THOSE who enjoyed hit 2020 India/Bangladeshset action movie Extraction can look forward to the sequel, which will have a Netflix premiere on June 16. After being presumed dead at the end of the first film, Chris Hemsworth returns for another deadly mission, set across other countries. Iranian/French actress Golshifteh Farahani also reprises her role in the high stakes action movie.
Vikramaditya Motwane
Netflix will soon feature a prison drama series Black Warrant directed by Vikramaditya Motwane. The Hindi series also features actors Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, and Anurag Thakur. It will also present the debut performance of Zahan Kapoor, the grandson of late movie legend Shashi Kapoor.
The series is inspired by true events and is a dramatised adaptation of Black Warrant: Confessions Of A Tihar Jailer, written by a former superintendent at Tihar Jail Sunil Gupta, and journalist Sunetra Choudhury. Motwane, who earlier worked on series Sacred Games for Netflix, has co-created Black Warrant with Satyanshu Singh, who also serves as a co-director alongside Ambiecka Pandit, Arkesh Ajay, and Rohin Raveendran Nair.
Black Warrant will be the first Hindi series of 2025 for Netflix. The high-stakes series will explore the lives of notorious offenders in Asia’s largest prison through the eyes of a rookie jailer Sunil Kumar Gupta (Zahan Kapoor). Netflix India, in one of their social media posts, wrote, “India ki sabse Khaufnaak jail mein ek naya jailer aaya hai. Based on certain real events. Watch Black Warrant, out 10 January, only on Netflix. #BlackWarrantOnNetflix.
"Motwane, the creator and showrunner alongside Satyanshu Singh, will look at the stark realities of prison life, both for the police officers and the prisoners serving time. He and Singh are co-directors of the series along with Ambiecka Pandit, Arkesh Ajay, and Rohin Raveendran Nair. The Hindi series also features actors Rahul Bhat, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Anurag Thakur, and Sidhant Gupta in the star cast as well.
The 2023 blockbuster Jawan made huge waves as Shah Rukh Khan made his first collaboration with Atlee. In the movie, SRK was seen in a double role – Vikram Rathore and Azad. Director of the movie Atlee says he never thought the former would become the ‘mass character’. In an interview, he admitted that he even had a ‘bet’ going on with King Khan as to who would be hailed as the mass character.
He was speaking at a promotional event hosted for team Baby John. Atlee candidly talked about his directorial Jawan starring Shah Rukh Khan. Atlee shared, “I said, ‘Sir (SRK), you wait and watch; Vikram Rathore is going to be the mass character.’ He just looked at me and said, ‘No, sir. Girls like me, Azad will be the mass.’ I said, ‘Okay sir, bet sir bet.’ But exactly after seeing the film, he said, ‘Boss, you were right.' He just told me, ‘You are right. Vikram Rathore is the mass; everybody loved it.’”
Atlee further explained his definition of mass: “See, mass is a mother feeling. It’s not alien. When you cry for a girl, you cry for an emotion, when you tear for a baby, that is mass. When you get angry for the right reason, that is mass. When you stand for society, that is mass.
”Whatever people call mass isn’t mass, he said, adding that, “That is why I think in all my films, the elements seem to be working, and the films are blockbusters."
Director Sandhya Suri’s Santosh, a movie set in rural north India, has been shortlisted for Oscar 2025 in the International Feature Film category from the UK. Shahana Goswami, who plays the role of a widow who inherits the job of her husband as a cop in the film, says, “I feel really happy, proud, and encouraged by this selection. It’s a moment of celebration for (director) Sandhya Suri (and) for all of us.”
The movie is an international co-production of the UK, India, France and Germany. Though Santosh is the UK’s official entry to the Oscars, Goswami feels India deserves to be proud of it regardless.
"I don't believe in the segregation of this is mine and that is yours. There is a huge Indian team involved. India has every reason to be proud of it as well. I don't think it is a country-specific thing. It's more thematic. It's about storytelling and diversity. It doesn't matter where the film comes from, the story is still rooted in India," Shahana says.
In the next step, Santosh will compete against 14 other films to get nominated for the 97th Oscars. Goswami, 38, is optimistic about winning and says, “I will be very happy if it plays out that way, and if it doesn’t, then it’s okay. But I do have a gut feeling about the film going through the nominations.”
British-Indian filmmaker Sandhya Suri’s debut feature film, Santosh, has been shortlisted for the Best International Feature Film category at the 97th Academy Awards. Representing the UK, Santosh stars Indian actors Shahana Goswami and Sunita Rajwar and is one of the 15 films vying for a spot in the final five nominees, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced on Wednesday morning.
Santosh tells the story of a newly widowed housewife (played by Goswami) who inherits her late husband’s job as a police constable and becomes embroiled in the investigation of a young girl’s murder. The film, which marks Suri’s feature directorial debut, is joined on the shortlist by other international contenders such as France’s Emilia Pérez, Brazil’s I’m Still Here, and Germany’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
India’s official entry for the Oscars, Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies (Lost Ladies), did not make it to the shortlist. The Hindi-language feminist drama, set in rural India in the early 2000s, revolves around two brides who are accidentally swapped during a train journey on their wedding day. Backed by Aamir Khan Productions and Jio Studios, the film had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023 and received widespread acclaim.
Sandhya Suri poses during a photocall for the film "Santosh" at the 77th edition of the Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, southern France, on May 21, 2024. Getty Images
Besides Santosh, another film with Indian connections, Anuja, has advanced to the next stage in the Live Action Short Film category. Co-directed by Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai, Anuja focuses on a gifted nine-year-old girl in New Delhi who must choose between education and factory work alongside her sister.
The final Oscar nominations will be announced on January 17, with the awards ceremony scheduled for March 2 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
Varun Dhawan in Baby John
Buckle up for 2 Christmas releases starring big names, including Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Salman Khan. Firstly, Baby John, starring Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Salman Khan and Wamiqa Gabbi, is set to be released on December 25. The movie, written by Kalees and Sumit Arora, is directed by Kalees and bankrolled by Atlee. It is believed to be an adaptation of the popular 2016 Tamil film Theri, However, last week, Varun Dhawan, in an interview, clarified that Baby John is not a direct remake of Theri, but rather an adaptation with a fresh take on the original.
The trailer, with a predominant shade of red in its colouring, has set the tone for becoming a good action thriller. IMDb says the movie “revolves around a DCP who transforms and travels to different places to safeguard his family”. You can expect a perfect blend of high-octane stunts and powerful performances by the cast as it has passed the vibe to become a mass entertainer. From the stills of Varun’s entry to Jackie Shroff’s acting, the audience is sure to be enchanted by some top-notch screen presence.
Secondly, we have Alia Bhatt’s Alpha on the list, which will also be released on December 25. After her gripping and A-class performance in Jigra, Alpha by Yash Raj Films, is all set to present her in its first female-led action-thriller in the YSR Spy Universe. Besides Alia, the film will feature Sharvari, promising a thrilling and action-packed cinematic experience. The movie, produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Shiv Rawail, will be a milestone for YRF as it will follow two female super agents taking the lead in the Spyverse. The Chopra-Rawail duo is expected to deliver a fascinating experience. Pair that up with the Alia-Sharvari duo, and you have a potential blockbuster. Could this be a prelude to something bigger? Let’s wait and see.
