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The 2025 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) has announced its lineup for its 23rd edition, reinforcing its role as a leading platform for South Asian cinema in the U.S. For over two decades, Iffla has championed bold storytelling and emerging talent. This year’s festival underscores that commitment with two compelling feature directorial debuts – Varsha Bharath’s Bad Girl opening the festival and Lawrence Valin’s Little Jaffna closing it – bookending the event with bold new storytelling.

Due to its great success last year, Iffla is furthering its dedication to supporting filmmakers by expanding its Industry Day to a two-day forum offering South Asian film and TV creatives meaningful connections with industry leaders and the opportunity to win a $10,000 Pitch Competition Grant.

The festival runs May 6–10, 2025, at Landmark Theatres Sunset and the WGA Theater. Passes and tickets are available now at www.indianfilmfestival.org.

“Beyond individual highlights, this...

In “Shadowbox”, directors Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi craft an unflinching portrait of resilience, societal burden, and the invisible weight of human endurance. Set in contemporary Kolkata, the film follows Maya (Tillotama Shome) navigating the relentless demands of survival. Her existence is shaped by the economic and emotional toll of an unspoken war waged within her home. Her husband, Sundar (Chandan Bisht), a former army officer, battles Ptsd and alcoholism, retreating into silence and self-destruction. While their teenage son, Debu (Sayan Karmakar), wrestles with a world that has already abandoned him before he has had the chance to define himself.

The film premiered at this year’s Berlinale under the ‘Perspectives’ section. For international audiences, “Shadowbox” might first appear to be a story about the socio-political landscape of India. A social drama about gender, class, migration, and mental health. While it is all those things, it refuses to be reduced to them.

Baksho Bondi, the debut feature from co-directors Saumyananda Sahi and Tanushree Das, is more than a mere narrative—it is a stark, socially conscious lament for a figure deeply embedded in the fabric of Indian life: the self-effacing mother and wife. She toils day and night, surrendering every dream and personal aspiration to uphold the well-being of her family, her existence shaped by relentless sacrifice. The film dissects with precision the oppressive family structure, portraying it as an insidious trap that tightens around its protagonist, gradually constricting her life. Her sacrifices, silent complicity, and the slow erosion of her desires are rendered with an unrelenting somberness, yet one suffused with a deeply felt sadness. Years of unacknowledged labour pass in a state of dreary, workaholic misery, her pain almost invisible within the rhythms of daily life. But Sahi and Das do not merely present suffering—they craft a sensitive tale,...

‘Husbands are best when they are dead’ is an idea thrown by one of secondary characters in “Shadowboxing”. Although floated more as a joke, it might be a thought sporadically passing through Maya’s (Tiloatam Shome) head. She has a teenager to raise and an emerging dry-cleaning business to run. On top of that, there is Sundar (Chandan Bisht), her unemployed husband, who requires constant babysitting. The protagonist sends him on job interviews to no avail. He seems more bent on cultivating his passion project. He supplies local universities with frogs which he catches with bare hands, causing a stir among the neighbors on a couple of occasions.

Shadowbox is sceening at Berlin International Film Festival

There is something off about Sundar, and it might have to do with his past experiences in the military. The man carries some trauma, due to which he is constantly on the verge. On the verge of violence,...

Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi’s “Shadowbox” struggles to overcome its plain aesthetic. The tale of a family of three strained by a father’s odd behavior — owing to what appears to be Ptsd — the neorealist Bengali- and Hindi-language drama hints at numerous ideas in the realm of gender, administrative power and the woes of the Indian working class. These themes end up distinctly malformed, but the film is not without its strengths. Its central drama is usually interesting enough, thanks to the impeccable depth of its performances.

Tillotama Shome — known to Western audiences from “Monsoon Wedding” and the French-Indian drama “Sir” — is a sure bet to lead any work in the visual medium, owing to how effortlessly she creates entire worlds through silent struggle. She plays the overqualified housemaid Maya, an educated woman doing her best to make ends meet by serving tea and performing other household odd jobs...

Once in a blue moon, the central performance in a film is so powerful it overshadows the overall excellence of the work. It happened with Mahesh Bhatt’s Arth, where Shabana Azmi towered over what was an intrinsically laudable film.

In debutant co-directors Tanushree Das and Saumyananda Sahi’s Shadowbox (Baksho Bondi in Bengali), the immeasurably accomplished Tillotama Shome sets the screen ablaze with her intense portrayal of Maya , a woman on the brink of a complete breakdown, coping, enduring surviving as she has no other option. Set in what looks like a small town in West Bengal, Maya’s fight for survival is never seen as a trigger for drama. There is a kind of acceptance of circumstances which a multitude of working women from the grassroots would recognize.

Whether ironing clothes and delivering them on her bicycle to her customers or trying to give her mentally challenged husband...

A retired soldier’s descent into crisis and its rippling effect through a working-class Bengali family forms the emotional core of “Shadowbox” (“Baksho Bondi”), set to world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Perspectives strand.

