BY SACNILK

Mumbai, May 12, 2021: Amid a lot of excitement about popular TV personality, Sidharth Shukla's digital debut with Ekta Kapoor's romantic show, "Broken But Beautiful 3", the makers have dropped the big announcement regarding the premiere date of the show. ## Harleen Sethi, who featured in the first and second season of the show, alongside Vikrant Massey, has announced that the teaser of BBB3 featuring Sidharth Shukla and Sonia Rathee in the lead, will drop on May 14, while the show will premiere on May 29. ## Announcing the teaser launch date of BBB3, Harleen shot a special video for the fans of the show, in which she says, "Love can break you, but it can also heal you. Veer and Sameera's story was also the same, right? You have seen their heartbreak, and you were the one who cheered them onto finding a way".## "Their story will always be special to us but it's time to move on to the next 'Broken But Beautiful' couple, Rumi and Agastya aka Agmi! Their story is also broken but you would feel like it's yours. We are very excited to present to you "Broken But Beautiful 3" which will stream on May 29th on ALTBalaji", she added. ## The video shared on ALTBalaji's social media handles, also revealed that Agastya's first official poster will be out tomorrow on May 13th. ## Sameera has a message for all you #BrokenButBeautiful fans! #Agastya's poster out tomorrow. #BrokenButBeautiful3 show streaming 29th May on #ALTBalaji@ektarkapoor @1harleensethi @VikrantMassey @sidharth_shukla @realsoniarathee @SaritaTanwar pic.twitter.com/mOjShqNFtQ— ALTBalaji (@altbalaji) May 12, 2021 ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, May 2, 2021: Actor Manav Kaul says the rise of OTT platforms has given options to viewers but he doesn't think the web space will ever overshadow the theatrical experience.## "We are so many people in this country and everyone has their own way of entertaining themselves. So, people who like going to the theatres will go to the theatres but the idea is that there are options now, and options are always a good thing", Manav told IANS.## "It is a healthy competition. There are so many OTT platforms and people are actually thriving", he added.## The actor was recently seen in Netflix's anthology film "Ajeeb Daastaans". He featured in Kayoze Irani's segment titled "Ankahi", which also stars Shefali Shah and Tota Roy Chowdhury.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, May 1, 2021: Actress Kangana Ranaut is all set to foray into the digital world as a producer with the upcoming romantic-comedy satire film, "Tiku Weds Sheru". The actress dives into webspace with her production house Manikarnika Films and launches its logo on Saturday. ## "With 'Tiku Weds Sheru', Manikarnika Films is venturing into digital space. It's a love story and a satire with dark humor. In digital space, we will do more edgy, new-age and niche content", she said to IANS.## "We will also launch new talents and take risks with new concepts. We feel the digital audience is slightly more evolved than the regular cinema-going audience", she added.## Kangana took to Twitter and announced his digital debut and also launches the logo of her Production company "Manikarnika Films". "Launching the logo of @ManikarnikaFP with the announcement of our debut in digital space with a quirky love story Tiku weds Sheru .... Need your blessings", she wrote. ## Launching the logo of @ManikarnikaFP with the announcement of our debut in digital space with a quirky love story Tiku weds Sheru .... Need your blessings 🙏 pic.twitter.com/ulaMK62m7l— Kangana Ranaut (@KanganaTeam) May 1, 2021 ## Meanwhile, Kangana is gearing up for the theatrical release of the biopic drama film, Thalaivi. She has Tejas and Dhaakad which are being made for the theatrical experience.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 30, 2021: Director Kunal Kohli feels his upcoming mythological web series, "Ramyug", adaptation of the epic Ramayana, which narrates the story of Lord Ram, will spread positivity and hope at a time when people are going through extremely difficult time owing to the covid pandemic.## "The country is going through an extremely difficult time, and we hope that the re-telling of this epic tale will motivate and give strength to families that can sit together and watch this story", says Kohli.## "The story of Ram has been retold by some of India's greatest writers both in Sanskrit and regional languages. I am honored to have been able to breathe life into this narrative for the younger audience on an unparalleled scale, with the help of in-depth writing, VFX, visually appealing direction, editing, and post-production efforts", he adds.## Produced by Ravina Kohli, and Niharika Kotwal, the show features Tisca Chopra, Dalip Tahil, and Annup Sonii, Diganth Manchale, Akshay Dogra, Aishwarya Ojha, Kabir Duhan Singh, Vivan Bhatena, among others. The show releases on MX Player on May 6. