Actress Rinku Dhawan has expressed her desire to work in the OTT and web series space, after boasting of an elaborate career for over two decades in the GEC space. The actress took to the comment section of a casting post on social media to seek work in the digital space of the entertainment industry. The casting post, shared by a platform looking for fresh talent for a web series, caught the attention of several aspiring actors. Among them was the best established actress, Rinku Dhawan, who openly put forward her interest in being part of the digital entertainment industry. She wrote, ‘… I want to work in web series.’ Interestingly, Rinku’s public appeal for work echoes a move made by veteran actress Neena Gupta, a few years ago, who had also taken to social media to seek roles. Neena had taken to her social media account back then and written, ‘I live in Mumbai and am a good actor looking for good parts to play.’ A few months ago, actress Divyanka Tripathi had also shared a post expressing her interest in exploring opportunities in the voice industry. She wrote on her social media account, ‘Exploring voice work opportunities. Would love to collaborate and lend my voice to meaningful projects.’ Talking about Rinku, the actress has had a long and notable career in Indian television. She is best known for her role as Chhaya in the iconic show Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii and many more. She was last seen in the hit show Anupamaa, where she portrayed an antagonist. On the personal front, Rinku was married to actor Kiran Karmarkar, who essayed the role of Om Agarwal, her on-screen brother in the hit show Kahaani Ghar Ghar Kii. The two reportedly fell in love during the shoot of the show and got married in 2001. After over 15 years of marriage, the couple parted ways and finalised their divorce in 2017. They have a son together. Rinku was also seen in the reality show Bigg Boss 17, where she was appreciated for her outspoken, bold and strong personality. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
02 April,2026 09:36 AM IST | Mumbai | IANS"Expect the unexpected,” is Anant V Joshi’s message to the audience a day ahead of the release of Maamla Legal Hai’s second season. The actor, who plays the manager of Patparganj District Court in the Netflix comedy series, has been confident about the second part’s success since the day he read its script. “When I read it, it left me with the feeling that the audience will definitely like the second season because it has evolved so well,” he shared. Unfortunately, though, a show’s popularity is not the only criterion to greenlight its second instalment. Netflix India reportedly cancelled some of its popular series despite their acclaimed opening seasons. Netflix India reportedly cancelled the second season of ‘Class’ and ‘Kaala Paani’, despite their acclaimed opening seasons Maamla Legal Hai, thankfully, stands in contrast. Barring Ravi Kishan, the first season not only featured actors who had previously portrayed smaller parts, but also had a niche premise. Yet, these elements came together to make a hit offering. For Joshi, it’s a big deal that the streamer backed the niche show, particularly its actors, the second time around. He reasoned, “Since we got a lot of unexpected love for the first season, hopes were high that season two will be made. But things [around] are changing so fast. For [a series] to have a subsequent season and then for the platform to even invest more faith in the cast is a big deal. We aren’t among those actors, who do big-budget movies. Where we all meet collectively is that we [support] good writing.”
