Hindi
Art director Samir Chanda no more
MUMBAI: This week, Bollywood has been plagued with deaths. First, it was Shammi Kapoor; then it was the death of yesteryear art director Shanti Das. Now come the news that the country’s topmost art director Samir Chanda has passed away. He was 54.
In his 32-year career, Chanda had annexed the National Film Award for best Art Direction thrice. Among the notable films that Chanda was associated with were Kharij, Aks, Raavan, Bose The Forgotten Hero, Guru, Rang De Basanti, Kaalpurush, Krishna, Omkara, Saat Khoon Maaf and Yatra among others.
Chanda had also worked in Bengali films like Kaalbela, Kalpurush and Moner Manush besides directing Mithun Chakraborty in Ek Nadir Galpo (Tale of a River).
Starting with TV serials, Chanda gained popularity in filmdom with him being close to filmmakers like Mrinal Sen, Shyam Benegal, Vishal Bharadwaj and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
A trained painter from Calcutta Art College, Chanda‘s vast training and understanding of Indian art and architecture ranged from the recreation of sets from the 10th Century to the modern contemporary world.
Hindi
Kridhan Infra enters film production with AI-led feature film
Infra firm debuts AI-powered film marking RSS centenary
MUMBAI: Kridhan Infra Limited is swapping hard hats for headsets. The infrastructure company has announced its entry into film production and media technology through its subsidiary, Kridhan Mediatech Private Limited, with the nationwide theatrical release of Shatak: Sangh Ke 100 Varsh, an AI-led feature film.
With Shatak, the company is not just stepping into cinema but staking a claim in what it describes as one of the world’s early full-length AI-driven feature films. Artificial Intelligence has been embedded across the creative and production process, from script visualisation and environment creation to modelling and production design.
The film commemorates 100 years of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, tracing defining moments, personalities and historical phases that shaped its journey. By combining archival storytelling with algorithm-powered creativity, the project attempts to blend heritage with high technology.
For Kridhan Mediatech, this is only the opening scene. The subsidiary’s broader ambition spans AI, CGI, virtual production systems and scalable content models for both theatres and digital platforms. The move signals a strategic diversification for Kridhan Infra, traditionally rooted in engineering and construction.
The timing aligns with India’s growing push to become a global AI powerhouse. At the 2026 AI Impact Summit, prime minister Narendra Modi urged innovators to design in India and deliver to the world. Kridhan Mediatech’s initiative positions itself squarely within that narrative, aiming to export technology-enabled storytelling beyond domestic audiences.
India’s media and entertainment industry, valued at over Rs 2.5 lakh crore, alongside a rapidly expanding AI economy projected to cross Rs 1.4 lakh crore in the coming years, offers fertile ground at the intersection of cinema and code.
“With Shatak, we proudly present one of the world’s first AI-led full-length feature films while marking our strategic entry into film production and media technology through our subsidiary,” the company said in a statement. “Our vision is to combine India’s rich narrative heritage with forward-looking innovation. This is just the beginning of building globally competitive, technology-enabled cinematic experiences.”
From infrastructure to imagination, Kridhan’s latest venture suggests that in today’s India, even storytelling can be engineered.
