Poacher, Avatar the Last Bender, Screen Actor Guild Awards and More: New OTT Releases This Week to Binge Watch This Weekend

Although there is just one Indian-original release this week in the form of Alia Bhatt produced Poacher — based on illegal ivory poaching in India — we also have quite a few other big names from across genres. For starters, Netflix will host the Screen Actor Guild Awards live for the first time, touted as a grand experiment for the streaming platform. The awards will start streaming at 5:00 am (IST).

Another high-budget release is Avatar: The Last Airbender, a live-action adaptation of the popular series of the same name on Netflix. However, if you have followed the original series back in the day, chances are high that you might not be as impressed with the adaptation. The series has attracted mixed reviews from critics and ardent fans.

Next, we have the final season of Star Wars: The Bad Batch on Disney+ Hotstar, in which the eponymous Bad Batch’s limits are tested.

On the international shore, there is Through My Window 3: Looking At You, the final chapter of the Spanish romance trilogy. It follows the typical romantic dilemmas and the inability to move on after separation. If you haven’t already binged on the first two parts, you can find them both on Netflix.

If you have an appetite for documentaries, you could go for the new British crime docu-series Can I Tell You A Secret? which gives a bone-chilling insight into a serial cyber stalker who made the life of countless women a living hell. Another choice could be Apple TV’s documentary on football legend Messi, which follows him along the five World Cups.

For comedy fanatics, Netflix dished out another comedy special: Mike Epps’s Ready to Sell Out. Here, the American stand-up comic gets candid about his finances, romantic life, and hilarious street observations.

In case you are wondering about Netflix’s documentary on the Sheena Bora murder case, which was supposed to be released on February 23, its release has been halted after the CBI pleaded to the Bombay High Court. The series is likely to premiere only after it gets a green light following a special screening of the series for the Central Bureau of Investigation (are there many cuts and edits in store?).

Well, that’s all for this week, folks. Happy binge-watching!

Poacher

When: Now Streaming

Where: Prime Video

Poacher is a gripping thriller drama about illegal elephant ivory poaching grappling the green lushes of South India. Here you’ll find a group of Indian Forest Service officers, NGO workers, police constables and Good Samaritans risk their lives for the cause. The series is a fictionalised account of true harrowing incidents. The show comes from Emmy Winning Delhi Crime’s creator Richie Mehta. Alia Bhatt has co- produced.

Avatar The Last Airbender

When: Now Streaming

Where: Netflix

If you remember Nickleodeon’s mega-hit show, you already know what this new release is about. Like the original animated version, the live-action adaptation is based in a world where some people, titled Avatar, have the superpower to manipulate one of the four elements—water, earth, fire or air—through “bending”. Gordon Cormier plays the 12-year-old Aang, a prodigious Airbender who has just discovered that he is the new Avatar, and he must now master all the four elemental powers, to save the world from the Fire Nation’s tyranny. Be prepared for a lot of special effects and impressive moves in this eight-episode-long series.

30th Screen Actor Guild Awards

When: February 24

Where: Netflix

Netflix has long been trying to delve into the live-streaming sector. The platform made its debut in the field with sports events and recently bought rights for the streaming of WWE RAW.

Screen Actor Guild Awards could kick start a new avenue of expansion for the platform. The event will honour the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2023. While last year the ceremony was broadcast on Netflix’s YouTube channel, it is the first that Netflix will be streaming an event of this kind.

Some of the major films nominated across categories are Barbie, Maestro, Rustin, Oppenheimer, Killers of the Flower Moon, The Color Purple and more. Among web series are Succession, The Morning Show, The Last of Us, Barry, and The Bear, among others.

