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Category: Hindi

  • FCAT abolished, filmmakers criticise government’s decision

    FCAT abolished, filmmakers criticise government’s decision

    NEW DELHI: It was on April 7 that the government decided to abolish the Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT) with immediate effect. The statutory body was formed in 1983 to hear appeals from filmmakers against the rulings by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). FCAT has played a crucial role in releasing several films which were initially banned from screening by the CBFC. 

    The Centre’s decision to do away with the FCAT has been met with widespread condemnation from filmmakers in the country, with industry stakeholders opining that such a move from the government could lead to creative restrictions, and may even delay film releases. 

    With the FCAT now dismantled, producers and directors unhappy with the censor board's verdict will have to approach the high court for remedy. 

    Soon after the abolition of FCAT, several prominent personalities including National Award-winning filmmakers Hansal Mehta and Vishal Bharadwaj, and actor Richa Chadha took to social media to pan the move. 

    "Do the high courts have a lot of time to address film certification grievances? How many film producers will have the means to approach the courts? The FCAT discontinuation feels arbitrary and is definitely restrictive. Why this unfortunate timing? Why take this decision at all?" tweeted Hansal Mehta. 

    Omkara director Vishal Bhardwaj censured the government's move to shut down the FCAT, calling it a “sad day for cinema.” 

     

     

    CBFC former chairperson and actor Sharmila Tagore also came out in support of filmmakers and made it clear that the decision to abolish FCAT could not only consume the time of the judiciary but also delay the release of films. 

    "I don’t know what the rationale is, what was the reason for doing this. I don’t want to comment on it at all. But FCAT was a body that was presided over by a judge and they had very eminent members. I felt since there was a legal body already present, why can’t that body look into these PILs and then later, the courts are always there. The problem with the court is everything takes a little longer. Producers can’t risk it. For them, even a week’s loss is huge," Tagore told Indian Express. 

    Several filmmakers had previously made use of FCAT to release their films on time. In 2017, Alankrita Shrivastava had approached FCAT after CBFC refused to certify Lipstick Under My Burkha. After watching the movie, FCAT asked to give an 'A' certificate to the movie with a few edits. In 2016, it was the intervention of FCAT that helped Anurag Kashyap to release his film Udta Punjab. 

  • Curtains for Cinemas?: Industry pins hopes on vaccine roll-out amid second wave

    Curtains for Cinemas?: Industry pins hopes on vaccine roll-out amid second wave

    KOLKATA: The film entertainment segment of the M&E industry was perhaps the worst hit due to a long-term closure induced by the outbreak of Covid2019. With phased opening and beginning of theatrical releases, the allied segment had been on the course of recovery, but the second wave of the pandemic has abruptly derailed hopes of revival.

    After fresh lockdown guidelines were enacted in Maharashtra, shares of major multiplex chains like Inox and PVR slipped for two consecutive days, given the fact that the state contributes to around 35 per cent of all India box office.

    “As a responsible organisation, we completely relate to the Covid situation in Maharashtra. The revival process of the cinema industry had begun, and the recent curbs are much like a speed-breaker in the journey, which we shall surpass soon in a month’s time,” said Inox Leisure Ltd Alok Tandon.

    He went on to add that the performance of movies like Roohi and Godzilla Vs Kong showed that audiences are willing to turn up in big numbers for new and good quality content, even after an elongated lockdown.

    However, more than cinema occupancy, what’s adding to the woes of cinema owners is that the skyrocketing caseloads have once again disrupted the release calendar. Akshay Kumar-starrer Sooryavanshi, originally scheduled for March 2020, has been postponed indefinitely from its 30 April 2021 release date. Eventually other big ticket releases like Radhe will follow the same path, Elara Capital VP research analyst (media) Karan Taurani surmised.

    Like a playback of last year, this lockdown too will be lifted in a phased manner based on the number of daily cases, opined Taurani. But this time around it may not be as troublesome as 2020, and unlock will happen more swiftly thanks to the vaccine roll out being ramped up. However, he pointed out that theatres may well be the last to open up even if cases come down.

    On the other hand, Inox’s Tandon has reposed faith in upcoming content and increased turnout in the markets dependent on movies in other Indian languages, especially in the southern and eastern parts of the country. Over the past few months, movies like Master, Roberrt and Uppena had brought out the southern audiences in droves. Yuvarathnaa, Sulthan and Wild Dog are also currently performing exceedingly well in the South Indian markets, he added.

