Hindi
Reliance Big Entertainment and Brad Pitt to develop film on Dark Void
MUMBAI: Reliance Big Entertainment (RBE), under its creative partnership deal with Brad Pitt’s production company Plan B Entertainment, has reached an agreement to produce a sci-fi film Dark Void, based on an upcoming video game with the same name.
The two companies have taken film rights from its developer and publisher Capcom.
The theatrical version of the Dark Void will be developed as a sci-fi action franchise by RBE and Plan B Entertainment, as a part of the development and production financing deal (termed a creative partnership) which was announced at the Cannes Film Festival last year.
RBE chairman Amit Khanna commented, “We are delighted that our creative partnership with Plan B has led to this agreement to develop the Dark Void motion picture based on Dark Void.”
Dark Void (the game) is a new property from Capcom, which will be released on the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 computer entertainment systems and PC in North America on 19 January, 2010 and across Europe on 22 January.
“As a game, Dark Void was developed with a wide-screen mentality – a world full of adventure presented in cinematic scope and scale,” said Capcom Entertainment Sr VP licensing Germaine Gioia. “Plan B recognised the potential of our newest property and is as excited about bringing Dark Void to life in cinemas as Capcom is to bring the interactive experience to home theatres.”
Dark Void is a blend of aerial and ground-pounding combat which centres on Will, a pilot who crash lands in the Bermuda Triangle following a routine mission. Will wakes up to find himself in “The Void,” an alternate world resembling a primitive earth where aliens with superior technology are planning to take over civilization. Together with a faction of humans who have disappeared into the Void, Will takes on the alien race using their own advanced technology including a high-powered jet pack to defeat them and keep order in the civilized world.
The deal was brokered by CAA on behalf of RBE and Plan B, and by UTA on behalf of Capcom. Plan B was additionally represented in the deal by Jon Liebman and Cynthia Pett-Dante at Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
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
