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Sanya Malhotra, who attended the premiere of ‘Mrs’ at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, is on cloud nine. The actress received a standing ovation for her performance in the film, which is directed by Arati Kadav.

Mrs follows the story of Richa, a successful dancer who is set up with a boy of her dreams, a hardworking shy doctor who loves simple, home cooked food. But after her marriage she realizes that she is just a minor cog in the hectic household routine of her new home. She tries various ways to get back to work only to realize that she is pulled back to the routine of the men in the house. Inspired by the Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen, the story is about Richa trying to navigate her way and strike a balance with the responsibilities of the kitchen and the house while seeking to assert...

Tarsem Singh Dhandwar’s “Dear Jassi” and Arati Kadav’s “Mrs” will open and close this year’s New York Indian Film Festival.

Punjabi and English-language “Dear Jassi,” a tale of star-crossed lovers based on a true story, arrives in New York after a glittering festival run that began in 2023, at Toronto, where it won the Platform Prize. That was followed by outings in London, Goa, the Red Sea, Goteborg and Hong Kong festivals. The film is produced by powerhouse Indian studio T-Series alongside Wakaoo Films and Creative Strokes Group.

Hindi-language “Mrs,” a portrait of domestic hell based on acclaimed 2021 Malayalam-language film “The Great Indian Kitchen,” previously played at the Palm Springs International Film Festival and Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. It is produced by Jio Studios and Baweja Studios.

The centerpiece of the festival is an event celebrating 50 years of thespian Shabana Azmi’s career where a screening of...

Actress Sanya Malhotra has begun shooting for her next film titled ‘Sunny Sanskari Ki Tulsi Kumari’. The Shashank Khaitan directorial is produced by Karan Johar under his banner Dharma Productions.

Khaitan took to social media to announce that the cast and crew of the project has started shooting for the film, which will see Varun Dhawan and Janhvi Kapoor in the lead role. The filmmaker shared a picture with “Day 1 – Sincere Gratitude” written as the caption.

Interestingly, the film marks Sanya’s first project with Shashank Khaitan as well as Dharma Productions, which makes the movie yet another illustrious addition to the actress’ filmography. Going by the star cast, it seems that Sanya, who has won critics and audience with her performance in films such as ‘Dangal’, ‘Badhaai Ho’, ‘Kathal’ and ‘Jawan’ among others, is set to deliver yet another memorable performance.

The actress has often left an impact with her performances.

This autism month, actress Sanya Malhotra shared that it is critical to find a structured yet flexible learning environment for neurodivergent people focused on life skills and independent living.

April marks Autism Awareness Month, a period dedicated to raising awareness about autism, a developmental disability stemming from differences in brain functioning.

Sanya, who was last seen in the movie ‘Sam Bahadur’, attended the opening ceremony of ‘So-Hum Smiles’, a special school for neurodivergent individuals.

This school, which is supported by an Ngo, looks after providing exceptional care and support to neurodivergent people.

Sanya believes that the school is more than just a therapy centre, as it also embodies a vision of inclusivity, empowerment, and compassion.

The actress said: “I am truly happy that this centre is opening, which is the need of the hour to provide help for neurodivergent individuals. It is critical to find a structured yet flexible learning...

Sanya Malhotra’s film ‘Mrs’, directed by Arati Kadav, has been selected to be screened at the 2024 Hawaii International Film Festival (Hiff). This recognition underscores the film’s exceptional quality and compelling narrative, showcasing Sanya Malhotra’s versatility as a performer.

Directed by auteur filmmaker Arati Kadav, ‘Mrs’, which is a remake of Malayalam film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’, is a poignant exploration of resilience, with Sanya Malhotra portraying a character that resonates deeply with audiences. Her nuanced portrayal has garnered critical acclaim and further solidified her standing as one of the most versatile actors of her generation.

The inclusion of ‘Mrs’ in the lineup of the Hawaii International Film Festival is a testament to its universal appeal and artistic merit. Not only this, but the film also adds to the illustrious filmography of the talented actress, proving her versatility. Previously, the film was also an official selection at Palm Springs International Film Festival.

Continuing their successful streak at film festivals, Jio Studios’ films ‘Mrs.’ and ‘Sumo Didi’ are set to enthrall audiences once again at a global stage. Embracing powerful female narratives, both films portray tales of determination and resilience in the face of adversity and have been selected for screenings at the prestigious 35th Palm Springs International Film Festival being held in California.

The screening of upcoming Hindi film Sumo Didi will be held on 7th January. Inspired by the story of India’s first Sumo wrestler Hetal Dave, it stars Shriyam Bhagnani in the lead along with Chaitnya Sharma (Slow Cheeta) and is directed by debutant Jayant Rohatgi.

Sharing his excitement, director Jayant Rohatgi says, “Sumo Didi is a story of grit and rising from the depths of despair and I am thrilled that after Tokyo, people in North America will get to watch it at the prestigious Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The arranged marriage looks promising when Richa (Sanya Malhotra) meets her handsome husband to be, a charming, soft-spoken and seemingly romantic gynecologist from a good, upper-cast family. Their getting to know time is fairytale-like, filled with laughter, happiness, and a promise of a great future together.

“Mrs” screened at Tallinn Black Nights

Not long after the wedding “the doctor of female anatomy” who did at one point say how he loves simple, home-cooked food, starts showing his real, momma”s dearest character. He is a typical product of patriarchal upbringing, unable to function on his own outside of his job. Before she can say honeymoon, Richa is caught up in an endless circle of house chores, in a tiresome duty to please her despotic father-in-law.

Kadev doesn't give you a light digestive. In the script penned by Anu Singh Choudhary that she embraced with determination to address the stiff rules of Indian patriarchy,...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.

The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.

The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:

Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) in partnership with Netflix, has today unveiled 10 upcoming individuals from the screen industries selected for BAFTA Breakthrough in India. In this historic first, BAFTA simultaneously introduces its UK, USA, and India participants, with 42 talented individuals selected globally.

The ten names for BAFTA Breakthrough India were selected by a distinguished jury of industry experts, including Jury Chair and BAFTA Breakthrough Ambassador Guneet Monga Kapoor, Manvendra Shukul, Monika Shergill, Rajiv Menon (Filmmaker), Naman Ramachandran (Critic & Journalist), Sid Roy Kapur (Founder of Roy Kapur Films & Producer), Shaunak Sen (Filmmaker) and Ratna Pathak Shah.

The list of BAFTA Breakthrough India participants for 2023 is:

Abhay Koranne | Writer – Rocket Boys Abhinav Tyagi | Editor – An Insignificant Man Don Chacko Palathara | Director/Writer – Joyful Mystery Kislay| Writer – Soni Lipika Singh Darai | Director/Writer – Some Stories Around Witches Miriam Chandy Menacherry | Producer – From the Shadows and The Leopard’s Tribe...

Mumbai, Nov 8 (Ians) Actress Sanya Malhotra’s upcoming film ‘Mrs.’ has been selected for the 27th edition of Poff – the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

The film also stars Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh in key supporting roles. Additionally, the film has also secured a spot in the esteemed Critics’ Pick Competition category at the festival.

The festival is currently being held in Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn.

‘Mrs.’ has been directed by Arati Kadav, who is known for films like ‘Cargo’ and ‘The Astronaut and His Parrot’.

The film presents an empowering narrative taking audiences on Richa’s (Sanya Malhotra) journey, as she embarks on a pursuit to discover her identity while navigating the demands of the kitchen and the household.

Talking about the film, Sanya Malhotra said, “I’m overjoyed to share the news of ‘Mrs.’ being selected for the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. This film...

Mumbai, Nov 8 (Ians) Actress Sanya Malhotra’s upcoming film ‘Mrs.’ has been selected for the 27th edition of Poff – the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival.

The film also stars Nishant Dahiya and Kanwaljit Singh in key supporting roles. Additionally, the film has also secured a spot in the esteemed Critics’ Pick Competition category at the festival.

The festival is currently being held in Estonia’s capital city of Tallinn.

‘Mrs.’ has been directed by Arati Kadav, who is known for films like ‘Cargo’ and ‘The Astronaut and His Parrot’.

The film presents an empowering narrative taking audiences on Richa’s (Sanya Malhotra) journey, as she embarks on a pursuit to discover her identity while navigating the demands of the kitchen and the household.

Talking about the film, Sanya Malhotra said, “I’m overjoyed to share the news of ‘Mrs.’ being selected for the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival. This film...

Former Disney India head and leading producer Siddharth Roy Kapur has warned of some practices that could arise in making films for streamers.

Delivering the keynote address at the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival’s Industry Connect Symposium on Monday, Kapur, who is currently basking in the success of International Emmy nominated series “Rocket Boys” for streamer SonyLIV, lauded the positives brought to the industry by the platforms but also pointed out the pitfalls.

Speaking about films made for theatrical release, Kapur said that while the recoupment for them in the government funded European industries might be a Cannes slot, in India it is monetary as well. “I have to say that at times, we shy away from it. And we say that it’s cinema, it’s art, why should one really have to look at that if you’re trying to make arthouse or independent movies? But I...

Papamichael is known for working as a cinematographer on films including ‘Sideways’ and ‘Nebraska’.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (Poff) has selected 15 films for the second year of its Critics’ Picks competitive section, including the world premiere of Light Falls from acclaimed cinematographer Phedon Papamichael.

Greek filmmaker Papamichael’s film is a thriller about a young couple vacationing on a Greek island, who suffer an accident when exploring an abandoned hotel.

Scroll down for the full list of Poff Critics’ Picks

The film is a Georgian-Albanian-Greek-German co-production, with dialogue in English, Albanian, Georgian and Greek. It is Papamichael’s first...

After the impressive success of the BAFTA Breakthrough India programme in 2021 and 2022, BAFTA is once again launching the scheme for a third year. Applications open today until 5 July, and the programme is open to creatives from across the film, games and television industries nationally, as well as those working in the UK and the US.

This year also marks Netflix’s third year supporting BAFTA Breakthrough in India and its fourth year in the UK and US.

BAFTA Breakthrough aims to identify and nurture emerging talent from around the world and equip them with the resources they need to develop their skills and progress in their chosen field. First launched in the UK ten years ago, BAFTA Breakthrough is one of the arts charity’s flagship talent schemes, with over 200 careers developed and accelerated to-date.

Through this initiative, BAFTA Breakthrough India will once again identify and celebrate Indian talent by...

Tim Cook’s visit has been the headline maker of the past week. While many dignitaries have been meeting the Apple CEO, he has been in awe of Ali Fazal starrer short sci-fi film ‘The Astronaut and His Parrot’, directed by Arati Kadav. The film was shown to the head honcho by Arati Kadav who was invited to deliver a special talk on the film, and he appreciated the filmmaker touting her as one of India’s best sci-fi filmmakers who shot the entire award-winning film on her iPhone.

Tim Cook said on his social media, “The Astronaut and His Parrot is a story of hope and connection. I met Arati Kadav, who created this beautiful award winning short film using only her iPhone and Macbook Pro.”

Ali reacted saying, “It was nice to finally show the movie to Tim Cook. Since the whole movie has been shot with Apple products,...

Former Disney India head Siddharth Roy Kapur, producer of Oscar-shortlisted film “Last Film Show,” has an eclectic range of films and series due in 2023 from his Roy Kapur Films outfit.

Due in the first half of 2023 is war epic film “Pippa,” a coproduction with Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP, directed by Raja Krishna Menon (“Airlift”) and starring Ishaan (“A Suitable Boy”) and Mrunal Thakur (“Sita Ramam”) with music by A.R. Rahman. Arshad Syed’s film “Woh Ladki Hai Kahaan?,” coproduced by Junglee Pictures, is a screwball comedy starring Taapsee Pannu (“Blurr”) and Pratik Gandhi (“Scam 1992”). Another film, comedy-drama “Bas Karo Aunty!,” stars Ishwak Singh (“Rocket Boys”), is directed by debutant Abhishek Sinha, written by Nitesh Tiwari (“Dangal”), and coproduced by Tiwari’s Earthsky Pictures and RSVP for Disney+ Hotstar.

Returning series include the second seasons of “Aranyak” and “Rocket Boys,” on Netflix and SonyLIV respectively.

There are eight new series in various stages of development.

Audience winners to be announced at fest’s climax on August 3.

Karim Ouelhaj’s Belgian genre title Megalomaniac has been named best feature film at Fantasia International Film Festival, while July Jung has been declared best director for Next Sohee and Alexandre Desplat claimed the best score prize for Final Cut.

