Radhika Apte returns to Marathi roots with ‘Medium Spicy’

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Radhika Apte returns to Marathi roots with ‘Medium Spicy’

A viral video clip that is floating around on social media indicates that actress Radhika Apte is returning to her Marathi roots with the film ‘Medium Spicy’.

The film stars Lalit Prabhakar, Sai Tamhankar, and Parna Pethe.

The leaked clip shows that Lalit and Radhika are sitting and chatting in a hotel. What happened next creates a mystery in the minds of the audience.

According to a source close to the development, it is because director Mohit Takalkar, a well-known playwright, and Radhika have previously worked together in Marathi plays.

Earlier Radhika appeared in the Marathi films ‘Gho Mala Asla Hava’, ‘Tukaram’, and ‘Postcard’ which were released in 2014. ‘Medium Spicy’ would be her return to Marathi cinema after eight years.

Meanwhile, Radhika is also gearing up for her next release ‘Forensic’ also starring Vikrant Massey, releasing on ZEE5.

 

Allu Arjun’s ‘Pushpa 2’ to begin production soon

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Allu Arjun’s ‘Pushpa 2’ to begin production soon

Following the success of ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna, all eyes are now on the sequel.

However, the delay in beginning production on the second installment of Sukumar’s much-anticipated movie has sparked a lot of discussions.

The makers are now starting to work on scheduling the shooting part, as the news has come as a relief for the movie’s fans.

‘Pushpa: The Rule’s script is still being written, and Sukumar and his crew aim to begin shooting in August. This was primarily owing to Sukumar’s inability to devote enough time to the writing sessions due to a minor health condition.

Well, now that the ‘Arya’ director seems to be confident about the scripting for ‘Pushpa 2’, the makers have apparently decided to take it on the floors in a couple of months.

The film will cross borders and have a multinational setting in which Allu Arjun will be challenged against all odds. Fahadh Faasil will play a pivotal role in ‘Pushpa 2’, and his character in the movie is expected to astound everyone.

After the enormous success of the first installment of the film, Allu Arjun’s popularity in the north belt has skyrocketed. This is why the filmmakers want to seize the momentum and are paying special attention to ‘Pushpa: The Rule’s execution.

 

Director Shankar calls on Rajini as blockbuster ‘Sivaji’ completes 15 years!

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Director Shankar calls on Rajini as blockbuster ‘Sivaji’ completes 15 years!

Director Shankar Shanmugham, who has delivered some huge blockbusters with superstar Rajinikanth, called on the actor along with his daughter on the occasion of their film ‘Sivaji’ completing 15 years on Wednesday.

‘Sivaji’, which went on to emerge as a huge blockbuster, had Rajinikanth playing an NRI who returns home to India with the dream of making education affordable to even the poor of the country.

Posting a picture of himself with Rajinikanth, Shankar on Twitter said, “Elated to have met our ‘Sivaji the Boss’ Rajinikanth sir himself on this very memorable day marking 15 years of ‘Sivaji’. Your energy, affection, and positive aura made my day!”

Sources say that the meeting of the director with the actor lasted for a good 45 minutes during which period the two discussed a number of topics including the film industry and Shankar’s upcoming film with Ram Charan.

Shankar’s daughter Aditi Shankar, a doctor by profession who will also be making her debut as a heroine through director Muthiah’s ‘Viruman’, also posted a picture of herself with the superstar clicked on the occasion.

“15 years of ‘Sivaji’! With the boss himself Rajinikanth sir,” she wrote.

Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’ to be adapted as a Broadway show in the UK?

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Aamir Khan’s ‘Lagaan’ to be adapted as a Broadway show in the UK?

‘Lagaan: Once Upon A Time’ has completed 21 years of its release in Hindi cinema on Wednesday and now the Aamir Khan-starrer is set to be adapted as a Broadway show in the UK, reports say.

According to a source: “Several leading producers from the UK have requested the rights from Aamir Khan Productions and a final decision will be made soon regarding the West End Theatre”.

