Hindi
Single Window clearance for filmmakers in three to six months: Varma
NEW DELHI: A single window clearance structure for filmmakers would be in place within the next three to six months.
This was stated by information and broadcasting ministry secretary Uday Kumar Varma during a round table event at Cannes over the weekend.
He said the government was working on four priority areas relating to the Indian film industry, which is celebrating one hundred years of cinema this year. He identified film finance, film industry promotion, production facilitation and human resource development, and said that changes to promotion and facilitation systems would happen first.
Though he did not use the words ‘single window clearance’, he said his department is moving in that direction. "This is not coming from a recommendatory body, this is from government itself," he said. "The state governments are on board. I have written to the executive heads of each state."
"We have looked at the film commission model in France, the UK and New Zealand," he said, but said that government is making a "very, very sincere effort" and could make a definitive announcement in three to six months.
He indicated that the National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc) would play a major role in film funding. He said that Nfdc could be the conduit for the launch of state funding initiatives. "The Nfdc is fully funded by the government of India and is able to fund and be involved in co-productions," he said.
He said that Canada and Australia are the two countries with which India is closest to agreeing on co-production treaties.
Varma said that Indian cinema’s success lay not in its acceptance among a larger global audience but in its unique cinematic approach.
He also added that in order to enable young independent filmmakers to showcase their work, the ministry was intending to create special screening facilities to promote cinematic hubs.
Producer Guneet Monga regretted that films which are considered as Indian national productions are subject to a different tax regime, but the Indian government ‘penalises co-production films’ compared with imported films.
The India pavilion at the Cannes film festival in France has organised a series of panel discussions on contemporary topics related to Indian cinema to create a global footprint for Indian cinema in its centenary year. The objective has been to enable the collaboration and partnerships for promoting India as a filming destination for films and documentaries.
Key events include celebrating significant projects which were a part of Film Bazaar 2011, The Lunchbox, and Monsoon Shootout. There are panel discussions on contemporary topics related to Indian cinema.
Acclaimed film critic and TV presenter Rajeev Masand engaged filmmakers on sessions which included breaking barriers in filmmaking and the current scenario of Indian cinema. The participants in these sessions include Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Ritesh Batra, and Amit Kumar.
Special sessions and discussions also seek to highlight recent successful Indian co-productions with international producers. The interactions and discussions at India pavilion bring to the fore, the films scenario in India and aim at giving the films their due credit not only in India but at a global level.
With India celebrating 100 years of cinema, there has been a significant rise in the number of delegates to the festival from the previous years, to celebrate this great occasion amongst the global film fraternity. This year, the Cannes film festival is celebrating the centenary of Indian cinema where India has been accorded the status of ‘Special Guest Country’. The Indian pavilion has witnessed the participation of key stakeholders who are keen to know about Indian Cinema. This year is seeing five Indian films in diverse sections at Cannes. These are Anurag Kashyap‘s Ugly, Ritesh Batra’s debut feature film The Lunchbox , Bombay Talkies, Amit Kumar’s Monsoon Shootout , and veteran filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s Charulata.
The 66th Cannes festival this year was inaugurated by megastar Amitabh Bachchan with actor Leonardo DiCaprio.
Baz Luhrmann’s "The Great Gatsby" was the opening film of the festival. Bachchan features in what he calls "a blink and miss role" in "The Great Gatsby" which marks his Hollywood debut.
Bachchan used the opportunity to speak in Hindi and later said in a tweet that this was necessary in view of the centenary of Indian cinema.
Vidya Balan, who is on the jury this year, said later: "Personally, for me to have shared the stage with him and on an international platform where the talk is about India celebrating 100 glorious years, it felt really special. These are the times when you have to pinch yourself and say ‘oh my god, this is for real."
Bachchan also appears in Bombay Talkies which will have a gala screening to mark the 100 years of Indian cinema. Anurag Kashyap‘s segment in the portmanteau film is about a Bachchan fan.
Hindi
Dhurandhar returns to theatres worldwide on March 13 ahead of Dhurandhar The Revenge release
Jio Studios re-releases blockbuster across 500 screens globally before sequel
MUMBAI: The spy saga of Dhurandhar is gearing up for a big-screen encore before its next chapter arrives.
Ahead of the release of Dhurandhar The Revenge on March 19, Jio Studios and B62 Studios are bringing the original Dhurandhar back to cinemas worldwide in a rare international theatrical re-release.
The global blockbuster is returning across nearly 500 screens, including around 250 in India from March 12 and another 250 overseas beginning March 13.
For fans of the franchise, the move offers a chance to revisit the film that ignited the high-octane spy-action universe just days before the sequel lands in theatres. It also sets up a rare back-to-back big-screen experience, allowing audiences to relive the original before diving straight into the next chapter.
While re-releases of popular films are occasionally seen in India, international re-runs of Hindi films remain uncommon. The scale of the rollout reflects the growing global appetite for the franchise.
In North America alone, Dhurandhar will return to theatres across nearly 185 screens, highlighting the strong anticipation surrounding the upcoming sequel.
The excitement is set to build further with special Wednesday premiere shows of Dhurandhar The Revenge scheduled across the US and Canada on March 18, a day ahead of its global release. Many of these premieres will be hosted on premium large format screens, featuring wall-to-wall displays, immersive sound systems such as Dolby Atmos, enhanced projection and luxury seating.
These formats are typically reserved for major Hollywood event films, and early bookings suggest strong demand with several shows already sold out.
The recently released trailer of Dhurandhar The Revenge has also sparked buzz among exhibitors and trade circles, with expectations running high for the film’s international performance.
Dhurandhar The Revenge is written, directed and produced by Aditya Dhar. The film is produced by Jyoti Deshpande and Lokesh Dhar.
Jio Studios presents a B62 Studios production, an Aditya Dhar film.
The spy-action thriller will release worldwide on March 19, 2026, in five languages including Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada.
The film arrives in theatres globally on the occasion of Gudi Padwa and Ugadi, just ahead of Eid, setting the stage for a festive box office run.
