News

Subhash K Jha looks back at Manish Jha’s Shocking Mathrubhumi: A Nation Without Women, which released in 2003, in a new edition of This Day That Year.

Somewhere in the future when female foeticide has felled the female population a group of barbaric sex-starved men in Bihar marry one woman and rape her night after night in turns in Manish Jha’s film… that’s when they are not busy making out with boys and cows or whatever outlet is obtainable or available.

Manish Jha’s sinister sordid and ceaselessly appalling view of patriarchal perversity is at once shocking and intolerable . As in Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen the immediate impulse while watching this film about male-maid madness is to turn away and walk out….Jha turns the gender corkscrew so hard that you, the audience, go beyond squirming to a region of response to the visual stimuli that borders on the repugnant.

Hari Hara Veera Mallu Hindi Trailer Review: Pawan Kalyan Fights An AI Wolf! (Photo Credit – YouTube)

Ever since Bobby Deol channeled his inner beast in Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal and even before he presented his sly self in Prakash Jha’s Aashram, people have been tapping into his negative energy to the fullest! After Kanguva, he leads another South-biggie as the antagonist. The trailer of Hari Hara Veera Mallu has been dropped. Starring Pawan Kalyan, the trailer looks like a hurried amalgamation of Rrr, Baahubali, Bajirao Mastani, and Tanhaji, all at once!

As expected Pawan Kalyan fans must be doing a happy dance but for a common man who just appreciates good cinema, this seems like a recipe book for a disaster! There’s no denying it, Pawan Kalyan commands the screen with an unparalleled aura. His entry, his dialogue delivery, and that signature swag in the trailer are more...

Hindi cinema has often been accused of glamorizing provocative issues like stalking or assault, or non-consent in the name of love & love stories. The essence has enriched and changed over the years, but all was not lost even during the darkest times of Hindi cinema.

And the few films that I’m going to mention here have dealt with the emotion of love with utmost sincerity, respect, and sensitivity it deserves. These love stories might or might not be of the lead characters, but have lifted the spirit of the movie with immense dignity and passion. And I’m not even touching the wave of Parallel Cinema in the 70s & 80s that transported the Hindi movies to the shore of World Cinema. This list is mostly of commercial films driven by star power.

1. Chandravati & Rambharan Mahto

An annotation on the social & gender injustice, director Prakash Jha valiantly infused so many...

In Govind Nihalani’s Dev, Om Puri was one of the most outspoken actors of the country, played Bad Cop, the communal law enforcer while Amitabh Bachchan played the Good Cop.

Never one to hide his anger and hurt, Om once surprised this writer by suddenly asking, “Why couldn’t Govind have cast me in (Amitabh) Bachchan saab’s role in Dev? I’ve the highest regard for Bachchan saab. I played his elder brother in Ravi Chopra’s Baabul, although I am eight years his junior. I did it for the pleasure of working with him for the first time.”

With Dev, which turned 21 years old on June 11, Om felt the situation was different. “I had done a major successful film Ardh Satya with Govind. But when he made a big-budgeted film (Dev) he went to Bachchan saab to play the protagonist. I was given the negative role of the corrupt cop.

Manoj Bajpayee reflects on playing a part in Prakash Jha’s brilliant political drama Raajeenti in this exclusive interview with Subhash K Jha.

Manoj, Raajeenti was a turning point for your career?

It was fifteen years back, you know, I was also not getting the kind of script I wanted to do. It was very hard for six, seven years for me to find the right roles. Prakashji had promised me a role in the modern adaptation of Mahabharata that he had in his mind. And he happened to be offering me a role in this. I still remember him telling me that you can go ahead and choose any one of these two parts. And I chose Veerendra Pratap Singh which was based on Duryodhana.

Which was the other role Prakash offered you?

It is never correct to talk about the roles one hasn’t done. I had such...

Subhash K Jha, in a new edition of This Day That Year, looks back at Prakash Jha’s drama Raajneeti which released 15 Years ago. The director also shares his thoughts on the making of the film and especially working with the incredible cast that included Ajay Devgn, Nana Patekar, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee, Sarah Thompson and Naseeruddin Shah.

Raajneeti has more characters lunging for the ballot box than the popcorn-nibbling audience can keep track of. A taut, clenched drama of devastating nemesis, Raajneeti moves across its epic-inspired canvas with a vigour and velocity that sweep audiences off their collective feet. The way Jha captures the parched, dusty, bustling energy of political rallies is impressive. This is no amateurish attempt to yoke the Mahabharata with Indian politics.

The truth-defining moments in Raajneeti are truly shattering. The lies that co-writers Anjum Rajabali and Jha’s characters live have ricocheting ramifications.

