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These 10 Bollywood Box Office Bombs Deserve The Top Spot In Your Ott Watchlist! (Photo Credit – Instagram/Instagram)

Some movies smash box office records in every film industry regardless of what critics say. But some well-made films somehow go unnoticed by audiences and quietly slip under the radar. In Bollywood too, several such gems didn’t draw crowds to theatres in a big way despite their merits. We’ve compiled a list of ten overlooked Hindi films that deserved more love at the box office, but absolutely deserve a spot on your Ott watchlist. Read on to see how many you’ve missed.

1. Maidaan (2024) Streaming On – Amazon Prime Video IMDb Rating – 7.9/10 Director – Amit Ravindernath Sharma Box Office Collection (India) – 54 Crores

Plot: Inspired by the incredible story of coach Syed Abdul Rahim (played by Ajay Devgn), who helped shape the golden era of Indian football during the 1950s and early 1960s. It...

In his movie career, Sushant Singh Rajput did only 12 feature films. Among them were some everlasting gems. Here is my pick of India’s James Dean’s 5 performances.

1. Kai Po Che (2013):

Take a bow, Abhishek Kapoor. You proved that Rock On was no flash in the pan. Kai Po Che takes the theme of friendship to another level. Yeh dosti hum nahin todenge, indeed. Sometimes the best of friendships get swept away in politics and history. It takes a master storyteller to remind us that cinema is finally a mirror of forces which have a bearing on life. Kai Po Che just tempts me to tell the escapist merchants of Bollywood to go fly a kite. As for Sushant Singh Rajput, the script favours his character. And he repays the compliment right back, with a bonus. With his compelling screen presence and an ability to render restless energy in a restrained pattern,...

The 16th edition of Mumbai’s Kashish Pride Film Festival wrapped its five-day run with an awards ceremony that saw Icelandic trans drama “Odd Fish” and Brazilian-Dutch co-production “Baby” emerge as the night’s biggest winners.

“Odd Fish,” directed by Snaevar Solvason, won the best narrative feature award, while its lead actor Arna Magnea Danks scored best performance in a lead role. The film also earned a special jury mention for screenplay.

“These are the first ever award wins for the film, and the film has travelled to many film festivals,” said writer-director Solvason. “I love India and this award has brought sunshine into this rather cold countryside.”

Danks, a trans woman, mother of three, teacher, actor, stunt director and poet, added: “It is not everyday a trans woman like me gets an award. I thank my director and co-star and every single person who took part in creating this artwork,...

While the world was gathering to watch new films in Cannes a few weeks back, Indian filmmaker Honey Trehan was using the occasion to host a private screening of a film that he fears may never see a commercial release. At least not in a form that he approves of.

Punjab ’95, starring singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh, has still not been cleared for Indian release since being submitted to India’s Central Board of Film Classification (Cbfc) in December 2022.

In September 2023, the film was selected for the Gala Presentations section of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), but withdrew at the last minute. Trehan alleges that this was due to political pressure placed on the producers of the film and that they’ve also had to turn down invitations from several other international film festivals.

“There’s pressure on my producers to write off the film, coming from government officials, from central government officials,...

Have You Watched This Crime Thriller On Netflix Starring Randeep Hooda? (Photo Credit – Netflix)

A truly gripping crime thriller series made its way on Netflix a few years ago. Despite an intriguing premise, powerful performances, and an authentic Punjabi backdrop, the series hasn’t been officially greenlit for a second season yet. Can you guess which show we are talking about? That series is none other than the Punjabi-language crime thriller Cat.

The show featured Randeep Hooda in the lead role. And it’s undoubtedly one of the best Indian original shows from Netflix. It has an excellent user rating of 8.1/10 on IMDb. Read on to know more about the series!

Cat: Plot

Set in an eight-episode format with a runtime of around 40-45 minutes per episode, the series follows the story of Gurnam Singh (played by Randeep Hooda), who used to work as an informant (Cat) for the police department many years back.

Oscar-winning producer Guneet Monga Kapoor and filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane are among 16 jury members set to judge 12 competition categories at the 16th edition of India’s Kashish Pride Film Festival.

Joining Monga Kapoor and Motwane are director-producer Abhishek Chaubey and producer Neeraj Churi as jury members for the Kashish QDrishti Film Grant, which awards $3000 to an LGBTQ+ identifying filmmaker to make a short film. Actor Renuka Shahane will support two runners-up.

The narrative jury features actor Shishir Sharma, actor and TV host Shruti Seth and filmmaker Tanuja Chandra, who will adjudge best narrative feature and shorts, best screenplay and best performance awards. These categories receive backing from Taiwanese streaming platform GagaOoLala, production house Samruddhi Studios and actor Abhay Kulkarni.

Documentary filmmakers Bishaka Dutta, Prateek Vats and Shubhra Chatterjee comprise the documentary jury, selecting winners of the unity in diversity documentary feature and short awards, supported by K.F. Patil Charitable Trust.

As a producer, Madhu Mantena has an impeccable track record of creative and commercial success. Subhash K Jha lists his five picks for the best of the best Madhu Mantena.

