Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
The Oscar-winning actress joins Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short in Hulu’s hit mystery-comedy for an exciting new season.
Renée Zellweger is the latest Hollywood star to join Hulu's hit mystery-comedy Only Murders in the Building for its fifth season. The two-time Academy Award winner will share the screen with series regulars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez, adding to the show’s already impressive line-up of guest stars.
Production for Season 5 is underway in New York, with this season’s mystery revolving around the murder of Lester, the beloved doorman of the Arconia. Zellweger isn’t the only big name joining the cast. Christoph Waltz, Téa Leoni, and Keegan-Michael Key have also signed on. While details about their roles remain under wraps, fans can expect more plot twists, humour, and surprises in the upcoming episodes.
Zellweger’s addition is another example of the show’s trend of bringing in high-profile actors. Previous seasons featured Hollywood icons like Meryl Streep, Eugene Levy, Zach Galifianakis, Eva Longoria, and Melissa McCarthy. The show recently won its first SAG Award for Best Ensemble in a Comedy Series, cementing its reputation as a must-watch for fans of clever storytelling and star-studded performances.
Known for her roles in Bridget Jones’s Diary and Jerry Maguire, Zellweger has built a versatile career spanning decades. She won an Academy Award for Cold Mountain and another for portraying Judy Garland in Judy. Beyond film, she has dabbled in television with Netflix’s What/If and NBC’s The Thing About Pam. She is also producing the upcoming Apple TV+ thriller Raising Wild, starring Cynthia Erivo.
Only Murders in the Building, co-created by Steve Martin and John Hoffman, follows three true-crime-obsessed strangers who turn into amateur detectives when murders happen in their Upper West Side apartment building. The show has gained a loyal following for its mix of comedy, suspense, and celebrity cameos.
The Oscar-winning actress teams up with Steve Martin, Selena Gomez, and Martin Short as the mystery deepens in the new seasonGetty Images
With Zellweger joining the already stellar cast, Season 5 promises to deliver another engaging mystery packed with humour and unexpected twists. While there’s no release date yet, anticipation is high for what’s next in the Arconia. Fans will have to wait and see how Zellweger’s character fits into the unfolding drama.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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