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Though based on a novel, it's a universal story: Ishana Shyamalan on ‘The Watchers’

Distributed worldwide by Warner Bros, The Watchers is set to enter theatres on June 7, 2024. It releases in India on June 14.

Though based on a novel, it's a universal story: Ishana Shyamalan on ‘The Watchers’

Ishana Night Shyamalan, the daughter of acclaimed filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, is stepping into the spotlight with her debut film, The Watchers.

Ahead of its release on June 7, the debutant filmmaker is busy promoting the film on various platforms.


She recently spoke to an Indian entertainment portal and said that “as a young woman, it’s inevitable that the ideas of femininity, womanhood, and motherhood are imbued into the things that I write.”

"As a young woman, it’s kind of inevitable that the ideas of femininity, womanhood, and motherhood are imbued into the things that I write. And that very much became the center of the story, which to me is a mother-daughter story between the characters of Madeline and Mina. It really became a grounding factor. But this is not just for a female audience; it feels very muscular, bold, fearsome, and strong. All the women in this film are all of those things. They're very powerful. I hope it transcends stereotypes a bit,” she said.

Adapted from the Irish novel of the same name by A.M. Shine, The Watchers marks a significant milestone for the young filmmaker. Despite its Irish origins, the young filmmaker emphasizes that the story's themes and emotions resonate universally, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.

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“Though it is based on an Irish novel, I think it's a very universal story—this idea of family, which is our center. There are family dynamics and human relationships at the center of everything. In the film, they’re really a family. Despite the fantasy, thriller, and horror elements, and everything around them, I think it’s really about how people relate to each other and how to find a way to be connected in a world that's really tough to be connected in.”

Distributed worldwide by Warner Bros, The Watchers is set to enter theatres on June 7, 2024. It releases in India on June 14.

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Priyanka Chopra Jonas on backing 'Born Hungry': "As an actor and as a producer, my hats are different"

Highlights

  • Priyanka backs Born Hungry because Simpson’s story moved her personally.
  • She hopes the film’s JioHotstar release helps him trace his roots.
  • Her production choices are shaped by her own experience entering the industry without support.


As an actor, Priyanka Chopra Jonas is constantly trying to challenge herself but as a producer, she says she wants to back stories that move her personally, something that propelled her to back the documentary "Born Hungry" on celebrity chef Sash Simpson. The documentary, currently streaming on JioHotstar in India, traces the life of Simpson -- from being abandoned as a young boy in India to his adoption in Canada and his eventual success as a renowned chef. It is produced by Priyanka's banner Purple Pebble Pictures along with Barry Avrich's Melbar Entertainment Group. The actor, known for her extensive filmography in India and in the US, said she was moved by Sash Simpson's story. "As an actor and as a producer, my hats are kind of different. And my brain splits into two. I think as an actor, I'm constantly trying to challenge myself. I want to be able to see if I can navigate different genres and if I can do action, comedy, drama... I love challenging myself and that is why my acting career has had variety. "As a producer, I'm empathetic and our ethos is a lot around wanting to give opportunities to newer filmmakers or filmmakers that want to achieve something that they haven't been able to or are kind of hitting a wall somewhere. My production side kind of comes from what personally moves me," Priyanka told PTI in an interview from Los Angeles.

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