02 April,2026 07:28 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaThe recent web series, Chiraiya, headlined by Divya Dutta, Sanjay Mishra, and Prasanna Bisht, among others, has sparked some serious conversation regarding sexual harassment, marital rape, consent and victim blaming. Prasanna, who plays Pooja, a newly married woman who is a victim of marital rape in the series, got candid with mid-day regarding the darker aspects of the series. Prasanna Bisht recalls a sexual harassment incident on sets Given that the character was a vulnerable and emotionally intricate one, we asked the young actor how she got into the mindset of Pooja. To which she revealed, "Something happened with me before I got the show. I faced something during the shoot. I had invested so much of my emotions and my time in a project that I was emotionally connected to. And there was this person who crossed their limits. When I spoke about it in front of the team, I thought the team would back me up on that. But they started quoting me as a problem. They titled me as somebody who was creating problems on set, just because I spoke up for myself." View this post on Instagram A post shared by JioHotstar (@jiohotstar) She added, "So I think that experience really helped me. I think I was just portraying what I went through. That's how I could relate to the character more." Further explaining how she prepared for the darker scenes in Chiraiya mentally, she says, "It's the trauma that we all have seen. It's the experiences that we all have faced as women. And I have seen it happening around me, with me. So, of course, it was very dark, and it was very heavy." Living and reliving such trauma while filming a scene is no ordinary deal, but Prasanna says, "I feel like I'm an actor, and if somehow my five-minute trauma, if I live it again and it empowers people, then I'll do that again and again." Prasanna reveals the most emotionally draining scene Did the emotional scenes stay with her after the cut? "Yeah," she asserts, adding, "It happened when there's a scene where I go, and I try to speak to my mother and she tells me to go back. She doesn't help me, she doesn't listen to me. She was not ready to accept that something like this could even exist. And even if it does, then she just wants me to sacrifice myself, my body, so that my father-in-law can help my brother with his job and other things." The Farrey actress explains, "So, that kind of stayed with me because I think I come from a family where my mother and father have always taught me to be independent. They are very supportive. Even though there were times that I was not able to speak to them about sexual harassment because I think there's something with Indian families, they don't even talk about it. Like, there is no conversation about it." "When I did that scene, then I realised that there are so many parents out there who don't even support their daughters. And that completely shattered me. And then I started thinking about women who actually live in such houses." Talking about how she got out of that zone, she says, "I think everything takes time. You just live with it. You don't come out of it. You just live with it, and you just talk about it."
01 April,2026 01:13 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentNetflix has released a behind-the-scenes featurette for Avatar: The Last Airbender Season 2, adapted from the popular Nickelodeon cartoon. Along with this, the makers have also announced the release date of the series. After the show premiered in 2024, Netflix renewed the live-action series for two more seasons. It will conclude with Season 3, just like the original show did. Seasons 2 and 3 were made back-to-back, with Season 2 finishing production in May 2025 and the final season beginning production shortly after. Taking to their Instagram handle, the OTT platform announced the release date of the series. The show will stream from June 25. "Step back into the world of AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER. Season 2 premieres June 25, only on Netflix". View this post on Instagram A post shared by Netflix US (@netflix) The cast includes Gordon Cormier as Aang, Kiawentiio as Katara, Ian Ousley as Sokka, Dallas Liu as Prince Zuko, Paul Sun-Hyung Lee as Uncle Iroh, Elizabeth Yu as Princess Azula, Momona Tamada as Ty Lee and Daniel Dae Kim as Fire Lord Ozai. Season 2 will introduce the blind earthbender Toph, played by Miyako. The show follows the airbender Aang, who can control air, water, earth and fire, as the Avatar. After mastering waterbending in Season 1, Aang will turn to earthbending in Season 2, while evading the evil Fire Nation and Prince Zuko. Albert Kim, who developed the series and served as showrunner on Season 1, stepped down in April, with Christine Boylan and Jabbar Raisani set to lead the show as executive producers going forward. Kim remains an executive producer. Along with Kim, Boylan, Raisani, Dan Lin and Lindsey Liberatore executive produce on behalf of Rideback, with Michael Goi also executive producing. Goi directed the first two episodes of the series, while Raisiani directed episodes three and four. Roseanne Liang directed episodes five and six, with Jet Wilkinson directing the final two episodes of Season 1, reported Variety. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
