Movies
Malayalam blockbuster – ‘2018: Everyone is a Hero’ to stream on Sony LIV
Mumbai: The devastating 2018 Kerala floods left a trail of destruction and loss across the state. Yet, from the depths of despair emerged stories that etched themselves in the archives of heroism. Prepare to be captivated by the highly acclaimed Malayalam film 2018: Everyone is a Hero, which is all set to stream exclusively on Sony LIV on June 7. Forging its path to success, the film has become a phenomenon in the world of Malayalam cinema. Within a mere 10 days of release, it shattered box office records, crossing the coveted 100 crore mark. It also proudly holds the title of the highest-grossing Malayalam film of the year and has secured its place among the top three highest-grossing Malayalam films of all time. Following the addition of acclaimed films such as Kadina Kadoramee Andakadaham to its robust repertoire, this is yet another feather in the platform’s cap.
Directed by Jude Anthany Joseph, the film showcases the resilience of the people from all walks of life who find themselves thrust into the eye of the calamity and how unity becomes their driving force. As the floodwaters rise, their individual journeys converge, embodying the unyielding spirit of a community and transforming ordinary men into extraordinary heroes.
Commenting on the same, Joseph said, “2018: Everyone is a Hero is an homage to the collective experience of the people of Kerala during the 2018 floods and to be able to bring it to the screen and see the kind of love it has been receiving has been a truly fulfilling experience. Through this film, we aimed to commemorate the heroism and courage shown by every individual during the catastrophe. With the film now set to stream on Sony LIV, more and more people get to witness our story and the extraordinary spirit of humanity that helped the state triumph.”
Produced by Venu Kunnappilly, C. K. Padmakumar, and Anto Joseph, 2018: Everyone is a Hero boasts stellar performances by an ensemble cast, including Tovino Thomas, Kunchako Boban, Asif Ali, Vineeth Sreenivasan, Aparna Balamurali, Kalaiyarasan, Indrans, Sudheesh, Gilu Joseph, Vinitha Koshy, Aju Varghese, Thanvi Ram, and Gauthami Nair.
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.
