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04 Feb 2022
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‘Love Hostel’, starring Vikrant Massey, Sanya Malhotra and Bobby Deol will premiere on ZEE5 Global

February 4, 2022 No Comments

ZEE5 Global, the largest streaming platform for South Asian content and multilingual storyteller for multiple entertainment seekers, ended 2021 on a high with the success of Bob Biswas, which was in partnership with Red Chillies Entertainment. The movie not only became an instant hit but also crossed 11.2 million + views in a month’s time. Now, ZEE5 Global and Red Chillies Entertainment are back with an aim to deliver another successful content offering, Love Hostel. The series is set to premiere on 25th February.

Written and Directed by Shanker Raman, Love Hostel traces the volatile journey of a spirited young couple (Vikrant and Sanya), being hunted by a ruthless mercenary (Bobby Deol). The star-crossed lovers take on the entire world in search of their fairy-tale ending. Set against the pulsating backdrop of rustic North India, Love Hostel is tale of hope and survival in a world where power, money, principles lead to mayhem and bloodshed.


Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, said, “As a global platform reaching out to millions of South Asians across the globe, we look to continually expand our rich library with content across diverse genres that will engage our viewers, and we are partnering with the best production houses and powerhouse talent for this. We’re happy to announce, ‘Love Hostel’, which is our second outing with Red Chillies Entertainment after the resounding success of Bob Biswas. Love Hostel, an edgy thriller with a stellar star cast is sure to have our viewers hooked and we look forward to releasing it on ZEE5 Global for our audiences worldwide”.

Director, Shanker Raman said, “Love hostel is at its core a “love on the run” film. It has been a deeply satisfying journey and it would not have been possible without the support of a stellar cast and the crew. Along with Red Chillies Entertainment, Drishyam Films and ZEE5 backing it, I am certain Love Hostel will thrill our audience with its exciting content”.

Gaurav Verma, Producer & COO Red Chillies Entertainment, said, “Over the last few years, at Red chillies we have moved from strength to strength in terms of the wide variety of content that we want to do. Love Hostel is another strong step in that direction. Shanker (Raman) is a filmmaker with a lot of heart, and we are delighted to back his vision. I am extremely proud of how the film has turned out”.

Manish Mundra, Producer, Drishyam Films, said, “We are happy and excited for my second collaboration with Red Chillies Entertainment after Kaamyaab. Together with Red Chillies, we have strived to bring the best of Indian cinema to the forefront and it’s always a pleasure joining hands with them. With Love Hostel, I am thrilled to bring a new-age commercial kind of cinema, which is still story-driven, to the Indian cinema landscape. The plot and script of the film is compelling and is sure to keep the audience on the edge of their seats! We have an excellent ensemble star cast with Bobby Deol, Sanya Malhotra and Vikrant Massey and they have done a stellar job in their respective roles. We cannot wait for the audience to watch the film!”

Love Hostel is produced by Gauri Khan, Manish Mundra and Gaurav Verma, and is a Red Chillies Entertainment presentation of a Drishyam Films production.

Love Hostel will premiere on 25th February on ZEE5 Global

04 Feb 2022
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Trailer: ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ trailer is exactly what we were expecting – pure shock and awe!

February 4, 2022 No Comments

Film maker Sanjay Leela Bhansali has given definitions to breathtaking visual spectacle and engaging cinema with his extraordinary storytelling. Known to perfect every aspect of his filmmaking, the director has put global audiences in awe of his cinema. In 25 glorious years, the director has given something new and spectacular with every story and Gangubai Kathiawadi is all set to change the face on cinema upon its release.

The anticipation for this project starring Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn has been massive, with constant excitement and buzz surrounding the film from all corners of the globe. The just launched trailer promises nothing short of a big ticket blockbuster Sanjay Leela Bhansali cinematic spectacle, poised to be Alia Bhatt’s best work yet. 

