Film Production
Red Lorry rolls out with September 5 as opening film at festival
MUMBAI: The Red Lorry Film Festival is shifting into high gear, opening with the critically acclaimed September 5, a tense, true-to-life thriller directed by Tim Fehlbaum. Hosted by Bookmyshow, India’s premier international film festival will set the stage with this Academy Award-nominated film that dives into one of modern media’s most tension-filled moments, the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis.
Blurring the lines between history and cinema, September 5 reconstructs the gripping real-time coverage by Abc Tv, transporting audiences straight into the nerve-wracking newsroom that found itself reporting on an unfolding tragedy. Featuring a stellar cast including John Magaro, Leonie Benesch, Peter Sarsgaard, Ben Chaplin, and Benjamin Walker, the film seamlessly integrates archival footage, bringing an unparalleled level of authenticity to the screen.
“September 5 is a testament to human resilience and the power of storytelling. Opening the Red Lorry Film Festival with such a film reflects our vision of curating globally significant narratives that inspire and challenge audiences,” said Bookmyshow COO for cinemas Ashish Saksena.
Beyond September 5, the festival’s stellar lineup promises a cinematic feast with contemporary award-winning films like Anora and The Last Showgirl, timeless classics like Pretty Woman, Karz, and Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak, and premieres fresh from the Berlin Film Festival. With over 120 films spanning languages, genres, and cultures, this year’s festival expands its footprint with Red Lorry: Take 2 in Mumbai and the all-new Parallel Verse in Hyderabad.
Running from 21 to 23 March 2025, the festival invites cinephiles to book their tickets exclusively on Bookmyshow, starting at Rs 750. With a promise of unforgettable storytelling, the Red Lorry Film Festival, powered by Bookachange, continues its mission of empowering emerging artists and celebrating the transformative power of cinema.
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
