BY SACNILK

Streaming giant Netflix on Friday announced that the platform will be available free for everyone on December 5 and 6 in India. Anyone in India can watch all the content available on the OTT platform for two days starting from 12 midnight on December 5.## "We think that giving away everyone in a country access to Netflix for free for a weekend could be a great way to expose a bunch of new people to the amazing stories that we have, the service and how it works", Greg Peters, COO and Chief Product Officer at Netflix, said during the company's earnings call.## "At Netflix, we want to bring the most amazing stories from across the world to all fans of entertainment in India. It's why we're hosting StreamFest: an entire weekend of free Netflix", the company said in a statement.## Last month, Netflix announced its plans to give users in India access to free streaming for a weekend. To access free streaming, users have to visit --- netflix.com/StreamFest, sign up with your name, email or phone number, and password, and start streaming — no credit or debit card or payment needed.## "Anyone who signs in during StreamFest gets one stream in standard definition — so, no one else can use the same login information to stream", said -Monika Shergill, Vice President, Content, Netflix India.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Bollywood couple Riteish and Genelia Deshmukh are all set to turn hosts for a new show that aims to settle the age-old gender debate. The actress, who has worked with Riteish in many films, is excited to team up with her husband again with the digital show, titled "Ladies Vs Gentlemen". ## Hosted by Riteish and Genelia, the show will see team Ladies versus team Gentlemen, aided by panelists such as Karan Wahi, Karan Kundra, Vikas Gupta, Nia Sharma, Tejasswi Prakash, Bani J, Rashmi Desai, Paras Chhabra, and Rithvik Dhanjani.## "I am really excited to be sharing the screen again with Riteish after a long time. ‘Ladies Vs Gentlemen’ is an engaging show that gives everyday discussions and scenarios a unique twist. The instances and examples shared by the panelists and the differences of opinion will surely entertain the audience", Genelia said the IANS.## "This show was also like a walk down memory lane for Riteish and myself, we cited so many instances from our own lives. I'm sure these questions are going to stir up some household debates too", she added.## Riteish, who had made his acting debut with the 2003 film "Tujhe Meri Kasam" opposite Genelia, said, "Putting people on the spot with tricky questions that can escalate really quick, was both challenging and fun at the same time".## "The fact that I get to co-host with my wife, just makes it that much more special. Through the course of the show, we also discovered interesting things about each other on day-to-day topics and I am sure the audience will experience them too".## Riteish and Genelia will be seen indulging the panelists in fun banter and animated conversations in the show, which goes live on the Flipkart app on November 18.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Southern star Samantha Ruth Prabhu will be stepping into the digital medium with the second season of the much-awaited series, The Family Man on Amazon Prime Video. She says she has experimented with something new with her role, which will leave everyone surprised.## "OTT gives us an opportunity to break rules. I've broken a lot of rules with The Family Man 2, and really experimented with something extremely new", Samantha told IANS. "I am very happy with the product and with the output. It's going to be a good surprise for everyone who is used to seeing me do a particular type of role", she added. ## Samantha will be joining actor Manoj Bajpayee in the second season of the web series, The Family Man along with the likes of Priyamani, Sharib Hashmi, Darshan Kumar, Sharad Kelkar, Sunny Hinduja, Shreya Dhanwantary, Shahab Ali, Vedant Sinha, and Mahek Thakur. ## The actress is happy with the growing world of digital platforms and feels it opens up new opportunities for everyone.## "OTT has opened up a world of possibilities for every technician, actually. When it comes to feature films, as an actor you have to do a certain kind of role that it's widely and universally accepted. With OTT, one can really afford to take risks and experiment," said Samantha.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Coming as a significant move, the governement of India has brought the OTT platforms, such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, SonyLIV, ZEE5, Disney+Hotstar among many others, along with news websites, under the purview of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.## The central government's move to bring the OTT platforms under the I&B ministry could also mean that these platforms would have to apply for certification and approval of the content they wish to stream from the I&B ministry. ## The move is clearly a big setback for the OTT platforms which will now they have to keep a check on the content they made. Filmmaker Hansal Mehta who recently saw immense success with his web series Scam 1992 expressed his disappointment at the government's order. ## Talking to indianexpress.com, the director said, "While this decision wasn't unexpected, it is still a reason for despair. This desperation for control of free speech and expression does not augur well. I am currently very disappointed".