iWorld
Golden Globe nominee ‘The Curse’ starring Emma Stone makes its digital premiere in India exclusively on Lionsgate Play
Mumbai: In the satirical black comedy thriller television series The Curse, Nathan Fielder and Emma Stone star as Asher and Whitney, a newlywed couple trying to bring their eco-conscious housing vision to Española, New Mexico. However, their plans are complicated by a supposed curse and Dougie (Benny Safdie), a flawed reality TV producer who sees potential in their story. As the series progresses, the couple becomes entangled in a complex web of ethical dilemmas while also navigating the challenges of maintaining their relationship and trying to start a family.
The show has blown critics away, with Entertainment Weekly dubbing it “the weirdest, most unforgettable show of 2023”, and The Guardian describing it as “exquisitely cringe-worthy”. With an immersive storyline and sterling performances, this unique blend of comedy and thriller promises an unforgettable viewing experience for Lionsgate Play subscribers, who can start streaming the first 8 episodes of the series from 29th December.
In an interview with W Magazine, Emma Stone gushed about her experience working with comedian Nathan Fielder, “He is such a good actor—he really blew my mind. I remember watching a scene a couple days in that I wasn’t in. I was texting him up a storm, saying: ‘You’re one of the best actors I’ve ever seen.’ He’s so great and such a natural on Nathan for You and in The Rehearsal—but he’s playing himself. And still, he’s acting… At any given time, you do start to wonder if maybe there’s a prank happening. Like, someone’s filming you from a distance. That’s the only unsettling part of spending time with him.”
In an interview with Indiewire Nathan Fielder delves into the intriguing concept of uncertainty surrounding the reality of the curse, “It’s the core of the show in a lot of ways. [Asher and Whitney are] projecting things that may or may not exist onto everyone around them, and everyone is sort of doing that to each other. That idea of what’s actually real or what matters in a situation is a lot of what the show is exploring and reveling in. Because it’s easy to sort of go, ‘Oh, well this person’s good or bad,’ or ‘This is real or fake.’ But in a lot of these situations, it’s so much more complicated than that.”
‘The Curse’ exclusively streams Episode 1 to 8 on Lionsgate Play starting 29 December.
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.
