International
Polanski lawyers request to end case soon
MUMBAI: Lawyers of Roman Polanski have filed an appeal in a California appeals court saying that the 33-year-old sex case and its lengthy delays have been an assault on the state‘s judicial system.
The court should order an investigation of judicial misconduct in Polanski‘s original case and the filmmaker should not have to pay for it, they contended. The 76-year-old has mounting debts and has no way to earn a living while in custody, his attorneys observed.
The defense made their latest plea in response to arguments from prosecutors who say Polanski must return from Europe to face sentencing. The defense argued that the director should be sentenced in absentia to time served. The papers were filed in the California 2nd District Court of Appeal.
Polanski was arrested six months ago on a fugitive warrant from Los Angeles and is under house arrest in Switzerland.
He had served part of a 90-day period in prison ordered by the judge for a “diagnostic study.” His departure was prompted by the judge‘s private statements that he planned to renege on the agreement that the study would be Polanski‘s full sentence, according to documents filed in the case.
The original prosecutor in the case recently gave closed door testimony to that effect, the lawyers have said.
Defense lawyers Chad Hummel and Bart Dalton said that the misconduct allegations should not be buried just because the trial judge is dead and some participants are no longer in the district attorney‘s office.
Polanski, who has directed films like The Pianist and Chinatown fled the US in 1978 after pleading guilty to unlawful sexual intercourse with a 13-year-old girl.
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.
