Entertainment

5 TV SHOWS THAT GEN Z IS BUZZING ABOUT

Every TV show, from FRIENDS to 4 More Shots Please, has captivated audiences by inspiring a sense of belonging. Today’s youngsters are glued to television shows, often known as series. Every friend circle has a happy-go-lucky demeanour like Joey, persistent and industrious like Damini Roy, someone who was born with a silver spoon like Veronica Lodge, and so on. Despite being a means of killing time, these shows provide a broad exposure to many genres while also making them ingenious and inquisitive. Mahati Salike compiles a list of the five most intriguing television series you shouldn’t miss.

Stranger Things:

With a new season released recently, audiences are going crazy about this series. The series is nestled in the 1980s in Indiana, the story originally centres on the exploration of a little boy’s inexplicable and unexpected disappearance. However, the inhabitants of a tiny town soon discover mysteries of a research facility, portals to another realm, and deadly monsters.

Why you should watch this series?

It has a wide range of emotions, mystery, and intrigue. It’s filled with action, comedy, and pathos, as well as a dash of sci-fi and demons for good measure. It exemplifies traditional multidimensional nature by integrating aspects such as horror and sci-fi. The graphics are outstanding, and the plot with its twists and turns is worth the watch.

Cast: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Cara Buono, Matthew Modine, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, Dacre Montgomery, Sean Astin, Paul Reiser, Maya Hawke, Priah Ferguson, Brett Gelman

No. of seasons: 4

Director: The Duffer Brothers

Streaming on: Netflix

Modern Love: Mumbai

When pressed to define love, each one of us has a distinct interpretation. But what exactly is love? Striking chords with the modernity in love that should be perceived by everyone, this series is a personally treasured choice. Modern Love Mumbai is a six-part compilation that examines, as the title says, Modern love stories based on Mumbai personalities. The compilation is an adaptation of the Amazon Original ‘Modern Love,’ which is based in New York and showcases comparable 21st-century romance from the city.

Why you should watch this series?

Besides the narrative, the aesthetics of the narratives make Modern Love Mumbai appear alive. The series investigates the most unforeseen aspects of everyday living, whether it’s a narrative about post-marriage doldrums, struggling for a sense of individuality in a partnership, or battling family for acceptance. All of the six stories, oriented by six different directors, have their originality and a trace of these directors. Whether it was shot in a modest city dwelling or near Mumbai’s famed Bandra–Worli sea connection, the makers portrayed the city of dreams from various perspectives.

The series, on the other hand, examines this city of dreams in every manner conceivable to bring out love, joy, and turmoil.

Cast: Fatima Sana Shaikh, Bhupendra Jadawat, Dilip Prabhavalkar, Tanuja, Pratik Gandhi, Ranveer Brar, Yeo Yann Yann, Meiyang Chang, Wamiqa Gabbi, Naseeruddin Shah, Sarika, Danesh Razvi, Ahsaas Channa, Tanvi Azmi, Masaba Gupta, Ritwik Bhowmik, Prateik Babbar, Aadar Malik, Dolly Singh, Chitrangda Singh, Arshad Warsi

No. of seasons: 1

Directors: Shonali Bose, Hansal Mehta, Vishal Bhardwaj, Alankrita Shrivastava, Dhruv Sehgal, Nupur Asthana

Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video

Bridgerton:

Bridgerton is a romantic saga inspired by the writings of Julia Quinn. Put into the context of the Regency era, the eight close-knit siblings of the prestigious and rich Bridgerton clan explore London socialites in pursuit of love and happiness, accompanied by friends and foes equally.

Why you should watch this series?

Bridgerton is one of many entertaining series that has a lot of such episodes. This opulent period play stimulates absurdly pompous terminology. The sexual affairs, the bright outfits, and the incredibly wealthy mansions, estates, and castles hug and soothe you. If you’re looking for a romantic break, this series is ideal.