The Bengali-language feature marks the directorial debut of cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi (Oscar nominated “All That Breathes”) and editor Tanushree Das (“Eeb Allay Ooo!”). The filmmakers have unveiled a clip exclusively for Variety.

The film stars acclaimed actor Tillotama Shome as Maya, a woman working multiple jobs – from house cleaning to chicken farming to laundry pressing – while caring for her Ptsd-affected husband Sundar (Chandan Bisht) and their teenage son Debu (newcomer Sayan Karmakar). When Sundar becomes implicated in a murder investigation, Maya must navigate both societal prejudices and her own complicated past decisions.

“The genesis came from two distinct places,” Sahi told Variety. “Tanushree had this dream image of her mother collecting clothes before the rain,...

Season 2 of Prime Video’s “Paatal Lok,” a riveting crime thriller created by Sudip Sharma and directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware, has emerged as India’s most-watched streaming show with 7.2 million viewers in its first week, according to data from Indian media consulting firm Ormax Media.

Adding to the show’s success, lead actor Jaideep Ahlawat has claimed the No. 1 spot on IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities list for his portrayal of Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary.

The series, produced by Clean Slate Filmz in association with Eunoia Films, marks the return of its acclaimed cast including Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh and Gul Panag, with new additions Tillotama Shome, Nagesh Kukunoor and Jahnu Barua in pivotal roles. Set against the backdrop of the northeastern Indian state of Nagaland, the new season follows Hathi Ram as he teams up with his trusted ally, Imran Ansari (Singh), to investigate the disappearance of a migrant...

Welcome to Global Breakouts, Deadline’s strand in which, each fortnight, we shine a spotlight on the TV shows and films killing it in their local territories. The industry is as globalized as it’s ever been, but breakout hits are appearing in pockets of the world all the time and it can be hard to keep track… So we’re going to do the hard work for you.

This week we head to India, where the return of a much-loved Prime Video drama series after almost five years has been making headlines and attracting subs. Season 2 of Paatal Lok could well be among 2025’s first breakout hits, with views clocking up in its home country and top-10 lists being cracked in others. The Hindi-language police drama follows Jaideep Ahlawat and Ishwak Singh as an unlikely detective duo brought back together for the first time in several years to investigate...

Paatal Lok season one was spectacular, to say the least. The ending of the show displayed practiced storytelling and finesse. There were many characters that added depth to the story and the screenplay and effectively shouldered the show till the end, giving us a definitive ending. The second season of Paatal Lok primarily moves between Nagaland and Delhi, amidst the murder of a popular Northeastern leader in the capital city of the country. There are some old characters that return and many new ones that change the trajectory of the show.

Hathi Ram Chaudhary

Jaideep Ahlawat returns as the magnanimous yet subtle Hathi Ram Chaudhary, whose career has not taken off since the closing of the Hathoda Tyagi case. He has moved on to his routine work and takes up a new case regarding a missing man. The case snowballs into something major and shady. He has no choice but to inform his ex-colleague-turned-ips officer,...

Paatal Lok – Season 2, currently streaming on Prime Video, is a meticulously constructed narrative that delves deep into the complexities of internal political conflicts, the evils of the drug trade, and the corruption of power. Tracing its roots from the grimy and crowded locations of Delhi to the hinterland of Nagaland, the series offers a compelling exploration of the interconnectedness of crime, politics, and the human cost of moral decay.

A business summit between political leaders from Nagaland and Delhi is underway in the capital city. But the discovery of Jonathan Thom’s headless body, a pivotal figure in the summit, in Nagaland Sadan, sent shockwaves through the assembled dignitaries. Imran Ansari (Ishwak Singh), who has risen to Assistant Commissioner of Police, is tasked with unraveling this chilling mystery. Meanwhile, while investigating the case of a disappeared migrant laborer, Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Jaideep Ahlawat) finds that the missing individual is...

Paatal Lok’s Season 2

Amazon Prime Video

Swimmingly escaping the Curse of the second season, Paatal Lok does well, extremely well, in its second season, in spite of the absence of some of some of our beloved characters from the previous season, for example the evil Vishal Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) , the hotshot journalist Sanjeev Mehra (Neeraj Kabi) and his neurotic wife Dolly (Swastika Chatterjee).

But the additional characters in this season are so layered and unpredictable, we don’t get a chance to get nostalgic about the losses.

This time, Hathiram and Imran (Ishwak Singh) are in Nagaland investigating a high-profile murder where the prime suspect is a wayward adrift drugged young woman Rose (Merenla Imsong). The rugged unspoilt terrain serves as a solid soundingboard for the investigative procedural which involves a surplus of physical and emotional probing.

In spite of a plot that thickens with every episode, the procedural never gets uninteresting,...

