Digital Media

21 days ago

6543 views

Episode 7 of Stranger Things 5 Turns Nightmare For Netflix: Here Is Why

Los Angeles, December — One of the most loved web shows, Stranger Things, hits an unexpected rough patch for Netflix. Episode 7 of Season 5, the penultimate chapter titled The Bridge, has triggered massive backlash online, turning into what many are calling a nightmare for Netflix just days before the series finale. Soon after release, ST5 witnessed an unprecedented drop in audience ratings across major platforms. It became the lowest-rated season in the show's history, a shocking development for a show that has enjoyed near-universal acclaim over the years. For a penultimate episode, typically designed to peak tension and hype, the response was far below expectations. One of the biggest concerns for Netflix is the clear review bombing that followed Volume 2's release. Thousands of one-star ratings flooded IMDb and other platforms within hours, particularly for episode 7. This sudden surge in negative reactions significantly dragged down the episode's overall score and dominated online discourse. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A backlash campaign for the show seemed to ignite after the sci-fi horror thriller series' penultimate episode, The Bridge, which features a scene in which Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) comes out as gay to his friends. The lengthy monologue came as the Hawkins gang geared up to face Vecna, the big bad from the Upside Down. The Bridge is now the lowest-rated episode of the entire Stranger Things show on IMDb, with a score of 5.4 out of 10. (It's the only episode below a 7.8, with most ranging between 8.6 and 9.2.) More than 96,000 users reviewed The Bridge episode on IMDb, while fewer than 50,000 people have rated most other episodes this season. The backlash for episode 7 has particularly been in the USA, where over 7K users gave 1-star ratings, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4K users. In India, 1.5K users have reviewed the episode with 1-star ratings. The recent episodes have dragged the season's Rotten Tomatoes score from the 70s down to 56%, a stark decline from the show's previous seasons. (For reference, the Season 4 Popcornmeter sits at 89%, Season 3 at 86%, Season 2 at 90% and Season 1 at 96%.) (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Why This Is a Nightmare for Netflix For Netflix, the situation is particularly damaging because Stranger Things is one of its flagship global brands. The backlash arrived right before the series finale, which might harm the overall viewership on the platform and also its box office prospects (the final episode will have a theatrical release in North America). The show's finale is scheduled to release on New Year's Eve, and as said, will have limited theatrical release. In India, it will drop on Netflix on January 1st at 6 AM. All eyes are now on Episode 8, and how the audience perceives it. Stay tuned...

Bollywood

686 days ago

6896 views

Yash Raj Films Officially Confirms Alia Bhatt-Led Female Spy Universe Film

Mumbai, March 6 - Though it is not a hidden secret anymore, Yash Raj Films has officially confirmed that there will be a female-led film in the studio's ambitious Spy Universe film and it will be headlined by superstar Alia Bhatt. ## Over the last few months, there have been confirmed reports stating about Alia's Spy Universe debut to lead a solo female movie, and now, YRF CEO, Akshaye Widhani has confirmed the same. confirmed this huge development at FICCI Frames on March 5 (via India Today). ## Calling Spy Universe as YRF's biggest IP, Widhani said, "I'll share the worst-kept secret in the industry, which is, Alia Bhatt is headlining a Spy Universe film and that the schedule starts later this year. But you know, talking about this spy universe, we are just so thrilled and excited about having this IP in the studio". ## As reported, Alia Bhatt will be joined by actress Sharvari Wagh in the supporting role. It was also revealed that director Shiv Rawail, who helmed YRF's critically acclaimed web show The Railway Man, is on board to direct the upcoming movie which starts production later this year. ## The yet-untitled project will be the 7th film in YRF's Spy Universe, after Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and the currently on floors War 2. After Alia's film, YRF will move to Pathaan 2 with Shah Rukh Khan, followed by the biggest film of the Spy Universe, Tiger vs. Pathaan. ## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

