Hindi
IFFI to pay tribute to Pran
MUMBAI: The 44th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held in Goa from 20-30 November will pay tribute to the veteran actor Pran. The legendary Bollywood villain passed away in July this year. The festival will witness the screening of three of his most popular films – Jis Desh Main Ganga Behti Hai, Madhumati and Zanjeer.
A true legend of Indian cinema, Pran defined the villain in Hindi cinema for over a decade and more in the 1960s and set the benchmark for the on-screen baddie, before carving out an equally glorious career as a character/supporting actor. As a film villain, such was the terror he infused in the hearts of film-goers that the apocryphal story goes that for over twenty years, when he ruled the world of cinema as a villain, no family in north India named a child ‘Pran’.
Pran’s son Sunil Sikand and daughter Pinky Bhalla will be present for the screening. The film will be screened on the third and fourth day of the festival. Pran’s wife Shukla Sikand is also slated to attend the screening.
IFFI director Shankar Mohan says, “As per the festival’s tradition, IFFI pays tribute to noted film personalities who passed away in the year preceding the festival. IFFI invites their family members, friends and well-wishers to attend the screenings of the artiste’s best works.”
Last year, a special homage was paid to Yash Chopra at the festival.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
