Hindi
Red Lorry Film Festival returns with a cinematic extravaganza
MUMBAI: Dust off your cinephile credentials and brace yourself—the Red Lorry Film Festival is roaring back, bringing with it a truckload of nostalgia, storytelling genius, and enough cinematic gold to keep film buffs grinning for weeks! Curated by BookMyShow and presented by BookAChange, this festival is the ultimate paradise for cinephiles, bringing together over 120 legendary films spanning decades, genres, and unforgettable moments on the big screen.
This year, the festival pays tribute to Indian cinema’s finest through two special segments: “Legacy Rewind” and “Timeless Tales”. From the magnetic charm of Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts to the masterful storytelling of Subhash Ghai, Vijay Anand, and Michael Mann, Red Lorry Film Festival is set to bring these cinematic gems back to the big screen.
Legacy Rewind
Celebrating 45 years of Subhash Ghai’s Karz (1980), the festival pays tribute to Indian cinema’s ‘Showman’ and his unforgettable musical thriller. “The magic of Karz still resonates today, and I am thrilled to share this milestone with fans,” said Ghai.
Adding to the nostalgia, Mansoor Khan takes the audience back in time with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992). “These films hold a special place in my heart, and I’m honoured to see them celebrated again,” he shared.
The legacy continues with Nasir Hussain’s iconic classics Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973) and Hum Kisise Kum Nahin (1977), marking 65 years of his unparalleled storytelling. Rajiv Rai, son of visionary Gulshan Rai, will present Johny Mera Naam (1970) and Deewaar (1975), celebrating 55 years of Trimurti Films. “My father’s films were ahead of their time, and their impact continues to inspire generations,” said Rai.
The segment also honours Vijay Anand’s cinematic masterpieces like Teesri Manzil (1966), Jewel Thief (1967), and Johny Mera Naam (1970), bringing Indian cinema’s golden era back to the screen.
Timeless Tales
This festival isn’t just about Indian cinema—it’s a global celebration of cinema! Honouring the centennial birth anniversary of Guru Dutt, the festival presents one of his rare comedies, Mr. & Mrs. ‘55 (1955).
Marking 70 years of Smita Patil’s legacy, her iconic performance in Mirch Masala (1987) will once again grace the silver screen. Hollywood royalty takes center stage too, with a 35 Anniversary screening of Julia Roberts’ Pretty Woman and a 30 Anniversary Imax edition of Brad Pitt’s psychological thriller Se7en.
Adding to the international flavour, cinephiles can revisit French classics like Z (1969) and The Wages of Fear (1953), alongside Paul Verhoeven’s Showgirls (1995) in a 30 anniversary showcase.
Curated by acclaimed filmmaker Atul Sabharwal, the festival will present Michael Mann’s Heat (1995) and The Last of the Mohicans (1992). “These films are benchmarks in cinematic storytelling,” noted Sabharwal.
Fans of contemporary cinema can rejoice as Vikramaditya Motwane’s Udaan (2010) marks its 15 anniversary at the festival. “Udaan was a deeply personal project, and seeing it celebrated at this festival is a surreal experience,” shared Motwane.
Following a phenomenal debut in 2024, the Red Lorry Film Festival returns from 21-23 March 2025, in Mumbai as ‘Red Lorry Film Festival: Take 2’, and expands to Hyderabad with ‘Red Lorry Film Festival: Parallel Verse’.
With over 120 meticulously curated films, interactive masterclasses, and discussions with industry greats, the festival promises an immersive experience for film lovers.
Don’t miss out on this cinematic adventure! Grab your tickets and be part of history.
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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.