The West End Theatre is the equivalent of the Broadway show which is one of the biggest and most popular theatres worldwide.

The source added: “Aamir Khan’s team is yet to make a final decision about it. The makers have different plans which include doing a worldwide tour of the show that will feature a completely original cast”.

‘Lagaan’ is a tale set in 1893 during the late Victorian period of India’s colonial British Raj. The film is directed by Ashutosh Gowarikar and is produced by Aamir Khan Productions.

On the work front, Aamir is gearing up for the release of ‘Laal Singh Chaddha’ on August 11.

 

‘India’s Laughter Champion’ has a power-packed weekend up its sleeve

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‘India’s Laughter Champion’ has a power-packed weekend up its sleeve

TV show ‘India’s Laughter Champion’, which premiered last week, will be introducing new comedians again this weekend.

In addition, it will see the cast of the upcoming film ‘Nikamma’ – Shilpa Shetty, Abhimanyu Dassani and Shirley Setia grace the show in its Saturday episode.

The show, which is judged by Archana Puran Singh and Shekhar Suman, will see special guest Gurpreet Ghuggi on Saturday and Suresh Albela on Sunday as the ‘Comedy ke Sarpanch’.

Among the comedians, Amit Chui from Jammu, will make the audience laugh and also shake a leg with the cast of ‘Nikamma’. Starting with Bhangra and then to the title track of ‘Nikamma,’ Amit had a fun time with the special guests,

On the other hand, Abhay Kumar Sharma from Varanasi would be giving a new meaning to comedy with dark humor. Hilarious duo Bharat and Sagar from Mumbai would be making the guests guffaw at their punchlines while the oldest comedian yet to come on stage, Radha Shyam Bharti from Prayagraj would charm everyone with his wit.

During the Saturday episode, Shilpa praised Shekhar as she told him, “Shekhar ji, I have always wanted to tell you this. I have met you so many times, we know each other so well, but never got the chance to tell you this.”

“This stage is dedicated to a comedy show but I have to say, you have worked in many films, and I have watched so many of your films but there is one film that I am a huge fan of ‘Anubhav'”, she added.

Convulsing in laughter she then said, “There was a scene in which he goes to exercise and he does every possible exercise, picks up all the weights, does leg work. Then there is a shot of his where he is walking on the street and that shot is imprinted in my mind. He did it so funnily! I’ll show you”, Shilpa then imitated the judge’s walk in the film much to the amusement of everyone.

‘India’s Laughter Champion’, airs every Saturday and Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on Sony Entertainment Television.

 

Mahesh Babu’s hit ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’ locks OTT release date

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Mahesh Babu’s hit ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’ locks OTT release date

Mahesh Babu’s ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’ wowed audiences in theatres and will now be available on Prime Video.

On Wednesday, Prime Video announced that starting June 23, all Prime Video customers will be able to watch the film for free. The same OTT partners had negotiated for a ‘Pay Per View’ for ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’, but now that the release date has been confirmed, the movie will be available for all Prime members to see.

Parasuram Petla directed ‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata,’ in which Nadiya, Naga Babu, Samuthirakani, Brahmaji, Subbaraju, Vennela Kishore, and others played prominent roles. For this film, Thaman composed catchy music.

‘Sarkaru Vaari Paata’ has been one of the biggest commercial hits since the epidemic, as well as one of Mahesh’s most successful films.

 

‘Ghoomer’ first look shows Abhishek, Saiyami sharing moment of contemplation

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‘Ghoomer’ first look shows Abhishek, Saiyami sharing moment of contemplation

Actress Saiyami Kher, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film ‘Ghoomer’, recently took to social media to share the first look of the film where she can be seen sharing the frame with her ‘Breathe: Into the Shadows’ co-actor Abhishek Bachchan.

The film has been directed by advertising maverick and ‘Paa’ director R. Balki and also stars Shabana Azmi in a significant role.