A Still from Raajneeti (2010) (Photo Credit – Netflix/Youtube)

Prakash Jha’s political drama Raajneeti completes 15 years today (June 4). The movie, which is infamously touted as a loose modern retelling of the Mahabharata, premiered to rave reviews from the audience and critics alike upon its release. The movie starred Katrina Kaif in her then first of a kind non-glam avatar, opposite Ranbir Kapoor. Ajay Devgn, Nana Patekar, Arjun Rampal, Manoj Bajpayee, Sarah Thompson, and Naseeruddin Shah played pivotal roles in the film.

The movie was shot extensively in Bhopal. It tells the story of the Pratap family with strong involvement in politics. The Pratap family leads the Jana Shakti party, and each member of the Pratap clan has their own agenda in mind. As the movie progresses, we see how politics and power take hold over family and relationships.

Is Raajneeti 2 Happening?

Those who have been waiting for Raajneeti 2 can now rejoice!

Subhash K Jha celebrates Paresh Rawal’s 70th birthday by looking back at five of the noted actors best performances.

Of late we don’t see much of Paresh Rawal. This is a pity, really. He is such a fine actor driven by an instinctive empathy with middleclass values. Rawal manages to make every character even in the silliest of films seem vibrant.

Lately in the news for opting out of Hera Pheri 3, in an interview to me in 2007, Paresh had said, “I’m not insecure about money. I’m insecure about good actors. After I watch Naseer or Om perform, I stay awake the whole night. My values are middle-class. I don’t want to be rich. I want to be successful…. I have worked so hard to arrive at this juncture in my career where I can shoulder whole films. But it depends on what you are shouldering.

The first time I met her she was shooting for that marathon movie called Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam with Salman Khan in a bungalow. “I wanted to meet you to give you a piece of my mind? You had said some very nasty things about my song ‘Choli ke peechhe kya hai’,” she greeted me with a sneer. It was rather strange that she wanted to give me a piece of her mind when it was she who had the nation aghast with her suggestive song. Anyway the ice broke (though it never melted) and we chatted. Salman peeped in later, saw me sitting with Madhuri, froze and left. When I was ready to do the same, I realised to my horror that Salman had bolted the door of the makeup room from outside. She grinned in embarrassment and shouted for help. I left.”

Many years later I met Madhuri...

as he celebrates his 72nd birthday, veteran actor Anang Desai of Khichdi fame looks back at his brilliant career in this special conversation with Subhash K Jha.

What does a birthday mean to you at this age?

I’m extremely happy that I have been able to celebrate my birthday all these years, including my birthday today. It has been a fascinating journey, and I thank God for that. Every day I wake up and thank God for the lovely life and healthy life that I’ve got. It is a wonderful journey which I will always cherish and definitely I like to celebrate my birthday with my dear and near ones. It’s a pleasure to be with the family every day, and especially on this day.

How do you look back on your journey so far?

I look at my journey with a lot of gratitude. I’ve...

Looking back at Nandita Das’ Lal Salaam, Subhash K Jha focuses on the film that released in 2002 in this new installment of This Day That Year.

The trouble with cinema on caste and economic oppression is, it makes very oppressive viewing. If we go back in time to notable films on the theme of subjugation, both offbeat and mainstream, we seldom encounter pleasant memories about products from this genre of cinema. While a stray Mother India or Ganga Jumna managed to elevate the subject of oppression into high art, the other raw realistic expositions on the theme like Govind Nihalani’s Aakrosh, Shyam Benegal’s Ankur, Prakash Jha’s Damul and Shekhar Kapur’s Bandit Queen were bitter pills to swallow.

First-time director Gangavihari Boratte paints a bleak picture of our abysmally unequal social order in Lal Salaam, which completed 23 years on May 3. Shot on strikingly green and grim locations...

As crazy as it may sound, instances of political corruption are so rampant and frequent in India that if someone decides to make movie adaptations of each of the prominent cases and release them every single day, several years’ worth of time will not be enough to cover the entire proverbial archive. Naturally, viewers get spoiled for choices, as Indian crime thrillers based on real-life incidents, differing merely in narrative treatment, make their way to the theaters almost every month. One such run-of-the-mill thriller, Raj Kumar Gupta’s 2018 release, Raid, starring Ajay Devgn, revolves around the biggest income tax raid of the country, conducted on Sardar Inder Singh, former Mla, MP, and industrialist based in Kanpur. The movie changes the identity and background of the culprit in question to better integrate the vicious rural politics, especially prevalent in Uttar Pradesh of all states. But while doing so, Raid sits at...

Surekha Sikri never thought of herself as a brilliant actor. I first became aware of Surekha Sikri in a film called Parinati way back in 1989. Before that, she was in Govind Nihalani’s monumental Partition saga Tamas, where she didn’t have much to do.

Says Prakash Jha, “I would like to take credit for giving Surekhaji a meaty role long before Badhaai Ho.”

