Hindi
TOI launches TOIFA to rival IIFA
MUMBAI: The Times of India Group has announced the first edition of the Times of India Film Awards (TOIFA) that honors and recognises excellence in Hindi cinema at foreign locations.
Felicitating the best from the field of acting, direction, music, choreography and scripting, the awards will be held annually at diverse international destinations. In its first year, TOIFA has partnered with British Columbia to hold the awards in Vancouver, Canada, from 4-6 April.
TOIFA will rival International Indian Film Academy Awards (IIFA), an initiative of Wizcraft International Entertainment. IIFA is being held every year since 2000.
Times of India Group MD Vineet Jain said, “Times of India Film Awards is yet another step in getting closer to millions of Indians across the globe. The Times of India Group has always been at the center of the readers‘ mind and heart. As we celebrate our lineage of 175 glorious years of thought-leadership in the media, TOIFA will extend this to a worldwide audience. The awards come at a time when Hindi Cinema celebrates a centenary milestone of offering versatile entertainment.”
TOIFA will connect the international film communities and act as a gateway to the glittering world of showbiz. The awards give fans a chance to vote for their favorites that have demonstrated exceptional work spread across 14 different categories.
The event will be conceptualised, scripted, directed and managed by event management company The Cineyug Group of Companies.
The evening will see performances by celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan, Ranbir Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Abhishek Bachchan, Anushka Sharma and Priyanka Chopra.
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
