Hindi
Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again
MUMBAI: Four months after Pakistan stopped screening Hindi films in its cinemas responding to Bollywood’s unofficial ban on Pakistani artistes following the Uri attack, Pakistan is again attempting to allow screening as theatre-owners are bleeding financially.
PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) had then banned Indian TV channels and entertainment programmes and cinema hall owners decided not to screen Bollywood films, the Times of India reported.
Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted a panel to consider a request by distributors and theatre-owners to resume the import of Bollywood films. Distributors are hoping to get the permission before SRK’s ‘Raees’ releases on 25 January.
The Sharif committee is headed by minister of state for information Maryum Aurangzeb and includes the secretary of commerce, advisor to the PM on national history and literary heritage and a representative of ISI.
Films from India are in the list of items banned in Pakistan. But, the commerce ministry, under the import policy order, had issued NOCs (no-objection certificates) at per information ministry request thus allowing the import of 2-3 Indian films each month.
Sources told the Hindu that business in cinema halls in Pakistan was down after the unofficial ban on Indian movies and revenues had fallen up to 75 per cent in some theatres. Around 50 per cent of workers in halls lost their jobs. Bollywood films are also widely available through pirated DVDs in Pakistan.
Atrium Cinema owner in Karachi Nadeem Mandviwalla had earlier said that 70 per cent of their business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood. He said that they could only survive a temporary suspension, and not a continued one.
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Hindi
AI directors take the spotlight at India AI Impact Summit
LTM, NFDC and Waves Bazaar curate first AI Cinema Showcase with human-hearted films.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera, algorithm action! India’s film scene is about to get a futuristic twist as artificial intelligence steps into the director’s chair (well, sort of) at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. LTM, in partnership with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Waves Bazaar, is rolling out the AI Cinema Showcase under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s watchful eye. The event runs from 16 to 20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, pulling in policymakers, tech innovators, global creators and crucially storytellers who’ve already let AI into their edit suites.
This isn’t about robots churning out blockbusters overnight. The showcase spotlights a hand-picked collection of short films made by Indian filmmakers solo creators, collectives, studios and even students who’ve used AI as a genuine creative collaborator rather than a shortcut. Every selected piece has been judged on narrative punch, artistic vision, cinematic polish and, importantly, responsible AI use. The lucky films will screen in the sleek Immersive Room AI Theatre inside the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting pavilion.
The move builds on last year’s momentum, back in November 2025 at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, the same trio Waves Film Bazaar, LTM and NFDC staged India’s debut AI Film Festival and Hackathon. That experiment proved there’s real appetite for exploring where code meets creativity.
By bringing the conversation into the cultural spotlight, the AI Cinema Showcase aims to nudge discussions beyond dry policy papers and tech specs into something far more human, how emerging tools can amplify storytelling without drowning out the soul. It’s part of a bigger push for ethical, human-centred AI that keeps the artist firmly in the driving seat.
So while the rest of the summit debates algorithms and governance, this corner of Bharat Mandapam will be quietly proving that the future of Indian cinema might just feature a very clever co-writer, one that never asks for coffee breaks. Catch the screenings if you’re in Delhi next week; who knows, you might spot the next big twist coming from a prompt rather than a pen.
