International
Nutcracker 3D in the making for 40 years
MUMBAI: 73 year-old Andrei Konchalovsky, the co-writer cum director of The Nutcracker in 3D,” has dot the film to the big screen after 40 years.
The Russian theater and film director has modernized the classic tale, that released in the United States on Friday by converting it in 3D. He also changed the setting and some of the characters.
Elle Fanning stars as nine-year-old Mary, who receives an enchanted nutcracker as a gift from her eccentric Uncle Albert, played by Nathan Lane. On Christmas night, the Nutcracker (Charlie Rowe) comes to life and leads her to a kingdom of living toys threatened by an evil Rat King (John Turturro).
Incidentally, Konchalovsky wrote the first version of the script for director Anthony Asquith in the late ‘60s, but when the director expired “the script went to oblivion,” Konchalovsky says.
More than 25 years later, in 1995, Konchalovsky decided that the time had come to make a film for his children and grandchildren and that is when he remembered the shelved script.
Instead of attempting to film a ballet, Konchalovsky turned to German author E.T.A. Hoffmann‘s original story and Russian composer Pyotr Tchiakovsky‘s music.
The director dressed his anthropomorphic rats in military uniforms inspired by Pink Floyd‘s concept album and film The Wall, but he tempered this grim aesthetic by casting comic actor Turturro as the Rat King.
Despite the strong cast, financing his unique vision of the Christmas classic wasn‘t easy as he met several film executives showing set designs and describing his unique vision. Finally, he found people “mad enough to give me money!”
As an independently-financed and distributed feature, the film is “like a David against Goliath in the market” against big wigs like Warner Bros‘ Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1″ and Disney‘s Tangled.
He eventually feels that the 40 more years he traveled to arrive at The Nutcracker in 3D has been worthwhile.
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.
