International
WME’s loss is APA’s gain
MUMBAI: WME has signed actors Taryn Manning, David Alpay and Dorian Missick and director Andrzej Bartkowiak. Manning and Bartkowiak were repped by WMA, Alpay and Missick by Endeavor. Those two agencies merged last month.
APA also has picked up actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who did not have U.S. agency representation.
Manning, managed by Untitled Entertainment, has appeared in Hustle & Flow, Cold Mountain, White Oleander and Crazy/Beautiful. She next appears in the indie film 8-3 and the remake The Story of Bonnie and Clyde.
Manning also is repped by music manager Mike Renault. She and her band, Boomkat, are touring and will perform next month at the Roxy in West Hollywood.
Alpay co-stars in the Showtime series The Tudors. He also appeared in the features Ararat, Man of the Year and Closing the Ring. He is managed by Kritzer Levine Wilkins Entertainment.
Missick has appeared in Rachel Getting Married and Mama‘s Boy and was a regular on the ABC series Six Degrees. He continues to be managed by Myrna Jacoby.
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.
