News Broadcasting
HBO to premiere ‘Charlie’s Angels II’ on Asian TV
MUMBAI: The angels are back! Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle l premieres exclusively on HBO’s The Big One for the first time on Asian television this month.
Starring Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu, the highly-anticipated sequel to the blockbuster action comedy inspired by the popular 70’s television series tells the story of three beautiful Angels – Natalie Cook (Diaz), Dylan Sanders (Barrymore) and Alex Munday (Liu) who reunite for a challenging new adventure for Charlie.
The Angels prepare to strike without warning as they go undercover to retrieve two missing Halo Rings. These are no ordinary rings – they contain top-secret encrypted information, detailing the identities and locations of every person in the government’s Federal Witness Protection Programme.
When witnesses in the programme start turning up dead one by one, only the Angels, using their expertise as masters of disguise, espionage and martial arts, can put a stop to the perpetrator, a mysterious “fallen” Angel named Madison Lee (Demi Moore). Aided by their trusted colleague, Jimmy Bosley (Bernie Mac), the Angels go undercover and are drawn into a series of electrifying adventures, beginning at a remote Mongolian outpost and continuing on a ferocious and deadly motorcross race. The series of heart-stopping encounters ends only after Dylan comes face-to-face with a dark secret from her past – a secret that puts the lives of her two best friends cum partners-in-crime in grave danger.
Incorporating a series of flashbacks that let us in on who the Angels were before they worked for Charlie, viewers will learn that Dylan, perhaps the most harmless of the trio, possesses the most complicated past – trailer park-raised, she was once a monster truck-loving wildcat, with a stint as a pro-wrestler. Natalie has, it happens, always been a good-hearted klutz, while Alex’s past comes to visit in the form of her proper father (John Cleese), who thinks his daughter is working as a neurologist.
Aside from the starring trio, returning from the first film outing are John Forsythe, as the voice of Charlie, Luke Wilson (as Natalie’s love interest) and Matt LeBlanc (as Alex’s movie-star boyfriend) as the loyal, understanding boyfriends every heroine needs and Crispin Glover, as the mysterious Thin Man.
A welcome addition to the Angels team is comedian Bernie Mac, who plays Jimmy Bosley, the liaison between the Angels and their elusive billionaire employer, Charlie.
In addition to the action- comedy flick, the channel is all geared to premiere a hilarious, action-packed comedy National Security, Martin Lawrence stars as Earl Montgomery, a cocky police cadet whose rebellious attitude gets him expelled from the police academy and he has to settle for a security guard job with “National Security”.
When Earl tries to break into his own car to retrieve his keys, an uptight police officer, Hank Rafferty (played by Steve Zahn), stops to ask for his licence and registration. Feeling misunderstood, Earl vents his anger on Hank, becoming abusive and defiant. As Earl is scolding the police officer, a bee comes along and starts to attack them – an insect which Earl is highly allergic to. While the two men are arguing, a nightstick is swatted about, and there is much screaming and commotion.
The whole incident gets caught on videotape by an onlooker at the scene and Hank is sent to trial, accused of attacking the victim (whose swollen face is the result of being stung rather than assaulted). Thanks to Earl’s false testimony, Hank is found guilty of assault and sentenced to six months in prison, losing his police badge in the process.
Upon Hank’s release, he joins a private security firm. There, his path crosses with Earl again, much to each other’s chagrin. The sworn enemies “reunite” during a warehouse burglary by a team of baddies led by Nash (played by Eric Roberts). It soon turns out that the thugs are actually in cahoots with the police force in this sophisticated smuggling operation.
Throughout the movie, the comic timing of the bickering pair played by Martin Lawrence and Steve Zahn prove impeccable, with the former famous for his street-wise, fast-talking style, while the latter has a flair for eccentric, off-the-wall line readings.
News Broadcasting
News18 India launches Command Centre war explainer with Arya
New show shifts from debates to decoding global conflicts and impacts
MUMBAI: News18 India has rolled out a new war-focused programme, Command Centre, featuring Gaurav Arya, as it looks to offer viewers a sharper, more grounded take on global conflicts amid rising tensions in West Asia.
Positioned as an “insider war room”, the show moves away from conventional panel debates and instead focuses on explaining military developments, decoding strategy and connecting global events to their everyday impact, from fuel prices to economic shifts.
The format leans heavily on visuals and data. The studio has been designed like a command hub, complete with large LED war maps, real-time graphics and an alert system to track developments as they unfold.
At the centre of it all is Arya, who brings his military background to simplify complex war strategies for viewers. His signature line, “Seedhi baat samjhiye”, anchors the show’s promise of clarity over noise.
News18 India managing editor Jyoti Kamal said, “Command Centre, featuring Major Gaurav Arya is designed to deliver accurate insights and a clear perspective on how evolving conflicts impact everyday life, from household budgets to national security. With expert voices analysing every development in real time, the show goes beyond headlines to decode what’s happening now, what it means, and what could come next.”
Echoing the intent, Gaurav Arya added, “In times of war, confusion is the biggest threat. With News18 India’s Command Centre, we are bringing viewers inside the war room, decoding strategies, tracking every escalation, and explaining, in the simplest terms, what it means for India and for every household. Seedhi baat samjhiye, this is where you understand not just what is happening, but what happens next.”
The weekday show will air in the afternoon slot and will also feature Gaurav Shukla, adding to its editorial depth.
With its mix of analysis, visuals and a clear focus on impact, the show reflects a broader shift in news consumption. Viewers are no longer just watching events unfold, they are looking to understand what those events mean for them.
