Pooja Pillai is an entertainment journalist with Asian Media Group, where she covers cinema, pop culture, internet trends, and the politics of representation. Her work spans interviews, cultural features, and social commentary across digital platforms.
She began her reporting career as a news anchor, scripting and presenting stories for a regional newsroom. With a background in journalism and media studies, she has since built a body of work exploring how entertainment intersects with social and cultural shifts, particularly through a South Indian lens.
She brings both newsroom rigour and narrative curiosity to her work, and believes the best stories don’t just inform — they reveal what we didn’t know we needed to hear.
That Pali Hill plot where the old Kapoor house stood is finally ready.
They put out a note themselves, talking about new beginnings and asking for some space.
It is huge: six floors, hanging gardens, the whole works.
Neetu Kapoor moves in with them.
Alia just bagged another Filmfare award for Jigra.
So, the construction fences are finally down. The boxes are being packed. Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor are finally hauling boxes into that Pali Hill place, and choosing Diwali for it is certainly no accident. This is a proper family move, the whole clan under one roof. Calling it a 'new build' feels incomplete, doesn't it? I mean, they tore the old place down, sure, but the land itself? That is all Kapoor history. They have simply put a new house on a very, very old foundation.
Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor move into their newly built Pali Hill home ahead of Diwali Getty Images
So, what is the place actually like?
With an estimated value of £24 million, (Rs 250 crore) it is six floors stacked up on that prized Pali Hill plot. That video leak a few months back really blew up. Alia was furious, and rightly so, someone just filmed the place and posted on social media. We all saw a raw, unauthorized peek because of it. The home seems to have tiered gardens on the terrace, like a modern take on a classic Mumbai bungalow.
The six-floor mansion blends modern luxury with the Kapoor family’s deep-rooted legacyInstagram/filmymeme
Why does this Pali Hill move matter so much?
That land is Kapoor history. Tearing down the original house was a gamble. Neetu ji, Ranbir, Alia, and their daughter Raha, all under one roof now. Four generations in one building. On top of that, it's during Diwali. It is about lighting lamps in a new space that is actually full of old memories. They also sent a note to the media politely asking for privacy around their new Pali Hill home.
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What is happening on the work front?
As if moving house is not chaotic enough, Alia is still riding the high from her Filmfare win for Jigra. Her sixth. She put up a post calling it a project close to her heart, and you can tell she is not just using a press release line. Now the industry chatter is all about their next big one. They are teaming up again for Sanjay Leela Bhansali's Love & War, with Vicky Kaushal in the mix too.
Forum brings UK and Chinese film professionals together to explore collaborations.
Emerging British-Asian talent gain mentorship and international exposure.
Small-scale dramas, kids’ shows, and adapting popular formats were the projects everyone was talking about.
Telling stories that feel real to their culture, yet can connect with anyone, is what makes them work worldwide.
Meeting three times a year keeps the UK and China talking, creating opportunities that last beyond one event.
The theatre was packed for the Third Shanghai–London Screen Industry Forum. Between panels and workshops, filmmakers, producers and executives discussed ideas and business cards and it felt more than just a summit. British-Asian filmmakers were meeting and greeting the Chinese industry in an attempt to explore genuine possibilities of working in China’s film market.
UK China film collaborations take off as Third Shanghai London Forum connects British Asian filmmakers with Chinese studios Instagram/ukchinafilm
What makes the forum important for British-Asian filmmakers?
For filmmakers whose films explore identity and belonging, this is a chance to show their work on an international stage, meet Chinese directors, talk co-productions and break cultural walls that normally feel unscalable. “It’s invaluable,” Abid Khan said after a panel, “because you can’t create globally if you don’t talk globally.”
And it’s not just established names. Young filmmakers were all around, pitching ideas and learning on the go. The forum gave them a chance to get noticed with mentoring, workshops, and live pitch sessions.
Which projects are catching international attention?
Micro-dramas are trending. Roy Lu of Linmon International says vertical content for apps is “where it’s at.” They’ve done US, Canada, Australia and next stop, Europe. YouTube is back in focus too, thanks to Rosemary Reed of POW TV Studios. Short attention spans and three-minute hits, she’s ready.
Children’s and sports shows are another hotspot. Jiella Esmat of 8Lions is developing Touch Grass, a football-themed children’s show. The logic is simple: sports and kids content unite families, like global glue.
Then there’s format adaptation. Lu also talked about Nothing But 30, a Chinese series with 7 billion streams. The plan is for an english version in London. Not a straight translation, but a cultural transformation. “‘30’ in London isn’t just words,” Lu says. “It’s a new story.”
Jason Zhang of Stellar Pictures says international audiences respond when culture isn’t just a background prop. Lanterns, flowers, rituals, they’re part of the plot. Cedric Behrel from Trinity CineAsia adds: you need context. Western audiences don’t know Journey to the West, so co-production helps them understand without diluting the story.
Economic sense matters too. Roy Lu stresses: pick your market, make it financially viable. Esmat likens ideal co-productions to a marriage: “Multicultural teams naturally think about what works globally and what doesn’t.”
The UK-China Film Collab’s Future Talent Programme is taking on eight students or recent grads this year. They’re getting the backstage access to international filmmaking that few ever see, including mentorship, festival organising and hands-on experience. Alumni are landing real jobs: accredited festival journalists, Beijing producers, curators at The National Gallery.
Adrian Wootton OBE reminded everyone: “We exist through partnerships, networks, and collaboration.” Yin Xin from Shanghai Media Group noted that tri-annual gathering: London, Shanghai, Hong Kong create an “intensive concentration” of ideas.
Actor-director Zhang Luyi said it best: cultural exchange isn’t telling your story to someone, it’s creating stories together.
The Shanghai-London Screen Industry Forum is no longer just a talking shop. It’s a launchpad, a bridge. And for British-Asian filmmakers and emerging talent, it’s a chance to turn ideas into reality.
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