International
Just for Laughs Comedy Conference in July
MUMBAI: Etan Cohen (Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa and Tropic Thunder) will receive the comedy writer of the year award at the Just for Laughs Comedy Conference in Montreal, while Todd Phillips (The Hangover) is to receive the award for comedy director of the year.
Cohen will also participate in a panel titled Comedy‘s Next Generation of Writers: A Look Ahead along with Tami Sagher (30 Rock), Jeremy Garelick (production re-write on The Hangover, writer/producer of The Break-Up) and Dan Sterling (Sarah Silverman Program).
The conference is also hosting The Web: Comedy‘s New Wild West with speakers such as Mike Farah (Funnyordie.com) and Avi Rothman (creator of The Inappropriate Yoga Guy).
In Breaking New Ground: Adult Animation Grows Up, animated show creators will discuss what‘s now possible in the genre, how the rules for writing animation are different and what they think works in animated comedy.
Other panels and sessions booked for the Comedy Conference include Producing Great Comedy: The Secret Sauce, The Business of Comedy on Television: What‘s Up? and Late Night: In the Writers Room.
The Montreal Just For Laughs Festival takes place from 3 to 26 July.
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.
