City Delhi Showbiz Latest News and Updates

A group of South Asian filmmakers, including Indian director Anurag Kashyap (Kennedy) and the team behind Pakistani Directors Fortnight title In Flames talked on a Cannes panel about how cinema can cross the political barriers that are keeping their countries apart. 

Naman Ramachandran Usman Riaz’s Annecy selection “The Glassworker” has unveiled its first trailer. The film will also screen at the Cannes Film Market and has set a date for theatrical release in Pakistan. The animated film will debut in Annecy’s Contrechamp strand.

Freed serial killer Charles Sobhraj, who allegedly murdered 20 backpackers in Asia, has been spotted amongst tourists in London.The 79-year-old French man was released from a Nepalese prison in 2022 after spending nearly two decades behind bars. Sobhraj, who inspired the hit BBC drama The Serpent in 2021, is suspected of killing at least 20 Western tourists who were travelling through Asia's "hippy trail" in the 1970s and 1980s. Now pictures show him visiting the UK wearing a false beard and wig, while he his being filmed for a documentary.

Naman Ramachandran India’s B62 Studios has an early 2024 hit with February release “Article 370,” and also has an ambitious slate lined up with plans for expanding into eastern Asia. B62 was launched by the brothers Dhar — Lokesh and Aditya — and is named after their address in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar neighborhood, where they grew up watching the best of Bollywood alongside arthouse cinema. Lokesh Dhar went on to a flourishing career in film marketing, distribution and syndication before turning to producing, while Aditya Dhar directed military action film “Uri: The Surgical Strike,” one of the biggest Indian box office hits of 2019.

Naman Ramachandran “Delhi Crime” creator Richie Mehta‘s India-set Prime Video series “Poacher” could become a global franchise. The Amazon original is produced by QC Entertainment, led by partners Sean McKittrick, Raymond Mansfield and Edward H. Hamm Jr., who backed Jordan Peele’s Oscar-winning “Get Out” and “Us” and Spike Lee’s Oscar, BAFTA and Cannes-winning “BlacKkKlansman.

Naman Ramachandran Prime Video has unveiled the first trailer for “Poacher,” the new series from Emmy-winning “Delhi Crime” creator Richie Mehta, executive produced by Bollywood star . An eight-part crime drama based on true events, “Poacher,” which bowed at Sundance 2023, uncovers the largest ivory poaching ring in Indian history.

Naman Ramachandran “Kalki 2898 AD,” the Indian sci-fi epic starring Prabhas, Amitabh Bachchan, Kamal Haasan, Deepika Padukone and Disha Patani, will release theatrically worldwide on May 9. The date was unveiled across Indian cities Varanasi, Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh, Chennai, Madurai, Hyderabad, Visakhapatnam, Guntur, Bhimavaram, Kashmir and Vijayawada by actors in the raider costumes featured in the film. The film, which is directed by Nag Ashwin and backed by Vyjayanthi Movies, was teased at the San Diego Comic-Con last year.

EXCLUSIVE: London-based sales and production outfit Dogwoof has boarded world sales for Anirban Dutta and Anupama Srinivasan’s Nocturnes, which will get its world premiere in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. 

Members of Extinction Rebellion and the Mothers Rebellion for Climate Justice were involved in a demonstration on Altrincham high street this morning.

Naman Ramachandran India’s Crawling Angel Films and Singapore’s Akanga Film Asia are teaming on Busan Asian Film School (AFiS) alumnus Aakash Chhabra’s feature directorial debut “I′ll Smile in September.” The film is selected at the Busan International Film Festival‘s Asian Project Market. Akanga’s credits include Cannes winner “Tiger Stripes,” Locarno winner “A Land Imagined” and its “Oasis of Now” is in competition in the festival’s New Currents strand.

Naman Ramachandran Producer Savita Raj Hiremath’s 2006 Bollywood cult classic “Khosla Ka Ghosla!” is being remade in the Telugu, Marathi and Kannada languages, it was revealed on the sidelines of the Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Contents and Film Market. Directed by Dibakar Banerjee and written by Jaideep Sahni, the Hindi-language film followed Khosla, a Delhi-based retired middle-class man who tries to get his land back from a swindling property dealer with the help of his sons and their friends. The Kannada version will be directed by Adarsh Eshwarappa (“Shuddhi”), the Telugu version by Vinod Anantoju (“Middle Class Melodies”) and the Marathi one by Kedar Shinde (“Baipan Bhari Deva”).

