Headlined by Idris Elba and Archie Panjabi, Hijack has locked an official date for its premiere. The seven-episode thriller series from Apple TV+ will release its first two episodes on Wednesday, June 28, and the remaining five episodes are then released weekly on Wednesdays.
Created by George Kay and Jim Field Smith, Hijack is the first project out of Apple TV+'s first-look deal with Elba's production company, Green Door Pictures, which was signed back in 2020. Elba is also an executive producer on the series, along with series writer and creator George Kay and Jim Field Smith, who helmed all seven episodes of the series as lead director.
Here's the show's official synopsis:
Told in real-time, Hijack is a tense thriller that follows the journey of a hijacked plane as it makes its way to London over a seven-hour flight, and authorities on the ground scramble for answers. Elba will star as Sam Nelson, an accomplished negotiator in the business world who needs to step up and use all his guile to try and save the lives of the passengers — but his high-risk strategy could be his undoing.
In Hijack, Idris Elba plays negotiator Sam Nelson while Archie Panjabi will be seen as Zahra Gahfoor, a counterterrorism officer on the ground when the plane is hijacked and becomes part of the investigation.
The series also co-stars Eve Myles (Torchwood), Christine Adams (Black Lightning), Max Beesley (Jamestown), Ben Miles (The Capture), Neil Maskell (Peaky Blinders), Jasper Britton (Blackbeard), Harry Michell (The English Game), Aimée Kelly (Grantchester), and newcomer Mohamed Elsandel.
Don’t forget that Hijack will debut on Apple TV+ on Wednesday, June 28, with two episodes, with the remaining five released weekly through July 26, 2023.
The actress defended her claim that acting demands more than desk jobs in a recent interview.
She said office workers can "chill out" during work hours, unlike film stars.
Fans and working professionals called her comments privileged and out of touch.
The backlash started after her appearance on Amazon Prime's Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle.
Critics pointed out the financial gap and support systems actors have compared to regular employees.
Kajol probably didn't expect this reaction when she sat down with Twinkle Khanna on Two Much. But her comments about actors working harder than people with 9-to-5 jobs have blown up, and not in a good way.
Fans slam Kajol after she says actors work harder than regular employees sparking online outrage Getty Images
The comments that started it all
Kajol was speaking out about her earlier comments on Two Much with Kajol & Twinkle on Amazon Prime, where she said actors work harder than most people. This time she was explaining why she thinks that.
She told The Hollywood Reporter India that her days are full of shoots, events, and very early flights. One day involved waking at 5 AM to catch a flight to Jaipur for a 3 PM event.
But it was her take on regular jobs that got people talking. She claimed desk workers don't need to be "100% present" and can take breaks, "chill out," and relax while working. She kept coming back to the unending scrutiny actors face like the feeling of always being watched or something as simple as how you cross your legs or who's snapping a picture in the background becomes a constant calculation. You have to be switched on, she insisted, all the time.
The internet, frankly, was having none of it. YouTube and Reddit exploded with responses. "For the kind of remuneration actors are paid, they shouldn't have a problem working 12 hours a day for 4 days a week," one user wrote. Another pointed out that films typically take 3-4 months to shoot, while regular jobs run year-round.
The responses got more pointed. "Vanity mein naps or massages bhi toh hum lete hain," a Reddit user commented, referencing the comfort of vanity vans. Someone else joked: "If you work poorly, you get fired. If you act poorly, you get a Filmfare award."
The bluntest response yet? "Respectfully, Kajol, shut up."
Nobody denies acting is demanding. Long hours, public pressure, and constant judgement are very real. But comparing it to regular employment ignores some major differences.
Most people work 12 months a year with two weeks' holiday if they're lucky. They don't have spot boys fetching drinks or vanity vans for rest breaks. One netizen nailed it: "A working parent's schedule is continuous, every single day, with no wrap-up party or off-season."
Online erupts as Kajol defends claim that acting demands more than everyday 9-to-5 workGetty Images
There's also the money. While her fee for a single film is probably more than most people earn in a year, she says that doesn’t make the work easy. Still, it does provide a comfort that regular employees don’t have. Kajol has not yet replied to the backlash.
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