777 days ago

9352 views

'Leo' Hindi and 'Mission Raniganj' First Week Viewership On Netflix

Mumbai, December 6 - Thalapathy Vijay's box office blockbuster Leo had its worldwide debut on Netflix on November 28 in all versions, however, only the Hindi version of the film could make it to the streamer's top 10 viewership chart. Netflix released its weekly chart in which two Indian films finished in the top 5 during the week of November 27 - December 4. ## The Hindi version of "Leo" scored 6.8 million viewing hours from 2.5 million views and was the third most-watched non-English film in the world on Netflix in its first week. The film is trending in the top 10 in 9 countries, including number 1 in Maldives, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.## Akshay Kumar's rescue thriller Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue also started on a decent note on Netflix and was the 5th most watched non-English title on the streamer in the week of Nov 27 - Dec 3. The film had a below-average outing in its theatrical run despite getting positive reviews and now trying to find some attraction on OTT. ## "Mission Raniganj" was released on Netflix on December 1st and scored 5.5 million viewing hours from 2.4 million views in its first three days. It is trending in the top 10 in 12 countries, including number 1 in India. The film is getting a good reception from OTT audiences which should help it to garner good viewership going ahead. ## Meanwhile, Yash Raj Films' production web series The Railway Men - The Untold Story Of Bhopal 1984 crossed 30 million viewing hours (32.6 million total) from 8.2 million views. It was the 5th most non-English web show in the world during the last week and continues to trend in the top 10 in 15 countries, including number 1 in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. ## Stay tuned...

Bollywood

908 days ago

10243 views

Amazon Prime Video's 'Mirzapur' Series To Be Adapted Into A Feature Film?

Mumbai, July 28 - Amazon Prime Video action crime thriller "Mirzapur" is one of the most loved Indian web shows. The series has had two seasons so far which were huge hits for the streamer and now, the fans are eagerly awaiting for "Mirzapur 3" which is in development. ## "Mirzapur" is produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani's Excel Entertainment and stars Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Shweta Tripathi, and Divyenndu Sharma in prominent roles. Now, according to the latest reports, Amazon Prime Video and Excel Entertainment are set to adapt the series into a theatrical venture in the near future.## According to Pinkvilla, "The conversation to make Mirzapur into a film has recently begun among the makers, and are developing an idea that would entertain the audience. Once that is locked, they will get into the logistics. However, it is certain that they do want to present Mirzapur as a movie as well".## Meanwhile, "Mirzapur 3" is currently in development. It is touted to be much bigger and more entertaining than the first two seasons. The release date of the third season is yet to be announced but it is likely to release later this year or early 2024.## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

915 days ago

1612 views

ZEE5 Reveals Five Most Liked Films of 2023

Mumbai, July 20 - One of the rising streaming platforms in India, ZEE5 has had some success this year so far with its original movies and web series. The streamer released some critically acclaimed films such as "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai" and "Lost", and web shows like "Taj: Divided By Blood", among others.## One of the biggest films ZEE5 has released so far is SS Rajamouli's "RRR" which was streamed last year post its theatrical release. Meanwhile, the streamer has released the five most-liked films of the first half of 2023 on ZEE5. Check out the list - ## 1. Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai## Directed by Apoorv Singh Karki, "Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai" has not only been the most-liked ZEE5 movie of the year, but it also emerged as one of the most-watched films across OTT platforms. The legal drama, starring Manoj Bajpayee is inspired by the true events of a five-year-long standalone fight of a regular session court lawyer Adv. PC Solanki (Manoj Bajpayee) who stands for the truth, and his struggle to bring justice to the girl(s) who were wronged by an influential godman Asaram Bapu.## 2. Lost## Actress Yami Gautam has been receiving appreciation for picking quality content and "Lost" proved another solid film in her career. The Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury-directed movie is inspired by true events. It charts the story of a young woman crime reporter who is working on a story of the sudden disappearance of a young theatre activist. The layered story aims to represent the idea of lost values and integrity. ## 3. U-Turn## The supernatural thriller flick, which is an official remake of the 2016 Kannada film of the same name, has been one of the films which received appreciation for the performance by Alaya F. Directed by Arif Khan, "U-Turn" revolves around motorists who move concrete blocks from the divider to take a U-turn, which causes several accidents. ## 4. Chhatriwali ## A social comedy about the important societal taboo of educating the youth about Sex Education, "Chhatriwali" got an appreciation for the unique subject. "Chhatriwali" is considered one of the best films of Rakul Preet Singh who played the lead role alongside Sumit Vyas. It marked the last film of Satish Kaushik before his death on 9 March 2023. ## 5. Mrs Undercover ## Fronted by Radhika Apte with Sumeet Vyas, and Rajesh Sharma in key roles, "Mrs Undercover" is a spy comedy that got mixed responses from critics. It is directed by Anushree Mehta and remains one of the most-watched films on ZEE5 this year so far.## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