1.Ghajini (2008):

The first 100-crore success of Indian cinema. Ghajini, directed by A R Murugadoss, is not for the squeamish. The violence is prolonged, sadistic, and often done with the elaborate abundance and eye-catching elan of a staged opera (Ravi Chandran’s camerawork glistens and bristles with optimum optical glory). And yet women in the audience seemed to love the film. Ghajini is at heart a love story of a cocooned tycoon who discovers love in a working-class environment. Aamir Khan’s expressions of bewilderment, curiosity, pleasure, and acceptance in Asin’s company remind you of a baby that’s just discovered mother-love.

2. Rakht Charitra (2010):

Marking the Hindi debut of Tamil superstar Suriya, this is another violent but stunning study of human avarice.

In celebration of director Abhishek Chaubey’s birthday, brilliant actor Manoj Bajpayee, who has worked with Chaubey in Sonechiraiya and Killer Soup, is full of praise for the director both reel and real.

Manoj Bajpayee considers Abhishek Chaubey to be the best director he has worked with: “A very happy birthday to one of my best directors! A rare talent and visionary! Learned so much from him and have been part of some great projects where I have grown so much as an actor!! God bless him always! We’ve done Sonechiraiya, Killer Soup and the short film together. I regard these as among my best work. Abhishek Chaubey is one of the best contemporary directors of this country. I feel Abhishek taps into those aspects of my personality which even I am not aware of. He just lets his actors deep-dive into their characters, not afraid of what they would come up with.

The second edition of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival (Ciff) has unveiled its CinéV-chd Market lineup featuring 22 diverse projects from established and emerging filmmakers, with more than half being women-oriented ventures.

The curated selection, which will run alongside the festival from March 20-23, in Chandigarh, spotlights creative forces who have made significant contributions to Indian cinema, spanning languages including Chinese, English, Hindi, Malayalam, Marathi, Punjabi, Kashmiri, Urdu, Gujarati, Telugu, Bengali, and Kannada.

“Sister Midnight” actor Radhika Apte steps into the director’s chair for “Koyta” (Sickle), produced by acclaimed filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane (“Black Warrant”). The Hindi/Marathi action-fantasy follows a young migrant sugarcane cutter who gains superpowers after a forced medical procedure and uses them to free her family from debt.

Veteran director Hansal Mehta, known for “Shahid” and “Scam 1992,” produces “Hanere De Panchi” (Birds in the Dark), a drama in the Punjabi, Urdu and Kashmiri languages, from emerging director Shashank Walia,...

The film that Sushant Singh Rajput will be most remembered by, Sonechiriya, which turned six on March 1, is the most anguished plea against injustice and oppression since Bimal Roy’s Sujata. The deep silences in Abhishek Chaubey’s clenched narrative reminded me of Roy’s film about a Harijan girl (Nutan) looking for an identity.

We don’t have Harijans anymore as targets of exploitation. Director Abhishek Chaubey uses eerie silences in the stunning Chambal landscape to punctuate a sense of excruciating oppression. Besides Sushant and Ranvir Shorey, I came away with two heroes in Sonechiriya. The little brutalized girl from whom the film gets its title, whose devastated eyes still secrete a smile after all she has gone through. Raw, gritty, and compelling, Sonechiriya conveys a clandestine narrative style that never impinges on the violent disarray of the characters’ brutal, unpredictable lives. It is as Indian in spirit as cinema can get,...

Abhishek Chaubey is one of Hindi cinema’s most underrated directors. Even after pathbreaking landmarks like Ishqiya, Udta Punjab, and Sonechidiya, he is not rated as high as some of the other acknowledged greats of contemporary Indian cinema. Ishqiya, released in 2010, is the kind of cinema you can love or hate but not be indifferent to. The dusty, parched, sexually and spiritually arid hinterland renders itself effectively to the character’s unique dimensionality. The uncle-nephew pair of Naseeruddin Shah and Arshad Warsi provides the kind of sweaty, grimy male bonding that we last saw in Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds, where Brad Pitt’s anti-Nazi soldiers urinated a toxic violence into the script. Ishqiya, too, breeds a blur of violence from the rough material of boredom.

The two protagonists in Ishqiya represent the acme of reprehensibility. Come to think of it, there isn’t one character in the plot that you can begin to like,...

Madhuri Dixit Once Revealed She Felt Shy Doing Intimate Scenes With Naseeruddin Shah(Photo Credit – Instagram)

Madhuri Dixit is one of the most gorgeous actresses in the Indian film industry. Many might have had a crush on the actress and must have felt weak in the knees while working with her. But can you imagine the diva feeling shy about doing intimate and intense scenes? It happened with her when she was paired opposite Naseeruddin Shah in Dedh Ishqiya. Scroll below for the deets.

It was directed by Abhishek Chaubey and is the sequel to Ishqiya. Naseeruddin and Arshad Warsi paired again for the sequel. Huma Qureshi and Vijay Raaz also played supporting roles. Although it was critically acclaimed, the movie failed miserably at the box office. Madhuri played the role of Begum Para. The actress once shared how she felt shy about doing certain scenes with Shah.

According to Bollywood Bubble’s report,...

India’s Film Bazaar market has revealed the 21 feature projects selected for this year’s Co-Production Market.

The invited titles span seven countries including India, UK, Australia and Germany. The projects will be pitched to producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers and sales agents at Goa’s Marriott Resort from November 20-24.

