up over many days, Netflix India on Thursday unveiled 17 original films, including six new films and two new series that will be released on the streaming website in the coming months. Some of these include A Suitable Boy, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, Ludo and Bombay Rose, the first Indian animation film ever selected to open Venice Critics’ Week. The movies that are being released are the inspiring true story of Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl; a dysfunctional family drama Tribhanga - Tedhi Medhi Crazy; a horror story set in a village in Punjab Kaali Khuhi; Serious Men, a witty drama based on Manu Joseph’s novel; an intense police drama Class Of ’83 and a uniquely entertaining dark comedy Ak vs Ak (starring Anil Kapoor and Anurag Kashyap...

Actor Divyendu Sharma recently played a pivotal role in the digital film "Shukranu" that deals with the struggle of a man after sterilisation. The film, set against the backdrop of Emergency in 1975, makes the point that we need to stop practising toxic masculinity if we want to see a gender-neutral society.

"The definition of masculinity is changing, and I look at it as a positive change. With the kind of subjects that we are exploring in mainstream cinema, a dialogue has started. I mean, as a man I do not have to prove that I am a man and therefore I will not practice the age-old toxic masculinity. I am a man, I know it. I do not have to discriminate or belittle someone to prove, 'main hoon asli mard' (I am a real man). It never works," Divyendu told Ians.

Also Read:?Chitrangda Singh expresses her love for handloom...

Shukranu movie review is here. Produced by Reliance Entertainment and Sweta Agnihotri , the humorous take on sterilization premieres on ZEE5 from February 14, 2020. Directed by Bishnu Dev Halder, the movie stars Divyenndu Sharma, Shweta Basu Prasad and Sheetal Thakur in lead roles. So does the movie ?delivers?? Let?s find out in the movie review of Shukranu.

Immediate reaction when the end credits roll

This is something uniquely quirky that can make Shoojit Sircar (director of Vicky Donor) and the legendary actor, writer, producer and director late I.S. Johar smile with pride. To know why?. Please read on.??

What is Shukranu?

Shukranu bole toh, matlab, it means sperm.

The Story of Shukranu

Set during the emergency, Shukranu is the story of (Inder) Divyenndu Sharma who is forced to undergo sterilization just two days before his marriage with Reema (Shweta Basu Prasad). The incident haunts him and prevents Inder to get close his newlywed wife.

Zee 5 releases the trailer of its upcoming film ?Shukranu? starring Divyenndu Sharma, Shweta Basu Prasad and Sheetal Thakur. The trailer is a hilarious comedy adventure about ?Nasbandi? (Vasectomy).

It is a humorous take on the grave issue of forced sterilisation imposed during the emergency of the 1970s.

Also Read: Divyendu: Bollywood driven more by luck than merit

Zee5 shared the trailer and captioned, ?Shukranu Trailer Ek zamaane ka sher ab khud ban gaya hai shikaar. Inder Bhaiyya, ab kaise karoge khul ke pyaar? #Shukranu, coming out on 14th February. #PyaarKiKatiPatang #ShukranuOnZEE5 #AZEE5Original?

The trailer shows Inder, (Divyendu Sharma) a common man, is forced to undergo sterilisation which impacts his marriage, love life and peace of mind. He gets married and his wife (Shweta Bau Prasad) is pregnant . Inder is shocked as he has done his? Nasbandi? and is unknown who is the father of the child. He also gets...

As we have mentioned before, the trio of Shashank Khaitan, Varun Dhawan and Alia Bhatt are coming together for Badrinath Ki Dulhania. The film, despite being a second instalment in the Dulhania franchise, has a completely different plot and characters compared to its prequel. While the audiences are already aware that Varun plays Badri inRead More

The post Shweta Prasad to play Varun Dhawan’s onscreen Bhabhi in Badrinath Ki Dulhania appeared first on Bollywood Hungama.

Bollywood has always been known for its glamour element as well as its dark side. While the glam factor is there for everyone to see, the dark side of film industry is something which many are aware but only a few dare to talk about it. One such incident recently shook the daylights out of everyone was when actress Shweta Basu Prasad was arrested in a prostitution racket case in Park Hyatt hotel in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad on Sunday night. Readers may recall Shweta Basu Prasad as the child artist who shot to overnight fame with her stellar performances in films like Makdee and Iqbal amongst others. Shweta, who now works as an actress in Tollywood films, was arrested by the Task force police in Hyderabad when they busted a prostitution racket on August 31. Reports have it that Shweta was caught in the act during the raid. What is more...