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Paatal Lok 2 & Panchayat 4(Photo Credit –YouTube)

The first half of 2025 has given us some amazing Hindi shows. From heartwarming dramas like Panchayat Season 4 to gritty thrillers like Paatal Lok Season 2 and Black Warrant, there’s something for everyone. We have handpicked the top ten Hindi series of the year so far and ranked them based on their current IMDb user ratings. For multi-season series, we have considered the average ratings of the latest season. Read on to explore their IMDb scores, brief plots, and where you can watch them online.

10. Kankhajura Release Date – May 30, 2025 Director – Chandan Arora IMDb Rating – 7.1/10 Available On – SonyLIV

Plot: The crime thriller series is an Indian adaptation of the award-winning Israeli drama Magpie. It follows the story of Ashu (Roshan Mathew), a man who is released many years after serving a prison sentence. But when he reconnects with his brother Max (Mohit Raina), his return begins...

Sidhant Gupta recently triumphed playing Charles Sobhraj in the Netflix series Black Warrant. The actor speaks to Subhash K Jha about the beginning of his career, playing Charles Sobhraj, and opens up about his struggle to find his place in the film industry.

Tell me about your beginnings as an actor.

My beginnings as an actor… I don’t know how to sort of put it across in four lines, but it’s been a memory that has stayed with me, and it’s personal, and I hold on to it because it’s that moment when I truly felt the magic of this work. I remember nothing was working. I’d done Bhoomi and a cameo in that film, and it just didn’t work. It was a Sanjay Dutt comeback film, and then I was jumping guns from television to films, and suddenly, this film didn’t work,...

From Cool Hand Luke to The Count of Monte Cristo, Prison Break, and Orange Is the New Black, it's no wonder that prison projects are so popular with viewers because, through the eyes of the central character, we get to see the full journey. Black Warrant, the latest addition to the prison movie genre, is based on the book Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer, co-written by journalist Sunetra Choudhury and Sunil Kumar Gupta, a former jailer. The book recounts Gupta's experiences over the course of his 34-year career. The seven-episode Netflix series was created by Vikramaditya Motwane and Satyanshu Singh. Black Warrant stars Zahan Kapoor as Sunil Gupta, the central character. Other actors include Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Anurag Thakur, and Sidhant Gupta as Charles Sobhraj, the real-life "Bikini Killer," also portrayed by Tahar Rahim in The Serpent.

Sidhant Gupta seems to be shaping into a quite a bio-picker. In Vikramaditya Motwane’s Jubilee, Sidhant played a Dev Anand doppelganger. Right after that interesting stint he played Jawaharlal Nehru in Nikhil Advani’s Freedom At Midnight. Now it is the vile but charming Charles Sobhraj in Applause Entertainment’s excellent prison drama Black Warrant. Prior to Sidhant, Charles Sobhraj has been played with unnerving acumen by Randeep Hooda in Prawaal Raman’s Charles & I, and more notably by Tahar Rahim in The Serpent. Sidhant brings his own energy to the part.

You have changed your phone number. Congratulations on a new beginning?

Thank you. I had to change my phone number to preserve some peace. This new beginning feels right. I must strive to ensure the newness is reflected in every character that finds me.

Was it tough playing Charles Sobhraj, especially with that peculiar accent?

The accent...

Black Warrant is easily one of the best crime dramas to come out of Netflix India. It is the start of the year, and the streaming giant has done a good job of presenting real-life stories from behind the large walls of Tihar, one of the notorious prisons of our country. The show is based on the book by Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhry. The show has several fictional and non-fictional characters that define the ambience of the infamous prison.

Spoilers Ahead

Sunil Kumar Gupta

Zahan Kapoor portrays the role of the new recruit Asp Sunil Kumar Gupta. He joined Tihar as a jailer out of desperation, because he was looking for a job. The lack of jobs for an educated man like himself affected him, and without realizing the dark hole he was about to fall into, he accepted the job. It was on joining the place of work...

The new series ” Black Warrant ” on Netflix India provides a thrilling look into Delhi’s dreaded Tihar Prison. This version is based on the autobiography of Sunil Kumar Gupta, who was a jailer for 35 years and oversaw some of India’s worst thieves. The series tries to provide interesting drama while also exploring the complicated moral issues within the prison system.

Vikramaditya Motwane, a famous director best known for “Sacred Games,” worked on this project with Satyanshu Singh, who wrote and directed it. The popular TV show is based on Gupta’s best-selling book “Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer,” which she wrote with writer Sunetra Choudhury. One of India’s toughest prisons is the setting for this story, which follows an honest prison officer as he deals with theft, violence, and moral problems.

