Applause Entertainment and Zindagi Set South Asian Content Partnership: ‘We Are at the Cusp of Something Quite Dramatic’ (EXCLUSIVE)

It’s been reported that Katy Perry feels “sick to her stomach" following the allegations made against Russell Brand.

While a fairly quiet frame overall, there were some significant milestones this international box office session. To wit: New Line/Warner Bros’ The Nun II topped the $200M mark worldwide and Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan became the highest-grossing Bollywood movie ever in India, overtaking the star’s earlier 2023 movie, Pathaan.

Naman Ramachandran Indian streamer Disney+ Hotstar has unveiled a trailer for 1960s-set series “Sultan of Delhi,” directed by Milan Luthria (“Once Upon a Time in Mumbaai”). The nine-episode series is based on the book “Sultan of Delhi: Ascension” by Arnab Ray and produced by Reliance Entertainment. It stars Tahir Raj Bhasin, Anjumm Shharma, Vinay Pathak and Nishant Dahiya in pivotal roles, alongside Anupriya Goenka, Mouni Roy, Harleen Sethi and Mehreen Pirzada.

Line of Duty star Vicky McClure is to lead the cast of Paramount+ UK drama Insomnia.

Indian film star Anil Kapoor, better known in the West for his role in Danny Boyle’s “Slumdog Millionaire” and “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol”, made a splash at the recently concluded Toronto International Film Festival with “Thank You For Coming” – which he co-produces and stars in.

K.J. Yossman BBC Studios has merged three areas of its formats business to create a new global entertainment division led by Matt Forde.

EXCLUSIVE: Netflix closed a $20 million deal on Hit Man, making the biggest deal at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and of the year for that matter. After the Richard Linklater-directed noir comic thriller debuted to raves at Venice, the film was expected to fetch the biggest deal of the fall festivals so far. Hit Man did not disappoint. Hit Man stars Top Gun Maverick’s Glen Powell and Adria Arjona (Andor) playing the most unlikely romantic partners, in performances that will boost each of their careers. Especially Powell, who co-wrote with Linklater what will be a major star turn for him. Netflix got US, UK, Australia/New Zealand, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, and Iceland. There is also a theatrical component to the deal, I’ve heard.

Amid the onslaught of criminal sexual assault and abuse accusations against Russell Brand, a past interview from his ex-wife, Katy Perry, is now making rounds on social media.

Naman Ramachandran U.K. broadcaster ITV has signed a deal with UEFA to become the new home of England men’s soccer qualifying games. All European qualifiers, UEFA Nations League ties and friendlies between major tournaments will be shown on ITV from September 2024 through to June 2028.

Despite fears for the future of film in the new, seemingly disposable digital era, there are still many auteurs holding on out there in the modern movie landscape. For example, there’s Quentin Tarantino, Christopher Nolan and even Michael Bay (for, as director Tarsem said of the latter’s work, “You may not like it, but you know who made it”). But few directors are as instantly recognizable as Wes Anderson. Nothing happens by accident in a Wes Anderson movie: the camera moves are perfectly choreographed — sideways tracking shots are a specialty — and the sets don’t even begin to aim for realism. Clothes are tailored, hair and makeup is scrutinized all the way down to lipstick and nail polish, and music is key, creating a subtle, sometimes melancholy and always wholly effective emotional backdrop.

Naman Ramachandran Indian star Karthik Sivakumar, known by his screen name Karthi, is bullish about upcoming release “Japan,” his 25th film. The film is due to release in November during the Deepavali holiday frame in Tamil, Telugu and a few other languages.

Naman Ramachandran “Baahubali” star Rana Daggubati who also serves as a board member of the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival, has revealed plans to engage with South Asian independent filmmakers at this year’s edition. The festival, which was hitherto focused on discovering Indian films and filmmakers, has pivoted to becoming one that spotlights South Asian talent, meaning films from India’s neighbors will also be showcased. Daggubati is uniquely placed to foster the burgeoning independent cinema scene via several companies that he is involved in.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Charades has closed multiple deals on “There’s Something in the Barn,” Magnus Martens’s (“Fear the Walking Dead”) comedy horror movie from “Dead Snow” producers at 74 Entertainment and XYZ Films. The English-language movie is headlined by Martin Starr (“Freaks and Geeks,” “Spider Man”), Amrita Acharia (“Game of Thrones”) and Jeppe Beck Laursen (“The Last Kingdom”).

Naman Ramachandran Netflix and leading Indian studio Yash Raj Films (YRF) have set a multi-year creative partnership. The two entities will “collaborate to create films and series to bring defining stories to audiences in India and across the world,” they said in a statement. The partnership will kick off with four-part thriller series “The Railway Men,” a previously-announced tribute to the unsung heroes of the 1984 Bhopal gas tragedy.

The cost of living continues to make most people think more about their spending habits and try to keep an eye on the number of outgoings.

Naman Ramachandran Anand Patwardhan, the doyen of Indian documentary filmmaking, will premiere his new film, “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” (“The World Is Family”) at the Toronto Film Festival. The film focuses on Patwardhan’s parents and close family members and juxtaposes Mahatma Gandhi and the history of India’s independence movement with contemporary times. “As my parents began to age, I began filming to preserve their memory for myself but had no intention to make a film as such.

EXCLUSIVE: Radu Jude’s Do Not Expect Too Much From The End Of The World, which has just been submitted as Romania’s official entry into the International Oscar race, has been picked up by Mubi for multiple key territories. 

Naman Ramachandran Sony’s “The Equalizer 3” has finally toppled the six-week reign of “Barbie” atop the U.K. and Ireland box office. Antoine Fuqua’s action thriller, headlined by Denzel Washington and Dakota Fanning, debuted with £2.7 million ($3.4 million), per numbers from Comscore.

Naman Ramachandran Filmmakers Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti (Berlin title “Gully Boy”) are basking in the success of their Prime Video series “Dahaad” and season 2 of “Made in Heaven.” “Made in Heaven” revolves around the lives of two wedding planners in Delhi. Each episode sees traditional and modern values clashing with secrets being exposed. The first season bowed in 2019 and earned an International Emmy best actor nomination for Arjun Mathur for playing out and proud wedding planner Karan Mehra.

After a wet and mild summer, claims that Scotland and the rest of the UK may be in for an Indian Summer have been circulating.