    “With Covid cases rising again, there are two major factors which will determine the future of theatrical revenues. One is the fear factor which can lead to lower footfalls even if theatres are open. Secondly, the slate: some films have again started postponing their releases. Unless there is a mass vaccination drive properly rolled out and a solid film slate of releases, the situation is probably not going to improve meaningfully,” EY India partner and media & entertainment leader Ashish Pherwani remarked.

    He also noted that the uncertainty around recovery timelines could result in further direct-to-digital releases, but that may not be a permanent trend. In a similar vein, Taurani mentioned that there is already a big backlog of films and April-June was supposed to be a period where cinemas could go back to 17-20 per cent occupancy on the back of big Hindi releases. Now, many of the mid-small budget producers will again go for OTT premieres. 

    Moreover, in-cinema advertising, which went down almost 90 per cent in 2020, will also be keenly impacted even if the theatres are open in some states.

    “Artificial intelligence has actively taken over the cinema advertising space and this allows for delivering appropriate content depending on location of the cinema, ticket price, demographic and occupancy,” said Harkness Screens Asia EVP Preetham Daniel. “Though the occupancy levels in the auditoriums are not as high as pre-Covid, the value of the advertisement, I believe will be equally impacted. Having said this, the revenue from advertising will definitely take a hit. We had seen the occupancy numbers and box office rising but given the second wave, we may see it drop again as some large releases will now get pushed to June.”

    The advantage of AI is the decision to play a particular ad will now be more accurate based on the heaps of data available on people behavioural pattern, he explained. This allows for brands to sign on long term as opposed to a weekly or monthly run. While Covid2019 also has affected the on ground activation campaigns for the brands, Daniel remained optimistic that it will eventually pick up as and when hyped movies hit cinema screens.

    “Thanks to a huge pent-up demand and a stellar line up of movies, 2021 is destined to be a blockbuster year for us, and we are still certain about it. In the current situation, we have pinned our hopes on the rapid and widespread vaccination drive, which we hope would arrest the surge in cases,” Tandon said.

  • Multiplex Association writes to Maharashtra CM, says possible lockdown could hit cinemas

    Multiplex Association writes to Maharashtra CM, says possible lockdown could hit cinemas

    MUMBAI: Maharashtra has been witnessing a drastic surge in coronavirus cases over the past few days, and several medical experts have suggested that the only possible way to curb the rising caseloads is by implementing a second lockdown. Amid looming uncertainty over a possible shutdown, the Multiplex Association of India (MAI) has written to Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, saying that another lockdown, if implemented, could hit the film exhibition industry very badly. 

    The MAI added that yet another halt on operations could also negatively affect the functioning of retail and shopping industries. 

    "Such measures that curtail smooth operations will not only deter genuine movie-goers and shoppers, who have slowly returned to cinemas and shopping centers, from visiting cinemas and malls but also put into motion a downward spiraling effect on cinema industry and modern retail that could derail the recovery of these segments," the association stated.

    In the letter, the MAI noted that the implementation of a second lockdown in the state will result in the postponement of several Hindi movie releases, which will in turn create an extremely hostile situation for cinemas across the nation. 

    The MAI added that "second lockdown will be extremely detrimental and would lead to severe and irreversible consequences for the cinema exhibition sector." 

    It was on 13 March 2020 that the Maharashtra government decided to close all cinema halls in the state due to the rising number of Coronavirus infections. The closure lasted until 9 November, and now, even after five months of opening, the industry has not stabilised due to the hesitance of people to enter movie halls. 

    Further, the MAI pointed out that cinema halls are ensuring sufficient hygienic practices, and even being a closed setting, theatres are safer when compared to local trains, metro trains, and airlines. The letter also asserted that a lockdown on cinemas will be discriminating and discouraging. 

    After months of remaining shuttered, cinemas reopened in October 2020 with a 50 per cent cap on seating and had to adhere to strict protocols issued by the government. Restrictions were further eased from 1 February 2021 and theatres were allowed to operate at 100 per cent capacity. However, footfalls have been low, and according to a Livemint report, hovering between seven to 30 per cent in north India. There are exceptions to this abysmal trend — Tamil film Master ran to packed houses even after arriving on an OTT platform, while Telugu film Uppena has also done great business.