Marking 25 years in the Hindi Film Industry, the director has always been celebrated for his unparalleled contribution to Indian Cinema and his 10th film indeed has been special for him.
Gangubai Kathiawadi has also been selected to be screened at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival in February and will have its world premiere at the festival, to be screened as part of Berlinale Special, a segment of the film festival which is dedicated to showcase exemplary cinema.

Viacom18 Studios & Paramount Pictures International will be distributing Gangubai Kathiawadi in all International markets outside of India.

Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Dr. Jayantilal Gada (Pen Studios), the film is all set to release theatrically on 25th February 2022.


Watch the official trailer for Gangubai Kathiawadi here:

03 Feb 2022
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Sanjay Leela Bhansali presents two posters with the leading cast in ‘Gangubai Kathiwadi’

February 3, 2022 No Comments

Director, Sanjay Leela Bhansali,  has unveiled two new character posters from his much-anticipated film, Gangubai Kathiawadi. The creatives reveal superstar, Ajay Devgn, in his screen avatar in the film for the first time, alongside a new character depiction of leading lady in the titular role, Alia Bhatt. 

Synonymous with bringing iconic and timeless characters to life  onscreen in each of his films, the latest images to be released by the filmmaker continue to build the buzz ahead of the film’s World Premiere at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival on 16th February, followed thereafter by its worldwide, theatrical release on 25th February. Depicted in the filmmaker’s inimitable style, the screen avatars are all set to join the hall of fame of global cinema’s most iconic characters alongside many of the multi award-winning director’s earlier filmic creations.

Gangubai Kathiawadi has been chosen to be screened as part of Berlinale Special, a segment of the film festival that is dedicated to showcasing exemplary cinema from across the globe. This year’s selections are films that have been shot during the pandemic. As Sanjay Leela Bhansali completed the film against the backdrop of pandemic challenges in his milestone, 25th anniversary year in the world of cinema, his tenth film, Gangubai Kathiawadi,  has been of particular significance.

Speaking about the film’s selection at Berlin Film Festival, Carlo Chatrian, Artistic Director, Berlin International Film Festival said, “We are happy to premiere Gangubai Kathiawadi and continue the tradition of the Berlin Film Festival being a special setting for Indian movies. This time with a film that joins the usual craft in shaping camera movement and the choreography of bodies with a subject that is socially relevant, not only in India. From the very beginning we were taken by the story of Gangubai, an exceptional woman dragged into exceptional circumstances.”

Produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Dr. Jayantilal Gada (Pen Studios), the film is all set to release theatrically on 25th February 2022

03 Feb 2022
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Trailer: ‘Mithya’ is an intense spine-chilling drama headlined by Huma Qureshi and debutante Avantika Dassani

February 3, 2022 No Comments

ZEE5 Global, the largest streaming platform for South Asian content, just dropped the trailer of psychological thriller, Mithya, set to premiere on 18th February. Starring Huma Qureshi and Avantika Dassani in lead roles, Mithya is a 6-part ZEE5 Original series, directed by Rohan Sippy and Produced by Applause Entertainment in association with Rose Audio Visual Production. The series marks Avantika Dassani’s debut and stars Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajit Kapur and Samir Soni in pivotal roles.

Mithya has Huma Qureshi essaying the role of Juhi, a Hindi literature university professor and Avantika Dassani as her student, Rhea Rajguru. What sparks off as a matter of academic deception, soon spirals into a conflicted relationship between the two leading to a devastating sequence of events. As Juhi and Rhea engage in a head-to-head psychological combat, both unwilling to back down, Mithya takes a dark turn and threatens to engulf the two and everyone around them. 

Rohan Sippy said, “Mithya is a tense and dramatic thriller, playing out in a university where knowledge and truth is pursued, but each character deceive each other, us, and ultimately themselves. We hope that Mithya will have audiences on the edge of their seat with constant twists, turns, revelations and consequences”.

Huma Qureshi said, “When I read the script of Mithya, I was immediately drawn to this world and all the layered characters. It was exciting to be a part of a genre like this and to play a Hindi professor, which is a first for me. I loved working with Rohan Sippy, Goldie Behl and all the actors and I am hoping that Mithya keeps you’ll hooked just the way I was”.

