Sizzling Samachar: ‘Begin Again’ Bollywood remake eyes Farhan Akhtar to play the lead; Fawad Khan among several actors cast in Netflix’s first original from Pakistan; 'Hustlers' and 'Bad Moms' TV adaptations in development at Lionsgate

Welcome to Sizzling samachar on OTTplay, your daily dose of entertainment news. I'm your host Nikhil. Top stories first,

‘Begin Again’ Bollywood remake eyes Farhan Akhtar to play the lead

It was recently announced that Farhan Akhtar will helm Don 3 with Ranveer Singh replacing Shah Rukh Khan as the lead star. Now, according to reports, Akhtar could also return to the screen for an upcoming film. Akhtar is being considered for the Bollywood remake of the American comedy-drama Being Again, starring Keira Knightley, Mark Ruffalo, and Hailee Steinfeld. The remake will be bankrolled by Vikram Malhotra’s Abundantia Entertainment and will be directed by Baar Baar Dekho director Nitya Mehra, who has also served as assistant director for the Oscar-winning film Life of Pie. Further details surrounding the film are expected to be announced soon.

Fawad Khan among several actors cast in Netflix’s first original from Pakistan

Pakistani actor Fawad Khan, who recently starred in the Disney+ Marvel series Ms. Marvel has been cast in Netflix’s first original series from Pakistan. He will reunite with his The Legend of Maula Jatt co-star Mahira Khan, who is best known for starring in the 2017 Shah Rukh Khan film Raees. The series is titled Jo Bachay Hain Sang Samait Lo and features an ensemble cast of Hania Aamir, Hamza Ali Abbasi, Sanam Saeed, and Resident Evil star Ahad Raza Mir. The plot revolves around a reclusive Harvard law student with a troubled past who has a chance encounter with a vivacious young female artist in Italy. The release date of the series is yet to be announced by Netflix.

'Hustlers' and 'Bad Moms' TV adaptations in development at Lionsgate

The critically-acclaimed 2019 crime-comedy, Hustlers, starring Jennifer Lopez, Constance Wu, Julia Stiles, Lili Reinhart, Keke Palmer, Lizzo, and Cardi B is getting a TV adaptation from Lionsgate. The original film is adapted from the New York magazine article by Jessica Pressler, titled The Hustlers at Scores. It tells the story of how a group of strippers in New York City stole money from wealthy clients during the 2008 Recession.

Lionsgate has also announced a series adaptation of the hit R-rated comedy Bad Moms. The 2016 film stars Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bel, Christina Applegate, and Jada Pinkett Smith among others.

Lionsgate will team up with STX Entertainment to develop both TV adaptations and further details about the project have not been revealed yet.

'The Gilded Age' Season 2 release date confirmed

The HBO original series, The Gilded Age, has announced the release date of its second season. Starring Carrie Coon in the lead, the series follows a young woman in 1880s New York who is caught in the conflict between two affluent families squabbling over the notion of old money versus new money. Helmed by Julian Fellowes, the series also features Christine Baranski and Taissa Farmiga among others in pivotal roles. The Gilded Age Season 2 will premiere on October 29, 2023, and the series is currently available to stream on JioCinema in India.

‘Self Reliance’ directed by Jake Johnson postpones release

New Girl and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star Jake Johnson is set for his directorial debut with the comedy thriller Self Reliance. The Hulu original film was scheduled to release on September 8, 2023. However, new reports have emerged that the film will be postponed to November 2023, possibly due to the ongoing strikes in Hollywood. Johnson also plays the lead role in the film and it also features a star-studded ensemble of Anna Kendrick as Maddy, Andy Samberg, and Christopher Lloyd. The plot revolves around Johnson’s character Tommy, who joins a dark web reality show offering him $1 million if he can outlast the hunters attempting to kill him. But when he discovers that the hunters can only kill him if he is alone, he decides to convince his friends and family to be with him at all times for 30 days.

'Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story'  documentary to be hosted by Keanu Reeves

The iconic story of how Brawn GP, a newly-formed team under the legendary Formula One technical director Ross Brawn, won both the Driver’s and Constructor's titles in 2009 is set to be made into a documentary. Titled, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, the documentary features Hollywood star Keanu Reeves as its host, interviewing racers, engineers, and those involved with the team at the time. For the uninformed, Brawn GP was formed in 2009 after the Honda F1 team sold its company to Ross Brawn. The team would pip F1 heavyweights Ferrari and McLaren to both World Titles in 2009, partly thanks to the innovative double diffuser technology introduced by Brawn GP after the new regulations were enforced that year. The team would be purchased by Mercedes-Benz at the end of the 2009 season – the new Mercedes F1 team went on to win eight consecutive Driver’s and Constructor’s World Titles between 2014 and 2021.

Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story is scheduled to release on Disney+ later this year.

Well that's all we got for today's episode , until the next time it's your host Nikhil signing out.

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• Written by Ryan Gomez

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