Hindi
Indian short film Kush in Oscar race
MUMBAI: It’s always a proud moment for the Bollywood industry when any movie enters the race to the Oscars. Walking on those lines, Indian director Shubhashish Bhutiani’s short film Kush has been short-listed by the Academy for 10 live-action shorts that will advance in the Oscar race.
Three or five films out of these 10 films will be selected for Oscar nomination by the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch members.
Kush, a 25 minute film, stars Sonika Chopra, Shayaan Sameer and Anil Sharma. It has been produced by Shubhashish’s father Sanjay Bhutiani through their Red Carpet Moving Pictures banner.
Bhutiani made the film, inspired by a true story, for his graduation project at New York’s School of Visual Arts.
The film’s story takes place during the riots that followed the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984. The story revolves around a school picnic where a teacher is trying to protect Kush, the only Sikh child in the group from the violence raging around them.
To top it all, Kush won the Orizzonti Award for Best Short Film at the 70th Venice International Film Festival 2013 and jury prize at Hamptons International Film Festival.
The other nine short listed films include ‘Aquel No Era Yo’ (That Wasn’t Me) by director Esteban Crespo, ‘Avant Que De Tout Perdre’ (Just before Losing Everything) by director Xavier Legrand, ‘Dva’ (Two) by Mickey Nedimovic, ‘Helium’ by director Anders Walter, ‘Throat Song’ by director Miranda de Pencier, ‘Tiger Boy’ by Gabriele Mainetti, ‘The Voorman Problem’ by Mark Gill, ‘Pitaako Mun Kaikki Hoitaa?’ (Do I Have to Take Care of Everything?) by Selma Vilhunen and ‘Record/Play’ by Jesse Atlas.
The Short Films and Feature Animation Branch Reviewing Committee viewed all the eligible entries for the preliminary round of voting at screenings held in Los Angeles. Branch screenings will be held in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco in December.
The 86th Academy Awards nominations will be announced on 16 January while the Oscar ceremony will take place on 2 March, 2014 at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood and Highland Center.
Hindi
Zee5 and Applause Entertainment team up for whodunnit ‘Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa’
Rajat Kapoor directs star-studded murder mystery streaming from 10 April.
MUMBAI: Zee5 is serving up another killer collaboration and this time, the murder mystery comes with a generous side of dark humour and family dysfunction. The streaming platform has partnered with Applause Entertainment and Mithya Talkies to bring Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a fresh, twisted whodunnit written and directed by acclaimed filmmaker and actor Rajat Kapoor. The film will stream exclusively on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
The movie reimagines the classic murder mystery genre with a contemporary, darkly comic edge. It revolves around a group of friends and family who smile, drink, and celebrate together until the silence snaps and long-buried secrets spill out. The stellar ensemble cast includes Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa, Saurabh Shukla, Chandrachoor Rai, Neil Bhoopalam, Koel Purie, Palomi Ghosh, and Rajat Kapoor himself.
This latest offering continues the successful partnership between Zee5 and Applause Entertainment, which has previously delivered diverse hits such as Mithya, Bloody Brothers, and Jab Khuli Kitaab.
&TV Business Head of hindi Zee5 and chief channel officer Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has consistently delivered distinct, high-impact storytelling. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, reinforcing our focus on genre-led content with a compelling whodunnit premise and a strong ensemble cast.”
Applause Entertainment business head for movies Sunil Chainani added, “This film adds yet another compelling layer to our slate with Rajat Kapoor’s unmistakable voice.”
Rajat Kapoor shared, “What interested me was not just the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who smile at each other, but there’s so much that is not said.”
The film promises razor-sharp writing, layered performances, and simmering tension, inviting viewers not just to solve the crime but to unravel the complex relationships at its heart.
If you love a good murder mystery served with wit and emotional depth, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa looks set to be your next addictive watch. Mark your calendars, the whodunnit drops on Hindi Zee5 from 10 April.
