International
Baseball player turned actor Brad Lesley dies at 54
MUMBAI: Brad Lesley nicknamed as "The Animal" died on 27 April due to kidney failure in Marina del Rey at the age of 54.
Lesley was seen in movies like ‘Mr. Baseball‘, ‘Little Big League‘ and ‘Space Jam‘. His ex-wife Chiho Svimonoff told the media that he had been living in a nursing home for the past seven months, where he was receiving dialysis.
Lesley was a former major league baseball player for the Cincinnati Reds and Milwaukee Brewers from 1982-1985. He later became a television personality in Japan after playing two seasons for the Hankyu Braves. The Japanese loved his style.
He was known for his well-known performances such as Ajimaru "Animal" Resry in the Japanese game show, Takeshi‘s Castle where he would participate in such games as "Devil‘s Domain", "Stuck Up" and his own game "Animal Bang".
Lesley also worked in the films A Boy Called Hate (1995), Buddy (1997), Big Monster on Campus (2000), Brother (2000) and the FX series Son of the Beach (2001).
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.