Motwane talked about his excitement about the source material, saying, “From a dramatic point of view,...

Netflix India’s latest series “Black Warrant” delves into the complex world of Delhi’s notorious Tihar Prison through the eyes of an idealistic jailer who confronts corruption, violence and moral ambiguity within the system.

Based on the bestselling book “Black Warrant: Confessions of a Tihar Jailer” by jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta and journalist Sunetra Choudhury, the series chronicles the true story of a prison officer’s 35-year journey through one of India’s most infamous correctional facilities.

A black warrant is a jailer’s authorization to carry out the execution of a convicted criminal. The series benefits from Gupta’s insider knowledge of the prison. During his time working there he oversaw prisoners including Charles Sobhraj (aka ‘Bikini Killer’ and ‘The Serpent’) and kidnappers Kuljeet Singh (alias Ranga Khus) and Jasbir Singh (alias Billa).

The series is created by acclaimed filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane (“Sacred Games”) and writer-director Satyanshu Singh...

Black Warrant Trailer Review (Photo Credit – YouTube)

The trailer for the Netflix series Black Warrant has been released. It stars Shashi Kapoor’s grandson, Zahan Kapoor, in the titular role and is presented by Applause Apartment. Based on real-life incidents, Zahan plays a rookie jailer at the Tihar jail. Here is our review for the same.

Black Warrant Trailer Review

The Black Warrant trailer navigates Zahan Kapoor as Sunil Gupta, who lands a job as a jailer inside the Tihar jail. However, with his calm and composed temperament and personal values, he finds himself a grave misfit on the job. His senior Rajesh Tomar (Rahul Bhat) doubts whether Sunil will survive the dark and notorious cells of Tihar jail. Gupta finds himself in the middle of crime, corruption, and incidents which constantly hammer him with the thought of whether he has made the right decision by taking this job.

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Festival Flourishes

BookMyShow‘s Red Lorry Film Festival has landed two Academy Award-shortlisted films to anchor its sophomore edition, set for March 21-23, in Mumbai and Hyderabad. “Hollywoodgate,” from the producers of “Navalny,” shortlisted for documentary feature, offers an on-the-ground examination of Taliban-ruled Kabul. “Universal Language,” contending in the international feature category, presents an absurdist comedy-drama weaving multiple storylines between Tehran and Winnipeg.

The fest will showcase over 120 titles across both cities, marking its expansion with “Red Lorry Film Festival: Parallel Verse” in Hyderabad running alongside Mumbai’s “Take 2” edition. Notable selections include “When The Light Breaks,” which opened Un Certain Regard at Cannes 2024, and “999: The Forgotten Girls,” winner of the Miami Jewish Film Festival’s audience award.

New for 2025, the festival introduces a competition segment open to filmmakers, with submissions closing Jan. 7. Programming spans multiple languages including Spanish, French, German, Korean, Dutch, and Icelandic. BookMyShow COO, cinemas, Ashish Saksena...

The team behind SonyLIV drama Freedom at Midnight are moving the Indian Independence story on for its second season following a strong response to Season 1.

The story, directed and showrun by Nikkhil Advani, is set to go from the tense negotiations around of the Indian Partition of 1947 to the refugee crisis that followed the borders being redrawn, with Season 1 ending on a cliffhanger after launching this month and setting the scene for the second.

“The basic objective for now to ensure that this show travels as much as it can,” said Danish Khan, Executive VP and Business Head at SonyLIV and its in-house production arm, StudioNext. “Obviously, that brings larger subscriptions and bigger business. If we can do that, Season 2 will even become bigger.”

Season 2 will comprise eight episodes and likely roll out next year. Khan said anticipation for the second run was building, but that “as a first step,...

Sony Liv has a sure-shot winner in Freedom at Midnight. Adapted from a book written by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, the Indian series depicts the struggle of the Indian freedom movement and how the founders laid the foundation of one of the largest democracies in the world. The seven-episode long Nikhil Advani-created miniseries faithfully adapts the book. Let us look at the cast and characters of Freedom at Midnight in this article.

Sidhant Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru

Actor Sidhant Gupta, who made a huge splash last year in the Prime Video series Jubilee, helmed by Vikramaditya Motwane, has got the meaty part of Jawaharlal Nehru here. For Gupta, who’s only thirty-five years old, it was a particularly challenging part as the show is set mostly during 1946–47, when Pandit Nehru is almost sixty. But given Gupta had already shown his skill as an actor, there was no reason...