EXCLUSIVE: One of India’s most acclaimed directors and producers, Vishal Bhardwaj is making his Netflix debut with spy thriller Khufiya, starring Tabu, Ali Fazal and Wamiqa Gabbi.

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.

Naman Ramachandran Top Indian actor Anil Kapoor has won a landmark judgement against artificial intelligence (AI). The “Slumdog Millionaire” star had filed a suit in the Delhi High Court through his lawyer Ameet Naik for protection of his personality rights including his name, image, likeness, voice and other attributes of his personality against any misuse including on digital media.

EXCLUSIVE: Mumbai-based Reliance Entertainment is joining forces with Indian media group Mid-Day Infomedia in a strategic collaboration to bring real-life stories to the screen. 

THANK YOU FOR COMING

Naman Ramachandran Toronto Film Festival gala presentation “Thank You for Coming” is that rarity – a Bollywood sex comedy that also serves as a patriarch-bashing women empowerment tale. Bhumi Pednekar stars as Kanika Kapoor, a Delhi food blogger and serial monogamist, who has spent her adult life seeking a satisfying love match, both emotionally and physically, but has never had an orgasm.

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.

Naman Ramachandran Prolific Indian content studio Applause Entertainment, led by Sameer Nair, and acclaimed filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane’s Andolan Films are teaming to produce two politically-charged series. “Black Warrant” is based on the bestselling book “Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer,” by prison officer Sunil Gupta and Sunetra Choudhury, a journalist with vast experience of chronicling India’s prison system.

Prime Video has announced a slate of upcoming releases for its India service ahead of Prime Day 2023 (July 15-16 in India), including horror series Adhura and a Telugu adaptation of hit YA drama Hostel Days. 

One of the most enchanting elements of visiting a new part of the world is experiencing the local cuisine. Bold and beautiful flavours that tell a story, and awaken our senses as we indulge them in an authentic setting - there's nothing quite like it.

The BBC has been issued an Indian high court summons over its documentary, India: The Modi Question, according to local reports.

EXCLUSIVE: Emmy award-winning Indian producer Apoorva Bakshi (Delhi Crime) has boarded The Glassworker, Pakistan’s first ever Hayao Miyazaki-style animated feature, as an executive producer. 

Ethan Shanfeld It’s pouring rain in New York City, and Mercury Lounge is packed wall-to-wall with a few hundred 20-somethings — so tightly that Peter Cat Recording Co. must clear a path through the Lower East Side rock club to journey from the front of the house to the stage. Fans stand on sofas to catch a glimpse of the New Delhi-based five-piece as crew members climb over the audience, shuttling beers from the bar to the band. During the show, devotees hand gifts to the musicians and shout requests for deep cuts. Afterward, frontman Suryakant Sawhney, cloaked in a black button-down and eyeliner, smokes cigarettes outside with fans eager to shake his hand.

The Dalai Lama has issued an apology after a viral video showed him asking a young boy to "suck my tongue".

Naman Ramachandran Leading Indian studio Yash Raj Films’ streaming production arm YRF Entertainment has revealed its second show. Titled “Mandala Murders,” the multi-season series is billed as a gritty crime thriller. It is created and will be directed by Gopi Puthran (“Mardaani 2”). Manan Rawat, who has worked on several films as an associate director for the studio, will serve as co-director. Vaani Kapoor, who won critical acclaim playing a transgender character in film “Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui,” will lead the series, her debut in the streaming space, alongside Vaibhav Raj Gupta (SonyLIV series “Gullak”). Surveen Chawla (Netflix series “Decoupled”) and Jameel Khan (“Gullak”) have also been cast in prominent roles in “Mandala Murders.”

Many of us who are food lovers with a taste for Eastern cuisine have come to know what to expect from an Indian restaurant by now. Pakoras, popadoms, and Rogan Josh are usually staple dishes we can find on any menu, but one not-so-traditional desi restaurant in Manchester is choosing to do things a bit differently.