## Karan Anshuman, known for directing web series like Inside Edge and Mirzapur, called the move "unacceptable". Taking to Twitter, "Unacceptable. Viewers and creators have to band together and challenge censorship in any and every manner!".## "Whatever happened to the understanding with Mr Javadekar that OTT will be self-regulated? The govt is giving in to the basest demands of prudes. How is this progress in any manner? Don't like it, don't watch it. Don't impose your regressive views on a billion people", he added. ## Whatever happened to the understanding with Mr Javadekar that OTT will be self-regulated? The govt is giving in to the basest demands of prudes. How is this progress in any manner? Don't like it, don't watch it. Don't impose your regressive views on a billion people.— Karan Anshuman (@krnx) November 11, 2020 ## Earlier, the government had asked OTT platforms to come up with a self-regulatory system. But, in September, the government expressed displeasure at the model proposed by the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI). The model was largely rejected because it did not define the code of ethics and was not clear on the definition of prohibited content. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

After entertaining the audience on television, actress Rashami Desai is all set to enter the digital world with the web series "Tandoor" which soon will go on floors and will be released on Ullu App. Directed by Nivedita Basu, Rashami will be sharing the screen with Tanuj Virwani in this investigative thriller series. ## Talking about her role, the Bigg Boss 13 fame says her upcoming web project will help her break away from the regular television image. The series is about a married couple whose lives take an unexpected turn after a murder.## "I am very excited to make my digital foray with 'Tandoor'. The role completely breaks away from my regular television work. I am very glad I found this", Rashami said to IANS.## "The script is just fantastic and I got so intrigued and involved in the narration that I immediately decided to take up the project. I'm eagerly waiting to commence the project and work with Tanuj Virwani, who is a fine actor and a good friend". ## "Also, one of the other reasons to take up the project is the people involved. I'm sure it's going to be a fun ride and I will definitely learn and grow more as an actor. I can't wait to begin the shoot", she added. ## Though Rashami made her acting debut with the film Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke (2004), she has been one of the loved personalities on television with the shows Dil Se Dil Tak, Ishq Ka Rang Safed, Meet Mila De Rabba, and many more. She was last seen in Naagin: Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel in 2020. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Actor Mahesh Thakur is all set to play the role of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the second season of the web series, 'Modi: CM to PM' which will stream on Eros Now from November 12. ## Directed by Umesh Shukla, the series traces Modi's journey from his teenage days onto his youth and then serving three consecutive terms as Chief Minister of Gujarat to finally becoming one of the most loved Prime Ministers of India.## "Ever since childhood, we have often heard about the marvelous journey of our PM Narendra Modi and it's a story that has marked a prestigious place in the history of our nation. Playing such a prestigious character is honestly an honor, but comes with great responsibilities. I am excited and looking forward to the viewer's response. I am confident they will love the entire series", said Thakur to IANS. ## In the first season of the series titled "Modi: Journey of a Common Man", actor Ashish Sharma played the role of a young Narendra Modi while Faizal Khan portrayed the Teenage Modi. The seven-episode series was originally released in April 2019. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The star cast of the Indian web series "Four More Shots Please!" season two, featuring Kirti Kulhari, Maanvi Gagroo, Sayani Gupta, and Gurbani Judge, has jointly bagged the Best Rising Star award at the second Asian Content Awards 2020, which is held as part of the prestigious Busan International Film Festival.## Season two of the popular show is the only Indian title to have won an award at the ceremony, and it won despite stiff competition from entries from across Asia including China, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Indonesia, Japan, and Thailand.## The latest honor for the Amazon Prime show comes in the wake of a nomination at the International Emmy Awards earlier this year, in the Best Comedy Series category.## "Four More Shots Please! season 2 has been a true labor of love for us and we are delighted to share this success with Pritish Nandy Communications, and of course, our fantastic talent who deserves every bit of adulation coming their way for giving us four extremely memorable, yet relatable flawsome women to look up to!" said Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals, Amazon Prime Video to India TV. ## The popular web series, after the massive success of the first two seasons, is set to get a third season also, and actress Tannishtha Chatterjee is on board to direct all episodes of the season. Devika Bhagat, who scripted the two seasons so far, returns to write the third season. Ishita Moitra will pen the dialogues.