International
HBO scores most Emmy nominations
MUMBAI: The Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has announced the contenders for the 2009 Primetime Emmy Awards. With 99, HBO has once again, has scored most nominations.
NBC followed with 67 nominations while ABC had 55, CBS 49 and FOX had 42.
In the cable space, HBO was well ahead of its closest competitor, Showtime which picked up 29 nods with AMC not far behind with 23.
HBO‘s Big Love received its first nomination in the category for outstanding drama series, where it will compete with AMC‘s Breaking Bad, FX‘s Damages, Showtime‘s Dexter, FOX‘s House, ABC‘s Lost and last year‘s winner, AMC‘s Mad Men which secured a total of 16 nominations this year, more than any other drama.
On the performance side, Jon Hamm (Mad Men) is up against Hugh Laurie of House, Michael C. Hall for Dexter, Bryan Cranston for Breaking Bad, Gabriel Byrne for HBO‘s In Treatment and Simon Baker of CBS‘s The Mentalist.
Lead actresses who have been nominated are Glenn Close for Damages, Sally Field for ABC‘s Brothers & Sisters, Mariska Hargitay of NBC‘s Law & Order: SVU, Holly Hunter of TNT‘s Saving Grace, Elisabeth Moss of Mad Men and Kyra Sedgwick for TNT‘s The Closer.
With a total of 17 nominations, HBO‘s Grey Gardens leads off the category of outstanding made-for-TV movie, along with fellow HBO contenders Into the Storm and Taking Chance, as well as Lifetime‘s Coco Chanel and Prayers for Bobby.
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.
