BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 31 - Netflix took a giant step to lure the Indian audiences by announcing the two-season prequel series of SS Rajamouli's all-time blockbuster feature "Baahubali", back in 2018. The streaming giant collaborated with Arka Mediaworks to produce the series with Deva Katta and Praveen Sattaru to direct. ## The first season of the prequel series, titled "Baahubali: Before The Beginning" was directed by Katta using sets in Hyderabad. However, Netflix was reportedly not happy with the finished project, which led to the cancellation of the show, reports Variety. It was later reported that the show went through casting changes other than directors, including one who had directed two previous Netflix projects. ## However, despite months of preparation and planning, Netflix couldn't reach the final outcome of the show, which led to the speculation that the streamer has shelved the project. It was reported that the continuous delay in production cost Netflix a whopping Rs. 150 crores loss. ## While it is true that "Baahubali: Before The Beginning" is currently not in production, unlike speculations and reports, it is not shelved. According to Variety, the show is now being reevaluated, and will now begin only after proper planning to bring the best version of this story. ## "'Baahubali: Before the Beginning' is one of the country's most loved IPs (but) creating India's first epic series comes with its own challenges", the source told Variety. "The last two years with COVID were full of complexities and hurdles, which impacted productions, especially one of this scale".## Based on the bestselling "Baahubali" franchise novel "The Rise of Sivagami" by Anand Neelakantan, the series was to follow the journey of Queen Sivagami from a rebellious girl to a wise queen.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Seoul, Jan 20 (IANS) South Korea remained the No. 2 supplier of popular content to Netflix in the fourth quarter of last year, US online media have reported.## According to What's On Netflix, a private online site that provides information on Netflix content, on Wednesday (US time), South Korean-made shows accounted for 11.8 percent of the top 10 films and TV series in the final three months of 2021.## Korean content thus ranked No. 2 for the second consecutive quarter after the United States, which accounted for 59 percent, reports Yonhap News Agency. The figures are based on data by the streaming analytics firm FlixPatrol, it added.## It marked a sharp increase from its share of 5.4 percent for the third quarter, thanks to the breakout hit 'Squid Game', released on September 17, and other hit series.## "The fourth quarter of 2021 is likely to be an outlier with the arrival of 'Squid Game', but Korean content has been on a slow march up the charts regardless of 'Squid Game'," the report said.## 'Squid Game' became the most successful Netflix show in history, with its total viewership reaching a record 1.65 billion hours in the first four weeks of its release.## Two subsequent series, the fantasy horror 'Hellbound' and the sci-fi thriller 'The Silent Sea', also topped Netflix's official weekly viewership chart for non-English TV shows.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 21 - The second season of Netflix's most popular show ever, "Squid Game" has officially been greenlit at Netflix. The Korean survival drama show proved to be Netflix's most profitable show ever. The first season cost $21.4 million for Netflix and it has estimated to deliver $891 million in "impact value".## Netflix's CEO and chief content officer Ted Sarandos has confirmed the second season. On Netflix's fourth-quarter 2021 earnings interview, Sarandos was asked whether there would be a second season of the violent South Korean survival drama.## "Absolutely," Sarandos replied. "The 'Squid Game' universe has just begun".## He put 'Squid Game' in the category of Netflix's burgeoning bouquet of entertainment franchises that the company sees as having growth potential outside the core streaming service, with live experiences, games, and merchandise. Sarandos called out "Bridgerton", the second most-viewed Netflix original TV show, with Season 2 set to bow in March, and "Stranger Things", with Season 4 slated for this summer.## Squid Game' is by a long shot Netflix's biggest-ever TV show, based on the streamer's calculation that subscribers worldwide streamed 1.65 billion hours of the show in the first 28 days of its release on the platform. In Season 1, 456 cash-strapped contestants are invited by a mysterious organization to compete in a series of children's games with deadly consequences.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, Jan 12 (IANS) Netflix's blockbuster original show 'Squid Game' has made history at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards by becoming the first non-English-language (and first Korean) series to score a nomination, reports 'Variety'. The awards will be announced on February 27.