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 20, 2021: Bollywood superstar is all set to foray into the digital world. After teasing fans with a short video yesterday, the actor on Tuesday announced his OTT debut series, titled "Rudra: The Edge Of Darkness" for the OTT giant Disney Plus Hotstar. The crime drama thriller is said to the official Hindi adaptation of the British TV series, Luther which starred Idris Elba in the lead roles. ## It will be a Hotstar special series that will feature Ajay Devgn in an intense and gritty new cop avatar who is obsessed with his job of catching criminals. The series will be produced by Applause Entertainment in association with BBC Studios India. It will soon go on floors and will be shot across iconic locales of Mumbai. ## "My attempt has always been to tell unique stories and work with good talent. The idea is to raise the bar of entertainment in India. The digital world excites me, and I am looking forward to working with Applause and BBC to bring this series to life on Disney+ Hotstar VIP. Rudra - The Edge of Darkness is a compelling and highly intriguing story and I can't wait to begin this new journey! Playing a cop on screen is not new to me, but this time the character is more intense, complex, and dark. What drew me most to his persona is that he is possibly the greyest character you may come across in recent times", Ajay said in a statement. ## Ajay took to social media and announced the series as he shared the first look motion poster of Rudra. "Happy to announce the crime thriller of the year Hotstar Specials 'Rudra - The Edge Of Darkness'. This one's going to be 'killer' @DisneyplusHSVIP", the actor wrote. ## Happy to announce the crime thriller of the year Hotstar Specials 'Rudra - The Edge Of Darkness'. This one’s going to be ‘killer’ @DisneyplusHSVIP 😉#DebutDobara #Rudra@ApplauseSocial @BBCStudiosIndia @nairsameer pic.twitter.com/CoFFRlARAW— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 20, 2021 ## Rudra marks yet another bold collaboration between Hotstar and Applause Entertainment after the hugely successful Hotstar Specials series including Criminal Justice, City of Dreams, Hostages, and The Office. Rudra will be available for all subscribers of Disney+ Hotstar VIP and Disney+ Hotstar Premium in 2021. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, April 19, 2021, Ajay Devgn is all set to collaborate again with OTT giant, Disney Plus Hotstar after the direct-to-digital announcement of his upcoming movie, Bhuj: The Pride of India. While the official announcement to be made tomorrow, the actor will reportedly be making his digital debut with the Disney+Hotstar show, Luther, which is the official adaptation of the British classic psychological crime thriller of the same name starring Idris Alba in the lead. ## Ajay Devgn took to Twitter and shared a small video with a caption, "Ek din ka intezaar aur ek badi news! Can't wait to share it with you all tomorrow... Stay tuned". ## Ek din ka intezaar aur ek badi news! Can't wait to share it with you all tomorrow... Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/ecvg2tCoeW— Ajay Devgn (@ajaydevgn) April 19, 2021 ## The show is said to be jointly produced by Applause Entertainment with BBC India. The Hindi adaptation of "Luther" is supposed to be helmed by Rajesh Mapuskar, who is known for the slice of life, Ferrari Ki Sawaari, and the Marathi film, Ventilator. The pre-production work is currently underway while the shooting timeline will be decided soon. ## 'Luther' is a popular British television show starring Idris Alba, a near-genius, dedicated police officer, who is obsessed with his job of catching criminals. Ajay will be stepping in the shoes of Idris and will be playing the role of a detective. ## On the film front, Ajay is currently shooting for his directorial MayDay. He will also be starring in the films like RRR, Maidan, Thank God, Kaithi Hindi remake, Chanakya, the YRF film, and many more in the next couple of years. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

While the OTT platforms are spreading their legs worldwide, they are also experimenting with genres and content. However, it remains a challenge all the time to produce fresh and worthy content for viewers to watch, and to fill that void, the over-the-top (OTT) platforms are taking inspiration from the projects that are based on the books. ## In recent times, we have seen many films and web series that are loosely based on widely regarded novels. Among those, Parineeti Chopra-starrer "The Girl On The Train" that was based on Paula Hawkins' bestseller of the same name along with the Riddhi Dogra-Monica Dogra-starrer web series "The Married Woman" is based on Manju Kapoor's book of the same name, got brilliant response. ## Here are 5 notable OTT shows & movies that have been inspired from books - ## BARD OF BLOOD [Netflix] ## ## An espionage thriller series directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, Bard of Blood is based on Bilal Siddiqi's 2015 novel of the same name. Siddiqi penned the book while he was still a student at St Xavier's college in Mumbai. The book traces the life of Kabir Anand (Emraan Hashmi), a former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) agent who gives up civilian life to return for a risky mission. Produced by Shah Rukh Khan's production house Red Chillies Entertainment, the series stars Emraan Hashmi, Sobhita Dhulipala, Danish Husain, and Jaideep Ahlawat. The first season of 7 episode premiered on 27 September 2019 on Netflix. ## THE MARRIED WOMAN [ALT Balaji, ZEE5]## ## The Monica Dogra and Riddhi Dogra-starrer web series is based on Manju Kapoor's book of the same name. The series is about two women falling in love and the circumstances that lead to this. It is directed by Sahir Raza, and currently streaming on Alt Balaji and ZEE5. ## THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN [Netflix] ## ## Directed by Ribhu Dasgupta, The Girl on the Train is a murder mystery and a psychological