International
Tom Hanks to grace Screen Singapore on 11 June
MUMBAI:Two-time Academy Award winner Tom Hanks will grace Singapore‘s first international film event, Screen Singapore, in June for the Asia Pacific premiere of his film, Larry Crowne.
The dramatic comedy co-written and directed by Hanks and Julia Roberts is about a everyday guy‘s personal re-invention after he loses his job during the recession. It will premiere at the week-long ScreenSingapore‘s closing night gala on 11 June.
The event will open with a Chinese film and will also feature some Bollywood films.
“It will be easier for a film to be noticed. We‘re not a regular film festival, we don‘t have 50 or 60 films. We don‘t have lots of clutter, which makes a film festival,” said member of the Board of ScreenSingapore Dennis Davidson .
“We will be something different, it‘s a hybrid. It will be business-to-business, government-to-government. But the sexy bit is the red carpets! It‘s having big Bollywood stars, big Chinese stars, big Korean stars and big Hollywood stars on the red carpet,” he added.
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.