923 days ago

13636 views

IMDb Unveils The List of The Top 10 Most Popular Indian Web Series of The First Half of 2023

Mumbai, July 13 - The first half of 2023 has been good for the Indian entertainment industry which delivered some hugely successful movies and web shows. IMDb, an online database of information related to the entertainment industry, released a list of the most popular Indian movies of the year (so far) earlier in the day which saw the dominance of the Bollywood titles. ## IMDb has now revealed the list of the top 10 most popular Indian web series of the first half of 2023 and it is also dominated by the Hindi streaming titles. Shahid Kapoor, Vijay Sethupathi, and Raashii Khanna's black comedy crime thriller Farzi, which is the most-watched web series of all time in India, also topped IMDb's most popular list, in terms of page views. ## Aditya Roy Kapur and Anil Kapoor's crime thriller The Night Manager, which serves as a remake of the British television series "The Night Manager" (2016) based on John Le Carre's novel of the same name, is the second most popular Indian web title of the year so far. ## Rana Naidu, which stars Venkatesh Daggubati, and Rana Daggubati, takes the third spot among the most popular titles on IMDb this year. It is the official adaptation of the 2013 crime TV series, "Ray Donovan". Jubilee, a period drama show set around the Independence of India and the Partition, is the 4th most popular series, followed by Asur 2: Rise of The Dark Side as 5th in the list. ## IMDb top 10 most popular Indian web series of 2023 (so far) - ## 1. "Farzi" (Amazon Prime Video)## 2. "The Night Manager" (Disney+Hotstar)## 3. "Rana Naidu" (Netflix)## 4. "Jubilee" (Amazon Prime Video)## 5. "Asur 2" (Jio Cinema)## 6. "Dahaad" (Amazon Prime Video)## 7. "Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo" (Disney Plus Hotstar)## 8. "Taaza Khabar" (Disney+Hotstar)## 9. "Taj: Divided By Blood" (ZEE5)## 10. "Rockey Boys Season 2" (SonyLiv)## Note - Of all the movies and web series released in India between January 1 to July 3, 2023, and have an average IMDb user rating of 5 or higher with at least 5,000 votes, these titles were consistently the most popular with IMDb users, as determined by the actual page views of the more than 200 million monthly visitors to IMDb worldwide. This definitive data is derived from IMDb exclusive rankings, updated weekly throughout the year.## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

