Movies
IFFI 2024: Gullu wins big in 48-hour short filmmaking challenge
tireless yet unforgettable hours – this was the scene at Maquinez Palace today during the closing ceremony of Creative Minds of Tomorrow (CMOT), held in the Fifty fifth International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
CMOT has emerged as a leading platform for discovering and nurturing India’s most promising young filmmakers. This year marked a significant milestone, with the program expanding to include 100 young talents across 13 filmmaking disciplines, a notable increase from the 75 participants and 10 crafts featured in previous editions. The initiative garnered an overwhelming response, receiving nearly 1,070 entries from across India, showcasing their talents in 13 film-related trades.
A highlight of the event was the 48-Hour filmmaking challenge where participants, divided into five teams of 20 members each, created short films centred around the theme “Relationships in the Age of Technology”. The challenge took place from 21-23 November, across 12 locations within a four-kilometer radius of Panjim, which tested the team’s creativity and resilience.
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This year, the winners of the 48-hour Filmmaking Challenge at CMOT were
1. Best Film: Gullu
Best Film (Runners-up): We Hear the Same Music
2. Best Director: Arshaly Jose (Gullu)
3. Best Script: Adhiraj Bose (Lovepix Subscription)
4. Best Actress: Vishakha Nair (Lovepix Subscription)
5. Best Actor: Pushpendra Kumar (Gullu)
Arshaly Jose, who won the best director award, expressed her gratitude, saying,: “This achievement belongs to my entire team. The script was the true hero of our film, and the moment I read it, I knew we had something special. Working with this exceptional team has been an unforgettable experience.”
The young talents were mentored by the previous year’s CMOT alumni who were invited as CMOT Champions – Chidananda Naik, Akhil Lotlikar, Subarna Dash, Akshita Vohra and Krishna Dusane.
Information and broadcasting ministry secretary Sanjay Jaju said: “To produce such exemplary films within 48 hours under immense pressure is an achievement in itself. Every participant here is a winner.” He further emphasized: “This year, we have dedicated IFFI to legends- of the past and of the future, represented by the youth of our country. Initiatives like CMOT, Film Bazaar, and the Red Carpet provide a gateway for aspiring filmmakers to realize their dreams.”
Actor Amit Sadh, also present at the ceremony, praised IFFI for bringing the film industry’s opportunities directly to young filmmakers and actors from across the nation. The event was graced by several dignitaries, including Neerja Sekhar, special secretary of the ministry of information and broadcasting; Prithul Kumar, joint secretary of broadcasting and MD, NFDC; Vrunda Desai, joint secretary of films, and Apurva Chandra, former secretary of the ministry of I&B. Acclaimed writer and grand jury Member Samrat Chakraborty also attended the event.
As the winners were announced amidst an enthusiastic crowd, Shorts International founder & CEO Carter Pilcher lauded the participants, remarking, “the quality and content of the films produced this year are brilliant and outstanding.”
Organised in collaboration with UK-based network Shorts International, the 48-hour filmmaking challenge offered a unique opportunity for young filmmakers to test their creativity, storytelling skills and teamwork under intense time constraints. Shorts TV also took on the task of the entire pre-production, production and post production of these films at CMOT.
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.
