Latest news with #SmashingMachine
Economic Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Economic Times
Appetite for global cinema growing in India, want to bring every genre: PVR Inox's Aamer Bijli
From horror lovers to rom-com and anime enthusiasts, India's filmgoers have diverse tastes and PVR Inox Ltd wants to be the go-to destination for global cinema across formats and genres, says Aamer Bijli, the company's lead strategist for marketing and innovation. The company is making a major strategic push in bringing international cinema to Indian audiences, starting with the premiere of the upcoming action thriller "Ballerina", headlined by Hollywood star Ana de Armas. In the next one year, PVR Inox will be distributing some of the major Hollywood titles, both big-budget and indie, from top studios like Lionsgate, A24, Neon, Black Bear and FilmNation."What we see as the future is to ensure that the growing appetite in India is quenched. Essentially every appetite has a particular genre, and we want to be at the forefront of bringing that genre to the Indian market. And this is a combination of international films as well as local films. "Our business fires on three engines, which are Hollywood films, the Hindi local segment and live events. So we want to really become a prolific player in all three categories," Aamer, son of PVR Inox managing director Ajay Bijli, told PTI in an interview. At a premiere event for "Ballerina", held at PVR Juhu in Mumbai, the company gave a glimpse into the next four titles that it will be distributing in India -- "Smashing Machine", starring Dwayne Johnson; "Now You See Me: Now You Don't", the third part in Lionsgate heist franchise; Aziz Ansari-directed comedy "Good Fortune", featuring Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen; and anime film "Shinchan: Kasukabe Dancers".Besides, PVR Inox has a robust slate for the year 2025-26, spanning genres like horror, musicals, drama, romance, and action. It includes five films from critically-acclaimed studio A24. The movies are -- "The Riders" with Brad Pitt; "The Drama" with Robert Pattinson and Zendaya; "Marty Supreme" with Timothee Chalamet; "Onslaught" with Adria Arjona and Dan Stevens; and "Sorry Baby" from actor-director Eva Lionsgate, it will be bringing out "The Strangers: Chapter 2" and "SAW 11". It will also distribute Neon's "The Housewife", starring Naomi Watts, in the Black Bear Pictures, PVR Inox will distribute filmmaker Guy Ritchie's "The Wife & Dog", featuring Benedict Cumberbatch, Anthony Hopkins and Rosamund Pike, as well as six other titles -- Gerard Butler's "Greenland: Migration", "Relay" with Lily James, Riz Ahmed and Sam Worthington; "Afterburn", starring Samuel L Jackson; "Fred & Ginger" with Margaret Qualley; Zac Efron's "Famous"; and "I Want Your Sex", starring Olivia Wilde."We've always tried to maintain a very fruitful and amicable relationship with these studios. It's always been a to-and-fro to understand what films they're producing, what films the international audience is liking, and what films resonate with India."We have exponentially grown in terms of size because now independent cinema is also really demanding big budgets. A lot of big actors are being associated with independent films and it's really going to grow," Aamer about the content acquisition strategy of PVR Inox, he said genre plays a pivotal role."There are certain genres that cut across the language barrier more than others. And the major genre that does this is action films. Some films that even we don't dub tend to see its day in the sun."But action firms are notorious for their dubbable ability. You can dub it into all the languages and that's something we specialise, in regional and Hindi language to dub these films in. So that's a big part of the strategy." Another aspect of the strategy is to identify studios as well as independent banners that are credible to partner, Aamer added."We have a very long standing relationship with Lionsgate. We have an output deal with them, and we represent the India office. They have very big budget films such as the 'John Wick' universe, which they want to bring and which suits India," he final piece in the puzzle is the star cast attached to a project, Aamer stressed."There are certain actors and actresses that people resonate with more than others. Sometimes the story, the prowess, the writing, is enough to carry a film forward, but sometimes it needs the extra power, which is the star cast. And it makes these potential content acquisitions possible and gives relevance for the Indian market," he forward, Aamer is optimistic about India's rising stature as a key market for international films, especially when it comes to hosting premieres and other promotional events of major Hollywood titles."It would really boost the momentum for the film. Films like 'Avatar: The Way of Water', which released two years ago, and 'Oppenheimer', they all did so well that they were comparable with global box office numbers as well."Even in the independent film space. Like 'John Wick' for example. 'John Wick 4' did exceedingly well for us. I think it clocked about USD 4.5 million, which is a very respectable number compared to the grand scheme." India can truly emerge as a global cinema destination if more international films receive commercial success in the country, he added. "I don't see why studios won't start looking at India as a destination to host premiers, festivals, and all these marque events. I think it is just a matter of time," Aamer said.