941 days ago

8286 views

'Asur 2' Continues To Score Historic Viewership On Jio Cinema

Mumbai, June 25 - There is no stopping "Asur 2" which is bringing historic viewership to Jio Cinema. The crime thriller show, which premiered on June 1, has been the number 1 choice of Indian digital viewers and it continues to score big. ## According to Jio Cinema, "Asur 2" has so far scored 30 million views and 3000 million viewing minutes on its platform in just 21 days. It is already one of the most-watched Indian web shows of all time within 4 weeks of its launch. Jio Cinema announced "Asur 2" is India's top show in worldwide rankings.## Created by Gaurav Shukla and Vibhav Shikdar, and directed by Oni Sen, "Asur 2" is set in the backdrop of the mystical city of Varanasi. It is produced by Bombay Fables, Sejal Shah, Bhavesh Mandalia, and Gaurav Shukla.## The story of the show follows Nikhil Nair, a forensic expert turned teacher, who returns to his roots at the Central Bureau of Investigation, and along with his former mentor Dhananjay Rajpoot, finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a brutal serial killer.## The series is about a team of forensic experts who must catch a serial killer who considers himself a reincarnation of the asura Kali. It stars Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti, alongside Anupriya Goenka, Ridhi Dogra, and Amey Wagh. Sharib Hashmi had a starring role in the first season, while Meiyang Chang and Abhishek Chauhan joined the main cast in the second season. ## Asur 2 is officially India's favourite pick. Topping hearts and IMDb charts! ❤️✨#Asur2OnJioCinema #Asur2 #JioCinema@ArshadWarsi @BarunSobtiSays @anupria_goenka @iRidhiDogra @MeiyangChang @ameywaghbola pic.twitter.com/hqkkI8kkGF— JioCinema (@JioCinema) June 24, 2023 ## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

953 days ago

5940 views

Critically Acclaimed 'Asur 2' On Jio Cinema Scores Huge Viewership

Mumbai, June 13 - Jio Cinema's Asur 2 is one of the most appreciated Indian web shows of all time. The crime thriller series boasts a stellar cast, including Arshad Warsi and Barun Sobti along with Anupriya Goenka, Ridhi Dogra, and Amey Wagh in prominent roles. ## The show has been the talk of the town for the last couple of weeks after debuting on June 1 on the streamer, and not surprisingly, it has been the most-watched Indian show since its launch. According to Ormax Media, a media consulting firm, "Asur 2" topped the Indian streaming chart in the last two weeks. ## During the week of May 29th - June 4th, "Asur 2" scored 5 million views. These 5 million views only consist of the first 5 episodes which were dropped daily after the first two episodes premiered simultaneously on June 1st. ## The show scored a jump in viewership in the following week after all the episodes were made available to stream simultaneously. During the week of June 5th - June 11th, "Asur 2" attracted 7 million views, pushing the total viewership to 12 million in the first 11 days. ## "Asur 2" is expected to score huge viewership in the coming days as word of mouth is extremely positive for it.## Created by Gaurav Shukla and Vibhav Shikdar, and directed by Oni Sen, "Asur 2" is set in the backdrop of the mystical city of Varanasi. It follows Nikhil Nair, a forensic expert turned teacher, who returns to his roots at the Central Bureau of Investigation, and along with his former mentor Dhananjay Rajpoot, finds himself caught in a cat-and-mouse game with a brutal serial killer. ## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

