Quick highlights
• Meenakshi Jayan bags best actress at Shanghai International Film Festival’s Asian New Talent Awards
• Wins for her role in Victoria, the only Indian film in competition this year
• Victoria is directed by Sivaranjini J and backed by Kerala’s Women Empowerment Grant
• Jayan prepared for her role by working at a beauty parlour and learning the Angamaly accent
Indian actress Meenakshi Jayan has won the best actress award at the 2025 Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), recognised in the Asian New Talent section for her role in the Malayalam film Victoria. Directed by debutant Sivaranjini J, the film was the only Indian entry in competition this year.
Malayalam film Victoria gains global spotlight
Jayan plays a young beautician from Angamaly, Kerala, navigating a day of personal turmoil as she plans to elope with her Hindu boyfriend, despite her Catholic family’s objections. Her quiet rebellion is interrupted by a neighbour’s rooster, meant for a church festival, setting off an emotional spiral filled with conflict, faith, and self-discovery.
To fully immerse herself in the role, Jayan spent two months working in a local beauty parlour and trained with a dialect coach to master the Angamaly accent. Her grounded, realistic performance had already earned her the best performer title at the Independent and Experimental Film Festival Kerala (IEFFK) earlier this year.
The film, funded by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation under its Women Empowerment Grant, premiered at the International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK), where it picked up the FIPRESCI Award for best Malayalam film by a debut director.
India makes its mark on the international festival circuit
Jayan’s win is a significant moment for Indian independent cinema, especially regional films. Victoria stood out not just for its storytelling but also for its production support aimed at empowering women filmmakers.
At the same festival, As the Water Flows from China won best film in the Asian New Talent section, and Where the Night Stands Still, an Italy-Philippines collaboration, earned Liryc Dela Cruz the best director title. Shi Pengyuan won best actor for Water Can Go Anywhere.
In the main competition, Kyrgyz film Black Red Yellow won best feature. Japan’s On Summer Sand and China’s Wild Nights, Tamed Beasts shared the jury grand prix. Wan Qian won best actress in that category, while Portugal-Brazil co-production The Scent of Things Remembered earned José Martins best actor.
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Jason Ralph fuels speculation over Rachel Brosnahan marriage after controversial Instagram activity
Rachel Brosnahan marriage speculation grows after Jason Ralph’s controversial Instagram activity
Highlights
Rachel Brosnahan’s husband, actor Jason Ralph, is at the centre of a heated social media debate after he liked a provocative Instagram comment about her on-screen chemistry with Superman co-star David Corenswet. The online reaction has been swift, with fans speculating whether his action was a subtle dig, a careless mistake, or simply a misunderstood joke.
The comment in question accused Brosnahan of crossing boundaries with a co-star and suggested Ralph should “stand up for himself” and “leave her.” Within hours, screenshots of Ralph’s ‘like’ were circulating across Reddit, X, and Instagram gossip pages. Soon after, Ralph disabled comments on his posts, but by then, the digital trail was impossible to erase.
When did Rachel Brosnahan and Jason Ralph get married?
Brosnahan and Ralph first met while working on the indie film I’m Obsessed With You in 2013. After several years of dating, the pair quietly tied the knot—so quietly, in fact, that the public only learned about it years later.
In a 2019 interview, Brosnahan revealed that she had been wearing her wedding ring for some time before speculation began, adding:
“We’ve been married for years and been together for even longer. We had a good laugh when the news came out that we had just got married like, ‘Happy six-month anniversary, honey!’”
The couple’s decision to keep their marriage private was intentional. Brosnahan explained that she disliked the double standard in media coverage, where she was constantly asked about her relationship while Ralph was not.
Have they worked together professionally?
Yes. Ralph appeared alongside his wife in the hit series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, joining in seasons four and five as Mike Carr. Speaking to Entertainment Tonight, Ralph praised Brosnahan’s leadership on set, saying:
“She’s just the best, and I feel very lucky to see her command a set like that.”
Their collaboration was warmly received by fans, and until now, the couple has maintained an image of mutual respect and professional admiration.
What did Jason Ralph ‘like’ on Instagram?
The controversy began when Ralph liked a comment on one of his posts that read:
“It’s genuinely sad to see your career being tucked out to be remembered as a cuckold because your wife couldn’t handle herself with her co-actor. Like bro, let’s have some self-love and stand up for yourself, leave her to be with him if she wants that much.”
The remark, widely interpreted as targeting Brosnahan’s scenes with David Corenswet in Superman, was seen by many as insulting and sexist. Fans immediately questioned why Ralph would engage with it at all.
Was it intentional or a mistake?
Social media reactions are split. Some argue that it was likely an accidental double-tap, noting that Ralph’s Instagram activity is minimal and sporadic. Others believe it was deliberate, citing his history of dry humour and occasional trolling behaviour online.
Regardless of intent, the timing has amplified speculation. Brosnahan’s chemistry with Corenswet has been heavily discussed since the film’s release, and this incident has only fuelled more rumours about their personal lives.
What’s next for the couple?
Neither Brosnahan nor Ralph has publicly commented on the incident. Given their preference for privacy, it’s unlikely they will address the speculation directly. Still, with screenshots continuing to circulate, the story has already left its mark on fan discussions around the couple. Whether the Instagram ‘like’ was a slip of the finger or a calculated move, it has put an unusually public spotlight on one of Hollywood’s most private marriages. For now, the internet is left to debate: accident, sarcasm, or subtle message?