Rheaa Noor, Author and Creator of House of Noor, recognised at Karnataka Excellence Awards 2026 for contributions to contemporary literature and inclusive storytelling
Category: Entertainment
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A Short Film Explores the Emotional Cost of Artistic Pursuit Through Pony Verma’s SUR
Directed by Abhay Chopra, SUR follows a struggling singer in Mumbai as he confronts family pressure, livelihood realities, and the pull of artistic identity.
Mumbai, India: Stories of artists are often told through moments of recognition and applause. A new short film shifts attention instead to the quieter emotional terrain that exists long before success or acceptance arrives.
SUR, presented by Pony Verma, is an intimate portrayal of an artist whose relationship with music is rooted not in ambition, but in survival. The film is produced by Mango Curry Films Private Limited in association with Kings of Bollywood and WonKru. It is directed by Abhay Chopra and produced by Shamshad Khan, Nilesh Nanaware, and Shivam Gupta.Set within the everyday realities of Mumbai’s chawls and local trains, the narrative follows Sandeep, a struggling singer navigating the tension between personal calling and social expectation. He lives with his father, once a committed painter, now partially blind and weighed down by years of unfulfilled promise. Their shared household becomes a space where artistic aspiration and economic anxiety collide.
As pressure mounts for Sandeep to abandon music and focus on earning a stable income, the emotional strain between father and son deepens. His father’s frustration culminates in forbidding him from practising music and selling his harmonium, an act that leaves Sandeep isolated and questioning his worth. The film unfolds through restraint rather than confrontation, examining dignity, endurance, and the fragile moments that keep creativity alive.The performances by Dibyendu Bhattacharya and Roshann Rajesh Chauhan are marked by realism and emotional control, reflecting lives shaped by compromise and unspoken disappointment. SUR avoids romanticising artistic struggle, instead asking whether creative expression can ever truly be separated from identity.
Speaking about her association with the film, Pony Verma said the story resonated with her personal experiences in the creative world. She shared that the film reflects the discipline, vulnerability, and emotional honesty that exist beyond performance, and mirrors the journeys of many artists who remain committed to their craft without certainty of recognition.Director Abhay Chopra described the film as emerging from lived spaces such as Mumbai’s local trains, crowded homes, and repeated auditions that rarely offer closure. He said the story is not about success, but about endurance, and about how a single moment of validation can sustain an artist through years of struggle.
At its core, SUR presents two artists separated by time but bound by shared disappointment. In its closing moments, the film leaves behind a simple truth that art does not disappear. It waits, carried quietly, until it is allowed to be heard.At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.
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Balaji Telefilms puts Mohammed Nagman Lateef in charge of talent arm Hoonur
Mohammed Nagman Lateef, Head of Hoonur, says the Balaji Telefilms Digital unit will focus on focused artist representation across television and streaming platforms
Mumbai, 6 February 2026: Balaji Telefilms has placed Mohammed Nagman Lateef in charge of Hoonur, its newly created talent management arm under the Balaji Telefilms Digital division, marking a formal entry into structured talent representation across television and digital platforms.
Hoonur has been set up to address the growing need for dedicated talent management in a platform driven entertainment environment, where content opportunities, brand alignment, and audience engagement increasingly intersect. The unit is intended to provide artists with consistent representation, career continuity, and access to opportunities across Balaji Telefilms’ content and digital network.Mohammed Nagman Lateef brings over 11 years of experience in talent and entertainment management. Prior to joining Balaji Telefilms, he founded and led Iconic Entertainment, where he worked closely with actors across television and digital formats, focusing on role selection, career planning, and long term positioning.
Commenting on the launch, Ekta Kapoor, Joint Managing Director of Balaji Telefilms, said the company has always believed that artists grow best when supported by the right environment. She said Hoonur has been conceived as a space where talent receives focused attention, guidance, and opportunities aligned with individual strengths rather than short term assignments.Hoonur currently represents a growing roster of artists working across television and digital platforms. The portfolio includes Madalsa Sharma, Sahil Uppal, Rohit Chandel, Simba Nagpal, Tejasswi Prakash, and Shubhangi Atre, among others.
Several artists managed by Hoonur are also part of “The 50”, an upcoming reality television format. Talent from the Hoonur roster featured on the show includes Urvashi Dholakia, Ridhi Dogra, Shiv Thakre, and Shiny Doshi.Nitin Burman, Chief Revenue Officer at Balaji Telefilms, said the entertainment industry is seeing closer integration between content, platforms, and brands, with talent at the centre of that ecosystem. He said Hoonur allows the company to manage these relationships in a more cohesive manner, strengthening how partnerships are built and how audiences are engaged across formats.