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Appetite for global cinema growing in India, want to bring every genre: PVR Inox's Aamer Bijli
Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads From horror lovers to rom-com and anime enthusiasts, India's filmgoers have diverse tastes and PVR Inox Ltd wants to be the go-to destination for global cinema across formats and genres, says Aamer Bijli , the company's lead strategist for marketing and company is making a major strategic push in bringing international cinema to Indian audiences, starting with the premiere of the upcoming action thriller "Ballerina", headlined by Hollywood star Ana de the next one year, PVR Inox will be distributing some of the major Hollywood titles, both big-budget and indie, from top studios like Lionsgate, A24, Neon, Black Bear and FilmNation."What we see as the future is to ensure that the growing appetite in India is quenched. Essentially every appetite has a particular genre, and we want to be at the forefront of bringing that genre to the Indian market. And this is a combination of international films as well as local films."Our business fires on three engines, which are Hollywood films , the Hindi local segment and live events. So we want to really become a prolific player in all three categories," Aamer, son of PVR Inox managing director Ajay Bijli, told PTI in an a premiere event for "Ballerina", held at PVR Juhu in Mumbai, the company gave a glimpse into the next four titles that it will be distributing in India -- "Smashing Machine", starring Dwayne Johnson; "Now You See Me: Now You Don't", the third part in Lionsgate heist franchise; Aziz Ansari-directed comedy "Good Fortune", featuring Keanu Reeves and Seth Rogen; and anime film "Shinchan: Kasukabe Dancers".Besides, PVR Inox has a robust slate for the year 2025-26, spanning genres like horror, musicals, drama, romance, and includes five films from critically-acclaimed studio A24. The movies are -- "The Riders" with Brad Pitt; "The Drama" with Robert Pattinson and Zendaya; "Marty Supreme" with Timothee Chalamet; "Onslaught" with Adria Arjona and Dan Stevens; and "Sorry Baby" from actor-director Eva Lionsgate, it will be bringing out "The Strangers: Chapter 2" and "SAW 11". It will also distribute Neon's "The Housewife", starring Naomi Watts, in the Black Bear Pictures, PVR Inox will distribute filmmaker Guy Ritchie's "The Wife undefined "Afterburn", starring Samuel L Jackson; "Fred undefined Zac Efron's "Famous"; and "I Want Your Sex", starring Olivia Wilde."We've always tried to maintain a very fruitful and amicable relationship with these studios. It's always been a to-and-fro to understand what films they're producing, what films the international audience is liking, and what films resonate with India."We have exponentially grown in terms of size because now independent cinema is also really demanding big budgets. A lot of big actors are being associated with independent films and it's really going to grow," Aamer about the content acquisition strategy of PVR Inox, he said genre plays a pivotal role."There are certain genres that cut across the language barrier more than others. And the major genre that does this is action films. Some films that even we don't dub tend to see its day in the sun."But action firms are notorious for their dubbable ability. You can dub it into all the languages and that's something we specialise, in regional and Hindi language to dub these films in. So that's a big part of the strategy."Another aspect of the strategy is to identify studios as well as independent banners that are credible to partner, Aamer added."We have a very long standing relationship with Lionsgate. We have an output deal with them, and we represent the India office. They have very big budget films such as the 'John Wick' universe, which they want to bring and which suits India," he final piece in the puzzle is the star cast attached to a project, Aamer stressed."There are certain actors and actresses that people resonate with more than others. Sometimes the story, the prowess, the writing, is enough to carry a film forward, but sometimes it needs the extra power, which is the star cast. And it makes these potential content acquisitions possible and gives relevance for the Indian market," he forward, Aamer is optimistic about India's rising stature as a key market for international films, especially when it comes to hosting premieres and other promotional events of major Hollywood titles."It would really boost the momentum for the film. Films like 'Avatar: The Way of Water', which released two years ago, and 'Oppenheimer', they all did so well that they were comparable with global box office numbers as well."Even in the independent film space. Like 'John Wick' for example. 'John Wick 4' did exceedingly well for us. I think it clocked about USD 4.5 million, which is a very respectable number compared to the grand scheme."India can truly emerge as a global cinema destination if more international films receive commercial success in the country, he added."I don't see why studios won't start looking at India as a destination to host premiers, festivals, and all these marque events. I think it is just a matter of time," Aamer said.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jose Aldo, Angela Lee, Mateusz Gamrot and Ryan Bader