Constellation

When: Now Streaming

Where: Apple TV+

Imagine you are an astronaut returning to the Earth after a major accident in space. But now a lot of pieces of your life are missing. Scary, isn’t it? Noomi Rapace steps into the shoes of this devastated astronaut in Apple TV’s latest psychological drama Constellation. All she has are broken memories and alarming findings to uncover the truth.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Season 3

When: Now Streaming

Where: Disney+ Hotstar

The third season picks up shortly after the end of Season 2, with Omega (Michelle Ang) still under the grasp of the Empire. A lot of cliffhangers of the previous seasons are to be answered in this one.

The two new interesting terms introduced in the series are M-Count (microscopic life forms that reside in all living cells) and Project Necromancer, which revolves around securing Palpatine’s resurrection.

While this might be the final season for Star Wars: The Bad Batch, the first three episodes that the platform dropped today have confirmed multiple connections of the series with other Star Wars movies and shows, including Mandalorian. New episodes will air weekly until the conclusion on May 1, 2024.

Through My Window: Looking at You

When: Now

Where: Netflix

In case, you haven’t seen the first two parts, Through My Window films have a girl named Raquel as their protagonist, who is hopelessly in love with her neighbour Ares, whom she admires from her window. Ares, by the way, is oblivious to her existence, let alone her feelings. Things take an amusing turn when he starts reciprocating, despite his family’s protests.

Raquel and Ares went on their separate ways in part 2, but can’t seem to be able to move on in their lives. In this instalment, the duo is seeing other people, while struggling with the burning memories they share. Like a typical rom-com, when the two again cross paths, emotional turmoil is inevitable. Tune in to find out if they re-unite.

For details of the latest launches and news from Samsung, Xiaomi, Realme, OnePlus, Oppo and other companies at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, visit our MWC 2024 hub.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

From Dunki to Love Storiyaan: Here Are the Top 5 OTT Releases of the Week

The weekend is here and so are our binge-watch recommendations for the top OTT releases of the week. If you were expecting a lot of romance-themed releases for Valentine’s week like us, be prepared to be disappointed. There is only one major Indian original release for the week – Karan Johar’s Love Storiyaan, which is about six unique love stories, where love breaks free from the shackles of societal and cultural norms. Shah Rukh Khan’s box-office hit Dunki made its OTT premiere on Netflix on January 15, without much of a pre-buzz. It’s a heartwarming comedy by Rajkumar Hirani, which revolves around the subject of “donkey” path to entering a country illegally. Since the process is quite prevalent in the Indian state of Punjab, Hirani has rightly centred the film there. The Kerala Story has also finally been released on Zee5 after weeks of speculation. The controversial film chronicles alleged mass religious conversion of Hindu and Christian women in Kerala.

Among other post-theatrical releases are Prabhas starrer action-drama Salaar (Hindi dubbed version) and the Sci-Fi adventure film Dune, which follows a noble family that becomes embroiled in a war for control over the galaxy’s most prized asset. The sequel, Dune Part Two, is slated for release on March 1, by the way.

If you want to give new international releases a try, you could go for Polish comedy Kill Me If You Dare, German heartfelt drama The Heartbreak Agency, Japanese suspense show House of Ninjas, or the second season of the Jordanian teenage drama AlRawabi School for Girls.

For those looking for fresh comic content, Taylor Tomlinson’s third Netflix Special Have It All is now out. Here, Taylor speaks of her life post-breakup and addresses the age-old question: Can you have it all? However, I feel her previous two specials were way more entertaining than this one, which fails to recreate her previous style (or it’s probably because I was fangirling a lot on her prior stand-ups and had way too high expectations from her next endeavours).

For documentary enthusiasts, Netflix’s Einstein and the Bomb should do it. This docu-drama will take you inside the tortured mind of Einstein after he fled Germany. Get ready for a lot of archival footage and tonnes of melodrama.

Well, that’s all folks. Happy binge-watching!

The Kerala Story

Where: Zee5

When: Now Streaming

One of the most controversial releases of 2023, The Kerala Story, is now available to stream on Zeee5. Here, you’ll see Adah Sharma playing a nursing student brainwashed into converting to Islam, along with two of her friends. How she ends up joining the Islamic State, becomes an ISIS terrorist and lands up in an Afghanistan jail makes the crux of the story.