With Hoonur, Balaji Telefilms continues to expand its digital footprint while adding a dedicated layer of talent management to its entertainment operations.At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.
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Badshah, Divine, and Armaan Malik lead Season Four of Royal Stag BoomBox
Brand custodians at Seagram’s Royal Stag say the live music property will tour four cities blending Bollywood and hip hop cultures
National, 5 February 2026: Seagram’s Royal Stag has announced the return of its experiential music property Royal Stag BoomBox with Season Four, expanding the platform into a four city live tour spanning Kolkata, Vizag, Mumbai, and Mohali.
Season Four will commence on 21 February 2026 in Kolkata, followed by Vizag on 7 March, Mumbai on 14 March, and Mohali on 28 March. The property continues its core format of bringing together Bollywood melodies and contemporary hip hop, positioning itself at the intersection of live music, youth culture, and immersive entertainment.The Season Four line up is led by Badshah, Divine, and Armaan Malik, alongside performances by Neeti Mohan, Nikhita Gandhi, Rashmeet Kaur, Sreerama Chandra, and the rock band Fossils. The tour will also feature hip hop artists Raftaar and Dino James, with DJ Sahil Gulati joining the line up. Expanding beyond music, the festival will include a live gaming face off featuring gaming creator Payal Dhare.
Since its inception, Royal Stag BoomBox has built a reputation for cross genre collaborations that reflect evolving youth preferences. The platform blends music with cultural elements spanning fashion, food, and gaming, creating a multi dimensional live experience tailored to contemporary audiences.Royal Stag BoomBox is known for its large scale stage production, immersive sound and lighting design, interactive fan zones, and city specific cultural showcases that reflect the identity of each host location. Each edition is curated to create a distinct experience while maintaining a consistent format across cities.
At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.
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Behind the scenes execution shapes Prime Video’s Telugu thriller Cheekatilo through The Pittch
Event agency manages end to end production for the film’s special media interaction in Mumbai
Mumbai, 4 February 2026: The special media interaction for the Telugu thriller Cheekatilo, currently streaming on Prime Video, was executed with end to end project oversight by The Pittch, which handled all aspects of production and coordination for the event.
The Pittch managed the full scope of execution, including venue identification, talent logistics, technical setup, and on ground coordination, ensuring the interaction aligned with the creative intent of the film and the expectations of multiple stakeholders. The agency also oversaw timelines, vendor coordination, and operational planning to ensure a smooth and uninterrupted event experience.Commenting on the collaboration, Sonny Sharma, Co Founder and Director at The Pittch, said being part of Cheekatilo was an exciting opportunity for the team. He said the agency was involved from identifying the right venue to managing talent movement and technical execution, adding that working closely with stakeholders reinforced The Pittch’s focus on delivering seamless, end to end production experiences. He also thanked Amazon Prime Video for the trust placed in the team to deliver the project.
Directed by Sharan Kopishetty and produced by D Suresh Babu under the banner of Suresh Productions, Cheekatilo stars Sobhita Dhulipala in the lead role of Sandhya, a true crime podcaster who uncovers hidden truths while navigating complex moral choices. The film also features performances by Viswadev Rachakonda, Chaitanya Visalakshmi, Esha Chawla, Jhansi, Aamani, and Vadlamani Srinivas.In addition to managing on site logistics, The Pittch coordinated audiovisual requirements, equipment planning, and technical vendors to ensure the production ran as planned. The agency also handled stakeholder communication and risk management, allowing the media interaction to proceed without disruption.
The project highlights The Pittch’s experience in managing complex entertainment assignments involving multiple creative and operational stakeholders, while maintaining execution precision and alignment with the film’s promotional objectives.The Pittch is a full service event management agency working across corporate events, social engagements, and media and entertainment projects. The agency specialises in conceptualisation, creative production workflows, and technical execution, supporting clients across the entertainment ecosystem with integrated event solutions.
At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.
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A fixed Monday to Sunday schedule returns with the launch of Kutingg, a new digital platform
At the launch event, Sanjay Dwivedi, Nitin Burman, and Meghna Joshi outlined Kutingg’s weekly slate spanning fiction, vertical series, and non-fiction formats
India, January 20, 2026: Kutingg has officially launched as a new digital entertainment platform under the Balaji Telefilms umbrella, introducing a fixed Monday to Sunday programming schedule built around original fiction, vertical series, and non-fiction formats.