Paatal Lok Season 2 Review: Jaideep Ahlawat Is The Hero From The Hell! (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Paatal Lok Season 2 Review: Star Rating:

Cast: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Tillotama Shome, Gul Panag & others

Creator: Sudip Sharma

Director: Avinash Arun

Streaming On: Prime Video

Language: Hindi

Runtime: 8 episodes of 40 minutes each

Paatal Lok Season 2 Review: Ishwak Singh Shifts To Heaven From Hell! (Photo Credit – Instagram) Paatal Lok Season 2 Review: What’s It About:

“Hum Gully cricket ke launde hain Chaudhary aur yahan World Cup chal raha hai,” says Virk to his subordinate Hathiram Chaudhary in one of the scenes. And it summarizes the entire premise and complexities of the new season of Paatal Lok. The story starts from the ‘gully’ of Jamna Paar Thana of Delhi and reaches the boundaries of Damipur in Nagaland.

Season 2 of the web series starts exactly where season 1 ended and takes the story forward, with Jaideep Ahlawat’s...

Paatal Lok Season 2 Trailer Review: Jaideep Ahlawat Is Nailing Hell!(Photo Credit – YouTube)

Inspector Hathi Ram Chaudhary is back with Paatal Lok Season 2, and the trailer of this web series promises another very intriguing chapter of the raw and brutal web series that had our minds blown by the first season. The 2-minute 42-second trailer starts with an elan, “Tu marega Chaudhary” setting a strange enthusiasm and sadism for Chaudhary’s near-to-death winning story supposedly.

Starring Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Tillotama Shome, Gul Panag, Nagesh Kukunoor, Jahnu Barua, Anurag Arora, Prashant Tamang, Merenla Imsong, Lc Sekhose the, season has been created and written by Sudip Sharma and takes the story with Hathi Ram to the North East this time.

Well, while the Nagaland connection at this time clearly comes out as a little forced in the beginning of the trailer, it truly sets the tone of Paatal Lok season 2, blending effortlessly,...

Pataal Lok Season 2 Teaser Review (Photo Credit – YouTube)

The teaser of the much-awaited Prime Video India series, Paatal Lok Season 2 has finally been released by the makers. Jaideep Ahlawat returns as Hathi Ram Chaudhary and hints at battling many other evils in his surroundings. Here is our teaser review for the same.

The Paatal Lok Season 2 teaser shows Jaideep Ahlawat’s Hathi Ram Chaudhary taking the elevator for the ‘Pataal Lok’ which translates to hell. He narrates a story wherein he talks about a man who shared a hatred for insects and believed them to be the root cause of all the evils. He once killed an insect which had entered his house and bit him. He was hailed as a hero and slept for many peaceful nights. However, one day, he discovered another insect below his bed which turned into ten insects and then hundreds and thousands.

While exiting the lift,...

Paatal Lok Season 2 Release Date Announced ( Photo Credit – Prime Video )

Prime Video has announced the premiere date of the much-awaited second season of critically acclaimed series Paatal Lok. Directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware, the show is a Clean Slate Filmz Production in association with Eunoia Films Llp. Sudip Sharma created and executive-produced the series. Paatal Lok Season 2 will see the return of its talented cast, including Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, and Gul Panag.

It will also feature new cast members such as Tillotama Shome, Nagesh Kukunoor, and Jahnu Barua in pivotal roles. The crime drama will premiere exclusively on Prime Video in India and over 240 countries and territories worldwide on January 17, 2025. The popular franchise, which delves deep into the underbelly of Indian society, left audiences spellbound with its gripping narrative in Season 1.

The first season was praised for its gripping storytelling, unexpected twists, and adrenaline-pumping thrills, culminating in a thought-provoking...

Nine years after making “Thithi,” one of my favorite Indian films of the 2010s, Raam Reddy is back with “The Fable,” set in a place that couldn’t be further away from the setup of his first film. Nestled deep in the Himalayas, formally set in 1989, “The Fable” retains the timeless nature in its setup, which is typical of the fables. It is shot in film, which only helps to further the cause. The magnificent opening scene sets the tone of the magic realism which is set to follow. Using fireflies as a constant motif, which in many cultures has a supernatural significance, only heightens the sense of magic realism.

But beyond the surface of magic realism, “The Fable” very meticulously examines the underlying tension between different classes in the village. Dev’s (Manoj Bajpayee) family are the owners of the apple estate, handed to them by the colonial rulers of the country.

A month hasn’t passed since the release of the third season of Panchayat, but our favorite Sachiv Ji is back again. Of course, he’s playing Iit-alumni turned physics teacher Jitendra Kumar, aka Jeetu Bhaiya, in Netflix’s Kota Factory. Not only is the character named after the actor himself, but he can very well be passed off as an exaggerated fictional version of the man. How remarkable it is that an actual IITan is playing one on screen! Although Jeetu Bhaiya is not exactly the main character of the show, he’s undoubtedly the focal point. While the first two seasons portrayed him as almost a friendly neighborhood messiah who appears as the solution to everyone’s problem, in the current season, Jeetu Bhaiya needs a bit of saving of his own. While the first season of the show was a charmingly realistic portrayal of Iit aspirants and...

There were a lot of things that changed at the end of Kota Factory season 3. Jeetu Bhaiya made the shocking decision to leave Kota and go to Jaipur, and Vaibhav mustered up the courage to prepare for the Iit-jee examination once again after the results did not come as he had expected. As of now, there hasn’t been any official announcement of Kota Factory Season 4, but let’s analyze if there is one and where the lives of the different characters will lead them.

