Hindi
Justice takes the spotlight as Junglee Pictures screens haq
MUMBAI: Justice found its stage and the stars took the stand as Junglee Pictures hosted an exclusive screening of its upcoming legal drama Haq in New Delhi. The evening saw a rare confluence of cinema and statesmanship, with union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and Kiren Rijiju, Delhi lieutenant governor VK Saxena, former chief justice of India DY Chandrachud, and Times Group managing director Vineet Jain gracing the red carpet at The Chanakya Mall.
Directed by Suparn S Varma, Haq stars Yami Gautam Dhar and Emraan Hashmi in a gripping tale inspired by a landmark supreme court judgment. The film explores the collision between personal faith and secular law, tackling patriarchy and power while celebrating justice and equality. Written by Reshu Nath, it’s the kind of story that lingers long after the credits roll, a mix of emotion, courage, and conversation.
Produced by Junglee Pictures in association with Insomnia Films and Baweja Studios, Haq also features a compelling debut by Vartika Singh alongside Sheeba Chaddha, Danish Hussain, and Aseem Hattangady.
From the first half alone, the film struck a chord with its audience. “It’s not just about women’s empowerment but about justice denied because of personal laws. Everybody should see this movie,” said Hardeep Singh Puri. Union minister Kiren Rijiju added, “The film carries a message that shouldn’t be limited to the screen, every Indian should watch it.”
Former CJI DY Chandrachud called the screening “an emotional and personal moment,” reflecting on the historic judgment that inspired the narrative. “The rights given to women can’t be taken away, they are vindicated in law and in spirit,” he said.
Echoing the sentiment, Times Group MD Vineet Jain remarked, “There are two kinds of films, the purely entertaining and those that make you think while entertaining. Haq is both.”
Set to release in cinemas worldwide on 7 November, Haq promises to be more than just another courtroom drama, it’s a stirring plea for justice, equality, and the courage to question.
Hindi
Remembering Gyan Sahay, the lens behind film, television and advertising
From a puppet rabbit selling poppadums to Hindi cinema, he framed it all.
MUMBAI: There are careers, and then there are canvases. Gyan Sahay, the veteran cinematographer, director, and producer who passed away on 10 March 2026 in Mumbai, had one of the latter. Over several decades in the Indian film and television industry, he turned lenses, lights, and the occasional puppet rabbit into something approaching art.
A graduate of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) in Pune, Sahay built his reputation as a director of photography across a career that stretched from the early 1970s all the way to the digital age. He was the kind of craftsman who understood that a well-composed shot is not merely a technical achievement but a quiet act of storytelling.
For most Indians of a certain age, however, Sahay will forever be the man behind the rabbit. His direction of the iconic long-running television commercial for Lijjat Papad, featuring its now-legendary puppet bunny, gave the country one of its most cheerfully persistent advertising images. It was the sort of work that sneaks into the national subconscious and takes up permanent residence.
His big-screen credits as cinematographer include Anokhi Pehchan (1972), Pagli (1974), Pas de Deux (1981), and Hum Farishte Nahin (1988). In 1999, he stepped behind a different kind of camera altogether, making his directorial debut with Sar Ankhon Par, a drama that featured Vikas Bhalla and Shruti Ulfat, with a cameo by Shah Rukh Khan for good measure.
On television, Sahay was particularly prized for his command of multi-camera production setups, a skill that made him a go-to technician for large-scale shows and reality programmes. In an industry that has never been especially patient with complexity, he was the calm hand on the rig.
In later life, Sahay turned teacher. He participated regularly in masterclasses and Digi-Talks, often hosted by organisations such as Bharatiya Chitra Sadhna, sharing hard-won wisdom on cinematography, the comedy of timing in a shot, and the sweeping changes brought by the shift from celluloid to digital. He was also said to have been involved in a project concerning a biographical film on Infosys co-founder N.R. Narayana Murthy.
Tributes from the film industry poured in following the news of his passing, with colleagues remembering him as a senior cameraman who served as a rare bridge between two entirely different eras of Indian cinema. That is, perhaps, the finest thing one can say of any craftsman: he kept up, and he brought others along with him.
