Hindi
KASHISH 2023 introduces Ismat Chughtai Award
Mumbai: The fourteenth KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQ+ film festival, announced institution of a new award from this year – the Ismat Chughtai Award for Best Indian Woman Filmmaker, instituted in memory of eminent Indian Urdu novelist, short story writer, liberal humanist and filmmaker Ismat Chughtai, by her grandson and filmmaker Ashish Sawhny.
“I am delighted to partner with KASHISH, after 13 years of having many of my films screened, being part of panels and supporting the festival as best as possible. It was my Nani – Ismat Chughtai, the liberal feminist writer & filmmaker who gave me wings to fly. Hence, the idea to institute an award, especially for women filmmakers in her honour, seemed like a great match, and I hope this encourages more diversity and representation amongst our filmmakers”, said Ashish Sawhny.
Founder festival director Sridhar Rangayan said, “This award is an attempt to acknowledge and encourage Indian women filmmakers to tell path-breaking narratives infused with progressive, positive viewpoints. We also wanted to encourage gender parity in filmmaking, which in India is still woefully lacking. And Ismat Chughtai ji’s works like Lihaaf will definitely inspire more women filmmakers to make films on LGBTQ+ focused films”.
The five women filmmaker nominees are Akanksha (film Road Blocked Ahead), Anisha Sharma (film Beach), Kamya N (film Lailaa Manju), Kartika Nainan Dubey (film Oas) and Preeti Kanungo (film Malwa Khushan). Their films push the narratives beyond patriarchy and genders.
The winner will receive a KASHISH Golden Butterfly Trophy and cash award of Rs 20,000 supported by Ashish Sawhny.
KASHISH 2023 will screen 110 films from 41 countries, out of which 40 films are in competition in ten categories.
Registrations for attending the festival can be found at https://insider.in/kashish-2023-jun7-2023/event
Hindi
Marico founder Harsh Mariwala’s book Harsh Realities set for film adaptation
Almighty Motion Picture taps Karan Vyas to script Marico story
MUMBAI: Almighty Motion Picture is turning its lens on India Inc., with plans to adapt Harsh Realities: The Making of Marico into a screen project. The story charts the rise of Harsh Mariwala, the chairman and founder of Marico, and is currently in early development, according to a report by Variety.
Writer Karan Vyas, known for his work on Scam 1992, Scoop and Made in India – A Titan Story, is attached to pen the screenplay. The project continues the studio’s growing interest in real-life Indian narratives that blend business with human drama.
At the heart of the story lies a defining moment in 1987, when Mariwala chose to step away from the family-run Bombay Oil Industries and strike out on his own. What followed was not just the creation of a company, but the reinvention of a legacy. Marico would go on to become a global FMCG player, with brands like Parachute, Saffola, Set Wet and Livon becoming household names, reaching nearly one in three Indians.
The source material, co-authored by Mariwala and renowned business strategist Ram Charan, offers more than a boardroom chronicle. It captures the grit behind the growth, the risks behind the rewards and the leadership lessons forged along the way.
The adaptation aims to move beyond balance sheets and brand milestones, focusing instead on the person behind the enterprise. Expect a narrative that leans into the emotional stakes of entrepreneurship, where decisions are as personal as they are professional.
Today, Marico draws about a quarter of its revenue from international markets across Asia and Africa, reflecting its steady transformation from a domestic player into a multinational force. Yet, if the makers have their way, the screen version will remind audiences that every global success story begins with a leap of faith.
With development set to begin soon, this is one business story that may just trade spreadsheets for storytelling, and profit margins for moments that linger
