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[08/20/20 - 10:00 AM] Avantika Vandanapu to Star and Manjari Makijany to Direct "Spin," A Newly Greenlit Disney Channel Original Movie "Spin" follows an Indian American teen who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture and learns she has a passion for creating mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. |
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| [via press release from Disney Channel] |
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AVANTIKA VANDANAPU TO STAR AND MANJARI MAKIJANY TO DIRECT 'SPIN,' A NEWLY GREENLIT DISNEY CHANNEL ORIGINAL MOVIE
Avantika Vandanapu ("Diary of a Future President" on Disney+) will star in - with Manjari Makijany ("Desert Dolphin") directing - the newly greenlit "Spin," a Disney Channel Original Movie."Spin" follows an Indian American teen who discovers her artistic side through the unique world of DJ culture and learns she has a passion for creating mixes that blend the textures of her Indian heritage and the world around her. Zanne Devine ("Secret Society of Second Born Royals," "Easy A," "I, Tonya") is the executive producer of the movie, with writing by Carley Steiner ("Play Date") and Josh Cagan ("The Duff"). "Spin" is set to begin production in Toronto this fall, for a 2021 premiere on Disney Channel.
Rhea Kumar (Vandanapu) is an effervescent 15-year-old who lives with her tight-knit multigenerational family. After her mother's death, she has been her father's emotional rock, and her life revolves around her family's restaurant, her eclectic group of friends, and her after-school coding club. Everything changes when she falls for aspiring DJ Max and a long lost passion for music is reignited. Rhea discovers that she has a natural gift for creating beats and producing music, but must find the courage to follow her true inner talent.
Lauren Kisilevsky, vice president, Original Movies, Disney Channel, said, "We look forward to watching Avantika lead this vibrant story of a teen discovering unexpected aspirations to create, remix, perform and ultimately define her art. We're equally thrilled to see this special story come to life in Manjari Makijany's talented hands."
A well-recognized name in India and among Indian diaspora in the United States, 15-year-old Vandanapu started her artistic journey through dancing, focusing on Indian classical dance forms, along with ballet, jazz and contemporary. She won second place in the first North American edition of ZeeTV's reality series "Dance India Dance Li'l Masters." Vandanapu went on to act in multiple feature films in Indian cinema and more than 25 commercials for national and regional print and TV media. Most recently, she starred as Monyca in "Diary of a Future President" on Disney+ and can be heard as the voice of Kamala in Disney Junior's hit animated series "Mira, Royal Detective."
Manjari Makijany is an Indian writer-director based in Los Angeles. She's an alum of the prestigious American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women (AFI DWW) and Hollywood diversity programs, such as Universal Directors Initiative and the Fox Filmmakers Lab. Her debut feature "Desert Dolphin," a coming of age sports-drama and India's first skateboarding feature, will be released globally on Netflix in 2021. Her vision for storytelling and diverse film experience, both in India and America, has served as a fertile ground to craft her unique voice as a filmmaker.
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[10/24/25 - 02:30 PM] Video: First Look at Upcoming New Drama "Memory of a Killer" Starring Patrick Dempsey and Michael Imperioli - Premiering This January on FOX Dempsey stars as a hitman, Angelo Doyle, leading a dangerous double life while hiding an even deadlier personal secret - he has developed early onset Alzheimer's.
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[10/24/25 - 02:02 PM] "20/20" Is Friday's Most-Watched Newsmagazine Across the Board In addition, "20/20" posted its best Adults 25-54 in more than four months.
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[10/24/25 - 02:01 PM] ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across the Board, Leading NBC in All Key Demos for the 4th Straight Week "Nightline" grew year to year across the board: Total Viewers, Adults 25-54, and Adults 18-49.
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[10/24/25 - 01:05 PM] "Dancing with the Stars" Makes Television History - Rising for Fifth Straight Week The October 21 episode scored 6.63 million Total Viewers and a 1.38 rating among Adults 18-49, hitting new season highs in both demographics.
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[10/24/25 - 08:01 AM] Netflix Announces "Hollywood Arts," A Brand-New Spinoff of Hit Live-Action, "Victorious," with Daniella Monet Returning as Star and Executive Producer The series is set to debut on Netflix in 2026, followed by releases on Nickelodeon and Paramount+.
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[10/24/25 - 07:14 AM] FOX Sports Readies for Major League Baseball's 121st World Series Presented by Capital One Action leads off Friday, October 24, between the National League and current reigning World champion Los Angeles Dodgers and American League champion Toronto Blue Jays from Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, on FOX, FOX Deportes, the FOX Sports App and FOX One.
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[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM] Video: "Love Is Blind" Season 9: The Reunion - Official Trailer - Netflix Denver singles shake up their search for "the one" and step into the pods, braving twists, turns and love triangles to find their soulmate sight unseen.
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[10/24/25 - 07:01 AM] Experience the Family, the Fun, and the Fantastic! Marvel Studios' "The Fantastic Four: First Steps" Lands Exclusively on Disney+ November 5 Continuing the celebration of Marvel's First Family, the announcement was made live from SpaceCon 2025 in San Antonio, where The Fantastic Four: First Steps Immersive Pop-Up Experience invites attendees to step inside the iconic Baxter Building.
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[10/24/25 - 06:00 AM] The CW Network and Xfinity Celebrate 11 Years of the NASCAR Xfinity Series by Presenting the Third Stage of the Championship Race Commercial-Free Taking place in Phoenix, Arizona, on Saturday, November 1, the commercial-free stage presented by Xfinity was created to thank the loyal race fans who have supported the NASCAR Xfinity Series for more than a decade - helping the series grow through their unwavering enthusiasm, increased viewership, and continued trackside attendance.
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[10/23/25 - 05:01 PM] Video: "As You Stood By" - Official Trailer - Netflix When two women plot to end an abusive marriage through murder, an unexpected visitor arrives - threatening to shatter everything they've carefully planned.
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[10/23/25 - 02:33 PM] Largest Audience for "NBA Tip-Off" Doubleheader Since 2010 as NBA Returned to NBC and Debuted on Peacock Tuesday night's audience across NBC and Peacock peaked at 7.1 million viewers from 10:45-11 p.m. ET as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder to a one-point win over the Houston Rockets in double overtime.
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[10/23/25 - 02:28 PM] The 305 Just Got Hotter: "Love & Hip Hop: Miami" Moves to BET Season 7 Premieres Tuesday, November 4 at 8 PM ET/PT The upcoming seventh season dives deeper than ever into Miami's thriving entertainment scene, following a cast of stars who are rebuilding, rebranding, and redefining success in real time.
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[10/23/25 - 01:30 PM] Critically Acclaimed Noir Thriller, "Dark Winds," to Return to AMC and AMC+ Sunday, February 15 The series' gripping fourth season focuses on the search for a missing Navajo girl, which takes Leaphorn, Chee and Manuelito from the safety of Navajo Nation to the gritty terrain of 1970s Los Angeles in a race against the clock to save her from an obsessive killer with ties to organized crime.
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[10/23/25 - 12:01 PM] Video: BET+ Releases Trailer for Horror Film "A Demon's Revenge" In the film, following the bloodshed in Belize, Peaches, played by Jhoné Lucas, delves deeper into Caribbean folklore and the terrifying truth that lurks beneath.
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[10/23/25 - 12:00 PM] FOX Entertainment Acquires Equity Stake in Chain, Forging Strategic Partnership with Experiential Food Phenomenon Co-Founded by B.J. Novak Included in the investment is a first look development deal through Chain Media.
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