Welcome to another episode of OTTplay Now you Know, one podcast that gives you all the trivia and lesser-known facts about your favorite shows and films. I'm your host NikhilAn American drama series, Billions has been developed by David Levien, Brian Koppelman and Andrew Ross Sorkin. The series premiered in 2016 and has undergone five successful seasons. The Showtime series is ending with the sixth and final season and narrates the story of hedge fund manager Bobby Axelrod (Damian Lewis). So if you’re a fan of engaging thrillers based on financial frauds, this one’s perfect for you. Let's kickoff some trivia.1.The characters of Rhoades and Axelrod may be fictional but are based on real-life people. Axe, who is supposed to be a mix of all hedge-fund personalities, started off as a dramatised version of Steven A Cohen (the co-founder of S.A.C. Capital, found guilty of insider trading and slapped with a fine of $1.8 billion). Rhoades, on the other hand, is based on Preet Bharara’s personality, the one who pursued Cohen.  2. Maggie Siff, who plays Wendy Rhoades in the series, consulted noted motivational speaker Tony Robbins. The actress also consulted professional dominatrices who guided her by showing her how to accurately and safely depict BDSM on screen. Talking about Wendy, Siff once said in an interview, “[she] is very unapologetic about who she is, the power she wields, and the influence she has.” 3. Taylor Mason (who is played by Asia Kate Dillon) joins Axe Capital as a nerdy finance analyst who is obsessed with mathematics. Kate Dillon is also the first non-binary character to appear in North America television.  4. Billions has always been praised by critics for its acute eye towards detail. However, imitation can often end up misrepresenting, as was pointed out by a billionaire himself to the show’s creator Brian Koppelman. As per the billionaire, no one with his dispensable income would travel by a G5 aeroplane, which he described as a “sardine can.”5. In order to inject authenticity into their narrative, the makers of Billions have featured several fine dining restaurants across New York, be it Barney Greengrass, Sparks Steakhouse or Emmy Squared. In fact, in one scene of the show, a character refers to the restaurant’s owner himself as an exceptional chef. 6.  Other than restaurants, several noted real-life people have also featured on the show as themselves, from the music band Metallica,  to Goldman Sachs CEO  David Solomon and entrepreneur and TV personality Mark Cuban. If you haven't watched this series yet, do so streaming on HotstarWell that's the OTTplay Now You Know for today, I shall be back soon with  another podcast, Until then its your host Nikhil signing out .Aaj kya dekhoge OTTplay se poocho.

Spider-Man: No Way Home, the third MCU solo Spider-Man movie, has become the highest-grossing Sony Pictures’ movie of all time, besting its previous instalment, Spider-Man: Far From Home which was released in 2019. Starring Tom Holland as the web-slinger, the Jon Watts movie has also garnered immensely favourable reviews from critics and fans. Today, we bring to you some interesting facts and trivia that you may not have known about this tentpole.  Benedict Cumberbatch, who reprises his role as Doctor Strange in No Way Home, did not read the script of the movie before filming it since he also wanted to experience watching the film for the first time, like the viewers2. Jacob Batalon underwent significant weight loss, of around 50 kgs, for his role in the film. However, the actor, who plays Peter Parker’s best friend Ned Leeds in the film, admitted that the weight loss was also a lifestyle choice he made. 3. The first official trailer of Spider-Man: No Way Home is now the most-watched trailer ever on YouTube within a span of 24 hours. The record was earlier held by another MCU movie. It is, of course, Avengers: Endgame. 4. Tom Holland’s younger brother Harry could have had his big Hollywood break with the film.  He had shot for a cameo sequence in it as a drug dealer, much like his previous appearance in Cherry. Unfortunately, the scene was later edited out. 5. In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Flash Thompson's book is titled Flashpoint. This is a sly reference to DC, which also has a similar comic book revolving around The Flash. 6. In the scene where Tom Holland comes face to face with Doctor Otto Octavius on the bridge, he is seen wearing a suit identical to the one Tobey wore in the first portion of Spider-Man 3.Alright, that's all we got about Spider-Man: No way Home. I shall be back again with another podcast about another popular film or show. Until next time it's your host Nikhil out here. 

