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From reel to real change as IMDb maps 25 years of indian cinema

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MUMBAI: Lights, camera, reflection! As IMDb turned the spotlight on 25 Years of Indian Cinema (2000–2025), a new script of change unfolded, one where superstardom is shared, stories are decentralised, and the audience now holds the director’s chair.

In a spirited roundtable hosted by Anupama Chopra for The Hollywood Reporter India, industry stalwarts Siddharth Roy Kapur, Kiran Rao, Sameer Nair and Raj Nidimoru dissected the shifting contours of India’s cinematic universe. The conversation, anchored in IMDb’s landmark report, delved deep into how streaming, social media, and audience evolution have rewritten Bollywood’s rulebook.

“Stardom has been democratized,” said Siddharth Roy Kapur, noting how the halo once reserved for a handful of megastars has now spread across platforms and personalities. Rao agreed, adding that today’s fascination lies less with the cult of celebrity and more with the craft itself. “It’s stopped being all cult of personality. There are so many more artists now that people are interested to watch,” she said, highlighting how Youtubers, comics, and digital creators now rival traditional film stars in influence.

Raj Nidimoru pointed out the industry’s long-standing blind spot, the lack of sustained investment in building women’s stardom. “The hero is treated like a franchise,” he said, “but the same pipeline doesn’t exist for actresses. You can’t expect overnight success for female-led films when you haven’t built that equity over time.” His words struck a chord, echoing an industry still learning to give its heroines equal narrative and commercial weight.

The conversation turned south quite literally as Kapur acknowledged the audacious ambition of regional cinema. “There’s something to be said for the ambition of South films,” he remarked, attributing their boldness partly to the less corporatised funding ecosystem. “They go all in. That chaos fuels creativity.”

Nidimoru added a telling anecdote from his Stree shoot in Chanderi: “The cook was watching a dubbed Telugu film that’s all they watched.” For him, the distinction between North and South cinema no longer holds. “It’s one Indian film industry now,” he said.

Sameer Nair proposed a compelling concept CSR for creativity. “The industry needs its own form of CSR Creative Social Responsibility,” he said, urging filmmakers to balance profit with purpose. “For all the commercial stuff we aspire to, we must ensure creativity is preserved and shared almost like saving the knowledge of the race.”

As the discussion drew to a close, it was clear that Indian cinema’s next 25 years won’t just be about bigger budgets or bolder scripts but about inclusion, integrity, and imagination.

After all, the story of Indian cinema has never been just about stars on screen. It’s about who gets to shine next.

Watch the full discussion here

 

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Prime Video to stream Don’t Be Shy, produced by Alia Bhatt

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MUMBAI: Prime Video has found its next feel-good original, and it comes with a healthy dose of heart, humour and youthful chaos. The streaming platform has announced Don’t Be Shy, a coming-of-age romantic comedy produced by Alia Bhatt and Shaheen Bhatt under their banner, Eternal Sunshine Productions.

Written and directed by Sreeti Mukerji, the film follows Shyamili ‘Shy’ Das, a 20-year-old who believes her life is neatly mapped out until it suddenly is not. What follows is a relatable tumble through friendship, love and the awkward art of growing up, when plans unravel and certainty gives way to self-discovery.

The project is co-produced by Grishma Shah and Vikesh Bhutani, with music composed by Ram Sampath, adding to the film’s promise of warmth and energy. Prime Video describes the story as light-hearted yet emotionally grounded, with a strong female-led narrative at its core.

Prime Video India director and head of originals Nikhil Madhok, said the platform was delighted to collaborate with Eternal Sunshine on a story that blends sincerity with humour. He noted that the film’s fresh writing, earnest characters and infectious music make it an easy, engaging watch for audiences well beyond its young adult setting.

For Alia Bhatt, Don’t Be Shy reflects the kind of storytelling Eternal Sunshine set out to champion. She said the film stood out for its honesty, its coming-of-age perspective and Mukerji’s passion, which she felt was deeply woven into the narrative. Bhatt also praised Prime Video for supporting distinctive voices and bold creative choices.

With its breezy tone and familiar emotional beats, Don’t Be Shy aims to charm viewers whether they are rom-com regulars or simply in the mood for a warm, unpretentious story about life refusing to stick to the plan.

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Tips Films reports Rs 286.87 lakh quarterly loss in Q3 FY26

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MUMBAI: Tips Films struggled to find its rhythm in the final quarter of 2025, as a spike in production costs and a new regulatory burden pushed the Mumbai-based outfit deeper into the red. According to results released on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, the company posted a net loss of Rs 286.87 lakh for the quarter ended 31 December, despite a modest bump in total income to Rs 456.29 lakh.

The bottom line was hit by the introduction of India’s New Labour Codes, which forced a Rs 37.37 lakh catch-up payment for employee benefits. Production costs also proved a heavy lift, gobbling up Rs 318.48 lakh during the period. On a nine-month basis, the picture looks even bleaker; the company has racked up losses of Rs 1,237.61 lakh, a sharp reversal from the Rs 1,269.17 lakh profit it managed in the same period last year.

Investors will be looking for a script change as the company enters the final stretch of the financial year, with basic earnings per share now languishing at minus Rs 6.64. For now, Tips Films remains a single-segment player, pinning its hopes entirely on the volatile world of film production and distribution.

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Tere Ishk Mein row: Eros sues Aanand L Rai over Raanjhanaa rights

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MUMBAI: Eros International Media Ltd has moved the Bombay high court against filmmaker Aanand L Rai and his production banner Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP, alleging unauthorised exploitation of the intellectual property of its 2013 blockbuster Raanjhanaa in the promotion and release of the 2025 film Tere Ishk Mein.

The studio is seeking damages of Rs 84 crore, claiming losses arising from what it describes as unlawful capitalisation on Raanjhanaa’s goodwill. According to a report in The Times of India, Eros has filed a commercial intellectual property suit along with an interim application, alleging trademark infringement, copyright infringement and passing off.

Eros contends that Tere Ishk Mein was deliberately marketed as a “spiritual sequel” to Raanjhanaa without authorisation. The suit names Aanand L Rai, Colour Yellow Media Entertainment LLP and Colour Yellow Productions, along with Super Cassettes Industries (T-Series), writer Himanshu Sharma and Netflix Entertainment Services India LLP, turning the dispute into a multi-party legal battle.

In its filing, Eros asserts that it is the producer and exclusive owner of all intellectual property rights in Raanjhanaa, including copyright, registered trademark rights, character rights in Kundan Shankar and Murari, and remake, prequel and sequel rights. The company alleges these rights were exploited while promoting Tere Ishk Mein, which released theatrically on November 28, 2025.

The legal action was triggered by a teaser released online in July 2025, which Eros claims used phrases such as “From the world of Raanjhanaa” and hashtags including #WorldOfRaanjhanaa. The interim application further alleges unauthorised use of footage, background score and music from Raanjhanaa, despite Eros no longer holding the film’s music rights.

Directed by Aanand L Rai, Tere Ishk Mein stars Dhanush, Kriti Sanon, Priyanshu Painyuli, Prakash Raj and Tota Roy Chowdhury. Neither Eros nor the defendants have issued an official statement so far.

 
 
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