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Ektaa R Kapoor: OTT and TV complement each other

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Television czarina Ektaa R Kapoor is known for giving the audience more relatable and variety of content. She has seen how the industry has evolved with time and also how OTT has changed the dynamics.

In a conversation with IANS, she opens up about her journey in the television industry and also shares how the content has changed with time.

Ektaa elaborated on her journey in the television industry and says: “I feel like a fossil at times. I feel like television has got everything to do with escapism and very little to do with just content, it’s a lot of suspension of reality.

“People want to have really clean entertainment and that is one thing that hasn’t changed on television but a lot of new age stories are coming up and this is one thing that I have learnt. My journey has been nothing more than almost 26 years of doing something that I probably love and believe in.”

Ektaa started her career at the age of 17 as an intern with ad and feature filmmaker Kailash Surendranath. After facing a number of failures, her 1995 sitcom, ‘Hum Paanch’ was her first success in the industry.

So, it was not a cakewalk for her and how she look at the ups and downs, she replies: “I feel every year, a new trend comes, a new writing pattern comes and one has to innovate, sometimes you know escapism on TV is a big form of entertainment and then few years later it becomes relatable, all the shows starts taking over. Everytime this happens there’s a change of taste, you are coming home everyday and there’s a difference in the entertainment you are consuming.”

“I feel I have to innovate and when I do that I feel there’s a new era and a whole new type of audience I open up to. I think, for example when I did ‘Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi’ with big sets and clothes, then I did ‘Balika Vadhu’ – a new era has arrived and then i did ‘Pavitra Rishta’ to update myself, to basically reinvent the audience and their choices. I wanted a relatable look with an aspiration, then it was opposite, then I did ‘Bade Acche Lagte Hai’ . It was a different kind of escapism. I realised that every few years ‘I had to reinvent’.”

After making her mark in the television industry, Ektaa launched her digital platform ALTBalaji in April 2017, recently it has completed five years and given some remarkable projects among which the latest one is ‘Lock Upp’. The producer talks about how OTT has changed the entire scenario and influenced the television content.

“OTT itself has so much experimentation because it has so much of specification as far as the audience identification goes and then the content gets into exactly to the target audience. Unlike TV which is more like one size fits all. So, they both come from a different mindset. OTT and TV are not eating into each other’s market, nor are they helping each other change or becoming catalysts in each other’s growth.”

Bollywood

India release of Korean thriller ‘Hope’ pushed to October 23

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Mumbai, Sep 29: The release of the much-talked-about upcoming Korean sci-fi thriller ‘HOPE’ has been pushed.

The drama, which was originally scheduled to be out in the cinema halls in India on September 25 this year, will now get a theatrical release on October 23, 2026.

The release was delayed so that there is sufficient time for the requisite screening of the film and certification process by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

Now, the English version of the movie has been approved by the CBFC without any cuts, whereas the certification process for its Hindi, Tamil and Telugu dubbed versions is presently underway.

Presented by Plus M Entertainment and backed by Forged Films, along with, Plus M Entertainment and Westworld, the drama is being released in India via Star Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

The worldwide release for ‘HOPE’ is slated for November this year.

Meanwhile, the project will premiere in the UK, Sweden, Switzerland and Ireland this week. Following this, it will be out in Argentina, Germany, France and Spain in October, along with other international markets.

‘HOPE’ has been made under the direction of Na Hong-jin, the renowned filmmaker known for his work in ‘The Chaser’, ‘The Yellow Sea’ and ‘The Wailing’.

Set in a remote port town, the film talks about what happens when they discovery an unidentified object, triggering a mysterious and dangerous chain of events.

‘HOPE’ enjoys an ensemble cast led by Hwang Jung-min, Jo In-sung, Jung Ho-yeon, Michael Fassbender, Alicia Vikander and Taylor Kitsch, along with others.

‘Hope’ had its world premiere at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival on May 17, 2026.

The drama has become the highest-grossing Korean film in the US, crossing USD 7 million.

While Hong Kyung-pyo is on board as the cinematographer, Kim Sun-min is the head of the editing department.

