Hindi
India-China working on MoU for exchange of films
NEW DELHI: India is currently studying the possibility of a mechanism to ensure commercial release of Indian feature films in China and vice versa.
This was indicated by Information and Broadcasting ministry secretary Asha Swarup at the inauguration of a festival of Chinese films at the Sirifort Auditorium.
Swarup said that discussions had been held on a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this connection.
Chinese ambassador to India Zhang Yan, who inaugurated the festival, referred to ancient ties between the two countries and the affinity in arts and culture including cinema.
Nine latest Chinese films including one based in Tibet are being screened in a reciprocal festival of films from China. Organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals, in collaboration with the China’s State Administration of Radio, Film and Television (SARFT) and the Chinese Embassy, the festival opened with the spectacular Gun of Mercy by Xiao Feng who was present along with principal actress Jiang Wu.
A high-level Chinese delegation is here to attend the festival, led by SARFT director general Tong Gang. Other members, besides Feng and Wu, include Luan Guochi who is director of the SARFT’s International Cooperation in the Film Bureau, film director Zhang Jianya and actress Liu Yiwel of the film Call for Love, China Movie Channel CCTV-6 VP Lu Hongshi, and SARFT Digital Film Programme deputy director general Mao Yu.
Gang told indiantelevision.com that his government wanted more films from India on a reciprocal basis, since some Indian films shown two or three decades earlier had proved very popular in his country.
Directorate of Film Festivals director Neelam Kapur said a festival of Indian films had been held in Beijing and Shanghai about 18 months earlier.
Apart from Gun of Mercy and Call for Love, the other films being screened are Fearless (Ronny Yu), The Banquet (Feng Xiaogang), Courthouse on the Horseback (Liu Jie), The Silent Holy Stones (Wanma Caidan from Tibet), A World without Thieves (Feng Xiaogang), Honeymoon (Chen Jun) and Perhaps Love (Peter Ho-Sun Chan).
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