Avantika Dassani said, “I am so excited for a little piece of our series to be out and for the audience to know what they’re in for. Working on this series has been an institution of learning for me. From Rohan sir’s thorough guidance to bring the well etched out Rhea from the script to screen or sharing space with phenomenal actors like Huma, Parambrata, Rajit sir and our whole cast, who have all been so giving and encouraging, Mithya as my first project, has been nothing short of a dream”.

Parambrata Chatterjee said, “Thrillers are the flavour of the season, but Mithya is unique, engrossing, and compelling. It was a treat to shoot in Darjeeling with a stellar cast and crew where we were all driven towards delivering one of the best dark psychological thrillers in India. I think we have done a pretty good job and we are now waiting for the audience’s verdict on 18th February”.


Mithya will stream exclusively on ZEE5 Global from 18th February

Watch the official Mithya trailer here:

01 Feb 2022
Reviews & Recommendations No Comments Permalink

A Very Vulnerable Kapil Sharma Takes Us On A Journey In ‘I’m Not Done Yet’

February 1, 2022 No Comments

When Kapil Sharma first announced his stand-up special on Netflix, I expected him to present an extension of his television persona and jokes. The impression I got from the teaser was him utilizing the Netflix stage to share stories and jokes he can’t on traditional television with The Kapil Sharma Show.

I was proven both right and wrong – he did the latter and let go of the former.

Described as the “Kind of Comedy” in India, Sharma came to the limelight around 2007 after winning The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, following which he slowly became a household name.

However, the world only saw his rise to fame and success and the incidents that led to his (so-called) downfall; nobody cared for or experienced his journey.

Image from I'm Not Done Yet

I recently came across a quote by Swami Sivananda that I was reminded of after watch this Netflix special.

“The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle”… and that’s the essence of I’m Not Done Yet.

It isn’t a typical comedy stand-up special that will make you laugh till your cheeks hurt or sides split, but it will certainly make you empathize and smile with him.

Sharma gets candid about his alcohol addiction, fall out with the press, the media and the world in general, his battle with depression and conversations with his therapists.

The 54-minute monologue is a sincere attempt to talk to a room full of people and the viewers through the streaming platform who may have judged him or have stereotyped him as a low-brow comedian.

Sharma tries to include few punches and subtle jokes throughout his stand-up but is visibly uncomfortable and overwhelmed absorbing the fact that a ginormous network like Netflix has given him some space to speak. It may seem insignificant to some, but it’s a huge deal for an artist who was written off by the whole world not too long ago.

A very vulnerable Sharma takes us on a journey of his life sharing anecdotes from his past, moments with his late father, meeting his now wife, climbing the ladder slowly and steady. And while this could be labelled as a “rags to riches” story, it’s so much deeper than that.

It’s the story of anyone who’s worked hard for their dreams. It’s the journey of anyone who has strived to learn and grow, fought against failure multiple times, and survived to enjoy the sweet taste of success and contentment.

Image from I'm Not Done Yet

Remember how we applauded Hannah Gadsby for her boldly unapologetic Netflix special Nanette [2018], where the Australian comic attempted to redefine the standards of comedy through personal revelations and turmoil, I’m Not Done Yet deserves the same praise.

Sharma may be a celebrity today, but success isn’t achieved overnight. While everyone is always interested in “success stories”, nobody knows the amount of hard work, struggle, sleepless nights, planning, failing and restarting it takes to climb that mountain.

Verdict:

Kapil Sharma’s I’m Not Done Yet is an honest expression of a man sharing his deepest, darkest insecurities and faith to overcome it all… because he’s not done yet.

It is steaming on Netflix.

01 Feb 2022
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The title track of ‘Gehraiyaan’ is a Melodious Ode to Love and Longing

February 1, 2022 No Comments

The soundtrack of Amazon Original Movie Gehraiyaan has been creating waves worldwide and has everyone hooked. The soothing melody of the title track has already won hearts with the short glimpse that was released with the film’s teaser. The full song which is out now is the perfect musical ode to love and longing.

Designed and Penned by Ankur Tewari, the lyrics perfectly emote the intense narrative of the film and its characters. Composed by Kabeer a.k.a OAFF and Savera, Gehraiyaan is a Hindi adaptation of the original song, Frontline by the same artists and features vocals by Lothika Jha. With its first track Doobey already topping the charts, Gehraiyaan’s soundtrack is already proving to be hit among the audiences!

Featuring Deepika Padukone, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday and Dhairya Karwa as leads, the film also includes Naseeruddin Shah and Rajat Kapur in pivotal roles.

Jointly produced by Viacom18 Studios and Dharma Productions in association with director Shakun Batra’s Jouska Films, the movie will have its World Premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video on February 11, 2022 in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

The song is released by Sony Music India and is available to view here:

31 Jan 2022
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After the success of ‘Radhe’, Salman Khan is back on ZEE5 with ‘Antim’

January 31, 2022 No Comments

ZEE5 Global, the largest streaming platform for South Asian Content, has been consistently delivering back-to-back blockbusters with a diverse content slate of compelling stories that span across genres. Adding another blockbuster to its library, the platform has released Antim: The Final Truth. Starring Salman Khan and Aayush Sharma, the film narrates the story of two individuals with differing ideologies who belong to two divergent worlds, leading to a nail-biting finale. The film portrays some powerful and action-packed content. 

This film is Salman Khan’s third and successful collaboration with ZEE5, after Kaagazand Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai. His popular, iconic films like Hum Aapke Hai Kaun, Wanted, Partner, No Entry, Karan Arjun, Hello Brother, Hum Saath Saath Hai, Maine Pyar Kiya and many more are also available on the platform, giving his fans iconic Salman Khan movies to binge watch. 

Archana Anand, Chief Business Officer, ZEE5 Global, said,“We are deeply committed to bringing our global viewers a wide variety of content choices month after month with latest Originals and blockbuster releases. Salman Khan films bring out a different energy among audiences not only in India but also across global markets. We’re happy to be partnering with Salman Khan Films once again now for Antim: The Final Truth.”

Talking about the film’s premiere on ZEE5, Salman Khan Films spokesperson said, “The audience gave an overwhelming response to the theatrical release of Antim: The Final Truth. We are happy  that they can now watch the film at their convenience and post the success of Radhe, what better platform than ZEE5 to premiere it.”
  
Talking about the film, Aayush Sharma’s spokesperson shares, “The astounding response to Rahuliya has been overwhelming for the entire team of ‘Antim: The Final Truth’. It was heart-warming to see the response the film received in theatres after a long time, now as the film has hit ZEE5, we are glad that it would reach a wider audience.” 

Watch Antim: The Final Truth now on ZEE5 Global

26 Jan 2022
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Why is everyone divided over the trailer and song of ‘Gehraiyaan’, and why am I ?

January 26, 2022 No Comments

The trailer of the much-talked-about film Gehraiyaan dropped few days ago and has left the audience divided.

The film centers around the drama and complexities of every relationship and the harsh reality of outgrowing them as well.

However, it seems to be romanticizing the idea of infidelity, or that’s what comes across in the trailer and the follow up promotional material. Most are even terming it as the modern-day Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna !

While this is probably a premature analysis, since we’ve only been exposed to a 2 minutes 42 seconds trailer and a song, I want to highlight the problematic superficial headlines and dialogue it has started.

Image from Gehraiyaan

The promotions of the film started earlier this week and the internet is filled with press releases and fluff pieces about Gehraiyaan.

The few that got my attention were highlighting the “sizzling chemistry” between actors Deepika Padukone and Siddhant Chaturvedi in the new song Doobey.

While the on-screen chemistry is certainly “sizzling” and sensuous, it doesn’t take away from the fact that it’s showing you the first phase of “falling in love”, i.e. the honeymoon period. Everything is hunky dory in this phase anyway – you love everything about your new partner and the see the world through your rose-tinted glasses.

