Hindi
Ex Indian journalist launches production company Ghumantu Pictures
Mumbai: After working on award-winning international and multilingual media productions across the world, former Indian journalist & independent filmmaker, Prerana Thakurdesai has launched her own film production company – Ghumantu Pictures. The New York based company will specialise in creating art that elevates innovation in filmmaking, undiscovered ideas and culturally authentic storytelling.
The title of the company alludes to Prerana’s nomadic and colorful childhood as an armed services kid, and her passion of unveiling stories from nooks and corners of the world as a journalist and filmmaker. At a time when Indian documentaries are gaining international attention, Ghumantu Pictures aims to be the creator that bridges the gap between India and the rest of the world through the power of art that intersects with transcontinental ideas. “This moment of exploration is here to stay. We will continue to explore each other’s lives, cultures and minds. Ghumantu Pictures will be a collaborative and equitable vehicle that aims to go deeper into finding meaning and linking it to entertainment,” said Prerana.
The newly formed production company has already secured its first co-production, which will premiere in summer 2023. The Last Ecstatic Days is a transformative feature documentary film set in Asheville, North Carolina, about conscious dying. The film follows the journey of Ethan Sisser, a young dying man who uses viral social media posts to create an incredible death care community in real life, led by an Indian American doctor. Directed by Scott Kirschenbaum, The Last Ecstatic Days is executive produced by David Seidler, Oscar-winning writer of The King’s Speech; Tommy Pallotta, Emmy Award-winning producer of Waking Life, A Scanner Darkly, and Apollo 10½: A Space Age Childhood; Dr. Jessica Zitter, palliative care expert, New York Times writer and the subject of the Oscar-nominated documentary Extremis; & boasts of original soundtrack by Grammy & Golden Globe-winning composer, Alex Ebert.
Hindi
Rashmika Mandanna, Shanaya Kapoor and Naila Grrewal climb IMDb’s Indian celebrity rankings
Upcoming films and returning shows are driving fan interest across Bollywood and streaming
MUMBAI: Bollywood’s popularity contest has a new weekly scorecard, and the numbers are telling. IMDb’s Popular Indian Celebrities list for this week places Shanaya Kapoor at number six, buoyed by buzz around her film Tu Yaa Main. Naila Grrewal slots in at seven on the back of the returning comedy series Maamla Legal Hai, while Rashmika Mandanna climbs to eighth, riding mounting anticipation for Cocktail 2.
The list, available exclusively on the IMDb app for Android and iOS, tracks trending Indian entertainers and filmmakers each week, drawing on data from more than 200m monthly visits to the platform worldwide.
Further down the rankings, Raaka is keeping two of its biggest names in the spotlight. Deepika Padukone holds 11th position, with Allu Arjun close behind at 13th, as the film continues to find traction with audiences.
The list offers fans a weekly pulse on who is breaking through, who is holding steady, and who is fading. It is a barometer as unsparing as the box office itself.