01 April,2026 09:38 AM IST | Washington DC | ANIWhat begins as a distant tragedy slowly unravels into an intimate and unsettling crisis in Next of Kin, the gripping British thriller premiering April 3 on Lionsgate Play. At its heart, the series explores a question that feels both deeply personal and universally relevant: how far would one go to protect their family when everything begins to fall apart? About Next of Kin The story opens with the death of a young British Pakistani doctor working overseas. The news reaches his family in London in fragments—through phone calls, quiet exchanges, and a lingering disbelief that refuses to fully settle. For a brief moment, life appears to move forward, albeit with grief quietly simmering beneath the surface. But in Next of Kin, distance is only an illusion. What starts as a contained loss soon spirals into something far more complex and unsettling. Created by Paul Rutman and Natasha Narayan, the series brings together a powerful ensemble cast including Shabana Azmi, Archie Panjabi, Jack Davenport, Viveik Kalra, and Navin Chowdhry. At the centre of the narrative is Mona Harcourt, played by Archie Panjabi, a successful doctor whose seemingly stable life is shattered when her brother is abducted and murdered abroad on the same day a bomb explodes in London. The crisis deepens when Mona’s nephew, Danny, goes missing and is soon linked to both incidents. What follows is a slow-burn descent into suspicion, conspiracy, and emotional turmoil. Relationships are tested, loyalties begin to shift, and the fragile threads that hold the family together start to fray. The series captures not just the external chaos of unfolding events, but also the internal fractures that emerge within a family under pressure. For Shabana Azmi, who plays a pivotal role in the series, the decision to come on board was almost instinctive. “I just happened to be in London at the time when my agent told me about the part. I met the director Justin Chadwick and before I knew it, I was part of the production,” she recalls. Having had a long-standing association with British cinema and television, she found the choice an easy one. “I took an immediate liking to Justin… knowing what the drama was about, it was a pretty easy decision for me to make,” she adds. Beyond its gripping narrative, Next of Kin resonates because of its emotional and social relevance. Azmi underscores the importance of telling such stories, noting, “This story is so close to home. I think it’s very important for cinema, television, theatre, literature, art to reflect that. You can’t push conflicts of this kind under the carpet. This drama shows what happens to human beings in these kinds of situations.” For Archie Panjabi, the script itself was the biggest draw. “My first reaction was, ‘I want to read episode two. I’m totally gripped by this script,’” she says. Calling it “intelligently written” and “timely,” she highlights how deeply she connected with Mona’s journey and the emotional weight the character carries. In a landscape often dominated by spectacle, Next of Kin stands out for its quiet intensity and psychological depth. It doesn’t just tell a story of crime or conspiracy- it holds up a mirror to the complexities of family, identity, and the choices we make when pushed to the edge.
31 March,2026 06:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentHindi ZEE5 is all set to bring a gripping and emotionally charged revenge drama series – Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel. Set against the rugged, emotionally charged backdrop of rural Uttar Pradesh, the story draws viewers into a space where tradition exerts power, identity is constantly tested, and revenge simmers beneath every quiet moment. About Satrangi Badle Ka Khel The show features a stellar ensemble cast led by Anshumaan Pushkar, RJ Mahvash, Kumud Mishra, Upen Chauhan, Saddam Sophia Hussain, Atul Kusum Sanjay, B. Shantunu and Amir Khan, among others. Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel follows the story of Bablu Mahto, the son of a Launda dancer, who is forced by circumstances to step into his father’s shoes. Beneath this reluctant acceptance lies a burning desire for justice, as Bablu secretly plots revenge against the powerful Singh family. As he navigates a life filled with societal stigma, complex relationships, and simmering rage, the series unfolds a layered narrative of honour, love, and vengeance. Blending raw storytelling with powerful performances, the series explores themes of identity, societal pressures, and the cost of vengeance, making it a compelling watch for audiences seeking intense and rooted narratives. Mahvash and Anshumaan Pushkar talk about the show Mahvash said, “For me, Satrangi has been a completely new and refreshing experience. The gritty tone of the show allowed me to step outside my comfort zone and explore a more intense, dramatic