Hindi
NFDC shortlists 6 for Screenwriters’ Lab 2012
Mumbai: The National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) has announced the names of six participants who will travel to the Venice International Film Festival to take part in the Screenwriters‘ Lab 2012.
They are Kanu Behl of Titli, Umesh Kulkarni of Antaraal, Ruchika Oberoi of Island City, Siddharth Sinha of Behind the Camera, Alankrita Shrivastava of Lipstick under My Burkha and Anupam Barve of The Shadow Lines.
These screenwriters will attend the first working session of the Lab with mentors like Marten Rabarts, Olivia Stewart, Urmi Juvekar and Bianca Taal.
The 2nd session will be held at Film Bazaar, Goa during the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in November next where participants will apply their training and pitch their revised screenplays to participants at the film market.
Conducted by NFDC, in association with Binger FilmLab, Netherlands and Venice International Film Festival; Screenwriters‘ Lab is a 2-part workshop designed to prepare screenwriters with original Indian stories for working with the international filmmaking community.
Hindi
Edstead unveils ambitious H1 2026 content slate
New originals feature Adarsh Gourav in Northeast docu-series, Aditi Kotak in Next Class, and Adil Hussain in Stories of India.
MUMBAI: Edstead just dropped a content menu so rich it could make even the pickiest viewer say “encore” because when storytelling meets substance, the binge becomes inevitable. The fast-rising Mumbai-based studio, founded by Shekhar Bhattacharjee, today revealed its H1 2026 slate, a bold expansion of premium non-fiction that blends cultural depth, innovation, and legacy into cinematic factual narratives. The lineup cements Edstead’s niche at the crossroads of authenticity and global appeal, delivering research-driven stories that stay rooted in the Indian experience while aiming for wider resonance.
Headlining the fresh originals:
- An untitled docu-series starring Bollywood actor Adarsh Gourav, who journeys through Northeast India to spotlight living cultural traditions, indigenous voices, music, oral histories, and everyday resilience. Presented by Air India Express, with Dentsu Sports and Entertainment as integration partner.
- Next Class, an eight-episode impact series fronted by entrepreneur and former Miss India Aditi Kotak, decoding career pathways, emerging fields, and real-world outcomes through leading institutions and forward-thinking disciplines.
- Stories of India with Adil Hussain, India’s first weekly OTT series dedicated to social impact, profiling organisations driving meaningful change and connecting purpose with tangible results.
- Toast to Tomorrow, exploring how leading alcohol brands craft immersive, culture-led experiences that celebrate regional identities and redefine legacy.
- No Cap Abroad – UAE Edition, following Indian students through their first week at UAE colleges—navigating homesickness, culture shock, and independence in a heartfelt coming-of-age tale.
Edstead is also returning with expanded seasons of breakout hits, The Future School (progressive Indian education), Molecules of Hope (healthcare innovation), and Great Indian Residential Schools.
Edstead founder Shekhar Bhattacharjee said, “At Edstead, we are focused on building narratives that carry depth, context, and long-term relevance. Every project begins with research and a clear purpose… Our ambition is to create globally competitive factual content from India that remains culturally grounded while shaping conversations, inspiring trust, and contributing to the growing culture economy.”
From education and healthcare to enterprise and cultural revival, the slate reflects Edstead’s full-stack approach developing original IPs and guiding them through a robust distribution network spanning digital, OTT, and broadcast. In a content world chasing quick trends, Edstead is quietly betting on stories built to last, ones that don’t just entertain, but linger long after the credits roll.
