International
del Toro to write, direct film for Dreamworks Animation
MUMBAI: Guillermo del Toro will write and direct DreamWorks Animation‘s Trollhunters.
After visiting DWA‘s campus in Glendale, California, del Toro has decided to make DWA his animation home. He will serve as a consultant and executive producer of several projects including Kung Fu Panda 2, Puss in Boots and a yet-to-be-revealed project all under development. He will also have a say in DWA‘s next feature Megamind that is scheduled to release on 5 November.
del Toro feels that animation has caught his eye because he believes that during the next 10 years, the entertainment landscape will shift into a transmedia world — a confluence of films, TV, books, video and online, while artistes will need to be educated in all aspects of media.
Trollhunters is based on a young-adult book del Toro wrote and submitted to publisher Hyperion two weeks ago. He originally came up with the idea around the time he sold The Strain the vampire book trilogy he is writing with Chuck Hogan.
Due to the evolutionary process of animated filmmaking, the script will be written and rewritten over a period of time, including during production. Del Toro has already started writing Trollhunters and plans to finish it before he shoots At the Mountains of Madness.
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.
