Disclaimer: This article contains partial spoilers from Rings of Power Season 2.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is almost here! The fantasy series is set to take us back to Middle-Earth where several characters’ fates are uncertain. Maxim Baldry’s Isildur finds himself alone and stranded. Luckily, he has something more than those terrifying spiders we see in the trailers to keep him company. He runs into the beautiful Estrid (played by Nia Towle), a potential love interest.

In an exclusive interview with Filmfare, Maxim Baldry opened up about Isildur and Estrid. He explained, “The main thing I wanted to establish was that if there was going to be a romantic love interest with Isildur, it had to be something deep and profound. It wasn’t superfluous attraction, it’s something cathartic and visceral. He meets this new character Estrid who is mysterious and fascinating. They instantly have a connection. But while it’s from their attraction, it’s also from the fact that they’ve both lost things as humans. That is what attracts Isildur to Estrid and she makes him open up in a way he never has before. That is something I really wanted to explore.”

He added, “Isildur was angry with the world and was desperate to explore new things. But now that he’s in Middle-Earth he’s trapped. When he meets this other human being. Middle-Earth is at its finest when you have these profound relationships between two people who open up to each other and make sense of the world in a way.”

Opening up about their first scene together where Estrid stabs Isildur in the thigh, Baldry shared, “It’s lighthearted. That’s also what’s needed in Middle-Earth because it can’t be all doom and gloom. Despite all the evil enveloping the place, there are people meeting in unexpected ways. Isildur is on edge all the time. When he gets stabbed in the thigh, he’s ready to kill the person. He thinks there’s an orc or something. But they end up having this connection. It was tough to play that scene because how do you make it funny when it’s supposed to be painful with death all around? But I’m glad it its being read like that (laughs).” 

The Rings of Power Season 2 which also features Robert Aramayo, Maxim Baldry, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyrone Muhafidin and more releases on August 29, 2024. 

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is back with its second season and Sauron is on the rise. Charlie Vickers’ Halbrand/Sauron makes his way to Eregion with Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel, eventually convincing Charles Edwards’ Celebrimbor to create the titular Rings of Power. Somewhere along the way, Vickers was branded “Sexy Sauron” or “Hot Sauron” by fans all over social media.

In an exclusive interview with Filmfare, Charlie Vickers shared his reaction to what fans have to say about his portrayal of the character. He said, “Sexy Sauron is certainly a new term that I’ve learnt recently. It’s so funny. But there are some other very sexy characters in the show.”

He added, “I don’t quite know what to say (laughs). I guess it is a part of playing such a popular character. People are going to say what they say, whether good or bad. It’s so cool that we get to keep going and doing what we do to keep telling the story. Anything that fans say as they engage with the show is exciting.” 

Rings of Power Season 2 features a returning ensemble cast including Robert Aramayo, Maxim Baldry, Ismael Cruz Cordova, Tyrone Muhafidin and more.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power releases on August 29, 2024.

The Indian Medical Association has suspended the membership of Dr Sandip Ghosh, the former Principal of the RG Kar Hospital in Kolkata where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered earlier this month.

Dr Ghosh – who has been grilled by the CBI in connection with this case, and even took a lie-detector test on Monday – has been accused of negligence in the matter.

In a brief statement issued Wednesday evening the IMA said “(the parents of the doctor who was killed) … put up their grievances against you in dealing with the situation as well as the lack of empathy and sensitivity in handling the issue in appropriate manner…”

The IMA also referred to charges by doctors in Bengal – that Dr Ghosh had brought the profession into disrepute by his actions – and said the disciplinary committee had therefore decided to suspend him “forthwith from the membership” of the national medical body.