Freedom at Midnight might be adapted from Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre’s very controversial non-fiction book (of the same name) that was published way back in 1975, but even the people who haven’t heard of it do know what it is about. I mean, India’s partition (and subsequent independence from the British rulers) has remained a hot topic of modern history, and people keep talking about it. Quite naturally, Sony Liv’s new series, which sheds light on the tumultuous political and religious climate of India around the years 1946–47, was bound to draw attention from the audience.

Released in the seventy-eighth year of our independence, the Nikhil Advani-created series tells the story of the Partition. Advani, who has had a fascinating career in Bollywood as a writer, director, and producer, directs all seven episodes of the series. Given how engrossed I found myself in it despite knowing what was going to happen,...

Kajol & Kriti Sanon’s Do Patti Is A Success On Netflix! ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Kajol and Kriti Sanon led Do Patti was one of the most anticipated digital releases of 2024. The thriller film enjoyed massive hype but could not live upto the expectations. Despite the negative reviews, it continues garnering impressive views. It is now the fourth most-watched Indian film of 2024 on Netflix. Plus, it is very close to beating Laapataa Ladies. Scroll below for our detailed Ott verdict.

While the performances by Kajol and Kriti Sanon were praised, viewers criticized the weak storyline of Do Patti. Many even praised Shaheer Sheikh but felt the characters lacked depth overall. Despite all the backlash, it made a smashing debut on Netflix, clocking in 5 million views. It was the fourth most-watched film (non-English) between the duration of October 21-27, 2024.

Do Patti continues its winning streak!

It is commendable how Kanika Dhillon’s...

Varun Dhawan and Samantha in Prime Video’s Citadel: Honey Bunny, the top-streaming series worldwide. ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Prime Video has revealed that the Indian Original spy series Citadel: Honey Bunny, born from the world of Citadel, was the most watched series on Prime Video worldwide in its launch weekend. The Indian series, directed by Raj & Dk, starring Varun Dhawan and Samantha, has drawn huge global audiences and streamed in 200 countries worldwide. The series was in the Top 10 in almost 150 countries, including the US, UK, France, Italy, Australia, Canada, Brazil, and UAE.

“The success of Citadel: Honey Bunny shows that our non-English language International Originals continue to find fans globally through Prime Video’s huge worldwide audience,” said James Farrell, VP of International Originals, Prime Video & Amazon MGM Studios.

Trending The Buckingham Murders Ott Verdict: With 42% Lower Viewership Kareena Kapoor Khan Fails To Even Touch Kriti Sanon, Matches Akshay Kumar’s Disaster Bmcm!

Sidhant Gupta portraying Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in Freedom At Midnight(Photo Credit – YouTube)

Emmay Entertainment creates Freedom At Midnight with filmmaker Nikkhil Advani spearheading the show, which will start streaming on Sony Liv on November 15. The show promises to bring forth the unseen events of India’s freedom struggle and the partition between India and Pakistan. The show has been adapted from a book by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre of the same name. Among the central characters in the show is the freedom fighter and first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru. Impressive actor Sidhant Gupta has played the character. Here’s more about the talented actor.

Sidhant Gupta received fame with the 2023 show Jubilee.

While Sidhant had earlier done a few films like Badmashiyaan and Operation Romeo, his most significant break came from the 2023 Prime Video show Jubilee, where he played the central role of Jay Khanna in...

Exclusive: SonyLIV’s ambitious Indian independence drama Freedom at Midnight has added British cast.

Cordelia Bugeja, Richard Teverson, Luke McGibney, Andrew Cullum and Alistair Findlay have joined the series, which charts India’s struggle for independence and subsequent partition.

McGibney and Bugeja will play the last Viceroy and Vicereine of India, Lord Louis Mountbatten and Lady Edwina Mountbatten, respectively. Finlay is Archibald Wavell, the Commander-in-Chief and Viceroy of India preceding Mountbatten. Cullum brings to life Clement Attlee, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, while Teverson portrays Cyril Radcliffe, the chairman of the Boundary Commission for the Partition of India.

They join Sidhant Gupta (Jubilee), who stars as Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of independent India, Chirag Vohra (Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story) as...

Mumbai, May 2 (Ians) The upcoming streaming show ‘Freedom at Midnight’, based on the eponymous book, is set to delve into India’s fight for Independence, showcasing critical moments from the partition era.