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The member of parliament of Apna Dal from Uttar Pradesh's Mirzapur district, Anupriya Patel has demanded a ban on the recently launched Amazon Prime Video's original web series, Mirzapur 2. The Apna Dal MP accused the web-series of spreading ethnic disharmony.## Anupriya Patel alleged that the series which began streaming on Amazon Prime on October 23 was maligning the image of Mirzapur district by portraying it as a violent region.## The Apna Dal leader told reporters that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Mirzapur 'is a centre of harmony' and the matter must be investigated and strict action should be taken against those responsible for sullying its image.## Mirzapur 2 is a violent tale of feuds in families, politics, and elections. It features Shweta Tripathi Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Ali Fazal, Divyendu Sharma, Harshita Gaur, and others in the primary roles.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Shahid Kapoor has been on a roll for the last couple of years and with the massive success of last year's intense romantic drama "Kabir Singh", Shahid has included himself in the list of top actors of Indian cinema. Since Kabir Singh, the actor seems to have been grabbing all the big projects, be it the Hindi remake of Jersey or Shashank Khaitan's next film Yoddha. ## Now, according to the industry insiders, Shahid is all set to mark his digital debut with an Amazon Prime web series. The Padmaavat actor has reportedly signed a two seasoned web series with the Family Man director duo Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK aka Raj & DK. ## According to a source quoted in PeepingMoon, "Shahid has signed the series and currently working out on the dates as the shooting timelines for Raj & DK show are coinciding with Shashank Khaitan's film. If things turned out well, Shahid will begin shooting from February 2021 on the series". ## The directors have already started working on the series that is said to be an action thriller. Raj & D.K. will start properly on the show after the premiere of their much-anticipated second season of The Family Man starring Manoj Bajpayee, Priyamani, Samantha Akkineni, and others. ## Apart from this, Shahid is in advance talk with the streaming platform, Netflix for a multi-project deal. According to reports, Shahid wants to produce two projects for the international streaming giant but hasn't signed the contract yet. ## Meanwhile, the actor is currently busy shooting on his upcoming sports drama film Jersey, directed by Gowtam Tinnanuri. He will be sharing the screen with Mrunal Thakur, and his father Pankaj Kapur in the film that will release next year. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The over-the-top (OTT) platform, Amazon Prime Video has announced 9 Indian films including three much anticipated Hindi movies, which the streaming platform will release in the upcoming months. Among the Hindi films, Varun Dhawan and Sara Ali Khan starrer Coolie No 1, Chhalaang starring Rajkummar Rao and Nushrat Bharucha, Durgavati starring Bhumi Pednekar have been slated to release on Amazon Prime. Suriya starrer Tamil film Soorarai Pottru will also release on the platform. ## Here is the complete schedule of movies releasing on Amazon Prime Video -## 1. Coolie No 1 (Hindi) - 25th December - Coolie No. 1 is a family comedy based on the popular franchise from Pooja Entertainment and is directed by David Dhawan who also helmed the original Coolie No 1 starring Govinda and Karishma Kapoor. The film stars Varun Dhawan, Sara Ali Khan, Paresh Rawal, Javed Jaffrey, Johnny Lever, Rajpal Yadav amongst others, and is produced by Vashu Bhagnani, Jackky Bhagnani, and Deepshikha Deshmukh.## 2. Chhalaang (Hindi)- 13th November - Chhalaang is a social comedy starring Rajkummar Rao, Nushratt Baruchaa, and directed by Hansal Mehta. It is presented by Bhushan Kumar and produced by Ajay Devgn, Luv Ranjan, and Ankur Garg. The movie was also in the queue with Coolie No 1 before it was officially announced by the streaming platform. ## 3. Durgavati (Hindi)- 11th December - Directed by Ashok, Durgavati is a thrilling, scary ride that tells the story of an innocent Government officer who is made the victim of a major conspiracy involving powerful forces. The Bhumi Pednekar starrer is presented by T-Series and Cape of Good Films and is an Abundantia Entertainment production.## 4. Soorarai Pottru (Tamil)- 30th October - Soorarai Pottru was already announced on Amazon Prime. The film, starring Suriya in the lead with Aparna Balamurali, Paresh Rawal, and Mohan Babu in pivotal roles. The film directed by Sudha Kongara, is a biopic drama that is based on events during the life of Air Deccan founder G. R. Gopinath.## 5. Halal Love Story (Malayalam) - 15th October - Halal Love Story is an upcoming Malayalam comedy film starring Indrajith Sukumaran, Joju George, Sharaf U Dheen, Grace Antony, and Soubin Shahir in lead roles along with Parvathy Thiruvothu. It is directed by Zakariya Mohammed. ## 6. Manne Number 13 (Kannada)- 19th November - Maane Number 13 is a horror-thriller film that is directed by Vivy Kathiresan and produced by Krishna Chaitanya's Sri Swarnalatha Productions. The film stars Varsha Bollamma, Aiswarya Gowda, Praveen Prem, Chetan Gandharva, and others. ## 7. Middle Class Melodies (Telugu)- 20th November - Directed by Vinod Anantoju, Middle Class Melodies stars Anand Deverakonda and Varsha Bollamma in the lead roles. ## 8. Maara (Tamil)- 17th December - Maara is an upcoming Tamil language romantic drama film directed by Dhilip Kumar. The film stars Madhavan and Shraddha Srinath in lead roles and is produced by Prateek Chakravorty and Shruti Nallappa of Pramod Films. ## 9. Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja (Kannada)- 29th October - Bheema Sena Nalamaharaja is a Kannada comedy-drama film directed by Karthik Saragur. It stars Aravind Iyer, Aarohi Narayan, Priyanka Thimmesh, Achyuth Kumar, and Aadya in leading roles. ## Earlier, Amazon Prime Video had announced the global premiere of 5 Non-Hindi films. The streaming giant had also premiered 'Gulabo Sitabo' and 'Shakuntla Devi' among others. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

