International
Woody Allen’s film to have change of name
MUMBAI: Woody Allen has expressed his intention to change the title of his next feature film The Bop Decameron, set to be released in 2012.
The actor-producer-director cited people‘s unfamiliarity with Giovanni Boccaccio‘s The Decameron as the reason. The Rome-based film starring Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page will now be titled Nero Fiddled.
“I couldn‘t believe how few people had heard of The Decameron even in Rome. And the few that did assumed the movie was based on Boccaccio‘s tales which it‘s not. Anyhow, I changed the title to Nero Fiddled, which is the first time I‘ve changed a title since my last minute switch of Anhedonia to Annie Hall, ” Allen has been reported to have said.
Nero Fiddled is being produced under the banner of Gravier Productions film produced by Letty Aronson and Stephen Tenenbaum.
This marks Allen‘s first film to be financed by Medusa Film, an Italian production and distribution company.
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.