space as a performer. I’ve been loving the process of discovering myself as an actor through this character. Being part of a story that is raw and emotionally challenging has been incredibly rewarding.” Anshumaan Pushkar said, “Satrangi gave me the chance to step into the shoes of a character that comes from a world and profession, that of a launda dancer, which is often misunderstood and unfairly looked down upon. As an actor, it was incredibly enriching to explore this social reality with honesty and empathy, without judgement or exaggeration. The role challenged me to rely on internal strength, emotional control, and lived-in performances rather than surface-level drama. Being the lead in such a distinct and unconventional story has been a deeply fulfilling experience for me .” "Dignity, pain and quiet fire of revenge" Speaking about the show, Kaveri Das, Business Head – Hindi ZEE5 and Chief Channel Officer &TV, said, “With Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel, we were drawn to a narrative that is rooted in the soil of rural Uttar Pradesh yet offers a fresh and unfiltered lens into themes of dignity, social hierarchy, and resilience. Our Hindi content approach is anchored in bringing authentic stories from the heartland to the forefront, voices and worlds that are often underrepresented but resonate strongly with audiences." Director Jai Basantu Singh said, “Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel is a story that lives in the silences as much as it does in its conflicts. Bablu Mahto’s journey is deeply personal, yet universally relatable - it’s about dignity, pain, and the quiet fire of revenge. We wanted to portray the world of Launda dancing with sensitivity, while also building a gripping narrative around power and injustice. Every character in this story operates in shades of grey, which makes the drama even more intense and real.” Producers Dilip Bachchan Jha and Ritesh Modi said, “From the very beginning, Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel stood out as a story that is both raw and emotionally layered. As producers, we were drawn to its unique backdrop and the depth of its characters. Bringing together such a talented cast allowed us to truly do justice to the world we were trying to create. The series balances strong storytelling with high production values, and we’re excited for audiences to experience this powerful narrative on Hindi ZEE5.” Witness Bablu Mahto’s journey of resilience and revenge in Satrangi - Badle Ka Khel, coming soon only on Hindi ZEE5!
31 March,2026 03:52 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a matter of days, actor Nidhi Bisht will return as advocate Sujata didi in Maamla Legal Hai 2. The actor says she is feeling the nerves of a student. “It’s like waiting for exam results. Now, if we’ve come up a little bit with distinction [scriptwise], we can get a college admission,” she smiled. Even though Bisht returned to the set of the Netflix courtroom comedy series to shoot the second season, a year after its premiere, it took her only minutes to slip back into Sujata’s shoes. “When we met for reading it happened very naturally. Maybe the body has it in its memory; it took me minutes to become Sujata again. [During] reading the lines, we would call each other by our characters’ names,” she said. (L to R) Amit Vikram Pandey and Nidhi Bisht in ‘Maamla Legal Hai 2’ While she awaits the release of the show, Bisht continues her work as a writer alongside acting. Since the beginning of her journey in the industry, she has juggled the two professions. Her writing credits include Permanent Roommates (2016), Bisht, Please! (2017), and Home Shanti (2022). However, the actor-writer says the industry makes it difficult to balance both. “As soon as the word goes out that I’m writing, the acting jobs stop coming my way. But surprisingly, after Maamla Legal Hai, I got a lot of writing calls. I didn’t get any offers for acting despite getting a lot of praise. A lot of people thought that I had also written the show, which is not true,” she said.
31 March,2026 08:17 AM IST | Mumbai | Priyanka SharmaKaptaan, set to premiere on 3rd April. Set against the charged backdrop of Jwalabad, this gritty crime saga dives into a world where crime has evolved into structured cartels, and power is no longer claimed through chaos alone, but control. Headlined by Saqib Saleem as SSP Samardeep playing the KAPTAAN, a celebrated officer known for his unorthodox methods, the series also stars Siddharth Nigam, Kavita Kaushik, Varun Badola, Anjumm Shharma, Aarif Zakaria, Poojaa Gor, Vikram Kochhar, and Anushka Kaushik in pivotal roles. Directed by Jatin Wagle and produced by Pammi Baweja and Harman Baweja, under the banner of Baweja Studios, Kaptaan weaves high-octane action with intense emotion and simmering tension, building into a riveting tale of power, ambition and revenge. Kaptaan's trailer drops intriguing storyline The trailer expands the canvas beyond isolated crime scenes, moving into a wider network of counterfeit operations, organized rackets, and a growing turf war that begins to