Today, we will take a deep dive into a satirical science fiction film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence that has recently dropped on Netflix. I am talking about the 2021 movie Don't Look Up. The movie depicts the story of two astronomers attempting to warn society about an approaching comet that will demolish human civilization. Here are a few trivia about this movie you didn’t know. 1. The movie was filmed with lockdown restrictions in place. Hence, Jennifer Lawrence could not get a broken tooth fixed during the filming of Don’t Look Up, and her missing tooth thus needed to be added during post-production. On the other hand, Timothée Chalamet’s hair in the film was not supposed to belong. The director zeroed in on his long-haired appearance after interacting with him on a zoom call. 2. Leonardo DiCaprio’s facial hair in the movie is also not a wig that the actor wears. The make-up department incorporated real hair extensions into the actor’s beard to make it appear seamless. 3. Because pandemic restrictions inhibited movement, many of the actors could not be physically present on sets for make-up trials. Hence, Cate Blanchett brought her own wig for filming, and Rob Morgan had a stand-in set up for his trials because he was unable to be present for fittings.4. In one scene, the film references Ogilvy, who was an astronomer in HG Wells' War Of the Worlds. It is Ogilvy who first spotted the launch of the Martian invasion. 5. Another scene where the characters of DiCaprio and Lawrence visit the White House shows a painting of President William Henry Harrison. This is an allusion to the imminent danger that the US faces, with the comet threatening to obliterate all life on earth, because Harrison was famous for being a president for the shortest duration in the US before he passed away. If you haven't watched this movie yet, do so exclusively on NetflixWell, that's some lesser-known trivia about the movie ‘Don't Look Up’, I shall be back soon with a brand new episode until then it's your host Nikhil out of here.

Hawkeye is an American television action-adventure crime miniseries, created for Marvel by Jonathan Igla. This series, directed by Rhys Thomas, is the fifth show from the MCU states and picks up after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Jeremy Renner reprises his role as Clint Barton and Hailee Steinfield joins him as Kate Bishop.Let's dig into some trivia from the series now.1. Jeremy Renner was initially supposed to reprise his role as Hawkeye in a feature-length standalone movie. However, Kevin Feige believed that it would better serve the character to opt for the Disney+ series, and Renner too gave his nod to the idea. 2. Both Jeremy Renner and Hailee Steinfeld trained themselves in American Sign Language in order to interact with actress Alaqua Cox and make her feel welcomed. Cox, who essays the part of Maya Lopez, aka Echo in the show, was born deaf. Echo is the second deaf character in the MCU after Makkari, played by Lauren Ridloff in Eternals. 3. In the series, Hawkeye aka Clint Barton is seen sporting the same tattoos he wore on his arms in Avengers Endgame. It seems the makers were steadfastly focused on maintaining continuity in the universe. 4. The song that plays in the background of the car chase scene in the third episode is A Mad Russian’s Christmas by Trans-Siberian Orchestra.5. Tony Dalton’s character Jack Duquesne was originally Clint Barton’s mentor in earlier comic books. Jack  would eventually turn villain and later return as an anti-hero, but their origin stories were alerted and retconned in favour of a different origin story. In later iterations, Trick-shot would become Barton’s mentor and Jack would teach Barton how to use a sword.If you haven't watched this mini-series yet do so streaming exclusively on Disney + HotstarThat's the OTTplay Now You Know, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

The Matrix franchise redefined the sci-genre with revolutionary filming techniques and action sequences. The fourth film of the franchise, Matrix Resurrections, is releasing worldwide today, with  Keanu Reeves and Carrie Ann-Moss returning for this instalment reprising their roles as Neo and Trinity. Let's look into some trivia now!1. Lana Wachowski said that the narrative choice to get Neo and Trinity back into the sequel was actually triggered by the fact that she lost both her parents (who died five weeks apart) as well as a dear friend. Describing the two characters as the most important, Wachowski said that writing the parts helped her cope with grief. However, Lily Wachowski dealt with her parents’ loss differently and decided not to return to the franchise. 2. On February 4, 2020, the film began its production in San Francisco under the tentative title of “Project Ice Cream.” 3. The shooting schedules in San Francisco caused considerable harassment to city dwellers due to the damage caused to the buildings and street lights. Much like films such as Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021), these producers also had to shell out $420,000 to the San Francisco Police Department so they could shoot in the city.4. This was also the first Matrix film that had a planned shooting schedule in Chicago, which happens to be the Wachowskis’ hometown. However, the expanding pre-production budgets for the film did not allow that and it was scrapped from their itinerary. 5. The roles of Tiffany’s (Trinity’s alter ego) kids in the film are essayed by the real-life children of Carrie-Anne Moss. 6. Keanu Reeves confirmed that the tandem leap (which also included Carrie-Anne Moss) from the 44 Montgomery Street building in San Francisco was done mostly without the help of special effects. The duo took over 20 retakes for the scene from the 43-floor building over a two-day schedule, with descender cables attached to them. That's the OTTplay Now You Know, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

