Saif Ali Khan’s ‘Jewel Thief’ Sets Netflix Bow

CUNNING CAPER

Bollywood veteran Saif Ali Khan leads the cast of Netflix‘s “Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins,” marking “Pathaan” filmmaker Siddharth Anand‘s first direct-to-streaming production. Khan stars as charming thief Rehan Roy alongside Jaideep Ahlawat‘s calculated mafia boss Rajan Aulakh in this high-stakes pursuit of the coveted African Red Sun jewel. Kunal Kapoor plays determined detective Vikram Patel, while Nikita Dutta portrays Farah, Roy’s love interest.

Directed by Kookie Gulati and Robbie Grewal, and written by Sumit Aroraa, the action thriller marks the streaming debut for Marflix Pictures, founded by Siddharth and Mamta Anand.

“We wanted to create a cinematic universe that felt both classic and fresh,” the producers stated. “The story is slick, the characters are layered, and the scale is massive.”

Netflix India’s Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh called it “an ode to the classic Bollywood heist film” with “scale, style and all the swagger,” adding that Anand is “bringing the full cinematic experience to Netflix.”

“Jewel Thief – The Heist Begins” streams from April 25 on Netflix.

SONIC SESSIONS

Britpop icons Pulp will deliver two live sessions for BBC Radio 6 Music and Radio 2’s In Concert series this May at London’s BBC Radio Theatre. The Sheffield band, led by Jarvis Cocker, will perform beloved hits alongside tracks from “More,” their first album in nearly 24 years. Their intimate “6 Music” session broadcasts during Nick Grimshaw’s show on May 29, featuring an interview with the band, following their recent single “Spike Island” premiere on Lauren Laverne’s program.

For “Radio 2 In Concert,” Pulp performs for select fans on May 7, airing during Jo Whiley’s May 29 show with an exclusive interview. Additional tracks will feature on Scott Mills’ “Breakfast Show” May 30.

“We’re really looking forward to this,” says Cocker. “From my time at ‘6 Music,’ I remember the BBC Radio Theatre is very intimate. As long as we can fit all our equipment in there, it’s going to be great.”

Both performances will be available on BBC iPlayer, with the Radio 2 concert broadcasting on BBC Two in June.

Jeff Smith, head of music for Radio 2 and 6 Music, notes: “I’m delighted the band have agreed to give the BBC two contrasting sets, one for Radio 2 appealing to musical mainstream audiences and another for ‘6 Music’ whose listeners’ tastes lie beyond the mainstream.”