take shape. At the centre of it all is the inevitable collision between Samardeep and Kabir, as buried histories resurface and begin to influence the present. What starts as a crackdown soon opens up a far more complex chain of events, where every move has ripple effects and the stakes continue to climb. When control begins to slip, who is really calling the shots? The cast shares their excitement Speaking about the show and his character, Saqib Saleem shared, “Kaptaan pushed me to explore a space that was both emotionally demanding and internally conflicted. Playing SSP Samardeep meant stepping into the shoes of a cop who doesn’t always go by the book, but believes in getting the job done. He’s someone who is constantly navigating the weight of his past while trying to stay in control of the present, and that very tension shapes his decisions. It’s a layered character that made the entire journey both challenging and rewarding for me. I can’t wait for audiences to experience this world on Amazon MX Player.” Sharing his experience, Siddharth Nigam added, “Kabir walks into the story with fire in his veins. He is angry, damaged, and driven, and that makes him dangerous in ways even he may not fully understand. There’s an unpredictability to him that keeps the tension alive, because you’re never quite sure which way he’ll go next. What I found most compelling about the show was how his journey becomes increasingly personal as the story unfolds, and I’m really looking forward to audiences experiencing that.” Adding to this, Kavita Kaushik expressed, “Having played a cop before, it was exciting to revisit the uniform with a fresh perspective in Kaptaan. My character brings a certain sharpness along with a lighter, more spirited energy within an otherwise intense narrative, which made it a lot of fun to portray. It was refreshing to be part of a story that balances intensity with moments of sheer unpredictability.”
30 March,2026 05:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentIn a sleepy village in Tamil Nadu, a police station runs the risk of shutting down due to the low number of cases. But when a severed human head is discovered on a nearby hill, things spiral out of control. With no body in sight, but a bundle of cash and a letter at the crime scene, this is no open-and-shut case, and it is up to three police officers to piece together what happened. When the first episode ends in such a manner, one can only assume that the investigation that follows will unravel several layers with multiple twists. Through some old-fashioned digging, the police discover that 1) the man is named Muthu and 2) he harbours sordid secrets. Every person interrogated presents a narrative of how they met him, and provide wildly different impressions of Muthu (Vijay Sethupathi) emerge. Over the years, the peripatetic Muthu has been a part of a troupe of dancers in Madurai, a mahout, a watch mechanic in Kerala, and a manager at an orphanage, switching professions at the drop of a hat. To a man whose restaurant stands because of Muthu’s benevolence, he is nothing short of divine. Muthu's former boss, however, suspects him of harbouring ties to a criminal (Milind Soman). At the centre of these conflicting recollections, Muthu stands as a mystical and elusive figure. Who is Muthu? And more importantly, who killed him? Kaattaan unfolds at a slow pace, ambling through the houses and fields in the village to establish its milieu. The sweeping vistas of rural Tamil Nadu are absolutely gorgeous, yet, for all its atmospheric intent, the opening stretch fails to create any real emotional resonance with its characters. Investigating officer Kaliyan Pandiyan's central conflict of being torn between continuing the family legacy of herding goats and being a police officer feels underdeveloped, making it difficult to be invested in his dilemma. The series does not fare better in lighter moments either. Whether it's Pandiyan’s mother teaching her helper, Kuttu Karippu, how to trim a goat's horn, or the age-old mother-in-law and daughter-in-law squabble, these moments are tedious instead of funny. They unnecessarily stall the pace, making one wish the series would move past domestic detours and return to the far more compelling murder investigation. Equally frustrating is the presence of a languid and inept officer Paluraj (Singamouli), whose sole function is to deliver comic one-liners, a trope that feels out of place in a serious and layered narrative, and one that quickly wears thin. The most glaring misstep, however, is Muthu's poorly rendered CGI head. It's so unconvincing that it undercuts the sense of curiosity and tension the series tries to build. However, despite the slow start, the series picks up momentum in later episodes, with the cops embarking on a hunt across Tamil Nadu and even a cross-border journey to Kerala. The suspense heightens as more layers are peeled from Muthu's character, and we navigate his many identities. Kaattaan, though not gripping enough to warrant a one-sitting binge, is certainly engaging and intriguing enough to make it a journey worth embarking on.