  • Amazon Prime Video forays into film production in India

    Amazon Prime Video forays into film production in India

    KOLkATA: In a landmark move for its India operations, Amazon Prime Video has announced its association with the upcoming Hindi movie Ram Setu as a co-producer alongside Cape of Good Films, Abundantia Entertainment and Lyca Productions. 

    Directed by Abhishek Sharma (Parmanu, Tere Bin Laden) and creatively produced by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi (Prithviraj Chauhan), the film is an action-adventure drama that brings forward a story deeply rooted in Indian cultural and historical heritage. The film has a power-packed star-cast led by superstar Akshay Kumar and featuring Jacqueline Fernandes and Nushrratt Bharucha. Following its theatrical release, Ram Setu will soon be available for Prime members. 

    Amazon Prime Video India content director and head Vijay Subramanium said, “At Amazon Prime Video, every decision we take is from a customer-first perspective. Stories that are entrenched in Indian soil have often found an audience not only in India but across the world, and we are delighted to further take a step into co-producing by collaborating with a film that highlights our Indian heritage. Our collaboration with Vikram Malhotra and Abundantia Entertainment as well as with Akshay Kumar till date has been unique and highly successful; and with this step, we move into the direction of further deepening and strengthening our association. With an exemplary cast and a story that is unique yet steeped in history, we look forward to continuing to entertain our customers the world over.”

    Actor Akshay Kumar added, “The story of Ram Setu is one that has always intrigued and inspired me: it represents strength, bravery and love, and uniquely Indian values that have formed the moral and social fabric of our great country. Ram Setu is a bridge between generations past, present and future.I look forward to telling the story of a significant part of Indian heritage, especially for the youth and I am happy that, with Amazon Prime Video, the story will cut across geographies and strike a chord with viewers across the world.”

    Abundantia Entertainment founder & CEO Vikram Malhotra said, “In India, mythology, religion and history are deeply inter-twined. They form the nerve system of our nation and have always given us the foundation for great, epic storytelling. Ram Setu is a story formed on facts, science and historical heritage and is anchored in the deep belief of Indians since centuries We have had a wonderful association with Amazon Prime Video for our successful Amazon Original Series Breathe and Breathe: Into The Shadows as well as for films like Shakuntala Devi and the upcoming tentpole series – The End, also starring Akshay Kumar. I am thrilled to collaborate with Amazon once again for the opportunity to share this amazing story with a global audience.”

  • Ormax Media relaunches film campaign tracking and box office forecasting tool Ormax Cinematix

    Ormax Media relaunches film campaign tracking and box office forecasting tool Ormax Cinematix

    MUMBAI: With the audience slowly returning to movie theatres post the Covid2019 pandemic, media consulting firm Ormax Media has announced the relaunch and expansion of its film campaign tracking and box office forecasting tool Ormax Cinematix (OCX). OCX was launched in 2010 for the Hindi film industry, and expanded to cover the Hollywood sector in India in 2014. In its new avatar, OCX will track theatrical films in nine language, namely Hindi, English, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Punjabi and Bengali.

    OCX uses consumer research across India to measure the performance of upcoming film releases on three parameters: Buzz, Reach & Appeal. A statistical model uses these parameters to estimate the First-Day Box Office (FBO), a forecast of the opening day collections of all the films being tracked by the tool. Over the last few years, FBO has established itself as a highly credible currency in the film industry, with 83% accuracy since 2018.

    With the expansion to regional languages, Ormax Media has reiterated its focus on regional content. Earlier this year, the company had extended its television character popularity tracking tool Ormax Characters India Loves to Tamil, Telugu, Marathi and Bengali GEC categories.

    Ormax Media founder & CEO Shailesh Kapoor said, “Ormax Cinematix has been an industry benchmark for the Hindi film industry for more than a decade, and is used by studios to take key business decisions related to marketing, distribution and acquisition of films. With an expansion into nine languages, the tool will now be available for producers across India. This expansion reiterates our commitment towards increasing our focus on language markets in India in 2021”.