drama, starring Parineeti Chopra, Kriti Kulhari, Aditi Rao Hydari and Avinash Tiwary in pivotal roles. This film is based on Paula Hawkins' 2015 novel of the same name. It was originally scheduled for theatrical release in 2020 but due to the covid-19 pandemic, it directly premiered on Netflix on February 26, 2021. ## STATE OF SIEGE: 26/11 [ZEE5] ## ## State of Siege: 26/11 is based on Sandeep Unnithan's book, Black Tornado: The Three Sieges of Mumbai 26/11. The web series depicts the events of the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai from the point of view of the NSG. Apart from showing the defense team in action, it also shows the planning that went into taking down the terrorists while ensuring the safety of the civilians. The web series has eight episodes and is created by Abhimanyu Singh. It stars Arjan Bajwa, Arjun Bijlani, Mukul Dev, Vivek Dahiya, Tara-Alisha Berry, among others. ## SAMANTAR [MX Player] ## ## Based on the novel of the same name by Suhas Shirwalkar, Samantar is a mystry thriller that follows the journey of a man who seeks to know his future, but his future is the past of another man. He leaves no stone unturned to find this man and change his life, but it is not easy to find someone who does not want to be found. Directed by Satish Rajwade, the series stars Swapnil Joshi, and Tejaswini Pandit in lead roles. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, February 11 - Amazon Prime Video has spent millions of dollars for the upcoming epic fantasy adventure The Lord of the Rings series, titled "The Rings of Power". The company bought the television rights for series for a whopping US$250 million in November 2017, making a five-season production commitment worth at least US$1 billion. ## Now, it is reported that the first season of "The Rings of Power" TV show will cost the retail giant an unimaginable over $462 million to produce, making it one of the costliest series ever made. ## In April last year, New Zealand's minister for economic development and tourism revealed that the fantasy drama will be one of the most costly television series ever made, with its season one price tag coming in at around $465 million.## With this kind of price, it is likly the highest amount ever spent for a single season of any TV series. For comparison, HBO's "Game of Thrones" cost around $100 million per season. Season one episodes cost around $6 million each and eventually rose to around $15 million by season eight.## Among the other top productions, Disney spent around "100 million" on the first season of The Mandalorian. Marvel's "Wanda Vision" to cost Disney around US$25 million per episode and nine episodes comprise max at US$225 million. But none is as big as Amazon's "The Lord of the Rings".## "The Rings of Power" series is developed by J. D. Payne, and Patrick McKay based on "The Lord of The Rings" stories by J. R. R. Tolkien. The series, set thousands of years before the events of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, begins during a time of relative peace and covers all of the major events from the Second Age of Middle-earth: the forging of the Rings of Power, the rise of the Dark Lord Sauron, the story of the island kingdom of Númenor, and the last alliance between Elves and Men.## It stars Cynthia Addai-Robinson, Robert Aramayo, Owain Arthur, Maxim Baldry, Nazanin Boniadi, Morfydd Clark, Ismael Cruz Córdova, Charles Edwards, among others in prominent roles. "The Rings of Power" season 1 will debut on Amazon Prime Video on September 2, 2022. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Actress Aditi Rao Hydari, who is currently seen in the Netflix movie Ajeeb Daastaans, said that she does miss going out to theaters, despite the OTT platforms are doing good to entertain people. She said there is a sense of "magic" in theatres, which has always been there and will never go away.## "I miss it because there's the magic associated with the theatre, there's a whole childhood nostalgia, and it's a very immersive experience. You go there and you become a part of the world there", Aditi told IANS.## However, due to the lockdown last year, the OTT platforms witnessed an exponential rise in terms of new content and subscribers, and Aditi is not wrong when she says that OTTs have been the actor's best friend in many ways. ## "In the lockdown, OTT platforms have been our best friends. With OTT, there has been amazing writing, content, and the way the audience has consumed the content, that's been really incredible. As an actor, there is so much more to do on it, in fact, for directors, writers, and everyone in the industry it has opened a whole new world", she said.## With the rise of OTTs, Aditi feels that there will be a time when both, OTTs and theaters will be at the same level as each platform is powerful in its own way. ## "For writers, directors, actors, it has opened up a new world in terms of stories that one can only make for OTT which is different from (what) one makes for the theatres. Quite often, the theatrical films are larger-than-life and mounted differently. A producer might tell it better, how it is structured. OTT is different because the pressure is different", she says.## On the work front, Aditi will next be seen in the Tamil film "Hey Sinamika", which also stars Dulquer Salmaan, and Kajal Aggarwal, and Tamil-Telugu bilingual movie "Maha Samudram", co-starring Sharwanand, Siddharth, and Anu Emmanuel. While the release date of "Hey Sinamika" is yet to be decided, "Maha Samudram" will release on 19 August 2021. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The controversy over the poster of Ekta Kapoor's new web show is getting intense after National Award-winning filmmaker Sudhanshu Saria expressed his disappointment on the apology tendered by Ekta Kapoor's production house ALT Balaji following Saria's allegation of poster concept plagiarism. Saria alleged that the poster of Ekta's show "His Storyy" is similar to his 2015 film "Loev". ## Calling ALT Balaji's apology brazen, disrespectful, inconsiderate, careless, and smacks of arrogance, Sudhanshu Saria said during a video interaction with IANS that the apology has left him numbness and it knocked the wind out of me. He also expressed that the action left him angry which he could not even explain. ## On Sunday, ALT Balaji put out a statement on social media that reads, "On the 9th of April, we released a poster of 'His Storyy' and were made aware of the existence of Sudhanshu’s 'Loev' poster. The uncanny resemblance and similarity cannot be written off as a mere coincidence. It has been an oversight on part of our design team. For this, we apologize".## "We respect the creativity of every designer and would never intentionally lift their work nor disregard their talent. Thus, an apology to the artists involved in the making of this poster is warranted. We have deleted the poster from all our platforms and we humbly apologize to the artists involved in the creation of the beautiful poster of 'LOEV'".## pic.twitter.com/pZoDeJV954— ALTBalaji (@altbalaji) April 10, 2021 ## However, Saria said that stealing someone else's credit is in the culture of the ALT Balaji production house. He said that if the company really meant the apology, then they should have mentioned the name of the poster artist who authored the poster of "LOEV". He also alleged that the very name of the show 'His Storyy' is ripped off from a Korean show. He concluded by saying that he should have been satisfied with the apology but he is not and wants to start a larger discussion on the whole matter. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The Film Exhibitors United Organisation of Kerala (FEUOK) has time and again warned actors for releasing their movies on OTT platforms. After expressing disappointment over Mohanlal's decision of releasing "Drishyam 2" on Amazon Prime Video, the film body has now given an ultimatum to Fahadh Faasil that his films will not be allowed to release in theatres if he continues to release his films on OTT platforms. ## The warning from Kerala Film Body came after Faasil's three movies released directly on the OTT platforms which is a big setback for theater owners. He first released the shot-from-home lockdown thriller "C U Soon" on Amazon Prime Video. It was, however, released during the peek of the pandemic on 1 September 2020, which left no choice for makers but to make it available directly on OTT. ## Though, "C U Soon" released when theaters were closed, recently, two of his films "Irul" (April 2) and "Joji" (April 7) were also released on Netflix and Amazon Prime Video respectively despite the fact that theatres have opened up now in Kerala and elsewhere, including all the southern states.## The FEUOK members are of the stand that they would not allow Fahadh's upcoming movies in theatres if he continues to cooperate with OTT platforms. Actor Dileep and producer B Unnikrishnan had talked with Fahadh Faasil over the phone regarding the matter and warned him that his upcoming big-budgeted, Malik, which is scheduled to release on Eid, will not be allowed to hit theaters if he does not support theaters. ## The Film Organization has requested Faasil to take a decision at the earliest. The actor's decision, however, is awaited. Meanwhile, the Film Body has also decided not to screen Mohanlal's "Drishyam 2" in theaters. It was speculated that Jeethu Joseph might be released in theaters later after the OTT release. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The second shooting schedule of Raj and DK's upcoming thriller series for Amazon Prime Video has commenced in Goa. The series stars Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupati, and Raashii Khanna in the prominant roles. While Raashi has already shared screen space with Sethupathi in Sangathamizhan, and Tughlaq Durbar it is the first time actress will star with Shahid. ## Excited to shoot with the filmmaker duo for this series featuring the two stars, Raashi said, "Shooting for this one-of-a-kind thriller has been an absolute joyride, and diving into a fresh schedule is going to be very exciting for me. The experience of being directed by Raj and DK is fantastic, and with stars such as Shahid and Vijay, I am always on my toes".## Titled "Sunny", the web show is said to be a two-part series in which Shahid is in the titular role while Vijay Sethupathi has reportedly been signed to play the villain. Raashi's role is yet to be known. This web series marks the third collaboration between Raj & DK and Amazon Prime Video after their two seasons of Manoj Bajpayee-fronted The Family Man with the second season set to premiere on February 12. ## Apart from the web series, Rashi Khanna has a series of films in the pipeline. She will be starring in Tughlaq Durbar, Aranmanai 3, Methavi, Bhramam, and Thank You which are in different languages including Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam. ## Stay tuned...