International
Paramount to tap into Nickelodeon TV properties for movies
MUMBAI: After a long gap, Paramount Pictures is readying to tap into the powerful Nickelodeon television brand for making movies that would have a kid-to-family appeal.
Modeling itself along the lines of Walt Disney Studios that moved television programming properties like Hannah Montana to the big screen, Paramount will have a development slate that include ‘The Last Airbender’ and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.’
‘The Last Airbender,’ built on a budget of $150 million, is the story of a boy who can control air, fire, earth and water. Directed by M Night Shyamalan, the live-action 3-D movie is based on the first season of hit cartoon ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender.’
“Now that we have something, let’s keep it going,” Nickelodeon president Cyma Zarghami told The New York Times. “There’s no reason this can’t be the first of many successful movies built around our television properties.”
While ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is produced by Michael Bay, the director of ‘The Transformers,’ other films in development include a family adventure built around Mattel’s Magic 8-Ball toy and a property around ‘The SpongeBob SquarePants.’
Paramount will look at broad, family movies – and not focus on kids films – while developing the television properties, a genre that is raking in big monies in Hollywood like ‘Alice in Wonderland’ and ‘Toy Story 3.’
Paramount Film Group president told The New York Times that he wanted to stretch the Nickelodeon brand to include racier content — just as Disney did with PG-13-rated movies like ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.’
Though Nickelodeon succeeded with ‘The Rugrats Movie’ in 1998, it subsequently failed in 2004 with ‘The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie’ and ‘Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.’ It is only now that it is trying to aggressively mine Nickelodeon movies.
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.
