Hindi
Madras HC stays Aarakshan release
NEW MUMBAI: Even as the Madras High Court today directed an interim stay of Prakash Jha‘s Aarakshan for non-payment of dues, the film is to be screened before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Commission Chairman P L Punia said this here today after meeting Central Board of Film Certification Chairperson Leela Samson.
In Chennai, the stay by Justice Periyakaruppiah was granted after a civil suit was filed by Madhu Gupta and CG Photo Ltd for recovery of Rs 37.5 million in unpaid dues.
The petitioners had accused the filmmaker of not paying their dues and sought a stay on the release of the movie slated to be released on 12 August. The producer has not paid the money despite promise and the cheques given by him were reportedly dishonoured.
The film stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan with Saif Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone, Manoj Bajpayee and Prateik Babbar.
In Delhi, Punia said the film would be screened for the Commission, based on the outcome of the case in the Bombay High Court tomorrow. The commission wants to examine whether the film violates the provisions of the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Samson said that the Board was discussing all the issues with the Commission, but refused to divulge more since the matter was sub judice.
“The Commission has every right to be concerned about a matter of importance in the country. It has never said it wanted to interfere,” Samson said, adding, “We do not have any issue in discussing issues with it.”
Samson added, “The director Jha is right in saying that he won‘t be able to screen the movie for all. He‘s shown it to the right people, that is the CBFC.”
The CBFC passed the film without cuts with a U/A certificate as it felt the film was thought provoking. The certificate was awarded after an examining committee, set up with representatives from the Dalit, OBC, SC and ST community, reviewed the movie.
Pro-reservationists are up in arms against the film, saying it is anti-Dalit. However, Jha has repeatedly said at press meets that the film is only dealing with the commercialisation of education by institutions taking advantage of reservation. He has not spoken against reservation, which he and Bachchan said is a fact of life since the Supreme Court had upheld it.
Hindi
AI directors take the spotlight at India AI Impact Summit
LTM, NFDC and Waves Bazaar curate first AI Cinema Showcase with human-hearted films.
MUMBAI: Lights, camera, algorithm action! India’s film scene is about to get a futuristic twist as artificial intelligence steps into the director’s chair (well, sort of) at the India AI Impact Summit 2026. LTM, in partnership with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Waves Bazaar, is rolling out the AI Cinema Showcase under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s watchful eye. The event runs from 16 to 20 February 2026 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, pulling in policymakers, tech innovators, global creators and crucially storytellers who’ve already let AI into their edit suites.
This isn’t about robots churning out blockbusters overnight. The showcase spotlights a hand-picked collection of short films made by Indian filmmakers solo creators, collectives, studios and even students who’ve used AI as a genuine creative collaborator rather than a shortcut. Every selected piece has been judged on narrative punch, artistic vision, cinematic polish and, importantly, responsible AI use. The lucky films will screen in the sleek Immersive Room AI Theatre inside the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting pavilion.
The move builds on last year’s momentum, back in November 2025 at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, the same trio Waves Film Bazaar, LTM and NFDC staged India’s debut AI Film Festival and Hackathon. That experiment proved there’s real appetite for exploring where code meets creativity.
By bringing the conversation into the cultural spotlight, the AI Cinema Showcase aims to nudge discussions beyond dry policy papers and tech specs into something far more human, how emerging tools can amplify storytelling without drowning out the soul. It’s part of a bigger push for ethical, human-centred AI that keeps the artist firmly in the driving seat.
So while the rest of the summit debates algorithms and governance, this corner of Bharat Mandapam will be quietly proving that the future of Indian cinema might just feature a very clever co-writer, one that never asks for coffee breaks. Catch the screenings if you’re in Delhi next week; who knows, you might spot the next big twist coming from a prompt rather than a pen.
