Blog

Sushant Singh Rajput with Parineeti Chopra in Shuddh Desi Romance

Sushant Singh Rajput, who died by suicide at the age of just 34 years in 2020, made his memorable Bollywood debut in Abhishek Kapoor’s sports drama Kai Po Che, which also starred Rajkummar Rao and Amit Sadh in the leading roles. Though it is said that Sushant lost out on a few movie roles due to nepotism, many people don’t know the fact that the late actor himself left his second film and ditched the makers for a Yash Raj production. Sushant was set to play the male lead in Hasee Toh Phasee, but the film’s actress Parineeti Chopra called him “a TV actor” and refused to share screen space with him. When she told about him to Aditya Chopra, the producer made Rajput quit the 2014 film and sign a 3-film deal with Yash Raj Films.

Anurag Kashyap, who was one of the producers on Hasee Toh Phasee, revealed how Sushant betrayed them in an interview with the journalist Faye D’Souza in 2020. The Gangs of Wasseypur director said, “He was supposed to do the film (Hasee Toh Phasee) and we had to find an actress and we reached out to Parineeti Chopra. She said ‘I don’t want to work with a television actor’. So we explained to her that who Sushant Singh is, he is doing Kai Po Che, he is doing PK and by the time Hasee Toh Phasee comes out, he will not just be a television actor. And she was doing a film called Shuddh Desi Romance and she must have gone and spoken to YRF, they called him and said ‘Why don’t you come and do Shuddh Desi Romance and not do that film?’ And he disappeared on us.”

Evetually, Sidharth Malhotra replaced Sushant Singh Rajput in Hasee Toh Phasee. Both the films – Shuddh Desi Romance and Hasee Toh Phasee – went on to become commercial successes. Sushant’s second film with YRF was Detective Byomkesh Bakshy! in 2015, that earned a lot of critical acclaim but flopped at the box office. His third film with the production house, titled Paani, was shelved due to the creative differences between its director Shekhar Kapur and Aditya Chopra.

READ | From Smriti Irani, Amar Upadhyay to Ronit Roy, Mouni Roy; here’s how Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi actors look after 25 years

Glen Powell is nearly unrecognizable in Hulu’s football comedy Chad Powers, which marks his return to the small screen.

The half-hour comedy, which stars Powell in the lead role, is inspired by Eli Manning’s 2022 ESPN+ docuseries Eli’s Places, where the former quarterback participated in Penn State’s walk-on football tryouts in disguise as a character named Chad Powers — complete with prosthetic makeup and a wig.

“We’re both diehard college football fans. When we saw Eli as Chad Powers, we knew that was the way into a big, fun story about this world,” Powell and cocreator Michael Waldron said in a February 2024 joint statement. “We’re excited to be part of this team, and can’t wait to get Chad in the game. Think fast, run fast.”

Eli, who serves as an executive producer on the project alongside brother Peyton Manning, previously praised Powell’s portrayal of Chad Powers.

“I thought he looked unbelievable. I mean, he looked terrible, which is hard for Glen to look really bad. He looked bad like I did!” Eli exclusively told Us Weekly in September 2024. “I’ve been talking to him, working with him a little bit in the offseason and to get him ready. And he’s fired up to play quarterback and to play Chad. He’s gonna do a great job. I can’t wait to see him in action.”

Eli admitted he wasn’t expecting his skit to turn into an entire show.

“Who would’ve ever known?” he noted. “I thought it was a funny idea: ‘Go and try out for a Penn State football team. Have a little fun.’ I hadn’t played football in a couple years, and so [I wanted to] see if I can still throw it and go back out there and compete. And now it’s turning into a show on Hulu. I mean, it’s unbelievable.”

Keep scrolling for everything to know about Chad Powers:

When Will ‘Chad Powers’ Premiere on Hulu?

The 10-episode season is set for release on September 30, 2025. Chad Powers marks Powell’s return to the small screen. He previously got his start playing Chad Radwell in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens before transitioning to film with Top Gun: Maverick, Hit Man, Anyone But You and Twisters.

What Is the Synopsis of ‘Chad Powers’?

According to the official logline, Chad Powers kicks off when “bad behavior nukes hotshot QB Russ Holliday’s (Powell) college career, he disguises himself and walks onto a struggling Southern football team as the talented, affable Chad Powers.”

How Involved Is Glen Powell Behind the Scenes?

Powell not only stars in the show but also cocreated and cowrote the show with Waldron. Powell, Waldron, Eli, Peyton and ESPN are also credited as executive producers on the project.

