TRAILER
Netflix has unveiled the first trailer for “Jaane Jaan,” “Kahaani” filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh‘s Indian adaptation of Japanese author Higashino Keigo’s bestselling 2005 novel “The Devotion of Suspect X.”
The cast is led by Bollywood royalty Kareena Kapoor Khan and also includes Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”) and Vijay Varma (“Dahaad”).
The film follows a single mother and her daughter who commit a crime and a neighbor who helps them cover it up amidst a police investigation.
The novel has been adapted numerous times including in Japan as “Suspect X” (2008), in Korea as “Perfect Number” (2012) and in China as “The Devotion of Suspect X” (2017). A Hollywood version is in development.
“Jaane Jaan” is produced by 12th Street Entertainment and Northern Lights Films in association with Kross Pictures and Balaji Motion Pictures. Producers include Jay Shewakramani, Akshai Puri , Hyunwoo Thomas Kim, Shobha Kapoor and Ekta R. Kapoor.
Kapoor Khan said: “This is the first time audiences will see me in a thriller, playing something gritty like this. ‘Jaane Jaan’ was a script that I had to say yes to the first time I heard of it. I have always told Sujoy the USP of this film is its cast and I had a superb time working with Jaideep and Vijay.”
Ghosh added: “Set in Kalimpong, the film sees a love story, a criminal investigation, a budding attraction, mastermind plotting and the will to do anything for love. Essayed by my dream cast of Kareena, Jaideep and Vijay, all in roles so different from what they have been seen in before.”
“Jaane Jaan” streams from Sept. 21.
Watch the trailer here:
CHINA MUSIC
Timothy Xu has been appointed as chairman and CEO of Universal Music Greater China. His appointment follows the retirement earlier this year of longstanding chairman, Sunny Chang. Xu has three decades of experience in breaking Chinese artists and talent across the region. He joins UMGC from Taihe Music Group, China’s leading independent music company, where he has served as president & CEO since 2018. Prior to joining Taihe, he served as chairman & CEO, Greater China at Sony Music Entertainment for four years (2012-16) and has held positions within leading entertainment companies including EMI Music & EMI Music Publishing China and Warner Music China. He started his career with China National Publications Import & Export Corporation (CNPIEC) in 1992.
SCRUBLANDS SELLS
The BBC has licensed new Australian crime drama “Scrublands,” based on the award-winning novel written by Chris Hammer, for BBC Four and BBC iPlayer in the U.K. The four-part series from Australian production company Easy Tiger (“Colin from Accounts,” “The Twelve”) stars Luke Arnold (“Black Sails,” “Never Tear Us Apart: The Untold Story of INXS”), Jay Ryan (“It Chapter Two,” “Top of the Lake”) and Bella Heathcote )”C*A*U*G*H*T,” “Relic”).
“Scrublands” is set in an isolated country town, where a charismatic and dedicated young priest (Jay Ryan) calmly opens fire on his congregation, killing five parishioners. One year later investigative journalist Martin Scarsden (Luke Arnold) arrives in Riversend to write what should be a simple feature story on the anniversary of the tragedy. But when Martin’s instincts kick in and he digs beneath the surface, the previously accepted narrative begins to fall apart and he finds himself in a life and death race to uncover the truth. The cast also includes Robert Taylor (“The Newsreader”), Adam Zwar (“Squinters”), Zane Ciarma (“Neighbours”), Victoria Thaine (“Nowhere Boys”), Stacy Clausen (“True Spirit”), Genevieve Morris (“No Activity”) and newcomer Ella Ferris.
FRENCH DOCS HIT PBS
Two history documentaries from leading French producer and distributor ZED will soon be broadcast on the U.S.’s PBS. This agreement covers the pre-purchase of two premium films for PBS’ Secrets of the Dead series. “Iznik, The Sunken Enigma,” is directed by Pascal Guérin and co-produced by Les Batelières Productions and Scope Pictures. It is an historic and scientific investigation to unravel the mysteries of a 4th century basilica found in 2014 in Turkey’s Lake Iznik. Produced for France Télévisions, the film has also been pre-sold to SBS, Viasat, FTV Prima and ORF.
“Eiffel Towers War” is directed by Savin Yeatman-Eiffel and Mathieu Schwartz. On the centenary of Gustave Eiffel’s death, it is a docudrama that recounts the incredible engineering and architectural challenge that gave birth to the iconic Eiffel Tower. Produced for ARTE France, the film has also been pre-sold to TV5 Québec, RTBF, TV5 Monde and Telefónica.
MURPHY MUSIC
Michael Murphy, executive director of specialist music producer and distributor BeyondTNC and former general manager at Beyond Distribution, is departing his Dublin and London-based roles at Beyond International after 19 years and launching Rockabill Media – a new business utilizing a previously used company name.
Rockabill is executive producing the feature film “Ismael,” working with Norwegian producer Tomas Backström (“Insomnia”). Set in Ireland and based on the novel by Roy Jacobson, the film tells the story of a former MI5 operative who must activate old skills to protect his family. The company is also executive producing “Wir Sind Maschinen,” a three-part Spring Films (“The Act of Killing”) music documentary exploring how German electronic music changed the world. Murphy previously led this project at BeyondTNC. In addition, Rockabill is consulting on raising funds for a new genre production company focused on adapting existing female-led IP.
FESTIVAL
London’s Raindance film festival has created an advisory committee of film industry figures to advise on preserving and enhancing its mission to support the next generation of emerging filmmakers in the U.K. and around the world. The committee comprises producer Lee Magiday (“The Favourite”); Tiffany Kizito, manager of talent relations and awards (EMEA) at Netflix; Damian Spandley, director of program and distribution sales at Curzon Cinemas; Phil Hunt, producer and founder of Bankside Films and Head Gear Films; and Nick Rylance, head of film at ITV Studios.