The recently released documentary 'The Social Dilemma' on Netflix has created a wave across the globe that shows how social media platforms treat its users as a product and shared misinformation for its personal advantages. ## However, the documentary hasn't gone well with Facebook that has come down heavily on the leading streaming platform, saying it has buried the substance in sensationalism. In a rather uncharacteristic move, the leading social media site has slammed Netflix, stressing that it gives a distorted view of how social media platforms work. ## Denying that it treats users as a product, Facebook said it is an ad-supported platform, which means that selling ads allows it to offer everyone else the ability to connect for free. The social-media giant released a seven-point rebuttal on Friday to the Netflix film, from director Jeff Orlowski, which debuted Septemeber 9. ## "This model allows small businesses and entrepreneurs to grow and compete with bigger brands by more easily finding new customers. But even when businesses purchase ads on Facebook, they don't know who you are", Facebook said in a statement.## The company said that it does not sell the information of its users to anyone, users can always see the 'interests' assigned to them in their ad preferences which, if they want, can remove them from their timeline. ## While the documentary tried to explain that addiction and privacy breaches are the features, not bugs, of the social media platforms, Facebook said that it uses algorithms to improve the experience for people using its apps just like any other apps that people interact with every day.## "That also includes Netflix, which uses an algorithm to determine who it thinks should watch aThe Social Dilemma' film, and then recommends it to them. This happens with every piece of content that appears on the service," the social network argued.## According to Facebook, the film's creators do not include insights from those currently working at the companies or any experts that take a different view of the narrative put forward by the film.## "They also don't acknowledge, critically or otherwise, the efforts already taken by companies to address many of the issues they raise. Instead, they rely on commentary from those who haven't been on the inside for many years", Facebook emphasized.## 'The Social Dilemma' currently streaming on Netflix, has its world premiere at Sundance Film Festival in January 2020. The film is an Exposure Labs production in association with Argent Pictures.## Source - IANS## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Over a month after Mahendra Singh Dhoni announced his retirement from international cricket, the former Indian cricket captain is all set to begin a new inning in the entertainment industry. After entertaining the nation on the cricket field, Dhoni has turned into a producer with his wife, Sakshi Dhoni. ## The legendary cricketer, who had launched his banner Dhoni Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. in 2019 with the multilingual documentary "Roar of the Lion", is developing a wide slate of projects for the next year. ## Talking to mid-day, Sakshi Dhoni, who serves as the managing director of the production house, reveals that they have zeroed in on their second offering based on an unpublished book of a debutant author.## "We have acquired the rights of an unpublished book of a debutant author. We will adapt it into a web series. It is a mythological sci-fi story that explores the journey of a mysterious Aghori and is set at a high-tech facility on a remote island", says Sakshi## Sakshi added that the adventure drama explores the genre of magical realism. Currently, in the process of developing the series, the creative team will finalize the cast and director soon. It is heard that the studio is simultaneously working on five other projects.## MS Dhoni is currently in the UAE, leading his team Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League. While cricket remains Dhoni's first love, Sakshi says the studio is their joint passion.## "When we were developing Roar of the Lion, we thought it was the perfect time to venture into the entertainment industry. We aim to give a platform to deserving talent to showcase their skills along with providing fresh and original content to the audience".## "Mahi will be partially involved [in the production house]. The day-to-day running of the company is looked after by me. We have a process to ensure quality control from the word go. Mahi and I take the final call with our team's inputs and suggestions. Our aim is to produce good stories from our heart", she said as stated in mid-day. ## Stay tuned...