Hindi
Indian film gets six nominations in Houston Filmfest
NEW DELHI: Children’s film Mahek, directed by K Kanade, has been nominated in six categories including the best feature film at the ongoing 41st annual International Film Festival in Houston in the US.
The other categories in which it has been nominated are best direction, best screenplay, best feature, best foreign film and best family film.
Produced by the Children‘s Film Society of India, Mahek had its world premiere at the 51st London Film Festival 2007 and later was screened at several International Film Festivals including the 32nd Cleveland Film Festival, and at St Louis, Chicago, Frankfurt and Sydney.
The cast of the film include Shreya Sharma, Anuya Bhagwat, Madan Deodhar, Anuja Borkar, Dheeresh Joshi, Madhavi Gadgil and Lalan Sarang.
The international crew was made up of music composer Mathieu Lamboley based in Paris, associate director Matthias Schwelm based in Berlin, and second associate director Sania Jhankar studying at Tisch, New York.
The Indian crew had DOP Mrinal Desai, co-Writer Kedar Dharwadkar, editor Suchitra Sathe, sound recordist Anmol Bhave, re-recording artists Anup Dev-Subir Das, costume designer Dinaaz Gabrani and Makeup director Kavita Koparkar.
Legendary artist Mario Miranda did the sketches for this film.
Also, it is the only Indian film at the festival which will have 52 feature film premieres with emphasis on the American and International Independent Feature films.
Director Kanade told indiantelevision.com, “My first feature film Mahek looks at the world through the imaginative eyes of children and examines their rights. What children miss most is respect. Respect for them and respect for their imagination. For a child, a flower is as important as food, shelter and clothing. The education system in India could put more emphasis on aesthetics and philosophy.”
Kanade is an alumnus in film direction from the Film and Television Institute of India(FTII) in Pune. He also completed the Producers Program from UCLA.
His thesis film Chaitra won three National Film Awards and two National Awards at MIFF.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
