Movies
Design trunk calls as Kyoorius hands out Black Blue and Red Elephants
MUMBAI: It was an evening where design roared louder than words and elephants ruled the room. The 2025 Kyoorius Design Awards and Kyoorius Young Blood Awards, both presented by Zee, wrapped up in style at the Taj Cidade de Goa, Horizon, with over 1,000 members of India’s design fraternity cheering the winners.
After three days of Designyatra, India’s biggest anti-disciplinary design conference, the awards night saw the stage lit up by the much-coveted elephants. The spotlight first swung to the Young Blood Awards, the only platform in India dedicated to nurturing the next generation of creatives. Tasked with cracking live briefs from Ather and Bingo! (ITC Foods), young designers delivered big: out of 475 plus entries, 63 made it to The First List, and finally 22 entries claimed Baby Red Elephants. The night then revealed the majestic 6 Red Elephant winners, the ultimate nod to fresh, fearless talent.
The headline act of the evening was the Kyoorius Design Awards itself. From over 700 entries, only 75 projects managed to take home Baby Blue Elephants. Among them, 23 stood tall as Blue Elephant winners, each piece recognised for setting new benchmarks in creativity and craft. But the true rarities were the 2 Black Elephants, reserved exclusively for the Best of Show. This year, they went to ‘Naatak’, a stunning font project by typography studio Ektype, and ‘Desi Oon’, an animated long-form film by Studio Eeksaurus for the Centre For Pastoralism.
Unlike traditional award shows that deal in gold, silver and bronze, Kyoorius keeps it delightfully democratic: only work that truly deserves it wins an Elephant. Baby Elephants mark disruptive and showcase-worthy ideas, Blue Elephants signal industry-defining excellence, and Black Elephants represent work that not only takes risks but creates conversations with lasting cultural impact.
The grand gala capped off what many in the industry now call the “festival of ideas” where design isn’t just celebrated but canonised. For the winners, carrying home a Kyoorius Elephant isn’t just an award; it’s an entry into a creative hall of fame where originality trumps hierarchy and risk-taking is the ultimate reward.
Movies
Tamil film Made in Korea tops Netflix global chart, storms 24 countries
Cross-cultural drama races to No.1, marking a global breakthrough for South Indian cinema
MUMBAI: A Tamil tale has gone global at speed. Netflix’s Made in Korea has shot to No.1 on its Global Top 10 Non-English Films list, trending across 24 countries within days of release.
Premiering on March 12, the film, directed by Ra.Karthik and starring Priyanka Mohan, is the only South Indian title to claim the top spot across both licensed and Netflix original films, underlining the growing global pull of regional Indian cinema.
The story, which follows Shenba’s journey from Tamil Nadu to Seoul, has struck a chord for its emotional warmth, scenic visuals and cross-cultural appeal. Early word-of-mouth has powered its rapid climb, turning a modest release into a global talking point.
Monika Shergill, vice-president, content, Netflix India, said, “We are proud that a story like Made in Korea has become the first ever film from our south slate to land at the No.1 spot on our Global Top 10 Non-English Films list. It reaffirms our belief that there is so much more from India for the world to discover and embrace. This film stands out for blending two distinct cultures into one powerful story that explores universal emotions of love, friendship, belonging and family. At Netflix, we remain committed to championing authentic, locally rooted stories and it’s incredibly exciting to see a film like this travel so widely and connect with audiences around the world.”
Priyanka Mohan called the moment deeply personal. “Moments like these are what every artist truly hopes for. We always strive to give our best, but some films become very special in our journey as performers, and Made in Korea is one of them for me. Shenba is a character that touched my heart from the moment I read the script, and bringing her story to life has been incredibly meaningful. Working with Ra.Karthik sir was a wonderful experience. He has such clarity and sincerity in the way he tells stories. I’m also grateful to our producer Sreenidhi Sagar sir and the entire team for their constant support. And of course, my heartfelt thanks to Netflix for giving this story such a wonderful platform and helping it reach audiences everywhere.”
Ra.Karthik struck a similar note. “There are certain films you make with complete faith in the audience, believing they will connect with the emotions you are trying to convey. It is truly heartening to see Made in Korea trending on Netflix and receiving such encouraging responses from viewers, not just in India but across the world. Priyanka Mohan brought incredible dedication and sincerity to Shenba’s character, and that commitment reflects beautifully on screen. I’m grateful to producer Sreenidhi Sagar for trusting this story and to Netflix for providing such a wonderful platform for the film to reach audiences across countries.”
As the film continues to travel across borders, its success signals more than just a hit. It marks a shift, where local stories, told with authenticity, are no longer confined by language or geography. In the streaming wars, the South is not just rising. It is rewriting the script.
