Category: Films

Films

Prabhas Launches Telugu Trailer for Dulquer Salmaan’s 1950s Period Drama Kaantha

Tanisha Cardozo

The excitement around Kaantha, Selvamani Selvaraj’s 1950s-period drama, intensified as Pan-India star Prabhas unveiled the film’s Telugu trailer. Starring Dulquer Salmaan as Chandran, the ‘King of Acting,’ along with Samuthirakani and Bhagyashri Borse, the film chronicles the mentor-protégé rivalry and the clash of egos between legendary director Ayya and the actor he helped shape.

The trailer showcases how artistic disagreements over a female-centric film escalate into intense confrontations, turning the narrative into a gripping thriller.

Jointly produced by Dulquer Salmaan and Rana Daggubati under Wayfarer Films and Spirit Media, the film features cinematography by Spanish cinematographer Dani Sanchez-Lopez and music composed by Jhanu Chanthar, including songs like “Panimalare,” “Kanmani Nee,” and “Rage of Kaantha.”

By unveiling the Telugu trailer, Prabhas adds a pan-India promotional push to this period drama, which hits theaters worldwide on November 14, 2025, in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Hindi, promising a cinematic journey through ambition, rivalry, and the golden era of Madras cinema.

Films

Female-Driven Crime Noir ‘Project Y’ Wins Best Film at 10th London East Asia Film Festival

Tanisha Cardozo

Director Lee Hwan’s crime noir ‘Project Y,’ featuring Han So-hee and Jeon Jong-seo, has won the Best Film award at the 10th London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) held on November 2, 2025, in London. Celebrated for its gripping narrative and innovative female-centric storytelling, the film impressed the jury with a fresh take on noir, centering women’s experiences in a story of ambition, betrayal, and survival.

Set against the contrasting backdrop of Seoul’s glamorous yet gritty Gangnam nightlife, ‘Project Y’ follows childhood friends Mi-sun (Han So-hee) and Do-kyung (Jeon Jong-seo), both in their early thirties. Facing the harsh realities of poverty, the duo plans a high-stakes heist to steal hidden cash and gold bars worth 8 billion KRW, seeking one last chance at freedom. What unfolds is a suspenseful chain of events filled with tension, moral ambiguity, and shifting loyalties.

The jury praised the film for subverting traditional noir tropes, putting female agency and perspective at the forefront. By exploring ambition, survival, and ethical complexity through strong female leads, ‘Project Y’ opens new possibilities for storytelling in Asian cinema.

Supporting performances by Kim Shin-rok as the senior figure Ga-young and Kim Sung-cheol as the antagonist “Boss To” heighten the stakes, while Lee Hwan’s signature realistic and intense directorial style elevates the film’s impact.

LEAFF also honored Kang Yoon-sung’s ‘Run to The’ with the Future of Asia Cinema Award, and closed with the sold-out screening of ‘Kokuho’ by Korean-Japanese director Lee Sang-il. Executive Director Jeon Hye-jung highlighted the festival’s growth into a key platform for Asian cinema in the UK, applauding the daring experimentation and anticipating continued innovation in the years ahead.

With its bold narrative, powerful female leads, and stylish execution, ‘Project Y’ marks a milestone in Asian crime cinema, establishing a new benchmark for the genre on the international stage.

Films

Experience the Magic of Shah Rukh Khan Once Again: Film Festival Begins October 31!

Tanisha Cardozo

The wait is over for fans of the King of Bollywood. The Shah Rukh Khan Film Festival is set to begin on October 31, celebrating the cinematic legacy of one of India’s most beloved stars. The festival will be held across select PVR INOX theatres in India, bringing back some of SRK’s most iconic films to the big screen.

Audiences can relive unforgettable classics like Kabhi Haan Kabhi Naa, Dil Se, Devdas, Main Hoon Na, Om Shanti Om, Chennai Express, and Jawan — each film representing a defining era of Shah Rukh Khan’s legendary career.

Presented in association with PVR INOX and Yash Raj Films (YRF), the festival also extends internationally, with screenings in the Middle East, North America, the UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.

Advance bookings are now open, inviting fans to experience SRK’s timeless charm, romance, and cinematic brilliance on the big screen once again. Whether it’s for nostalgia, admiration, or celebration, the festival promises an unforgettable journey through three decades of magic, emotion, and entertainment.

Films

Johnny Depp to Star as Ebenezer Scrooge in Paramount’s Upcoming ‘Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol’

Tanisha Cardozo

Johnny Depp is set to return to major Hollywood cinema in Paramount Pictures’ upcoming film, Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol, taking on the iconic role of Ebenezer Scrooge. The adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic is being described as a “thrilling ghost story set in Dickens’ London,” tracking one man’s eerie encounters with the past, present, and future as he searches for redemption. Actress Andrea Riseborough is also confirmed to star alongside Depp.

This project represents Depp’s first full-scale studio movie since the high-profile legal disputes with Amber Heard, which dominated headlines for years. During that period, Depp primarily focused on independent films, European tours, and art exhibitions, including his collection A Bunch of Stuff heading to Tokyo. He recently wrapped filming for Day Drinker with Penélope Cruz and is preparing for the Paramount project.

Paramount has tentatively scheduled the release of Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol for November 2026, a date eagerly awaited by fans. Insiders report that Depp has nearly finalized his role as Scrooge, signaling a major comeback in his acting career. The film is expected to bring Depp back into the spotlight of big-studio Hollywood cinema, marking a new chapter in the actor’s post-legal drama journey.

Films

Sholay’s Enduring Appeal Lies in Navarasa Tradition, Says Screenwriter Anjum Rajabali

Tanisha Cardozo

According to screenwriter and cinema theorist Anjum Rajabali, the reason why Sholay continues to captivate Indian audiences across generations lies in its emotional architecture rooted in the navarasa tradition of Indian aesthetics. Speaking at the Museum of Goa in Pilerne during a recent MOG Sunday session celebrating 50 years of Sholay, Rajabali explained that the film’s lasting appeal cannot be attributed only to its stars, dramatic dialogue, or iconic action sequences. Instead, it’s the way the film embodies the nine rasas — love, laughter, sorrow, anger, courage, fear, disgust, wonder, and peace — that makes it emotionally complete. He described how the film’s emotional balance creates a connection with audiences that transcends time and familiarity.

Rajabali illustrated this through scenes such as Jai’s ultimate sacrifice, which embodies heroism, grief, and loyalty simultaneously. He pointed out that comedy in Sholay does not function as a break from tension but as an emotional counterbalance, seen through characters like Basanti and Soorma Bhopali. The laughter, he said, arises naturally from personality and circumstance rather than being forced. Discussing casting choices, he recalled how Amjad Khan’s portrayal of Gabbar Singh was designed to evoke terror and disgust subtly, with “dead eyes” that communicated menace without theatricality.

Rajabali emphasized that rasa is not an intellectual framework but an instinctive experience that audiences feel. Even without understanding the theory, viewers connect emotionally because the film operates through these timeless human essences. He believes that removing even one rasa would have weakened the story’s emotional harmony. Reflecting on modern cinema, he suggested that while some rasas like peace are underexplored today, Sholay achieved a rare equilibrium — a blend of drama, humour, tragedy, and tranquility — that continues to make it one of India’s most enduring films.