Saiyami will be seen essaying the role of a cricketer in the film which sees Abhishek playing the role of her coach. Sharing her excitement, the actress said in a statement, “While growing up I always thought I would be a sportsperson someday as I loved being associated with the sports since my childhood. But when acting came into the picture, I realized I loved facing the camera and the different life that it brought with each character that I played onscreen.”

She further mentioned that as an actress and a sports enthusiast, she always harbored the dream of essaying the role of a cricketer, “But somewhere deep down in my heart I also wanted to always play a cricketer onscreen and fulfill my dream of being a cricketer no matter, even if meant as a role onscreen.”

And the film gave her the outlet to project her skills, “‘Ghoomer’ gave me that opportunity, it’s like a dream come true project for me. It was an emotionally and physically challenging role but I enjoyed every bit of it. I don’t want to restrict myself and want to play more and more characters.”

Interestingly, Saiyami has even played cricket at the school level for Maharashtra. The actress made it to the national team selection, but she opted for the badminton state championships instead.

Additionally, the actress is also a part of Tahira Kashyap’s upcoming movie ‘Sharmaji Ki Beti’ and Ashwiny Iyer Tiwary’s ‘Faadu’.

Prabhas’ photo in ‘Tanhaji’ director Om Raut’s Bandra flat goes viral

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Prabhas’ photo in ‘Tanhaji’ director Om Raut’s Bandra flat goes viral

‘Radhe Shyam’ actor Prabhas was sighted at director Om Raut’s Bandra apartment. Om Raut had organized a gala party at his Bandra residence, which was attended by Prabhas.

Prabhas, Saif Ali Khan, and Kriti Sanon were spotted at Om Raut’s grand celebration last night, according to reports.

In black jeans and a maroon top, Prabhas looks dapper and seems to have worked out a new look. He also looks slimmer after losing some weight.

These videos and pictures featuring Prabhas and Om Raut, have gone viral on social media.

‘Adipurush’, directed by Om Raut, is set to enter theatres later this year. T-Series and Retrophiles Pvt Ltd produced the pan-India film.

Prabhas, on the other hand, is to appear in ‘KGF’ director Prashanth Neel’s ‘Salaar’, after which he will be seen in a movie, which will be directed by Maruthi.

Prabhas also has a huge project titled ‘Spirit’, which will be directed by ‘Arjun Reddy’ fame Sandeep Vanga.

 

Trailer of Keerthy Suresh, Tovino Thomas-starrer ‘Vaashi’ out

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Trailer of Keerthy Suresh, Tovino Thomas-starrer ‘Vaashi’ out

The team of director Vishnu G Raghav’s much-awaited Malayalam courtroom drama ‘Vaashi’, featuring Tovino Thomas and Keerthy Suresh in the lead, has now released the official trailer of the film.

Taking to Twitter to announce that the trailer of the film had been released, actress Keerthy Suresh said, “Presenting the world of Madhavi and Ebi from our hearts!! #VaashiTrailer is out now.”

The well-cut trailer gives a clear-cut idea about what the film is all about.

Both Keerthy and Tovino play lawyers in the film. While Keerthy plays Madhavi, Tovino plays a character called Ebin Mathew. Both are associates and appear to be good friends. Life seems to be going on well until a particular case has them appearing on opposite sides and both seem determined to win it.

The film, which has been produced by Keerthy Suresh’s dad G Suresh Kumar, has cinematography by Neil DCunha and music by Kailas.

The background score for the film is by Yakson and Neha and the art is by Sabu Mohan.

The film, which promises to be an engaging courtroom drama, is scheduled to hit screens on June 17.

 

ZEE5 unveils Telugu content slate with 11 original series

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ZEE5 unveils Telugu content slate with 11 original series

Upping the ante in content offerings for Telugu audiences, leading video streaming platform ZEE5 has unveiled a slate of 11 Telugu originals.

