Movies
Regional film makers make forays into contemporary themes
MUMBAI: Cast and crew of Indian Panorama Films of three languages interacted with the media at the 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). Director of Marathi Film, Astu, Sumitra Bhave informed that her film is about what’s happening to and around us now. “May be an old man who has lost his memory understands this. It is a story about an old man suffering from dementia and is following an elephant and his daughter him. This is a story about a life-changing experience”, she said.
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The lead actor and co-producer of the film Dr. Mohan Agashe said that the issues in the film are very relevant. “It’s about a family coping with problems in today’s world, which we are likely to experience ourselves or among our relatives. On one hand because of medical advances and technological revolution, we may have very long span of life, wherein degenerative diseases crop up”, he added.
The Kannada film Bharath Stores director P. Sheshadri said that his film explores the socio-cultural implication of FDI in multi brand retail pushing out the small retailers.
Lead cast of Bengali Film Ajana Batas (Mystic Wind) Paoli Dam talked about her film in which she is playing the role of a copywriter in an advertisement firm, suffering from loneliness. She said, the fight of the girl against this solitude and depression has been depicted in a poetic manner as the film is based on Joy Goswami’s novel.
Hindi
YRF Entertainment appoints Saugata Mukherjee as head of content
Former SonyLIV content head to steer films and series at streaming arm
MUMBAI: YRF Entertainment, the streaming arm of Yash Raj Films, has appointed Saugata Mukherjee as head of content, signalling a strong push to scale its original films and series slate.
Mukherjee joins the company following a successful three-and-a-half-year stint at SonyLIV, where he served as executive vice president and head of content. In his new role, he will report to CEO Akshaye Widhani and lead the creative direction and commissioning strategy for YRF Entertainment’s growing slate.
The appointment comes on the back of YRF Entertainment’s recent global success with titles such as The Romantics, The Railway Men and Mandala Murders, which have helped position the studio as a serious player in the streaming space.
At SonyLIV, Mukherjee played a key role in shaping the platform’s identity as a premium content destination. Under his leadership, the service delivered acclaimed originals across genres, building a reputation for storytelling depth and creative risk-taking. His exit was described as “one of the harder goodbyes”, reflecting both the impact of his tenure and the strength of the team he leaves behind.
Mukherjee brings with him a wide-ranging career that spans publishing, television and streaming. Before SonyLIV, he led content initiatives at HBO Max under Warner Bros. Discovery, where he was instrumental in shaping the platform’s India strategy. His earlier roles include senior leadership positions at Hotstar and Star TV, where he worked on building original content pipelines and collaborating with top creative talent.
With a career that began in publishing at firms like HarperCollins and Pan Macmillan, Mukherjee’s journey reflects a deep-rooted understanding of storytelling across formats and platforms.
His move to YRF Entertainment comes at a time when the battle for streaming audiences is intensifying, with studios doubling down on high-quality originals to stand out in a crowded market.
For YRF, the appointment is more than just a leadership hire. It is a clear signal that the studio is ready to scale its streaming ambitions, with Mukherjee expected to play a central role in shaping its next chapter.