Titles include The Song Of Flowers from UK-based producer Neeraj Churi whose previous projects include SXSW 2024 audience award winner A Place Of Our Own. The film is directed by Shubham Negi and Sourav Yadav.

Also selected is Payal Sethi’s India-Germany co-production The Disappearing Flower, produced by Thanikachalam Sa...

National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) Indian project market Film Bazaar has unveiled an ambitious slate for its 18th edition co-production market, with “Baahubali” producer Shobu Yarlagadda among the selection. The market, set for Nov. 20-24 at Goa’s Marriott Resort, showcases 29 projects spanning India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Australia, the U.K., Germany, and Hong Kong.

The market runs concurrently with the International Film Festival of India, which unspools Nov. 20-28 across Goa.

From a pool of 180 feature submissions spanning 23 countries, 21 features made the cut. The projects represent a linguistic mosaic, including Hindi, English, Assamese, Tamil, Marwari, Bengali, Malayalam, Punjabi, Nepali, Marathi, Pahadi, and Cantonese, demonstrating the market’s growing international appeal.

High-profile industry veterans dominate the features section. Abhishek Chaubey teams with Honey Trehan for “Absent,” a psychological drama about two schoolboys whose friendship takes a dark turn. Producer Alan McAlex, who had two films at Cannes this year – “Santosh” and...

Winner of the Cannes’ Grand Prix 2024, All We Imagine as Light, opened Mami Mumbai Film Festival 2024

Talent marked the opening of the festival included Shabana Azmi, Waheeda Rehman, Payal Kapadia, Rana Daggubati, Siddharth Roy Kapoor, Vikramaditya Motwane, Mini Mathur, Kabir Khan, Ramesh Sippy, Rohan Sippy, Hansal Mehta, Pratik Gandhi, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Abhishek Chaubey, Amole Gupte, Jim Sarbh among others.

Mumbai, October 18, 2024

Mami Mumbai Film Festival 2024 opened its six-day celebration of global cinema, creativity, and culture in Mumbai on the 18th of October with the critically acclaimed film “All We Imagine as Light,” winner of the Cannes’ Grand Prix 2024.

Festival Opening Ceremony

Interim Festival Director Shivendra Singh Dungarpur and Artistic Director Deepti DCunha declared the festival open, marking the beginning of a spectacular showcase of cinematic excellence. The ceremony was attended by esteemed members of the film fraternity, festival partners, and dignitaries.

Followed by a Q&a with Payal Kapadia and Anupama Chopra post-screening.

Kareena Kapoor Khan & Ayushmann Khurrana Are Uniting For A Film (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kareena Kapoor Khan is one of the few superstars who has been embroiled in the maximum controversies during her early years in the industry. Be it ghosting Karan Johar for Kal Ho Naa Ho or calling Sanjay Leela Bhansali a nobody, Bebo has been there, and done that, before she adulted right!

However, it was after she was all grown up and mature, choosing the right projects, that one of the controversies did not go down well with her. And this murmur was related to a young actor called Ayushmann Khurrana!

Reports suggest that after Ayushmann made his presence felt as an actor and a performer in Vicky Donor, Abhishek Chaubey approached him for Udta Punjab. But things took a turn very sudden, and rumors suggested that it was Kareena Kapoor Khan who had put her foot down.

In a delightful throwback moment, actor Konkona Sensharma recently shared some nostalgic pictures from her mother Aparna Sen’s acclaimed 1989 film ‘Sati,’ which featured the legendary Shabana Azmi in the lead role. The images were initially posted by a fan on X (formerly Twitter), who expressed excitement upon discovering young Konkona in the film.

The fan shared a couple of pictures, one of which included Shabana Azmi in the background, and captioned it: “Omg you guys it’s Bebe @konkonas and the fourth picture is cinema herstory with two fabulous people in one frame.” Konkona, equally thrilled, re-shared the pictures with the caption, “Haha love this!! It’s from my mum’s film Sati with the legend @AzmiShabana.”

The shared images depict a young Konkona dressed in a pink saree, adorned with a nose ring, bangles, and earrings, looking adorable as she performs her role in the film. ‘Sati’ tells the story of Uma,...

Killer Soup

Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Konkona Sen Sharma, Nassar, Sayaji Shinde

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey

No wonder Manoj Bajpayee thinks Abhishek Chaubey to be the best director he has worked with. Look at the performance that Chaubey gets out of Manoj in Sonechiraiya and now Killer Soup.

There are two Bajpayees in Killer Soup, one of them with his wild hair and pained expression looks quite like Chaubey Himself. The other Manoj Bajpayee goes around with a mutilated eye which would be unbearable to look at were it not attached to the face of an actor who can make even the most unbearable character trait bearable with the sheer grit of his performance.

Manoj is at once fiercely satirical and slyly poignant as a puppet on his wife’s string. Konkona is everything evil, plus more. She seems to enjoy the opportunity to portray toxicity. I wish the thunderously scattered...

Actor Anbuthasan, who plays the role of Asi Thupalli in the dark comedy thriller series ‘Killer Soup’, shared that teaming up with director Abhishek Chaubey totally changed the game for him, adding it wasn’t just about playing a role but the unexpected life lessons along the way.

