International
Rashaana Shah: Living her passion
LOS ANGELES: You may not have heard of Rashaana Shah yet but the chances are good this will soon change. This former Bollywood actress turned Hollywood film producer and entrepreneur is literally exploding onto the scene with films such as the cutting-edge comedy/reality-check, Blowing Up Right Now to the uplifting holiday fare, A New Christmas.
“My years as an actress is a lot of what I am today,” stated Shah about her time in Bollywood. Her leap to Hollywood was in part due to the unique opportunities for independent filmmakers. In 2012, she co-founded Mulberry Films, headquartered in Los Angeles and Mumbai, which focuses on bestselling books for film and television adaptation. Shah consciously picks books based on true-life events and with real heroes that can resonate broadly across global audiences.
A project based upon the Uttarakhand tragedy is in the works. Centred on true-life events which date back to 1965 when the United States CIA and Indian officials collaborated to set-up a listening device on Nanda Devi, the second-highest mountain in India, overlooking a Chinese Nuclear test site. The listening device, which was powered by radioactive plutonium, was lost in the expedition to install it and never found. It is speculated the plutonium being released by the device may have triggered the glacier burst above Uttarakhand.
Nanda Devi was recently in the headlines because of the tragic glacier burst in Uttrakhand that resulted in the death of at least fifty people.
Other projects in various stages of funding and production include, The Collaborator, an adaptation of the bestselling book by Mirza Waheed, a gripping story on the long-lasting effects of war and an adaption of The Queue by Basma Abdel Aziz, a dystopian story set in futuristic Egypt about a centralized authority controlling the lives of the masses.
Mulberry is also the co-executive producer on the television show Ungifted, based on the children's novel by Gordon Korman. The project was picked up by Nickelodeon in 2020 prior to the pandemic, and is soon to get into production. Shah has also starred in multiple Bollywood and international films that have won international accolades and awards including Colors of Passion by renowned director Ketan Mehta and IFC TV miniseries Bollywood Hero by comedian Chris Kattan.
Speaking of filmmaking in general, Shah stated, “If you want to have a global impact there are only two ways of doing it, you become a president of a country or you make a big Hollywood Film.”
Her advice to other aspiring women filmmakers in India, in the United States and beyond: “Support each other,” Shah said, “and don’t fear society…be fearless.”
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.