Tamas director Govind Nihalani had intimated to me about this “explosive actress who chews into a scene, no matter how brief.” This, coming from the director who thought nothing of dismissing Shabana Azmi, meant a lot. I wondered what was so special about Surekha.

Parinati answered the question. It was my actual introduction to Sikri’s secret vault of talent. A Rajasthani moral fable where she played wife to Basant Joglekar, Surekha Sikri brought into the dense drama an impishness and a Promethean provocativeness. She was...

From balancing between two motorcycles in his maiden film Phool Aur Kante to chewing gham in Singham….that’s Ajay Devgan for you. Quietly accomplished…and quite accomplished, thank you! Since, Phool Aur Kante Devgan has learnt to effortlessly stride different kinds of cinema without making a song and dance of his versatility.

If, on one hand, he played the smirking villain to vamp Aishwarya Rai in Khakee, on the other hand, he was equally home playing her shy lover from the past in Raincoat. Ajay’s directorial roster includes everyone from Prakash Jha to Kuku Kohli.

True, he doesn’t have the support of the Chopra-Johar group of powerful filmmakers in Bollywood. But Devgan has managed to make his place without depending on the brand-name directors.

“I don’t put labels on films and directors. To me, every film I make is important. And whether it’s Prakash Jha,...

In another terrific installment of This Day That Year, Subhash K Jha takes another look at the smartly-written Youngistaan as it celebrates 11 years.

This is a genre that never really cracked in Hindi cinema. A political drama about a young foreign-educated Nri who is forced to take over his country’s reigns after his father’s sudden death.

Unlike Prakash Jha’s Raajneeti, Youngistaan doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is no attempt here to mythicize or demonize the politicians.

Think Rajiv Gandhi. Think Rahul… Jackky Bhagnani plays an amalgamation of many political dreams. Never mind if some of them turn into nightmares in real life (think Kejriwal). Cinema is about hope and redemption. In a nation hurling towards damnation, the thought of some political wisdom, clarity, and far-sightedness in this season of the elections is eminently welcomed. Young Bhagnani brings a temperance and sensitivity to his character. This...

The highly anticipated Ek Badnaam Aashram Season 3 Part 2 has released on Amazon’s free streaming service, Amazon Mx Player. This time, the series delves deeper into the complex interplay of faith, power, and deception. Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Prakash Jha, the latest installment brings a gripping narrative and absolutely stellar performances. Bobby Deol reprises his role as the enigmatic Baba Nirala, alongside Aaditi Pohankar as Pammi, as well as a powerhouse ensemble cast including Vikram Kocchar, Darshan Kumar, Chandan Roy Sanyal, Tridha Choudhury, Anupriya Goenka, Rajeev Siddhartha and Esha Gupta.

Reflecting on her incredible journey, Aaditi Pohankar shares her admiration for working with some of the industry’s finest talents, “Working with Prakash Ji has been nothing short of a dream come true. His precision, deep understanding of characters, and ability to extract the subtlest nuances make him truly exceptional. What sets him apart is his unique approach — he...

Aashram Season 3 Ott Verdict: Bobby Deol’s Baba Fever Over? ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

It was in 2020 that Bobby Deol arrived on Ott and his character Baba Nirala was a revelation in Prakash Jha’s web series Aashram! The series tackled blind faith covered by religious exploitation and political manipulation. The series was an instant hit, and recently, the final part of season 3 of this controversial web series arrived!

The series, with its unexpected plot twists and cliffhangers, has kept viewers engaged and eager. However, the final season could not garner as much viewership as the last season!

Aashram Ott Verdict

In its debut week, in the list of the most-watched streaming originals in India for the week of February 24 – March 2, Aashram managed to garner a viewership of 9.6 million, as per Ormax data, claiming the number one spot. Bobby Deol’s web series arrived on February 28. It turned out to...

Starring Madhuri Dixit and Juhi Chawla, Subhash K Jha revisits the drama Gulaab Gang that released in 2014.

Debutant director Soumik Sen’s film, Gulaab Gang, is designed as a flamboyant loud and message-driven film on women empowerment. In parts, it looks like a government-sponsored documentary on rural development with Madhuri in it to ensure people care and respond to the message. This would be as good as any place to reveal that the makers’ claims that the film is Not based on Sampat Pal’s missionary zeal is blatantly untrue. From the colour of the saree to the whole idea of making the male species look and feel really really saree..sorry, sorrry…Bro, this is Sampat’s kingdom all the way. If you have any doubts on that score check out Nishtha Jain’s excellent documentary Gulaabi Gang clevery released to pre-empt this imposter’s endeavour.

Women in pink...

Subhash K Jha revisits the drama Dirty Politics, which features Om Puri, Mallika Sherawat, Anupam Kher, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, and more as it completes 10 years.

