Hindi
Sleaze takes over script in Jism2
MUMBAI: Jism part of the Jism2 is an apt title in that the reputation of its female lead, Sunny Leone, as a porn star and her willingness to shed her clothes in front of the camera makes this film with a banal story idea into a hot proposal in trade, the media and finally the by-now-curious moviegoer. It has given the film great start.
Sunny Leone introduces herself as a porn star at the onset; does not matter that this has nothing to do with whatever happens in the film thereafter. Arunoday Singh represents a secret intelligence force made of a select few whose existence is not on any record; he is chasing Sunny Leone for some prolonged time to enrol her into an assignment. She is willing to sleep with him as soon as she sets her eyes on him but is not sure if she would be interested in his assignment.
A price tag of Rs 100 million convinces her to take up the assignment but she is not sure again if she should because the assignment is to go back to Randeep Hooda, who she loved immensely once and who walked out on her one night. She only has hatred for him now. That he was equally in love with her is why she is chosen to take up the job. The prospect of getting even with Hooda convinces Leone to go ahead.
Hooda is holed up in some picturesque location in Sri Lanka. Singh and Leone land up in a cottage bang opposite him. Their cover story is that she is here with her fiancé, a PR man who has some work to finish but the real purpose being to find a hard disc on which Hooda has a list of crimes and criminals. Hooda loves Leone still as much but his new profile as an assassin compels him to keep her away from his troubled life. He is drawn to her again easily enough providing Singh the opportunity to search Hooda‘s place for the disc and to producers to put Leone‘s body on exhibition, not that she wears much throughout the film anyway!
As Leone gets deeper into luring Hooda back to her, Singh meanwhile falls in love with her and becomes jealous as well as possessive of her. This has now developed into a love triangle. While Singh gets a couple of pecks and kisses, sex with Leone is Hooda‘s domain. The thought makes Singh furious. The proceedings are slow and rather boring with just three characters dominating the screen time and no twists and turns in the story. Songs are the only distraction but they are of a kind that one would rather hear on a system than watch on screen.
The little excitement, though predictable, happens only at the end, when the cards open and it is revealed that the good men were not really good and the bad man was not a bad man as he was made out to be.
In the absence of a sensible, taut story, Jism2 has an excuse for a plot. The treatment is routine. In all, there are three decently penned dialogues. The location is beautiful. The film can be trimmed and will serve the purpose of showing Leone and her Jism. Randeep Hooda as at times violent, at times tear shedding lover and at times a loony loner does well. Sunny Leone tries to act; Arunoday Singh does not.
Besides the casting of a porn star, Jism2 can be called marketing coup of sorts where the producer Pooja Bhatt has more than doubled her investment and the all-world theatrical distribution rights holder, Wave Pictures, already has in their kitty a handsome margin of about 70 per cent. The film has had excellent opening at most places. All this notwithstanding, a couple of distributors, who have paid high price for their territory, will stand to make losses.
Hindi
Edstead unveils ambitious H1 2026 content slate
New originals feature Adarsh Gourav in Northeast docu-series, Aditi Kotak in Next Class, and Adil Hussain in Stories of India.
MUMBAI: Edstead just dropped a content menu so rich it could make even the pickiest viewer say “encore” because when storytelling meets substance, the binge becomes inevitable. The fast-rising Mumbai-based studio, founded by Shekhar Bhattacharjee, today revealed its H1 2026 slate, a bold expansion of premium non-fiction that blends cultural depth, innovation, and legacy into cinematic factual narratives. The lineup cements Edstead’s niche at the crossroads of authenticity and global appeal, delivering research-driven stories that stay rooted in the Indian experience while aiming for wider resonance.
Headlining the fresh originals:
- An untitled docu-series starring Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav, who journeys through Northeast India to spotlight living cultural traditions, indigenous voices, music, oral histories, and everyday resilience. Presented by Air India Express, with Dentsu Sports and Entertainment as integration partner.
- Next Class, an eight-episode impact series fronted by entrepreneur and former Miss India Aditi Kotak, decoding career pathways, emerging fields, and real-world outcomes through leading institutions and forward-thinking disciplines.
- Stories of India with Adil Hussain, India’s first weekly OTT series dedicated to social impact, profiling organisations driving meaningful change and connecting purpose with tangible results.
- Toast to Tomorrow, exploring how leading alcohol brands craft immersive, culture-led experiences that celebrate regional identities and redefine legacy.
- No Cap Abroad – UAE Edition, following Indian students through their first week at UAE colleges—navigating homesickness, culture shock, and independence in a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Edstead is also returning with expanded seasons of breakout hits, The Future School (progressive Indian education), Molecules of Hope (healthcare innovation), and Great Indian Residential Schools.
Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “At Edstead, we are focused on building narratives that carry depth, context, and long-term relevance. Every project begins with research and a clear purpose… Our ambition is to create globally competitive factual content from India that remains culturally grounded while shaping conversations, inspiring trust, and contributing to the growing culture economy.”
From education and healthcare to enterprise and cultural revival, the slate reflects Edstead’s full-stack approach developing original IPs and guiding them through a robust distribution network spanning digital, OTT, and broadcast. In a content world chasing quick trends, Edstead is quietly betting on stories built to last, ones that don’t just entertain, but linger long after the credits roll.
