News Broadcasting
Rakesh Sharma’s film wins accolades at Berlin film fest
MUMBAI: After being ‘miffed’ in India, film maker Rakesh Sharma’s feature-length documentary on the Gujarat riots Final Soultions has won two awards at the Berlin International Film Festival recently.
The first award – the Wolfgang Staudte award – which is presented in memory of the noted German film director Wolfgang Staudte carries a cash prize of 10,000 Euros. Final Solution is the first Indian film to win this award which was instituted in 1990 at the Berlin International film festival.
The international jury comprised director-actor-author Catherine Breillat from France, Zanzibar International film festival director Imruh Bakari and German film maker Thomas Arslan.
Said the jury in its citation, “An epic documentary focussing on a culture of hatred and indifference. The directness, clarity and accuracy of the film enables the viewer to both reflect on the universality of the subject matter and relate this to his or her own human attitudes. The film-maker has chosen a documentary form that completely shuns the use of melodramatic effects.”
The second award for the film is the Special Jury Award by the NETPAC jury comprising Garin Nugroho (Indonesia), Dorothea Holloway (Germany) and Fang Yu (China). The jury said, “The award goes to Final Solution for its clarification of issues that spawned hate and violence between Hindus and Moslems in Gujarat, its analysis of propaganda mechanisms for political purposes, and its measured voice to seek a final solution to the conflict.”
Five Indian films were invited to the festival in the International Forum of new cinema section of the Berlinale. These included Hazaaron Khwahishen Aisi by Sudhir Mishra, Maqbool by Vishal Bhardwaj, Kal Ho Na Ho by Nikhil Advani, Hava Aaney De by Partho Sengupta and Final Solution by Rakesh Sharma.
Final Solution was rejected by the recently concluded Mumbai International film festival and was screened at Vikalp: Films for Freedom, a parallel festival organised by the Campaign Againt Censorship. Rakesh Sharma who has been on the jury of the Indian Telly Awards for two consecutive year, has been an active member of the campaign since its inception in July-August 2003.
News Broadcasting
Kamlesh Singh receives Haldi Ghati Award from MMCF
India Today Group editor honoured for three decades of journalism at Udaipur ceremony.
MUMBAI- Kamlesh Singh just turned a lifetime of sharp words into a shiny shield because when journalism wakes up a society, even the Maharana of Mewar wants to pin a medal on it.
The Maharana of Mewar Charitable Foundation (MMCF) conferred its prestigious Haldi Ghati Award on Kamlesh Singh, a senior editor at the India Today Group, during a ceremony in Udaipur on 15 March 2026. The national award, instituted in 1981-82, recognises “work of permanent value that initiates an awakening in society through the medium of journalism.”
Singh, who leads several editorial initiatives including Aaj Tak Radio, the Teen Taal community and The Lallantop, was presented the honour by Lakshyaraj Singh Mewar, Managing Trustee of MMCF. The citation highlighted his three decades of contributions to Indian media, innovations in digital journalism, mentoring young reporters, and his popular podcast persona “Tau” on Teen Taal, which fosters thoughtful public discourse.
The Haldi Ghati Award, named after the historic Battle of Haldighati symbolising valour and resilience, is one of four national awards given annually by MMCF. Past recipients include Tavleen Singh, Piyush Pandey and Raj Chengappa.
Other honourees this year included Padma Vibhushan Pt Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Vedamurti Devvrat Rekhe, Treeman of India Marimuthu Yoganathan, Vir Chakra Capt Rizwan Malik, and US-based researcher Molly Emma Aitken, who received the Colonel James Tod Award for contributions to understanding Mewar’s spirit and values.
In an era where headlines often shout louder than substance, the MMCF quietly reminded everyone that real journalism isn’t about noise, it’s about the quiet, persistent work that stirs society awake, one thoughtful story at a time.