The film initially received a lot of backlash after it claimed that around 32,000 Hindu and Christian girls were involuntarily mass converted to Islam between 2016 and 2018, without solid proof. The promotional material was later taken down when the claims could not be backed by facts. The film stirred a lot of debates in the newsrooms, though.

Dunki

Where: Netflix

When: Now Streaming

Four old Indians in London who are terribly homesick and want to revisit their homeland but aren’t having any luck with the British Embassy. Desperate to get back, they seek help from Hardy Singh (Shah Rukh Khan), an ex-army man who helped them arrive in London in the first place via the illegal “Donkey” route – a phenomenon where people enter a foreign country illegally via multiple stops in other countries.

In Dunki, you’ll find funny scenes of people parroting English speeches to IELTS exam centres, emotional highs, and a sweet yet incomplete love story. Dunki made its Netflix debut on February 15, without much of a pre-buzz. The film marks Rajkumar Hirani’s (3 Idiots, Sanju) first collaboration with Shah Rukh Khan.

Love Storiyaan

Where: Prime Video

When: Now Streaming

Karan Johar’s Love Storiyaan was released on Prime Video on Valentine’s Day. The series brings to the platter six unique love stories, where romance triumphs over all socio-political odds.

Here you’ll meet a trans couple, cross-border lovers, the brimming romance of a Dalit activist and an Adivasi advocate, a love saga from Bangladesh’s Liberation Movement in 1971, two radio jockeys from rival stations falling for each other, and an unlikely couple facing opposition from their daughters.

The anthology series is inspired by stories from the Instagram handle India Love Project, where you’ll find love stories “outside the shackles of faith, caste, ethnicity & gender.”

Salaar: Part 1 – Ceasefire (Hindi version)

Where: Hotstar

When: Now Streaming

While the Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Tamil and English dubbed versions of this Prabhas starrer are already streaming on Netflix, the Hindi dubbed version made its OTT debut on Hotstar just now. In Salaar you’ll see a gang leader vowing to fulfil a dying friend’s wish by battling rival gangs. If you are a fan of South Indian action flicks, Salaar is a good choice to consider for your weekly binge-watch – packed with violence.

This is me… Now: A love story

Where: Prime Video

When: Now Streaming

If you have an appetite for Hollywood gossip, chances are that you are aware of Jennifer Lopez’s controversial love life. The American actress has been married four times. She is currently married to Ben Affleck, whom she remarried in 2022, almost two decades after their breakup.

In this one-of-its-kind documentary, you’ll walk through Lopez’s love life through her eyes. This is Me… Now is releasing alongside her first studio album in a decade, which has been titled the same.



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Jio Studios Unveils Content Slate With 62 Titles: Shah Rukh Khan-Led Dunki, Bhediya 2, Stree 2, and More

Jio Studios has unveiled its expansive lineup of new movies and web series, marking the single largest slate ever produced by an Indian studio. While the production company notes over 100 fresh projects in its lineup, it has only teased 62 for now, spanning several languages and genres, and starring the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Shahid Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan, R Madhavan, Kriti Sanon, Shraddha Kapoor, Randeep Hooda, and more. None of them has any release details for now, but they will be spread evenly across theatres and direct-to-app (OTT). Jio Studios also dropped a sizzle reel for its upcoming movies and shows, with all content expected to eventually land on the JioCinema app.

“We are in the most exciting and eventful phase of Indian entertainment, with storytelling taking centre stage in an era of explosive digital disruption,” Jyoti Deshpande, President, RIL Media and Content Business said in a prepared statement. “We have actively partnered with some of the best names in the business and newcomers alike to reach this day, when a staggering and exciting 100 content assets have been produced, ready to be showcased to the world. Our vision is to power stories that are from, by and for India and Bharat, tell stories that not only entertain but also have a purpose, partner with storytellers in every Indian language and take these stories mainstream.”

