BY SACNILK

Seoul, Jan 20 (IANS) South Korea remained the No. 2 supplier of popular content to Netflix in the fourth quarter of last year, US online media have reported.## According to What's On Netflix, a private online site that provides information on Netflix content, on Wednesday (US time), South Korean-made shows accounted for 11.8 percent of the top 10 films and TV series in the final three months of 2021.## Korean content thus ranked No. 2 for the second consecutive quarter after the United States, which accounted for 59 percent, reports Yonhap News Agency. The figures are based on data by the streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, it added.## It marked a sharp increase from its share of 5.4 percent for the third quarter, thanks to the breakout hit 'Squid Game', released on September 17, and other hit series.## "The fourth quarter of 2021 is likely to be an outlier with the arrival of 'Squid Game', but Korean content has been on a slow march up the charts regardless of 'Squid Game'," the report said.## 'Squid Game' became the most successful Netflix show in history, with its total viewership reaching a record 1.65 billion hours in the first four weeks of its release.## Two subsequent series, the fantasy horror 'Hellbound' and the sci-fi thriller 'The Silent Sea', also topped Netflix's official weekly viewership chart for non-English TV shows.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 21 - The second season of Netflix's most popular show ever, "Squid Game" has officially been greenlit at Netflix. The Korean survival drama show proved to be Netflix's most profitable show ever. The first season cost $21.4 million for Netflix and it has estimated to deliver $891 million in "impact value".## Netflix's CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos has confirmed the second season. On Netflix's fourth-quarter 2021 earnings interview, Sarandos was asked whether there would be a second season of the violent South Korean survival drama.## "Absolutely," Sarandos replied. "The 'Squid Game' universe has just begun".## He put 'Squid Game' in the category of Netflix's burgeoning bouquet of entertainment franchises that the company sees as having growth potential outside the core streaming service, with live experiences, games, and merchandise. Sarandos called out "Bridgerton", the second most-viewed Netflix original TV show, with Season 2 set to bow in March, and "Stranger Things", with Season 4 slated for this summer.## Squid Game' is by a long shot Netflix's biggest-ever TV show, based on the streamer's calculation that subscribers worldwide streamed 1.65 billion hours of the show in the first 28 days of its release on the platform. In Season 1, 456 cash-strapped contestants are invited by a mysterious organization to compete in a series of children's games with deadly consequences.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 20 (IANS) Bollywood actress, and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen is elated on being conferred the International Association of Working Women Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a TV series for her show 'Aarya 2'.## The award is presented by the DC South Asian Film Festival (DCSAFF), which is currently underway virtually starting from January 16 to January 30.## The actress credits the team of 'Aarya' for working tirelessly for the show that is now gaining global recognition. Sharing her excitement, the actress said in a statement, "I am overwhelmed with all the love and appreciation being showered on 'Aarya 2'. The entire team has worked strenuously to put together a work of art that would be loved by everyone".## "It's euphoric to win the International Association of Working Women Award for outstanding performance by a female actor in a television series. I would like to thank the organizers of the DC South Asian Film Festival for bestowing this honour on me and the entire team. This is surreal!" the statement further said.## Talking about DCSAFF, the film fest which started in 2012 featuring Shyam Benegal's classic film 'Mammo' as the opening title, is currently in its 10th edition and will feature films from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Canada, and the US, and many regional languages.## The 2022 edition of the film fest opened with a book discussion with writer, director, and actor Ananth Mahadevan about his new book 'Once Upon A Prime Time' and the Nepali feature film 'Mahanagar/One Night in Kathmandu', directed by Mohan Rai. Filmmaker Vishal Chaliha's Assamese film 'Sijou' will be the closing film of DCSAFF 2022 on January 30.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Series: 'Bhaukaal 2' (Streaming on MX Player), Duration: About 30 minutes per episode## Director: Jatin Wagle## Cast: Mohit Raina, Siddhanth Kapoor, Pradeep Nagar, Bidita Bag, Bikramjeet Kanwarpal, Ajay Singh Chaudhary, Rahul Gujjar, Priyanka Lulla, Anil Dhawan, Saanyam Srivastav## IANS Rating: ***## There is no pre-defined meaning to the title, 'Bhaukaal', but colloquially in the local North Indian lingo, it egoistically means "in one's own style, pride, and honour" irrespective of the fact whether the person is really respected in the society or not.