It details the events behind the last year of British Raj from 1947 to 1948 and how it gave away India, which was a part of its empire.

The events begin with the appointment of Lord Mountbatten of Burma as the last viceroy of British India and conclude with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.

The first look of the show was unveiled on Instagram on Thursday by showrunner and director Nikkhil Advani, who captioned Gandhi’s quote, “Jawahar and Sardar will be like two oxen yoked to the government cart. One will need the other, and both will pull together.”

The show stars Sidhant Gupta, once again showcasing his acting prowess against the backdrop of partition after ‘Jubilee’.

It also...

Indian streamer SonyLIV has unveiled the cast and a first look for its magnum opus series “Freedom at Midnight.”

Based on the 1975 non-fiction book by Larry Collins and Dominique Lapierre, the political drama delves into India’s independence movement, weaving together untold tales and critical moments from the era when the country’s then British colonial rulers partitioned the country into India and Pakistan.

Sidhant Gupta (Prime Video series “Jubilee”) plays Jawaharlal Nehru, who became the first Prime Minister of independent India, Chirag Vohra (SonyLIV series “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story”) Mahatma Gandhi and Rajendra Chawla (Netflix film “Looop Lapeta”) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who became the first deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.

The series is produced by Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for Emmay Entertainment in association with StudioNext and Sony Liv. Nikkhil Advani (SonyLIV series “Rocket Boys”) serves as the showrunner and director. The series is written by Abhinandan Gupta,...

Veteran actress Shabana Azmi hoisted the Indian flag at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023. As the Tricolour fluttered against the Melbourne skyline, the shared emotions of patriotism and unity resonated strongly with attendees.

Commenting on the ceremony, Shabana said: “To be having this honour to hoist the Indian flag, the flag that I’m so proud of, the flag all of us present today are proud of in Melbourne is an honour I never believed I could have.”

“I would like to reiterate that we are here to celebrate Indian cinema in Melbourne, and I truly believe that art knows no boundaries and cinema can be an instrument for social change.”

The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2023 continues to be a significant platform for showcasing the vibrancy and diversity of Indian cinema on the global stage and the festival started on 11th august and will conclude on 20th august.

Mumbai, Aug 11 (Ians) Rani Mukerji was named the Best Actress In Film (Female), Vijay Varma as Best Actor (Male) In Series took home the top honours at the 14th edition of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm).

Rani won for ‘Mrs Chatterjee Vs Norway’ and Mohit Agarwal took home the award for Best Performance in Film (Male) for ‘Agra’.

While ‘Sita Ramam’ was announced the Best Film, ‘Agra’ the Best Indie Film, Kannada Filmmaker Prithvi Konanur was feted with Best Director.

‘To Kill A Tiger’ took home the Best Documentary.

Vijay Varma for ‘Dahaad’ and Rajshri Deshpande for ‘Trial By Fire’ were named as Best Performance (Male) and Best Performance (Female) in a series respectively.

Period Drama ‘Jubilee’ starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Sidhant Gupta, Aditi Rao Hydari, Wamiqa Gabbi and Ram Kapoor was tagged as the Best Series.

Best Short Film – People’s Choice honour was won by ‘Connection...

Melbourne, July 13 (Ians) The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) has announced the nominations for its 14th edition, which includes titles such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Kantara’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Bhediya’, among many others.

This year, the festival welcomes a new addition to its jury panel, the Oscar-winning Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford, known for directing films such as ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and ‘The Contract’.

The Iffm advisory committee after meticulous consideration of hundreds of films and series from across Indian cinema, have finalised the nominations of films and series which have been released between June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

Leading the pack in the film categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress, are notable productions such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Monica O My Darling’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and ‘Kantara’.

In the Ott category, series such as ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Jubilee’, and ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ have garnered the highest number of nominations. The winners of the prestigious...

Actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who is known for her work across the film industries of India and has been basking in the success of her streaming release ‘Jubilee’, has treated herself with a special gift.

The actress got herself her first car, a Jeep Meridian. The car is a seven-seater SUV with a kerb weight of 1890 kgs, is available in nine variants and is capped at a price range of Rs 38 lakh.

The actress made the decision to relocate to Mumbai a few years ago, and has been doing great work with shows that bring her further recognition and appreciation with every release.

Her work in the period drama show ‘Jubilee’ was highly praised along with Sidhant Gupta, who played her love interest in the series.

Talking about the same, Wamiqa said, “I am overwhelmed with the love and support I have received for ‘Jubilee.’ It has been an incredible journey,...