Cast: Adjoa Andoh, Lorraine Ashbourne, Jonathan Bailey, Ruby Barker, Sabrina Bartlett, Harriet Cains, Bessie Carter, Nicola Coughlan, Hannah Dodd, Phoebe Dynevor, Ruth Gemmell, Florence Hunt, Martins Imhangbe, Claudia Jessie, Ben Miller, Luke Newton, Regé-Jean Page, Golda Rosheuvel, Luke Thompson, Will Tilston, Polly Walker, Julie Andrews, Simone Ashley, Charithra Chandran, Shelley Conn, Calam Lynch, Rupert Young

No. of seasons: 2

Director: Chris Van Dusen

Streaming on: Netflix

Never Have I Ever:

Devi Vishwakumar is a 15-year-old Indian-American Tamil teen dwelling in Los Angeles. Devi tends to lose feeling in her limbs when her father, Mohan, expires unexpectedly. She desires to alter her social standing after a highly disastrous sophomore year, but classmates, family, and sentiments make it difficult for her. Furthermore, her love life suffers when she develops feelings for two boys. What Devi does and who she chooses culminates in some terrible mistakes in her life, which comprise the storyline of this series.

Why you should watch this series?

Never Have I Ever has excellent diversity in terms of colour, sexual preference, culture, and other factors. This show confronts preconceptions, prejudices, and issues regarding gender identity, as well as grief, sadness, and the gloom that comes with it. These protagonists are far from flawless, but they learn through past errors and evolve as a result of them. The show is a stage play, based on Kaling’s personal experiences, and it puts a hilarious perspective on certain clichés concerning Indian society while refuting the others. The makers of the series have recently made an official announcement of Season 3 and fans can’t keep calm!! So, brace yourselves for some adorable love tales, amazing friendships, and just the proper amount of adolescent angst in this hilarious and heart-warming TV drama.

Cast: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, John McEnroe, Lee Rodriguez, Ramona Young, Megan Suri

No. of seasons: 2

Director: Mindy Kaling, Lang Fisher

Streaming on: Netflix

Kaun Banega Shikarwati:

Kaun Banega Shikharwati is a modern-day regal series that is underrated. It depicts the monarch of Shikharwati, Raja Mrityunjay, and his dominant hand man, Mishraji, as they devise an absurd plot to reunite the emperor’s separated daughters to rescue the royal kingdom from an income tax probe.

Why you should watch this series?

Love, anguish, competitiveness, despair, immeasurable affection, and more, are present in Kaun Banegi Shikharwati. The premise is intriguing, and it’s refreshing to witness a show in which girls compete to be the future king. It contains aspects of astonishment and amusement. It is peculiar, surreal and has a staggering vibe which is a credible source of laughter. It’s not attempting to sell us some meaningful message. The series is a lot of fun and a stress reliever.

Cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Raghubir Yadav, Lara Dutta, Soha Ali Khan, Kritika Kamra, Anya Singh

No. of seasons: 1

Director: Gauravv Chawla, Ananya Banerjee

Streaming on: Zee 5

June 18, 2022

Exclusive Interview: Nikhil Siddhartha on Swayambhu, Family and Politics

After the pan-India success of Karthikeya 2, Nikhil Siddhartha finds himself at a pivotal phase in his career. The actor is currently gearing up for the release of Swayambhu, one of the most ambitious projects he has undertaken to date, a historical action drama that demanded nearly two-and-a-half years of dedication, extensive physical transformation, and months of post-production work. In a candid conversation with Priyanka Goud, Nikhil opens up about the challenges of mounting a large-scale period film, why he prioritises quality over quantity, how fatherhood has changed his outlook on life, and his belief in using cinema as a tool for social awareness. A Two-and-a-Half-Year Commitment Describing Swayambhu as a project unlike any other in his career, Nikhil revealed that he dedicated nearly two and a half years exclusively to the film.“Some films are easy to make, and some are difficult. Swayambhu falls into the category of films that demand complete commitment. I underwent a significant transformation for the role, growing my hair long, maintaining a specific physique, and immersing myself in the character and story throughout the production period,” he said. A Historical Story with Universal Appeal One of the aspects that attracted Nikhil to Swayambhu was its historical backdrop. Nikhil plays Krishnan Raman, a historical figure whose name appears on ancient copper plate inscriptions that have recently gained attention. “This story is rooted in history, but its themes are universal,” he said. “It’s not confined to one region; audiences across India will be able to connect with it.” The actor also highlighted the growing importance of visual effects in modern filmmaking. Swayambhu reportedly contains nearly 2,700 VFX shots, making post-production one of the most demanding phases of the project. “We completed principal photography in December 2025, but for the last five to six months it has been

