Tag: Guneet Monga Kapoor

  • ZEE5 drops ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ trailer

    ZEE5 drops ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ trailer

    Mumbai: “Time is a flat circle,” Nietzsche once said. But what if that circle could be bent, twisted, and manipulated? ZEE5 is all set to shatter the boundaries of time and space with the mind-bending trailer of ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah.’ Set to premiere on 9 August, this Karan Johar and Guneet Monga Kapoor co-production questions the viewers on the possibility of altering present and future by changing the past.

    Launched today, the trailer plunges viewers into a world where the impossible becomes possible, leaving them to wonder about the existence and power of time. Helmed by the visionary director Umesh Bist, ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ boasts a powerhouse cast including Kritika Kamra, Dhairya Karwa, and Raghav Juyal in the lead and Gautami Kapoor, Harsh Chhaya, Purnendu Bhattacharya, Mukti Mohan, Gaurav Sharma, among others.

    Co-produced by Karan Johar and Apoorva Mehta of Dharmatic Entertainment, and Oscar-winning filmmaker duo Guneet Monga Kapoor and Achin Jain of Sikhya Entertainment, Gyaarah Gyaarah tells the riveting tale of two police officers from different eras connected by a mysterious walkie-talkie and the butterfly effect it causes on the past and present.

    The past year has seen ZEE5 accomplish multiple highlights and milestones. The platform has witnessed a whopping 85Bn minutes of watch-time in the past year, with strong viewership coming in from metros and non-metros alike. Tier II and III cities account for 40 per cent of ZEE5’s viewership, while Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi lead in metro consumption. Popular genres on the platform include thrillers, romance, dramas, action-adventure, and comedies, with pan-Indian audiences strongly gravitating to the multilingual storyteller’s diverse content library.

    Talking about the overall success of ZEE5 and the launch of Gyaarah Gyaarah, ZEE5 India chief business officer Manish Kalra said, “At ZEE5, we remain dedicated to bringing exceptional content to our viewers. The trailer launch of ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ is a testament to this commitment. Our collaboration with Guneet Monga’s Sikhya Entertainment and Karan Johar’s Dharmatic Entertainment, both renowned for their storytelling excellence, is an exciting step towards enriching ZEE5’s diverse content library. ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ offers a unique blend of mystery, and drama in a way that we believe will captivate audiences in India and beyond. We’re confident that this series will set a new benchmark for original content in the digital streaming space.”

    A senior detective Shaurya Anthwal, played by Dhairya Karwa, from the 1990s and a young police officer Yug Arya, portrayed by Raghav Juyal, find themselves linked by a perplexing communication tool that springs to life at 11:11 pm for a fleeting 60 seconds. At the center of this temporal whirlwind is a determined woman Vamika Rawat, played by Kritika Kamra, once mentored by the senior detective Shaurya Anthwal before he mysteriously disappeared and now guiding the present-day young police officer Yug Arya.

    As Shaurya and Yug join forces to crack the many cold cases, they unknowingly set off a chain reaction, altering the course of history with each breakthrough. Vamika, who is oblivious to the extraordinary connection between Shaurya and Yug is increasingly puzzled by her subordinate’s uncanny insights. With every solved mystery, this unlikely trio edges closer to uncovering a staggering truth about the officer’s vanishing act and the nature of their impossible alliance. Racing against the clock and battling the repercussions of their time-altering actions, will they unearth the secrets behind their mystifying bond, or will the weight of changing destiny prove too perilous to bear? Tune-in to ZEE5 to know more as Gyaarah Gyaarah is set to premiere on 9 August.  

    Kritika Kamra said, “Stepping into the world of ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ has been an exhilarating journey for me. This role is unlike anything I’ve ever done before – it’s pushed me out of my comfort zone. Playing a cop in this mind-bending mystery thriller has been both thrilling and demanding. Moreover, working alongside visionaries like Karan Johar and Guneet Monga Kapoor is a dream come true – their guidance and creative energy on set was truly inspiring. I can’t wait for ZEE5’s audience to experience this unique story that blends time, suspense, and human emotions in such an unlikely way, that makes the storytelling graph of the show truly unique and exciting”.