Jose Aldo will talk about his decision to retire following UFC 315 when he appears on Tuesday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show." (Jason Silva-USA TODAY Sports) Ariel Helwani and the Boys In The Back will go live on Uncrowned and YouTube at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT/6 p.m. UK time for Tuesday's edition of "The Ariel Helwani Show." The full lineup for Tuesday's show is below. 1 p.m. ET: Angela Lee will stop by to talk about partnering with the UFC for her nonprofit organization Fightstory. Advertisement 1:30 p.m. ET: Mateusz Gamrot will discuss his upcoming fight at UFC on ESPN on May 31. 2 p.m. ET: Jose Aldo will come on to talk about his retirement announcement and more. 2:30 p.m. ET: Ryan Bader will check in with an update on his latest signing and his appearance in the upcoming "Smashing Machine" film. Catch all new episodes of "The Ariel Helwani Show" live every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET on Uncrowned and The Ariel Helwani Show's YouTube page. To listen to every episode, subscribe on Spotify or iTunes.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dwayne Johnson is unrecognizable as a buff and bloodied MMA legend in 'The Smashing Machine' trailer
The Rock, is that you? The new trailer for A24 drama The Smashing Machine is out now, and it reveals star Dwayne Johnson's total transformation into legendary mixed martial arts and UFC fighter Mark Kerr. If not for the hulking physique, which the wrestler-turned-actor is, of course, known for, it'd be hard to tell it's Johnson under that wig and prosthetics. The trailer, below, first introduces us to Johnson's bloodied Mark in a doctor's office waiting room, where an elderly woman asks him, "Do you hate each other when you fight?" "Absolutely not," he tells her, as we see brutal shots of him in the ring, both past and present. The glitz and glamour of the UFC is shown, as is the obvious physical, mental, and emotional toll fighting takes on Kerr. At one point, he's shown punching a wooden door, and his relationship with girlfriend Dawn Staples, played by Emily Blunt, seems tense. The film promises to tell the no-holds-barred story of the two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion at the peak of his career and explore his struggles with addiction. (Kerr was previously the subject of the 2002 HBO documentary of the same name, which refers to the nickname he earned due to his fighting style in the ring.) It wasn't just Kerr getting banged up on camera; Johnson revealed some real-life battle wounds from filming the biographical drama on his social media accounts last summer. 'Look at that sucker right there,' he said in the video, poking an injured area on his arm. 'It looks like I have a cantaloupe in the bottom of my elbow. I got banged up pretty good today in our scenes. And there might be some soft tissue damage in there. That's a lot of fluid. We'll see. I gotta get it out of there first before I get any kind of MRI.' The elbow injury was a bit of art imitating life, of course. Kerr once famously won the World Vale Tudo Championship with a fractured hand and was later forbidden from competing in American Championship Fighting due to a different hand injury. The Smashing Machine sees Johnson reunite with his Jungle Cruise costar Blunt. Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten, and Oleksandr Usyk also star in the film, which is written, directed, and edited by Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems, Good Time). Johnson also produces alongside David Koplan, Hiram Garcia, Dany Garcia, Safdie, and Eli to becoming a major movie star, Johnson, who went by The Rock in the ring, made his WWE debut in 1996 and became an eight-time WWE Championship and two-time WCW Championship winner. The Smashing Machine hits theaters nationwide on October 3, 2025. Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
News18
30-04-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
Dwayne Johnson's Transformation For The Smashing Machine Leaves Fans Impressed
Last Updated: Dwayne Johnson appears quite unrecognisable as renowned two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr. Dwayne Johnson's highly anticipated biography, The Smashing Machine, has released its first trailer. While the trailer has created a lot of buzz, fans are astonished by the actor's drastic on-screen transformation. Dwayne Johnson appears quite unrecognisable as renowned two-time UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr. The teaser depicts Kerr's tremendous highs and devastating lows in his career as well as his personal troubles outside the ring. The trailer opens with a bruised Dwayne as Mark sitting in a doctor's clinic with puffy eyes. The video transitions to ring flashbacks and vicious beatdowns, with Mark asking, 'Have you heard of the Ultimate Fighting Championship? The UFC?" The teaser also gives a summary of the film's plot, as Mark explores his life as a UFC fighter while navigating his relationship with Dawn (Emily Blunt). The trailer implies that the film would also address Mark's struggles with opioid addiction. Dwayne's fans are amazed by his drastic makeover for the production. They're eagerly waiting for the release and took to the comments section to express their delight. One of them wrote, 'You know it's not just the physical transformation, it sounds like Dwayne is trying a different cadence in his voice, a different delivery, than what he's done for most of his other movies," while another stated, 'It's a unique compliment for the Rock when no one recognises him in a film. I'm glad he challenged himself for this role. He is phenomenal in this trailer and I can't wait to see it." A fan also noted, 'the prostheses in the nose and brow are so subtle and yet he really does look like another person – and the body transformation, too." Mark Kerr was a two-time UFC Heavyweight Tournament Champion and four-time ADCC World Champion, and was one of the most well-known MMA fighters in the late 1990s. The Smashing Machine will look at both his domination in the cage and his psychological troubles, which were first covered in a 2002 HBO documentary. The film is expected to release on October 3. First Published:
