Hindi
PVR Inox launches its ‘Cult Classics’ IP with Laila Majnu
Mumbai: PVR INOX Ltd, a cinema exhibitor in India has announced the re-release of the iconic film “Laila Majnu,” marking the official launch of its ‘Cult Classics’ intellectual property (IP). PVR INOX has a dedicated audience base that embraces a breadth of diverse cultural entertainment experiences. This IP aims to offer valuable, exclusive, and fresh content across an array of categories that convert a regular cinematic experience into an entertainment extravaganza for the audiences. These categories include the tried-and-tested success formula of re-release of timeless films, and innovative experiences such as film festivals, sporting events, concerts, documentary screenings, and live events.
Following the tremendous success of the Rockstar re-release, PVR INOX is thrilled to present Laila Majnu as part of its ‘Cult Classics’ series. The event will be graced by renowned actress Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwari, Imtiaz Ali, and Sajid Ali at PVR INOX LIDO, Mumbai.
The beloved classic romantic movie returns to theatres, celebrating its enduring impact on generations of moviegoers. The initiative attempts to revive iconic films that have left a lasting impact on audiences, ensuring these masterpieces continue to be appreciated by new generations.
PVR INOX Ltd MD Ajay Bijli commented on the launch, “We are delighted to bring Laila Majnu back to the big screen as part of our Cult Classics IP. This initiative is a testament to our commitment to craft unexpected and innovative experiences for our audiences to enhance their movie-going experience. This is what sets a magical big-screen cinema experience apart from other mediums. We believe that these timeless films deserve to be experienced on the big screen and we are excited to share this journey with our patrons. We aim to create a bridge between the past and the present, offering a unique cinematic experience that honors the artistry of these iconic films.”
Laila Majnu will be released at 51 PVR INOX Ltd properties across the country. The re-release will be followed by a series of other classic films.
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.