Megalomaniac earned the top prize at the Montreal festival’s 26th edition and return to an in-person event. Ouelhaj’s fourth film is inspired by the unsolved case of the Butcher of Mons serial killer who murdered five women from 1996-97.

‘Megalomaniac’: Fantasia Review

Eline Schumacher won an...

After the back-to-back success of Aranyak on Netflix and Rocket Boys on Sony Liv, Siddharth Roy Kapur’s production house Roy Kapur Films (Rkf) announced an impressive new slate of series in development and production for 2022/23. From historical epics to powerful family dramas, this compelling slate of series will be nurtured and created by an exciting mix of new talent and established filmmakers.

Jinesh Shah, Head, Originals Rkf says, “With these eight phenomenal series, we are prepared to bring audiences a smorgasbord of riveting stories. We’re looking forward to training our lenses on different worlds with these talented filmmakers, and delving into the psyches of intriguing, layered and compelling characters.”

The exciting slate includes:

Vishnuvardhan, director of Shershaah – the biggest streaming hit of 2021, is all set to make his series directorial debut with a sweeping epic action drama across multiple seasons, which will tell the fascinating story of an...

After the twin successes of “Aranyak” on Netflix and “Rocket Boys” on SonyLIV, Siddharth Roy Kapur’s Roy Kapur Films has revealed eight more series in development and production for 2022-23.

Vishnuvardhan, director of war film “Shershaah,” the highest streamed Indian film on Amazon Prime Video in 2021, will make his series directorial debut with a sweeping multi-season epic action drama, which will tell the story of an integral part of India’s 20th century military history.

From Malayalam cinema, Mahesh Narayanan, whose film credits include “C U Soon” and “Malik,” will direct a multi-season spy thriller set across the Middle East and South Asia.

Hardik Mehta, director of the Busan title “Kaamyaab” and the Netflix show “Decoupled,” will direct a family drama series set across Europe, Africa and India set in the world of warring business families.

Abbas Tyrewala, writer of “Maqbool” and “Main Hoon Na,” whose directorial debut “Jaane...

‘Cargo’ filmmaker Arati Kadav who is gearing up for the remake of the film ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ explains why it would be challenging to remake a Malayalam film in Hindi for a pan-Indian audience. The original film in Malayalam was directed by Jeo Baby and featured Nimisha Sajayan and Suraj Venjaramoodu. Arati explains, “It […]...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has named ten emerging talents from across the Indian film, gaming and television industries that will participate in the 2022 edition of its BAFTA Breakthrough India initiative supported by Netflix.

The 2022 contingent includes writer-director Ajitpal Singh; composer Alokananda Dasgupta (“Sacred Games”), writer-director Arati Kadav (“Cargo”), producer Mathivanan Rajendran (“Nirvana Inn”), writer-director Leena Manimekalai, game director Nakul Verma (“In My Shadow”), writer-director Prateek Vats (“Eeb Allay Ooo!”), cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi (“Eeb Allay Ooo!”), writer Shubham (“Eeb Allay Ooo!”) and performer Sumukhi Suresh (“Pushpavalli”).

The talents were selected by a jury consisting of BAFTA-winning composer A.R. Rahman, editor and writer Apurva Asrani, actors Anupam Kher and Ratna Pathak Shah, games producer Charu Desodt, Amazon India head Gaurav Gandhi, Netflix India content chief Monika Shergill, producers Siddharth Roy Kapur and Guneet Monga, BAFTA chair Krishnendu Majumdar, GOQii CEO Vishal Gondal and filmmaker Shonali Bose.

During the program,...

CinemaHelmed by Jeo Baby, critically acclaimed Malayalam movie ‘The Great Indian Kitchen’ starred actor Nimisha Sajayan in the lead. IANSInstagram/Sanya MalhotraActor Sanya Malhotra has teamed up with actor and producer Harman Baweja, for the Hindi remake of the critically acclaimed Malayalam movie The Great Indian Kitchen. Written and directed by Jeo Baby, the original film resonated with many for its detailed take on misogyny, everyday sexism and the gendered nature of domestic labour in Indian households. From toiling in the kitchen of her husband’s house to being confined within the patriarchal conventions of society, the film traces how a newly wed woman finds her voice. The movie released on Over-the-top (Ott) platform Neestream in the year 2021 and subsequently streamed on Amazon Prime Video. Sanya Malhotra will be reprising Nimisha Sajayan’s role from the original. Sanya Malhotra made her debut with the 2016 Hindi sports-drama Dangal, which co-starred actors Aamir Khan,...

