Nagarjuna, Sarath Kumar in Star Studded Disney Plus Hotstar Telugu-Language Line Up
Leading Indian streamer Disney Plus Hotstar has revealed a star-studded line up for its initial foray into Telugu-language programming.
The Hindi, Tamil and Telugu language entertainment industries are the most prolific content producers in India.
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Top Telugu star Nagarjuna will host “BiggBoss Live,” the Telugu version of “Big Brother.” As previously announced, Sarath Kumar, Jagapathi Babu and Naveen Chandra headline familial infighting series “Parampara,” written by Hari Yelleti, directed by Krishna Vijay L and produced by Shobu Yarlagadda and Prasad Devineni of ??Arka Mediaworks Production (“Baahubali”).
Bank robbery show “9 hours,” directed by Krish, stars Tarak Ratna and Ajay; “Jhansi,” starring Anjali in the lead role, is a series about an amnesiac woman and a doting mother who unravels her true identity and confronts her dark past making her a reluctant vigilante; and “Shaitan” is a thriller written and directed by Maahi Raghav.
Sunil Rayan, president and head, Disney Plus Hotstar, said: “We have always been at the forefront of revolutionising the way content is created and consumed in India – and are delighted to continue this journey to create an unparalleled Telugu entertainment experience for our viewers. With this foray, we endeavour to take one more step towards elevating the entertainment experience for viewers across India.”
Gaurav Banerjee, president and head of content at Disney Plus Hotstar, said, “Our foray in Telugu entertainment highlights an interesting time in the industry, showcasing incredible talent such as Jagapathi Babu, Sarath Kumar and many more playing never seen before roles and characters.”
Nagarjuna said: “Digital streaming platforms in the country are growing their footprint and it is interesting how the platform is leveraging the Tollywood [Telugu-language industry] industry’s large fan following to bring in original productions and creative narratives. The addition of Telugu dedicated series and films on Disney Plus Hotstar is a definitive step towards democratizing entertainment for the global audience.”
Telugu cinema star Ram Charan, soon to be seen in S.S. Rajamouli’s blockbuster “RRR,” is serving as the face of the Disney Plus Hotstar Telugu-language programming launch.
“The entertainment landscape in India is transforming drastically with digital presence,” Ram Charan said. “Telugu entertainment entering this landscape with Disney Plus Hotstar is a great boost for all associated with the industry. The audience can look forward to seeing their favourite stars don new and intriguing characters that will leave them spellbound. The global audience too now gets an opportunity to watch highly engaging Telugu stories that had otherwise been limited to theatres and regional channels. The stars are now shining on Telugu entertainment, and I am happy to be the face of it.”
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