Entertainment
B-Town: OTT space on fire
Mumbai, March 10 (IANS) The OTT platforms are getting hyperactive: Jio and Disney+Hotstar have become a single entity, Netflix has announced 22 new projects, all with top filmmakers and Amazon Prime has set March 19 as the date for launching what it calls The Next Chapter of the India Story!
The OTT platforms arrived in the country in 2016 but the awareness about them took some time to build up. People were happy with their films and television serials. The OTT platforms did not come for free. Their subscription rates were much higher than the local cable or satellite Set Top Box (STB) rates.
Besides, all these platforms initially offered mainly international content to our viewers, who had been fed on Hindi content, be it films or TV. The audience for Hollywood films in India was limited mainly to a few metros. And all those who watched Hollywood films were familiar with the stars and had their favourites.
Even some who did not follow English, did follow certain Hollywood genres such as war, western or action films just for the fun of seeing the visuals. The language did not matter. Cinemas screening foreign films, however, were few. There was that kind of audience segregation and cinemas catered to different tastes differently.
Following the arrival of OTT platforms, and sensing the shortcomings in their Indian content, Indian television channels such as Sony India and Zee, and much later, content creators like Shemaroo, which held the copyright to a lot of film content, decided to enter the OTT business.
Initially, the OTT platforms had little to offer to viewers except for films, though a lot of them were telecast on TV or cable networks and, on this count, Indian platforms enjoyed an edge because they held the rights to films and film-based programmes.
The last time when I wrote about OTT platforms, we had 40 of them catering to Indian subscribers. Today, the count is estimated at around 60. And these don’t include fly-by-night entrepreneurs. OTT platforms such as Don Cinema, Talkies, Primeshots and Gemplex are some that are untraceable.
Netflix and Amazon were among the ones to bring OTT to India. But a few people, if at all, talked about the medium. And to think about it, as of today, they are considered to be the premier sources of entertainment content for people who have some kind of internet access, whether it is via a desktop, laptop, TV set or mobile. This is the medium that can be accessed at any time, whether one is travelling, commuting, in the office, or relaxing at home.
Some people started thinking, why pay for OTT and for cable or satellite TV. Some got wiser and decided to opt for OTT because it offered more choice, including what you got on television. OTT opened the world of international content for people in India.
The struggling OTT platforms came to their own when the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. Stuck at home because of lockdowns, and with cinemas shut down, restless Indians started looking for entertainment delivered at home. TV channels had very little to offer as shoots had stopped. OTT platforms filled in this entertainment gap.
Producers whose films were awaiting release but did not know how long the pandemic-induced lockdown would last, opted for the premieres of their films on OTT platforms. For Indians, there is no bigger lure than watching a new feature film. Especially so when people were starved of their traditional entertainment.
Films have always been a big draw and even before the days of OTT, there were video libraries, Pay TV, and, of course, movie channels. Besides commissioning web series, the OTT platforms started buying rights to films, and that put paid to the future of satellite rights. A movie was available within weeks of its theatrical release on OTT.
Also over was the era of video discs. OTT complemented the film business. It has become another source of income paying more than TV rights and is piracy-proof.
Now, the circumstances are such that feature films are not drawing footfalls in cinemas and even the supply has proved to be erratic. This is one situation. The other seems to be the aggressive ways of the OTT platforms.
Jio is taking the competition from all other OTT platforms head-on. It started with cricket, a game which has gained more popularity than movies in India. Presently, the platform and Jio Sports are airing, among other sports activities, the India-England Test series and the Women’s Premier League (WPL), which will be followed by the biggest cricket jamboree in India, the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Even when the Jio and Disney+Hotstar deal was in the works, Netflix plunged head-on into Hindi content, having signed up top-rung filmmakers. Sanjay Leela Bhansali will make a streaming serial, ‘Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar’. Yash Raj Films projects for Netflix are ‘Mandala Murders’ and ‘Maharaja’.
The other projects are Excel Entertainment’s ‘Dabba Caartel’, Another will be Anupam Kher’s ‘Vijay 69’, even as Anubhav Sinha recreates the 1999 Indian Airlines hijack drama in ‘IC 184: The Kandhar Hijack’.
The list goes on: Ravi KIshan starring in ‘Maamla Legal Hai’, ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’, the musical biopic ‘Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous’, ‘The Greatest Rivalry: India vs. Pakistan’, ‘Mismatched Season 3’, ‘Khakee: The Bengal Chapter’, ‘Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein Season 2’, ‘Fabulous Lives vs. Bollywood Wives’, ‘To Kill a Tiger’ and ‘Kota Factory Season 3’.
The film slate includes ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’, ‘Do Patti’, ‘Maharaj’, ‘Murder Mubarak’, ‘Phir Aayi Hasseen Dillruba’, ‘Sikandar Ka Muqaddar’, ‘Vijay 69’, and ‘Wild Wild Punjab’.
The plans of Amazon Prime Video promise to be interesting. The platform is slated to make some big announcements on March 19.
Jio will corner the eyeballs for the next couple of months with the IPL telecast while it works on adding fresh content. With the merger deal it controls the content of Disney+Hotstar, Warner Brothers (WB) and Home Box Office (HBO).
As if this much action was not enough, now a state government has decided to launch its own OTT platform. On March 7, the Kerala Government flagged off C Space. The Kerala State Film Development Corporation (KSFDC) will manage the platform. So far, C Space has selected 42 films, mostly winners of national and state awards.
OTT platforms may offer any number of web series but nothing attracts the viewer more than a film, especially if the filmmaker is a celebrated name. Looks like Netflix has just that in mind.
Guess who stands to benefit from this and get their money’s worth, which they have not been getting from the cinemas? The audience, of course. This competition among OTT platforms will mean more options.
–IANS
vinod/srb
Entertainment
Pushpa 2 earns RS 1085 CR in pre-release collection
Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Entertainment
'Aashiqui' star Anu Aggarwal recalls how filmmakers would come to her without scripts
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
dc/khz
Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
sp/
Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
dc/
Entertainment
Sonam Kapoor flaunts her ‘minimal, bold and effortlessly on point’ look
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
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