iWorld
Zee5 sparks love and suspense with Elumale premiere
MUMBAI: Love crosses borders, but danger follows close behind. Zee5 is all set to premiere the much-anticipated Kannada romantic thriller Elumale on 17th October, promising a heady mix of romance, suspense, and high-stakes drama.
Directed by Punit Rangaswamy and produced by Tharun Sudhir and Atlanta Nagendra, the film stars Raanna, Priyanka Achar, Jagapati Babu, Kishore, and TS Nagabharana. Set against the scenic but tense borderlands of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, it tells the story of Harish (Raanna), a cab driver, and Revathi (Priyanka Achar), a wealthy young woman from Salem. What starts as a cross-border romance quickly spirals into a web of law enforcement, smugglers, and political intrigue, keeping viewers on the edge of their seats.
Actor Raanna said, “Harish is a simple, boy-next-door character, and playing him was deeply personal. The film has been made with heart, and I hope audiences connect with his story on Zee5.”
The digital premiere of Elumale streams exclusively on Zee5 from 17th October, where love, suspense, and thrilling twists await in equal measure.
iWorld
Rusk Media announces Battleground Season 2 on Amazon MX Player
Fitness reality show returns in April 2026 with bigger challenges and mentors.
MUMBAI: The arena is reopening and this time the competition promises even more sweat, strategy and spectacle. Rusk Media has confirmed the return of its fitness reality format Battleground for a second season, set to stream on Amazon MX Player from April 2026. The announcement follows the breakout success of the show’s debut season, which positioned itself as a high energy blend of sport, strategy and reality television. Season 1 brought together 16 contestants for a 28 day test of endurance and discipline, as aspiring athletes and fitness enthusiasts competed in physically demanding challenges and team based battles.
Divided into four teams, the participants trained under a panel of mentors drawn from the fitness and lifestyle space, with former Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan serving as the show’s Super Mentor.
The format quickly found an audience among digital viewers and was listed among the most binged titles on Amazon MX Player. The show also picked up industry recognition, winning the “Most Popular Non Fiction Show” honour at the IWMBuzz Digital Awards 2025.
The first season also drew a slate of brand partnerships, including Honda Bigwing, Charged, American Pistachio Growers, Bigmuscles Nutrition, Ritebite Max Protein, Plix and Sparsh CCTV, highlighting the show’s appeal to brands targeting India’s rapidly growing youth and fitness audience.
For Season 2, the producers say the format will evolve with tougher physical challenges, a sharper competitive structure and deeper mentor involvement while continuing to focus on discovering the next generation of Indian fitness personalities.
Rusk Media, chief executive officer and co founder Mayank Yadav said the first season proved the appetite for competitive fitness storytelling. “Battleground was always envisioned as more than a show. Season 1 demonstrated that there is a massive audience for aspirational fitness competition at scale. With Season 2 we are going even bigger in ambition, intensity and opportunities for contestants and partners,” he said.
Rusk Ads lead Rahul Arora added that the series has also evolved into a strong platform for brand integration and advertiser engagement. “Season 1 showed that Battleground is not just compelling content but a powerful brand ecosystem. As we move into Season 2, we are looking to deepen brand collaborations and build more integrated partnerships,” he said.
With a larger format, an expanding fan base and a new season set to arrive in April 2026, Battleground is positioning itself as one of India’s emerging fitness reality franchises in the digital entertainment space.
