iWorld
Must-listen audiobooks and must-watch movies celebrating friendship
Mumbai: Friends make good days better, bad days bearable and trips unforgettable. This Friendship Day don’t forget to cherish those who bring method to your madness, the ying to your yang and the ones who pick up your calls at 4 a.m.! This list of audio titles, films and web series captures the essence of each kind of friendship you have. This list is perfect for your Friendship Day marathon for the friends who are close as well as those miles away. Tune in for a fun Sunday binge with your buddies this Friendship Day.
Platform: Audible
Childhood friends feel like a warm cup of chai on a rainy day. Set on the shores of Sydney, this Audible Original is a coming-of-age story that follows three hopeful 20-somethings from Mangalore – Devan (Adarsh Gourav), Meenu (Prajakta Koli) and Rahul (Taaruk Raina) trying to learn surf-lifesaving skills at Coogee Beach in Australia. They are each facing their personal demons while trying to qualify as a team to earn the Bronze Medallion. But the good part is they have each other’s back on this wild trip! Listen to this funny and uplifting comedy about friendship, dream fulfilment, culture clash, and humanity, in English and Hindi, on Audible.
Platform: Audible
Adapted for screen as the film ‘Kai Po Che’, this audiobook written by Chetan Bhagat has been loved by all – readers and viewers alike! This story is of a young boy who dreams of owning a business and opening a cricket shop to accommodate his friend’s passion. But the odds are stacked against them. Nothing is easy in a turbulent city – religious politics, calamities and unacceptable love stand in the way of them realising their dream. Will this put their friendship to the test? Tune into this dark, witty tale about modern India, where the author brings the ethos and isolation of an entire generation to the fore.
Platform: Audible
‘No Man is an Island’ is a heartwarming collection of classic tales like ‘The Woman on Platform No. 8’, in which a mysterious stranger befriends a young boy, and ‘The Crooked Tree’, in which a writer and a hawker form an unlikely bond. Ruskin Bond, in his simple yet poignant style, writes about the many shades of friendship and camaraderie in this audiobook. Listen in for refreshing stories on friendship from India’s beloved author!
Platform: Audible
Ever thought about the conversations you could have with your best friends to take your friendship to a deeper level? Canadian comedians and actors Mae Martin and Sabrina Jalees are best friends of more than 20 years and they share the conversations friends should be having to truly get to know each other. Benefits with Friends deep dives into topics like money, gender, parenting, kink and shame. A must-listen with your best friend, this audio series will empower you to let go of your inhibitions and take your friendship a notch higher!
Platform: Amazon Prime
Asmara is sent to her grandparents’ neighbourhood as punishment. But she lies to her friends about being in Canada to save face. She is not happy about the traditional setting. But this punishment becomes a blessing in disguise when she finds genuine friendship, life lessons and a hint of romance in the neighbourhood. She is faced with the dilemma of either keeping her truth hidden or finding the courage to be herself. Tune in for a story of friendship, growth and twists!
Platform: Amazon Prime
Will that much-awaited Goa trip make it out of the group chat? Madgaon Express is a mad story of a trip which did! Dodo (Divyenndu), Ayush (Avinash Tiwary) and Pinku (Pratik Gandhi) are three childhood friends who wanted to go to Goa together. Bad decisions and bad luck have them deal with one tragedy after another but through it all, their friendship shines through. If you’re also a part of the ‘We are planning a trip to Goa’ gang, this film is bound to leave you in splits.
Platform: Netflix
Shared experiences bring people closer. That is what happened with Geeta (Tabu), Jasmine (Kareena Kapoor Khan) and Divya (Kriti Sanon) who are strapped for cash. Another thing they have in common is they work as flight attendants on Kohinoor Airlines. But as their luck would have it, it is only a matter of time before Kohinoor Airlines goes bankrupt. The trio covertly join in on a gold smuggling operation to get out of their sorry situation. Will they be successful or will they get caught? Tune in to watch this heist comedy and the series of events that unfold.
