Movies
Harbhajan Mann’s Punjabi film to release on 29 May
NEW DELHI: Punjabi singer-turned-actor Harbhajan Mann will soon be seen in the suspense Punjabi thriller Gadaar-The Traitor, which is slated to release on 29 May.
Talking about the film, Mann said, “It is always good to play with characters as people have a tendency to get bored with things after a point of time. It is very important to entertain people with something different each time.”
Directed by Amitoj Mann and produced by Sumeet Singh, the film also stars Evelyn Sharma and Manpreet Grewal.
The film is produced under the banner of Saga-Unisys Infosolutions and Grandsons Films and will have a fresh concept amidst comedy and romance.
Mann said that the movie is likely to break stereotypes of storylines that has been set for so long and will be a complete package of action, romance, suspense and thrills.
Mann will portray a character named Jay Singh, who is an adventurous business tycoon.
The German model turned actress Evelyn Sharma’s looks and talent paved ways for more more roles in Bollywood. Sharma said, “My acting has grown as I have done many Hindi films. No doubt it was difficult but at the end of the day you are happy because you end up learning something new and delivering Punjabi dialogues was like a challenge for me. It is not everyone’s cup of tea. Your past experience makes you confident enough to take the challenge and it ultimately helps you to realise your potential.”
Grewal, who won the title Miss Australian Punjaban in 2012, will be debuting in the film as the female lead playing the character of a journalist. “This is my very first movie that too as a lead so I was actually shocked and excited at the same when the director approached me for the role. Also the character I am playing is very challenging and working with such great people in your first film is itself an opportunity to learn so many things from them,” she said.
Amitoj Mann, who has directed films like Haani, Hawayein,Kaafila and many music videos said, “It is time to change the face of Punjabi cinema and with this film, the audience will see more than just romance and love. The film has action, romance, suspense and thrill. It is a film that can potentially open more doors for other film makers. The audience will see good, clean cinema with thought-provoking and tastefully done stories.”
The film is shot in locations of Punjab, Goa, Mumbai and Toronto.
Movies
Green Gold Animation creates CG character for Telugu film Rākāsā
Chhota Bheem studio expands into mainstream VFX with dialogue-free digital lead.
MUMBAI: Green Gold Animation, the house that gave India Chhota Bheem, is now stepping out of the kids’ zone and into the big screen with a rather silent but powerful performer. The Hyderabad-based studio’s VFX division has delivered a fully computer-generated character for the upcoming Telugu-language comedy-fantasy thriller Rākāsā, set for theatrical release on 3 April 2026. Directed by Manasa Sharma and produced by Niharika Konidela under Pink Elephant Pictures in collaboration with Zee Studios, the film marks a notable move for Green Gold into complex, character-driven work for mainstream cinema.
What makes the project stand out is its ambitious central character, a completely digital creation that does not speak a single line. Instead, the character relies entirely on animation, movement, facial expressions and body language to convey emotion and connect with audiences. This is a relatively unexplored approach in Telugu cinema at this scale.
Green Gold’s VFX team was involved from early pre-production through to final delivery, completing over 750 CG shots with a team of more than 100 artists. The work included detailed character animation, performance design and fluid simulations, all executed within tight timelines and practical budgets through strong planning and close collaboration.
Green Gold Animation founder & CEO Rajiv Chilaka said the project pushed the team to approach character creation differently. “Building a fully digital character where every emotion had to come through performance and detailing was very meaningful,” he noted.
Green Gold VFX supervisor and VFX creative director Murali Manohar Reddy added that the emotional depth had to be communicated entirely through visual performance. “This wasn’t about reinventing technology, but about using our tools and processes with precision to serve the story,” he said.
Producer Niharika Konidela praised the collaboration, saying the Green Gold VFX team understood the vision and brought strong detail and emotion to the character while working within practical constraints.
The film blends humour, action and mythological elements, following an NRI protagonist on a chaotic and magical adventure. It stars Sangeet Shobhan, Nayan Sarika, Vennela Kishore, Brahmaji and Ashish Vidyarthi, with music by Anudeep Dev.
For a studio best known for colourful kids’ animation, delivering a silent, emotionally expressive CG lead for a mainstream theatrical release is quite the plot twist. With Rākāsā, Green Gold Animation is quietly proving it can speak volumes even without dialogue.
