iWorld
Amazon Prime Video announces ‘Breathe’ S2
MUMBAI: Amazon Prime Video today announced that it has commenced the production of an all-new season of the Prime Original Series, Breathe. Created by Abundantia Entertainment, the second season of the show also marks the digital streaming on-screen debut of Bollywood star Abhishek Bachchan. The show will continue to be directed by Mayank Sharma while Bhavani Iyer, Vikram Tuli and Arshad Syed are writers of the show. Actor Amit Sadh returns in his award-winning role as Kabir Sawant.
In its first season, the gritty psychological thriller won the hearts of Prime viewers across multiple geographies with a gripping storyline, bold narrative, and impactful performances by the cast led by superstar R Madhavan and Sadh. Now, the second season of the show has gone into production.
Amazon Prime Video director and head of content Vijay Subramaniam said, “We received a phenomenal response from customers for the first season of Breathe. It was a disruptive, genre-defining show and our audiences loved it! We are now excited to commence work on the second season of the show and have secured Abhishek Bachchan as a lead cast who has effortlessly portrayed diverse & complex roles through his career and will be a great addition to the show. Our customers can expect another exciting face-off between the two leads as season two brings back the thrill and edge-of-the- seat drama.”
Breathe executive producer and Abundantia Entertainment CEO Vikram Malhotra said, “Season one of Breathe pushed the boundaries of conventional story-telling and created a compelling Indian show that connected with the world. We are humbled by the success of the show and I’m very excited that Abhishek has joined the series in a lead role. With Amit continuing in his award-winning role, and an engaging new narrative, I am confident that season two will raise the bar even higher.”
Actor Abhishek Bachchan said, “I am very excited to be a part of Breathe. As an artist, I have always liked to challenge myself through portraying unique characters and by being a part of genre-breaking stories. Content streaming and original digital series are the way of the future and I could not resist being a part of this new wave. I had seen season one of Breathe and when Mayank shared where the story progresses to in season two, I knew I had to do this! I look forward to this new dimension in my career.”
Continuing in season two, actor Amit Sadh said, “Breathe has been an amazing ride for me! The love and recognition from fans all over the world has made all my hard work worth it. The new season of Breathe will take the story above and beyond the debut season; I can’t wait to return as Kabir Sawant.”
Breathe is a gritty psychological, thriller series that follows the lives of ordinary people faced with extraordinary circumstances. How far will you go to save the life of a loved one? Breathe explores this very question. This emotional and psychological series was recently renewed for a second season.
Gaming
Sony raises PS5 prices for second time in under a year
US disc edition jumps $100 to $649.99 as memory costs surge.
MUMBAI: Sony just hit the pause button on affordable gaming because when memory prices skyrocket, even the Playstation has to pay the premium. Sony has announced its second price increase for the Playstation 5 range in less than a year, citing pressures in the global economic landscape and a sharp rise in memory component costs driven by AI demand.
In the US, the PS5 disc edition will rise from $549.99 to $649.99, a $100 hike while the digital edition increases to $599.99. The more powerful PS5 Pro will jump $150 to $899.99. The Playstation Portal remote player will also rise by $50 to $249.99. The new prices take effect on 2 April 2026.
Similar increases have been applied in the UK (£90 per model), Europe and Japan. Sony last raised PS5 prices in the US in August 2025.
“We know that price changes impact our community, and after careful evaluation, we found this was a necessary step to ensure we can continue delivering innovative, high-quality gaming experiences to players worldwide,” Sony said in a blog post.
The hikes come amid an unprecedented surge in memory prices, as manufacturers prioritise supply for AI data centres. Analysts say Sony had likely secured price protections for components that have now expired, forcing the company to protect its hardware margins.
Ampere Analysis research director of games Piers Harding-Rolls told CNBC that further increases from Microsoft and Nintendo would not be surprising, though Nintendo may hesitate to raise the price of its recently launched Switch 2 while establishing the new platform.
The increases arrive eight months before the highly anticipated release of GTA 6, which is expected to drive strong console sales. However, early reactions online have been a mix of disappointment and resignation, with growing concern that premium gaming is increasingly becoming a hobby for higher-income players.
In a sector already grappling with tariffs, inflation and component shortages, Sony’s move underscores a tough reality: even the most popular consoles are not immune to the rising cost of keeping up with the latest technology.
