Film Production
“Bun Tikki” to premiere at Palm Springs 2025, celebrating family & resilience
Mumbai: Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra’s Stage5 Production proudly announced the world premiere of “Bun Tikki” at the prestigious 36th Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) on 5 January 2025. Directed by debutant feature filmmaker Faraz Arif Ansari, the poignant coming-of-age drama stars Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, Abhay Deol, Nushrratt Bharuccha, and Rohaan Singh.
Set against the backdrop of societal challenges, “Bun Tikki” explores the tender relationship between seven-year-old Shanu and his single father, Sidhant. The narrative beautifully captures their journey through self-discovery, grief, and resilience. This emotional tale of love and identity promises to resonate with audiences globally, bringing universal themes of parenthood and empathy to the forefront.
Speaking about the premiere, Ansari shared, “It’s an absolute dream to have “Bun Tikki” debut at Palm Springs. This film is my love letter to the world—to every child, every parent, and everyone who believes in the transformative power of love, empathy, and kindness. I hope it sparks conversations that break barriers and bridge differences. My heartfelt thanks to Jio Studios and Manish Malhotra for believing in me and giving this story the platform it deserves.”
Produced by Jyoti Deshpande, Dinesh Malhotra, Marijke deSouza, and Manish Malhotra, “Bun Tikki” marks the second international outing for the Jio Studios-Stage5 Production collaboration, following the success of Saali Mohabbat at IFFI 2024. Reflecting their commitment to creating impactful cinema, the partnership continues to push boundaries with authentic storytelling that resonates across borders.
Stage5 Production founder, Manish Malhotra expressed his pride: “Seeing “Bun Tikki” premiere at Palm Springs is a truly special moment. This film challenges conventions and connects on a universal scale. I am incredibly proud of Faraz for bringing this vision to life and eagerly anticipate the world’s response to this heartfelt story.”
Reliance Industries president of media and entertainment, Jyoti Deshpande added, “ “Bun Tikki” is a testament to the power of storytelling to foster empathy and understanding. Supporting this film reflects our commitment to amplifying diverse voices and sharing narratives that challenge and inspire.”
The film stars legendary actors Shabana Azmi and Zeenat Aman, alongside Abhay Deol, Nushrratt Bharuccha, and Rohaan Singh. Ansari, known for their award-winning films Sisak and Sheer Qorma, brings their distinctive voice to this feature directorial debut. “Bun Tikki” continues their legacy of inclusive storytelling, offering a heartfelt portrayal of familial love and resilience.
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