960 days ago

24233 views

IMDb Unveils The List of 50 Most Popular Indian Web Series of All Time

Mumbai, June 6 - It has been five years since Netflix premiered the neo-noir crime thriller show Sacred Games starring Saif Ali Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, and Pankaj Tripathi, among others.## Arguably the most loved Indian Netflix show ever, "Sacred Games" remains the most popular Indian show of all time even after such a long time. IMDb, an online database of information related to the entertainment industry, has unveiled the list of the top 50 most popular Indian web shows of all time, and "Sacred Games" tops the list. ## The series is based on Vikram Chandra's 2006 novel of the same name. In the show, Sartaj Singh (Saif Ali Khan) is a troubled police officer in Mumbai who receives a phone call from gangster Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who tells him to save the city within 25 days; beginning a chain of events that burrows deep into India's underworld.## Filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, showrunner and co-director of Sacred Games, said he is "absolutely honored" and delighted that the show has been ranked at No. 1 by IMDb users. "A huge thanks to all the amazing people who’ve loved the show and, as always, an even bigger thanks and congratulations to the incredible cast and crew".## The second on the list is Amazon Prime Video's action crime thriller Mirzapur which was also released in 2018. Starring Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Vikrant Massey, Divyenndu, Rasika Dugal, and others in key roles, "Mirzapur" is one of the most-watched Indian shows on Prime Video. ## Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story on SonyLIV is the third most popular Indian web series on IMDb. Released in 2020, the show is based on the 1992 Indian stock market scam committed by many stockbrokers including Harshad Mehta, the series is adapted from journalist Sucheta Dalal and Debashish Basu's 1992 book The Scam: Who Won, Who Lost, Who Got Away.## Another Amazon Prime Video series, The Family Man (2019) found huge acceptance among the audiences as it is ranked as the 4th most popular series on IMDb, followed by TVF's Aspirants as fifth most loved Indian show of all-time. ## IMDb top 50 all-time most popular Indian streaming series## 1. “Sacred Games” (Netflix)## 2. “Mirzapur” (Prime Video)## 3. “Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story” (SonyLIV)## 4. “The Family Man” (Prime Video)## 5. “Aspirants” (TVF Play/YouTube)## 6. “Criminal Justice” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 7. “Breathe” (Prime Video)## 8. “Kota Factory” (Netflix)## 9. “Panchayat” (Prime Video)## 10. “Paatal Lok” (Prime Video)## 11. “Special OPS” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 12. “Asur: Welcome to Your Dark Side” (JioCinema)## 13. “College Romance” (SonyLIV)## 14. “Apharan” (ALTT)## 15. “Flames” (Prime Video)## 16. “Dhindora” (BB Ki Vines on YouTube)## 17. “Farzi” (Prime Video)## 18. “Aashram” (MX Player)## 19. “Inside Edge” (Prime Video)## 20. “Undekhi” (SonyLIV)## 21. “Aarya” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 22. “Gullak” (SonyLIV)## 23. “TVF Pitchers” (ZEE5)## 24. “Rocket Boys” (SonyLIV)## 25. “Delhi Crime” (Netflix)## 26. “Campus Diaries” (MX Player)## 27. “Broken But Beautiful” (MX Player)## 28. “Jamtara: Sabka Number Ayega” (Netflix)## 29. “Taaza Khabar” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 30. “Abhay” (ZEE5)## 31. “Hostel Daze” (Prime Video)## 32. “Rangbaaz” (ZEE5)## 33. “Bandish Bandits” (Prime Video)## 34. “Made in Heaven” (Prime Video)## 35. “ImMATURE” (MX Player/Prime Video)## 36. “Little Things” (Netflix)## 37. “The Night Manager” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 38. “Candy” (Voot)## 39. “Bicchoo Ka Khel” (ALTT/ZEE5)## 40. “Dahan: Raakan Ka Rahasya” (Disney+ Hotstar)## 41. “JL50” (SonyLIV)## 42. “Rana Naidu” (Netflix)## 43. “Ray” (Netflix)## 44. “Sunflower” (ZEE5)## 45. “NCR Days” (The Timeliners on YouTube)## 46. “Maharani” (SonyLIV)## 47. “Mumbai Diaries 26/11” (Prime Video)## 48. “Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare” (Prime Video)## 49. “Yeh Meri Family” (TVF Play/miniTV)## 50. “Aranyak” (Netflix)## Note: The rankings of the Top 50 Most Popular Indian Web Series of all time are determined by the page views of IMDb customers in India between January 1, 2018, to May 10, 2023.## Stay tuned...