“The love for Chad Powers has surprised me in spectacular ways,” Eli told Variety in February 2024. “I played 16 years in the NFL, but now when I’m in a restaurant or walking through an airport, it’s not uncommon for fans to scream, ‘Hey Chad!’ I’m so excited to team up with my friends Glen Powell, Michael Waldron and Omaha Productions to continue to tell the Chad Powers story and see what he does next.”

Who Else Stars in ‘Chad Powers’?

Steve Zahn, Wynn Everett, Perry Mattfeld, Quentin Plair and Frankie A. Rodriguez make up the rest of the Chad Powers cast.

Zahn reflected on working with Powell in November 2024, telling Entertainment Tonight that it was “a blast.”

“Glen is amazing in it,” he told the outlet. “He has to sit and get prosthetics on for an hour and a half each morning.”

What Went Into Glen Powell’s Transformation?

In December 2024, Hulu released a first look at the series where Powell transformed into Chad Powers complete with facial prosthetics. Powell previously said the role was “one of the hardest” he has ever attempted.

“He’s like, the worst dude on the planet who puts on the mask of the most genial Southern guy you’ve ever seen,” Powell, who played high school football in Texas, told The Hollywood Reporter in May 2024 before noting he consulted with former Top Gun: Maverick costar Tom Cruise about prosthetics and worked with Patrick Mahomes’ quarterback coach.

‘Chad Powers’ Trailer Shows Off Glen Powell’s Transformation

Hulu released a new teaser trailer for Chad Powers in June 2025, showcasing another look at the character’s transformation. In one scene, Powell is seen putting on a mask and face makeup to disguise himself before taking the field.

“Everyone says I’m done with football,” Powell’s character says in the trailer. “If I can’t play as Russ, I’ll play as someone else.”

The trailer also gave several glimpses of Powell on the field in his football uniform as both Russ and Chad. Fans are looking forward to seeing the actor take on the dual role.

“Glen Powell’s charisma will carry this for sure,” one person wrote via X after the latest trailer was released.

“This sounds like a hilarious twist on sports comedies. Can’t wait to see Glen Powell’s performance!” a second X user wrote.

“Glen is the new ‘it’ guy. He’s going places!” a third person commented.

Let’s be real: when it comes to looking good on camera, influencers don’t leave anything to chance. Whether they’re filming GRWMs in their bedroom or walking red carpets at pop-ups in West Hollywood, their face is the brand. So where are they going when it’s time for a refresh?

Lately, the answer is NakedMD – and if you haven’t heard of it yet, you will.

That “Did She or Didn’t She?” Look

You know the look. Smooth skin, lifted brows, jawlines that somehow got sharp – but nothing looks fake or frozen. That’s NakedMD’s whole thing. They specialize in injectables (think: Botox, lip filler, and biostimulators), and the results are clean, minimal, and natural. The goal isn’t to change your face – it’s to enhance what’s already there. In a space where authenticity is everything, NakedMD helps influencers look refreshed, not overdone.

Insiders say that what keeps influencers coming back isn’t just the results, it’s the honesty. Clients say they’re just as likely to hear “you don’t need that” as they are to be booked for treatment. And that kind of transparency? Rare in the aesthetics world.

Minimalist Beauty, Confident Results

What’s refreshing about NakedMD is they’re not chasing trends. You won’t find them pushing the latest TikTok filler fad or trying to upsell the whole menu. Their style is simple: do what works, and do it well. For influencers trying to maintain their image, not change it, that makes all the difference.

Consistency Across Locations

NakedMD started in California but is now popping up everywhere – Arizona, Nevada, and soon Texas, Florida, New York and Tennessee. And the best part? It feels the same in every city. Whether you’re walking into a studio in San Diego, Vegas, or Phoenix, the level of care is consistent across the board. That’s thanks to NakedMD Academy (yes, they have their own training academy), where every injector is trained under the guidance of plastic surgeons. As influencers travel, so do their standards – and NakedMD meets them every time.

Final Thoughts

Influencers know their face is their brand. So when they choose an aesthetic provider, it’s a major decision – and NakedMD has earned a place at the top of that list. Whether they’re public about it or not, one thing is clear: a growing number of digital creators are trusting NakedMD with their most visible asset.

If you’re looking for injectable treatments that are expert, honest, and aligned with today’s aesthetic values, NakedMD may be the right fit for you.