    Raghav Juyal said, “Being part of ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ has been a transformative experience for me.  I started my journey on a TV reality show, seamlessly transitioned into hosting and comedic roles. Now, as I make a mark in the Bollywood industry, I am deeply grateful to Guneet for recognizing my potential and encouraging me to embrace serious and challenging roles. Portraying a police officer for the first time feels like a significant responsibility, it’s a big leap from my usual performances, and I’m grateful for this opportunity. It allows me to showcase a different side of my acting abilities and I can’t wait for the ZEE5 audiences to see what we’ve created with ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ – it’s going to be a whole new experience for me and hopefully for the audience too!”.

    Dhairya Karwa said, “Immersing myself in the world of ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ has been an incredible journey. The idea of manipulating time and its impact on our decisions is fascinating, and it’s been thrilling to portray that on screen. Collaborating with such a talented cast and being guided by Karan Johar, Guneet Monga Kapoor and Umesh Sir has been a special experience. This project is unlike anything I’ve worked on before – it’s intense, makes you think, and keeps you engaged. I can’t wait for ZEE5 audiences to delve into this distinctive mix of thriller and suspense that challenges our perception of reality. ‘Gyaarah Gyaarah’ is a series that will make you reevaluate everything you thought you knew about time and fate”.

  • Amazon miniTV and Sikhya Entertainment’s much-awaited Gutar Gu Season 2 begins filming

    Amazon miniTV and Sikhya Entertainment’s much-awaited Gutar Gu Season 2 begins filming

    Mumbai: Amazon miniTV is bringing back this budding story of teen adolescence, Gutar Gu for its second season, directed by Saqib Pandor and produced by Sikhya Entertainment. The innocent romance is rekindled with the much-loved couple Ritu and Anuj, starring our heartthrobs Vishesh Bansal and Ashlesha Thakur. The wait is finally over as the cast and crew of Gutar Gu have begun shooting for the second season, and the streaming service has given a sneak peek straight from the sets.

    The coming-of-age series has not only received rave reviews for its gripping narrative and the pair of Ashlesha Thakur and Vishesh Bansal, but it is also a massive hit, being one of the most viewed series on Amazon miniTV, with fans eagerly awaiting six all-new episodes of the magic between Anuj and Ritu.

    Produced by Guneet Monga Kapoor’s Oscar Winning Production House, Sikhya Entertainment, in Gutar Gu Season 1, Ritu and Anuj navigated complex relationships, portraying diverse facets of teenage romance amidst difficult situations, exploring various shades of love. The sophomore season will focus on their journeys ahead, amidst new challenges, managing life, careers, and expectations from each other.

    Sharing his excitement for the second season, Amazon miniTV head of content Amogh Dusad said, “Gutar Gu had struck a chord with audiences from the word go and we couldn’t be happier to bring season 2 of this highly acclaimed series!”

    “The Story of Gutar Gu, is very close to our hearts at Sikhya. After an outpour of love for Ritu and Anuj’s short story in Gupt Gyaan, to come back together with phenomenal Director Saqib Pandor and explore the story in a series format was truly an exciting opportunity. With so much love and support for Season 1, we thought it was only best to see where Ritu and Anuj’s love takes them next. We’re excited to take you yet again on a nostalgic ride, exploring new challenges of teenage love in an all-new season of Gutar Gu!” shared Sikhya Entertainment producer Guneet Monga Kapoor.

    Sharing his thoughts, Gutar Gu director Saqib Pandor said, “Gutar Gu started as an innocent story of two young lovers in Bhopal, but the magnitude of success and love we have received for the show and its characters on Amazon miniTV has truly empowered us to dream of another season. That’s the best reward one can get as a filmmaker, where audiences are eager to know what’s next for their beloved characters. We’re ready for this love story, to go the distance!

    Gutar Gu Season 2 is slated to release in 2024 exclusively on Amazon miniTV available on Amazon’s shopping app, on Fire TV, and on Play Store.

  • BAFTA announces its Breakthrough 2023 cohort across India, UK and  USA for the first time

    BAFTA announces its Breakthrough 2023 cohort across India, UK and USA for the first time

    Mumbai: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in  partnership with Netflix, has unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries  selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK,  USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.

    The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Sikhya Entertainment producer founder & CEO Guneet Monga Kapoor, Lakshya Digital CEO Manvendra Shukul,  Monika Shergill (vice president, content – Netflix India), Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman  Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer),  Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah (actor, theatre director).

    The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:

    ● Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys

    ● Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man

    ● Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery

    ● Kislay| Writer – Soni

    ● Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches

    ● Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe  

    ● Pooja Rajkumar Rathod | Cinematographer – Secrets of the Elephants

    ● Sanal George | Sound Editor/Mixer/Designer – Gangubai Kathiawadi

    ● Satya Rai Nagpaul | Cinematographer – Ghoomketu

    ● Shardul Bhardwaj | Performer – Eeb Allay Ooo!

    Over the last two years, the BAFTA Breakthrough programme, in partnership with Netflix, has  supported the cohorts in networking with global industry experts, including D.B Weiss (producer,  director, writer), Emma Lawson (BBC Comedy Commissioner), Howard Shore (Composer), Phoebe  Waller-Bridge (Actress, Producer, Writer), and Vishal Gondal (CEO, GOQii, nCore Games),  amongst others.

    The initiative has also opened doors for participants, facilitating industry meetings with Chaitanya  Hegde (Tulsea), Rob Carlson (United Talent Agent, US), Tarsame Mittal (TM Talent Management),  and more. Breakthroughs like Jay Pinak Oza have received one-on-one mentorship from Mira Nair  and Shonali Bose with potential collaborations in the works, while Karthikeya Murthy is working on  a Hindi feature film, with multiple projects lined up in Hindi, Tamil and English.

    BAFTA CEO Jane Millichip said, “BAFTA Breakthrough is a gold standard  programme. And the fact that we are celebrating our ten-year anniversary is testament to the  dedication of our incredible alumni, industry supporters, juries, and industry advisers. I’d like to say  a huge thank you to everyone who has contributed over the years, and particularly to our partner  Netflix. This year’s cohort is really impressive, having already achieved credits in high-end TV  drama, debut films, documentaries, hair and make design; and game design. BAFTA  Breakthrough is designed to harness that early success and develop the skills for life-long,  rewarding careers. Congratulations to this year’s BAFTA Breakthroughs.”

    BAFTA Breakthrough India Ambassador and Jury Chair Guneet Monga Kapoor said, “There is no  shortage of creative talent in India as demonstrated by the previous two iterations of  Breakthrough. We had a tough time choosing ten deserving candidates from an enormous pool  of fresh candidates. It will be exciting to see how they harness BAFTA Breakthrough’s opportunities  to hone their craft on a global stage.”

    Netflix India content VP Monika Shergill said, “India has a wealth of emerging  talent and we’re thrilled to be able to work with BAFTA on the BAFTA Breakthrough initiative to  provide them an opportunity to be chosen. It’s truly rewarding to be able to empower these  emerging creatives to showcase and enhance their skills. This year, we’ve identified an incredible  group and we look forward to helping to nurture their talents and make this an enriching and  once-in-a-lifetime moment for them.”

    During the course of the year-long programme, the BAFTA Breakthroughs will receive professional  development, industry meetings and global networking opportunities with the academy’s 12,000- strong global membership, alongside free access to BAFTA events and screenings for 12 months  and full BAFTA voting rights on the academy’s world-leading film, games and television awards.  Further details are in the notes to editors.  

    BAFTA’s flagship new talent programme celebrates its tenth anniversary this year. Since 2013, it  has supported over 200 rising talents, including Aadip Desai, Arati Kadav, Charu Desodt, Florence  Pugh, James LeBrecht, Jay Pinak Oza, Josh O’Connor, Karthikeya Murthy, Letitia Wright, Sumukhi  Suresh, Tanya Maniktala, Tom Holland , amongst many others.

    The list of BAFTA Breakthrough UK participants for 2023 is as below:

    ● Adjani Salmon |Writer/Performer/Exec Producer – Dreaming Whilst Black (TV)  

    ● Bella Ramsey |Performer – The Last of Us (TV)

    ● Cash Carraway |Creator/Writer/Exec Producer – Rain Dogs (TV)  

    ● Charlotte Regan | Writer/Director – Scrapper (Film)  

    ● Cynthia De La Rosa |Hair & Makeup Artist – Everyone Else Burns (TV)  

    ● Ella Glendining | Director – Is There Anybody Out There? (Film)  

    ● Funmi Olutoye | Lead Producer – ‘Black History Makers’ (Good Morning Britain) (TV)