In Dirty Politics, producer-director K C Bokadia’s dirty look at the filth in Indian politics is hopelessly outdated. This is the murky Machiavellian world of Prakash Jha’s politicians stuck in a time warp. Denuded of all intellectual sensibility. It harks back to the 1970s when netajis in our films were so caricatural they belonged to cartoons in vernacular newspapers.

Om Puri plays the lecherous politician with lip-smacking relish, like a diabetic man whose wife is away to her maike while he gorges on forbidden junk food.

This is junk food for the audience that believes cinema is about seductive heroines, lascivious villains, loud, over-punctuated background music, camera angles, and cinematography that seems to adhere to the gimmicky treatment, like an annoying, sniveling...

Prakash Jha’s Jai Gangaajal which clocks nine years on March 4, was a bit of a con job, at least as far as Priyanka Chopra was concerned. She ostensibly played the Shero cop in this anti-corruption clarion call while the director, Prakash Jha, played the villain.

The credit titles lied. They mentioned Priyanka Chopra first and Prakash Jha last when, in fact, Jha virtually leads the show. In a film filled with enough villains to populate an entire village of perverse wrongdoers, only Jha’s character has a graph. As a subordinate cop, he goes from abject corruption to haloed redemption, all within a running time of two and a half hours.

I say ‘running’ time with a purpose, as a lot of the characters in this film—and as usual in a Prakash Jha film — there are so many people in the plot, living and dead, running across the...

It is difficult to make a fair assessment on how deep into the slush Ek Badnaam Aashram jumps to “expose” the cult of godmen. Bobby Deol’s bovine Baba Nirala is the kind of sleazy godman that no self-respecting anti-hero would want to play. There is a limit to artistic licence, and to even extend the word ‘art’ into something so emphatically sleazy is a crime against grime.

I waded through five concluding episodes of the third season in the hope of finding a glimmer of redemptive light at the end of this pitch-dark tunnel. Sure, the law finally catches up with Baba Nirala. At the end I got the very disturbing feeling that this dangerously sleaze-friendly series will find its way back on the Ott platform. God forbid the Godman’s return for a fourth season!

The five concluding episodes of Season 1 unravel like bidi wrappings, and the stench of rot prevails.

When Bobby Deol’s Aashram Was Accused To Be Hinduphobic ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

The third season of Bobby Deol’s crime drama series Aashram was released recently on February 27, 2025. The show had Deol reprise the role of the shrewd and conniving Baba Nirala again. However, did you know that the second season of the show had once run into a legal trouble and was accused of being allegedly homophobic by Karni Sena? Not only this, but the organization also sent separate notices to producer-director Prakash Jha and the Ott platform Mx Player, wherein it is available for streaming.

Talking about the controversy that took place in November 2020, Karni Sena called some of the scenes from Aashram 2 to be objectionable to the Hindu sentiments and asked for a ban on the Bobby Deol starrer series. The General Secretary of the organization revealed that the series would create a wrong impression regarding...

In this page of This Day That Year: Subhash K Jha travels back to Gulaab Gang which hit the big screen 11 Years On this day — February 21st.

Women in pink sarees dot the lush rural landscape. They want revenge. Men, all raunchy paunchy rapists, leery bribe seekers, and rowdy merrymakers, get their comeuppance in the hands of these pink ladies armed with sickles, sticks, knives, and gumption. Director Soumik Sen’s film is designed as a flamboyant, loud, and message-driven film on women’s empowerment. In parts, it looks like a government-sponsored documentary on rural development with Madhuri to ensure people care and respond to the message.

This would be as good as any place to reveal that the makers’ claims that the film is Not based on Sampat Pal’s missionary zeal, is blatantly untrue. From the colour of the saree to the whole idea of making the male species look and feel really,...

In this This Day That Year feature Subhash K Jha looks back at Chingari, starring Sushmita Se, which ompletes 17 Years On February 17th.

Kalpana Lajmi’s Chingari about oppression and justice boasted of an interesting central performance by Sushmita Sen. Reformist cinema seemed to be the order of the day. First, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s chic spin Rang De Basanti on the cult of political radicalism. Far away from home, Deepa Mehta has styled a lucid, lyrical drama on female rehabilitation called Water. Kalpana Lajmi styled a clarion call for socio-religious reform in the nexus between religion and sexual oppression in Chingari.

Based on a short story by composer-lyricist Bhupen Hazarika, Chingari brings Lajmi back to form in the ferociously flaming colours of black blue and dread. Set in a village, the film’s excellent though uneven cinematography (by Vishal Sinha) revolves around a group of prostitutes. Though the camaraderie...

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail about a real-life Ias aspirant who literally made it from zero, was the sleeper success of 2023. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that Vidhu Vinod Chopra created history with a film that no one seemed to believe in.

Doff of the cap to that.