## Another headline-maker in the nominations announced on Wednesday was 'Yellowstone', the Kevin Costner-led blockbuster series now in its fourth season. After being ignored by all major awards events in its three previous seasons, 'Yellowstone' picked up a nomination in the company of 'Succession', 'The Morning Show' and 'The Handmaid's Tale'.## One of the biggest shows on television, streaming on Prime Video in India, Paramount Network's 'Yellowstone' is set for a fifth season. The series follows the conflicts along the shared borders of a large cattle ranch, an Indian reservation, and land developers.## Among films, Ridley Scott's 'House of Gucci', and Jane Campion's 'Power of the Dog' led all films with three nominations each. 'Power of the Dog', which has benefited from big awards push from Netflix, according to Variety', failed to capture the best ensemble nomination.## Nominees for that prize, considered to be the most prestigious handed out by the guild, included 'House of Gucci', as well as 'Belfast', 'CODA','Don't Look Up' and 'King Richard'.## Stars such Will Smith ('King Richard'), Lady Gaga ('House of Gucci'), Olivia Colman ('The Lost Daughter'), Jeremy Strong ('Succession') and Jennifer Anniston ('The Morning Show') find themselves among the nominations.## On the OTT/television front, 'Succession', a boardroom drama about the family behind a media conglomerate, and 'Ted Lasso', a feel-good soccer comedy, scored a leading five nominations.## 'Mare of Easttown', 'The Morning Show', and 'Squid Game' landed four nominations apiece. Described by 'Variety' as a water-cooler phenomenon, 'Squid Game', in a first for a foreign-language production, picked up nominations for actor in a drama series (Lee Jung-jae), actress in a drama series (Jung Ho-yeon), and also stunt ensemble.## Since premiering on Netflix in September 2021, according to 'Variety', the series has emerged as a global phenomenon. The drama garnered 1.65 billion hours of viewing during its first four weeks of release, surpassing 'Bridgerton' as the most-watched Netflix original series in history.## The show landed three Golden Globe Awards, including best television drama, and earned O Yeong-su a supporting actor prize. 'Squid Game' also boasts of three Critics Choice Awards nominations and a Gotham Award win for breakthrough series.## For the second year in a row, 'Variety' adds, the SAG Awards took to its Instagram page to announce this year's nominees, with Rosario Dawson and Vanessa Hudgens doing the honours. And once again, that decision was marred by technical difficulties as the reading of the nominees was postponed briefly while Hudgens and Dawson ensured their audio was working.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Los Angeles, Jan 12 (IANS) Netflix's blockbuster original show 'Squid Game' has made history at the 2022 Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards by becoming the first non-English-language or first Korean series to score a nomination. The most-watched series on Netflix history scored 4 nominations for the awards, scheduled for February 27, 2022. ## The South Korean survival drama series created by Hwang Dong-hyuk, took the world by storm after its premiere on Netflix in September 2021. Within 3 weeks, the series broke all the records and became Netflix's best series debut ever, eventually accruing over 3 billion minutes streamed and reaching over 142 million households according to Nielsen (via Variety).## "Squid Game" begs nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble, Lee Jung-jae for Outstanding Performance by Male Actor, Jung Ho-yeon for Outstanding Performance by Female Actor, and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.## "Upon hearing the nomination today, I think it has to be the happiest moment since we've created Squid Game. The fact, not just one or two leading actors were recognized, but the whole cast being nominated as the best ensemble. It brings me great joy as a director, who has cast and created the series, just being nominated", director and writer Hwang Dong-hyuk said.## The 2022 SAG Awards ceremony is set for February 27.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 10 (IANS) The trailer of 'I'm Not Done Yet' - star comedian and TV host Kapil Sharma's maiden special comedy show - has been launched by Netflix on Monday.## With the trailer of this upcoming Netflix stand-up special, Kapil will be seen talking about his desire to keep reinventing himself, pushing his creative genius, and openly admitting that "He's Not Done Yet".## He is seen reminiscing about his past, opens up about his family, his social media missteps, and his love for music and theatre, all while he entertains us.## Kapil mentions in the trailer, "I feel I'm not done yet, these words go really well with my life".## "Abhi kay liye itna hi, par picture… sorry, special abhi baki hai mere dost (That's it for now, the special is yet to come my friend) as Kapil brings his raw charm and his unfiltered, true self to fans like never before. Bhulna matt (Don't forget), January 28 - only on Netflix".