International
Film release marks 90th anniversary of Chinese Communist party
MUMBAI:Film stars of China recently launched a blockbuster film The Beginning of the Great Revival that celebrates the 90th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party. The film is part of a series of events in China marking the anniversary.
The film traces developments between the 1911 revolution that overthrew imperial rule and the establishment of the Chinese Communist Party on 13 July, 1921. It features many of the Chinese film industry‘s biggest names such as Andy Lau and Chow Yun-fat, who attended Wednesday‘s event.
Director Han Sanping has said that the film was better than 2009‘s The Founding of a Republic which related the story of the Communist Party winning power in 1949. Its success was helped by politically correct theatre operators who flooded their properties with screenings. The Beginning of the Great Revival is likely to receive similar treatment.
China Film Group is hoping for a repeat of the success it had with The Founding of a Republic which made 415 million yuan ($61 million) at the box-office, a large amount for China.
Communist China‘s founding father, Mao Zedong, is played by Chinese actor Liu Ye, best known to Western audiences for his roles in the Zhang Yimou imperial drama Curse of the Golden Flower and the drama Dark Matter, which costarred Meryl Streep.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