And now onto a film about the filming of 12th Fail . I would like to request Mr Chopra for a film on how he convinced his team to make a film on the filming of 12th Fail. Or perhaps , he did no such thing. Mr Chopra is known to do his own thing. As one of the distinguished alumni from the Vvc University quipped, ‘With Vinod it is more a scream effort than a team effort’.

This creative creature is known to lose his temper while shooting. Mr Chopra’s screaming bouts with his actors, from Nana Patekar in...

Prakash Jha Explained Why He Won’t Re-Release Classics Like Gangaajal & Raajneeti (Photo Credit – Instagram)

There is a growing trend of re-releasing popular Bollywood movies nowadays. Karan Arjun, Veer Zaara, Singham, Taal, and Maine Pyar Kiya are some movies that have been re-released in theatres, and they have also fetched the producers a decent return.

However, acclaimed director Prakash Jha is averse to re-releasing his blockbusters. Why? In an interview with India Today, the director shared that the audience has seen his movies several times on television, so there is no need for their re-releases. “Actually, no. All my films have been watched multiple times by my audience. I meet people who say they have watched Gangaajal 40-50 times, so I don’t think there’s any need to release it in theatres again,” Jha said while speaking to India Today.

Gangaajal is one of the finest movies from Jha,...

Prakash Jha Slams Ajay Devgn & Ranbir Kapoor Over Their Uncertain Comeback In Gangaajal 3 & Raajneeti 2? (Photo Credit – YouTube/Netflix/Zee5)

Prakash Jha has a unique way of storytelling and enjoys a loyal fan base among the class audience as well as the mass audience. It’s been a long time since the renowned filmmaker hasn’t come up with any big films. Today, when the industry is busy churning out franchise films, it would be great fun if Jha came up with sequels for his classic films. Recently, Jha left everyone excited as he spilled beans about Gangaajal 3 and Raajneeti 2 and also spoke about Ajay Devgn and Ranbir Kapoor’s part in them.

Gangaajal has become a cult classic over the years, and the portrayal of Amit Kumar by Ajay is considered one of the best cop portrayals in Bollywood. Jha came with a sequel (Priyanka Chopra’s Jai Gangaajal) to it,...

National Awards are widely regarded as one of the most prestigious honors in Indian cinema, valued for their integrity, lack of commercial flamboyance, and support for alternative, parallel, and small-budget yet impactful films across various languages and regions of the country. The National Award is a badge of honor for the filmography of any actor. Compared to other award ceremonies, National Awards are largely considered more authentic and unbiased, as these awards are selected by a jury of esteemed people.

Over the years, National Awards have diversified with many new awards introduced over some time. However, the diversification of the awards has also led to controversies regarding the awards and their adherence to unbiased selection. Time and again concerns were raised regarding the selection of artists for the National Awards, particularly in the case of films like “Rudaali” (1992), “Daman” (2000), Hum Tum” (2004), “The Kashmir Files” (2021), etc., and artists like Kirron Kher,...

From Kamal Haasan To Priyanka Chopra Refusing To Work With 1920 Star – Major Bollywood South & TV News You Might Have Missed Today. (Photo Credit – Instagram/Twitter)

It might be a lazy Sunday afternoon for many, but many things are happening in the entertainment industry. Indian filmmakers created history at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and have been praised by Pm Narendra Modi for Hardik Pandya and Natasa Stankovic’s separation drama. A lot has been happening. Here, we are rounding up major Bollywood, South, and TV news of the day.

As for the South industry, one of Kamal Haasan’s iconic films was re-released in the theatres. Meanwhile, television’s veteran artist, Jayati Bhatia, reveals why she was reluctant to attend Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’s premiere. Keep scrolling to get all the answers.

Model/actress Natasa Stankovic and Cricketer Hardik Pandya’s marriage is reportedly facing a rough time. For the unversed,...

Jio Studios, the content arm of billionaire Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries Limited (Ril), is on a roll with several box office hits in a row.

Almost exactly a year ago, Jio Studios had launched a slate of 100 new films and TV shows. Those efforts have now come to fruition. 2023 saw Marathi-language “Baipan Bhaari Deva” and “Jhimma 2,” Bollywood films, Shah Rukh Khan’s “Dunki” and Vicky Kaushal’s “Zara Hatke Zara Bachke,” and Mithun Chakraborty-starring Bengali-language film “Kabuliwala” become major hits. 2024 has already delivered Bollywood hits “Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya,” “Article 370” and “Shaitaan,” with Kiran Rao’s 2023 Toronto-playing feminist romp “Laapata Ladies” also scoring in its theatrical release.

“We are the only studio to have seven hits in a row. We hit a purple patch, like how [cricket Goat Sachin] Tendulkar was hitting his centuries,” Jyoti Deshpande, president, media and content business, Ril, told Variety. “We’ve always been champions of stories,...