Actress Kangana Ranaut has praised the entire cast and crew of the web-series ‘Jubilee’ and thanked the director for launching “two fresh faces” such as Wamiqa Gabbi and Sidhant Gupta.

Kangana took to her Instagram stories and wrote: “What a splendid, spectacular, absolutely sublime drama series …. The seed of the Golden age of Hindi cinema was sown in the ashes of partition and the aftermath of World War 2… Drama characters resemblance to the most iconic stalwarts of that era is rather uncanny …. It brings alive all the folklores and legends of the golden age we daydream about till today … beyond wonderful… A must watch… .”

She added” “@motwayne in all his glory shines like the golden age of Indian cinema.”

Kangana also said that every department excels, “from writing to photography, from costumes to sets, from music to make up everything is blending together to bring about an exhilarating screen experience.

Actor Nandish Singh Sandhu, who is receiving a lot of appreciation for his portrayal of Jamshed Khan in the streaming series ‘Jubilee’, had a clean slate before him in terms of sketching the character as he had no references to model his character on.

In this series, Nandish essays the role of a theatre actor Jamshed Khan, who is looking to cross-over to films in order to have a financially fulfilling career but is confused between listening to the mind and the heart.

On the portrayal of Jamshed’s character, Nandish shared: “Jamshed Khan’s character is a crucial element in the show’s storyline. The impact of his presence is felt throughout the series. He brings a certain energy and strength to the show that impacts each character in a unique way. His strong personality and witty comebacks have a way of influencing the trajectory of the show and...

Mumbai, April 21 (Ians) Actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who is seen in ‘Jubilee’ playing a yesteryear’s actress named Niloufer Qureshi, was inspired by Rekha and Priyanka Chopra Jonas for the number ‘Babuji Bhole Bhale’ from the series.

‘Jubilee’ is a period drama is set in the 1940s and 1950s, based on the golden days of the Hindi film industry. She even tried her hands at jazz for the film with the song ‘Babuji Bhole Bhale’.

Wamiqa said: “Playing a character for a period drama is extremely tricky because we tend to caricature people as we have seen in the movies. However, the dance sequences are different, since they used to have very subtle movements and heavy eye and facial expressions.”

“To get those right, I have followed actresses like Rekhaji, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and watched songs by legendary actresses over and over again to prepare for the peppy jazzy number Babuji Bhole Bhale.

Wamiqa Gabbi as Niloufer Qureshi is flawless in the series ‘Jubilee’, a period drama which is set in the 1940s and 1950s, based on the golden era of the Hindi film industry. She plays the role of a yesteryear actress and her journey from being an aspiring actress to an established one.

The song ‘Babuji Bhole Bhale’ has been quite popular on social media. To get the song sequences right, she took some inspiration from many icons like Rekha and Priyanka Chopra to name a few who have had iconic jazz numbers in Bollywood.

Wamiqa says, “Playing a character from a period drama is extremely tricky because we tend to caricature people as we have seen in the movies. However, the dance sequences are different, since they used to have very subtle movements and heavy eye and facial expressions. To get those right, I have followed actresses like Rekhaji, Priyanka...

Actor Ram Kapoor, who plays a film producer – Shamsher Singh Walia, in the recently released streaming series ‘Jubilee’, shared that to essay the part he unleashed the inner Punjabi in him and played it to the gallery because he fully trusted director Vikramaditya Motwane’s instincts as the two go long way back, having worked in Motwane’s directorial debut ‘Udaan’ which was released in 2010.

Shamsher Singh Walia always addresses Madan Kumar (played by Aparshakti Khurana) as, “Madan Kumar, B******d” whenever something goes south for him. This has now become a catchphrase, with fans using it to express their own frustrations and exasperations in memes.

On his transformation journey, Ram Kapoor shared, “For Shamsher Singh Walia, I realised that I must bring that Punjabi inside me out. I must be as Punjabi as I can in terms of body language, with my abuses, my obnoxiousness, everything. And that is what I did,...

Mumbai, April 12 (Ians) Actor Aparshakti Khurana says that there is a weird real-life connection between him and his character Binod from the recently released series ‘Jubilee’.

In the series, Aparshakti showcases Binod’s journey – starting off as a worker in the studio to climbing the ladder to stardom as Madan Kumar.

Aparshakti said, “There is a weird real-life connection between me and my character, Binod. I started my career as a costume designer at the age of 21-22 but I always wanted to switch careers and work on TV as a host.”