28 March,2026 10:11 PM IST | Mumbai | Nandini ShahIn an era where relationship dramas often lean towards heightened conflict and spectacle, the Marathi series Hey Kay Navin? finds its strength in quiet realism. At the heart of this grounded storytelling is Priya Bapat, who brings emotional depth and lived-in authenticity to her character. Recently, the actor opened up about evolving relationships, the show’s relatability, and why audiences across age groups find themselves reflected in its world. On navigating growth within relationships For Priya, one of the most challenging aspects of long-term relationships is not change itself, but how partners respond to it. Reflecting on this, she says,“I think the hardest part is accepting each other’s growth and being supportive of it. Umesh and I have evolved over time, sometimes growing together and sometimes in different directions. What matters is respecting each other’s individuality and choices. As a relationship matures, expectations can change. But as long as there is no conflict in values and you can still align and meet halfway, things work beautifully.” What sets Hey Kay Navin? apart In a crowded landscape of love stories, Priya believes the show stands out because of its honesty and simplicity. She shares, “I think the biggest takeaway is that the show is completely relatable. It is something the entire family can sit and watch together. It feels like a mirror to your own life, but in a light, humorous, and emotional way, not preachy at all. It also makes you look at your life a little more objectively. While shooting, we genuinely felt like Varun had installed CCTV cameras in our homes. That is how real it felt.” It’s this balance of humour and emotional truth that allows the series to resonate without ever feeling overbearing. Why today’s audiences connect so deeply The relatability of Hey Kay Navin? extends across generations, something Priya finds both surprising and rewarding. She explains, “Even with Aani Kay Hava?, we did not expect kids to connect with it so much, but they really did, especially with Saket. I think they will now relate to the older versions of these characters because that is just how life progresses. There are small moments in the show, like dozing off at a party or men instantly falling asleep the moment they sit on a couch, that felt very real. I have seen that in my own life too. I always tell Umesh that he can fall asleep anywhere, anytime. That relatability is really the heart of the show.” With Hey Kay Navin?, Priya Bapat continues to champion stories that reflect real lives with honesty and warmth. The show will be released on ZEE5 from March 31.
27 March,2026 05:46 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentRajshri Deshpande recently opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life her battle with breast cancer revealing the emotional toll it took on her even before she began treatment. In a candid conversation, the actor recalled the moment she learned about her diagnosis and how it left her shattered. She admitted that the mental impact was overwhelming, saying she broke down alone while trying to process the news. The emotional weight of the situation, she shared, was far more difficult to handle than she had expected. Rajshri Deshpande gets candid about her diagnosis Rajshri revealed that although she has often portrayed strong characters on screen, facing a real-life crisis of this magnitude was entirely different. “The mental pain was unbearable,” she confessed, highlighting how the diagnosis brought a wave of fear, uncertainty, and vulnerability. The actor was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer, which was detected during a routine check-up something she now emphasises as crucial. She underwent surgery soon after and is currently on the road to recovery. Despite the medical procedures, she shared that it was the emotional struggle that affected her the most in the initial days. Opening up about the stigma surrounding cancer, Rajshri pointed out how people often react with fear or sympathy in ways that can feel isolating. She stressed the need to normalise conversations around the illness, saying that the “C-word” continues to carry an unnecessary taboo. On breaking down after the diagnosis She also spoke about how her perspective on life has shifted since the diagnosis. The experience, while painful, has made her more aware of her health and the importance of early detection. Rajshri now hopes to use her journey to encourage others, especially women, to prioritise regular check-ups and not ignore warning signs. The actor expressed gratitude for the support she received from her family, friends, and medical team, which helped her navigate the challenging period. She described her recovery as a gradual process, both physically and emotionally, and emphasised the importance of resilience during such times. Through her candid revelations, Rajshri Deshpande has not only shared her personal battle but also sparked an important conversation about awareness, early detection, and the emotional realities of dealing with cancer.
27 March,2026 04:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
