International
Special screening of Maharaja Duleep Hollywood biopic at Cannes
NEW DELHI: Even though no Indian feature film has been selected for the 70th Festival de Cannes this year, an award-winning historic film biopic on the poignant life story of the last King of Punjab – Maharajah Duleep Singh – also known as The Black Prince — will be screened at a special screening on 20 May after the formal release of its first trailer.
The film, starring singer, composer and Sufi poet, Satinder Sartaaj in his acting debut, is set for global release on 21 July 2017.
Sartaaj along with Jason Flemyng (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch) will address the media before unveiling the trailer at the India Pavilion.
This will be followed by a Red Carpet appearance by the stars and the screening of the film at the Festival Palais theatre.
Produced by Brillstein Entertainment, The Black Prince is a period drama written directed by the Hollywood filmmaker Kavi Raz and filmed widely across the United Kingdom and India.
It captures the tragic, yet fascinating true story and legacy of Maharaja Duleep Singh providing a visual narrative of one of India’s most noble kings, and his fragile relationship with Queen Victoria, who was the Godmother to his children.
The film is touted to be the most historical and factually accurate portrayal, covering the phenomenal legacy led and left behind by Maharaja Duleep Singh, right from his early upbringing in the United Kingdom under Queen Victoria, to his ultimate revolt against the British for the freedom of his kingdom.
Sartaaj is a known Sufi poet and singer. Hooked to the melody emanating from the wandering artistes as a child, his Sufi folk style has been appreciated by the audience in India and across the globe. He has carved a niche and maintains a unique presence in the modern-day music industry. He promises to do the same on the screen in his leading role.
Portraying the dignified personal struggle of the last King of Punjab, he imbues the role with the same depth and meaning that his fans know him for. He was recently awarded the ‘Best Newcomer’ Award at the London Independent Film Festival and the ‘Best Debut’ Award at the Accolade Global Film Competition held in San Diego, California.
Sartaaj is joined by Jason Flemyng as Dr Login, the foster parent for the Maharajah, English stage, screen actress Amanda Root (The Iron Lady), who portrays the bold role of Queen Victoria; and veteran actress Shabana Azmi (City of Joy) as Rani Jindan, the exiled King’s mother. The film also features Keith Duffy, David Essex OBE, and Canadian actor Rup Magon in supporting roles.
International
Utopai Studios unveils 4K three-minute video generation for PAI platform
New Story Agent and editing tools aim to streamline AI-led filmmaking workflows
MUMBAI: Utopai Studios has announced a major upgrade to its PAI storytelling AI platform, introducing what it claims is an industry-first capability to generate three-minute videos in 4K resolution, alongside enhancements to its Story Agent feature.
The update, rolling out from April 15, expands the platform’s capabilities across the filmmaking process, from early concept development to post-production. The company said the new features are designed to help filmmakers maintain continuity across characters, scenes and visual styles, a key challenge in AI-driven storytelling.
At the heart of the release is a next-generation model that enables more structured narrative development, allowing creators to move more seamlessly from idea to execution. With tools such as multi-shot sequencing and multi-turn editing, the platform aims to give both studios and independent creators greater control over complex storytelling workflows.
Commenting on the launch, Utopai Studios co-founder and CTO Jie Yang said, “The next phase of AI in media will not be defined by isolated tools, but by systems that can carry story, continuity and collaboration across the full creative process.” He added that the update is a step towards enabling more practical, end-to-end narrative development at a professional level.
Echoing this, Utopai Studios co-founder and chief scientific officer Zijian He said, “Generative video is opening the door to a new production model, where creative ambition is less constrained by traditional cost and complexity.” He noted that the platform combines multimodal models with iterative editing to give creators more speed, control and consistency.
The company said PAI is already being used in professional film and television productions, particularly in Hollywood, for tasks such as pre-visualisation, scene design and post-production refinements. The latest update adds features including improved voice options, character consistency, unlimited editing and more flexible asset management.
Utopai also emphasised that its models are not trained on copyrighted material, positioning the platform as a cleaner alternative for creators and rights holders navigating the evolving AI landscape.
As AI continues to reshape content creation, Utopai’s latest push signals a shift from standalone tools to integrated systems, aiming to make high-quality filmmaking faster, more flexible and increasingly accessible.
