iWorld
ZEE5’s Sirf Ek Bandaa Kafi Hai sweeps Filmfare OTT Awards 2023
Mumbai: ZEE5, India and Bharat’s largest home-grown video streaming platform and the OTT arm of ZEEL, bagged multiple awards for its original film “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kafi Hai” at the Filmfare OTT Awards 2023. The direct-to-digital ZEE5 original which later saw a theatrical release owing to its widespread acclaim, won across five key categories in the Web Original Film section. Alongside this, ZEE5’s comedy web series “TVF Pitchers S2” and “TVF Tripling S3” collectively won prestigious titles in the comedy series section.
Winning Categories:
The gripping courtroom drama was inspired by a five-year-long standalone fight of lawyer Adv. PC Solanki, ZEE5’s “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kafi Hai” won the prestigious Black Lady in the following categories:
Best Film, Web Original – “Sirf Ek Bandaa Kafi Hai”
Recognizing the film’s outstanding narrative, direction, and overall cinematic excellence
Best Actor, Web Original Film – Manoj Bajpayee
Commending one of this era’s most versatile actors, Manoj Bajpayee for his exceptional portrayal of lawyer Adv. PC Solanki in the lead role
Best Director, Web Original Film – Apoorv Singh Karki
Recognizing Mr. Apoorv Singh Karki’s masterful direction of the sensitive film which tackled a societal issue with a powerful yet moving narrative
Best Story, Web Original Film – Deepak Kingrani
Acknowledging the depth and deft social commentary Mr. Deepak Kingrani brought into the film through storytelling
Best Dialogue, Web Original Film – Deepak Kingrani
Highlighting the impact and effectiveness of the film’s dialogues written by Mr. Deepak Kingrani
“TVF Pitchers S2” and “TVF Tripling S3” on ZEE5 won the following awards in the Comedy Series category:
Best Comedy (series/specials) – “TVF Pitchers S2”
Recognizing the brilliant narrative, comedic elements, and direction of the web series
Best Actor, Series – comedy (female) – Maanvi Gagroo for her role in “TVF Tripling S3”
Captivating the audience with her outstanding comedic performance as Chanchal Sharma, Ms. Maanvi Gagroo bagged the ‘Best Actor, Series – comedy (female)’ title for her role in “TVF Tripling S3”
Best Supporting Actor, Series – Comedy (Male) – Arunabh Kumar for his role in “TVF Pitchers S2”
Commending Arunabh Kumar’s brilliant comedic timing and remarkable performance as a supporting actor in “TVF Pitchers S2”
Best Supporting Actor, Series – Comedy (Female) – Shernaz Patel for her role in “TVF Tripling S3”
Veteran actor Shernaz Patel’s spunky yet heartwarming performance as Charu Sharma won her the Best Supporting Actor title in the Comedy Series category
Hosted by The Times Group, The Filmfare OTT Awards was established in 2020 to honour both the artistic and technical excellence of professionals in OTT series and films. As the OTT entertainment industry continues to evolve and thrive, the Filmfare OTT Awards remains dedicated to upholding the Black Lady’s legacy and recognising the excellence of the Indian OTT segment. The event’s fourth edition took place on Sunday, November 26, 2023, in Mumbai which was attended by prominent celebrities from the entertainment industry.
iWorld
Subedaar puts Indian original cinema on the global map with record-breaking Prime Video debut
MUMBAI: Prime Video has a runaway hit on its hands. Subedaar, the gritty action drama starring Anil Kapoor, has stormed to become the most-watched Indian original movie on the platform in its opening weekend, cracking the Top 10 across 31 countries and landing in 91 per cent of India’s pin codes within days of its March 5 premiere.
The film, a visceral, emotionally-charged story of a retired soldier, Subedaar Arjun Maurya, wrestling with civilian life amid crime and corruption, has struck a nerve. Directed by Suresh Triveni and co-starring Radhikka Madan, Mona Singh, Saurabh Shukla, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar, the film is already being hailed as a showcase for what Indian original storytelling can achieve on the world stage.
“Subedaar’s success is a reflection of the growing scale and global resonance of Indian storytelling,” said Nikhil Madhok, director and head of originals at Prime Video India. “The film’s emotional narrative, its rooted portrayal of a soldier confronting his toughest battles beyond the battlefield, has struck a chord. Anil Kapoor delivers an acting masterclass, while Suresh Triveni’s solid direction and great performances from the ensemble cast have resulted in love and appreciation from customers across the world.”
Kapoor, 62, has been here before, but rarely at this altitude. Written by Triveni and Prajwal Chandrashekar, with dialogues by Triveni, Saurabh Dwivedi, and Chandrashekar, the film is a production by Opening Image Films in association with Anil Kapoor Film & Communication Network (AKFCN), produced by Vikram Malhotra, Kapoor, and Triveni.
Subedaar streams exclusively on Prime Video in Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu across India, and in over 240 countries and territories worldwide.
For Prime Video, the numbers tell the real story: one weekend, one film, a global footprint, and a very loud signal that Indian original cinema is no longer just travelling well. It’s arriving.
