Hindi
Phullu…..One for social cause
India is the flavour of the season. Be it biopics or social messages. The first awkward moment for the family audience was when bra panty underwear ads went online. Long ago, some makers ventured into bridging the gap between communities by depicting inter cast and inter class romance. The condom ads followed bra panty. But, now, the filmmakers are trying to get into more personal subjects for film themes.
Sharib Ali Hashmi (Phullu) is a crusader who embarks on a mission to educate and enlighten her village folk about hygiene related solutions. Hashmi, a small village dweller, makes these frequent trips to the city running errands for the women of the village. He also feels more comfortable in the company of women.
The film deals with the women’s issue about menstruation and the need to use more hygienic sanitary napkins over old cotton rags made of used clothes.
Hashmi is a village do-gooder looking after the supply of sanitary napkins to the village women. He has no knowledge about women’s problems and knows it only as some female ailment!! He soon learns about the ill effects of using cotton rags by women during their menstruation. He decides to get into making sanitary napkins which can be provided at cheap rates to village women.
Some domestic drama is thrown in to give the film a semblance of story.
Rest is trivial. This is not even a theme to make a film on.
Such social messages are better conveyed on social media or through 30 second TV spots. Because, this feature length film only raises the issue with no effective solution.
Producers: Pushpa Chaudhary, Dr Anmol Kapoor, Kshitij Chaudhary, Raman Kapoor In Association With AmbiAbhi Production
Director: AbhishekSaxena.
Cast: Sharib Ali Hashmi, JyotiiSethi, Nutan Surya.
Bank Chor….Lacks substance
Bank Chor, as the title suggest, is an attempt at making a comedy. A comedy, if well made, is a welcome relief at the box office while it also has a long shelf life in the form of DVD or other digital format.
An amateur bunch of crooks, RiteishDeshmukh, VikramThapa and Bhuvan Arora, forced by circumstances, decide to rob a bank. They target this Bank Of Indians. Once inside the bank, the trio is not quite sure how to go about their job. Riteish is a softy and when he sees that the bank staff as well as the customers inside are nervous, he feels sad for them. He has second thoughts and decides to give up on his plan and surrender to the police which is on the scene by now.
Now it is time to create some funny moments as well as some thrill by introducing a suspense angle.
The bank robbery case has been handed over to CBI officer VivekOberoi. This even while the robbery is on and the robbers are inside the bank! He adds to the discomfort of those inside by announcing that there is an undercover cop inside the bank which turns out to be a lie.
Soon, another angle is added when another, real, bank robber is said to be inside the bank. This twist added to the story, now it is time to add a turn. No fun without twists and turns as the formula goes.
A few films have been seen before on innocent lads turning crooks to rob a bank though their intentions are honest! Such a film needs artistes with great sense of comedy timing and gags besides funny one-liners. Bank Chor has nothing of these. Music too is a let-down.
The screenplay is patchy with forced situations loosely built. Direction is below par. While RiteishDeshmukh tries his best, there is not much he can do in the absence of substance.VikramThapa and Bhuvan Arora are fair. VivekOberoi is fair.
Bank Chor has faced the ‘No audience No show’ situation from the very onset and no miracles are expected in the days to come.
Producer: Ashish Patil.
Director: Bumpy.
Cast: RiteishDeshmukh, VivekOberoi, Rhea Chakraborty, Bhuvan Arora.
Hindi
New labour codes reshape rules for India’s media & entertainment sector
EY masterclass highlights unified framework, wage redefinition and expanded coverage.
MUMBAI: The new labour codes just rewrote the rulebook for India’s media and entertainment industry because when four old laws become four big codes, even the fine print needs a director’s cut. At the FICCI-EY Media & Entertainment Industry Report launch, EY partners Nirali Goradia and Lakshmi Ranganathan delivered a detailed masterclass on how the labour codes implemented in November 2025 are fundamentally changing the sector. The four consolidated codes Code on Wages, Code on Social Security, Industrial Relations Code, and Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code have replaced a fragmented set of central and state regulations that existed for decades.
The speakers explained that the new framework brings consistency across all types of establishments and workers. Previously, cine-workers, journalists and other media professionals were governed by separate, narrow laws. Now, definitions have been broadened: “audio-visual worker” now covers everyone involved in film, television, OTT, broadcasting and digital content creation, while “working journalist” extends to digital news platforms.
Key changes include:
- A uniform definition of wages, with at least 50% of total remuneration needing to qualify as wages for calculations like provident fund and gratuity.
- Expanded social security coverage for gig workers, platform workers and project-based freelancers.
- Unified working conditions, safety norms and leave entitlements.
- Simplified compliance through digital filings and a more principle-based approach.
Nirali Goradia emphasised that the codes aim to bring gig workers, freelancers and project-based talent under the social security net, though the exact contribution mechanism for platform workers is still being finalised. She noted that the intent is clear: no worker should be left out of basic protections such as provident fund, ESI, gratuity and safety standards simply because of the nature of their engagement.
Lakshmi Ranganathan highlighted that establishments in the sector must now carefully map their workforce—permanent employees, fixed-term contracts, freelancers and gig workers because different categories attract different obligations. She pointed out that gratuity vesting for journalists remains at three years, but the broader wage definition will impact calculations across the board. Organisations that previously computed contributions on basic salary (often 35-40%) will now need to move to at least 50% of total wages, potentially increasing costs by around 10% on a recurring basis. This change applies retrospectively for gratuity valuation as well, creating immediate balance-sheet implications for many companies.
The panel also discussed how the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code has expanded the definition of “manufacturing process” to include digital printing and related activities. This brings more workers under safety and working-condition norms that were previously limited. Additionally, the codes introduce a clearer framework for fixed-term employment contracts, offering organisations flexibility while ensuring such workers receive benefits similar to permanent employees, including gratuity after one year.
One area still evolving is the treatment of platform and gig workers. The Social Security Code recognises this new category, but the exact funding mechanism and contribution structure are awaited. Industry experts expect a dedicated fund where platforms and employers will contribute, from which benefits can be extended to gig workers. Until the schemes are notified, organisations are advised to review their existing contractor and freelancer agreements to assess potential future obligations.
Both partners stressed the need for proactive steps. Companies should:
- Reclassify their workforce based on the new definitions of “employee” and “worker”.
- Review compensation structures to align with the 50 per cent wage threshold.
- Update contracts, especially for project-based and gig engagements.
- Reassess gratuity liabilities and payroll processes.
- Ensure compliance with expanded safety and working-condition requirements.
The speakers noted that while the codes bring much-needed unification and broader coverage, they also demand careful interpretation. The shift from highly prescriptive rules to a more principle-based regime means organisations must build internal frameworks to apply the codes consistently. This is particularly relevant for the media and entertainment sector, where project-based work, freelancers, short-term contracts and gig-style engagements are common.
In an industry that thrives on creativity and agility, the new labour codes are forcing a rewrite of the fine print. What was once a patchwork of rules is now a unified playbook and for media houses, the real plot twist will be how quickly they adapt to keep talent happy, costs manageable and stories flowing. The next few months, as states finalise their rules and schemes are notified, will be critical in determining exactly how this new framework reshapes hiring, compensation and workforce management across the sector.
