Hindi
Deepa Mehta to start Komagata Maru in 2013
MUMBAI: Director Deepa Mehta will start shooting for Komagata Maru in 2013.
The film is based on the Japanese ship hired by Malaysia-based wealthy Sikh Gurdit Singh to take 376 Indians from Hong Kong to Canada in 1914 to challenge its racist laws. It will revisit the journey of Indians who wanted a better life in Canada but were denied entry by the racist government of the time. They were not allowed to disembark in Vancouver and forcibly sent back to India where many were shot on arrival in Kolkata.
The film will have Akshay Kumar in the lead. “The Komagata Maaru incident will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2014. Hence financiers feel that it would be much better to do it for the 100th anniversary,” Mehta said.
To be produced jointly by Hamilton-Mehta Productions Inc in association with Akshay Kumar‘s home production Hariom Entertainment, the film would be shot in Canada and around the world.
Meanwhile, having finished with the writing of the script for the big-screen adaptation of Salman Rushdie‘s Midnight‘s Children, Mehta has started with the casting of the film.
Actors who have already been confirmed for the film include Seema Biswas, Shabana Azmi, Irrfaan Khan, Soha Ali Khan and Nandita Das. The latest is that American-Indian actor Satya Bhabha will be playing the older version of Saleem while Darsheel Safary will play the young Saleem.
Hindi
MIFF 2026 to return to Mumbai; film entries open till April 12
19th edition to host WAVES Doc Bazaar, spotlighting global documentary talent
MUMBAI: The 19th edition of the Mumbai International Film Festival 2026 is set to take place from June 15 to 21 at the NFDC Complex, with film submissions currently open and the deadline fast approaching on April 12.
Organised by the National Film Development Corporation under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the biennial festival remains one of South Asia’s most prominent platforms for documentary, short fiction and animation films.
Filmmakers, producers and content creators from across the globe have been invited to submit entries via the Film Freeway platform for the Competition Section. Offline submissions will not be accepted, reinforcing a fully digital entry process.
MIFF 2026 continues to sweeten the deal with a robust awards pool of Rs 55 lakh. The coveted Golden Conch for Best Documentary carries a top prize of Rs 10 lakh, alongside multiple awards across categories, making it one of the most lucrative non-feature film festivals in the region.
A key highlight this year will be the second edition of the WAVES Doc Bazaar, scheduled from June 16 to 18 alongside the festival. Designed as a hub for collaboration, the Doc Bazaar will feature a co-production market, viewing rooms and a work-in-progress lab, bringing together global buyers, sellers and creators under one roof.
Since its inception in 1990, MIFF has built a reputation as a serious showcase for non-feature cinema, drawing participation from filmmakers worldwide. The previous edition saw over 350 films from more than 30 countries, underlining its growing international footprint.
With submissions closing soon and preparations underway, MIFF 2026 is shaping up to be a vibrant meeting point for storytelling, collaboration and cinematic craft, offering filmmakers both a stage and a springboard.
