GECs
IFFLA announces 2005 movie line-up
MUMBAI: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Black will be the first film to be showcased at this year’s edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA ) which will kick off on 20 April. IFFLA is the US festival dedicated to presenting the cinema of India by showcasing films by Indian and international filmmakers.
The event will close on 24 April with Bharatbala’s Hari Om. IFFLA will take place at ArcLight Hollywood (6360 Sunset Blvd), the official home of the festival.
“This year’s programme includes a number of exciting discoveries from truly independent to regional to Bollywood films,” said IFFLA festival director Christina Marouda. “We are particularly proud to offer Los Angeles premieres of some of the finest recent examples of Indian cinema,” added IFFLA programmer in India Uma Da Cunha.
IFFLA 2005 has lined up panel discussions, special movie screenings and live performances in the five-day long event. This will also include 11 US movie premieres and five world premieres. The event will attempt to present a clear idea to the world on Indian cinema and culture with the screening of 30 special films.
A panel discussion on “Co-producing with India: The new frontier for international production” will be attended by personalities such as Mark Burton of WonderFilms, Anand Desai, DSK Legal, India and Dileep Singh of OTR Productions. The session, moderated by Blueprint Artist Management’s Alpita Patel, will be held on 23 April at 4:30 PM
IFFLA will also host jury and audience choice competitions for best feature, documentary and short films. The jurors will include: Mira Advani, Radha Mitchell and Cheng-Sim Lim for features; Gotham Chopra, Paul Wolansky and Catherine Park for shorts; Noel DA Souza, Parminder Nagra and Vinay Lal for documentaries.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera… connection because this time, the game isn’t just about winning, it’s about who’s with you. Sony Pictures Networks India is gearing up to launch a new reality game show, Tum Ho Naa, expanding its unscripted slate with a format that promises both emotion and engagement.
The show will premiere soon on Sony Entertainment Television and stream on Sony LIV, with Rajeev Khandelwal stepping in as host. Known for his measured screen presence and selective choices, Khandelwal’s return to television adds a layer of familiarity and credibility to the upcoming format.
While specific details of the gameplay remain under wraps, the positioning suggests a reality format that leans as much on emotional resonance as it does on competition, an increasingly popular blend in Indian television, where audiences are gravitating towards content that offers both stakes and storytelling.
Khandelwal, reflecting on his return, noted that his choices have often been guided by instinct rather than convention, describing Tum Ho Naa as a project that feels “close to the heart”. His association also signals Sony’s continued focus on anchoring new formats with recognisable faces who bring both relatability and depth.
The launch comes at a time when broadcasters are doubling down on original non-fiction formats to drive appointment viewing, even as digital platforms expand parallel reach. By placing the show across both linear television and OTT, Sony appears to be aiming for a dual-audience strategy capturing traditional viewers while engaging digital-first consumers.
As the countdown to premiere begins, Tum Ho Naa positions itself not just as another game show, but as a reminder that sometimes, the biggest prize on screen isn’t the jackpot, it’s the journey shared along the way.