    ● Georgia Oakley | Writer/Director – Blue Jean (Film)  

    ● Holly Reddaway | Voice and performance director – Baldur’s Gate 3 (Games)  

    ● Joel Beardshaw |Lead Designer – Desta: The Memories Between (Games)  

    ● Kat Morgan |Hair & Makeup Designer – Blue Jean (Film)  

    ● Kathryn Ferguson | Writer/Director – Nothing Compares (Film)  

    ● Kitt (Fiona) Byrne | 2D Artist/Game Designer – Gibbon: Beyond the Trees (Games)  

    ● Michael Anderson | Producer – Desta: The Memories Between (Games)  

    ● Pete Jackson |Writer/Creator – Somewhere Boy (TV)  

    ● Raine Allen-Miller | Director – Rye Lane (Film)  

    ● Rosy McEwan| Performer – Blue Jean (Film)  

    ● Samantha Béart | Performer – The Excavation of Hob’s Barrow (Games)  

    ● Talisha ‘Tee Cee’ Johnson | Writer/Director/Presenter – Too Autistic for Black (TV)  

    ● Vivian Oparah| Performer – Rye Lane (Film)  

    The list of BAFTA Breakthrough USA participants for 2023 is as below:

    ● Amanda Kim | Documentary Director – Nam June Paik: Moon Is The Oldest TV (Film)  ● Aminah Nieves | Performer – 1923 (TV)

    ● Apoorva Charan | Producer – Joyland (Film)  

    ● Cheyenne Morrin | Senior Games Writer – Star Wars Jedi: Survivor (Games)  

    ● Edward Buckles Jr.| Documentary Director – Katrina Babies (Film)  

    ● Gary Gunn | Composer – A Thousand and One (Film)  

    ● Jingyi Shao | Writer & Director – Chang Can Dunk (Film)  

    ● Maria Altamirano | Producer – All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (Film)  

    ● Santiago Gonzalez | Cinematographer – Shortcomings (Film)  

    ● Shelly Yo | Writer & Director – Smoking Tigers (Film)  

    ● Sing J Lee | Writer & Director – The Accidental Getaway Driver (Film)  

    ● Vuk Lungulov-Klotz | Writer & Director – Mutt (Film)  

     

  • Lionsgate, Dharma Productions, and Sikya Entertainment partner for “Kill”

    Lionsgate, Dharma Productions, and Sikya Entertainment partner for “Kill”

    Mumbai: Global content leader Lionsgate has acquired the North American and U.K. rights to the Indian action movie Kill for theatrical release in 2024.

    Kill is directed by Nikhil Nagesh Bhat and produced by Karan Johar & Apoorva Mehta for Dharma Productions and Guneet Monga Kapoor & Achin Jain for Sikhya Entertainment.

    This ground-breaking deal marks the first time an Indian production has partnered with a Hollywood studio on a theatrical release in North America and the U.K. for a mainstream Hindi language film.

    Starring newcomer Lakshya alongside Raghav Juyal and Tanya Maniktala, the extreme action flick made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival as a Midnight Madness selection.

    In the film, star-crossed lovers Tulika (Maniktala) and Amrit (Lakshya) find their clandestine relationship jeopardized after Tulika’s family whisks her aboard the Rajdhani Express bound for New Delhi and an arranged marriage. But commandos Amrit and his friend are far from willing to let fate dictate their story. They embark on a “rescue” mission that becomes a gory adventure.

    Blurring the lines between duty and emotion as every twist of the track could mean life or death, Kill paints a portrait of how far a man can go in love to rewrite his destiny.

    Commenting on the announcement, senior vice president, acquisitions and co-productions Lauren Bixby said, “At this year’s Toronto Film Festival, we were astounded by Kill. We believe that American theatrical audiences are more discerning than ever and increasingly open to bold filmmaking from all corners of the world, so we’re confident that Kill will find an audience ready to delight in its exuberant mayhem.”

    Dharma Productions continues to celebrate the grand success of Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahani, and Sikhya Entertainment has had a memorable year with its Oscar win for The Elephant Whisperers.

    WME Independent, which is handling global sales, brokered the deal on behalf of the filmmakers alongside Christopher Davis and Kaycee Holcomb for Lionsgate.