The content slate was recently unveiled in the presence of film personalities Harish Shankar, Praveen Sattaru, Kona Venkat, Niharika, and Sushmita Konidela.

ZEE5 viewers in the Telugu market can access a variety of content, ranging from thrillers to comedy, drama, and romance, which are deeply rooted in the rich culture and legacy of the region.

Talking about their focus on the Telugu market, Manish Kalra, chief business officer, ZEE5 India said, “South is an important market for us at ZEE5 and we have been consistent in expanding our presence in this market across languages from the very outset.

“The response from the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana region has been encouraging and we did foresee a growing appetite for Telugu content worldwide. We are excited to work with the Telugu entertainment industry’s talented creative ecosystem and are convinced that we will embark on an exciting and enriching journey together. We have significantly boosted our investments in this market and stand open to collaborating with the creators in delivering extraordinary entertainment to ZEE5 audiences.”

The upcoming titles include ‘Recce’, which is a multi-starrer thriller featuring Shiva Balaji, Sri Ram, Dhanya Balakrishna, Rajeshwari Nair, Aadukalam Nareyn, Sharanya Pradeep, Sammeta Gandhi, Ester Noronha, and ‘Maa Neella Tank’ – a romantic comedy based in a small village that marks actor Sushanth’s OTT debut.

Noted filmmaker Harish Shankar revealed the first look of ‘ATM’ – a heist comedy featuring Subbaraju, Prudhvi, and VJ Sunny. Popular actor Raj Tarun unveiled the lyrical video of a song from the upcoming ‘Aha Nee Pellanta’ – a fun romantic show of a man’s failed attempt at finding a spouse.

The line-up boasts of shows like Hello World! – based on the life and trials of a group of youngsters on the cusp of their careers in the prominent IT sector of Hyderabad and Mission Tashaffi -an adrenaline-pumping spy drama. Other shows to look forward to are ‘Paruvu’, ‘Bahishkarana’, ‘The Black Coat’, ‘Prema Vimanam’ and ‘Hunting of the Stars’.

The event also raised a toast to the talented teams of Oka Chinna Family Story, Net, the Loser franchise, and Gaalivaana for their remarkable storytelling which has had the Telugu audience hooked.

Highlighting ZEE5’s content strategy, Punit Misra, President – Content & International Markets, ZEE Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. said, “In recent years, we have seen a significant transition in the viewing patterns of Indian audiences, who are now sampling and consuming a diverse range of content on OTT platforms.

“This uptick has been significant in South India, especially Telangana and Andhra Pradesh which are important markets for us. As we continue to chart the next phase of growth for ZEE5, our focus is to continuously innovate on content and deliver compelling and extraordinary stories, driven by consumer and culture-centric design thinking.”

In addition, viewers can watch blockbuster movies along with a line-up of original content and movies from ZEE5’s library that has been specially dubbed in Telugu to cater to the viewers’ consumption preferences.

 

Sai Pallavi reveals interesting tidbits about her next film ‘Gargi’

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Sai Pallavi reveals interesting tidbits about her next film ‘Gargi’

Sai Pallavi, who rose to prominence after starring in the Malayalam film ‘Premam,’ is now one of Telugu’s most popular heroines.

During the promotional tour for ‘Virata Parvam’, Sai Pallavi shares interesting tidbits about her upcoming films as well as her professional insights.

“My forthcoming film ‘Gargi’ was shot during the pandemic in Tamil. It’s as personal to me as ‘Virata Parvam’. It’s a brand new narrative that will surprise all”, Sai Pallavi revealed. ‘Gargi’ is an upcoming Kannada movie written and directed by Gautham Ramachandran.

Speaking about her Kollywood movies, Sai Pallavi said, “In Tamil, I’ve agreed to star opposite Sivakarthikeyan in a new film”.

“Reading scripts is something I really enjoy doing. Every day, I do it. I’ll definitely do it if a good web series comes along”, the ‘Fidaa’ actress expressed.