## The stand-up special is produced by Banijay Asia and BeingU Studios.## It is slated to drop on January 28.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, Jan 8 (IANS) 'Looop Lapeta' starring Taapsee Pannu and Tahir Raj Bhasin will have a direct to OTT release on February 4. The comedy-thriller marks the directorial debut of Aakash Bhatia and is the official remake of Tom Tykwer's hugely popular film 'Run Lola Run'.## The film, which will be released on Netflix, tells the story of a girl, who is on a mission to rescue her boyfriend amidst a series of events that constantly prompts the lovers to make choices that define their future.## Talking about the film, Taapsee Pannu, who essays the role of Savi out to rescue her boyfriend, said, "I am excited to be a part of this next project with Netflix, especially with the film being such a versatile genre. This compelling story was extremely enjoyable to make along with my director, Aakash, and co-star, Tahir".## "I cannot wait for fans and audiences to watch this edge-of-the-seat film and enjoy it as much as we loved making it", she added.## Tahir Raj Bhasin, playing the role of Satya said, "I am so excited about the release of 'Looop Lapeta'. The film is a clutter-breaking take on new-age romance, and a genre I am exploring for the first time. I can't wait for the world to meet the characters Satya and Savi".## Praising his director, Tahir said, "Our director Aakash Bhatia has a unique style stamp that has created a visually stunning world where thrill and comedy combine for one crazy rollercoaster of an entertainer".## Director Aakash Bhatia added, "There's no way to downplay the exhilaration of making the first film and 'Looop Lapeta' has surpassed every bit of it. I'm extremely excited about the shape we have given it. It boldly jumps genres from comedy, thriller to romance and makes for a rollercoaster ride for audiences".## He credited his team for putting the film together, "A powerhouse ensemble cast and crew made this project what it is. The creative collaborators in Sony Pictures, Kasbekar, and Tanuj made for great producers on this debut journey. I'm elated that Netflix is the platform that the world gets to watch 'Looop Lapeta' on".## The film, produced by Sony Pictures Films India, Ellipsis Entertainment along with Aayush Maheshwari and written by Vinay Chhawal, Ketan Pedgaonkar, Aakash Bhatia, Arnav Vepa Nanduri will be available to stream on Netflix from February 4.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Seoul, Jan 7 (IANS) South Korean sci-fi horror series 'The Silent Sea' was the most-viewed non-English TV show over the week from December 27 to January 2 on Netflix, the global video streaming service said.## The drama, according to Yonhap News Agency, topped Netflix's official weekly chart for non-English TV programmes with 47.8 million hours of viewing for the week, vastly outnumbering 'The Queen of Flow: Season 2' with 29.5 million hours and 'Money Heist: Part 5' with 26.3 million hours.## 'The Silent Sea' is ranked No. 10, just behind the Akshay Kumar-starrer 'Sooryavanshi', on Netflix in India. The Raveena Tandon-led series 'Aranyak' and the Malayalam superhero movie 'Minnal Murali' are in the top two positions.## 'Squid Game' and 'Money Heist' are at No. 6 and 7 in India.## For 'The Silent Sea', the week in review marked a remarkable increase in viewership, as it had placed third with 22.2 million hours in the previous week. The eight-part series premiered on December 24.## It is the third Korean-language series to have topped the Netflix chart for non-English TV shows, following the global sensation 'Squid Game' released in September and Yeon Sang-ho's fantasy horror 'Hellbound' in November.## Netflix said 'The Silent Sea' made the Top 10 in the category in 77 countries over the one-week period and topped the list in six nations, including South Korea and Thailand.## Starring Bae Doo-na and Gong Yoo, the latest Netflix original is set on the moon, where a special team is tasked with finding out the secrets of an abandoned research facility, Balhae Base.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 6 - Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence's climate change satire "Don't Look Up" has shattered viewing records worldwide on Netflix. The Adam McKay-directed has officially become the most viewed Netflix movie in a single week. ## Netflix confirmed (via Deadline) that "Don't Look Up" was watched by 152.29 million hours worldwide in the week of December 27 – January 2, which is a new record on Netflix. It is currently the 3rd most viewed film of all time on Netflix in the first 28 days with 263.3 million viewing hours. ## By the time of writing this article, "Don't Look Up" might have surpassed "Bird Box" to claim the second spot of Netflix's most-watched film in the first 28 days. The first 12-days of viewing data indicates that "Don't Look Up" will likely top the Netflix chart by the end of its 4-week run. Currently, "Red Notice", starring Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, and Ryan Reynolds is the number 1 Netflix film with 364 million viewing hours. ## "Don't Look Up" features Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence as two astronomers attempting to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will destroy human civilization. The comet is an allegory for climate change and the film is a satire of government and media indifference to the climate crisis. ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 5 - India's leading stand-up comedian, Kapil Sharma will be making his Netflix debut with a special show, titled "I'm Not Done Yet". The show, which features Kapil in a never-seen-before avatar as he gets candid about his life's journey and shares interesting things from his life in his own fun and relatable way, will premiere on Netflix on January 28. ## On January 5, the "The Kapil Sharma Show" host took to social media and share the promo of the show, and wrote, "Let's meet on 28th January on your Netflix screen with my first stand up special "Kapil Sharma: I m not done yet"!" Interestingly, Kapil Sharma had teased his digital debut last year at the same time and finally, after a year, he revealed the show and its premiere date. ## In the video, Kapil reveals he has been in the industry for the last 25 years and it's been 15 years since he made his tv debut. He also reveals that he never took comedy seriously because it's is in the nature of the people of Punjab. The actor reveals he never thought he would get paid for doing comedy.## He says, "Ek artist ko hamesha andar se ek awaaz aati hai - I'm not done yet. Mujhe kuch aur karna hai lekin woh karein kahaan pe. Netflix, mujhe isne bada attract kiya", So, be prepared to listen to Kapil's story in his style.## Let’s meet on 28th January on your Netflix screen 📺 with my first stand up special “Kapil sharma: I m not done yet”! #kapilsharmaonnetflix @NetflixIndia @netflix @beingustudios @GoswamiAnukalp pic.twitter.com/e0EaUt5xnB— Kapil Sharma (@KapilSharmaK9) January 5, 2022 ## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Mumbai, January 5 - Dwayne Johnson, Ryan Reynolds, and Gal Gadot starrer "Red Notice" is the most viewed film on Netflix in the first 4-weeks. The $200 million-budgeted film was released on November 12 on Netflix and became a constant hit on the platform by surpassing "Bird Box".## 'Red Notice" currently has 364 million viewing hours on Netflix, which is the highest for any film (English or non-English) on the streamer. However, this record is looking in trouble as recently released satirical black comedy "Don't Look Up" has entered Netflix's top 5 films of all time. ## Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, and Jennifer Lawrence in leading roles, "Don't Look Up" premiered on Netflix on December 24, and currently is the 3rd most viewed film on the streamer with 263.3 million viewing hours. It also becomes the most-viewed Netflix film in the opening week worldwide. ## Have a look at the top 10 most viewed films on Netflix in first 28 days (hours viewed) - list includes data as of January 4, 2022## 1. Red Notice - 364M## 2. Bird Box - 282M## 3. Don't Look Up - 263.3M## 4. Extraction - 231.3## 5. The Irishman - 214.5M## 6. The Kissing Booth 2 - 209.2M## 7. The Unforgivable - 208.2M## 8. 6 Underground - 205.4M## 9. Spenser Confidential - 197.3M## 10. Enola Holmes - 189.9M## Every Tuesday, Netflix publishes four global Top 10 lists for films and TV: Film (English), TV (English), Film (Non-English), and TV (Non-English). These lists rank titles based on weekly hours viewed: the total number of hours that Netflix members around the world watched each title from Monday to Sunday of the previous week.## Stay tuned...

BY SACNILK

Moscow, Jan 1 (IANS) Streaming giant Netflix will have to stream 20 state television channels in Russia starting in March. ## The country's media watchdog Roskomnadzor registered the platform as an "audiovisual service" this week, reports Engadget. ## Among the channels Netflix will have to carry are the flagship Channel One, entertainment network NTV and a Russian Orthodox Church channel called Spas (which means "Saved"). ## Streaming services with more than 100,000 daily users in Russia are included on the register, which was established late last year, the report said. ## Not only must registered platforms offer state TV channels, but they also need to set up a Russian company, according to The Moscow Times. ## Companies on the register also have to abide by Russian laws. For one thing, Netflix will not be allowed to promote "extremism". Critics claim that provision has been wielded against those who support the Kremlin's opponents. ## Other video services in the country reportedly argued that Netflix should be added to the register to level the playing field since it meets the requirements. ## The Russian version of Netflix is operated by Entertainment Online Service, a subsidiary of National Media Group, which has a stake in Channel One. ##