Hindi
French participation at IFFI
MUMBAI: More than 15 long features and co-productions, representing the diversity of French cinema, will be showcased at the IFFI this year.
“Among the countries where cinema has played a role in cultural life, France and India occupy indeed a very special place. From the very inception of this new form of art, more than a century ago, both countries felt a strong inclination for what was to be commonly known as the Seventh art,” says Jérôme Bonnafont, Ambassador of France in India.
Among them, the French Oscar entry ‘‘Orchestra Seats” (“Fauteuils d‘orchestre”), the box-office hit “TAXI 4” and three of the most awaited films of this year : “99 francs” (a film adaptation of a best-seller book), “The second wind” (a remake of one of finest film in French cinema history) and the mindblowing “Intimate ennemy” (a first of its kind look at the Algerian struggle for independence), whose directors will do us the honour to participate to IFFI and interact with the Indian audience and media during this celebration of cinema.
The 6 films “Living together” collection prepared by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs are modern-day fables about French society and its divides which convey the vital need to learn how to get to know and understand each other, while the Film heritage section, co-organised by the Thomson Foundation, will be the occasion to see among the masterpieces of the history of World Cinema.
Veteran and respected filmaker and indophile Alain Corneau will be leading the French delegation comprising Florent-Emilio Siri, Jan Kounen, and talented young actress Fanny Valette as well as the Thomson Foundation team, the European Club of Producers, Samira Zaibat of the International critic‘s week in Cannes, and Fabien Westerhoff participating in the NFDC organised Film Bazaar section.
Retrospective “Living Together” : 6 films
1) Samia by Philippe Faucon
2) When you come down from Heaven (Quand tu descendras du cie) by Eric Guirard
3) What’s going on (Wesh, Wesh, qu‘est ce qui se passe ?) by Rabah Ameur-Za?meche
4) My neighbours (Voisins, voisines) by Malik Chibane
5) Zim & Co by Pierre Jolivet
6) Forgetting Cheyenne (Oublier Cheyenne) by Valérie Minetto
World Cinema :
1) The Second Wind (Le 2?me souffle) by Alain Corneau (2007)
2) The Intimate Enemy (L’ennemi intime) by Florent Emilio Siri (2007)
3) 99 Francs by Jan Kounen (2007)
4) Change of address (Changement d’adresse) by Emmanuel Mouret (2006)
5) TAXI 4 by Gérard Krawczyk (2007)
6) Orchestra Seats (Les Fauteuils d’orchestre) by Dani?le Thomson (2006)
7) The Songs of Love (Les Chansons d‘amour) by Christophe Honoré (2007)
8) The Page turner (La Tourneuse de pages) by Denis Dercourt (2005)
9) The Other (L’Autre) by Ariel Rotter (co-production / 2007)
10) Goodbye Bafana by Bille August (co-production / 2007)
Hindi
Kridhan Infra enters film production with AI-led feature film
Infra firm debuts AI-powered film marking RSS centenary
MUMBAI: Kridhan Infra Limited is swapping hard hats for headsets. The infrastructure company has announced its entry into film production and media technology through its subsidiary, Kridhan Mediatech Private Limited, with the nationwide theatrical release of Shatak: Sangh Ke 100 Varsh, an AI-led feature film.
With Shatak, the company is not just stepping into cinema but staking a claim in what it describes as one of the world’s early full-length AI-driven feature films. Artificial Intelligence has been embedded across the creative and production process, from script visualisation and environment creation to modelling and production design.
The film commemorates 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tracing defining moments, personalities and historical phases that shaped its journey. By combining archival storytelling with algorithm-powered creativity, the project attempts to blend heritage with high technology.
For Kridhan Mediatech, this is only the opening scene. The subsidiary’s broader ambition spans AI, CGI, virtual production systems and scalable content models for both theatres and digital platforms. The move signals a strategic diversification for Kridhan Infra, traditionally rooted in engineering and construction.
The timing aligns with India’s growing push to become a global AI powerhouse. At the 2026 AI Impact Summit, prime minister Narendra Modi urged innovators to design in India and deliver to the world. Kridhan Mediatech’s initiative positions itself squarely within that narrative, aiming to export technology-enabled storytelling beyond domestic audiences.
India’s media and entertainment industry, valued at over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, alongside a rapidly expanding AI economy projected to cross Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the coming years, offers fertile ground at the intersection of cinema and code.
“With Shatak, we proudly present one of the world’s first AI-led full-length feature films while marking our strategic entry into film production and media technology through our subsidiary,” the company said in a statement. “Our vision is to combine India’s rich narrative heritage with forward-looking innovation. This is just the beginning of building globally competitive, technology-enabled cinematic experiences.”
From infrastructure to imagination, Kridhan’s latest venture suggests that in today’s India, even storytelling can be engineered.