Despite the admirable craze she has, this leading lady is quite particular about the stories she chooses. “I don’t mind having breaks in my work if my filmography is good. It will find me if a story is meant for me”, Sai Pallavi said.

Sai Pallavi plays ‘Vennela’ in ‘Virata Parvam’, which has Rana Daggubati as one of the lead roles.

 

Bhuvan Bam’s ‘Dhindora’ to return for the second season

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Bhuvan Bam’s ‘Dhindora’ to return for the second season

The independent web series ‘Dhindora’ headlined by YouTube star Bhuvan Bam, is getting renewed for a second season on YouTube.

The development has already begun and the shooting of the season is expected to take place at the end of 2022.

Commenting on the development, Bhuvan said in a statement, “We started ‘Dhindora’ with the simple aim to entertain the audiences with the same property, this time spun into a web show set around an interesting set of characters woven together in a story.”

He further mentioned, “The show was very well received by the audiences and we were grateful for all the love. We have already started work on the next season of this show and I’m excited to bring those beloved characters back to everyone’s screens soon.”

Season one was directed by Himank Gaur who is soon all set to also helm Bhuvan’s first official OTT debut ‘Taaza Khabar’ with Disney+ Hotstar and is being produced by Rohit Raj, who is the co-founder of BB Ki Vines productions.

‘Dhindora’ is based on the real-life story of a middle-class family. The first season of the show consists of 8 episodes, which are available for streaming on YouTube.

 

Dhanush-starrer ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ to hit screens on August 18

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Dhanush-starrer ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ to hit screens on August 18

Director Mithran R. Jawahar’s much-awaited comedy-drama ‘Thiruchitrambalam’, featuring actor Dhanush in the lead, will hit screens on August 18, its makers announced on Wednesday.

Taking to Twitter, Sun Pictures, the production house producing the film, tweeted, “‘Thiruchitrambhalam’ releasing in theaters on August 18!”

Dhanush too confirmed the news, tweeting, “Well it’s been a while, isn’t it? ‘Thiruchitrambalam’ from August 18th. See you all in theatres.”

The film’s team has already announced the names of all the characters in the film and disclosed who is playing which character. While Dhanush plays the titular role of Thiruchitrambalam, director Bharathiraja plays the role of senior Thiruchitrambalam. Nithya Menon plays a character called Shobana, who happens to be Thiruchitrambalam’s best friend in the film.

Prakash Raj plays a strict inspector called Neelakandan in the film while actress Priya Bhavani Shankar plays Ranjani, a village lass. Actress Raashi Khanna, who plays the female lead, plays Anusha, Dhanush’s high school friend in the film.

The film, which has music by Anirudh, has cinematography by Om Prakash and editing by Prasanna G K. It has been produced by Sun Pictures Kalanithi Maran.

 

Vaishnav Tej to star in the film directed by Sai Sowjanya

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Vaishnav Tej to star in the film directed by Sai Sowjanya

With a super hit debut like ‘Uppena’, Vaishnav Tej had a strong start to his career. He is now working on his third film ‘Ranga Ranga Vaibhavanga’ in which he will appear opposite Ketika Sharma.

Apart from that, according to recent reports, Tej has signed another project. Sai Sowjanya, the woman director who came to fame with ‘Varudu Kavalenu’ starring Naga Shourya and Ritu Varma, seems to have narrated an interesting plot to Vaishnav Tej, to which he has apparently given a nod.

Close sources believe the script work for this upcoming movie is nearly complete, and additional information about the banner and heroine will be released soon.

Well, if the news is to be believed, it is considered Vaishnav Tej’s collaboration with Sai Sowjanya will add much to the anticipation of the audience.

Though Vaishnav Tej got a good start as a hero, later he co-starred with Rakul Preet in Krish’s directorial titled ‘Kondapolam’ which bombed at the box office.