Filmmaker Arati Kadav does not believe in censorship of digital content. She believes the idea would snatch away the power of being fearless from a storyteller.

The ongoing furore over the web series "Tandav" has triggered conversation around censorship of digital content again. Opening up on the subject, Arati, who has directed the sci-fi films "Cargo" and "55km/sec", feels instead of censoring content, the practice of inserting a rating and a disclaimer should be in place.

"I think at least the content that we watch on Ott platform should be free from censorship. At least this should be a space where storytellers can find their original voice fearlessly. Anyway, there is so much analysis that happens with every content and there is a consciousness of analysing everything, on what is outrageous, what is not." Arati told Ians.

"There is a fear of 'what if it hurts sentiment'? In a...

Filmmaker Arati Kadav says the uncertainty the world has been facing due to the global pandemic has affected her mind, too.

Her recent release, the short film "55km/sec", is a reflection of her thoughts and a realization of all that happened to her during that phase. The film is about an asteroid speeding towards Earth, the impact with which will cause the end of the planet. With minutes left for total destruction, the protagonist (played by Mrinal Dutt) joins a chat room of old college friends to spend his last moments with them. Then, in the final moments, a twist in the drama follows for him.

"Lockdown was an ambiguous thing for all of us and I thought we were united in a very weird way. I thought what if something bigger than that happened to us -- an asteroid coming at us. We were still safe inside our houses,...

Twitter India has come up with a series that features several people from the entertainment industry talking about themselves, their career and more.

Titled "Have You Followed", the series unfolds in the form of tweets, with a host asking questions to a guest.

Where does @AratiKadav draw inspiration for her offbeat stories? @VikramMotwane is asking her that and more right now. Tweet with #HaveYouFollowed to get your questions answered too!https://t.co/pEGJlZTnKy

— Twitter India (@TwitterIndia) September 30, 2020

On Wednesday, filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and "Cargo" director Arati Kadav were seen taking part in the first session of the series.

Motwane along with other social media users asked questions to Arati.

"I grew up only studying maths/science. Film school gave me exposure to a world that did not exist. Not just works of other filmmakers, it made me understand importance of other art forms or things like colour theory. But...

The Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival, UK & Europe’s largest South Asian film event, are back this year with a very special “in-cinema” festival.

From 17th to 20th September at BFI Southbank London, Ciné Lumière London, and Millennium Point (Birmingham), the incredible festival will bring you even more outstanding films. What’s so special is that the entire line-up features films directed by women. Yes, the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival is back with a slice of Liff premieres that you won’t want to miss including drama, comedy, sci-fi, and music movies.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney MBE, Executive & Programming Director of Liff, says, “It’s been an adventure this year to transform Europe’s largest South Asian film festival into both a digital version that continues to attract good audiences and an actual physical film festival and we are delighted to be dipping...

OTTThe Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi starrer film released on Netflix recently.Geetika MantriScreengrab When I think of science fiction films I watched growing up, there are not many Indian films that come to mind except perhaps Koi Mill Gaya, which many have pointed out was loosely based on the Hollywood classic E.T. Even Koi Mill Gaya was a far too Bollywood-ised version of an alien-human friendship fantasy story, with little science and a lot of fiction. However, watching Cargo felt different. The Arati Kadav directorial which Netflix picked up was also screened at the Mumbai International Film Festival (Mami). Starring Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi, the film is set in a world where humans and rakshasas (demons in Indian mythology) have reached a peace agreement, where in rakshasas run the Post-Death Transition Services in spaceships called ‘Pushpak’ where the dead are sent. Here’s the rakshasas – who look...

A giant spaceship, Pushpak 634-a, lumbers along in infinite space. In the ship a demon, or rakshas, named Prahastha receives deceased humans, heals them and recycles them for their next birth.