Layered with complex character arcs, the series boasts a stunning visual and captive narrative. Loosely inspired by a news headline, this work of fiction, starring Konkona Sensharma, and Manoj Bajpayee narrates the gripping tale of an ambitious housewife pursuing her dream of owning a restaurant and perfecting a soup recipe, only to be entangled in a web of lies and cover-ups.

At the heart of it is the character of Thupalli, who, under the guidance of director Abhishek Chaubey, discovered more about himself than he ever imagined.

Talking about the same, Tamil actor Anbuthasan said: “Teaming up with Abhishek Chaubey totally changed the game for me.

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who is seen in the dark comedy thriller series ‘Killer Soup’, shared that the show is not just a one-time watch, and it’s like peeling back the layers of an onion – there’s always more to discover. The versatile actor said that he is fortunate to be a part of this masterpiece.

Layered with complex character arcs, the series boasts a stunning visual and captive narrative. Loosely inspired by a news headline, this work of fiction, starring Konkona Sen Sharma, and Manoj narrates the gripping tale of an ambitious housewife pursuing her dream of owning a restaurant and perfecting a soup recipe, only to be entangled in a web of lies and cover-ups.

The actor has urged viewers to indulge in multiple viewings of the series, emphasising the value of savouring each episode for an elevated entertainment experience.

Talking about the same, Manoj said: “Killer Soup...

Renowned Astrologer Prem Jyotish to return to Bigg Boss House after 2019, what will be his predictions this time? ( Photo Credit – Twitter; Facebook; PR Image )

You are used to sitting with the family and hearing the unmissable voice “Bigg Boss chahte hain…” in the background. Aren’t you?! For the past 17 seasons, Bigg Boss has been a staple for almost every Indian household across the globe and oh how the excitement continues to peak every week. In keeping up with the thrill and excitement quota, history is said to be repeating itself this week.

Renowned astrologer Prem Jyotish is set to join the Bigg Boss house again for an exclusive segment promising to engage the reality show audience in a journey of introspection and self-discovery in Bigg Boss 17.

He is widely known for his studied predictions and profound knowledge of astrology and numerology as he unveils the significance of one’s...

Netflix’s big New Year Indian release is Konkona Sen Sharma and Manoj Bajpayee’s Killer Soup. This eat-the-rich thriller-dramedy is a fun and engaging show about a couple that gets dragged into a comedy of errors murder mystery. Swathi and Prabhu are a happily married, rich couple living in the small town of Mainjur, Tamil Nadu. This is a family that thrives on deceit, and all they really care about is who has the upper hand. Swathi’s big dream is to have her very own restaurant someday. 20 years have passed, and this dream still remains a dream, despite the luxurious lifestyle her husband has been maintaining. The Abhishek Chaubey directorial is a unique blend of South and North. A Hindi-language show based in Tamil Nadu that brings out the essence of Indian indie-thriller with a comedic element. It’s been a while since we saw something like this,...

Killer Soup Review(Photo Credit –IMDb)

Killer Soup Review: Star Rating:

Cast: Manoj Bajpayee, Konkona Sen Sharma, Nassar, Sayaji Shinde, Lal, Anbuthasan, Anula Navlekar, Kani Kusruti

Creator: Abhishek Chaubey

Director: Abhishek Chaubey

Streaming On: Netflix

Language: Hindi

Runtime: 43-59 Minutes (8 Episodes)

Killer Soup Review(Photo Credit –IMDb) Killer Soup Review: What’s It About:

Set in a very Munnar-like fictitious town, the story revolves around Swati Shetty (Konkana Sen Sharma), a not-so-talented chef aspiring to open a Paris-inspired hotel one day. Married in an uber-rich family, her husband Prabhakar Shetty (Manoj Bajpayee) is the futile little brother to Arvind Shetty (Sayaji Shinde), who handles the drug business in the disguise of a tea plantation.

Oh & once a professional nurse, Swati also has an extra-marital affair with Prabhakar’s masseuse, who, for some weird reason, also looks like a lean, bearded version of him. Prabhu somehow gets killed, and Swati does...

My first impression of Killer Soup was that this is a picturesque location that I would like to go to. Visually, this is an impeccable show. From the color grading that brings out the gold on everyone’s skin as if to say “We’re rich and fabulous” and simultaneously reminds us that this is a show about thieving and deceit to the stunning landscapes of small-town Tamil Nadu, everything is very tastefully presented (if you know what I mean). Before I go on screaming about how the stylization of this show makes it worth watching, I’ll give you a heads-up on what it’s about. “Killer Soup” is what one could call a biryani that looks delectable but keeps giving you cardamom and pepper kernels in every mouthful. This is a thriller about love, lies, deceit, passion, the rich, and the undeserving. Killer Soup follows the life of Swathi Shetty,...

Actor Manoj Bajpayee, who is gearing up for the release of his upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’, has heaped praise on the director of the series, Abhishek Chaubey. The actor feels that Abhishek is one of the best directors of all time.

“Abhishek Chaubey in my opinion, is one of the best directors of all time with whom I have had the pleasure of working. His approach is so simple and straightforward that working with him becomes effortless.”

He further mentioned, “He doesn’t just direct you but even guides and nurtures you. He has given me a lot of hope and encouragement as an actor.”

