Hindi
Bangalore intl film fest starts 15 December
MUMBAI: The 4th edition of the Bangalore International Film Festival (BIFFes) goes underway on 15 December and all preparations are being made to extend an exclusive cinema experience to over 2,000 attendees on nine screens.
Organisers of the film fest, the Karnataka Chalanachitra Academy is striving to make the festival starting on Thursday a memorable one for film buffs, students of cinema, technicians from the film industry and the critics.
The festival that will screen over 180 films from 40 countries will be inaugurated by the Karnataka chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda. Iranian filmmaker Dariush Mehrjui, artistes Ananth Nag and Om Puri will also grace the ceremony.
South African film Lucky that features theatre personality and Rajya Sabha member B Jayashree in the lead role will open the film festival. Jayashree, incidentally, won the Black Pearl Award for best actor at the recent Abu Dhabi International Film Festival.
Department of Information secretary Basavaraj said in a statement that the Government is trying to make BIFFes a global event that will further the cause of cinema and those associated with it.
“We have a very good collection of films (for screening),” said as the festival was being held simultaneously in Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram, it had become difficult to schedule the films.
“While some films will be screened thrice, only one screening of a few films will be possible. Though 180 films are being screened in the festival, you can watch only 35 films and you have to make the selection of films carefully,” said BIFFes artistic director HN Narahari Rao.
Curtains to the festival would be wrung down on 22 December.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