Raghava Lawrence to play the lead in P Vasu’s ‘Chandramukhi 2’

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Raghava Lawrence to play the lead in P Vasu’s ‘Chandramukhi 2’

Lyca Productions, one of Tamil cinema’s top production houses, has announced that it is to produce the sequel to director P Vasu’s blockbuster ‘Chandramukhi’, which had Rajinikanth and Nayanthara playing the lead.

Making the announcement on Twitter, Lyca said, “Elated to announce our next big project ‘Chandramukhi 2’! Starring Raghava Lawrence and Vaigaipuyal Vadivelu. Directed by P Vasu. with Music by M M Keeravaani and cinematography by R D Rajasekar. Art by Thotta Tharani.”

Raghava Lawrence too reacted to the announcement.

He said, “I’m elated to announce my next project ‘Chandramukhi 2’. I’m extremely happy to work with Vadivelu Anna again.

“A big thanks to my Guru Rajinikanth! Thanks to Sivaji productions for giving the title.

“I’m excited to collaborate with Subaskaran sir of Lyca Productions for the first time and I’m happy to be directed by Vasu sir again. Music by Keeravani sir. Cinematography by R D Rajasekhar sir. ”

The first part, which was produced by Sivaji Productions as its 50th film in 2005, had Rajinikanth, Prabhu, Jyothika, Nayanthara, Nasser, and Vadivelu among others.

The remake of the Malayalam super hit ‘Manachitrathazhu’, ‘Chandramukhi’ was directed by P Vasu and went on to emerge as a phenomenal success.

Raghava Lawrence, had, some time ago, announced that he would be acting in the sequel, but had gone on to name a different production house as the producer. However, now, Lyca Productions has announced that it will be producing the project.

 

BTS are going their separate ways on a ‘temporary hiatus’

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BTS are going their separate ways on a ‘temporary hiatus’

K-Pop sensations BTS broke down in tears as they revealed plans to pursue solo careers and “grow”, but pledged to return “someday”.

Septet Jin, 29, Suga, 29, J-Hope, 28, RM, 27, V, 26, Jimin, 26, and Jungkook, 24, broke the news to their armies of fans during their annual FESTA dinner which celebrated the hugely popular band’s nine years together, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

RM said it was time for them to work on their own, adding: “I always thought that BTS was different from other groups, but the problem with K-pop and the whole idol system is that they don’t give you time to mature.

“You have to keep producing music and keep doing something.”

J-Hope added: “I think we should spend some time apart to learn how to be one again. I hope you don’t see this as a negative thing, and see it as a healthy plan. I think BTS will become stronger that way.”

Suga exclaimed: “It’s not like we’re disbanding!”

Jimin said: “We can’t help but think of our fans no matter what, we want to be the kind of artists that are remembered by our fans.

“I think now we’re starting to think about what kind of artists we each want to be remembered by our fans.

“I think that’s why we’re going through a rough patch right now, we’re trying to find our identity and that’s an exhausting and long process.”

V insisted they were not splitting and vowed the band’s “synergy will be like no other” when they regroup.

Jung Kook released a solo single on Sunday called ‘My You’ while J-Hope has been announced as a headliner of Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival in July.

Formed in 2010, South Korean boyband BTS — also known as the Bangtan Boys — also took a break in December 2021, when the group said they needed some down time to recharge.

They also took a mini break in 2019.

 

Netflix announces ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ reality series with an open casting call

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Netflix announces ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ reality series with an open casting call

Streaming giant Netflix has greenlit ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’, a reality competition series based on the hit 2021 South Korean drama.

The news came from Bela Bajaria, Netflix’s head of global TV, at the Banff World Media Festival on Tuesday, reports Variety.

According to Netflix, ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’ will be “the biggest reality competition series ever,” hosting the largest cast and offering the largest lump sum cash prize in reality television history as 456 players compete for $4.56 million.

According to ‘Variety’, contestants will go through a series of games inspired by the original show, plus new additions, which are all intended to test their strategies, alliances, and character as others are eliminated around them.