Entertainment

Preity Zinta on Batwara 1947, Motherhood and Finding Her Way Back to Cinema

For Preity Zinta, returning to the screen with Batwara 1947 is about more than making a comeback. The period drama allowed her to explore a chapter of India’s history, work with director Rajkumar Santoshi for the first time, and step into a world far removed from her own. But the film also made her reflect on how much life has changed since she began her career, from the freedoms available to women today to the perspective that comes with becoming a mother. For Zinta, Batwara 1947 is ultimately a story about family, resilience and hope, as she tells Lipika Varma in an exclusive conversation. Why did you say yes to doing this film? What touched you the most? There were a couple of things. First, I really wanted to work with Raj ji. I had never worked with him before, so working with him was always on my bucket list. I had also always wanted to do a period film. Beyond that, I genuinely loved the story. What touched me most was that even in the darkest of times, there is always a ray of hope. People may see this as a story about two countries, but for me, it is essentially about a family. I was also deeply affected by stories of families who believed they were leaving their homes temporarily, even burying their jewellery and valuables, thinking they would return. They never imagined they would lose everything forever. Since this is my first period film, I spent time researching and understanding that era. After such a long break from films, why did you choose this project? I was enjoying my personal life, focusing on my family and raising my children. Professionally, I had always wanted to work with Raj ji and also wanted to do a period film.

Entertainment

Exclusive Interview with Sunny Deol: Life Beyond Bollywood

Sunny Deol: “Every Film Leaves Some Kind of Impact” With Batwara 1947, Sunny Deol returns to a story rooted in Partition, family and the human cost of one of the most defining moments in Indian history. The actor reflects on why he sees the film as fundamentally different from Gadar, his long-standing association with director Rajkumar Santoshi, his father Dharmendra’s connection to their shared cinematic history, and the responsibility actors carry when their work leaves a lasting impact on audiences. In conversation with Lipika Varma, Sunny Deol also opens up about playing a character outside the action-driven image audiences often associate with him and working alongside his son Karan. How did you approach the character in this film? For me, it was the subject, the story and the character that I had heard about, and I approached it accordingly. I don’t know exactly what was tweaked. I didn’t read the original play or see it. Vivek Raj had read it, and we had been working on this story since 2010. Unfortunately, we couldn’t make it back then, so we had been waiting all these years. As soon as we got the opportunity, we jumped into it. Sunny, are you happy that your fans, including those in Pakistan, will get to see you in a completely different kind of role this time, without the iconic hand-pump moment or typical action scenes? Actually, I don’t think it’s about that. Fans are always there, and they love you no matter what. Sometimes journalism and politics come into the picture and change the colours of things. But the actual viewer, the person sitting in the theatre and watching the film, doesn’t necessarily look at things that way. They simply watch the film. I’ve met a lot of fans across the country and around the

Entertainment

Akshay Kumar: “The Craft Has Changed, But Hard Work Never Goes Out of Style”

With a career spanning over three decades, Akshay Kumar continues to reinvent himself across genres, from action and comedy to social dramas and entertainers. As he looks ahead to his upcoming projects, including the action-thriller Haiwaan and a lineup of comedy entertainers, the actor reflects on his journey, his approach to cinema, discipline, and why staying connected to the craft remains his biggest priority. In conversation with Lipika Varma, Akshay opens up about his evolving approach to cinema, the importance of teamwork, and the values that guide him both on and off screen. You have played action heroes, comedians, romantic leads, and intense characters. What kind of roles excite you the most today? I enjoy all kinds of roles. When I entered the industry, people mostly saw me as an action hero. After that, I consciously chose to explore different genres and keep discovering myself as an actor. I have done comedy, romance, social dramas, and action films. Every genre brings a different challenge, and that is what keeps the journey interesting. Comedy has been one of your strongest genres. What makes it so special for you? Comedy is definitely one of the hardest genres. Making someone emotional can sometimes be supported by the situation or background music, but making someone genuinely laugh requires precision, timing, and a lot of hard work. Comedy often looks effortless on screen, but there is a lot of discipline behind creating that moment. That challenge is what makes it exciting for me. You have been part of several ensemble films. What is your view on multi-starrers? Everyone has their own approach. Some actors prefer solo films, while others enjoy working in ensemble projects. There is no fixed formula for success. A film works because of its content, storytelling, and execution, not simply because of