So are all the love-making scenes, popping champagne in a bathtub, etc. to be celebrated here or should we keep it to the theme of the film, because that’s what happens before things get messy… especially when you’re cheating on your partner.

My point is – is it the best way to promote such a subject by focusing on a “sizzling chemistry” in a song or perhaps talk about the complex theme about relationships or maybe even the essence of the song?

That said, I’m no expert in reviewing poetry / songs but I fell in love with the lyrics that seamlessly define the emotions of the two characters – drowned (doobey) in each other’s presence, without a care in the world. They are restless (besabar) because they’re aware of their forbidden relationship but unaware (bekhabar) why their connection is so strong.

The two were riding solo in their boats till they collided and became part of the ocean, free flowing in every breath (Lo kashtiyaan humaari hun takra gayi, leher leher dono ka dil besafar).

Image from Gehraiyaan

While all the intimacy between the characters is presented sensitively, let’s not forget the crux of the story – cheating!

Also, it certainly isn’t the first time this theme is being explored in a film. But it is perhaps the first time in a long time that its being presented on such a large scale with tremendous production value and star-power, that it has the burden or responsibility of steering the conversation.

Hope Gehraiyaan doesn’t encourage the stereotype of millennials and Gen-Z’s not being serious about the notion of love and commitment.

I wonder how the audience will perceive it – Do we simply enjoy the film for it aesthetic appeal and storyline or use it to drive a conversation about infidelity and its portrayal in films? Guess we’ll find out on February 11, 2022 on Amazon Prime Video.

Image from Gehraiyaan

PS: Doobey is a really soulful song that’s been on repeat on my Spotify for 2 days. Kudos to Ankur Tewari for designing it, composers by Kabeer Kathpalia a.k.a OAFF and Savera, writer Kausar Munir and singer by Lothika Jha.

25 Jan 2022
Films, Reviews & Recommendations No Comments Permalink

‘Rose Island’ is a delightfully inspiring piece of history from 1960’s

January 25, 2022 No Comments

In 2009, Rancho (Aamir Khan) from 3 Idiots said “kabil bano, kamyabi toh jhak maarke peeche bhagegi” [pursue excellence and success will follow].

Why am I bringing that up in my review of Rose Island? Because it’s about a crazy engineer who coincidentally also didn’t care to play by the rules.

Based on a true story, the film is about an Italian engineer Giorgio Rosa (Elio Germano) who built an island outside territorial waters in 1960s because … well, because he could!

Rose Island tells the story about Rosa who was misunderstood for his unconventional ideologies and his need to break the mold, which often landed him in trouble.

Frustrated with continuously being controlled by the system and even his loved ones, Rosa decides to build his own independent nation free of any restrictions or judgements.

He comes across an opportunity to do so on international waters outside Italy, off the Rimini coast and wastes no time to marry his engineering expertise and urge to be free.

What follows is an adventure of a lifetime and a place in history for a man who built an island in the middle of the ocean. A man who created an opportunity not only for himself but also for people like him who sought a place of peace, revolution, and lots of partying.

The issue arises when the Italian government discovers the rising popularity of the independent island and rushes to shut it down due to fear losing authority over their citizens.

Comes to think of it, the world isn’t much different in 2022 where we’re still debating privacy laws and increasing surveillance over our every move.

While some would describe Rosa as an anarchist, others would see him as a visionary. Rosa wasn’t trying to prove a point; he was simply taking control of his life and refused to let anyone dictate his freedom – whether it was freedom of his choice of residence or the car he drove. Isn’t that what we all want anyway, or at least strive for?

The difference is he quit preaching about it and just went in guns blazing, or should I say drills blazing in the sea and got himself a micro-nation.

Final Verdict:

Is it a cinematic masterpiece? Not really.

Is it a delightfully inspiring piece of history that’s relevant even in today’s political climate? ABSOLUTELY!

Popcorn Rating –   [3/5]

Rose Island is streaming on Netflix.