For today’s Now You Know, we’ll be looking at the British black comedy series After Life, which has been written and directed by Ricky Gervais. The show, streaming on Netflix, sees the comedian play Tony, a journalist trying to grapple with the death of his wife Lisa from cancer. 1. Did you know that James Corden served as an inspiration for one of the characters on the show? Indeed, James the Recorder Kid is based on Corden, who has been a subject of many of Gervais’s jokes earlier. 2. Since Ricky Gervais himself is an animal rights defender, the fish fingers that were featured on the show were of the vegan variant. 3. The premiere episode features a disgruntled Tony deciding to offer his dog a can of baked beans after running out of dog food. He himself opts for vegetable curry in a can. In a later Facebook interaction, Gervais revealed that he had indeed consumed the vegetable curry during the filming of the scene.4. The character of Lisa on the show has a middle name, Jane, which also happens to be the name of Gervais’ partner of 30 years, Jane Fallon. 5. Ricky Gervais’ views on fatherhood are somewhat captured in the character of Tony. The actor-comedian has earlier admitted to being comfortable with not fathering a child. Similarly, Tony, in the series, reveals he isn’t keen on having a kid because he feels they are annoying. 6. The music of After Life was handpicked by Gervais himself, a creative decision that he hadn’t had before. So when you hear Bill Withers’ Lovely Day or Elton John’s Rocketman, be assured that Gervais has himself selected these tracks to feature on the show. If you haven't watched this series yet, then do so it's streaming on NetflixThat's the OTTplay Now You Know, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Wes Anderson’s latest film, The French Dispatch, is a critically acclaimed anthology film that follows three different storylines about the fictional Liberty, Kansas Evening Sun and its French foreign bureau. The film features a star-studded ensemble for its three storylines. Let's  begin some trivia for you. 1. The film was originally intended to be a musical according to an article by Collider. It would have been a departure from the rock music Anderson usually adopts for his films, but the plan was ultimately dropped in favour of creating a signature Anderson film. 2. The movie is set in a fictional town called Ennui-sur-Blase which translates to Boredom-on-Apathy. Ironically it's in contrast with the film’s tone, pacing, aesthetic, and narrative.3. The fictional town of Enniu-sur-Blase was shot in France itself. IndieWire claims that the quiet town of Angouleme was Anderson’s choice of setting for Enniu-sur-Blase, as it was perfect for filming. 4. New York publication The New Yorker is allegedly Anderson’s inspiration for the publication in the film. The claims were made by none other than The New Yorker. The same article also claims that some of the characters are inspired by Anderson’s favourite journalists from The New Yorker.5. British actress Kate Winslet was rumoured to play a role in the film according to The Hollywood Reporter, but the actor has refused to confirm which role she was supposed to take on.6. Bill Murray finished shooting his scenes in just two days despite being one of the main characters in the ensemble, and the actor stayed back in France for a week longer.If you want to watch this flick, it's streaming on Google Play and Youtube. That's the OTTplay Now You Know for today, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

Loki is an American television series, based on Marvel comics, where Tom Hiddleston portrays the titular God of Mischief. This is the third TV series in the MCU after WandaVision and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and the series takes place after the events of Avengers: End Game. Loki has won several awards including the People's Choice Award for The Best Show of 2021 and the Favourite Male TV star. The series has been nominated for numerous other awards as well. So, let's begin the trivia for this hit series then.1. In order to prepare to play Agent Mobius in the show, Owen Wilson did not read the comics. Instead, he roped in Tom Hiddleston to explain the show’s plot and the MCU to him.2. Marvel Comics writer and editor Mark Gruenwald must surely have had a difficult time in his career, considering he was tasked with maintaining continuity across the Marvel Universe. As a tribute to him, all Time Variance Authority agents in the Loki comics were made to look like Gruenwald. 3. Mr DNA from the iconic Jurassic Park film was the inspiration behind the animated mascot Miss Minutes. 4. The title of the Loki series shuttles between several different forms, which actor Tom Hiddleston explains as "integrating the disparate fragments of the many selves that Loki can be."5. The costumes of Sophia Di Martino, who plays Sylvie on the show, were altered to include concealed zippers. This was done so that the actress could nurse her newborn between takes. You can watch this series exclusively on  Disney + HotstarThat's the OTTplay Now You Know, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out. 

