Press Pass & Popcorn

In this episode of Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dive deep into the upcoming theatrical releases led by 90s icons—Kareena Kapoor Khan's Daira and Preity Zinta's Vibe. They unpack the recurring industry debate around pay parity, box office ROI, and whether women-led films "belong" in theatres or should be relegated to OTT.

In this week's episode of your favourite Press Pass & Popcorn, we take a step back from movie reviews to talk about a troubling trend on the internet. After Katrina Kaif launched the skincare range for her brand Kay Beauty and made a recent public appearance, social media was flooded with ruthless, demeaning comments targeting her appearance and weight loss. 

In this episode of Press Pass & Popcorn, hosts Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dissect the newly released Mirzapur: The Movie. Positioned between episodes 6 and 7 of Season 1, the film brings the iconic streaming franchise to the big screen. While Mohar gives it an enthusiastic thumbs-up for its cinematic energy and crowd-pleasing entertainment, Ocean takes a more critical stance regarding its plac...

In Episode 16 of Press, Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dissect Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-ups. From Geetu Mohandas’s directorial gaze and Yash’s screen presence to weak dialogues, dubbing flaws, and narrative disconnects—here is the ultimate breakdown of why this ambitious film missed the mark.

In this episode of Press Pass & Popcorn, hosts Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu break down the high-profile public fallout between Govinda and Sunita Ahuja. The duo explores the roots of the marital strain, from Govinda hiding his marriage early in his career to Sunita’s candid statements regarding his absentee behaviour, financial struggles, and alleged infidelity. They also reflect on how the publ...

Is Bollywood gossip officially dead? In this episode of Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dive into the changing landscape of film journalism and star culture. Sparked by Sunny Deol's recent unfiltered podcast interview while promoting Batwara 1947, they revisit iconic 90s feuds including the infamous Darr rift with Shah Rukh Khan and contrast them with today's hyper-curated, PR...

Fresh off the 300-journalist Bengaluru launch, Ocean and the team unpack the chaos, noise, and sheer confusion surrounding the newly released trailer for Yash’s Toxic. Directed by Geetu Mohandas and starring Kiara Advani, Nayanthara, and Tara Sutaria, is this a groundbreaking action spectacle or just another victim of 'Vanga-fication' and hyper-masculine fatigue?

This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dive into the controversy surrounding Bhumi Pednekkar’s viral videos on the recent student protests. From her initial comments lecturing the youth on "manners and language" to her swift follow-up addressing online harassment, we dissect why Bollywood’s "centrist" stance often falls flat.

Are the National Film Awards losing their artistic credibility? This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, hosts Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu break down the highly controversial announcement of the 72nd National Film Awards (judging the 2024 film slate).

As nationwide student protests erupt over the NEET paper leak controversy, host duo Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu question Bollywood’s loud silence. From stars voicing opinions online to Shabana Azmi joining the frontlines on the streets, here is the breakdown on who is standing up, who is staying quiet, and why.

When Hollywood massive stars like Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, and Tom Holland lined up for Mumbai, it was supposed to be the event of the year. Instead, it became a textbook case of PR gatekeeping, pre-decided lotteries, and "arm-twisting" entertainment journalists. Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu pull back the curtain on the industry's broken PR culture and why the "Odyssey" premiere left a sou...

Aamir Khan’s third marriage to Gauri Spratt is sparking a storm of internet memes, "love jihad" allegations, and a controversial fatwa. But as the keyboard warriors rage, a bigger question looms: why is India's "star with a conscience" completely silent on Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike? Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dissect the complex reality of celebrity moral responsibility in 2026...

Dropped on Friday, deleted by Sunday! This week, Oshin and Mohar go behind the scenes of Diljit Dosanjh’s controversial film Satluj (formerly Punjab 95). They dissect its shocking 48-hour disappearance from ZEE5, the history of its 127 censor cuts, and the massive systemic battle over chronicling Punjab’s darkest chapter.

Is Bollywood finally facing a reality check? This week on Press Pass and Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dive straight into the raging controversy surrounding Ajay Devgn’s upcoming film Chauhaan. Following intense pushback from the Kshatriya Parishad and the Rajput community over the teaser's polarizing punchline ("pathano se keh dena Chauhaan aaya hai"), we unpack why pitting communities...

From brutal cancellation to a massive Netflix and YouTube simu-stream comeback. This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Mohar Basu dissect Samay Raina’s return with India’s Got Latent Season 2, the glaring double standards in comedy rehabilitation, and whether corporate sanitization has completely stripped the show of its bite.

A viral crowd-work clip about a ₹370 biryani bill has triggered national outrage, an NCW summons, and an FIR. This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandes and Tanisha Banerjee unpack the Pranit More controversy, Himanshu Jangra losing his corporate job, and why Indian stand-up comedy is facing its biggest reckoning over normalized misogyny.

After a massive public outcry over the objectification and hyper-sexualisation of Janhvi Kapoor’s character in Peddi, director Buchi Babu Sana issued an apology and promised edits. This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, we unpack the controversy, the viral resurgence of veteran opinions, and the persistent problem of the male gaze in mainstream blockbusters.

Why does every new Bollywood movie sound like a playlist from the 90s or 2000s? This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, we tackle one of the most polarizing trends in the Indian entertainment business: Song Remakes.

A creative dispute has exploded into a full-blown industry war! This week on Press Pass & Popcorn, Oshin Fernandez and Mohar Basu break down the biggest crisis hitting Bollywood: the FWICE’s massive "non-cooperation directive" against superstar Ranveer Singh following his abrupt exit from Don 3.