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Actress Rasika Dugal has opened up on her favourite holiday destination, and it is Ooty, Coonoor and the Nilgiris. For the food holiday, the ‘Mirzapur’ fame actress suggested Delhi, Chandigarh, and Amritsar.

Talking to Ians, on the sidelines of the Cinevesture International Film Festival 2024 (Ciff), Rasika said it’s difficult to pick one favourite holiday destination.

“Mostly I love the hills. In India, Ooty, Coonoor is one of my favourite places. I have shot a lot in Coonoor. I have shot two seasons of ‘Out of Love’, and one season of ‘Adhura’,” she said.

The actress shared: “I am totally in love with the Nilgiris. It’s very very beautiful. Agar aapko sukoon chahiye, then Nilgiris is a very good place to be.”

Rasika further suggested: “If you want to go on a food holiday, I would say in winter Delhi, Chandigarh, Amritsar.”

“Out of India, I have really enjoyed Italy.

BBC Studios will produce adaptations of All3Media scripted dramas “Shameless” and “Strangers” for the Indian market.

Comedy drama “Shameless,” created originally by Paul Abbot and Company Pictures for Channel 4, is set in a dilapidated housing estate and revolves around an unemployed and perpetually drunken father who is consistently expanding his lineage amidst the challenges of adolescence and the allure of first love.

Two Brothers Pictures’ crime drama “Strangers” Aka “White Dragon,” originally created for ITV in the U.K. and written by Mark Denton, Jonny Stockwood, Marston Bloom and Harry & Jack Williams, follows professor Jonah Mulray, whose wife dies in a car accident in Hong Kong, where she frequently visited for work. He decides to visit the city, where he stumbles upon a startling revelation about his wife, plunging him into a labyrinth of conspiracy.

BBC Studios India Production will adapt and develop these two titles for the Indian...

Commissions

The BBC has commissioned six factual entertainment shows. In BBC Two series “Trailblazers,” produced by Studio Ramsay, Ruby Wax, Melanie Brown and Emily Atack follow in the footsteps of pioneering traveller Isabella Bird as they set off on their own American adventure across the Rocky Mountains. BBC Three adventure challenge series “Warrior Island,” from Wall To Wall West, follows eight young people who want to transform their body and mind. Celebrity couples put their relationship to the ultimate test in BBC One competition format, “Unbreakable,” by 110% Content. “Inside The Airport,” produced by Wonderhood Studios for BBC One, sees aviation expert Jeremy Spake at Heathrow, to see how the airport is coping during a time when the U.K. is emerging from the pandemic. And, following a successful pilot in 2020, engineering and adventure series “The Speedshop,” by Grant Wardrop Productions, follows custom bike builder Titch Cormack and his team as...

Discovery And Foxtel Strike Multi-Year Partnership

Discovery and Australian network Foxtel have unveiled a multi-year partnership that will see Foxtel supplied with thousands of hours of content from TLC, Investigation Discovery, Discovery Turbo and Animal Planet. Subscribers will be able to access the likes of Outback Opal Hunters, Aussie Gold Hunters and Gold Rush on Foxtel and streamer Binge, with a range of box-sets included as part of the deal. The move extends a pre-existing partnership between the two outfits, which Foxtel Group Chief Content and Commercial Officer Amanda Laing said will “enable us to deliver even more of the world’s best factual, documentary and reality content.” Foxtel Media has also renewed its agreement as the exclusive Australian advertising partner for Discovery, Inc.

BBC Commissions Celebrity ‘Unbreakable’ Format And Airport Doc

BBC One has commissioned Unbreakable, a celebrity competition format putting couples to the test, along with a Heathrow Airport doc series.

Disney is taking a new step to streamline its streaming portfolio: The media company plans to phase out the Hotstar U.S. service — which provides live cricket and South Asian programming to American audiences — over the next year.