Leading the lineup is Rajkumar Hirani’s (3 Idiots) Dunki, which is reportedly based on the concept of donkey flights — a method used by Indian immigrants to illegally move to foreign countries. The film is slated to release this year and stars Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu in the lead roles. It also marks the first collaboration between Khan and Hirani, the latter of whom is known to incorporate dark comedy in his films. Meanwhile, Shahid Kapoor (Farzi) has two films lined up from Jio Studios.

Up first is Bloody Daddy, an Indian adaptation of the 2011 French film Nuit Blanche — or Sleepless Night — where a police detective gets off on the wrong foot with a drug dealer, causing his son to get held as a hostage. The film will reportedly release on Jio Cinema. Then there’s an untitled romance film with Kriti Sanon, brief glimpses of which can be seen in the sizzle reel.

Dinesh Vijan’s absurd horror-comedy universe is being expanded with sequels for both Stree and Bhediya, bringing back the original cast members. 2022’s Bhediya saw Varun Dhawan as a werewolf looking to navigate his newfound powers while trying not to devour his close friends. The film’s mid-credits scene tied into 2018’s Stree, which followed Shraddha Kapoor as a witch who hunts unsuspecting men at night. We’ve also got the Amitabh Bachchan starrer Section 84, Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan-led Zara Bachke, and Hisaab Barabar, in which R Madhavan appears to be playing a lawyer.

Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan to Rendield, 10 biggest Movies Releasing in April

Randeep Hooda in a still from Inspector Avinash
Photo Credit: Jio Studios

Nana Patekar makes his OTT debut with Laal Batti, a political thriller helmed by Prakash Jha (Gangaajal), whereas Randeep Hooda appears in Inspector Avinash, which charts the real-life super cop Avinash Mishra’s struggles against the rise of crime in 1997 Uttar Pradesh. Even Indian rapper Raftaar is making his debut in a streaming series with Bajao, which seems to be a unique blend of hip-hop culture and street crime, set against the backdrop of disco lights at a club.

Jio Studios is set to dominate in the regional space as well, offering movies and TV series in multiple languages including Marathi, Bengali, Gujarati, Bhojpuri, and what the press release calls ‘South’. It also announced a multi-year collaboration with SVF Entertainment to create a ‘new era of blockbusters’ in Bengali cinema.

Jio Studios upcoming movies

Dunki — from Rajkumar Hirani, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Taapsee Pannu
Bloody Daddy — starring Shahid Kapoor
Untitled Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon film
Bhediya 2 — starring Varun Dhawan
Stree 2 — starring Shraddha Kapoor and Rajkummar Rao
Section 84 — from Ribhu Dasgupta, starring Amitabh Bachchan
Hisaab Barabar — starring R Madhavan and Kirti Kulhari
Zara Hatke Zara Bachke — Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan
BlackOut — starring Vikrant Massey
Mumbaikar — starring Vijay Sethupathi
The Storyteller — starring Paresh Rawal & Adil Hussain
Dhoom Dhaam — starring Yami Gautam and Pratik Gandhi
Empire — from Vijay Lalwani, starring Taapsee Pannu
Trial Period — starring Genelia D’Souza
Bhagwat: Chapter One: Raakshas — starring Arshad Warsi
One Friday Night — from Manish Gupta, starring Milind Soman and Raveena Tandon
Blind
Baramulla
Mrs.
Sumo Didi — starring Shriyam Bhagnani
Happily Ever After
Rumi Ki Sharafat
The Film That Never Was
I Love You
Sarvgunn Sampann — from Dinesh Vijan, starring Vaani Kapoor
Kacchey Limbu — from Shubham Yogi, starring Radhika Madan
Khwaabon ka Jhamela
Pooja Meri Jaan — from Navjot Gulati, starring Mrunal Thakur and Huma Qureshi
Sector 36 — from Dinesh Vijan, starring Vikrant Massey and Deepak Dobriyal
Ghamasaan — starring Arshad Warsi
Boo — starring Manjima Mohan and Nivetha Pethuaraj
Kun Faya Kun — from Kushan Nandy, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sanjeeda Shaikh
Aachari Baa
Amar Prem Ki Prem Kahani
Ikroop — from Ali Abbas Zafar
Jo Tera Hai Woh Mera Hai
Ishq-e-Nadaan
Four Blind Men (Marathi)
1234 (Marathi)
Kharvas (Marathi)
Kaata Kirrr (Marathi)
Khashaba (Marathi)
Baipan Bhari Deva (Marathi)
Bachubhai (Gujarati)
Chaandlo (Gujarati)
Ghulam Chor (Gujarati)