“So, I joined a television channel as a costume stylist and worked my way through and landed an audition as a TV host for a show. Luckily, I was selected for the same and my journey started from there. And in Jubilee, too, I start my career as an employee at Srikant Roy’s (Prosenjit Chatterjee) studio where...

Mumbai, April 11 (Ians) Actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who is receiving a lot of appreciation for her work in the recently released streaming series ‘Jubilee’, feels that there was a certain kind of innocence in the Golden era of the Indian cinema which seems to be lost in current times.

‘Jubilee’, which also stars Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Sidhant Gupta, Nandish Sandhu, and Ram Kapoor, is set against the backdrop of the golden age of Indian cinema and explores the evolution of Hindi cinema.

Wamiqa, who is plays the role of a yesteryear actress, said, “There’s a splendid innocence about the golden age of cinema and its actors, which is lost today and it needs to be touched upon. Even if things were not perfect, it was all part of learning”.

She further mentioned, “Being an actor or showbiz during that time was a profession without any frills attached to it.

Director: Vikrmaditya Motwane. Cast: Prasenjit Chatterjee, Aparshakti Khurana, Aditi Rao Hydari, Sidhant Gupta, Nandish Sandhu, Wamiqa Gabbi and Ram Kapoor.

Music: Amit Trivedi. Cinematography: Pratik Shah.

Ians Rating: ***1/2

The mainstay of the Indian film industry has been its checkered history with a motley mix of religions, castes and regions headlining a wide cross-section of actors — some from a privileged background, others from the periphery — who lived in Bombay and contributed to its glory.

"Jubilee" spans an era that heralded new beginnings in Indian cinema, as the country cast off shackles of British rule. Focusing on an eventful period that presaged an independent cinema, the web series has many firsts to its credit: the reconstruction of imposing film studios headed by the original honchos; a closer look at the stars and star-wives; the spectacle surrounding the struggling actors and filmmakers; dreamers and aspirants amid the divide between the two central religions...

Jubilee

Lights, sound, camera… action! And here we go. At last, a series that encapsulates the genesis of Hindi cinema…the good, bad, and the ogling.

The fun part of Vikramaditya Motwane’s see-real is to spot who’s who and … my God, is this true??!!! Motwane’s writer Atul Sabharwal uses historical facts to create a kind of free-flowing fusion of fact and fantasy that is at once arresting and liberating.

From the silent era in the 1940s to the not-so-silent era when the Partition of 1947 tore the nation into two, Jubilee begins its comprehensive exhilarating journey by introducing us to the brooding maverick producer Srikant Roy, most meticulously modeled on the legendary Himanshu Rai. As played by Prosenjit Chatterjee, Roy is wily and mysterious, ambitious and nasty…It’s a brutal role played with tremendous understanding.

In comparison Aditya Roy Hydari as Roy’s wife Sumitra Devi (modeled...

Mumbai, April 4 (Ians) Singer Shahid Mallya has shared that his latest track ‘Dil Jaha Pe Le Chala’ from the web series ‘Jubilee’ is all about the film industry in the era of 1940s and 1950s.

The show, which is created and directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, features Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Sidhant Gupta, Wamiqa Gabbi and Ram Kapoor.

Shahid, who has sung in a number of movies like ‘Mausam’, ‘Yamla Pagla Deewana’, ‘Mere Brother Ki Dulhan’, ‘Student of The Year’, ‘2 States’, ‘Qala’, and many more, is also known for his singles such as ‘Wajood’, ‘Gumnaam Shayar’, ‘Kyu’, among others.

Talking about his love for old songs and music, he said that the track will take the listeners to the bygone era.

In the track, the singer has successfully recreated the era of the 60s with his singing style and voice.

He said: “Old Bollywood classics have always held...

The next magnum opus from Amazon Prime Video India is “Jubilee,” a period piece that charts the growing pangs of India and the rise of the country’s Hindi-language film industry that would come to be known by the term Bollywood in later years.

Beginning around the months in 1947 when the subcontinent was partitioned into India and Pakistan, the dramatis personae in the series include studio boss Srikant Roy (Prasenjit Chatterjee), his movie star wife Sumitra Kumari (Aditi Rao Hydari), trusted aide with acting ambitions Binod Das (Aparshakti Khurana), talented refugee Jay Khanna (Sidhant Gupta) and courtesan Nilofer (Wamiqa Gabbi), whose worlds collide.

The series is created by Vikramaditya Motwane (“Sacred Games”) and Soumik Sen (“Mahalaya”) and written by Atul Sabharwal (“Class of ’83”). It is produced by Andolan Films in association with Reliance Entertainment and Phantom Studios.

