Latest news with #AmazonMXPlayer
Gulf Today
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Gulf Today
Malaika Arora wishes ex-boyfriend Arjun Kapoor with sweet unseen video
Malaika Arora, on Thursday, took to social media to extend a warm birthday wish to former boyfriend Arjun Kapoor. Taking to her Instagram stories, the actress posted an adorable, candid boomerang featuring Arjun. Dressed in a white shirt and black pants, the 'Singham Again' actor appears relaxed and cheerful in the clip. Alongside the video, the Chaiyya Chaiyya girl simply wrote, 'Happy Birthday.' Not to forget, two years ago, on Arjun Kapoor's 38th birthday, his close friends and family gathered for a grand celebration. The evening turned into a memorable affair when an inside video from the party surfaced online, capturing his then-girlfriend Malaika Arora setting the dance floor on fire. She danced to her iconic song Chaiyya Chaiyya from Shah Rukh Khan's 1998 film 'Dil Se.' Malaika Arora and Arjun Kapoor were in a relationship for almost six years before parting ways last year. Despite the split, the two have remained on cordial terms. In October last year, the 'Gunday' actor confirmed his breakup with Malaika. The revelation came during a fan interaction as part of the promotions for his 2024 film 'Singham Again,' where he played a menacing villain named Zubair Hafeez, also known as Danger Lanka. When audience members in the crowd began chanting Malaika's name and inquired about her, Arjun responded light-heartedly, 'Nahi nahi abhi single hun, relax karo.' Meanwhile, Arjun turned 40 on Thursday and received heartwarming wishes from his friends in the industry. Among those who sent their warm wishes were Kareena Kapoor Khan, Karan Johar and Bhumi Pednekar among others. The 'Jab We Met' actress posted a picture with Arjun, writing, 'Happy Birthday Arjjj have a fabbb year ahead... lots of love always @arjunkapoor.' In the image, Kareena and Arjun can be seen posing with a cake, their faces smeared with frosting. The actor is seen with cake smeared all over his face. Meanwhile, Malaika has urged everyone to start the day with yoga and end with peace and gratitude on the occasion of International Day of Yoga. Malaika took to Instagram, where she shared a video collage featuring her doing yoga everyday. In other news, Malaika said that she always believed that dance is a powerful form of storytelling in May. The actress joined the panel of Realme Hip Hop India Season 2. Amazon MX Player had released an imaginative video in collaboration with Pokémon Trading Card Game Pocket, featuring Malaika, who has joined this season's judging panel for the first time. Judged by Remo D'Souza and Malaika Arora, Realme Hip Hop India Season 2 airs on Amazon MX Player. Malaika made her debut as a film producer in 2008 with her former husband Arbaaz Khan founding the company Arbaaz Khan Productions, which created the 'Dabangg' film series. Indo-Asian News Service
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Amazon Doubles Down on Dual Streaming Strategy in India With Prime Video and MX Player
In a wide-ranging conversation at the APOS summit in Bali on Wednesday, senior regional executives from Amazon laid out their vision for the company's twin-pronged streaming strategy in India, where the tech giant operates both the subscription-based Prime Video platform and the ad-supported service Amazon MX Player. The dual-service approach, they argued, is key to capturing India's vast and varied entertainment consumer base. 'India is a really heterogeneous and diverse country with customers having very different needs,' said Gaurav Gandhi, vp of Prime Video for Asia Pacific and MENA. 'Prime Video caters to customers who are subscription-ready, who have actually transitioned to streaming as their first or only choice of entertainment. Amazon MX Player is aimed at customers who are now transitioning from traditional media — TV or they are not subscription-ready yet — though they are still seeking high-quality premium content.' More from The Hollywood Reporter 'The Shining,' 'A Clockwork Orange,' 'Megalopolis' Costume Designer to Receive Locarno Vision Award Engagement, Monetization, Quality Content and the Impact of AI Take Center Stage at NATPE Budapest 'Rivals' Breakout Bella Maclean Cast in Ray Panthaki's Directorial Debut 'In Starland' (Exclusive) Prime Video, which has achieved some local hits like The Family Man, Paatal Lok, and Made in Heaven, also isn't neglecting the big screen, still an essential entertainment pillar in cinema-mad India, which famously produces more movies per year than any other nation. The company is currently preparing for a bigger push into theatrical production through Amazon MGM Studios. Starting in 2026, the studio will release four to six original Indian films in theaters annually. The next Amazon MGM Studios feature, Anurag Kashyap's Nishaanchi, is slated to hit cinemas this September. The plan builds on Prime Video's past co-productions with leading Indian studios. Nikhil Madhok, head of originals for Prime Video India, described the platform's creative strategy as 'premium, nuanced, and cinematic,' arguing that the company invests in production values and themes for its series to rival feature films — in order to cut through a content landscape that's hyper competitive. He cited shows like Khauf, a horror series that doubles as a meditation on urban trauma, and Dupahiya, which taps into nostalgic yearnings for rural India. 