## That said, 'Bhaukaal 2' is a rustic, cop-gangster-based, crime-action drama created from the real-life incidents of Senior Superintendent of Police Navneit Sekera, whose name has been changed, to Naveen Sekera in the series.## Set in Uttar Pradesh's crime-ridden Muzaffarnagar during 2004, the story of 'Bhaukaal 2' takes off from where it left in its previous season.## Mohit Raina essays the role of the ace police inspector Naveen Sekera who makes it his life's mission to clean and eradicate the lawlessness that's plaguing the town and this season focuses on him eliminating the gangs of Shaukeen Khan and the Dedha brothers.## How he does this against all odds, be it personal or professional, forms the crux of this season's tale.## With the gangs displaying their oneupmanship, the six-minute prologue of the season shows us the anarchy that's prevailing in the town. And the narrative begins - After Shaukeen Khan's death, the onus of the gang falls on the shoulders of his wife Nazneen (Bidita Bag) and his brother Ashfaq (Ajay Singh Chaudhary). They try to hold their own while doing their business of gun-running operations with the unpredictable Dedha brothers till the situation leads the events to go out of control and Pintu (Pradeep Nagar), the oldest of the Dedha brothers, lets out his war cry, "Bhaukaal".## The plots of the episodes contain oodles of abusive vocabulary, gangland culture, and violence that intersects between the world of politics, law enforcement, and the helpless citizens of the town. There is nothing new or unusual shown in the series that the viewer is not aware of. But there is focus and an element of honesty in the telling. Naveen Sekera is neither glorified nor made into a larger-than-life hero. He is portrayed as an earnest and duty-bound officer, and thus the tale is inspiring.## On the performance front, every actor worth his salt delivers earnestly. Mohit Raina slips into SSP Naveen's boots effortlessly. Similarly, Pradeep Nagar as the aggressive Pintu Pehlwan, Siddhant Kapoor, and Rahul Gujjar as his younger brothers, Chintu and Gurjan, are impressive with their on-screen idiosyncrasies. So is every other actor in the series. All of them are natural and simply brilliant.## Technically the series is astutely crafted and mounted with ace production values. The action sequences too, are skillfully designed and brilliantly captured by the cinematography team.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 19 - Amazon Prime Video has revealed the title of its costliest television series, "Lord of The Rings" to be "The Rings of Power". Slated to premiere on September 2, 2022, Prime Video released a video announcing the title and unveiling the first look.## The title announcing video features a narrator's voice reciting the first few lines of the Ring Verse, a poem about the One Ring describing its nature and relation to the other Rings of Power and their master, Sauron. "Three Rings for the Elven-kings under the sky, Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone, Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die, One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne, In the Land of Mordor where the Shadows lie".## The video opens on the camera moving through what appears to be canyons filled with mist. Cut to fire coming down the canyon, a river of molten lava visible below it. As the voiceover begins, the camera pulls back to reveal we are not in a canyon and the molten substance begins to fill up what might be symbols or letters. A wave of water flows over it, cooling it as steam is released.## The molten substance darkens and hardens, to reveal it is some sort of metal with symbols on the side of it. The camera pulls back through the mists to reveal the words “The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” on a wood background.## ## Set thousands of years before both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, "The Rings of Power" will stream weekly starting September 2, and a second season of the series is already in the works. Developed by J. D. Payne, and Patrick McKay, the series stars Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, among others.## Filming of the series took place in New Zealand in February 2020. Prime Video had bought the television rights for "The Lord of the Rings" for a whopping US$250 million in November 2017, making a five-season production commitment worth at least US$1 billion.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) Film actor, director, and screenwriter Farhan Akhtar get nostalgic about his film 'Lakshya' on the show 'Mission Frontline'. Farhan interacts with Col Bheemaiah P.S. (Commanding officer, 3 Rashtriya Rifle Sena Medal Bar).## Filmmaker Rohit Shetty and Farhan Akhtar will be seen together on the show. Both will be spending a day with the Rashtriya Rifle soldiers and J&K Police's Special Operations Group in Srinagar.