Motwane says that the genesis of the series was a decade ago when...

Mumbai, March 27 (Ians) Bengali superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee, who will soon be seen playing Srikant Roy — the head honcho of a Hindi film studio in the upcoming streaming series, ‘Jubilee — recently revealed that his style in the series is an ode to his father Biswajeet Chatterjee.

The series, which is set parallel to the evolution of both India and the Hindi film industry, is a layered drama, interwoven with multiple characters.

Speaking of his character, Prosenjit shared, “I was living Srikant Roy’s character for 7 months before shooting (due to lockdown), there were just minor changes when I got back on the sets. In the series, you will see me in a very nice hairstyle. This is dedicated to my father Biswajeet Chatterjee, they used to have that kind of styling back in the days.”

The series also stars an ensemble cast of Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sidhant Gupta,...

Prime Video recently announced fictional drama Jubilee that has left the audience excited ever since the first look of the series. The Amazon Original series which is set parallel to the evolution of both India and the Hindi film industry, is a layered drama, interwoven with multiple characters – a studio boss, his movie-star wife, a trusted aide, a rising star, a nautch girl, and a refugee – and their dreams and ambitions. It features the Bumba Da aka Bengal cinema’s superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee as studio head, Srikant Roy, of the illustrious Roy Talkies. Ever since the announcement of Jubilee, which is also the superstar’s first Ott series, his fans have been excited for the series premiere.

Speaking of this character, the legendary actor shares, “I was living Srikant Roy’s character for 7 months before shooting (due to lockdown), there were just minor changes when I got back on the sets.

Mumbai, March 27 (Ians) Actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who is known for her work in streaming anthology series ‘Modern Love Mumbai’, will be soon seen in another streaming series, this time a period drama titled ‘Jubilee’, and the role was a dream come true for her as she is a huge period drama fan.

To prepare for her part, the actress saw the popular films from the 1950s to 1960s to sketch up her part.

Having grown up in a family who watched black and white movies together, Wamiqa revealed she jumped on to the opportunity when she was offered ‘Jubilee’. It was not just a huge nostalgic factor for her, but also a challenge as an actress.

She said, “I have always been a fan of period drama films, especially from the black and white era. There was a time when I used to enjoy such films with my entire family in Doordarshan.

The trailer of the upcoming streaming series ‘Jubilee’ was unveiled on Friday. It introduces the viewers to the captivating world of Jubilee and takes them down the golden age of Indian cinema. With under 3 minutes in length, the trailer starts off with an accident site in frame with an overturned car as Aparshakti Khurana goes onto kick the accident victim before the camera cuts to another sequence.

It then walks the viewers through an era of films gone by. With retro vibes, costumes, elegant vintage cars, styling, the trailer paints a vivid imagery of the world of films and the secrets held together by the close doors.

Set against the backdrop of the Golden Era of Bollywood, Jubilee is a layered drama that chronicles the lives of a studio boss, his movie-star wife, a trusted aide, a rising star, a nautch girl and a refugee and the gambles they’re...

Sincere, deadbeat and with eyes full of dreams, Aparshakti Khurana’s new character look as Binod Das in the upcoming Amazon Original series Jubilee looks convincing. Binod, who’s a trusted aide at the studio, finds himself traversing through a series of circumstances on his way to stardom. Aparshakti’s new avatar is bound to grasp everyone’s attention with his ambitious on-screen persona.

Jubilee is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, created by Soumik Sen along with Motwane. The series also features Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aditi Rao Hydari, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sidhant Gupta, Nandish Sandhu and Ram Kapoor in pivotal roles. Prime members can stream Part One (Episodes One-Five) on April 7, with Part Two (Episodes Six-10) releasing the following week on April 14.

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Actor Prosenjit Chatterjee’s intriguing new poster from the upcoming series ‘Jubilee’ was unveiled on Saturday by its makers.

The actor can be seen sporting a moustache dressed in a black and white suit. He stares into the lens very intensely.

The official Instagram of streaming portal Prime Videos shared the look and captioned it: “Presenting ‘Srikant Roy’, the suave studio honcho who has only one rule, not being told what stories to tell!”

The 10-episode fictional drama unveils the stories that gave birth to the Hindi film industry.

In the series the Bengali cinema’s superstar plays the suave studio honcho ‘Srikant Roy’ who is the power, prestige and pride at Roy Talkies.