Jio Studios 16 upcoming series

Laal Batti — from Prakash Jha, starring Nana Patekar and Sanjay Kapoor
Union: The Making of India — starring Kay Kay Menon and Ashutosh Rana
Inspector Avinash — starring Randeep Hooda and Urvashi Rautela
Rafuchakkar — starring Maniesh Paul
Bajao — starring Indian rapper Raftaar
The Magic of Shiri — starring Divyanka Tripathi
Doctors — starring Sharad Kelkar
A Legal Affair — starring Barkha Singh and Angad Bedi
Ishq Next Door — starring Abhay Mahajan and Natasha Bharadwaj
Do Gubbare — starring Mohan Agashe and Siddharth Shaw
Hajamat — Sanjay Mishra and Anshumaan Pushka
Moonwalk
UP65 — starring Rishabh Jaiswal and Satyam Tiwari
Kaalsutra (Marathi)
Eka Kaleche Mani (Marathi)
Aga Aai Aho Aai (Marathi)


Affiliate links may be automatically generated – see our ethics statement for details.

Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Shah Rukh Khan & Rajkumar Hirani’s Dunki makes Twitter explode; Fans can’t wait for ‘the greatest comeback’

Shah Rukh Khan left millions of fans pleasantly surprised as he announced his next film with Rajkummar Hirani titled ‘Dunki’. This will be the first time the ace filmmaker and SRK will be collaborating on a project. A few hours back, SRK took to his social media space, and dropped the announcement with a fun video, where Hirani tells the actor that he has a film with comedy, emotions, and romance for him in mind. It has only been some time since the announcement, but fans have already started pouring in their love and excitement for the movie. 

Taking to Twitter, fans expressed their happiness about Shah Rukh Khan’s first-ever collaboration with PK director Hirani. One user wrote, “The collaboration we all are waiting for…#Dunki”. Another fan wrote, “An unexpected moment is always the sweetest, and his smile coupled with this surprise announcement has totally made our day! #Dunki#2023BelongsToKingKhan #ShahRukhKhan”. Yet another fan tweeted, “

The Greatest Comeback of the biggest superstar of India is loading guys #Dunki”. 

Take a look at fans’ reaction to Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki announcement: 

Sharing the announcement video, SRK wrote, “Dear @hirani.rajkumar sir, Aap toh Mere Santa Claus nikle. Aap shuru karo main time pe pahunch jaunga. actually, main toh set par hi rehne lagunga! Feeling humbled and excited to finally work with you. Bringing to you all #Dunki in cinemas on 22nd December 2023.”

A JIO Studios, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Rajkumar Hirani Films presentation, Dunki, is directed by Rajkumar Hirani, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Tapsee Pannu in key roles, is written by Rajkumar Hirani, Abhijaat Joshi, and Kanika Dhillon, produced by Rajkumar Hirani and Gauri Khan. The film went on floors this April 2022, with the next schedule being shot extensively in Punjab.

ALSO READ: Alia Bhatt, Suhana Khan, Ananya Panday, Gauri Khan & more REACT to Shah Rukh Khan’s Dunki announcement



Check out our Latest News and Follow us at Facebook

Original Source

Exit mobile version