The platform has been designed for mobile-first audiences and opens with a structured weekly lineup that assigns specific formats and titles to designated days. Kutingg goes live with original programming that includes long-format family dramas, binge-style fiction, vertical short-form series, and non-fiction shows.The launch event was attended by Balaji Telefilms Group CEO and CFO Sanjay Dwivedi, Chief Revenue Officer Nitin Burman, and Head of Content Meghna Joshi, along with cast members from Kutingg’s original shows, including Iqbal Khan, Sharad Malhotra, Abigail Pande, Shehzad Sheikh, Chahat Pandey, and Aishwarya Sakhuja.
Sanjay Dwivedi, Group CEO and CFO, Balaji Telefilms, said the platform reflects a focused step in the company’s digital journey, built around consistent and familiar viewing habits. He said the original slate is intended to support everyday entertainment through diversified formats and a disciplined content approach, with the objective of building Kutingg as a family-friendly digital destination.Nitin Burman, Chief Revenue Officer, Balaji Telefilms, said the programming strategy mirrors real viewing behaviour across short bursts, appointment viewing, and daily engagement. He said the structured slate offers opportunities for brands and partners to connect with audiences across multiple formats while the platform scales.
Meghna Joshi, Head of Content, said the slate has been curated to fit into everyday viewing patterns, combining family dramas, binge-worthy originals, vertical formats, and non-fiction shows designed specifically for mobile consumption. She said the aim was to ensure that viewers have consistent programming options across the week.Kutingg officially launched on 19 January 2026 with an opening slate that includes Saas Bahu aur Swaad airing Monday to Thursday, Missing Priya streaming every Friday, Janlewa Ishq and Romeo Ke Dil Mein Juliet releasing on Saturdays, and the non-fiction title Honestly Why Not? airing on Sundays.
The platform has also announced upcoming original titles including Mujhe Tu Chahiye, ACP Vikrant, Jaffna Hills, and Ghar Tera Mera, along with multiple vertical series and family drama projects planned for release as part of its ongoing content pipeline.At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.
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Lifestyle entrepreneurs and cinema converge as The Glenwalk Lions enter ASTCL ownership fold
Sanjay Dutt, actor and producer, along with Mokksh Sani, Founder of Living Liquidz and Cartel Bros, and Manish Sani, expand into sports led creator entertainment through team ownership
The intersection of entertainment, lifestyle entrepreneurship, and sports continues to evolve as The Glenwalk Lions joined the ownership lineup of the All Stars Ball Tennis Cricket League Season 2. The move marks an expansion into sports led creator driven entertainment by actor and producer Sanjay Dutt, alongside entrepreneurs Mokksh Sani and Manish Sani.
The league is scheduled to be held from February 9 to February 14, 2026, at the Wings Sports Centre in Bandra West, Mumbai. The tournament will be streamed on the Sony Sports Network. Curated by GS Sports, the league follows the theme Bachpan Ka Khel Karega Entertain, blending competitive tennis ball cricket with the presence of content creators and film and television personalities.Positioned as a sports entertainment property within the creator economy, the league features 10 teams competing in a league cum knockout format. The top two teams will qualify for the semifinals. The format is designed to deliver short form high energy matches aimed at engaging audiences both at the venue and across digital platforms.
The Glenwalk Lions will be captained by actor Aamir Ali, with Surya Sharma and Vikas Jain also leading the team. The Lions will open their campaign on February 9 against Delhi Dragons, setting the stage for the start of the season.Season 2 also brings together a wide roster of film and television personalities, including Arjun Bijlani, Karanvir Bohra, Rohit Roy, Prince Narula, Karan Wahi, Karanveer Mehra, and Aly Goni, among others.
Speaking about the association, Mokksh Sani said that the league reflects the energy of a creator first entertainment ecosystem. He stated that investing in The Glenwalk Lions aligned with their belief in platforms that build community engagement, while also supporting charitable causes through sport.He added that the league represents a strategic extension of their lifestyle focused brand philosophy and connects youth culture, entertainment, and sport. Ownership of the team, he noted, allows them to contribute to a purpose driven initiative alongside competitive play.
Sanjay Dutt echoed similar views, saying that his interest in the league stemmed from its underlying purpose rather than competition alone. He said that the collaboration between cinema and sport offers an opportunity to create broader social impact, with The Glenwalk Lions representing more than just a bid for sporting success.In keeping with its stated objectives, a portion of the league’s proceeds will be directed toward charitable causes. The organisers have positioned social responsibility as a key component alongside entertainment and competition.
Season 2 matches are expected to be broadcast live on the Sony Sports Network, continuing the league’s existing broadcast partnership. Fans will also be able to follow updates and behind the scenes content through the official ASTCL digital platforms.At Prittle PrattleNews, featuring you virtuously, we celebrate the commitment and innovation. Led by Editor-in-Chief Smruti Bhalerao, our platform is dedicated to sharing impactful stories that inspire change and create awareness. Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube for more stories that matter.