International
Oscars vote: 20 Indians & NRIs including Big B invited
NEW DELHI: Actor-producer Aamir Khan is the only producer of an Oscar nominee among around 20 Indians or people of Indian origin including megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra who have been invited to join the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) to vote for the Oscars.
Interestingly, Amitabh Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan are the only father and daughter-in-law in the list of 774 persons invited from 57 countries.
The total includes some persons – like eminent directors Mrinal Sen and Goutam Ghose – who have figured in more than one category in the total, as director and writer. Priyanka Chopra, Irfan Khan and Deepika Padukone who have also featured in international cinema are also in the list, which includes actor Salman Khan.
Designers include Arjun Bhasin who designed the costumes of “Monsoon Wedding” (which was also nominated); the renowned Mrinal Sen; Indian origin designer Geeta Gandbhir whose films include “The Life and Time of Tim Hetherington” and “Music by Prudence”, and award-winning director Anand Patwardhan.
The list includes visual effects and animation filmmaker Mohit Kallianpur –“Frozen,” “Tangled” and Indian origin filmmaker Mahesh Ramasubramanian – “Home,” “Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted” in the short feature category.
The award-winning directors Buddhadeb Das Gupta and Sooni Taraporevala figure in the list of writers of films they directed.
Others include executive Abhijay Prakash and film curator Rajendra Roy apart from Ujwal Narayan Nirgudkar.
“We’re proud to invite our newest class to the Academy. The entire motion picture community is what we make of it,” Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Academy President, said in a statement.
Some eminent international personalities include Fatih Akin, Kim-ki-Duk, Garth Davis, Lav Diaz, Tom Ford, Anna Hui, Takashi Miike, and Guy Ritchie among others.
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International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
