International
Martin Lawrence lines up projects
MUMBAI: Martin Lawrence is having a busy TV development season, with his production company Runteldat fielding a couple of comedy projects.
At Fox, Lawrence is behind an animated comedy, which is being penned by Rodney Barnes, that is based on his experiences growing up in the Washington, D.C.-Maryland area.
At Starz, he has a single-camera interracial family show based on the comedy of Gary Owen. Both projects have script commitments.
Additionally, Lawrence is developing a multicamera family comedy set at a funeral home that is expected to be taken out to other networks.
The Fox animated half-hour, which is being produced by 20th Century Fox TV, will follow the misadventures of 13-year-old Martin as he comes of age in D.C.
Lawrence quickly connected with Barnes, who grew up in Maryland. Barnes, who was a co-exec producer of Til Death,Everybody Hates Chris and the animated The Boondocks is repped by Paradigm and Principato-Young.
The interracial comedy project for Starz is about a white guy from a trailer park who marries a well-to-do black woman. It is inspired by Owen‘s real-life experience and stems from Runteldat‘s stand-up series for Starz, Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-up which has featured Owen.
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.