Ajay Devgn’s Top 10 Movies Ranked. (Photo Credit – IMDb)

Ajay Devgn is yet again hitting the right chords with his latest release, Shaitaan, at the box office. The supernatural thriller also stars R Madhavan and Jyothika in the lead and presents Ajay as a helpless father struggling for his daughter’s safety and well-being.

The film has reached a great number and has been on the list of top 5 openings by the Tanhaji actor. Not only the numbers but even the performances are being hailed by the audiences.

This made us think about offering you a beautifully curated list of the best films of Ajay Devgn ranked by the audiences on IMDb. Surprisingly, while these films do not include his box office blockbusters like Singham in the top 10 categories, they definitely offer some of his finest work.

Trending HanuMan On Ott: While Fans Are Searching For Teja Sajja’s...

Filmmaker Prakash Jha and actress Deepti Naval’s daughter Dishaa Jhaa, who is making her debut as a series producer on a major Ott platform with ‘Sankalp’, has shared her experience working with the veteran actor Nana Patekar, adding that he cooked mutton very fondly for the team.

Dishaa began her career in films with ‘Raajneeti’, in which she worked as a costume assistant. She had earlier produced the feature ‘Fraud Saiyyan’.

She said that the senior actor is like family to her as he was one of the first people to see her when she was born.

Walking down the memory lane, she said: “Working with him on ‘Raajneeti’ was a different experience as I was a costume assistant then and in those days, ran around the set to take costume continuity pictures. And he was always very thorough with his continuity; of any costume in the way he held his glasses,...

The riveting trailer of the thriller film ‘Bandi’ was unveiled recently. Bandi features actor Aditya Om, who has shown magic of his acting prowess in over 3 dozen films. Producer director Raghu Tirumala, from South India said that the film will be released in Hindi and Telugu in March 2024.

The biggest Usp of the film is that it is a ‘one actor’ film, yes, as you will see only Aditya Om in the entire film. Only the voices of some other characters will be heard, one of which is that of singer composer Akbar Sami who was also present at the trailer launch of the film, which has been made on the theme of spreading awareness about environmental protection and shot in real forests.The trailer of the film is very engaging, thrilling and experimental.

Aditya Om is very excited about this film and his role. He said that in the...

Mumbai, Dec 6 (Ians) Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal, who makes his directorial debut with ‘Suzie Q’, has said that the film challenges preconceptions, blurs the lines between genres.

‘Suzie Q’ has been officially selected to be showcased at the Kolkata International Film Festival (Kiff) 2023 on December 9 and December 10. The film is a journey of its lead character Suzie Q played by the versatile and acclaimed actress Parno Mittrah.

The film stars Prakash Jha, Sangeet Sivan, Umesh Jagtap, Kishtee Jog, and Priya Banerjee. ‘Suzie Q’ delves into the journey that gets bizarre and dangerous as the lines of reality blur when a 40-year-old Suzie who sees vivid hallucinations embarks on a trip to her ex-husband’s destination wedding.

Talking about the film, Chandan said, “This film is very special for me. It’s exciting because it challenges preconceptions, blurs the lines between genres, and leaves room for interpretation.”

He further mentioned: “I...

Mumbai, Dec 6 (Ians) Actor Chandan Roy Sanyal, who makes his directorial debut with ‘Suzie Q’, has said that the film challenges preconceptions, blurs the lines between genres.

‘Suzie Q’ has been officially selected to be showcased at the Kolkata International Film Festival (Kiff) 2023 on December 9 and December 10. The film is a journey of its lead character Suzie Q played by the versatile and acclaimed actress Parno Mittrah.

The film stars Prakash Jha, Sangeet Sivan, Umesh Jagtap, Kishtee Jog, and Priya Banerjee. ‘Suzie Q’ delves into the journey that gets bizarre and dangerous as the lines of reality blur when a 40-year-old Suzie who sees vivid hallucinations embarks on a trip to her ex-husband’s destination wedding.

Talking about the film, Chandan said, “This film is very special for me. It’s exciting because it challenges preconceptions, blurs the lines between genres, and leaves room for interpretation.”

He further mentioned: “I...

Varanasi (Up), Nov 15 (Ians) The usually composed veteran actor Nana Patekar apparently lost his cool while making a public appearance in a market place in Varanasi, as seen in a viral video that emerged on Wednesday.

In the video, Patekar can be seen clad in brown check suit with a fawn-coloured hat and a scarf, smiling and waving to his fans with his salt-and-pepper beard prominent.

Suddenly, a pesky fan crept up from behind and stood momentarily with Patekar – apparently too close for comfort – and raised his mobile phone to click a selfie.

Irked by the brazenness of the unidentified teenager, Patekar gave him a whack on the rear side of his head and as the boy lunged ahead, a security personnel dragged him and pushed him away from the spot.