Instead, Disney will take the sports and entertainment programming in Hotstar and repackage it into ESPN Plus (which will pick up all of Hotstar’s U.S. cricket rights) and Hulu for the U.S. market. It’s hoping Hotstar customers in the States will switch over to the Disney Bundle.

Disney is aiming to fully shut down Hotstar in the U.S. in late 2022, but doesn’t have a specific date at this point. The Mouse House picked up Star India, which operates Hotstar globally, through the acquisition of 21st Century Fox.

Starting Sept. 1, Hotstar U.S. subscribers who don’t currently have any other Disney streaming service will be eligible...

ITV Studios and BBC Studios India have struck a deal to adapt several ITV Studios scripted dramas for the Indian market.

The first ITV Studios titles to be adapted include “Gold Digger,” “Sticks and Stones,” “Trauma” and “35 Days.” In addition to the Hindi-language adaptations, BBC Studios will also explore tapping into the large Tamil and Telugu-language markets.

Augustus Dulgaro, executive VP, distribution, Asia Pacific at ITV Studios, said: “Working with BBC Studios India will only strengthen what we can both achieve in the region. These are really powerful stories, full of themes that matter to all of us – betrayal, love, family intrigue and loss. I’m very much looking forward to seeing our IP repurposed for South Asian audiences.”

BBC Studios has considerable experience in adapting British IP for the Indian market. As revealed by Variety, an adaptation of smash hit series “Luther” is in the works, starring popular Bollywood...

Mumbai, March 28 (Ians) Actress Rasika Dugal has always been known for essaying strong characters. However, she says that there was a time when she got bored of playing the same roles.

The actress adds that sometime back she was only offered roles of women who were "morally upright" and she never found them to be very realistic.

"For the longest time, I felt that the kind of roles that I was being offered were morally upright. You don't usually see that in life," she told Ians.

She says that a lot of male writers tend to make the women in their stories very nice.

"A lot of men writing women characters do this disservice. They make the characters very nice. I was a tad bored with it. I was missing complexity. But then, I got several roles that were were different. I am totally enjoying this phase," she says.

Rasika...

After owning the Ott space with Lootcase, Mirzapur Season 2, A Suitable Boy and Out Of Love Season 1, Rasika Dugal awaits the release of an international audio venture. All set to represent India on the global front, the versatile actor signed a Channel X production for BBC Radio 2 entitled ‘The Empire’ written by Anuvab Pal and directed by Ed Morrish. The said production is a comedy audio series which shall release on the 7th of March.

The Empire is set in Imperial India where the new district magistrate of Darjeeling grapples with the responsibilities of his new post with the help – and sometimes hindrance – of his colleagues. Dugal will be voicing over for the character of Sapna, a proto-revolutionary. Apart from Rasika, the voice cast includes the bigwigs of the acting world such as Stephen Fry, Alexander Owen, Anuvab Pal and Michelle Gomez.

The character that Rasika will essaying is...

Mumbai, Jan 17 (Ians) Actress Rasika Dugal turned a year older on Sunday, and she is happy to celebrate her birthday this year with family and close friends.

"After a series of working birthdays, I am happy to celebrate this one with family and close friends," she said.

"It has been a year in which I truly understood gratitude. For the variety of work that has come out and for the love it has received. I hope I can reciprocate that through doing better and better work and by being a part of important and entertaining stories," she added.

In 2020, she impressed the audience with her performances in digital projects like "Mirzapur Season 2" and "A Suitable Boy".

She has many projects lined up for 2021 such as "Delhi Crime" Season 2, "Out Of Love" Season 2 and "Lord Curzon Ki Haveli".

--Ians

nn/dpb...

New Delhi, Jan 14 (Ians) Actress Rasika Dugal has been busy working in new seasons of various web shows, and she says playing the same character all over again in a fresh season is like meeting an old friend.

"I have had a lot of second seasons this year. It's been an interesting journey to revisit Beena ('Mirzapur'), Neeti ('Delhi Crime') and Meera ('Out of Love'), and to experience how they might have changed as people," Rasika told Ians.