Recruitment for the series is currently open to English-language speakers from anywhere in the world.

“Squid Game took the world by storm with Director Hwang’s captivating story and iconic imagery. We’re grateful for his support as we turn the fictional world into reality in this massive competition and social experiment,” said Brandon Riegg, Netflix’s vice president of unscripted and documentary Series.

“Fans of the drama series are in for a fascinating and unpredictable journey as our 456 real-world contestants navigate the biggest competition series ever, full of tension and twists, with the biggest ever cash prize at the end.”

The 10-episode competition series is a co-production between Studio Lambert and The Garden and will be filmed in the UK Stephen Lambert, Tim Harcourt and Toni Ireland executive produce for Studio Lambert while John Hay, Nicola Hill, and Nicola Brown executive produce for The Garden.

 

Just tried to hang on for as long as I could, says Maxwell after playing a match-winning knock

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Just tried to hang on for as long as I could, says Maxwell after playing a match-winning knock

Glenn Maxwell, the architect of Australia’s two-wicket win in the rain-affected opening One-day International against Sri Lanka here late on Tuesday said he was just trying to hang on for as long as he could, given the mammoth 300-run target set by the hosts, adding the key to his unbeaten 80 on the day was taking calculated risks.

Sri Lanka scored 300/7 on a battery-friendly pitch in the opening ODI of the five-match series before the tourists overhauled the revised target of 282 runs in 42.3 overs.

“I was just trying to stay out there as long as I could. I knew I was going to get balls to score off in my areas at some stage, and I was just trying to take risks at the right time,” Maxwell said, summing up the morale-boosting win.

“I think when there were only three overs left, I think that was a good opportunity to try and get the run rate down under six, and then (I) try and do it in the next over without letting it get to the last over, because all sorts of chaos could happen in the last,” added the all-rounder.

Sri Lanka looked ahead for much of the ODI but Maxwell finished with 80 not out off 51 deliveries, hitting a total of 12 boundaries, to steer his side to a comfortable win (DLS) with nine balls to spare.

Wanindu Hasaranga looked to be impacted by his persistent leg trouble, though the star all-rounder continued to show his world-class talent once again, smashing 37 off 19 balls, embellished with six boundaries to guide the hosts to 300.

As the hosts looked poised to post a score around the 280 mark, the right-hander struck five consecutive boundaries off Jhye Richardson, manipulating the field with smart footwork and a mix of touch and power. He returned to trouble the Aussies with the ball. He returned superb figures of 4/58 from nine overs and dismissed Aaron Finch and Marcus Stoinis, as well as Alex Carey and Pat Cummins in the same over.

Despite his exploits, Hasaranga could not land the killer blow on Royal Challengers Bangalore teammate Maxwell. The leg-spinner’s final delivery beat the bat, though Maxwell scurried through for a bye to retain the strike, and then went on to plunder 15 off the next over.

Young Dunith Wellalage also tasted success on debut, taking two Australian wickets. After bursting onto the scene at the ICC Men’s U19 Cricket World Cup, Wellalage earned a first senior international call-up and he didn’t disappoint on Tuesday night.

The left-arm orthodox spinner claimed Steve Smith as his first scalp, forcing an error from one of the world’s best as his delivery skidded underneath the Australian’s bat. He was then entrusted with a death-over role and claimed Ashton Agar with a plumb lbw decision that looked to turn the tide.

Despite the debutant’s best efforts, Wellalage was outfoxed by Maxwell, with a reverse sweep and a swat to the leg-side for consecutive boundaries bringing the required rate down from eight to six.

Finishing with 2/49 from seven overs, Wellalage will be all the richer for the experience though, and captain Dasun Shanaka predicts the all-rounder will feature a lot more for the senior team.

“He’s is a very good cricketer. I have seen him performing through the under-19 level, so I think he’ll deliver in the future for us.”

