Hindi
Annex between India, UK will help co-productions in cinema
NEW DELHI: Producers from the United Kingdom and India would be able to make films reflecting the diversity of culture and heritage of both the countries and enjoy national status in the two places, according to the Annex to the Indo-UK Film Co-Production signed today.
The Annex was signed by Joint Secretary (Films) in the Information and Broadcasting Ministry VB Pyarelal and Deputy British High Commissioner Creon Butler.
The Annex elaborates the various requirements for Film Co-production under the Agreement signed in December 2005 between the two countries. It also provides rules of procedure for operationalisation of the Agreement.
The Annex has been finalized after negotiation with the British Government and consultation with the Indian film industry. The aim is to ensure that benefits accrue to the co-producers of both the countries. The Annex shall come into force as soon as the parties have notified each other on the completion of their respective legal and constitutional procedures.
The co-produced films would gain better market access in some other countries also. The Indian community in the UK represents the single largest ethnic segment of the country’s population. As a sizeable percentage of the population in UK is Asian, films produced under this segment would have a ready audience.
It is expected that the cost-competitive Indian film industry including the post production sector will stand to gain from the agreement. Some of the benefits that will accrue from this agreement include shared financial risks as well as larger audience base. The pact could lead to greater use of Indian locales and their promotion abroad. For this sector, UK could also act as a gateway to many countries in the European region.
India also has similar co-production agreements with Germany, Italy, and Brazil, and agreements are also be signed shortly with some other countries including France, Canada, South Africa, Hungary, and China among others.
India already has an existing protocol on cinema with the French Government signed in 1985. The Ministry now wants to re-write the protocol/agreement according to the requirements of today.
Italy was the first country to have signed a co-production agreement with India for producing films. The purpose of this agreement was to increasingly use Italian locations for Indian movies, to increase collaboration in animation and post-production and to foster transfer of know-how in the field of old film restoration.
India and Brazil signed an Audio-Visual Co-production Agreement in June last year under which many film and television companies from Brazil would be able to work with Indian companies to outsource work in different spheres of film production under an Audio-Visual Co-production signed between the two countries.
This will include work relating to special effects, graphics and animation and producers from both countries get an opportunity to pool their creative/artistic/technical, financial and marketing resources to co-produce film and television programmes.
Under the Agreement, more Indian locales can be utilized for shooting films, thus raising the visibility of India as a shooting destination. With the liberalization of shooting guidelines for foreigners shooting films in India, there has been a marked increase in films being shot in India.
Risks also get shared and there is wider natural audience base. The post- production sector of the Indian film industry will also gain from such an agreement.
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.
