Hindi
UTV to release Harishchandrachi Factory on 22 January
MUMBAI: After winning hearts of audiences abroad at various film festivals, Harishchandrachi Factory is set for its all-India release on 22 January.
UTV Motion Pictures has taken the distribution rights for the movie that is co-produced by Paprika Media and Mayasabha Production.
Harishchandrachi Factory is India‘s official entry at the 82nd Academy Awards and has been co-produced.
Says UTV Motion Pictures CEO Siddharth Roy Kapur, “Harishchandrachi Factory is a film which has received incredible appreciation from around the world. We are promoting the film aggressively at the Academy Awards, the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs, and we hope to give it the best chance possible to receive the global acclaim it richly deserves. Indian audiences will get to watch the film on 22 January and we are confident its appeal will reach across all audiences irrespective of language.”
Harishchandrachi Factory is Paresh Mokashi‘s directorial debut and stars extremely talented actors such as Nandu Madhav, Vibhawari Deshpande, Mohit Gokhale, Atharve Karve, Dilip Joglekar, Ketan Karande, Dhiresh Joshi, Sandip Pathak, Vaibhav Mangle, Ganesh Mayekar, Ambarish Deshpande, Pravin Tarde, Mayur Khandge, Gary Richardson and Gary Tanton.
UTV has mounted an aggressive awards campaign for the film. In addition to the Academy Awards, Harishchandrachi Factory is also competing at the Golden Globes and the British Academy (BAFTA) awards.
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
