International
Screen actors approve new contract
MUMBAI: Members of the Screen Actors Guild have voted overwhelmingly to approve a new contract with the major Hollywood studios, ending a nearly year-long standoff.
The delay resulted in the union‘s missing out on millions of dollars in potential pay increases and on contracts to represent actors on many of next fall‘s new television series.
The union announced Tuesday night that 78 per cent of those who voted supported the contract. About 35 percent of the union‘s 110,000 members returned ballots. The votes in favor of the contract exceeded 70 per cent in all three of the union‘s major divisions, including in Hollywood, where much of the most high-profile opposition was centered.
The new, two-year contract gives the union a 3 per cent wage increase immediately and a 3.5 per cent increase after one year. In addition, it provides a number of benefits for actors working on material created for digital distribution, including residual payments for ad-supported Internet streaming of feature films and television programs.
Those benefits came at a cost, however. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, which represents the major Hollywood studios, offered essentially the same terms to the Screen Actors Guild when its previous contract expired a year ago.
The producers‘ alliance first reached contracts with several other unions, including those representing directors, writers and a rival union representing actors. The Screen Actors Guild initially took a hard line in negotiations, but a lack of progress eventually led to the ouster of the union‘s executive director and its chief negotiator.
The producers‘ alliance hailed the ratification as “good news for the entertainment industry.” In a statement, the alliance said: “We look forward to working with S.A.G. members – and with everyone else in our industry – to emerge from today‘s significant economic challenges with a strong and growing business.”
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.
