News

Lionsgate India Studios is producing its first feature film, an as-yet-untitled coming-of-age story.

Directed by Milind Dhaimade (2016 London Film Festival selection “You Are My Sunday”), the Hindi-language film is a comedy revolving around a mother and son relationship. It stars Neetu Kapoor (“Jug Jugg Jeeyo”), Sunny Kaushal (“The Forgotten Army – Azaadi Ke Liye”) and Shraddha Srinath (“Maara”).

Lionsgate India has previously produced several series for Starz streamer Lionsgate Play, including “Hiccups & Hookups,” “Jugaadistan” and “Feels Like Home.”

Rohit Jain, MD, South Asia and networks – emerging markets Asia, Lionsgate, said: “Lionsgate remains bullish on investments in India spotlighting the region in the global growth strategy. Lionsgate Studios in India is delighted to announce its maiden Hindi film. With Milind at the helm of it, each character has been cast perfectly to depict this beautiful story that we’re sure audiences will love. We are running at a rapid pace...

Streaming

Discovery racked up subscription numbers during the opening week of the ongoing Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, the company has revealed. Eight times more viewers are streaming Olympic content on Discovery’s streaming services compared to the same period for Olympic Winter Games PyeongChang 2018, with total new paid subscribers already surpassing 2018 with a week of competition still to go. Three-quarters of a billion streaming minutes have been consumed on Discovery’s subscription services so far, more than 18 times higher than the same period of PyeongChang 2018. Average minutes consumed per viewer across Discovery Plus and Eurosport streaming services has more than doubled, with audiences also n average watching 29% longer on television vs PyeongChang 2018. Discovery’s free Olympic news and short video clips on Eurosport.com have also more than doubled their reach. On the linear TV front, Eurosport audiences have maintained 2018 levels.

Jean-Briac Perrette, president and CEO, Discovery streaming and International,...

Documentary

Fremantle has won a bidding war for exclusive rights to produce a high-end documentary about Raffaella Carrà, the iconic Italian singer, actor, dancer and TV host who was a pop culture sensation across Europe and Latin America.

Carrà, who died in July at 78, rose to fame in Italy as a singer and dancer during the 1970’s as co-host of the variety show “Canzonissima,” where she plugged her original songs directly into its dance and music numbers, including the show’s opening credits. On the show she famously wore a risquè outfit that marked the first time a woman dared to expose her midriff on TV in Italy, sparking an uproar form the Vatican and sending the ratings soaring. But Carrà was never one of the many women whose bodies were exploited on Italian TV. On the contrary, she became a symbol of female empowerment.

In 1976, she sang her first major international hit,...