Hindi
Film Bazaar to have a romance screenwriters’ lab
NEW DELHI: The Film Bazaar that will be held to coincide with the International Film Festival of India will this year feature a romance screenwriters’ lab with six scripts in the romance genre mentored by leading Indian filmmakers and writers.
Another new feature at the Bazaar this year is the film offices for various states of the country for their film promotion and tourism boards, and film commissions for them to introduce their delegates to the visiting delegates, National Film Development Corporation managing director Neena Lath Gupta, which organises the Bazaar told indiantelevision.com.
The Bazaar will be held from 20 to 24 November at the Marriott Resort in Panaji, Goa. The Festival itself is being held from 20 to 30 November.
Other sections include exhibition stalls for showcasing products and meetings with other delegates, screenwriters’ lab which will also have six scripts; and a producers’ lab for producers to learn the facets of production from leading Indian and international producers.
There will be a co-production market for South Asian stories with international appeal that can go for pitching to international market delegates; industry screenings which are aimed at exclusive film screenings at digital theatres for investors, buyers and festival programmes from other festivals in India and overseas; and the viewing room meant for latest film projects that are meant for festival placement and sales or finishing funds.
In addition, the Bazaar for which entries are still open, will have networking events where discussions are held informally over tea or meals, work-in-progress labs for films that in rough-cut stage, NFDC knowledge series lectures by renowned film personalities, and a branding opportunity for those get themselves associated with the Bazaar which gets delegates from all over the globe.
Aspiring film delegates include buyers and exhibitors, those looking for co-production opportunities, heads or representatives of International Film Festivals, film producers, and members of film distribution bodies.
Hindi
ZEE5, Applause announce new film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa
Rajat Kapoor’s dark comedy thriller to stream on ZEE5 from April 10
MUMBAI: ZEE5 and Applause Entertainment have announced their next direct-to-digital collaboration, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a darkly comic whodunnit set to stream from April 10.
Produced in association with Mithya Talkies and written and directed by Rajat Kapoor, the film marks the latest addition to a growing slate of genre-diverse titles from the two partners. Their previous collaborations include dramas, psychological thrillers and dark comedies, with this outing leaning into a layered murder mystery.
The film features an ensemble cast including Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa and Saurabh Shukla, among others. The narrative promises a mix of satire, strained relationships and hidden tensions, inviting viewers to look beyond the crime to the dynamics that lead up to it.
ZEE5 business head hindi and chief channel officer Andtv Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has been instrumental in building a strong slate with titles such as Bloody Brothers, Mithya and Jab Khuli Kitaab. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, aligning with our focus on genre-led content that resonates with audiences.”
Applause Entertainment business head movies Sunil Chainani said, “This collaboration with ZEE5 continues to stand out for its diversity of genres and narrative styles. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa adds a sharp, darkly comic whodunnit to that mix, driven by Rajat Kapoor’s distinct voice.”
Sharing his creative approach, Rajat Kapoor said he was drawn to the emotional layers behind the genre. “I was interested not just in the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who appear close, yet carry unspoken tensions that eventually surface.”
The partnership between ZEE5 and Applause continues to build on a shared focus on distinctive storytelling, with each project exploring a different tone and genre.
With its mix of humour, tension and ensemble storytelling, the film aims to offer more than just a mystery. It promises a closer look at the secrets people keep, and the consequences when they finally come to light.
