Hindi
Filmmaker Mike Pandey calls for more support to documentaries
NEW DELHI: Eminent filmmaker Mike Pandey, who was awarded the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award at the inauguration of the Mumbai International Film Festival for Documentary, short and animation films, feels a filmmaker‘s role in society is to share information that brings about a change and “that is what I constantly aspire to do through my films”.
Pandey said during a press meet at the MIFF Media Centre in Mumbai today that “Documentary films are the backbone of a country and the Indian documentary film scene is now finally emerging after overcoming a stagnant period”.
He said the government had also realised the importance of documentary films and informed media that a half-hour documentary chunk had been made available on Doordarshan. He said these films need to be supported by the state and central governments, people, as well as media.
Digital technologies had opened a whole new vista of opportunities and had been responsible in broadbasing filmmaking, he said, adding that powerful and informative short films are being made using even the mobile phone camera.
Pandey highlighted the need to make the documentary films entertaining as well, if the viewer‘s interests have to be sustained. He said the docu-drama format has opened many possibilities in this regard, as can be seen from the popularity of the History Channel.
MIFF 2012 Festival Director Shankar Mohan underlined the commitment of the Ministry of the Information and Broadcasting Ministry to promote documentary and short films.
He said the Indian section of the competition has been reintroduced at MIFF 2012 to encourage documentary films by Indian film makers. Mohan also informed that the Prize money had been almost doubled.
International Film Festival of India director Mohan has been asked to step in as Director of MIFF as Films Division Chief Producer Bankim Kapadia retired on 31 January.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