Tom Holland is returning for a third standalone Spider-Man film titled Spider-Man: No Way Home, which was released in theatres in India today. So here is some trivia on the second film in the trilogy, Spider-Man: Far From Home. Let's begin!1. Jeffrey Henderson, storyboard artist for the film, claims that Mysterio was originally the intended villain for the cancelled Sam Raimi film Spider-Man 4. Bruce Campbell, the Ash vs Evil Dead star and childhood friend of Raimi was supposed to play the role. In fact, Campbell had made cameo appearances in all three Raimi Spider-Man films.2. In a particular scene about 21 minutes into the runtime, which is also Tom Holland's favourite action scene from the film, takes place in Venice during  the Water Elemental attacks. Peter is shown to run across several poles where a few boats are docked. He later admitted that he regrets not heeding the advice of the stunt coordinator to wear shin guards.3. August 10th is shown to be his  birthday as per the passport. This is a reference to Spider-Man's first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15 which was released on August 10th, 1962.4. Jake Gyllenhaal is almost never seen wearing anything other than his full supervillain costume. It was recommended to him he wear something more comfortable for certain scenes, but as he genuinely liked wearing that suit he refused to wear anything else.5. The Dutch village that Peter wakes up in is called 'Broek op Langedijk', which means a low piece of land in a marsh-like area in ancient Dutch. It is in fact a real town in the Netherlands, famous for its historic architecture. However, the marketplace and the tulip field scenes were shot in the Czech Republic. Around two million digital tulips were created to depict the Dutch countryside. Even though not really appear in the movie, the tourist board of Broek was thrilled by the reference, and the place witnessed a sharp rise in American tourists after the film's premiere.6. Jake Gyllenhaal, who plays the villain Mysterio in the film, was originally cast to replace an injured Tobey Maguire in Spider-Man 2. However, Maguire healed in time from the injuries he suffered while filming Seabiscuit and returned for Spider-Man 2.If you haven't watched this spidey flick yet then do so, it's streaming on Netflix, Google Play, Apple TVThat's the OTTplay Now You Know for today, I shall be back again with another episode soon.. Until then it's your host Nikhil signing out.

The critically acclaimed Disney Plus original series WandaVision is Marvel Studios; first foray into original programming of MCU content for television, after severing ties with Netflix. The series is loosely based on the popular X-Men comic series House of M, and it focuses on Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch after the events of Avengers Endgame. The series was praised for its narrative structure and set design. Let’s dive into the trivia now!1. Agent Jimmy Woo’s flick of the wrist trick to produce his ID like magic is a reference to his awe in Paul Rudd’s character, Scott Lang’s, magic tricks from the film Ant-Man and the Wasp.2. Up to 47 different modern camera lenses were used to depict the seven-time periods, which were in fact custom-modified to retain characteristics of the lenses from that time period. Lighting was adjusted and Tungsten lights were used to give it more authenticity.3. Paul Bettany’s character, Vision, who is mainly maroon in colour was painted blue for the black and white scenes because blue worked better in grayscale.4. There is a faded mural in episode 2 when Wanda walks from the kitchen to the living room on the wall behind the candlesticks that shows a building that Baron Strucker had used in Sokovia. It is the place where the Avengers storm in and first meet Wanda and Pietro.5. The series eclipsed the budget of The Pacific (2010), of $21.7 million per episode, with $25 million per episode.6. The final scene of the finale was originally intended to show the townspeople swarming Wanda trying to confront her, but it was later changed to them standing apart and miserable. This change was made as a result of COVID regulations but ended up being the one Jac Shaeffer liked better, as she believed the scene was more compelling on a psychological level.If you haven’t watched this yet then do so, it’s streaming on Disney + HotstarThat’s the OTTplay Now You Know for today, I shall be back again with another episode soon. Until then it’s your host Nikhil signing out.