"Reprising a character for a new season is like meeting an old friend -- you basically know them and understand how they are wired, but they are not exactly who they were when you met them last," she added.

Rasika recently completed the shoot of "Out Of Love" season 2.

On working during the pandemic, she shared: "Initially, it was full of trepidation and nervousness for everyone,...

Mumbai, Nov 14 (Ians) Actress Rasika Dugal will spend Diwali amidst the chaos of a set, and says arclights will light up the festival for her this year.

On Diwali, Rasika is busy shooting for the second season of Out Of Love in Ooty.

"Diwali is usually reserved for family and close friends but the uncertainties of this year have driven us all to do things differently. I am grateful that some of us have been able to get back to work with necessary safety measures," Rasika said.

"It is thrilling to be back to the beautiful chaos of a set and lovely to be in the vast beauty of the Nilgiris after being holed up at home for seven months. The warmth of the response to Mirzapur 2 and A Suitable Boy is what I take with me as I shoot for Out Of Love season 2. The shooting lights are going...

Rasika Dugal on Tuesday revealed a quirky side of her persona. She revealed that she loves sending voice notes to people, adding that the activity is the next best thing to talking to herself!

In an Instagram account, Rasika is seen recording a voice note on her mobile phone while smiling at me camera.

"Caught in the act of sending some lovely long voice notes. Sigh ....I love voice notes ! I understand people are polarised on this very delicate matter (of voice notes). Apologies to those who have been at the receiving end of the really looong ones I usualy send in which I rumble and ramble and grumble and garble.......this is the next best thing to talking to myself !" captioned the actress.

Rasika is currently shooting in Ooty for the second season of the web series "Out Of Love". In the show, Rasika plays physician Dr Meera Kapoor,...

Mumbai, Nov 6 (Ians) Being from Mumbai, shooting in the hills in cold winter nights is not an easy deal for Rasika Dugal. The actress on Friday shared her experience of shooting in Ooty for an upcoming web series.

A photograph she posted on her verified Instagram account has Rasika sitting on a bed in a hoodie jacket, covered with a blanket.

"Night shoots in the hills ! Not so easy for the Bombay peeps. Getting back to the grind ......well sometimes just hiding in the hood," Rasika captioned her photo.

The actress is currently shooting in Ooty for the second season of the web series "Out Of Love". In the show, Rasika plays physician Dr Meera Kapoor, the female lead.

The actress is currently seen in the web series "A Suitable Boy" and "Mirzapur Season 2".

--Ians

abh/vnc...

The fresh digital boom following the lockdown has favoured Rasika Dugal. The Lootcase actor experienced the rare phenomenon of having had two digital releases on the same day! After having won several awards for Out Of Love, Dugal walks away with rave reviews for A Suitable Boy and Mirzapur Season 2, two of the most highly anticipated digital series of the year. 

Full of surprises, Dugal was seen reprising her role as the fiery Beena Tripathi in the second season of Mirzapur, one of India's most engaging crime thrillers. In Mira Nair's directorial, she was seen essaying the role of Savita Mehra Kapoor, whose marriage spurs a turn of events among four families. What goes to show Rasika's prowess as an actor is that both the characters she embodied for these series were diametrically opposite of each other. The testament of her versatility is that she successfully pulled off these...

Just a few weeks, ago that filmmaker Shekhar Kapur shared that he was impressed with the amazing new acting talents that the Ott space has been introducing to the world. The audience is with him on this.

Ians takes a look at actors who have grabbed maximum eyeballs in the digital space, emerging as the new Ott stars:

Amit Sadh

The former "Bigg Boss" contestant began as a television actor in 2002 and later entered Bollywood with "Phoonk 2" in 2010. "Kai Po Che" brought him fame and he went on to feature in films like "Sultan" and "Gold". Now, he is one of the favourites in the digital space as he got a thumbs up for his role as Inspector Kabir Sawant over two seasons of the web series "Breathe". He was then seen as an army officer in the web series "Avrodh: The Siege Within". For him, it seems like the...