‘Jubilee’ is directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, created by Soumik Sen along with Motwane. The series will also feature Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sidhant Gupta, Nandish Sandhu and Ram Kapoor in pivotal roles.

The...

Mumbai, March 17 (Ians) Filmmaker-producer Vikramaditya Motwane, who is known for films like ‘Udaan’, ‘Lootera’, ‘Sacred Games’ and others, is coming up with a streaming drama series titled ‘Jubilee’.

The series is set parallel to the evolution of both India and the movies and follows the stories and dreams that gave birth to the Hindi film industry, and it was in the making for me ever since Motwane was an assistant director.

The series features an ensemble cast led by Prosenjit Chatterjee, Aditi Rao Hydari, Aparshakti Khurana, Wamiqa Gabbi, Sidhant Gupta, Nandish Sandhu, and Ram Kapoor.

Talking about the series, the director said: “‘Jubilee’ has been a love story in the making for me ever since I was an assistant director enamoured with the world of the movies, even when there wasn’t a story to tell.”

“While the series is set in that celebrated era of cinema, at its core,...

Popular singer Neeti Mohan talks about ‘Operation Romeo’s new track ‘Abhi Abhi’ that has been released. The song, sung by Neeti, has been composed by Mm Kreem with the lyrics penned by Manoj Muntashir. It is a romantic number featuring Vedika Pinto and Sidhant Gupta. Speaking about the song, Neeti says: “‘Abhi Abhi’ is a […]...

‘Operation Romeo, which highlights the issues of people bullying young couples, is all set to release on April 22. Two powerhouses Neeraj Pandey and Shital Bhatia’s Friday Filmworks and Reliance Entertainment have announced their next ‘Operation Romeo,’ with the intriguing motion poster. Starring Sidhant Gupta and Vedika Pinto in the lead roles with Sharad Kelkar, […]...

Actress Wamiqa Gabbi, who will be next seen in the upcoming Vikramaditya Motwane-directed web series ‘Stardust’, shared that the film was a learning curve for her as it opened the doors to a different working style for her. Talking about working on the film which also stars Aparshakti Khurana, Sidhant Gupta and Prosenjit Chatterjee, Wamiqa […]...

Get ready for a new season of games when Inside Edge is back for Season 3! Created by Karan Anshuman, the hit show stars Vivek Oberoi, Richa Chadha, Tanuj Virwani, Aamir Bashir, Sayani Gupta, Sapna Pabbi, Akshay Oberoi, Sidhant Gupta and Amit Sial. Directed by Kanishk Varma, the series kicks off on December 3rd on Amazon Prime Video. Fans are certainly excited , the trailer has hit over 15 million plus views on YouTube alone!

See, the stakes are higher this as ‘the game behind the game’ becomes more intriguing and a personal vendetta between two arch rivals takes the centre stage. With rivalries thickening both on and off the field, newer and murkier secrets are about to unfold in pursuit of Indian cricket team captaincy. Following the remarkable success of the two seasons, the third instalment promises more surprises, more mystery and more entertainment, pumping up the drama to 11.

“With Inside Edge,...

Sanjay Dutt’s comeback film Bhoomi certainly has fans eager for September 22nd, to see the star on the big screen again. The trailer wowed, the first song intrigued and now we have another video to make us want to see more and this time it does not feature the actor!

Titled ‘Lag Ja Gale’, the song is a soft romantic number which has been sung by none other than the maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan with music by composer duo Sachin-Jigar with lyrics penned by Priya Saraiya.

‘Lag Ja Gale’, which shows another side of the film, features Aditi Rao Hydari and Sidhant Gupta. The video has been shot extensively in the picturesque locales around the Taj Mahal in Agra. Singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s melodious voice makes this romantic track easily make you feel the love.

‘Bhoomi’ is an emotional and sensitive revenge drama that explores the...

It looks like the dark clouds of worries is not going to leave Sanjay Dutt anytime soon. Reportedly, the 57-year-old actor suffered a hairline fracture in his ribcage while shooting for an action sequence on the sets of his upcoming and comeback film Bhoomi in Chambal on Tuesday (March 21). Hit his elbow to his chest Reportedly, Dutt was shooting the climax scene of the film where he was supposed to fight with a group of 20 other men and while jumping from a height, he accidently hit his elbow to his chest when he landed on the ground. It caused him a slight pain but the actor ignored it continued to the shoot the sequence. The crew had to call a doctor on the sets only after the pain had gotten worse. After the X-Ray, it was detected that Dutt has a hairline fracture in his ribs and was advised to...