Konkona Sensharma lauded Chaubey for his patience and vision, as she said: “I have known Abhishek for many years, ever since we worked on ‘Omkara’ together. I have known him very closely and have always been very inspired by his work and wanted to work with him.

Mumbai, Jan 10 (Ians) Director Abhishek Chaubey, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’, has shared that the show gave him the opportunity to experience a new culture as a director.

The series, which stars Konkona Sensharma and Manoj Bajpayee as the leads, is about an aspiring home chef who conspires to replace her husband with her lover. Konkona and Manoj have been paired together for the first time onscreen making the series a potent viewing experience.

Talking about the series, Abhishek Chaubey said: “It is a unique advantage when your producer is also your casting director. Honey Trehan and his team worked tirelessly to bring to the show an absolutely wonderful bunch of actors who helped me create this unique world.”

As a part of the Year Round Programme, Jio Mami hosted the screening of the first two episodes of the series, The special screening...

Manoj Bajpayee, who’s playing a double role for the first time in Abhishek Chaubey’s web series ‘Killer Soup’, has shared he always knew he was in safe hands while working on this project.

Bajpayee will be seen with Konkana Sen Sharma in the Netflix, which will start streaming on January 11. In a candid conversation, Bajpayee spoke about working with Chaubey, how he manages to be different in every role, and much more.

Talking about working with Chaubey, he said, “My association with him started with ‘Sonchiriya’ and since then I wanted it to go beyond that film.

“Any actor would love to work with a director like him for he knows he would shine with the help of genius of his direction. I had no reason to doubt him when he offered me this role. I knew I was in good hands.”

On how he prepares for his...

Actress Konkona Sen Sharma, who is all geared up for the release of the dark comedy thriller series ‘Killer Soup’, has shared that she is ‘sick’ of doing just very earnest, good kind of roles, and loves playing women who are little ‘irresponsible’, and have shades of grey. Konkona takes on the intricate role of Swathi Shetty in ‘Killer Soup’, starring Manoj Bajpayee.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the series promises a compelling blend of love, lust, thrill, and suspense, seasoned with dark humour that sets it apart.

The actress is known for her work in movies like ‘Wake Up Sid’, ‘Page 3’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Life in a… Metro’, ‘Lipstick Under My Burkha’, among many others.

What process she follows in choosing such power-packed roles, Konkona told Ians: “When I look for roles, I see what script is like first. The entire script has to be cohesive. Characters have to be well-written,...

Actress Konkona Sen Sharma, who takes on the intricate role of Swathi Shetty in the dark comedy thriller series ‘Killer Soup’, said it has challenged her in the best ways, and allowed her to explore the grey-ness of this character.

Directed by Abhishek Chaubey, the series promises a compelling blend of love, lust, thrill, and suspense, seasoned with dark humour that sets it apart.

At the heart of this culinary drama is Swathi Shetty, a woman in her early forties portrayed by Konkona.

Talking about the same, Konkana said: “Swathi is a character I’ve embraced with open arms – a woman driven by an unwavering determination to create not just the best paya soup but a life she can call her own. Inherently caring and loving, her complexities reveal a character who has served others selflessly, and, in turn, has dutifully taken care of her family.”

Swathi is defined by her loving and caring nature,...

The trailer of the upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’ was unveiled on Wednesday, and by the looks of it, the series is a promising blend of genres. Set in the fictitious town of Mainjur, it follows Swathi Shetty, an aspiring chef who wants the world to enjoy her paya soup. An accident sets off a series of mishaps and hasty cover-ups that land her and her lover in hot soup.

‘Killer Soup’ stars Manoj Bajpayee in dual roles, Konkona Sen Sharma, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde, Lal, Anbuthasan, Anula Navlekar and Kani Kusruti.

The trailer starts off with Manoj Bajpayee’s character being wounded and singing ‘Tu Hi Re’ as the events in the trailer unravel. Swathi, played by Konkona, hatches a plan to murder and replace her husband with her lover who looks exactly the same. What follows is a cocktail of comedy, thrill and high-voltage drama.

Talking about the series,...

What To Watch In January 2024: From Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter In Theatres To Kangana Ranaut’s Tejas & Rohit Shetty’s Indian Police Force On Ott ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

2024 promises a bunch of new releases in theaters and on the web. In addition, a lot of old releases that you might have missed in the theaters are ready to release on Ott. Right from Kangana Ranaut to Siddharth Malhotra, actors are ready to get dropped on your digital screens.

In January 2024, a lot of new releases have been lined up for Ott. These include fresh releases as well as theatrical releases. Even Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal is ready to drop on Ott in the last week of January. However, the platform is still unknown.

Last year’s The Kerala Story is awaiting an Ott release since the film isn’t getting any Ott buyers, according to the rumors. So,...

Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’, on Monday dropped a terrific picture of himself featuring his toned body with washboard abs.

In the picture, Manoj stands with a bare upper body as he stares into the camera. One could see his carved deltoid muscles, chest and biceps – special mention to his collar bone.

He wrote in the caption: “New Year New Me! Dekho soup ka meri body pe asar. Ekdum killer look hai na?”

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, who directed Manoj in ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ commented under the picture: “Chuppe Rustom.”

