Movies

Gyaarah GyaarahOn: ZEE5Dir: Umesh BistCast: Raghav Juyal, Kritika Kamra Rating: 3/5 If someone who’s never visited India, let alone small-town India, got gifted an exhaustive playlist of shows and movies set in our locations—they should be permitted to believe this is a seriously cold country.  Literally, all series, movies, particularly to do with Tier II towns, are set in the winters. To the extent that film industry folks must’ve noticed, it’s hard to find cast, crew in Bombay, October onwards.  They’re all in jackets, boots, hoodies and cravats, shooting in the North, the likes of Dehradun, Mussoorie. As with the first season of Gyaarah Gyaarah.  On which the wintry set-up appears all the more apt, since this police procedural is set in the ‘cold cases’ department of the local cop ...

Prime Video announced August 20 as the premiere date of the docuseries, Angry Young Men. The intriguing three-episode Original docuseries traces the journey of the legendary writers Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar, popularly known as Salim-Javed, who, brought forth a revolution in Indian storytelling, by crafting iconic characters and dialogues that have etched their influence into the hearts and minds of the audience.  Produced by Salman Khan Films, Excel Media & Entertainment and Tiger Baby, Angry Young Men is executive produced by Salma Khan, Salman Khan, Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti, and marks the directorial debut of Namrata Rao.  Angry Young Men is the story of Salim-Javed, the legendary screenwriting duo behind some of the biggest Bollywood blockbuste...

Prime Video, India’s much-loved entertainment destination, today announced the premiere date for its Unscripted Original series, Follow Kar Lo Yaar. The nine-episode series, produced by Sol Productions’, Fazila Allana and Kamna Menezes and directed by Sandeep Kukreja, is an unfiltered and immersive viewpoint into the vibrant and captivating life of Uorfi Javed, India’s biggest viral sensation. Follow Kar Lo Yaar is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide on August 23 in Hindi with subtitles in English. The unconventional and eccentric reality-follow series is a revelation to the mystery that is Uorfi Javed, a celebrity who is hated by a few, loved by many, and despite it all cannot be ignored by any. Follow Karlo Yaar will immer...

Does my character die?’ That was Abhishek Banerjee’s first question when Rana Naidu came his way. You can’t blame him for being skeptical. “In all the OTT shows I had done until then, my character always ended up dying. So, when I first heard the story from Karan Anshuman [creator-director], my first question was whether I would die in it,” laughs the actor, who shot to fame with Paatal Lok (2020). Luckily, Jaffa, his character in Rana Naidu, is an exception. The actor is set to reprise his role in the second season of the Netflix drama, led by Rana Daggubati and Venkatesh. While Daggubati plays a man who makes a living by fixing celebrities’ problems, Banerjee essays his younger brother. In the opening season, directors Anshuman and Suparn Varma explored child sexual abuse through his ...

Actors Ranvir Shorey and Kay Kay Menon, who will be seen in the upcoming detective series `Shekhar Home,` spoke about their roles and experiences working together. Speaking to ANI, the duo, who are busy promoting their upcoming series shared their enthusiasm for the project. Reflecting on his decision to take on the role, Menon said, "When an actor gets something with substantial and exciting content, it`s natural for them to be drawn to it. That`s exactly what happened with me; I said yes right away." Reflecting on their previous collaboration, Ranvir, who was recently seen in `Bigg Boss OTT 3` shared, "We have done some films together, but we weren`t as involved with each other as we are in this series. For example, in `Honeymoon Travels,` our tracks were separate...So, we might have sh...

Actor-producer Tusshar Kapoor, who practices Buddhism, says he does believe in “good and bad fortune”. He strongly feels that one can change their destiny with sincere prayers.   “I believe in good fortune and bad fortune. We have come into this world with certain karma. Some people work hard, but they don’t get beyond a certain amount of benefit because there is always something (obstacles) coming their way,” Tusshar told IANS. The actor added: “And sometimes, people are not so hardworking, but things fall into place for them.” He does believe that “in the long term, hard work pays off more,” but “luck definitely has a part to play in the short term at least.”. “It can reduce the time required to reach your goals or it can make things delayed; that depends on your luck. I believe it i...

On her way to the première of her latest short film, The Beginning, Hunar Hale gets on a call with us to talk all things career. She has been part of the television industry for 14 years and has had a few successes, including Sasural Genda Phool (2010), Chhal—Sheh Aur Maat (2012), Thapki Pyar Ki (2015), and Patiala Babes (2018). But now, she admits the industry is changing. Newcomers are preferred, an actor’s social media following determines their standing, and seasoned artistes are transitioning to digital entertainment. So, where does Hale stand amid this shift? She talks about exploring short films, and fronting the TV show, Deewani, while hoping to make inroads into the web world.      Edited excerpts from the interview. What is your short film, The Beginning, about?It is about fema...

Fawad Khan and Sanam Saeed`s show `Barzakh` has come under controversy ever since the first episode was dropped on Youtuber. Now, the makers have shared an official statement announcing their decision to withdraw the show from YouTube Pakistan keeping in mind the sentiments of the public in the country.  The team of `Barzakh` took to Instagram on Tuesday to share an official statement about the show being withdrawn from YouTube. "We, at Zindagi and Team Barzakh, extend our heartfelt gratitude to our global audience for their unwavering support for Barzakh- a show that was curated to bring people together everywhere. But in light of the current public sentiment in Pakistan, we have made the decision to voluntarily withdraw Barzakh from YouTube Pakistan, effective August 9, 2024. This decis...

In Kanika Dhillon’s words, crocodiles star in a leading role alongside Taapsee Pannu, Vikrant Massey and Sunny Kaushal in Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba. Any Bollywood film lover can guess where the inspiration stems from. “I have been a Khoon Bhari Maang [1988] fan. I’ve always wanted to write a moment that would be a hat-tip to that film. The shot in the trailer, where a crocodile comes next to their boat, is personal,” smiles the writer-creator. Coming three years after Haseen Dillruba (2021), the romantic thriller follows the lives of Pannu’s Rani and Massey’s Rishu as another suitor enters the equation. Dhillon says the sequel is a pulpy offering, just like the first part. “I loved creating this world of Haseen Dillruba. The audience’s love was unprecedented. Taapsee was gung-ho [about t...

BarzakhOn: Zindagi YouTube Channel and ZEE5Dir: Asim AbbasiCast: Fawad Khan, Sanam Saeed, Salman Shahid, Fawad M KhanRating: ***1/2 Why do we so often find ourselves drawn to dysfunctional family stories? Be it Shakun Batra’s Kapoor & Sons (2016), Christopher Storer’s The Bear (2022-2024), Coco Mellors’ new novel Blue Sisters, or Asim Abbasi’s sumptuous new offering Barzakh—why does losing yourself in the messiness of others’ family drama feel so soothing to us? I found myself answering this diabolical question while watching the fourth episode of Barzakh. Shehreyar (Fawad Khan) unexpectedly lashes out at his father at a family dinner and calls him an ‘asshole’. I had my answer right there—there is something cathartic about watching characters say things to their loved ones that you’v...