Brief scores: Sri Lanka 300/7 in 50 overs (Danushka Gunathilaka 55, Pathum Nissanka 56, Kusal Mendis 86 not out) lost to Australia 282/8 in 42.3 overs (Aaron Finch 44, Steven Smith 53, Marcus Stoinis 44, Glenn Maxwell 80 not out; Wanindu Hasaranga 4/58) by two wickets (DLS).

Injured New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson flies home from England

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Injured New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson flies home from England

Tall New Zealand pace bowler Kyle Jamieson will return home after an MRI scan revealed a stress reaction to his lower left back during the second Test at Trent Bridge, which England won by five wickets to take an unassailable lead in the series.

The 27-year-old sustained the injury while bowling on day three of the Test and coach Gary Stead expected he would require four to six weeks of rest before beginning a rehabilitation program targeting a potential return to play in September or October.

Pace bowler Blair Tickner, who was with the Test side in England for the early tour games, has been called into the squad as Jamieson’s replacement and will arrive in the UK prior to the third Test at Leeds next week.

Tickner’s domestic teammate Dane Cleaver has received his maiden Test call-up as a replacement for wicket-keeper Cam Fletcher who has also been ruled out of the tour with a grade-two right-hamstring strain.

Fletcher sustained the injury while fielding on day four of the second Test and will require six to eight weeks to recover.

Cleaver was called up by New Zealand for the first time as part of the T20 side to face the Netherlands in March. However, the one-off match was abandoned due to the weather.

Stead expressed his sympathy for Jamieson and Fletcher and thanked them for their efforts.

“It’s always sad to see players forced to leave a tour early with an injury,” Stead said.

“Kyle had played such a big role in the first Test at Lord’s and I know how disappointed he was to have had his involvement in the second Test curtailed. He’s obviously a huge asset for us and we’ll be making sure we are patient with his recovery to ensure he returns fully fit with plenty more important cricket still to come later this year.

“It’s exciting for Blair and Dane to be joining us for the final Test at Headingley next week. Blair was with us for the first part of the tour and his skills will be a valuable asset to the squad. It will be Dane’s first experience with the Test side and I know he can’t wait to get here and soak it up.”

New Zealand will have a couple of days off before regrouping in Leeds ahead of the third Test at Headingley starting on June 23.

 

Paavo Nurmi Games: Neeraj Chopra sets new national record, bags silver medal

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Paavo Nurmi Games: Neeraj Chopra sets new national record, bags silver medal

Tokyo Olympics champion Neeraj Chopra made an impressive return to competitive action as he broke his own national record to win the men’s javelin throw silver medal at the 2022 Paavo Nurmi Games, here.

The 24-year-old Chopra on Tuesday registered a best throw of 89.30m, a new personal best and national record, to finish behind Finland’s Oliver Helander, who won gold with a personal best throw of 89.83m.

Reigning world champion and 2022 season’s world leader Anderson Peters of Grenada claimed the bronze with 86.60m. The meet in Finland was Neeraj’s first competition since winning the historic gold medal at Tokyo 2020 in August last year.

“Very nice competition and I am very happy about my personal best and national record. Oliver (Helander) had very good technique today. I tried maybe too much because that was my first competition of this season. I will compete next in Kuortane after four days,” Chopra said.

The 24-year-old Indian made a statement of intent with his opening throw, measuring an impressive 86.92m. He then recorded 89.30m in his second attempt, bettering his own previous personal best and national record of 88.07m, set at the Indian Grand Prix 3 in March last year.

However, the Indian failed to log a legitimate attempt in his next three throws before registering 85.85 with his final attempt. His second throw, however, was enough for a silver medal finish, an olympics.com report said.

London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Keshorn Walcott from Trinidad and Tobago finished fourth in the 10-man field with 84.02m, while Tokyo 2020 silver medallist Jakub Vadlejch of the Czech Republic came in sixth with 83.91m.

After Turku, Neeraj is scheduled to stay in Finland to compete at the Kuortane Games before heading to Sweden for the Stockholm leg of the Diamond League.

 

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