## Farhan will be undergoing vigorous weapon training including static firing, neutralizing terrorists in the jungle, along with a search and destroy drill with Rashtriya Rifles. While interacting with Col Bheemaiah P.S., Farhan gets nostalgic about his film 'Lakshya'.## He says: "2003 is when we shot 'Lakshya' so before that I spent a lot of time in Ladakh mainly but now when I am here, I really feel very nostalgic about it. The time that we spent because you became a family and I think of them dearly today and I miss them a lot".## Farhan on weapon handling and firing training said: "Every time you hold this weapon in your hand, it definitely does something to you. When you know the reason behind using this weapon and also in what situation, it fills you with a sense of responsibility".## Farhan also opens up on what amazed him during the rigorous drills and said, "From training with them, to be their buddy, to sharing stories, I've learned this one thing. It is difficult, to sum up the life of a soldier in words. I had to live a day in their life. It's a day that is going to become a part of my stories".## He also said: "I have had an exceptionally interesting experience and I'm really glad I got to do this. It really opened my mind".## 'Mission Frontline' will be starting from January 20 on discovery+.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) Filmmaker Subhash Ghai has talked about his inspiration behind composing and writing songs for the web film '36 Farmhouse'.## He said: "Since I became writer-director, whenever I start writing a script, I have had a habit of thinking of music also along with storylines and its characters and I used to suggest my poetic catch lines from my script to my lyrics writers and mood of the music to my composers.## "So, my songs became an integral part of the film itself. This process clicked in a big way. So, now while writing the storyline of '36 Farmhouse', I did write a few lyrics and started composing too as per the story and characters".## Ghai said it gave him an opportunity to test himself independently to write and compose three songs in a flow.## "Today technology helps you a lot in composing song and music. I hired a musician from Whistling Woods Music School, Abhishek Bonthu, who translated my vision and compositions into a song on computer", he said.## He added: "Then I requested two legendary singers Sonu Nigam and Hariharan to lend their voices to my songs and they did oblige me happily and made a lot of difference to my creation as a composer".## The filmmaker said that it was also four decades of learning from association with veterans like Laxmikant Pyarelal and A.R. Rahman and Anand Bakshi as great lyricists.## "Thirdly, I had also developed a knack of writing poems and songs during these two years of pandemic time".## The film '36 Farmhouse' is directed by Ram Ramesh Sharma and it features Amol Parashar, Barkha Singh, Sanjay Mishra, Vijay Raaz, Flora Saini, and Ashwini Kalsekar among others.## The film releases on ZEE5 on January 21.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 19 (IANS) Actors Pratik Gandhi, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Fatima Sana Shaikh will be part of the Indian adaptation of the popular American romantic comedy anthology 'Modern Love'.## According to sources close to the development, "Each of the actors is helming different directors' stories in the anthology. And it's an exciting lineup of directors and actors who have come together. The series was shot late in 2021 and is believed to be releasing soon on an OTT platform".## The anthology will be directed by some renowned filmmakers like Hansal Mehta, Vishal Bhardwaj, Anjali Menon, Alankrita Shrivastava, Dhruv Sehgal, and Shonali Bose.## The anthology series explores love in all of its complicated and beautiful forms, as well as its effects on the human connection. Each episode brings to life a different story that has been inspired by a newspaper column.## The Indian adaptation will have a similar yet fresh concept around the various stories being presented as episodes.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Chennai, Jan 19 (IANS) Well-known Tamil and Malayalam actress Amala Paul says Pushpdeep Bharadwaj, director of the Hindi web series, 'Ranjish Hi Sahi', is someone who embodies his art. Paul plays the character inspired by yesteryear's Bollywood heroine Parveen Babi in the series.## Taking to social media to pen a long, heartfelt note to her 'Ranjish Hi Sahi' team, Amala Paul said: "It is not every day that you meet someone who embodies their art, but I was fortunate enough to meet one, and that was Pushpdeep Bhardwaj -- the director and screenplay writer of 'Ranjish Hi Sahi'.## "What followed the four hours of intense narration from Pushpadeep was a girl who was reminded why she chose to be an actor all over again. Every word that came from him was art in its best form. All I knew at the end of this narration was that I had to do this. I had to be Amna Parvez," the actress said, sharing a clip of her screen test.