'We were very clear from the start that the local content in India had to be highly differentiated from television, but at the same time, when it lands up on the service, sitting next to our international content, it must be equally compelling, if not more,' Madhok explained. Meanwhile, Amazon MX Player, which reaches over 250 million monthly users — many of them mobile-first— has carved a niche with local scripted and unscripted fare, dubbed international content, and escapist franchises like Hustler and Aashram, the latter of which has netted more than 200 million views. Amazon acquired the MX Player service, a former rival, from India's Times conglomerate last year — in a deal pegged at about $100 million by local press — and promptly merged the service with its AVOD platform Amazon miniTV to create Amazon MX Player. Amogh Dusad, head of content for Amazon MX Player, revealed plans for the service to boost its efforts in the buzzy micro-drama category. As part of a new initiative titled MX Fatafat, the company will produce a slate of serialized micro-dramas optimized for smartphones. Each series will comprise 80 to 100 episodes of one to two-minute vertical videos, ideal for brief moments of consumption throughout the day. 'MX Fatafat is a fresh approach, requiring unique writing and production methods, and we are looking forward to launch it later this year,' Dusad said. The panel, moderated by Media Partners Asia executive director Vivek Couto, also touched on Amazon's broader investments in India's surging creator economy. Gandhi noted that over half of Prime Video's current originals feature first-time talent, and the company is actively co-producing short-form content with emerging creator voices through MX Fatafat. With continued investment across both services, Gandhi stressed that Amazon remains bullish on the long-term potential of India's hyper-competitive streaming market, which has seen local champion JioStar emerge as the dominant player in recent months. 'It's still early days for streaming in India,' Gandhi said. Best of The Hollywood Reporter How the Warner Brothers Got Their Film Business Started Meet the World Builders: Hollywood's Top Physical Production Executives of 2023 Men in Blazers, Hollywood's Favorite Soccer Podcast, Aims for a Global Empire
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
First Copy Trailer Out: Munawar Faruqui Delves Into The World Of Piracy
Last Updated: The trailer centres around the story of Arif (played by Munawar Faruqui), who rises to be the kingpin of film piracy. Munawar Faruqui is all set to make his OTT debut with Farhan P. Zamma's series First Copy. After winning hearts in Bigg Boss 17, Munawar now steps into the world of acting with this Amazon MX Player original. He stars alongside Krystle D'Souza, Saquib Ayub, Gulshan Grover, Ashi Singh, and others in key roles. The trailer for First Copy, released on June 16, transports viewers back to the 1990s, capturing the passion, pulse and influence of cinema in that era. Set against the gritty backdrop of film piracy, the story follows Arif (played by Munawar Faruqui), a young man who rises to become a kingpin in the underground piracy network. As Arif's empire expands, the plot unfolds into a thrilling chase involving law enforcement, celebrities, and the criminal underworld. First Copy aims to blend drama and suspense with a hint of nostalgia. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Munawar Faruqui (@ From Munawar's charismatic antics to the intriguing roles played by Gulshan Grover, Ashi Singh and Krystle D'Souza, the trailer offers a rollercoaster ride while painting a vivid image of a wild and rule-breaking Mumbai in the 90s. As per Amazon MX Player reports, the reality TV star said, 'First Copy is that underdog story and extremely special to me as it marks my acting debut in a series." Talking about his role in the series, Munawar admitted that playing Arif's character was challenging, as the character is full of life, flaws, and big dreams. 'It's a mix of nostalgia, hustle, and emotion, and I'm excited for the audience to see this new side of me," he added. First Copy is set to premiere on Amazon MX Player on June 20. Sharing the trailer on Instagram, Munawar wrote, 'Naam First Copy hai, par yeh show 100% original hai. Milte hain 20th June ko, sirf Amazon MX Player par." View this post on Instagram A post shared by Munawar Faruqui (@ Before exploring the world of acting, Munawar was seen participating in various reality TV shows, including Lock Upp, Bigg Boss 17 and Entertainers Cricket League. This multi-talented star has also hosted stand-up comedy shows and released his own music. First Published:
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Munawar Faruqui Has No Regrets For Losing Out On Darlings, Phone Bhoot
Last Updated: Munawar Faruqui's latest series is set in the 1990s and revolves around Arif, whose street-smart instincts led him into the murky world of cinema piracy. Munawar Faruqui has made his OTT debut with Farhan P Zamma's series First Copy. Munawar, who won hearts in Bigg Boss 17, is enthralling fans with this Amazon MX Player original. In the latest, the actor-comedian discussed his early attempts to break into Bollywood. He revealed that he once auditioned for minor roles in big-budget films but was glad that he did not get them. In conversation with Zoom, Munawar admitted that acting has always been his first love and he dreamed of becoming a hero. Munawar added that he had been auditioning for films long before he became famous. While offers did come in, they were mainly for small positions, far from the type of work he aspired to. When asked what films he auditioned for, Munawar replied Katrina Kaif's Phone Bhoot and Alia Bhatt's Darlings. He said, 'One role required me to play a dead man who appeared for barely a minute. In another role, I was required to sit in a pharmacy, simply asking a helper to hand out medicine." These were not the kind of roles he wanted to do, but still went for the audition. Although he never turned down work, he never aggressively sought these positions. He believes the casting teams made the proper selections. Later, when he saw the roles once the film was released, he was glad about not getting selected. He admitted, 'Main khud se auditions dene jane se hichkichata tha. Mujhe lagta tha main ready nahi hoon." Munawar went on to only pursue possibilities that came directly to him. He didn't know how to improvise or own a character during auditions at the time, but he continued trying. Munawar's latest series is set in the 1990s and revolves around Arif, a vibrant and sharp-witted young man whose street-smart instincts led him into the murky world of cinema piracy. The show also stars Krystle D'Souza, Gulshan Grover, Saqib Ayub, Ashi Singh, Meiyang Chang, Inam Ul Haq and Raza Murad. First Published:
News18
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Munawar Faruqui Shares How Salman Khan Grounded Him: 'When Bhai Explains Something...'
Last Updated: Munawar Faruqui calls Salman Khan a guiding light and reflects on his financial struggles during his father's illness in 2009. Stand-up comedian and reality show star Munawar Faruqui continues to shower admiration on Bollywood icon Salman Khan, crediting him for being a pivotal influence during his Bigg Boss 17 journey. Known for being expressive about his admiration for the superstar, Munawar recently opened up about how Salman's presence helped him stay grounded and focused when things got tough. Speaking to Zoom, Munawar called Salman a 'visionary". 'When Bhai (Salman Khan) explains something, and whenever you see him on TV or elsewhere, you hear so many people praising him. The reason you hear so much praise is because the people around him, those who live or work closely with him, respect him a lot," he said. Munawar further added, 'That's because when Bhai speaks, there's a lot of knowledge you can pick up from his words. Listening to him can genuinely help you in life. I think the people who truly care for him do so because he's not only visionary, but also highly experienced. He understands the world and people very well. He is very kind and has a good heart." The comic-turned-actor also took a trip down memory lane, reflecting on one of the most defining moments of his life marked by financial struggle and emotional turmoil. In 2009, during a medical emergency involving his father, Munawar experienced a life-changing realisation about money and survival. 'This impact happened in 2009 when there was a medical emergency at home," he recalled. He shared how even basic medication wasn't affordable and how that moment shattered his once-satisfying belief of just 'earning enough to eat." The incident ignited a fire in him to work harder and change his financial situation. On the work front, Munawar recently made his acting debut in First Copy, directed by Farhan Zamma. The web series, which premiered on Amazon MX Player on June 20, 2025, also stars Krystle D'Souza and Gulshan Grover. Prior to this, Munawar had hosted Hafta Vasooli and gained widespread popularity through reality shows like Bigg Boss 17 and Lock Upp.