As the youngster was packed off, Patekar turned around and pointed a finger at him, probably as a mild...

Varanasi (Up), Nov 15 (Ians) The usually composed veteran actor Nana Patekar apparently lost his cool while making a public appearance in a market place in Varanasi, as seen in a viral video that emerged on Wednesday.

In the video, Patekar can be seen clad in brown check suit with a fawn-coloured hat and a scarf, smiling and waving to his fans with his salt-and-pepper beard prominent.

Suddenly, a pesky fan crept up from behind and stood momentarily with Patekar – apparently too close for comfort – and raised his mobile phone to click a selfie.

Irked by the brazenness of the unidentified teenager, Patekar gave him a whack on the rear side of his head and as the boy lunged ahead, a security personnel dragged him and pushed him away from the spot.

As the youngster was packed off, Patekar turned around and pointed a finger at him, probably as a mild...

We have an incredible sneak peek into Jio Studios exciting content slate of films and series that feature stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Kriti Sanon, Amitabh Bachchan and so many more! The studio has over 100+ stories across genres of films and original web series in multiple languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, South and Bhojpuri. Collaboration with some of the best creative minds in the country including Raj Kumar Hirani, Sooraj Barjatya, Dinesh Vijan, Ali Abbas Zafar, Aditya Dhar, Prakash Jha, Amar Kaushik, Laxman Utekar to name a few. Featuring stories with some big superstars as well as new talent, be it actors or filmmakers. this slate will capture every emotion and genre of storytelling- Action, Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Romance, Biopics, Horror, and Musicals to name a few. That is just touching the surface of what’s to come.

Here’s an incredible sneak peek!

Ms. Jyoti Deshpande,...

In a star-studded event held at the prestigious Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, Jio Studios, the media and content arm of Reliance Industries Limited, for the first time unveiled its spectacular content slate, the single largest slate ever produced by an Indian studio in any given year. The studio has lined up ready to release over 100+ stories across genres of films and original web series in multiple languages including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, South and Bhojpuri, capturing every emotion and genre of storytelling – Action, Drama, Thriller, Comedy, Romance, Biopics, Horror, Musicals et al.

The depth and width of this marquee offering promises to be a game-changer in the world of Indian entertainment, delivering high quality content that is both entertaining and thought provoking, with unheard of scale. This has been achieved through meticulous collaboration with some of the best creative minds in the country including Raj Kumar Hirani, Sooraj Barjatya,...

Jio Studios, the content arm of Reliance Industries Limited, has unveiled a huge slate of 100 new films and TV shows that will play on Reliance’s streaming platforms.

They range from the previously-announced Shah Rukh Khan-starring Bollywood movie project “Dunki,” through Adil Hussain’s Bengali-language art-house picture “The Storyteller,” which appeared at the Busan Film Festival last year, to a range of web originals and mini-series.

Contents are made as originals in a range of local languages including Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati and Bhojpuri. Genres range from action, drama, thriller and romance to horror and musicals.

The company called the lineup “the single largest slate ever produced by an Indian studio in a given year” while also calling it a “game changer” and “explosive.”

The hype may be justified as Mukesh Ambani’s Ril pushes its way further into the entertainment and streaming spaces, having already powered its way to...

Mumbai, April 12 (Ians) Actor Nana Patekar is set to make his Ott debut with the upcoming series titled ‘Laal Batti’, a political thriller helmed by Prakash Jha.

The project was unveiled on Wednesday as a part of the content slate of Jio Studios. The star-studded event was held at the Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai. Over 100+ stories in multiple languages, including Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Bhojpuri and southern languages, across genres of films and original web series are lined up for release.

Some of the biggest directors of Hindi cinema, including Raj Kumar Hirani, Sooraj Barjatya, Ali Abbas Zafar, Aditya Dhar, Prakash Jha, Amar Kaushik and Laxman Utekar, will be releasing their projects as a part of the slate.

The film line-up in the slate includes ‘Dunki’, ‘Bloody Daddy’, ‘Bhediya 2’, ‘Bhul Chuk Maaf’, an untitled film starring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon, ‘Stree 2’, ‘Section 84’, ‘Hisaab Barabar’, ‘Zara Hatke Zara...

Reliance Industries’ Indian content arm Jio Studios has unveiled a huge slate of films and streaming shows at a star-studded event in Mumbai. It also struck a production deal with Bengali film powerhouse Svf Entertainment.

The slate titles comprise projects for the Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, South and Bhojpuri markets, and span action, drama, thriller, comedy, romance, biopics, horror and musicals.

The studio was launched in 2018, around the same time Indian streaming content began to boom as international players such as Netflix and Prime Video and local services such as ZEE5 Global and SonyLIV began to pump cash into their local originals slates.

