Hindi
Single Window clearance for filmmmakers to be operational within a month: Varma
NEW DELHI: Noting that he was conscious of the need for a level playing field for Indian filmmakers, information and broadcasting minister Manish Tewari has said ways would be found for the single window clearance for even producers from within the country.
The Minister was referring to the single window clearance avenue announced recently for filmmakers from overseas.
The Minister also announced that the Cinematograph Act 1952 was a very old law and was being ‘overhauled‘ in view of the changes in the industry since then.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Centenary of Indian Cinema festival in the capital yesterday evening, the Minister said cinema epitomised the nation and its people.
He said it was a tribute to the film industry that it had ‘grown despite the government and not because of the government‘.
I and B secretary Uday Kumar Varma said the proposal for single window clearance includes a Film Promotion Board to attract foreign filmmakers to Indian shores. This would bring a paradigm shift and will be ready in a month‘s time.
He said the film industry was Rs 90 billion strong in 2011 and was expected to grow to Rs 150 billion by 2016.
Though the box office share globally was a mere seven per cent, Indian films had made it big overseas and two films had recently been released in more than fifty countries simultaneously.
The opening of the festival was followed by the screening of the 1929 silent film ‘Throw of Dice‘ by Franz Osten. The screening was unique in that a live music orchestra of more than thirty persons conducted by maestro Nishat Khan. There were separate screens in front of the musicians so that they could react musically to what was happening on the large screen at Sirifort Auditorium which was filled to capacity.
The minister also inaugurated an exhibition on "Indian Cinema 100 (Celebrating a Century: An Audio Visual Voyage)" and a make-shift mini-theatre named Gulshan Mahal which will screen silent films every day. Gulshan Mahal is the name of the building in Mumbai in which the Museum of Cinematic Arts is coming up.
The six-day festival will conclude on 30 April with a play on the life and times of Dadasaheb Phalke by Aamir Raza Hussain.
The festival is being held at the Siri Fort auditorium as well as other venues such as Jamia Milia Islamia University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and India Habitat Center in an effort to bring the festival to the doorstep of film lovers in the capital.
The extravaganza will include screenings of some classics as well as contemporary Indian films by master directors such as Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt, Shyam Benegal, Adoor Gopalakrishnan and others.
Hindi
Shekhar Suman opens acting academy in Mumbai
The veteran actor-presenter launches SSFA, promising immersive, mentorship-led training for aspiring actors and storytellers
Mumbai: Forty years in front of the camera, and Shekhar Suman still isn’t done. The actor, host, writer and director, one of Indian entertainment’s most restless polymaths, is now training his sights on the next generation, launching the Shekhar Suman Film Academy (SSFA) in Mumbai on 22nd April 2026. Registrations for the inaugural batch are already open.
SSFA pitches itself squarely against formula-driven acting schools, leading with an intensive three-month programme that Suman says he personally designed and will largely conduct himself. The curriculum blends voice and speech work, emotional access, body awareness and camera technique with the Linklater Voice Method, film language and on-set discipline, and rounds off with a student film, giving trainees their first taste of a real set.
Masterclasses with actors, casting directors and filmmakers sit alongside the core course. The academy is conceived as a platform that will eventually sprawl into screenwriting, direction, cinematography, music production and post-production: a full creative ecosystem rather than a single acting school.
“For me, this academy is not just an institution. It is a very personal way of giving back to the craft that has given me everything,” said Suman. “Over the years, acting has taught me discipline, imagination, resilience, and the importance of truth in performance. Through this academy, I hope to create something that goes beyond training and becomes a true creative journey for every student who walks in.”
Behind the scenes, the academy is backed by GBM Studios. Dharmesh Sangani, founder and visionary, is the driving force, bringing what the academy describes as “a focused approach to creating meaningful opportunities within the industry.” Adhyayan Suman, founder and director and Shekhar’s son, adds a performer’s perspective honed across acting, music and direction. Ekant Babani, partner and chief operating officer, handles strategy and operations.
Entry is deliberately low-barrier. No prior training is needed: applicants sit a basic self-audition test, shifting the focus firmly to potential rather than polish. The academy says it aims to stay accessible while delivering a premium, hands-on experience.
In a country where acting schools multiply almost as fast as OTT platforms, Suman’s personal stamp and his willingness to stand in the room and teach may be the sharpest edge SSFA has. For those ready to test that promise, the curtain is already up. Apply at shekharsumanfilmacademy.com
