Movies
Yoodlee Films’ ‘Agra’ wins Best Film at Prestigious NYIFF Awards
Mumbai: Globally acclaimed and celebrated film, ‘Agra’ has won two major awards at the New York Indian Film Festival Awards. The film won the award for Best Film, and actor Mohit Agarwal was awarded Best Actor Male for the film amidst eminent nominations. After receiving high praise across film festivals such as Cannes, Jio MAMI, Busan, and IFF Melbourne, Agra continues to put India on the global map by winning at the most celebrated NYIFF Awards. ‘Agra’ was one of the most awarded Indian films at NYIFF, with director Kanu Behl and actors Mohit Agarwal and Priyanka Bose nominated in principal categories.
Alongwith the nominees, the film features a stellar cast led by Rahul Roy in a remarkable comeback, Ruhani Sharma, Vibha Chibber, Sonal Jha, and Aanchal Goswami. Directed by the renowned filmmaker Kanu Behl, the narrative delves into the complexities of love, desire, and familial bonds against the backdrop of a dysfunctional household in small-town India.
Kanu Behl shared his excitement, “Cinema is truly a universal language, and it is overwhelming that something so personal to me is being recognized on a global stage. It is an honour to win such a prestigious award and a proud moment to represent India at this festival. The love and appreciation from audiences and critics globally have been exhilarating.”
Saregama India Ltd. senior VP Siddharth Anand Kumar said, “Agra is a daring journey into the human psyche. For audiences across the globe to not just relate, but to celebrate the film, is a great honour for us. Representation at NYIFF is a proud moment, but winning Best Film and Best Actor is phenomenal. We are proud to continue this global journey for ‘Agra’.”
Mohit Agarwal expressed his joy in winning the prestigious award, “I am ecstatic to receive the Best Actor award at the NYIFF film festival. It’s a recognition for our hard work and toil and to represent India on such a prestigious platform feels surreal!”
The film is written by Kanu Behl and Atika Chohan.
Movies
Green Gold Animation creates CG character for Telugu film Rākāsā
Chhota Bheem studio expands into mainstream VFX with dialogue-free digital lead.
MUMBAI: Green Gold Animation, the house that gave India Chhota Bheem, is now stepping out of the kids’ zone and into the big screen with a rather silent but powerful performer. The Hyderabad-based studio’s VFX division has delivered a fully computer-generated character for the upcoming Telugu-language comedy-fantasy thriller Rākāsā, set for theatrical release on 3 April 2026. Directed by Manasa Sharma and produced by Niharika Konidela under Pink Elephant Pictures in collaboration with Zee Studios, the film marks a notable move for Green Gold into complex, character-driven work for mainstream cinema.
What makes the project stand out is its ambitious central character, a completely digital creation that does not speak a single line. Instead, the character relies entirely on animation, movement, facial expressions and body language to convey emotion and connect with audiences. This is a relatively unexplored approach in Telugu cinema at this scale.
Green Gold’s VFX team was involved from early pre-production through to final delivery, completing over 750 CG shots with a team of more than 100 artists. The work included detailed character animation, performance design and fluid simulations, all executed within tight timelines and practical budgets through strong planning and close collaboration.
Green Gold Animation founder & CEO Rajiv Chilaka said the project pushed the team to approach character creation differently. “Building a fully digital character where every emotion had to come through performance and detailing was very meaningful,” he noted.
Green Gold VFX supervisor and VFX creative director Murali Manohar Reddy added that the emotional depth had to be communicated entirely through visual performance. “This wasn’t about reinventing technology, but about using our tools and processes with precision to serve the story,” he said.
Producer Niharika Konidela praised the collaboration, saying the Green Gold VFX team understood the vision and brought strong detail and emotion to the character while working within practical constraints.
The film blends humour, action and mythological elements, following an NRI protagonist on a chaotic and magical adventure. It stars Sangeet Shobhan, Nayan Sarika, Vennela Kishore, Brahmaji and Ashish Vidyarthi, with music by Anudeep Dev.
For a studio best known for colourful kids’ animation, delivering a silent, emotionally expressive CG lead for a mainstream theatrical release is quite the plot twist. With Rākāsā, Green Gold Animation is quietly proving it can speak volumes even without dialogue.