    OCX has been the film industry’s go-to tool for first-day box office forecasts over the last decade. At the time the tool hit the pause button in March 2020 when theatres were closed due to the lockdown, more than 30 studios and producers were subscribers of the tool, including Yash Raj Films, Dharma Productions, Disney, Viacom 18, Sony Pictures, T-Series, Zee Studios, Balaji Telefilms and Excel Entertainment, among others.

    Ormax Media partner Gautam Jain added,  “Pan-India films, which cut across languages, are an emerging trend. This year itself will see several films that will travel across languages, such as KGF Chapter 2, Radhe Shyam and RRR. Ormax Cinematix needed a multi-language expansion to keep up with this trend. With nine languages being covered now, we are confident that our first-day box office (FBO) forecast numbers will be as looked forwarded to by producers, directors and actors in the regional markets, as they have been by those in Bollywood”.

  • West Bengal allows theatres to fully reopen

    West Bengal allows theatres to fully reopen

    MUMBAI: Even as the Tamil Nadu government has reversed its decision permitting 100 per cent occupancy in cinema halls following directions from the ministry of home affairs, it is now the turn of West Bengal to allow theatres to fully reopen. West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee made the announcement while inaugurating the 26th Kolkata International Film Festival on Friday.

    Her directive is to be notified by chief secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay and is against the central government’s unlock rules, which stipulate 50 per cent occupancy.

    The move came a day after single-screen owners in West Bengal urged the state government to allow 100 per cent occupancy in theatres, citing poor box office returns as the reason.

    Tamil Nadu had taken a similar decision earlier this week but had to withdraw it on receiving clear cut directions from home secretary Ajay Bhalla that the unlock restrictions must not, under any conditions, be diluted. The current set of unlock guidelines will be enforced till 31 January.

    Soon after, the Tamil Nadu government issued a statement saying that the audience in all cinema theatres, including those in multiplexes and shopping malls, shall be capped at 50 per cent till further orders. The Madras high court had also stated that it believed that the state government should  reconsider its former decision of allowing 100 per cent  occupancy in cinema theatres in view of the Coronavirus situation in the state. It also said that it is not proper to give economic problems top priority when the nation is going through a pandemic.

    Now it remains to be seen is if the home secretary will once again write to the West Bengal authorities and if the Centre’s rules will be followed. It must be recalled that the Tamil Nadu government led by the AIADMK is an ally of the BJP which has formed the Union government. The Trinamool Congress is in power in West Bengal and it is a bitter rival of the Narendra Modi-led BJP.

  • “Dekho, Jeeto Aur Jeetao” with Sony Max’s latest initiative with the WTP of Shakuntala Devi

    “Dekho, Jeeto Aur Jeetao” with Sony Max’s latest initiative with the WTP of Shakuntala Devi

    MUMBAI: Shakuntala Devi’s quest for knowledge was unmatched. And so was her love for Mathematics. Sony Max, a premium Hindi movie channel is all set to provide viewers with an opportunity to help someone with the gift of knowledge with a unique campaign titled ‘Dekho, Jeeto aur Jeetao with Shakuntala Devi’ as part of the promotional plan for the world television premiere of Shakuntala Devi this December.

    With this activity fans have to click a selfie of themselves while watching the premiere of Shakuntala Devi, post them on Sony Max’s official Facebook page or on their Instagram stories, tagging @SonyMAX using #DekhoJeetoJeetaoContest. For each participant, Sony Max promises to contribute Rs 100 to help those in need by donating tablets and giving children at Salaam Balak Trust (an Indian non-profit and non-governmental organization which provides support for children in street situation) an opportunity to learn and build a bright future. Sony Max urges fans to take this opportunity to help give the gift of knowledge to these deserving children and keep Shakuntala Devi’s legacy of learning alive.

    Watch the TVC here- https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=455275682547998

    Sony Max business head Neeraj Vyas said: Sony MAX has always introduced interesting initiatives to keep the audiences engaged, entertained and informed. The latest campaign, “Dekho, Jeeto aur Jeetao with Shakuntala Devi” aims to take the cause of e-learning a notch higher. The story of Shakuntala Devi is a real-life empowering tale about mathematical brilliance and we believe students tend to get inspired by such motivating & gripping stories of great personalities. Therefore, at Sony Max we are thrilled to take this opportunity to support new-age education and make viewers a part of it by donating tablets to the students who are keen to learn.”