Actress Rasika Dugal is certainly on a roll with roles. Accolades have been pouring in for her brilliant performances including Rasika being lauded for her comic timing in her first comedy caper Lootcase, which streamed over a month ago.

After the success of the first season of Out Of Love, for which she has won several awards, it is learnt that the series returns with Season 2, much to the delight of Ott viewers. Dugal will be heading to Coonoor for a two-month-long schedule for the second season. In the first season, the versatile actor essayed the role of a physician, Dr. Meera Kapoor, whose seemingly perfect life is rocked by the revelation of her husbands infidelity. Through the season we saw Meera travel a myriad of emotions as she struggles with trying to understand how she wants to respond to this revelation. The season ends with her making a new...

In the Out Of Love first season, Rasika Dugal essayed the role of a physician, Dr. Meera Kapoor, whose seemingly perfect life is rocked by the revelation of her husband's infidelity. The season ended as Meera adapts to a new life as a single parent.

About the second season, Rasika said, "I was excited to play a part which was driving the narrative of a series and to experience the rigours of a long shooting schedule where you are in almost every frame of the show."

Rasika Dugal will be soon heading to Coonoor, Tamil Nadu, for a two-month schedule. She will be shooting for season two of her hit web series, Out Of Love.

"Being Dr. Meera Kapoor and attempting to experience the emotionally tumultuous ride that she is on throughout the season is a journey that any actor would desire. And the appreciation from the awards and the...

BBC Studios India is adapting BAFTA and Royal Television Society-nominated series “One of Us” in the Telugu language for Disney’s Indian streaming platform Hotstar.

“One of Us” focuses on the mysterious murders of childhood sweethearts, who are found dead in their home soon after their honeymoon. The two families are then forced to contend with their grief, as they search for answers and unearth consequences that hang over all of them, bringing ideas of honesty, loyalty and family into question.

The four-part series was originally written by Harry and Jack Williams, the writing duo behind acclaimed British drama “The Missing.” It aired on BBC One in the U.K. and is available internationally on Netflix.

This is the first time that BBC Studios India is entering the Indian regional scripted market. Previous local versions of BBC shows, including “Criminal Justice,” “Doctor Foster” adaptation “Out of Love” and “The Office,...

Exclusive: James Norton’s (McMafia) UK film and TV production company Rabbit Track Pictures has optioned writer and Youtuber Hazel Hayes’ debut novel Out Of Love for TV.

The novel tells a love story in reverse, set against the bittersweet backdrop of heartbreak up ahead. It begins at the end of a relationship, and weaves back together an already unravelled relationship, from tragic break-up to magical first kiss.

Rabbit Track’s former Black Bear executive Kitty Kaletsky is overseeing the adaptation, which will be penned by Irish scribe Hayes.

Launched on crowdfunded publishing platform Unbound in 2019 and published in the UK today, the book raised close to three times its funding target and has sold 2,500 copies direct to pledgers.

North American rights were acquired by Dutton at Penguin Random House Us via Sabrina Taitz at Wme.

Hayes said: “I’m so excited that Out Of Love is finally out there...

For a large part of its playing time, "Out Of Love" looks like banal take on infidelity. Except that here, the suspicious wife Meera won't take the betrayal lying down. As played by the very talented Rasika Dugal, Meera epitomises the mythic hell of a woman scorned. So intense is her abhorrence of her husband's infidelity that she descends into a kind of vendetta that seems increasingly ridiculous and cheap.

It came as a surprise to know that this hysterical series is adapted from BBC's "Dr Foster". I decided to watch some of that. And here is the fundamental difference between the two that makes all the difference. In "Dr Foster", the wife's suspicion and revenge are placed in a cultural and geographical perspective where her actions seem guided by an environment that fosters an aggressive protest against domestic treachery.

In the desi adaptation, Meera's grievance against her husband...