Spoiler Alert

Will Pooja Become The Next Jeetu Bhaiya?

Pooja’s character, played by the fabulous Tillotama Shome, was introduced to us in the third season of Kota Factory. She was one of those people who could connect with the students on a personal level and empathize with them. We saw what happened after Jeetu Bhaiya got angry and walked out after Uday’s mother...

Tillotama Shome On Kota Factory Season 3 (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kota Factory Season 3 is all set to release this week. It started in 2019, and two seasons later, it is one of the most loved Hindi series on Netflix. The educational web series stars Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Alam Khan, Ahsaas Channa, Ranjan Raj, Revathi Pillai, and Rajesh Kumar. Actress Tillotama Shome has joined the show this season.

In Kota Factory Season 3, Tillotama Shome plays Pooja Ma’am, a Chemistry teacher. As seen in the trailer, the actress delivers a powerful scene in which she says that Kota has become a factory of mass production. In an interview with Koimoi, we asked the actress about her thoughts on the show and what made her say yes.

Kota Factory Season 3 Trailer Still (Photo Credit – Youtube) Tillotama Shome On Kota Factory Season 3 Trending Exclusive! Jitendra Kumar On The Intense Tone Of Kota Factory Season 3, “Characters Will Face Struggle…...

Jitendra Kumar In Kota Factory Season 3 (Trailer Still). (Photo Credit – Youtube)

We are just a few days away from the release of Kota Factory Season 3. The educational drama series stars Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Ranjan Raj, Alam Khan, Ahsaas Channa, Revathi Pillai and Rajesh Kumar. Tillotama Shome joins the cast as a new teacher in the third season. The trailer dropped a week ago and received an amazing response.

From YouTube to Netflix, it has been a fantastic journey for the Kota Factory cast. The first two seasons received incredible views. Jitendra Kumar, who plays Jeetu Bhaiya, a guide, teacher, and trusted friend of these students in Kota, is one of viewers’ favourite characters. Koimoi spoke to Jitendra about how intense the new season looks.

Trending Sharmajee Ki Beti Release Date Out: When & Where To Watch Tahira Kashyap Khurrana’s Coming Of Age Movie! The Great Indian Kapil Show Season...

(Jitendra Kumar In Panchayat 3, Photo Credit – Instagram)

Panchayat 3 was released two weeks ago, but the internet still can’t stop talking about the web series. Jitendra Kumar and the entire cast yet again treated the audience with another spectacular season. Along with Jitendra, the Amazon Prime Video series stars Neena Gupta, Faisal Malik, Raghubir Yadav, Sanvikaa and Sunita Rajwar.

A lot is being discussed about the latest season, along with interesting trivia about the cast. From the actors making startling revelations about their careers to how the show changed their lives, the past few days belong mainly to the Panchayat 3 team. Amidst all this, there were also discussions about the cast’s salary. Earlier, it was reported that Jitendra Kumar charged 5-6 lakhs for this season, and was the highest paid from the team. The actor has now reacted to the same.

Jitendra Kumar on Panchayat 3 Salary Trending Mirzapur Season...

Kota Factory Season 3 Trailer Still. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

The much-awaited Kota Factory Season 3 is now out. The Netflix series stars Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Ranjan Raj, Alam Khan, Ahsaas Channa, Revathi Pillai, and others. Raghav Subbu directed the show, which was created by Saurabh Khanna and Anurabh Kumar. The trailer has received an amazing response from viewers.

Tvf’s Kota Factory released its first season in 2019 and received tremendous acclaim. The monochromatic visuals and relatable storylines resonated with a young audience. The trailer for the third season suggests it will be more severe and impactful. Here are some highlights:

Shift in the Narrative

The first two seasons offered a lighter take on students preparing for the Jee exams, highlighting their struggles with humour. However, the third season delves deeper into the frustration these students have been dealing with for two years. In one scene, Mayur More’s Vaibhav questions the system,...

Netflix has released the trailer for the third season of Kota Factory, set to premiere on June 20, 2024. The trailer begins with Jeetu Bhaiya, played by Jitendra Kumar, discussing exam preparation with the motivational line, “Tayyari hi jeet hai bhai.” As the trailer progresses, it portrays the intense efforts and emotional struggles of the students as they prepare for their exams, highlighting the high-pressure environment of Kota.

Kalki 2898Ad Dialogues: Prabhas, Deepika Padukone, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan and Disha Patani in a futuristic newworld

The third season continues to follow the lives of the students and their mentor, Jeetu Bhaiya, as they navigate the challenges of academic life and entry into adulthood. The trailer shows scenes of frustration, determination, and the growing tensions among the students as they strive to succeed.

Kota Factory has gained popularity for its realistic portrayal of the lives of Iit Jee aspirants in Kota, Rajasthan. The...

Fans of the hit series Kota Factory have been eagerly awaiting its third season, following the immense success of Panchayat Season 3. Led by the talented Jitendra Kumar, the show has been building anticipation ever since its promotional campaign began. Now, with the announcement of the release date and the unveiling of the trailer, excitement among fans has reached new heights.

