Hindi
BR Films invests Rs 650 million for three films
MUMBAI: Bollywood major BR Films has pumped in Rs 650 million for the slate of three films that will hit the box office in 2008.
BR Films promoter Ravi Chopra says, “Our lineup for the films to release in 2008-10 is finalised, and each year is equally distributed.”
In 2008, the first film to hit the screen from the BR Films stable is Bhootnath starring Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan in a cameo role. The Rs 250-300 million film is directed by debut director Vivek.
Next is Rs 200 million Banda Ya Bindass Hain directed by Ravi Chopra. Currently under production, the comedy film will be released in July.
The last offering from the stable in 2008 is Heaven on Earth. BR Films has infused Rs 200 million for the film directed by Deepa Mehta. Starring Preity Zinta, the film shows the treatment of women married to NRI husbands.
With six films on the cards, the year 2009 seems busier for BR films. Of these, Kohinoor, Pocket Maar, Betiyaan and Stella deserve special mention, with Stella to be directed by Deepa Mehta.
The company will foray into animation in 2009, with the release of its first animated film Paanch Pandav. It has acquired 73 per cent in the Mumbai-based animation and post production studio Pix-n-Trix. It has also relocated Pix-n-Trix to a larger premise at Film City located at Goregaon in Mumbai.
Besides, epic-based film Mahabharata is also in the pipeline. Expected to hit the screens in 2010, the film will be in two parts. Each of the two 3-hour parts will be released on two consecutive Fridays.
Ravi Chopra explains, “The Mahabharata is a long epic that needs more time than two hours for a better presentation. So we decided to split it into two parts, releasing the film on two consecutive Fridays. The first part will end with the cheer-haran episode; the second will follow from the same.”
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.
