Hindi
Human rights filmfest to kick off in Mumbai on 8 december
NEW DELHI: A hard hitting and thought provoking film festival on human rights, the Flashpoint Human Rights Film Festival, is to be held in Mumbai coinciding with the Human Rights Day on 10 December.
Being held from 8 to 10 December at the Alliance Francaise auditorium at Marine Lines, the festival will bring together eight extraordinary films from around the world that deal with human rights issues – human trafficking & child prostitution; war crimes; religious fundamentalism, homophobia, violence against women, death penalty, forced disappearances, etc.
“These movies will shock you and wake you up to the new realities that we all must understand and counter. The Flashpoint Human Rights film festival will hurl you into the hearts and the lives of those brave people who had the audacity to stand up alone against the tyranny of the oppressor,” said filmmaker and rights activist Mahesh Bhatt, who will inaugurate the festival on 8 December.
Well known theatre person Dolly Thakore will also be a Guest of Honour at the opening ceremony.
The eight films set in Algeria, Cambodia, China, Cuba, Iran, Italy, Nepal and the Gaza strip show how brave human rights defenders campaign for justice and human rights, often paying a very high price for their work. “These activists and/or their organizations play a crucial role in the worldwide protection and promotion of human rights”, said Taco Ruighaver, director of Movies That Matter Film festival, Netherlands, with whose support this festival has been organised.
Apart from screening of films, there will be panel discussions on urgent and important topics like ‘human trafficking and inadequacy of the law’, ‘violence against women’ and ‘religious intolerance’ with eminent filmmakers Kalpana Lajmi, Bishakha Datta & Vinta Nanda; rights activists Priti Patkar & Flavia Agnes and advocates Maharukh Adenwala, PA Sebastian & Colin Gonsalves.
The three-day film festival is being organised by Solaris Pictures (Mumbai), Magic Lantern Foundation (New Delhi), and Movies That Matter (Netherlands).
The festival will later be held in New Delhi from 20 to 22 January, 2011.
Hindi
ZEE5, Applause announce new film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa
Rajat Kapoor’s dark comedy thriller to stream on ZEE5 from April 10
MUMBAI: ZEE5 and Applause Entertainment have announced their next direct-to-digital collaboration, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a darkly comic whodunnit set to stream from April 10.
Produced in association with Mithya Talkies and written and directed by Rajat Kapoor, the film marks the latest addition to a growing slate of genre-diverse titles from the two partners. Their previous collaborations include dramas, psychological thrillers and dark comedies, with this outing leaning into a layered murder mystery.
The film features an ensemble cast including Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa and Saurabh Shukla, among others. The narrative promises a mix of satire, strained relationships and hidden tensions, inviting viewers to look beyond the crime to the dynamics that lead up to it.
ZEE5 business head hindi and chief channel officer Andtv Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has been instrumental in building a strong slate with titles such as Bloody Brothers, Mithya and Jab Khuli Kitaab. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, aligning with our focus on genre-led content that resonates with audiences.”
Applause Entertainment business head movies Sunil Chainani said, “This collaboration with ZEE5 continues to stand out for its diversity of genres and narrative styles. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa adds a sharp, darkly comic whodunnit to that mix, driven by Rajat Kapoor’s distinct voice.”
Sharing his creative approach, Rajat Kapoor said he was drawn to the emotional layers behind the genre. “I was interested not just in the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who appear close, yet carry unspoken tensions that eventually surface.”
The partnership between ZEE5 and Applause continues to build on a shared focus on distinctive storytelling, with each project exploring a different tone and genre.
With its mix of humour, tension and ensemble storytelling, the film aims to offer more than just a mystery. It promises a closer look at the secrets people keep, and the consequences when they finally come to light.