The trailer for Kota Factory Season 3 dropped today, June 11, captivating audiences with its 2 minutes and 52 seconds of footage. Maintaining its signature monochromatic style, the show returns with Jitendra Kumar, affectionately known as Jeetu Bhaiya, encouraging viewers to celebrate the journey of preparation as much as the result. His memorable line, “Jeet ki tyaari nahin, tyaari hi jeet hai,” resonates deeply with fans and podcast hosts alike.

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Offering a glimpse into the upcoming season, the trailer showcases Jeetu...

The highly anticipated third season of the black-and-white series “Kota Factory” is set to release on June 20 on Netflix. The show, which stars Jitendra Kumar as the beloved mentor Jeetu Bhaiya, will continue to follow the lives of students as they navigate the tumultuous path to adulthood amidst the pressures of final exams and future uncertainties.

In the upcoming season, the story picks up from the dramatic cliffhanger of season two, delving into the students’ experiences as they inch closer to adulthood. Jeetu Bhaiya, grappling with his role as a mentor, will face new challenges alongside the students. This season also introduces a new mentor at Aimers, adding another layer of intrigue to the narrative.

The makers announced the release date on social media, sharing a black-and-white poster featuring the main cast, including Jitendra Kumar, Mayur More, Ranjan Raj, Alam Khan, Revathi Pillai, Ahsaas Channa, and Rajesh Kumar. The poster...

Netflix India 2024 Slate: Amar Singh Chamkila & The Great Indian Kapil Show (Photo Credit – YouTube)

The highly-anticipated Netflix India 2024 Slate is now out. There is a wide variety of content to suit everyone’s taste, from controversial reality series to riveting crime thrillers to romantic dramas. The list is quite long. An exciting year of remarkable films and television series is promised by the star-studded celebs, which include Kajol, Kapil Sharma, Diljit Dosanjh, and others.

Netflix is bringing the finest of Indian movies and shows straight to your screens, so be ready to plunge into an entertainment universe like none before!

Netflix India 2024 Slate For Movies Amar Singh Chamkila

The Imtiaz Ali directorial is a musical and biographical drama based on the life of Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot Kaur. The film stars Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra. Ar Rahman has worked as a music composer. The film is scheduled to...

The Berlin Film Festival has just three Indian narrative fiction features in the 2024 lineup, but all of them are sophomore efforts by filmmakers who have already won global acclaim for their debuts.

Raam Reddy burst onto the international scene with “Thithi” (“Funeral”), which won the Golden Leopard — Filmmakers of the Present and the First Feature awards at Locarno in 2015. Reddy’s ”The Fable,” which screens in Berlin’s Encounters strand, follows a happy family who live as owners of a vast Himalayan orchard, until a series of mysterious fires bring into question who they really are. The cast includes Manoj Bajpayee, Priyanka Bose, Deepak Dobriyal, Tillotama Shome and Hiral Sidhu.

P.S. Vinothraj won Rotterdam’s top award, the Tiger, for “Koozhangal” (“Pebbles”) in 2021. Vinothraj’s “Kottukkaali” (“The Adamant Girl”), screening in Berlin’s Forum strand, follows a young woman who is in love with a man from one of India...

Acclaimed actor Manoj Bajpayee’s film ‘The Fable’, which is directed by Raam Reddy, will have its world premiere at the upcoming 74th edition of Berlin International Film Festival in the competitive category of ‘Encounters’.

The film, which also features Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose and Tillotama Shome, along with debutant Hiral Sidhu and child actor Awan Pookot, has been highlighted by the festival with an evening premiere on the opening day.

The festival will begin on February 15 and the curtains will be brought down on February 25.

Manoj said: “Joining the cast of ‘The Fable’ has been a remarkable experience. Working with a creative mind like Raam Reddy and participating in an A-festival backed by an international production house for the first time has been incredibly inspiring. Our film’s presence at Berlinale signifies the global reach and artistic caliber of Indian storytelling.”

‘The Fable’, Raam Reddy’s second initiative following...

The maestros of suspense genre filmmakers Ram Madhvani, Homi Adajania and Sandeep Modi have revealed what makes the thriller genre tick, and decoded their secrets of thrillers.

The year 2023 has been the year of suspense, mystery and emotion-packed stories, with adrenaline-pumping shows like ‘The Night Manager 1 and 2’, ‘Aarya’ and ‘Saas Bahu aur Flamingo’.

The mastermind behind ‘Aarya’ — Ram Madhvani — provided insights into decoding the thriller genre, saying: “I don’t think I’m making a thriller, I don’t think I’m making a crime show. I’m making a show about a family. I’m making a show about a character who’s put into difficult situations. The backdrop of it may be or whatever that she’s going through. It could have been any other backdrop. It could have been an industrial kind of backdrop. So I think that is just the backdrop.”

Starring Sushmita Sen in the titular role,...