Platform: Netflix
From the makers of cult classics like ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara’, comes ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’, a story of three best friends juggling life as 20-somethings in Mumbai. This urban dramedy explores friendship, ambition, and love in the age of social media and its impact on our lives. Starring Adarsh Gourav, Ananya Panday and Siddhant Chaturvedi, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan is a must-watch with friends, this film on modern friendships is relatable, packed with fun and drama and makes you ponder about how much of our life is controlled by social media perceptions.
iWorld
Prime Video drops trailer for Lukkhe, a rap crime drama starring KING in his acting debut
Eight episodes of revenge, redemption and hard-hitting rap arrive on the streaming platform on 8th May
MUMBAI: Prime Video has unveiled the trailer for Lukkhe, an eight-episode musical action drama built around the world of rap, crime and bruised relationships — and it has done so in suitably loud fashion, launching it at a live concert in Mumbai featuring electrifying performances by KING, Amira Gill, Akshath, Raashii Khanna, Ruaa Kayy and RUTVXK. As if that were not enough, the show’s music album was also dropped at the event, in collaboration with exclusive music streaming partner Amazon Music and music label Warner Music India.
The series is directed by Himank Gaur and produced by Vipul D. Shah and Rajesh Bahl under the banners of Optimystix Entertainment and White Guerrilla LLP. It is created and executive produced by Agrim Joshi and Debojit Das Purkayastha.
The cast is the talking point. KING, the acclaimed Indian rapper and songwriter, makes his acting debut as MC Badnaam, a performer consumed by rivalry and hunger for recognition. Raashii Khanna, returning to Prime Video after Farzi, plays Gurbani. Palak Tiwari, making her streaming debut, plays Sanober. Lakshvir Singh Saran plays Lucky. The ensemble also includes Nakul Roshan Sahdev, Kritika Bharadwaj, Shivankit Parihar, Yograj Singh and Ayesha Raza Mishra in pivotal roles.
The trailer plants its flag squarely in the tension between MC Badnaam and his rival MC OG, played by Parihar, while threading in the love story between Lucky and Sanober. The soundtrack, which spans hard-hitting rap anthems to emotionally charged melodies, is as much a character in the show as any of its leads.
Gaur was candid about what drew him to the project. “Lukkhe gave me a chance to dive into a world that’s loud, emotional, and constantly on edge,” he said. “What stayed with me was how every character is chasing something personal, and music becomes their way of expressing it. Working with this cast, especially KING in his debut, along with Raashii, Lakshvir, and Palak, was incredibly rewarding because they brought honesty that elevated every moment.”
Khanna reflected on her character with evident relish. “Playing Gurbani in Lukkhe was a really intense and fulfilling experience,” she said. “What I found most interesting was how her strength comes from something deeply personal, which shapes every decision she makes. It was about finding that balance between vulnerability and grit.”
KING, stepping in front of the camera for the first time, was characteristically direct. “Stepping into Lukkhe as MC Badnaam has been a defining moment for me,” he said. “What drew me in was how real his hunger and need to be heard felt. It’s something I connect with as an artist. Bringing music into his journey made the experience even more personal.”
Tiwari described the role as a first on multiple fronts. “It was my first time working with Prime Video, and the whole experience felt new and creatively satisfying,” she said. “Being part of a story that has both intense and heartfelt moments, along with a team that brought so much honesty to it, made this journey truly memorable.”
Saran, for his part, zeroed in on what made Lucky tick. “Lucky is someone who’s trying to move forward while still carrying the weight of his past, and that push-pull made him really interesting to explore,” he said. “There’s a sincerity to his journey that I hope people connect with.”
Lukkhe premieres on Prime Video in Hindi on 8th May, across India and in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide. In a streaming landscape drowning in crime dramas, this one is betting that putting a rapper at its centre – and meaning it – is enough to cut through the noise. On the evidence of the trailer, it might just be right.