Watch Cargo Movie Trailer

https://youtu.be/ZvpdN4VltKY

Prahastha, played by Vikrant Massey, is a loner and an introvert. He exchanges few words even with his supervisors on earth via the TV screen that is his only source of communication. He also shuns the idea of social media exchange with his legions of fans. Yes, he has many fans, we are told -- doing what he does for 75 years now makes him an important cog in the wheel that drives peace between humans and demons.

Prahastha's lonely yet measured life is thrown in a tizzy when earth sends the spirited young Yuvishka (Shweta Tripathi) as his assistant. Her arrival on the ship not only disturbs his personal space.

Actress Shweta Tripathi Sharma stars in the upcoming sci-fi film Cargo, and she says working in the film nudged her to discover more about space and astronomy.

Helmed by Arati Kadav, the film tells the story about a spaceship that comes close to earth everyday to pick up cargoes that are essentially dead bodies. The craft also doubles up as an immigration office for the dead.

"Once I started working on the film, I was fascinated by some of the ideas. Arati is one of the few directors who discuss science with such passion and love. She has a unique vision of the world," said Shweta Tripathi Sharma.

"Everything from costumes to the bulb, everything was planned in advance. Every department had immense clarity and it all trickles down from her unwavering faith in her vision. Be it a small or big, I want to be a part of her...

China has struggled to get viewers back into cinemas this week, but the Shanghai Intl. Film Festival (Siff) has found a way to break through: screen all eight of the “Harry Potter” franchise films in a row, with limited seating due to Covid-19 distancing measures, and watch the public duke it out for the privilege to attend.

They must be doing something right in their selection, however: the festival sold 108,000 tickets in the first ten minutes of online sales. That contrasted with only slow box office in commercial cinemas which resumed operating on Monday.

Siff is set to run July 25 to Aug. 2 with an eclectic selection shown in a mix of screenings with a live audience, outdoor viewings and online streaming.

More than 400 films will screen in 29 designated cinemas, including Jordan Peele’s “Us,” a 4K restoration of “Apocalypse Now,” and “1917,” the only studio film new to Chinese audiences among the various offerings.

Another word for “Cargo,” a truly unique blend of Hindu mythology and mid-concept science fiction about a futuristic new process by which the recently deceased are beamed onto a spaceship far away in order to have their memories wiped and their souls cleansed for reincarnation, might be “baggage” — as in, dead people show up with their hands and pockets full of whatever preoccupied them on Earth, and it’s the crew’s job to calm them down and ease them through the transition.

“Cargo” takes place aboard a nifty retro-styled space ship — with its rudimentary computer terminals and mid-20th-century corded phone receivers — called the Pushpak 634A, whose lone crew member is a demon named Prahastha (Vikrant Massey). Demons, according to writer-director Arati Kadav’s playfully revisionist premise, once sneaked around at night stealing humans’ souls, but now, thanks to a treaty between their kind and Homo sapiens, they catalog...

While the 2020 SXSW Film Festival has been canceled due to the coronavirus, IndieWire is covering select titles from this year’s edition.

A viewer experiencing “Cargo” with no expectations might spend the movie’s first few minutes assuming it hails from the “2001” school of near-future odysseys, as lonely astronaut Prahasta (Vikrant Massey) goes about his routine in a brightly-lit vessel while floating through an endless starry night. Instead, the imaginative first feature from Indian writer/director Arati Kadav offers a much stranger concept, one that , made all the more intriguing by the way she plays the whole thing straight.

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It turns out that Prahasta is actually a “rakshasa,” a type of demon from Hindu mythology that guides recently departed humans through the underworld...

The Indian Film Festival Los Angeles will kick off not with a new film, but what is billed as An Evening With Imtiaz Ali, the writer-director of such films as “Jab We Met” and “Rockstar.” He will be joined for an onstage conversation with filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. A screening of Ali’s 2014 film “Highway” will then unspool. The opening night gala presentation takes place April 1 at ArcLight Hollywood.

“The MisEducation of Bindu,” directed by Prarthana Mohan and produced by Mark and Jay Duplass, will close the festival on April 5. In between, a bevy of international film festival hits from Tribeca and SXSW to Venice and Toronto will screen including Bhaskar Hazarika’s “Aamis,” Arati Kadav’s “Cargo,” Alankrita Shrivastava’s “Dolly Kitty and Those Twinkling Stars,” Gitanjali Rao’s animated “Bombay Rose” and Geetu Mohandas’ Malayalam-language “Moothoon.”