Digital Media

1014 days ago

18301 views

Digital Release Dates of Vikram Vedha and Bhediya Revealed

Mumbai, May 6 - Two of the biggest Bollywood films of 2022, Hrithik Roshan and Saif Ali Khan's Vikram Vedha and Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon's Bhediya have been waiting for their digital release.## Directed by Pushkar-Gayatri, Vikram Vedha was released theatrically on September 29. It was the hotly anticipated film, however, changing dynamics of theatrical business post the covid-19 pandemic made sure the movie underperformed at the box office though it still managed to gross close to 140 crores worldwide. ## Bhediya, part of Dinesh Vijan's horror-comedy universe, too underperformed at the box office, mainly because of the multiple top choices that were available at that time in theaters. It was released on November 25 and grossed a little less than 100 crores worldwide. ## Nonetheless, both the aforementioned films got mixed to positive reviews which could help them to draw some viewership on OTT. However, it has been a long wait and fans have been inquiring about the digital release dates of the two films. The official confirmation hasn't been made yet but both movies will be streaming on the new revamped Jio Cinema platform. ## According to reports, Vikram Vedha will make its digital debut on May 12 while Bhediya will start streaming on May 26, 2023. It is also reported that both films will be available to watch for free without any paid subscriptions. ## Meanwhile, Jio Studios has a massive slate of theatrical tentpoles and web shows in development. As far as the theatrical films are concerned, the studio has confirmed the sequel to "Stree" and "Bhediya" along with a rom-com featuring Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon and another rom-com "Bhul Chuk Maaf" with Kartik Aaryan and Shraddha Kapoor, among many others. ## Stay tuned...

Bollywood

1014 days ago

1784 views

Jio Studios Unveils New Glimpses of Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's Untitled Love Story

Mumbai, April 12 - One of the leading production and distribution houses in India, Jio Studios has unveiled a huge slate of films and streaming shows at a star-studded event in Mumbai today. The studio confirmed 100 stories in the form of movies and web shows across multiple languages. ## As far as the theatrical slate is concerned, Jio Studios has some of the most anticipated films in its kitty. Among the films the studio has, Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon's yet untitled love story carries huge anticipation among the fans, and to their delight, it unveils a new glimpse and looks. ## The movie was recently announced officially with the first look poster. Co-written and directed by Amit Joshi & Aradhana Sah and the filming for the movie has already been wrapped and it will be hitting theaters in October this year. Produced by Dinesh Vijan, Jyoti Deshpande, and Laxman Utekar, the movie also features Dharmendra and Dimple Kapadia in prominent roles. ## ## The story of the film is reportedly set in a small town against the backdrop of an Indian cultural tradition. Shahid plays a robotics guy while Kriti Sanon will be seen playing a robot. It's a quirky Indian take on the romance between a man and a machine, something that has been explored many times in Hollywood but is rare in Indian cinema. ## ##

Digital Media

1104 days ago

3256 views

Ajay Devgn's Disney Plus Hotstar Series 'Rudra' Is The Most-Watched Hindi Show Of 2022

Mumbai, January 13 - Bollywood superstar Ajay Devgn emerged as one of the most successful actors from the Hindi film industry in 2022. The actor had multiple releases in 2022, both in theaters and on digital platforms, and succeeded in both of them. ## The actor made his digital debut with the Disney Plus Hotstar series, titled Rudra: The Edge of Darkness and this turned out the most successful Hindi web show of 2022. According to a report by media consulting firm Ormax, "Rudra" scored 35.2 million viewership, making it the most-watched Hindi show of the year. ## The season of "Aashram" on MX Player was the second most-watched Hindi show with 34.3 million views, followed by the second season of "Panchayat" (29.6 million views) on Amazon Prime Video, "Criminal Justice: Adhura Sach" (23 million views) and "The Great Indian Murder" (23 million views). ## Ajay Devgn's also had stupendous success at the box office where his "Drishyam 2" emerged as the second highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2022 with a worldwide gross collection of 341+ crores. It is still playing in theaters and doing decent business. He also had blockbuster cameos in "Gangubai Kathiawadi" and "RRR" which were among the most successful Indian films of 2022.## Stay tuned...