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Shilpa Shinde says Salman Khan would’ve ‘sorted out’ Shivangi Joshi, heaps praise on Qazi Touqeer, Mahhi Vij

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Mumbai, Sep 29: Actress Shilpa Shinde has praised Salman Khan for the previous ‘Bigg Boss 20’ Weekend Ka Vaar episode, where the superstar slammed trolls and shared that she wished he was in the previous show she did so he could have “sorted out” contestant Shivangi Joshi, whom she cryptically calls “Annabella”.

Shilpa took to Instagram, where she shared a video backing contestants Qazi Touqeer and Mahhi Vij, calling their approach to the game “very straightforward” and “real”.

In the clip, she said: “I hope you are watching Bigg Boss. I watched Bigg Boss, especially the weekend episode. The episode I watched last Saturday, my God, my heart is so cold.”

She added: I wish I had played Salman Khan in the show I just did. Then I would have beaten Anabella. I would have never said that your game is very good. But what can I say, I enjoyed it so much. My heart is so cold after watching the weekend episode.”

“And I don’t know why, the whole house is behind me with Qazi and Mahhi.”

Shilpa said that “it’s very real, it’s a reality show. Whatever you are, you look. And these people are not bad at all. They are playing very straightforwardly. So I want everyone to like them, support them because they are real.”

“The rest of the people seem to be hiding something from themselves. There is something and show something else. But anyways, I enjoyed it a lot. Salman Ji, you made my heart happy. I missed you a lot in this lock-up show. And this is especially for you, for Salman Ji.”

Talking about Lock Upp: Sach Ya Sazaa, was hosted by Farah Khan and Riteish Deshmukh. The grand finale streamed on 5 August 2026, where Shreya Kalra won the season and received a cash prize of Rs. 1 crore, and Shivangi Joshi finished as the runner-up.

Meanwhile, the 20th edition of Bigg Boss started on September 6. It has a diverse lineup of 16 celebrity contestants including names such as MC Mary Kom, Kanika Mann, Mahhi Vij, Kushal Tanwar, Aman Gandhi, Isha Rikhi, Arishfa Khan, Qazi Touqeer, Asif Khan, Aamrapali Dubey, Rhiti Tiwari, Uditi Singh, Tanmay Singh aka ScoutOP, Yung DSA and Love Gill.

The show airs on JioHotstar and Colors.

Bigg Boss is an Indian Hindi-language reality television show of the Bigg Boss franchise in India that airs on Colors TV. It is based on the Dutch format of Big Brother. The 20th edition started on September 6.

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Aishwarya Rai Bachchan wears crown at PFW, joins Celine Dion, Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria and Simone Ashley on stage

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Mumbai, Sep 29: Global icon Aishwarya Rai Bachchan walked the runway at the Paris Fashion Week alongside some of the biggest names from the international entertainment and fashion fraternity.

The actress attended the Paris Fashion Week, held at Place Joffre against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower on September 28.

The show brought together global ambassadors and personalities including Kendall Jenner, Eva Longoria, Céline Dion, Simone Ashley, Viola Davis, Jane Fonda, Cara Delevingne and Andie MacDowell.

The actress along with the other global icons was seen having a blast on the stage and was seen wearing the crown as she walked the ramp.

Aishwarya wore a deep velvet creation, featuring elaborate detailing and a crystal-embellished cape. Her newly showcased burgundy-red hair added a striking contemporary element.

Many reactions online referred to Aishwarya as “royalty” and even praised her appearance at the Paris event.

In another video, Eva Longoria and Aishwarya were captured sharing a warm moment backstage.

The actress was recently spotted at the Mumbai international airport as she made her way to the airport and headed to Paris for the event.

Aishwarya’s association with global fashion and cinema events dates back to her Cannes debut in 2002.

Back then, she arrived at the festival for the premiere of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Devdas, which was screened at the prestigious festival.

Accompanied by director Sanjay Leela Bhansali and co-star Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya made a memorable entrance in a traditional yellow saree, with the trio arriving in a horse-drawn carriage.

The following year, she returned to the festival as a member of the feature-film jury, becoming the first Indian actress to serve in that role.

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