Hindi
South-East Asian premiere of Life! Camera Action at DIFF
MUMBAI: US-born Rohit Gupta‘s internationally acclaimed award-winning film Life! Camera Action will have its South-East Asian premiere at the ongoing 12th Dhaka International Film Festival (DIFF).
The film will screen on 19 January in the ‘Cinema of the World‘ dramatic competitive section.
Said festival director Ahmed Muztaba Zamal, “We are honored and thankful to Rohit for having us host the South-East Asia premiere of Life! Camera Action at the DIFF 2012.”
The film relates the story of a young girl, Reina, played by actress Dipti Mehta who is threatened by her parents (Subodh Batra and Prabha Batra) to be disowned, if she insists on an unstable career like filmmaking, instead of doing what usually is the norm — become a doctor, engineer or architect.
“I am happy to see our film chosen to screen in Cinema of the World at the prestigious DIFF 2012,” said Gupta in a statement.
The 12th DIFF will feature over 200 films from 55 countries from six continents and will be attended by celebrities and dignitaries from around the world.
The DIFF is one of the most prestigious film events in the international film festival circuit and has been dedicated in celebrating the global mainstream in film and its social relevance for nineteen years.
The curtains of the festival will be wrung down on January 20.
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
