International
Books to read before they hit Indian theatres in 2014
MUMBAI: Here’s the review of the third book in the 10-part series that features the books being adapted into Hollywood movies in the year 2014.
Winter’s Tale – Mark Helprin
This Valentine Day, believe in miracles…
Starring Golden Globe award winner Colin Farrell (Alexander, In Brudges) and Jessica Brown Findlay (Downton Abbey), the live action motion picture adaptation of Mark Helprin’s bestselling 1983 romantic fantasy epic will soon make your Valentine Day getaway a New York City adventure. The film adaptation of the classic 1983 novel by Mark Helprin vacillates between 1916 and present-day Manhattan.
Take your Valentine on a journey to New York of the Belle Epoque and follow the journey of Peter Lake (Farrell), a thief who falls in love with Beverly Penn (Brown Findlay), a dying girl who has tuberculosis and occupies one of the houses he breaks into. Lake is saved from the insane Irish gangster Pearly Soames, played by Academy Award winner Russell Crowe (Gladiator) and his henchmen by Athansor, a mysterious white horse who becomes his guardian angel. Thus begins the love between the middle-aged Irishman and Beverly Penn, a young girl who is dying.
Academy Award winning director Avika Goldsman (A Beautiful Mind) called this film his passion project resulting in him producing and writing the screenplay for it.
The Newsday called the book, “a gifted writer’s love affair with the language”. On Good Reads, Winter’s Tale has a ranking of 4.05 based on 9,318 ratings.
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Soon after its release, Winter’s Tale was praised on the front cover of the New York Times Book Review (NYTBR), courtesy Benjamin De Mott. It was thought to be “funny, thoughtful, passionate and large-souled”.
Winter’s Tale will cast its romantic magical spell in India next Friday, 14 February.
(Watch out for the next one to add to your booklist…!)
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.