The Svf agreement will see Jio Studios and the Bengali company working to create blockbuster-sized features from creators such as Dhrubo Banerjee, Raj Chakraborty, Anirban Bhattacharya and Srijit Mukherji that star the likes of Mithun Chakraborty, Prosenjit Chatterjee and Jisshu Sengupta.

“We are in the most exciting...

Mumbai, Feb 16 (Ians) ‘Mirzapur’ actor Akash Singh Rajput talked about returning as Rocky in the next season of Prakash Jha’s web series ‘Aashram’ and said that this time his character is going to be more intense and also added that the role has given him a lot of recognition.

Speaking about his role in ‘Aashram”s next season, Akash says: “I am playing the character of Rocky. The character will be more intense this time. I must say the series gave me recognition. Wherever I go people recognize me. And that’s the power of Ott platforms.”

The actor, who was also part of the historical drama ‘Porus’, shared further: “I have experienced the difference between working on TV and Ott. Daily soaps require a lot of hard work. In one day you have to do so many more scenes when compared to films and Ott. I have dabbled in all three mediums.

eOne Making TV Adaptation Of Janice Hallet’s ‘The Twyford Code’

eOne is prepping an adaptation of Janice Hallett’s The Twyford Code – the first fruits of the studio’s deal with BAFTA-winning writer-director Paul Andrew Williams. The book is written via automatic transcriptions of recordings made by a former prisoner determined to discover what happened to his teacher. eOne will co-produce with former Sky Studios drama boss Cameron Roach’s Rope Ladder Fiction, with Williams directing and eOne handling global rights. “Janice Hallett’s ingenious second novel has rightly gained a fanbase of epic proportions,” said Sharon Hughff, eOne’s Creative Director, Scripted Television, UK. Deadline revealed eOne’s deal with Williams last year and the Broadchurch director is forging scripted TV shows for all platforms.

Gary Neville Takes ‘The Overlap On Tour’ For Sky Max

English footballer turned pundit Gary Neville is taking his YouTube series The Overlap...

Amongst the many societal tragedies left behind as a residue of the British Raj in India is the tradition of prostitution prevalent in the Banchhada tribe found in Madhya Pradesh. “Highway Night” is a hopeful take on the disturbing reality that hardly ever finds its prominence in the burning issues.

“A real-life incident on the dhaba (refreshment shacks along the highway) inspired me to make a film on this issue”, reflects Singh. “Highway Night is a film with an important message, and I hope it reaches a wider audience with the theatrical, digital and television broadcast all over the world,” said the national award-winning filmmaker-actor Prakash Jha in an interview.

Jha plays the role of an overworked, underpaid but relentless truck driver who encounters a spritely young girl played by Mazel Vyas, on one of his transportation routes. She develops an intuitive trust in his fatherly demeanour. What transpires is a heart-warming story of kindness,...

The trailer of the Prakash Jha-starrer ‘Matto Ki Saikal’ (Matto’s Cycle) was unveiled on Monday. Helmed by M. Gani, it is a slice-of-life film which had its premiere at the Busan International Film Festival in 2020.

The trailer shows the struggle of the lead character portrayed by Prakash and his attachment to his bicycle. After establishing the relationship of the lead and his vehicle, the trailer then shows how one fine day, his cycle is run over by a tractor.

Talking about the film, Prakash said: “The script is very good. I was simply bowled over. It took me back to the 1980s when I started my career with documentaries and the bonded labour-themed film ‘Damul’. I liked the story so much that I decided not only to act in the 95-minute movie, but also produce it.”

The director of the film, M. Gani describes it as a story of “a daily-wage labourer,...

Actor Vikram Mastal, currently seen in ‘Aashram 3’, reveals the reason he chose to do the webseries and his working experience with director Prakash Jha. Sharing the reason he chose to do ‘Aashram 3’, the actor says: “The main reason for choosing the script was Prakash Jha. I instantly said yes because I have always […]...

Actress Anurita Jha, who is known for her works such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’ and comedy web series ‘PariWar’, opens up on playing Kavita in the third season of Prakash Jha’s web series ‘Aashram’. She says: “There are more layers to my character Kavita’s graph in the third season. There is hope for her, a […]...

Indian Film Producer, Director and Screenwriter, Prakash Jha talked about foraying into films and Ott from documentaries and lots more at Goafest 2022. He minced no words and laid bare his thoughts on his journey and experiences in the entertainment industry. His renowned works include Mrityudand, Gangajal, Apharan, Rajneeti, Chakravyuh, Aarakshan, Satyagrah, Aashram. In a […]...

Prakash Jha, the Indian film producer, director and screenwriter, was recently seen discussing his journey from films to Ott at Goafest 2022. While talking to film critic and moderator of the session, Mayank Shekhar, Prakash Jha mentioned, “My journey began with making documentaries and I won the first national award in 1981 for one about […]...