Story: Based on a true story, priests Theophilus Riesinger and Joseph Steiger must set aside their differences to save a possessed young woman, undertaking what would become the longest documented exorcism in US history.Review: A horror film based on a purported real-life case of demonic possession, starring Dan Stevens and Al Pacino, certainly sounds like a promising proposition. ‘The Ritual,’ directed by David Midell, delivers competent performances across the board, and the sincerity of its cast is never in doubt. However, the film remains largely pedantic and struggles to truly terrify. What it ends up offering is more of a dramatic retelling than a gripping horror experience.Interestingly, among the production companies backing this XYZ Films venture is Baweja Studios from India—a surprising but welcome addition to a film rooted so deeply in American religious folklore. The story draws heavily from the writings of Father Joseph Steiger, a real-life Catholic priest whose accounts have inspired horror narratives for decades. The film opens with text referencing Steiger’s experience during what is believed to be the longest-running exorcism in American history. Set in 1920s Earling, Iowa, the tone is sombre and serious right from the start. We meet a young Father Steiger (Dan Stevens), clearly shaken, just before a woman possessed by demons literally flies up the convent wall. It’s a compelling opening, even if what follows doesn’t always live up to it.The central story revolves around Father Steiger, grieving the suicide of his brother and already disillusioned with the Church’s stance on mental illness. He’s called upon to assist in the exorcism of Emma Schmidt (Abigail Cowen), a young woman experiencing violent, inexplicable symptoms. Her devout Catholic family turns to the Church after doctors fail to help. Enter Father Theophilus Riesinger (Al Pacino), an experienced exorcist with unwavering faith. As the exorcism unfolds over 23 harrowing days, Steiger’s scepticism begins to crack. Emma’s disturbing abilities—naming sins, speaking in terrifying tones, and displaying violent strength—begin to test the beliefs of all involved. As the tension mounts, so does the sense of dread in the convent, culminating in a 72-hour exorcism marathon that leaves Riesinger broken but victorious and Steiger spiritually reborn.Pacino is in excellent form, playing Riesinger with a calm, deliberate presence that anchors the film. He resists the temptation to lean into theatricality, allowing his gravitas to do the work. Stevens, earnest as ever, brings emotional depth but seems a tad miscast in a film this relentlessly grim. Abigail Cowen and Patricia Heaton (as the convent’s Mother Superior) also turn in strong performances, grounding the film in emotional reality. Still, despite the solid acting, the film never quite delivers the psychological unease or genuine scares expected from a genre piece. The atmosphere is right, the mood is grim—but the payoff just doesn’t hit hard enough.What ‘The Ritual’ ultimately lacks is escalation. It never builds to the kind of fever pitch you expect from the genre—it’s like being promised a storm and getting a gloomy drizzle instead. That said, it isn’t a cheap or derivative entry in the horror canon. It takes its subject seriously, avoids melodrama, and sticks to a restrained aesthetic. Fans of religious horror and those curious to see Pacino in a priest’s robes will find some rewards here, even if the film never quite delivers the dread it promises.

Netflix on Tuesday spilled more details about its retail stores coming to the Philadelphia and Dallas areas later this year and unveiled plans to open a third location in Las Vegas in 2027.

The more than 100,000-square-foot locations, called Netflix House, will sell merchandise and food based on popular Netflix programs and will have immersive activities pulled from series including “Wednesday” and “Squid Game.”

At Netflix House Philadelphia, located inside the King of Prussia Mall, visitors explore the Eve of Outcasts Festival that falls under Wednesday’s spell where they will discover “games, mis-fortunes and horrifying surprises,” Netflix said.

The location will also have virtual reality games where fans can play the main character inside the worlds of Netflix programs, watch fan events on a big screen inside a theater and play mini golf inspired by programming.

There will also be an interactive experience based on pirate series “One Piece,” where visitors can dodge villains to reach the Devil Fruit.

Netflix House at Galleria Dallas will have a game room and immersive experiences based on “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game,” where players will engage in “diabolical games.”

The Netflix House location opening in Las Vegas will be at BLVD on the strip.

Netflix House is part of a larger effort by the streamer to keep its fans engaged with in-person retail and events. The company has launched more than 40 experiences, reaching 10 million fans in 300 cities, , such as candlelight concerts and balls inspired by “Bridgerton.”

The company has partnered with brands and retailers on clothing, toys, lotions and snacks based on their shows.

Earlier this year, Netflix opened a restaurant inside MGM Grand in Las Vegas called Netflix Bites that features Netflix-themed foods like “WWE Smashburger” or a three-tiered tea service inspired by “Bridgerton,” according to the restaurant’s website.

Netflix Bites, which serves food and cocktails, will also be located in each of the upcoming Netflix House locations too.