International
Netflix raises price of streaming, DVDs
MUMBAI: Netflix has raised the rates of unlimited streaming and DVDs by 60 per cent per month, it is understood. The price-hike was accompanied by the introduction of some new DVD-only plans.
Netflix had been offering unlimited streaming and unlimited DVDs, one DVD out at a time for $9.99 per month, but on Tuesday it has been raised to $15.98 per month. It is said that Netflix arrived at the price by splitting the offering. Subscribers now can get unlimited streaming only for $7.99 and unlimited DVDs only, one at a time, also for $7.99. The company also said it will offer a two-out-at-a-time DVD only option for $11.99.
Despite the price hike of the combination offering of streaming and DVDs, Netflix was stressing the lower pricing for the DVD-only subscriptions. “By offering our lowest prices ever, we hope to provide great value to our current and future DVDs by mail members,”a Netflix executive has been quoted as having said.
Netflix has been spending hundreds of millions of dollars lately to acquire films and TV shows for streaming. And with Hulu, Amazon.com and others in the bidding mix, streaming rights have the potential to climb higher fairly rapidly.
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.