  • A R Rahman roped in as BAFTA Breakthrough India ambassador

    A R Rahman roped in as BAFTA Breakthrough India ambassador

    MUMBAI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has announced that applications are now open for BAFTA Breakthrough India, supported by Netflix. The initiative marks BAFTA‘s first steps into India, showcasing and supporting the next generation of creative talent in film, games and television globally alongside the UK, USA and China.

    It also named A R Rahman as the ambassador for BAFTA Breakthrough India 2020-21. This association with Rahman marks the continued development of creative relationships between the UK and India, enabling and supporting collaboration between the two nations and showcasing the incredible talent India has to offer across different regions on a global scale.  

    BAFTA Breakthrough ambassador and composer A R Rahman  said: “I am happy to be working with BAFTA to discover some of the amazing talent that India has to offer in film, games and television. This is a unique opportunity for promising artists to be supported by a world-renowned organisation, to not only make connections with other talented creatives across the world but to be mentored by BAFTA winners and nominees. I am looking forward to seeing the brilliant talent chosen from India to be showcased on a global stage.”

    “We are absolutely delighted to be opening Breakthrough applications in India for the first time,” BAFTA chief executive Amanda Berry OBE added. “I am also incredibly grateful for the invaluable support of our brilliant ambassador A R Rahman, an industry leader in his creative work and someone who shares our passion for identifying and nurturing new talent.  He is well positioned to support the initiative, with his broad spectrum of work drawing recognition across Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu films, which will help BAFTA to appeal to a wide section of the industry.”

    As part of BAFTA Breakthrough India, a jury of British and Indian industry experts will select five talents from across India to take part in the year-long mentoring and guidance program. The chosen participants will receive one-to-one mentoring, global networking opportunities, free access to BAFTA events and screenings for 12 months, and full voting BAFTA membership. The chosen talent will also connect with and learn from some of the best in the British and Indian creative industries, share their expertise with peers around the world, gain access to opportunities beyond geographical borders, and be promoted as BAFTA breakthrough artists globally.  

    BAFTA Breakthrough selects talent through a cross-industry jury of leading professionals, hand-picked to ensure a diverse selection of experienced voices. Jurors for the UK & US cohorts included Fiona Shaw (actress), Paapa Essiedu (actor), Edward Enninful (editor-in-chief – British Vogue), Jodie Azhar (game developer) and Kate Townsend (director) to name a few. The 2020 Jurors for Breakthrough India are still to be announced.

    BAFTA Breakthrough, launched globally in May 2020 and previously known as Breakthrough Brits, has been running in the UK since 2013 and in China since 2019, but this year marks the first time the initiative is recognising talent globally across the UK, US, India and China.

    This year’s BAFTA Breakthrough global participants will be celebrated and showcased together in 2021. The initiative will continue to use digital communications in the coming months to enhance cross-cultural networking across the globe.

    Netflix is the official supporting partner for BAFTA Breakthrough, in the UK, USA and India, providing integral support in the global expansion.

  • FC Front Row: A film community for movie lovers

    FC Front Row: A film community for movie lovers

    MUMBAI: “Only connect” E. M. Forster wrote in his 1910 novel Howards End. A hundred and ten years later, in the throes of a raging pandemic, we are all striving to connect – with conferencing technologies, messaging apps, social media.  And yet, we feel more isolated than ever, lonely in our little boxes, as we appear on Zoom. 

    The Front Row is an online collective by Film Companion that gives movie lovers the opportunity to engage with cinema, content, creators and other people who love storytelling. For Rs 99 a month, users can participate in masterclasses, conversations, Q and A sessions with critics and filmmakers, and screenings. 

    The first session kicks off with a chat with Pankaj Tripathi, whose life and career exemplify that eventually talent trumps everything. 2020 has been a stellar year for Tripathi professionally with Gunjan Saxena, Mirzapur 2 and Ludo. Anupama Chopra, the editor and founder of Film Companion, will be chatting with him about the challenges of success, how an actor stays current without getting stereotyped and how he manages to create so much out of so little – look at what he did with Sattu bhaiya in Ludo. This is not a typical promotional interview. Tripathi isn’t there to sell his latest work. Instead it is an attempt to find new insights into the actor and his art. And cinephiles can participate in real time. Think of it as attending an exclusive adda. 

