Hindi
Double whammy for filmmaker Gitanjali Rao
MUMBAI: It is a case of double whammy for Indian filmmaker Gitanjali Rao. Not only has she been invited to be on the jury of short films at the forthcoming Cannes Film Festival, Rao’s feature animation project Girgit has also been selected at the Cinema du Monde pavilion in the Cannes Film Market which showcases young and emerging directors.
Talking about her inclusion in the jury, Rao averred, “I‘m specially honoured because the Critics‘ Week completes 50 years this year. It has discovered the films of world renowned directors like Bertolucci, Ken Loach, Amos Gitai, Wong Kar Wai and Alejandro Inarritu, among others.”
Girgit is one of 12 projects selected from countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America, Middle Eastern countries and Eastern Europe.
“This is a great opportunity for Girgit, which was abandoned mid-way in production, by Indian producers for lack of funding. Girgit is a survival story, of people you look through in the city but who actually make the city work,” Rao said.
In addition to Girgit, Rao has worked for a year and a half developing a feature animation film project with Walt Disney Studios India called Shadows Of the Mahabharat.
The 64th Cannes Film Festival runs from 11 to 22 May.
Hindi
Rashmika Mandanna, Shanaya Kapoor and Naila Grrewal climb IMDb’s Indian celebrity rankings
Upcoming films and returning shows are driving fan interest across Bollywood and streaming
MUMBAI: Bollywood’s popularity contest has a new weekly scorecard, and the numbers are telling. IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities list for this week places Shanaya Kapoor at number six, buoyed by buzz around her film Tu Yaa Main. Naila Grrewal slots in at seven on the back of the returning comedy series Maamla Legal Hai, while Rashmika Mandanna climbs to eighth, riding mounting anticipation for Cocktail 2.
The list, available exclusively on the IMDb app for Android and iOS, tracks trending Indian entertainers and filmmakers each week, drawing on data from more than 200m monthly visits to the platform worldwide.
Further down the rankings, Raaka is keeping two of its biggest names in the spotlight. Deepika Padukone holds 11th position, with Allu Arjun close behind at 13th, as the film continues to find traction with audiences.
The list offers fans a weekly pulse on who is breaking through, who is holding steady, and who is fading. It is a barometer as unsparing as the box office itself.