While many are jetting off for Christmas and New Year holiday getaways, if you find yourself in the ‘stuck-at-home’ club, fret not! We’ve got your back with a curated list of binge-worthy series to turn your holiday into a memorable entertainment extravaganza. Whether you’re nestled with family or enjoying some me-time, these series across diverse genres might keep you hooked and your holiday spirits high, literally!

From gripping crime dramas to heartwarming comedies, this list has something for everyone. So, grab your pop corns & pizzas, cozy up, and let the holiday binge begin! Because who needs a tropical beach when you’ve got the perfect series to escape into?

Scam 2003

This holiday season, delve into the captivating tale of deceit and suspense with ‘Scam 2003: The Telgi Story’ on SonyLIV. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani and co-directed by Hansal Mehta, this Indian financial thriller serves as the second instalment in the ‘Scam’ franchise.

Netflix India emerged as a big winner at the Filmfare Ott Awards 2023 last evening, bagging 26 awards and reaffirming its position as a leading platform for quality content. Its diverse slate of series and films garnered widespread acclaim, with many of its productions being recognized for their compelling storytelling, stellar performances, and exceptional direction.

The series winner list includes “Best Series” for Scoop, “Best Series Critics” for Trial By Fire, “Best Director Critics” for Randeep Jha (Kohrra), “Best Actor Series” for Suvinder Vicky (Kohrra) and Rajshri Deshpande (Trial By Fire), “Best Actor Series Critics” for Karishma Tanna (Scoop), “Best Supporting Actor” for Barun Sobti (Kohrra) and Tillotama Shome (Delhi Crime S2).

The films’ winner list has “Best Film Critics” for Konkona Sen Sharma (Lust Stories) And Vasan Bala (Monica O My Darling), “Best Actor Film Critics” for Rajkummar Rao (Monica O My Darling) and Sanya Malhotra (Kathal), “Best Actor- Web Original...

Netflix India emerged as a big winner at the Filmfare Ott Awards 2023 last evening, bagging 26 awards and reaffirming its position as a leading platform for quality content. Its diverse slate of series and films garnered widespread acclaim, with many of its productions being recognized for their compelling storytelling, stellar performances, and exceptional direction.

The series winner list includes “Best Series” for Scoop, “Best Series Critics” for Trial By Fire, “Best Director Critics” for Randeep Jha (Kohrra), “Best Actor Series” for Suvinder Vicky (Kohrra) and Rajshri Deshpande (Trial By Fire), “Best Actor Series Critics” for Karishma Tanna (Scoop), “Best Supporting Actor” for Barun Sobti (Kohrra) and Tillotama Shome (Delhi Crime S2).

The films’ winner list has “Best Film Critics” for Konkona Sen Sharma (Lust Stories) And Vasan Bala (Monica O My Darling), “Best Actor Film Critics” for Rajkummar Rao (Monica O My Darling) and Sanya Malhotra (Kathal), “Best Actor- Web Original...

As ‘Delhi Crime 2’ clocks a year since its release, acclaimed actress Shefali Shah, who played the character of Dcp Vartika Chaturvedi series, says the show is one of those projects that happen once in a while.

‘Delhi Crime 2’ revolves around a violent quadruple murder, which stokes public fear and escalates New Delhi’s class divide, Dcp Vartika and her team race to find the killers before they attack the city’s vulnerable senior citizens again.

On the first anniversary of Delhi Crime 2, Shefali gave a perfect recall to her character and said: “DC is very very dear and special to me and will always be. It’s one of those projects that happens once in a while, where the show and the character affected and left a lasting impact on the audience as much as it did for us.”

She added: “The Usp being the show, the characters, the treatment is so real.

New Delhi, July 22 (Ians) Actress Tillotama Shome, who has delivered an impactful performance in gripping espionage thriller ‘The Night Manager’, has spilled the beans about her experience of working with the enigmatic actor, Anil Kapoor.

The star cast of ‘The Night Manager’ season 2– Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Shobhita Dhulipala, Tillotama Shome, and Ravi Behl graced the finale episode of the ‘The Kapil Sharma Show.

Kapil Sharma and his ‘atrangi mohalla’ will bring viewers an unforgettable experience, promising a magnificent finale brimming with laughter and entertainment.

Amidst a fun conversation, Tillotama said: “I once went to the set to observe Anil Kapoor’s scene and experience the feeling of working with him for the first time. I wanted to sense the atmosphere. He saw me observing the scene and asked me about my feedback on the scene. What could I possibly say to such an experienced actor? I told him it was a nice scene.

Actress Sobhita Dhulipala has made a quirky revelation about how she chose her career path after her class 12 examination on ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’.

Dhulipala, who will be seen in the show along with the cast of web-series ‘Night Manager Season 2’, shared, “It’s true that I had tossed a coin before coming to Mumbai. The choice was between Mumbai and Bangalore for my bachelor’s degree. I had a strong desire to live in a big city, as I had spent my years of schooling in Vizag.”

“Convincing my parents was the first hurdle, and then I had to decide which city I wanted to go to. And fortune shined when luck decided Mumbai for me and here I am,” she added.