    “The Front Row is an attempt to get out of the box,” said Anupama Chopra. “One of the things I’ve missed most this year is a sense of connection around film, sitting in that dark hall with strangers, all of us laughing or screaming at the same time, those vehement debates with friends about films or shows we’ve watched, standing in line at a film festival and comparing notes with the person next to me.  We may not be able to recreate these moments (at least in the near future) but we can rebuild that feeling of shared passion and community.” 

    That’s the beauty of the Front Row – to celebrate art and artists. When life resumes a semblance of normalcy, the online forum hopes to become an active offline community as well. 

    Registration link here.

  • BAFTA ventures into India with Breakthrough initiative

    BAFTA ventures into India with Breakthrough initiative

    NEW DELHI: The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is taking its first steps in India with the global expansion of the Breakthrough initiative, supported by Netflix. This flagship new talent initiative is part of BAFTA’s year-round work to support new talent, operating alongside their awards ceremonies worldwide. BAFTA Breakthrough India will help facilitate the development of relationships between British talent and India’s homegrown creatives.

    BAFTA Breakthrough India is a new international iteration of the highly successful Breakthrough initiative, which has been running in the UK since 2013, China since 2019 and has launched in the USA this year, supporting over 130 emerging talents to date.

    Encouraging creative and cultural exchange between some of the major centres of film, games, and television in these countries, the programme has supported individuals such as Tom Holland, Letitia Wright, Florence Pugh, Jessie Buckley, Josh O’Connor, and Callum Turner. Industry supporters of the initiative in recent years also include actors Oliva Colman, Naomi Harris, Tom Hiddleston and Tilda Swinton, actor-producer Brad Pitt, directors Tom Harper and Barry Jenkins, game designers Brenda Romero and Tim Schafer, and actor-writers Sharon Horgan and Amy Schumer.

    In 2020, BAFTA will identify, celebrate, and support up to five exceptional talents working in film, games, or television in India, through this first-of-its-kind program in the country. By showcasing talent globally, BAFTA Breakthrough aims to turbocharge their career success by offering a bespoke programme of support – helping them to learn more about the industry, overcome barriers to progression, and network globally with people who can influence their careers.

    Netflix is the official supporting partner for BAFTA Breakthrough, in the UK, USA and India, providing integral support in the global expansion. BAFTA and Netflix share a joint vision to celebrate and provide opportunities for emerging talent across the world, bringing together international communities across global networks, in order to develop and support stories and voices from different cultures.

    “BAFTA is uniquely placed to facilitate creative partnerships across the moving arts, being one of the only art charities to work across film, games, and television and on a global scale,” BAFTA director of learning & new talent Tim Hunter said. “India is one of the most prolific and accomplished industries and a fascinating centre for the screen arts with lots of creative diversity, which extends far beyond the world-famous ‘Bollywood’. Some of the best practitioners in the world work in Indian film, games, and television – and practitioners from around the world have much to learn from them.”

    Netflix India VP content Monika Shergill said, "Netflix shares BAFTA's vision and responsibility in providing ‘breakthrough’ opportunities to emerging talent. We’re thrilled to extend our support to the programme in India and help amplify our country's new voices. This initiative will meaningfully bring together creative communities across borders, support their stories, unearth raw talent and provide them with recognition on the world stage.” 

    BAFTA will work closely with local cultural bodies and industry in India to reach each sub-region's unique landscape and identify excellent individuals who have shown creative promise in film, games, and television. Participants will be selected by a jury comprising leaders from across India’s moving arts industries. The chosen participants will be offered a year-long support programme from BAFTA and be showcased across India and the UK. They will also receive one-to-one mentoring, guidance sessions, global networking opportunities, free access to BAFTA events and screenings for 12 months, and full voting BAFTA membership as part of Breakthrough. It will enable the chosen talent to connect with and learn from some of the best in the British and Indian creative industries, share their expertise with peers around the world, gaining access to opportunities beyond geographical borders.

    The Breakthrough programme will also be supported by a series of craft masterclasses, which will feature British and Indian talent sharing their expertise and insights with audiences across India and the UK. More details of the Breakthrough Masterclasses programme will be announced.

    Applications for the programme will be announced as open soon.