## "This footage is a scene from the screen test -- I knew I had to bag this character from the word go.## "As I type this, all I can think of are the memories that come along like a breath of fresh air. Right from my audition to the scene test to the very end of this project, my director Pushpadeep has been there and how".## The actress concluded by noting that 'Ranjish Hi Sahi' and Amna Parvez "would not be what they are today without him (the director)". She signed off with: "I owe you all BIG".## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 18 (IANS) The trailer of the upcoming thriller series 'The Great Indian Murder' was released on Tuesday. The show based on author Vikas Swarup's riveting novel 'Six Suspects' has been helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia.## It stars Richa Chadha, Pratik Gandhi, Ashutosh Rana, Shashank Arora, Raghubir Yadav, Paoli Dam, Jatin Goswami, Sharib Hashmi, and Amey Wagh.## The show, co-written for the screen by Tigmanshu Dhulia, Vijay Maurya, and Puneet Sharma, presents a gripping narrative that tracks the murder of a spoilt brat Vicky Rai, who is the son of the Home Minister of Chhattisgarh, Jagannath Rai, and the investigation that follows.## Six suspects surrounding Vicky's murder come under the radar of the case's investigating officers DCP Sudha Bhardwaj played by Richa Chadha and Suraj Yadav essayed by Pratik Gandhi of Central Bureau of Investigation. Using the Rashomon effect with aplomb, 'The Great Indian Murder' explores several versions of a single murder, a story that Sudha and Suraj weave through their investigations.## Talking about the series, director Tigmanshu Dhulia says, "While working on 'The Great Indian Murder', I was taken back to my love for thrillers and murder mysteries. Vikas Swarup's 'Six Suspects' has been on my list of top thrillers, so envisioning it for the screen was doubly exciting for me. The story does an excellent job of blending mystery, murder, and fate with a unique storyline".## Highlighting the importance of each character in the story, he adds, "Every character in the series holds the fort with their characteristic individuality that adds to the raw eclectic feel of the series. It is unlike anything I have worked on before. It has been a great journey, and I hope the audience shows 'The Great Indian Murder' much love and appreciation. Disney+ Hotstar has been creating some path-breaking content over the years so we couldn't have better partners than them to showcase the show".## Talking about her affinity for thrillers, Richa Chadha says, "Thrillers have always been an exciting genre for me - it challenges you greatly and stretches your capabilities as an actor. When I read the script for 'The Great Indian Murder', I knew instantly that it was a project I wanted to be a part of. There's an intriguing story to tell here, and Tigmanshu is a brilliant director who was there for me and for the rest of the cast to guide and direct".## She concurs with her director, "Each character in this series has an intense motive and justification for their actions - it is somewhat relatable, yet nerve-wracking. It is an exemplary example of thriller series writing which only Tigmanshu Dhulia could have pulled off. Can't wait to see the audience's reaction to it".## Pratik Gandhi reveals, "I wanted to be very thoughtful about my next digital outing, and 'The Great Indian Murder' and Disney+ Hostar seemed like the perfect choice. My character Suraj Yadav was a whole new challenge for me. He is someone who represents the law but never shies away from breaking it or mending it to ease his way".## He adds, "This grey layer and his easy transition between the dark and light sides make him special and very human. I am extremely grateful to Tigmanshu Dhulia and Richa Chadha for constantly being by my side and helping me to interpret the character. Hope Suraj Yadav receives a lot of love and appreciation".## Ajay Devgn, who has produced the show, shares, "'Six Suspects', as a book, intrigued and fascinated me greatly. As an ardent fan of thrillers, I am looking forward to 'The Great Indian Murder' as it intricately deals with a common subject like class divide and revenge but with a lot of glamour".## Talking about his collaboration with Tigmanshu, he adds, "Collaborating with Tigmanshu Dhulia to bring alive this exhilarating thriller on screen was an obvious choice, given his phenomenal creation of some of the best thrillers in India. Disney+ Hotstar and I share a strong relationship and I relate to their creative ambition and ability to think big".## Producer Priti Vinay Sinha says, "It's been an adrenaline-filled three-year journey from the day I acquired the rights of the book from Vikas Swarup to producing 'The Great Indian Murder' into a fascinating series with a greatly talented cast and crew. I am really excited to share our web series with the audience. Ajay and I partnering as producers under our banner ADF & RLE Media for the first time and working with Tigmanshu Dhulia and Disney+ Hotstar have been a dream run".