Apurva Asrani, the editor of Manoj’s ‘Satya’ and ‘Aligarh’ pulled the actor’s leg as he commented: “Very impressive. But please leave the thirst traps to me.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Manoj has ‘Killer Soup’ in the pipeline. The series, which also stars Konkona Sensharma, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde and Lal,...

As we step into the enchanting realm of 2024, reflecting on the cinematic rollercoaster that was 2023 for Netflix, proves nothing short of awe-inspiring. The streamer delivered a myriad of captivating narratives, groundbreaking films and series, and visually stunning sagas that etched an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape.

Netflix promises to continue its reign with an extraordinary lineup of titles that will undoubtedly captivate audiences during 2024 become yet another chapter in the streaming giant’s legacy of delivering unparalleled entertainment.

While offering a glimpse into some of the most anticipated releases, such as “Amar Singh Chamkila,” “Heeramandi,” “Yo Yo Honey Singh,” “Do Patti,” and “Rebel Moon Part 2,” there’s a tantalizing air of mystery as more surprises are poised to be revealed soon.

Amar Singh Chamkila

Adding to the streaming titan’s triumphs, Netflix unveiled “Amar Singh Chamkila” in 2023, a musical odyssey that narrated the untold story of Punjab’s original rockstar.

As we step into the enchanting realm of 2024, reflecting on the cinematic rollercoaster that was 2023 for Netflix, proves nothing short of awe-inspiring. The streamer delivered a myriad of captivating narratives, groundbreaking films and series, and visually stunning sagas that etched an indelible mark on the entertainment landscape.

Netflix promises to continue its reign with an extraordinary lineup of titles that will undoubtedly captivate audiences during 2024 become yet another chapter in the streaming giant’s legacy of delivering unparalleled entertainment.

While offering a glimpse into some of the most anticipated releases, such as “Amar Singh Chamkila,” “Heeramandi,” “Yo Yo Honey Singh,” “Do Patti,” and “Rebel Moon Part 2,” there’s a tantalizing air of mystery as more surprises are poised to be revealed soon.

Amar Singh Chamkila

Adding to the streaming titan’s triumphs, Netflix unveiled “Amar Singh Chamkila” in 2023, a musical odyssey that narrated the untold story of Punjab’s original rockstar.

Killer Soup: Here’s Everything To Know About Manoj Bajpayee & Konkona Sensharma’s Upcoming Series ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sensharma are two of the most talented and versatile actors in the Indian film industry. The duo is coming together for a Netflix series, Killer Soup. The series has got its release date locked and not just a stellar cast; the plot of the series is a bit different from any other crime thriller. Keep scrolling to know more deets.

The series will be directed by Abhishek Chaubey, renowned for his works like Udta Punjab, Ishqiya, Dedh Ishqiya, and others. As per Chaubey, people will laugh while watching the thriller, and at the same time, they will be left surprised by it.

Manoj Bajpayee has always been an exceptional actor, but his portrayal as Srikant Tiwari in the Prime Video series The Family Man is on a different level.

The upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’, is a blend of flavours and tells the story of a home chef, a local inspector and amateur villains. The series stars Manoj Bajpayee, Konkona Sensharma, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde and Lal and fuses intrigue with dark humour.

The series has been directed and co-written by Abhishek Chaubey, and follows the story of Swathi Shetty, an aspiring yet home chef, who cooks up a bizarre plan to replace her husband, Prabhakar, with her lover, Umesh. But when a bumbling local inspector and amateur villains stir the pot, things don’t go as planned and a recipe for chaos ensues.

Talking about the series, Abhishek Chaubey said: “With ‘Killer Soup,’ we wanted to give the audience permission to laugh and also be totally shocked with a crime thriller that blends in humour and quirkiness. It is a pot-boiler sent completely over the top with an exceptional cast including Manoj Bajpayee,...

The upcoming streaming series ‘Killer Soup’, is a blend of flavours and tells the story of a home chef, a local inspector and amateur villains. The series stars Manoj Bajpayee, Konkona Sensharma, Nasser, Sayaji Shinde and Lal and fuses intrigue with dark humour.

The series has been directed and co-written by Abhishek Chaubey, and follows the story of Swathi Shetty, an aspiring yet home chef, who cooks up a bizarre plan to replace her husband, Prabhakar, with her lover, Umesh. But when a bumbling local inspector and amateur villains stir the pot, things don’t go as planned and a recipe for chaos ensues.

Talking about the series, Abhishek Chaubey said: “With ‘Killer Soup,’ we wanted to give the audience permission to laugh and also be totally shocked with a crime thriller that blends in humour and quirkiness. It is a pot-boiler sent completely over the top with an exceptional cast including Manoj Bajpayee,...

There has been a change in the trajectory of stories presented in modern television shows and movies. As mentioned in my Shehar Lakhot review, many filmmakers have moved away from the Hindi heartland and are exploring other states. Punjab is one of the states that many writers and directors have been focusing on. Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab opened a Pandora’s box of stories, and there has been no end to it ever since.

Tabbar on SonyLIV broke all the records for being an out-of-the-box story, while Netflix originals Kohrra and Cat did not shy away from showcasing the gritty side of Punjab, the image if which was once dominated by beautiful farms and warm, welcoming people as per Yash Chopra films. Chamak, created and directed by Rohit Jugraj, is the story of an artist who comes back to Punjab from Canada only to uncover mysteries about his family.

