Hindi
Panega Day global film event for community building on 10 May
BANGALORE: As part of Pangea Day, a film event will be held on 10 May at 8 pm, with the intention of inspiring people around the world to participate in community building activities.
Live events in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, and Rio de Janeiro will be linked to produce a programme of powerful films, live music and visionary speakers. The programme will be broadcast live to millions of people worldwide through the internet, television, and mobile phones.
IT consulting firm ThoughtWorks has come forward to support the cause by hosting and sponsoring the Pangea event in its Bangalore office from 11 pm to 4 am on 10 May.
The organisers aim to connect everyday people with extraordinary activists and organizations through the live programme, the Pangea Day web site, and self-organised local events.
As part of the programme, 24 short films to be featured have been selected from an international competition that generated more than 2,500 submissions from over 100 countries. The films were chosen based on their ability to inspire, transform and allow one to see the world through another person‘s eyes.
The programme will also include a number of exceptional speakers and musical performers. Jordan’s queen Noor, CNN‘s Christiane Amanpour, musician and activist Bob Geldof and Iranian rock phenomenon Hypernova are among those taking part.
Many of the films and performances seen on Pangea Day will be made available on the web and mobile phone, alongside open forums for discussion and ideas for how to take social action.
A Pangea Day documentary will be created to catalyze future activities.
The advisory board of Pangea Day includes MTV networks chairman and CEO Judy McGrath, Mira Nair, Cameron Diaz, Goldie Hawn, Reed Midem president and CEO Paul Zilk, Nokia EVP entertainment and communities Tero Ojanper?¤, former president of eBay Jeff Skoll among others.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
