International
Underworld Awakening tops box-office
MUMBAI: Kate Beckinsale’s latest Underworld movie Underworld Awakening opened at No. 1 this weekend after making an estimated $25.4 million, it is understood.
While this is the fourth film in the vampire action saga, Beckinsale starred in the first two films as the warrior Selene. After taking a reprieve for part three, she returns for this latest installment.
Underworld Awakening was shown for the first time in 3D as well as on IMAX screens, where it made $3.8 million or in short 15 per cent of the film‘s weekend gross.
Distributor Sony Screen Gems had hoped the film would end up in the low-$20 million range. But according to the studio‘s president of worldwide distribution Rory Bruer the film did even better despite a snow storm that hit much of the Midwest and East Coast.
Opening in second place was Red Tails from executive producer George Lucas, about the Tuskegee Airmen who were the first black fighter pilots to serve in World War II. The film made an estimated $19.1 million, according to 20th Century Fox, which was well above expectations.
Last week‘s No. 1 film, the Universal smuggling thriller ‘Contraband‘ starring Mark Wahlberg, dropped to the No. 3 spot with $12.2 million. It‘s now made $46.1 million in two weeks.
The 9/11 drama from Warner Bros., starring Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock, came in fourth place with $10.5 million.
Meanwhile, Steven Soderbergh‘s international action film Haywire from Relativity Media, starring mixed martial arts superstar Gina Carano in her first film role, opened in fifth place with $9 million.
International
Russia-India cinematic spectacle Persimmon of My Love set for grand Moscow debut
Hindi cinema style musical revives Indo-Soviet cinema ties for today
MUMBAI: A new chapter in cross-border storytelling is set to unfold as Persimmon of My Love gears up for its premiere in Moscow on 1 April 2026, marking the first large-scale cinematic collaboration between Russia and India in decades.
Positioned as a modern nod to the cultural exchange that once brought Indian classics to Soviet audiences, the film blends Hindi cinema flair with Russian storytelling, aiming to rekindle a long-standing cinematic friendship.
Directed by Marius Weisberg, the musical comedy follows two brothers navigating a lively world of music, family and romance. The lead roles are played by Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan, with Karibidis also contributing as a screenwriter.
Shot entirely in India, the production leans heavily into Hindi cinema style spectacle. Filming took place across Mumbai studios and the cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur, whose architecture was used to create the fictional setting of Khurmada. A crew of over 350 worked on the project, with large-scale sequences featuring up to 1,000 extras.
The film also brings Indian creative talent into the mix. Dance sequences are choreographed by Jay Kumar, while music by Zurab Matua features songs in both Hindi and Russian, adding to its cross-cultural appeal.
Backed by TNT channel, MyWayStudio and the Russian Cinema Fund, the project reflects a broader push to strengthen cultural ties between the two countries.
With its mix of colour, comedy and cross-border collaboration, Persimmon of My Love is not just a film release but a reminder that cinema, much like music, travels well across borders.