Behind every powerful story lies the masterful penmanship of talented writers. In the entertainment world, some extraordinary individuals have emerged from humble beginnings in small towns, capturing hearts and leaving an indelible impact on audiences worldwide.

Here is a list of seven small-town writers and their inspiring journeys of soaring to great heights.

Sudip Sharma

Born in Guwahati, Sudip pursued an Mba from Iim-Ahmedabad in 2002. He then moved to Mumbai and joined major Fmcg companies. However, his passion for screenwriting led him to explore this field further, and after writing a short film in 2006, he immersed himself in learning the craft.

In 2014, Sharma made his mark in feature screenwriting with the gripping thriller ‘NH10’, drawing inspiration from real-life honor killing cases. Continuing his success, Sudip collaborated with director Abhishek Chaubey, writing the dialogues and screenplay for the crime drama ‘Udta Punjab’ and ‘Sonchiriya’. Recently, he co-wrote and created ‘Kohrra’, featuring Barun Sobti and Harleen Sethi,...

Since launching on Netflix on July 15, Indian crime drama Kohrra has shot to the top of the streamer’s Indian rankings and had critics, audiences and industry figures including Karan Johar raving about the show.

In addition to describing it as an atmospheric murder mystery, local critics have praised the series for being an incisive portrait of contemporary Punjab, the northwestern Indian state where it is set.

The six-part series follows two cops – played by Suvinder Vicky and Barun Sobti – investigating the murder of an Nri (non-resident Indian) who lives in London but has travelled to India for an arranged marriage. After he’s found dead in a field, with the British friend who had accompanied him also missing, the cops start to unravel not just a murder case, but a complex web of family secrets, land-related power plays, childhood trauma and parental patriarchy.

Randeep Jha, who was recently a...

The biopic based on the life of prominent human rights activist, Jaswant Singh Khalra has been subjected to delays owing to the clearance for the censor certificate. The makers of the film moved the Bombay High Court and asked for legal intervention.

The yet-to-be-titled film, which is directed by Honey Trehan, and headlined by actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh, has hit the roadblock and the makers have sought legal help from the court.

Following Operation Blue Star, the assassination of Indira Gandhi, and the 1984 Anti-Sikh Riots, the police were empowered to detain anyone as suspected terrorists. The police were accused of killing unarmed suspects in staged shootouts, and burning thousands of dead bodies to cover up the murders.

Jaswant Singh Khalra was the director of a bank in Amritsar during the militancy period in Punjab. He found the evidence of abduction, elimination and cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies by the police.

Acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee has notched up another triumph with his upcoming film ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai,’ a courtroom drama based on the real-life case of a once-revered and powerful Indian religious leader who is currently serving a life sentence for the rape of an underage girl.

In the Apoorv Singh Karki directed film, Manoj plays a prosecuting lawyer who is pitted against a slew of celebrity lawyers, reports ‘Variety’.

“Usually what happens is that you spend some time with the real person. Somewhere, I realised it’s a two-hour film, you have to have your own preparation away from the real guy, who is somebody who’s not even known to the world. And he’s achieved a feat in five years of continuous court hearings that is remarkable,” Bajpayee told ‘Variety’.

“Instead of just creating or imitating a real person, let’s have the essence of him...

A-lister Manoj Bajpayee, one of the few Indian actors who scores critical acclaim and commercial success in equal measure, has notched up another triumph with ZEE5 Global film “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai.” The film is the most viewed original on the service in the last one year.

Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki (Prime Video series “Flames”) and written by Deepak Kingrani (Disney+ Hotstar series “Special Ops”), the film is a courtroom drama based on the real-life case of a once-revered and powerful Indian religious leader who is currently serving a life term in jail for the rape of an underage girl. Bajpayee plays the prosecuting lawyer who is pitted against a phalanx of celebrity lawyers.

“Usually what happens is that, you spend some time with the real person. Somewhere, I realized it’s a two-hour film, you have to have your own preparation away from the real guy, who...

As 2022 makes way for the new dawn, Ott platforms are gearing up to present a slew of exciting web shows. 2023 will be the year of many anticipated Ott releases, including a chunk of the 40-title slate announced by Prime Video back in April 2022.

Let us dig out what’s happening on the web series landscape in the coming year.

‘Farzi’: The Vijay Sethupathi and Shahid Kapoor-starrer webseries ‘Farzi’ is a fast-paced edgy thriller created by director duo Raj and Dk. Earlier, Shahid’s first look from the series was shared by the makers in which he can be seen sporting a rugged look and sitting in a chair while he is busy painting something.

The first look was described as: “An artist who gets pulled into the murky high stakes of a con job and a fiery task force officer on the mission to rid the country of his menaces in a fast-paced,...

From ‘The Family Man’ hitmakers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D K unspooling the small-town dark comedy ‘Guns & Gulabs’ set in the 1990s, starring Dulquer Salmaan and Rajkummar Rao, to a soup-slurping Manoj Bajpayee in ‘Soup’, to Nayanthara’s fairytale wedding and the uncle-nephew duo Venkatesh and Rana Daggubati uniting on screen as father and son in ‘Rana Naidu’, Netflix unveiled quite a formidable lineup for its Indian subscribers at a global fan event on Saturday.

