International
Film financing firm floated for global markets
MUMBAI: Ricco Capital Holdings, a Hong-Kong-based merger and acquisition boutique, and Panda Media Partners, a joint venture of Fidelis Entertainment and Stan Lee‘s POW! Entertainment, have joined forces to create Magic Storm Entertainment.
The film financing partnership will develop and produce a new franchise of Stan Lee‘s superheroes for the global marketplace, including China.
Magic Storm Entertainment will develop film projects that leverage Stan Lee‘s global legacy, with new entertainment content that is positioned to appeal to Asian markets and broader global audiences. Details of the first film project will be released later this summer.
Magic Storm Entertainment will be based in Los Angeles. Fidelis Entertainment‘s Eric Mika has been appointed CEO and will oversee all future entertainment business development opportunities for Ricco Capital. Magic Storm Entertainment is represented by James Thoma, Reed Smith, LLP.
Pow! Entertainment chief creative officer Stan Lee who co-created Spider-Man, Iron Man, X-Men, Hulk and hundreds of other superhero comic book characters, said, “I have been eagerly awaiting this great opportunity, a chance to combine the best of American superhero epics with the best of Chinese and Asian classical film-making for a motion picture that would be excitedly received worldwide.”
The first project will be announced soon.
Ricco Capital Holdings chairman Wu Siu Chung said, “Stan Lee is a global icon whose characters and brands have generated more than $6 billion US at the global box office and sparked vast international toy, video game and merchandise sales. Magic Storm Entertainment will leverage that appeal with Ricco Capital‘s development fund.”
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
