International
Chinese censors clip Cloud Atlas by 40 minutes
MUMBAI: Chinese viewers of Cloud Atlas will have to make do with a version that’s missing 40 minutes from the original shown everywhere else in the world.
According to reports in the Chinese media, Cloud Atlas released in Beijing last Monday night in a 130-minute cut much shorter than the 169-minute version released worldwide (including Hong Kong, which sustains a film censorship system independent from mainland China). It is however understood that the film’s directing trio Andy Wachowski, his sister Lanaand and Germany’s Tom Tykwer were not involved in the re-edit.
Speaking to the Chinese press before the film’s premiere, they said that they acknowledged the constraints of releasing the film in China, but they trusted the editing qualities of the film’s Chinese co-producers, Dreams of the Dragon Pictures.
A report in the Shanghai-based Dongfang Daily had reported that expository sequences and passionate love scenes were edited out from the film which opens in China on 31 January while gory sequences depicting a character being shot in the head or another having his throat slit remained.
At the center of this screen adaptation of novelist David Mitchell’s multi-stranded Cloud Atlas is a romantic relationship between budding composer Robert Frobisher (played by Ben Whishaw) and his Cambridge schoolmate Rufus Sixsmith (James D’Arcy) – and it is high likely that scenes from this thread were left off the Chinese version of the film, as same-sex romances remain a taboo for Chinese censors.
In another scene, set in a 22nd century Korean city called Neo-Seoul, a human-replicant waitress (played by Chinese actress Zhou Xun) is shown having sex with her foreman, an image which could run into problems with the authorities.
Cloud Atlas is the second foreign production bowing in China in a censored version in as many weeks. Skyfall, which was released in the country last Monday, was released with a scene of the killing of a Chinese doorman cut out and subtitles which obscured the on-screen lines about a prostitution ring in Macau and torture meted out by Chinese intelligence services.
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.