## Gaurav Banerjee, Head, Content, Disney+ Hotstar and HSM Entertainment network, Disney Star India, says, "We are thrilled to bring yet another powerful and genre-defining story with 'The Great Indian Murder'. Starring critically acclaimed actors and helmed by Tigmanshu Dhulia, the series' crossover of characters from different walks of life makes it a highly intriguing title that is sure to entertain audiences across the country".## 'The Great Indian Murder' will be available to stream exclusively on Disney+ Hotstar from February 4 in Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Bengali.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, Jan 18 (IANS) Marvel Studios has unveiled the first trailer for its Disney Plus series 'Moon Knight' and it has a new superhero played by actor Oscar Isaac.## The teaser was unveiled on Monday night, officially launching the 2022 slate for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, reports variety.com.## In 'Moon Knight' premiering on March 30, Isaac plays Marc Spector, a former soldier with a profound case of dissociative identity disorder that manifests as fully distinct individuals. He becomes the conduit for the Egyptian moon god Khonshu, which only further exacerbates Marc's anxiety over his mental illness.## In the trailer, set to Kid Cudi's 'Day an' Night', Marc can't tell the difference between his normal life and his dreams. He plays with a Rubik's cube, unable to fall asleep, only to jump out of bed in a panic with his foot chained to his bed, though he seemingly forgets he was the one who restrained himself the night before. After visiting a museum in ancient Egypt, he sees a vision of Khonshu and later meets Ethan Hawke's villain, a cult leader who encourages Marc to embrace the darkness within himself.## The trailer ends with Marc being enveloped by the Moon Knight costume and a shot of him brutally beating someone up on a bathroom floor.## Unlike all of Marvel Studios' previous series for Disney Plus, which were based on existing characters from the company's pre-2019 feature films, 'Moon Knight' charts a brand new path, with a totally new set of characters and a storyline that has no clear initial connection to the MCU.## Making his Marvel comics debut in 1975, Moon Knight initially had superpowers based on the phases of the moon, but more recent iterations have kept his abilities mortal, aided by sophisticated gadgetry.## That has drawn comics fans to compare the character to the DC Comics superhero Batman.## 'Moon Knight' co-stars Hawke and May Calamawy, while Jeremy Slater serves as creator and head writer, with Mohamed Diab and the team of Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead directing.## The show inaugurates Marvel Studios' second year delivering TV series for Disney Plus alongside its feature films. Also expected in 2022 for the streamer: 'She-Hulk', a legal comedy starring Tatiana Maslany, Mark Ruffalo, Tim Roth, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Josh Segarra, and Jameela Jamil; 'Ms. Marvel', a coming-of-age dramedy starring newcomer Iman Vellani in the title role; and Season 2 of the animated series 'What If?'.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 15 (IANS) 'Call My Agent' actor Ayush Mehra is quite excited about the response of netizens for his Netflix reel show 'How to Fall in Love' with Tanya Maniktala.## Ayush plays a corporate employee during the day and a standup comedian by the night. The reel show consists of six episodes of a minute each.## He said: "I am overwhelmed and thankful for the unconditional love and appreciation all my fans have been showering since the first episode. As an actor, you always want the love and support for your work from everyone. Netizens also demanded for a Season 2 of 'How to Fall in Love' because of the new concept in the form of a reel show."## Sharing his experience of working with Tanya, whom he saw in the web series 'Flames' and also in 'A Suitable Boy', Ayush described her as a "sweet" and "kind" person.## He said: "It was indeed an amazing experience. I have always been a fan of hers and I have only heard good things about her and the good work she does! She used to work with TVF and I used to work along with Dice Media and we never got a chance to even work on a sketch together and that's why I was super excited and was looking forward to sharing screen space with Tanya."## Their chemistry in the reel was quite liked by the fans and Ayush said they both were comfortable with one another and shared a mutual trust.## He concluded by saying: "I feel with good actors, it's very easy to get the chemistry going because they know exactly what to do and you are also more trusting and comfortable with them.## "Chemistry is all about being comfortable with one another and from Day 1. Both of us were eager to work with each other. We had seen so much content of each other's work in the past that there was genuine appreciation and love for each other. I think that made things easier for us."## The reel show 'How to Fall in Love' is available on the social media handle of Netflix.## Stay tuned...