International
Sentence of Iranian actress Vafamehr reduced
MUMBAI: Sentenced to a year in jail and 90 lashes for starring in the Australian production My Tehran for Sale, Iranian actress Marzieh Vafamehr has been released from prison without suffering the lashes and further imprisonment.
Her imprisonment was reduced to three months while the flogging sentence overruled by an Appeal Court, according to Amnesty International, Cyan Films, the South Australian Film Corporation and the Adelaide Film Festival.
Shot entirely in Tehran, My Tehran for Sale stars Vafamehr as a stage actress who plots to flee Iran with the help of a man she meets at an underground rave. Banned in Iran, the movie was distributed illegally in the country and premiered at the 2009 Toronto International Film Festival. Vafamehr was initially arrested in July and was released later that month after posting unspecified bail.
Just a last week, it was reported that a Tehran appeals court upheld the six-year jail sentence and 20-year filmmaking ban against director Ja‘far Panahi while his fellow Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof was also sentenced to six years imprisonment in a separate case and also remains under house arrest.
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.