Naman Ramachandran Netflix has renewed International Emmy-winning hit Indian series “Delhi Crime” for a third season. The streamer’s India operation has also renewed “Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives,” “Kota Factory,” “Mismatched” and “She” for third seasons. Netflix India has also commissioned a documentary on the life of hip hop artist and rapper Yo Yo Honey Singh who will deep-dive into the reasons behind his sudden disappearance at the peak of his career. The documentary will be directed by Mozez Singh (Disney+ Hotstar series “Human”) and produced by Guneet Monga and Achin Jain‘s Sikhya Entertainment, 2023 Oscar winners for “The Elephant Whisperers.”

Amazon Prime Video may be rethinking its relationship with Jeremy Clarkson, but it has doubled down on James May.

Naman Ramachandran A galaxy of A-list talent will participate in SXSW’s inaugural South Asian House initiative. Panel discussion Creating South Asian Content for a Global Audience, will feature actor Rizwan Manji (“Schitt’s Creek”), Emmy-winning producer/writer for Vice, Falguni Adams (“Dateline NBC”) and Apoorva Bakshi, producer of International Emmy-winning series “Delhi Crime,” moderated by CEO of Jingo Media and producer of South Asian House Jitin Hingorani. Another panel, Investing in the Future of Our South Asian Stories, will feature CEO and co-founder of URL Media S. Mitra Kalita and actor Kausar Mohammed (“The Flash”), moderated by co-founder of Box Office Guru Media Gitesh Pandya.

Naman Ramachandran Singapore and India-based Mumba Devi Motion Pictures is screening two films at Berlin’s European Film Market (EFM) and has unveiled a slate of future titles. The company, headed by producer Sweta Chhabria and producer-director Aditya Kripalani, makes issue-based films focusing on stories that are mostly to do with gender and burning topics like suicide prevention and mental health. The outfit makes it a point to minimize the male gaze by bringing on board heads of department who are all women. Kripalani and Chhabria’s just-completed Singapore-set film “Grand Sugar Daddy,” which has its market premiere at EFM on Feb. 18, follows a 70-year-old widower who is introduced to the world of Sugar Daddies and Sugar Babies. The film traces his conversations with a Singaporean Chinese woman, an Indian woman and a transgender Malay.

Naman Ramachandran India’s income tax department is conducting searches of the BBC’s offices in the country’s capital New Delhi, according to the Associated Press. Three BBC staffers informed AP about the searches, the agency said. Meanwhile, a team from the tax department also surveyed the BBC’s Mumbai offices, per the Press Trust of India quoting unnamed sources. Variety has reached out to the BBC for comment. The searches come in the wake of the Indian government blocking the controversial two-part BBC documentary “India: The Modi Question.” The documentary was described on the BBC website as: “Narendra Modi’s premiership has been dogged by persistent allegations about the attitude of his government towards India’s Muslim population. This series investigates the truth behind these allegations and examines Modi’s backstory to explore other questions about his politics when it comes to India’s largest religious minority.”

Disney+ Hotstar is leading the pack in Hindi-speaking India.

Seeing is disbelieving when it comes to RRR, an Indian blockbuster set during the rule of the British Raj. Starring Telegu icons Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr. (N.T.R.), it’s a lavish adventure based loosely — very loosely — on two legendary Indian freedom fighters of the early 20th century, Alluri Sitarama Raju (Charan) and Komaram Bheem (N.T.R). Whether these two ever did drive motorcycles through exploding trains, fight with lions and tigers and bears, and challenge Delhi’s high society to a dance battle is a moot point, but the magic of S.S. Rajamouli’s delirious, incendiary epic — those three Rs stand for Rise, Roar, Revolt — is that it piles on the spectacle without ever losing its sense of fun.

The documentary form continued to flex its power in 2022, delivering stories and perspectives of astonishing breadth and sometimes granular artistry. What stood out were the movies that didn’t take their issues or subjects at face value, but rather sought something more resonant about the workings of the world, or even told us more about ourselves and what’s possible.

The Everest Base Camp trekkers from Perth Andrew Donaldson and Michael Atherton are on a new high - they’ve summited their fundraising target.