Hindi
Applause Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films announce two-film collaboration
MUMBAI: Sameer Nair is known for telling stories that are well told either for the big screen or for the streaming platforms. Applause Entertainment – the studio he heads – has been the force behind several intense series and films which have broken the mould- the Scam series, City of Dreams, Swigato, Tanaav, and Rudra. Kabir Khan, on the other hand, is known for films that are replete with thrills, chases, action, and are larger than life – and for sports biopics, two of which have got critical acclaim but have not done as well at the box office.
When the two get together wonder what we will end up getting?
Well they have!
Applause Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films have announced a creative partnership for a two-film collaboration, bringing together two powerhouse storytellers from India’s entertainment industry.
This collaboration marks a significant milestone, blending Applause Entertainment’s reputation for innovative storytelling with Kabir Khan Films’ expertise in crafting cinematic blockbusters. Known for acclaimed projects, both companies are set to deliver compelling narratives that promise to captivate audiences.
Sameer Nair, CEO of Applause Entertainment, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating: “We are thrilled to collaborate with Kabir Khan, a master storyteller, to create two distinctive films that reflect our shared vision for impactful cinema.”
Kabir Khan, known for films like Chandu Champion, Ek Tha Tiger, Bajrangi Bhaijaan and 83, added: “This partnership with Applause is an exciting opportunity to explore fresh narratives and deliver cinematic experiences that resonate with audiences.”
Further details about the films, including cast and release timelines, are expected to be announced soon. The partnership signals a dynamic phase for both production houses, promising engaging content for the evolving Indian film landscape.
Hindi
Remembering Gyan Sahay, the lens behind film, television and advertising
From a puppet rabbit selling poppadums to Hindi cinema, he framed it all.
MUMBAI: There are careers, and then there are canvases. Gyan Sahay, the veteran cinematographer, director, and producer who passed away on 10 March 2026 in Mumbai, had one of the latter. Over several decades in the Indian film and television industry, he turned lenses, lights, and the occasional puppet rabbit into something approaching art.
A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, Sahay built his reputation as a director of photography across a career that stretched from the early 1970s all the way to the digital age. He was the kind of craftsman who understood that a well-composed shot is not merely a technical achievement but a quiet act of storytelling.
For most Indians of a certain age, however, Sahay will forever be the man behind the rabbit. His direction of the iconic long-running television commercial for Lijjat Papad, featuring its now-legendary puppet bunny, gave the country one of its most cheerfully persistent advertising images. It was the sort of work that sneaks into the national subconscious and takes up permanent residence.
His big-screen credits as cinematographer include Anokhi Pehchan (1972), Pagli (1974), Pas de Deux (1981), and Hum Farishte Nahin (1988). In 1999, he stepped behind a different kind of camera altogether, making his directorial debut with Sar Ankhon Par, a drama that featured Vikas Bhalla and Shruti Ulfat, with a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan for good measure.
On television, Sahay was particularly prized for his command of multi-camera production setups, a skill that made him a go-to technician for large-scale shows and reality programmes. In an industry that has never been especially patient with complexity, he was the calm hand on the rig.
In later life, Sahay turned teacher. He participated regularly in masterclasses and Digi-Talks, often hosted by organisations such as Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna, sharing hard-won wisdom on cinematography, the comedy of timing in a shot, and the sweeping changes brought by the shift from celluloid to digital. He was also said to have been involved in a project concerning a biographical film on Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.
Tributes from the film industry poured in following the news of his passing, with colleagues remembering him as a senior cameraman who served as a rare bridge between two entirely different eras of Indian cinema. That is, perhaps, the finest thing one can say of any craftsman: he kept up, and he brought others along with him.
