Hindi
Govt to convene meeting in Feb to study problems of indie filmmakers
NEW DELHI: Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari has decided to call a meeting of independent filmmakers in February to discuss various issues being faced by them including lack of finance and high ticket prices.
Tewari gave this assurance to a delegation of independent filmmakers which met him late last week. He asked the filmmakers to list out their grievances in detail.
The delegation was represented by Onir, Anusha Rizvi and Shonali Bose who met him with a “Save Indie Cinema” petition jointly filled by 45 award winning film makers and signed by close to 18,000 people.
The petition speaks about the threats that New Wave independent filmmakers in the country face. One of the concerns is non availability of resources to exhibit their films. “High ticket pricing that is inappropriate for small budget films, inadequate number of shows and odd show timings further destroy the possibility of regional and Hindi cinema to have any proper chance at being viewed. It defies logic that a Rs 1.5 billion film and a Rs 150 million film are priced by the multiplexes in the same manner,” the petition says.
“We the petitioners hope that the Information and Broadcasting Ministry will take due notice of our petition and help independent film professionals and independent cinema to tell stories that would otherwise be neglected and would make us a poorer society for that,” said Anush Rizvi.
Oscar Award and National Award winning Sound Engineer Resul Pookutty; National Award winning film makers Anant Mahadevan, Aparna Sen, Ashim Ahluwalia, Buddhadev Das Gupta, Girish Kasaravalli, Rituparno Ghosh, actor and producer Nandita Das, Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri are some of the petitioners.
Ashim Ahluwalia asserts that the biggest struggle for Indian independent film makers is in India itself. “It’s not the audience that prevents films from being seen but distributors, theater owners and TV channels, that only operate from the most simplistic belief: that cinema is a product and can be nothing else,” he says.
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.
