Hindi
iDream to release 3 films this year
MUMBAI: iDream Productions, which was lying low for almost three years after their home production Naina bombed at the box office, has swung back into action. The pipeline includes three low-budget films, out of which two are being co-produced.
Tahaan is a co-production with cinematographer Santosh Sivan who has also directed the film. Made on a budget of Rs 50 million, the film was screened at Cannes Film Festival. Extensively shot in the valley of Kashmir, it is about a young boy who wants to get back his donkey. The ensemble cast includes Anupam Kher, Sarika, Rahuk Khanna and Rahul Bose.
Straight also has a budget of Rs 50 million and has reached the post production stage. Directed by Parvati Balgopalan, it stars Vinay Pathak and Gul Panag. The story is based on Vinay’s life who realized that he’s gay in due course of time.
Khusar Prasad ka Bhoot, a village satire which has Paresh Rawal as its main lead, is co-produced with Red Eyes Production. Made on a budget of Rs 70 million, the film is directed by Gary Garewal and shot in Bhopal.
The three films will release by this year end, says iDream production CEO Ashish Bhatnagar.
iDream soon plans to do a sequel of its home grown project Jajantaram Mamantaram. “It will be on a much bigger scale. We are currently rolling it out,” avers Bhatnagar. The film had visual effects of about 64 minutes.
Sony Pictures, who has been distributing iDream films in the past, is likely to pick up the distribution of these three new movies.
iDream distributed Monsoon Wedding, Bollywood/Hollywood and Bend It Like Beckham in India. The production list includes children film Jajantaram Mamantaram, a political thriller 16 December and a mythological Agnivarsha. It has invested in international co-productions King of Bollywood and The Sick House, a British horror film which was recently released by New Line Cinema in North America.
iDream Independent Pictures Ltd (iDIP), iDream‘s sales agency, screened 14 films at Cannes this year. Some of these include Tahaan, Unforgettable, The Voyeurs, Hope, Vanage, Ocean of Pearls and Frozen. In the last 18 months, iDIP has screened seven films in 51 countries.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