Kapil will host Anil Kapoor, Aditya Roy Kapoor, Sobhita, Tillotama Shome, and Ravi Behl in a ‘fun-tastic’ episode that will be the culmination of this season of the show.

New Delhi, July 15 (Ians) Actress Rasika Dugal has secured a nomination at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm), for its upcoming 14th edition, and she couldn’t be happier.

In the category of Best Actor (Female) – Series, Rasika has been nominated for her outstanding portrayal in ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’.

Talking about the nomination, Rasika said: “I am honored to be nominated at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne alongside women whose talent I have so much respect for. Neeti Singh is a character very close to my heart and It’s a privilege to bring her journey to life in each subsequent season through the compelling narrative of ‘Delhi Crime’.”

The category features an impressive lineup of talented contenders, including Rajshri Deshpande, Shefali Shah, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Sriya Reddy, Tillotama Shome, and Wamiqa Gabbi.

Rasika’s character, Neeti Singh, in ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ has impressed audiences with her journey from...

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...

CinemaWhile Konkana Sen Sharma portrays two empowered women who want to enjoy their sexuality in her short ‘The Mirror’, Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar show a sensitive and nuanced understanding of caste in their web series ‘Dahaad’.In Konkana Sen Sharma’s short The Mirror from Netflix’s Lust Stories 2, a migraine forces Ishita (a brilliant Tillotama Shome) to return home from work one afternoon, where to her horror she finds her domestic worker Seema (a terrific Amruta Subhash) having sex on her bed. Ishita runs out of her house embarrassed and grossed out, not only to have walked in on her ‘maid’ having sex but in her own house and on her own bed. Disgusted, she calls her friend Sameera, who demands that she fire Seema immediately, but Ishita doesn’t have the energy to deal with losing help. Later, she changes the bedsheet only to try masturbating...

Seasoned actor Anil Kapoor, who has once again captured our hearts and minds with his hard-hitting portrayal of arms dealer Shelly Rungta in the gripping espionage thriller, ‘The Night Manager’, said that he has thoroughly enjoyed exploring the character and what it brings to the table with his aura and power.

From the very first frame, Anil’s presence is magnetic, stealing every scene with his striking intensity and unwavering commitment. His ability to seamlessly transition from the charming facade of a suave business tycoon to the menacing depths of a calculating antagonist is nothing short of extraordinary. Kapoor has truly carved out a niche for himself as the master of versatility.

Speaking about the same, Anil said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed exploring the character of Shelly Rungta and what he brings to the table with his aura and power. We have been receiving immense appreciation from our industry friends,...

The Night Manager (Disney+ Hotstar)

Sometimes the biggest of strategists can go wrong. The minds that decided to split writer-director Sandeep Modi’ s The Night Manger into two (messily amputated ) halves , have done the series a huge disservice.

Part 2, as it were, is a vegan’s delight. All the meat was in Part 1, and even the principal performances were more accentuated by the predominant emotions in the first-half. The second-half is all about nemesis. And not of the subtle variety.

There are no new revelations for us to chew on. We know Aditya Roy Kapoor’s Shaan Sengupta has infiltrated the antagonist arms dealer Shelly Rungta’s organization.

We saw in Part 1 that Shaan won the ruthless Rungta’s trust by staging his son’s kidnapping and rescue. Miraculously the little boy disappears in the second half.Maybe he got kidnapped again,this time for real, and we don’t know about it.

Netflix’s recently released sequel of their famous anthology from 2018, Lust Stories, is back with more stories, new actors, and new directors helming the project and helping the audience understand the concept of lust from new points of view. The 2018 one had diverse stories about the female body and needs, and it created quite a buzz, especially the short film featuring Kiara Advani. Lust Stories is an important part of the Netflix India releases because, as the country is obsessed with Hindi cinema and the industry is filled with love stories, it is fascinating to understand what happens before and after ‘they lived happily ever after’ and what would be their way to sustain the love.

This time around, there are also tales of exploring sensual pleasure from a female perspective, but not all of them landed the way they should have. Out of the four stories presented to the viewers,...

Mumbai, July 1 (Ians) Actress-director Konkona Sen Sharma, who has been receiving a lot of positive response to her short film in the streaming anthology ‘Lust Stories 2’, shared that she struggled in the early part of her acting career to look a certain way and “to fit in.”

Konkona’s short film, which stars Tillotama Shome and Amruta Subhash as the lead characters, explores female gaze and voyeurism.

Sharing her thoughts on the existing stereotypes around women and their need for sexual and romantic pleasure, Konkona Sen Sharma said: “Very often, the bodies that are allowed to feel the sexual/romantic pleasure are very limited because usually they have to be thin, fair, rich and young – that was the fourth factor. So usually only those kinds of bodies are allowed to desire and also there have been certain limitations in terms of how people from different economic backgrounds are portrayed.

The second part of the Anil Kapoor-led action-spy-crime-thriller series ‘The Night Manager’ has been released a day ahead of its scheduled date in view of the positive response its previews have been getting from its intended audience.