Presented by comedian Zakir Khan and popular actress Prajakta Koli, Tudum India showcased the series and films lined up for release in the coming weeks and months. These included:

Monica, O My Darling

With a title that pays tribute to the unforgettable R.D. Burman-Asha Bhosale number picturised on a unctuous Helen, the Vasant Bala-directed neo-noir movie with Huma Qureshi and Rajkummar Rao is a whodunit that wades through lust, blackmail, betrayal, blood, and...

Sugar, spice and everything nice is a line that can be used for filmmaker Abhishek Chaubey’s upcoming thriller series ‘Soup’, which stars acclaimed actors Manoj Bajpayee and Konkona Sen Sharma, who cook up a scheme in the recently released teaser.

Over-a-minute long teaser of ‘Soup’, showcases how Konkona and Manoj cook up a delicious dark plan to kill and be together.

The actress plays a talentless chef named Swathi Shetty, who in a quest to have her own restaurant makes a plan to replace her husband Prabhakar with her lover, Umesh. But soon several other elements get into the plan and spoil the perfect recipe of success.

Sprinkled with love, lust, thrill and suspense, the Netflix series ‘Soup’ is helmed by ‘Udta Punjab’ director Abhishek Chaubey. It also stars Nasser, Sayaji Shinde and Lal.

The India leg of Netflix’s annual fan event Tudum on Saturday showcased several big ticket films and shows including Vishal Bhardwaj’s “Khufiya,” starring Tabu, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K.’s “Guns & Gulaabs,” with Dulquer Salmaan, and Hansal Mehta’s “Scoop.” Tudum India was hosted by comedian Zakir Khan and actor Prajakta Koli.

“Class,” set in an expensive Delhi school, is an adaptation of hit Spanish series “Elite.” It stars Gurfateh Pirzada, Chintan Rachh, Naina Bhan, Chayan Chopra, Ciyawal, Anjali Sivarman, Madhyama Segal, Piyush Khati, Ayesha Kanga, Chandan Singh, Moses Koul and Zeyn Shaw.

For “Guns & Gulaabs,” starring Dulquer Salmaan, “The Family Man” creators Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. team with Netflix for their first series for the streamer after their indie film “Cinema Bandi.” The series is a crime thriller that depicts love and innocence against the backdrop of crime, and blends the romance of the 90s with humor.

The nominees are in! The International Indian Film Academy (Iifa) Awards has revealed its 12 Popular Category nominations for the 22nd edition in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi on May 20th and 21st, 2022.

What is cool is that you can vote! Global Voting is open to everyone at https://gvote2022.iifa.com/

‘Shershaah’ leads the way, amassing the highest number of nominations, 12 in total, ‘83’ and ‘Ludo’ with 9 and 6 nominations respectively followed by ‘Thappad’ and ‘Atrangi Re’ with 5 and ‘Mimi’ with 4 nominations.

The top picks for the Best Picture category are Shershaah, 83, Ludo, Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Thappad.

The nominees are…

Best Direction

Kabir Khan (83), Anurag Basu (Ludo), Shoojit Sircar (Sardar Udham), Vishnuvaradhan (Shershaah) and Anubhav Sinha (Thappad)

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Female)

Vidya Balan (Sherni), Kriti Sanon (Mimi), Sanya Malhotra (Pagglait), Kiara Advani (Shershaah), and Taapsee Pannu (Thappad).

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Male)

Ranveer Singh (83), Vicky Kaushal...

Passport

U.K. broadcasters Channel 4, ITV, BBC, Stv, UKTV, S4C and Paramount U.K. have teamed to create access and inclusion passports aimed at removing barriers and supporting better inclusion of disabled people and other colleagues at work. The passports, adopted from an initiative introduced at the BBC in 2019, will be confidential and will support conversations with line managers to ensure disabled colleagues and others get the right support they need at work. They will also be transferrable to enable holders to move smoothly across departments and between broadcasters, reducing the need for disabled talent and staff to repeatedly disclose their adjustment needs to each new employer or manager.

Managers will be supported at each organization to help them work with employees and their passports most effectively. The plans will also be introduced into the independent production sector to support disabled freelancers.

Channel 4 recently set a disabled presenting team...

Cinema'Sharmaji Namkeen' starring the late Rishi Kapoor in his last on-screen portrayal, will release on Amazon Prime Video. IANSTwitter/ Amazon Prime VideoUpcoming Hindi film Sharmaji Namkeen which stars late Bollywood actor Rishi Kapoor in his last on-screen portrayal, is heading for an Ott release as it will premiere on March 31. The film marks Rishi Kapoor’s posthumous release. Dealing with the themes of self-realisation and discovery, Sharmaji Namkeen tells the story of a recently retired man, who discovers his passion for cooking after joining a women's kitty circle. It will premiere on March 31 on Amazon Prime Video. The film, directed by Hitesh Bhatia, also stars Paresh Rawal alongside Juhi Chawla, Suhail Nayyar, Taaruk Raina, Satish Kaushik, Sheeba Chaddha, and Isha Talwar. In fact, it is the first Hindi movie where the two actors — Rishi Kapoor and Paresh Rawal — have come together to play one character. Sharmaji Namkeen has been produced...