There will also be an array of documentaries and shorts playing during the festival,...

India?s first ever homegrown sci-fi spaceship film - Cargo, directed by Arati Kadav is making waves ever since its first look came out.

Starring Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi in leading parts, the film takes the audience on a journey with Prahastha (Massey) who plays a demon operating the Post Death Transition services on a space station orbiting earth and his his female astronaut (Tripathi) colleague

Kadav is known for her work in the sci-fi genre and has previously won accolades for her shorts Time Machine and Raavan.?

A story woven with human emotions and Indian culture set in a quirky whimsical story of after life in space, at its core the film is a warm human drama which is deeply rooted in Indian fables.

The film has been produced by Shlok Sharma, Anurag Kashyap, Navin Shetty and Arati Kadav.

The science fiction film, "Cargo", which stars actors Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi", will be screened at 21st edition of Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival with Star.

Directed by Arati Kadav, "Cargo" has been selected in the Mami Spotlight section.

Also Read:?Vikrant Massey: Nepotism a minor road bump for an actor

The movie traces the journey of a female astronaut who meets a reticent astronaut on a spaceship. With the struggles of her job piling on, she gets better acquainted with the mysterious cargoes that land on the ship.

Talking about the film's selection at Mami, Vikrant said: "We wanted to tell our story and wanted the film to reach out to as many people as possible. Mami has been catering to the quality cinema in Mumbai.

"I remember as a kid or in college, I used to stand in queues to get the passes for movies and today my own film is there.

A strong selection of Indian films is among the highlights of the 21st Mumbai Film Festival. The festival, which runs Oct. 17-24, announced its lineup on Thursday.

The festival’s Spotlight strand boasts of five world premieres, including Arati Kadav’s much awaited sci-film “Cargo,” actor Seema Bhargava Pahwa’s directorial debut, the family drama “Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi,” Deepti Gupta’s document of a female artist’s fight for equality in modern India “Shut Up Sona,” Kamal Swaroop’s portrayal of a theatre troupe staging a mythological play “Samudra Manthan” and R.V. Ramani’s “Oh That’s Bhanu.” The strand also includes Goutam Ghose’s “The Wayfarers” that has its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.

The Mumbai festival’s India Gold competition features further Busan titles, Gurvinder Singh’s “Bitter Chestnut” and Kislay’s “Just Like That,” and Gitanjali Rao’s hand drawn animation festival favourite...

Exclusive: Kunal Nayyar has been cast in Sikhya Entertainment’s sci-fi drama Punha, marking The Big Bang Theory star’s first acting role in Hindi.

Directed by Arati Kadav, Punha revolves around technology that enables people to create a replica of a deceased loved one, to help them cope with their loss. Nayyar will play the only son of a couple who dies in an accident and is replicated by his parents, but becomes conscious that he’s not really human.

Kadav, who previously worked for Microsoft and has made several short films, wrote the script with Zain Matcheswalla.

Sikhya Entertainment’s Guneet Monga is producing the film with Ben Rekhi. “It’s a story with international appeal and having Kunal will help us reach both Hindi and English-speaking markets,” Monga said.

Rekhi added: “It’s an opportunity to look at how we tackle issues like death and loss in the age of technology.”

Production is scheduled...

Exclusive: Kunal Nayyar has been cast in Sikhya Entertainment’s sci-fi drama Punha, marking The Big Bang Theory star’s first acting role in Hindi.

Directed by Arati Kadav, Punha revolves around technology that enables people to create a replica of a deceased loved one, to help them cope with their loss. Nayyar will play the only son of a couple who dies in an accident and is replicated by his parents, but becomes conscious that he’s not really human.

Kadav, who previously worked for Microsoft and has made several short films, wrote the script with Zain Matcheswalla.

Sikhya Entertainment’s Guneet Monga is producing the film with Ben Rekhi. “It’s a story with international appeal and having Kunal will help us reach both Hindi and English-speaking markets,” Monga said.

Rekhi added: “It’s an opportunity to look at how we tackle issues like death and loss in the age of technology.”

Production is scheduled...