Amazon Prime Video unveiled its first original series in Tamil called Suzhal - The Vortez at the International Indian Film Academy Awards in Abu Dhabi.
Aparna Purohit, the head of India Originals at Amazon Prime Video, said she was confident the show's language would not hinder its wider appeal.
“We believe that viewers today are willing to explore content beyond geographic and linguistic boundaries. When you have a nuanced, suspenseful thriller with a strong emotional core, imbued with the feverish passion of the creators, you know that you have a winner on hand," she said.
The show's lead cast, including Kathir, Aishwarya Rajesh and Sriya Reddy, attended the event held at the Etihad Arena on Friday.
IIFA Awards 2022 live: Salman Khan joins Bollywood stars for IIFA Rocks in Abu Dhabi
Created by husband and wife directing duo Pushkar and Gayatri, known for their acclaimed 2017 film Vikram Vedha, the show is set in a village in South India, where the once-idyllic life of its residents is torn apart after a girl goes missing.
To boost the show's impact with non-Tamil-speaking audiences, Suzhal - The Vortex will be available in 30 languages, including French, German, Italian, Japanese, Polish and Portuguese, on its release on June 17.
The eight-part thriller is being directed by Bramma and Anucharan M.
"Streaming has opened up many opportunities for homegrown content and there can’t be a better time for Indian shows and films to break international barriers," said creator Gayatri at the event. “With a dark mystery at core, the story will have the viewers at the edge of their seats."
Director Anucharan spoke about the show's potential universal appeal.
"Yes, it's set in a village in South India, but this could be any village anywhere in the world. The emotions and the heart of the story is universal," he said.
Top 11 new Indian shows and movies coming to Amazon Prime Video - in pictures
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Amazon has announced 41 new titles spanning several genres and Indian languages to be launched over the next two years. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

The poster for the coming series 'Hush Hush' starring Juhi Chawla, Ayesha Jhulka, Soha Ali Khan, Karishma Tanna and Shahana Goswami in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

'Adhura' is a supernatural horror series starring Rasika Dugal, right. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

Telugu superstar Naga Chaitanya in 'Dhootha'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

Set in a small town, 'Dahaad' is an action thriller with Sonakshi Sinha playing a police officer who sets out to hunt down a serial killer. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor makes his streaming platform debut with 'Farzi'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

'The Village' is one of the first Indian series to be based on a graphic novel. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

Madhuri Dixit Nene plays an overbearing mother in the comedy 'Maja Maa'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

'Jubilee', starring Prosenjit Chatterjee, is set in the 1940s and looks at the birth of Bollywood. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

Punjabi hip-hop star AP Dhillon will be the focus of the documentary film 'This is AP Dhillon'. Photo: ap.dhillxn / Instagram -

Tanya Maniktala in 'PI Meena'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

The poster for 'Bambai Meri Jaan' starring Kay Kay Menon in the lead. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -
Satyadev Kancharana, Akshay Kumar and Jacqueline Fernandez in 'Ram Setu'. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

The poster for 'Gulkanda Tales' starring Kunal Khemu. Photo: Amazon Prime Video -

The poster for 'Jee Karda' starring Tamannaah Bhatia, Suhail Nayyar, Aashim Gulati, Anya Singh, Hussain Dalal, Samvedna Suwalka and Sayan Banerjee. Photo: Amazon Prime Video
The Outsider
Stephen King, Penguin
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CREW
The biog
Hobbies: Salsa dancing “It's in my blood” and listening to music in different languages
Favourite place to travel to: “Thailand, as it's gorgeous, food is delicious, their massages are to die for!”
Favourite food: “I'm a vegetarian, so I can't get enough of salad.”
Favourite film: “I love watching documentaries, and am fascinated by nature, animals, human anatomy. I love watching to learn!”
Best spot in the UAE: “I fell in love with Fujairah and anywhere outside the big cities, where I can get some peace and get a break from the busy lifestyle”
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Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
Results:
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Al Montaqem, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,200m | Winner: Daber W’Rsan, Connor Beasley, Jaci Wickham
6pm: Handicap (PA) Dh85,000 1,600m | Winner: Bainoona, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 1,600m | Winner: AF Makerah, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 | Winner: AF Motaghatres, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh90,000 1,600m | Winner: Tafakhor, Ronan Whelan, Ali Rashid Al Raihe
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BUNDESLIGA FIXTURES
Friday Stuttgart v Cologne (Kick-off 10.30pm UAE)
Saturday RB Leipzig v Hertha Berlin (5.30pm)
Mainz v Borussia Monchengladbach (5.30pm)
Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt (5.30pm)
Union Berlin v SC Freiburg (5.30pm)
Borussia Dortmund v Schalke (5.30pm)
Sunday Wolfsburg v Arminia (6.30pm)
Werder Bremen v Hoffenheim (9pm)
Bayer Leverkusen v Augsburg (11.30pm)
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
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The low down
Producers: Uniglobe Entertainment & Vision Films
Director: Namrata Singh Gujral
Cast: Rajkummar Rao, Nargis Fakhri, Bo Derek, Candy Clark
Rating: 2/5
The specs
Engine: 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6
Power: 380hp at 5,800rpm
Torque: 530Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Price: From Dh299,000 ($81,415)
On sale: Now
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
The team
Photographer: Mateusz Stefanowski at Art Factory
Videographer: Jear Valasquez
Fashion director: Sarah Maisey
Make-up: Gulum Erzincan at Art Factory
Model: Randa at Art Factory Videographer’s assistant: Zanong Magat
Photographer’s assistant: Sophia Shlykova
With thanks to Jubail Mangrove Park, Jubail Island, Abu Dhabi
Teaching in coronavirus times
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
Scoreline
Australia 2-1 Thailand
Australia: Juric 69', Leckie 86'
Thailand: Pokklaw 82'