Kapoor, who plays the role of the villainous arms dealer Shelly, applauded the show creator Sandeep Modi, saying that he trusts him so much that he never feels the need to check his shots.

Ahead of the season’s release, Kapoor spoke on the show’s recent press con and said: “When Sandeep okayed a shot, I never felt the need to go and check it. I trust his creative instinct. I haven’t seen 99 per cent of the shots.”

Modi has also helmed the successful web series ‘Aarya’ and the Marathi film ‘Chumbak’. ‘The Night Manager’ is based on the British series of the same name, which, in turn, drew from...

The last time Konkona Sen Sharma directed something, it was 2017. A year after that, the first installment of Netflix’s Lust Stories was released. Sex used to be a bigger taboo in India back then, so content like that was bound to get all the attention. Especially with four of the big names of Bollywood directing one segment each, Lust Stories was destined for popularity. However, from a cinematic point-of-view, it was not particularly great. Three out of the four directors, Kashyap, KJo, and Zoya Akhtar, treated lust as some kind of forbidden fruit and put a woman at the center of the story, which effectively villainized them.

I am sure you all have seen the “Kiara Advani TV remote” video and so many edits of that all over the internet over the past six years. While that particular segment was supposed to be a representation of female empowerment, the result was actually the opposite,...

Lust Stories 2(Netflix)

Lost in lust, or perhaps the hit lust… such mischievous descriptions spring to mind as we watch an extremely sexual Grandma in Balki’s story played by Neena Gupta about whom her screen-son Ayushman Khurrana had famously said she doesn’t give those “Maa wali vibes”.

Here in the second part of Lust Stories, Gupta gives herself a gala time as a grandmom counselling her grandchild Mrunal Thakur(who giggles her way through her perky part) to have sex with her fiancée(Angad Bedi looking visibly uncomfortable with barely six lines to speak) before marrying him.

Horny Granma’s logic is, “Even when you buy car you first test-drive it.” Right.

I have never come across a grandma like Gupta in R Balki’s warm and well-meaning segment in this four-part saga where one story, like Neeraj Ghaywan’s Geeli Pucchi in the Karan Johar anthology...

Actress Tilotama Shome, who is a renowned Indian face on the global map, feels that it took a few filmmakers to take that risk and imagine her in roles which were different from representing a poorer section of our society.

Tilotama Shome is a fine talent and the audience has been witness to that since her debut film ‘The Monsoon Wedding’. The actress was present at the special press conference held for the season 2 of ‘The Night Manager’ recently in Mumbai.

The actress has performed varied roles in her career and her performances can not be boxed in any single genre. When asked if that has always been her criteria of choosing the roles that one should be different from the other, she said: “The thing is that I get bored very easily. It’s a childhood thing. My father was in the Air Force so every four years we used to change locations,...

Mumbai, June 28 (Ians) Aditya Roy Kapur, who has worked with Anil Kapoor on various projects, says there is a flip side of teaming up with an energetic star.Aditya Roy Kapur was interacting with the media on ‘The Night Manager 2’ in Mumbai along with the Disney+ Hotstar show’s creator, Sandeep Modi, and co-stars Anil Kapoor, Shobhita Dhulipala and Tillotama Shome.

After ‘Malang’, the 2020 action thriller directed by Mohit Suri, ‘The Night Manager’ marks the second outing of Aditya Roy Kapur with Anil Kapoor, so he was naturally asked about the pros and cons of working with a senior actor.

“One complex you do get while working with Anil Kapoor is that you feel you aren’t working hard enough, as he is the most hard-working actor,” Aditya said. “I can only think of that as a con, for you feel like shit and keep thinking you need to pull up your socks.

Anil Kapoor, who has clocked four decades in the film industry, says he harnesses his negative feelings, such as reluctance, nervousness and anxiety, and makes something good come out of them. Kapoor was promoting the second season of ‘The Night Manager’ along with co-actor Aditya Roy Kapur and director Sandeep Modi in Mumbai on Monday.

Some time back, the news that Kapoor was at first reluctant about his Shelly Rungta role went viral.

When asked about it, Kapoor said: “I am reluctant for each and every role; it was not that I was reluctant only for my role in ‘The Night Manager’. I am always overcome by this anxiety and nervousness about whether I will be able to do the role or not, and I use that energy to perform better.”

The senior actor continued: “I seriously don’t know how to do a role with over-confidence. Somehow, these little...

Actress Tillotama Shome, who plays the role of Lipika in the streaming series ‘The Night Manager’, has shared the trick for cracking her character in the show. The actress revealed that to get the character right, she focussed on her walking and talking style.

Opening up about the preparations, Tillotama said, “For my character Lipika, I just had to pay attention to her walking and talking style. Multiple discussions with my directors really helped in fully fleshing out the small and big details. For example, after every location scout my directors, Sandeep Modi and Priyanka Ghose would personally show me spaces that they would have envisioned to shape Lipika. It felt really lucky to have directors who would share so much with me and this really pushed me to do more.”

‘The Night Manager: Part 2’, which stars Anil Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur in the lead, is set to drop...