According to reports, popular television actor Shantanu Maheshwari is set to make his foray into Bollywood. Yes, you heard it right! The young actor has been locked to play an important role in an upcoming Hindi movie, which is being made by one of the biggest filmmakers of the industry.
Buzz has it that Shantanu Maheshwari will play a pivotal character in filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much talked about film Gangubai Kathiawadi. The period drama features Alia Bhatt in the title role. She plays a brothel owner and matriarch of Kamathipura, Mumbai in the movie. The film is based on Hussain Zaidi’s book Queens of Mumbai. Now, as per latest reports, Shantanu Maheshwari has joined the cast of the much-awaited movie.
As per reports, Bhansali was looking for a fresh face to cast in the role and Shantanu fitted the bill perfectly. The actor will play the character of Afsan, one of the male lead roles opposite Alia. ''Sanjay Leela Bhansali was looking for a fresh face who would carry that innocence but still be convincing in a dark role. The team had auditioned Shantanu Maheshwari and they loved his tape. SLB also was immensely impressed by him and he has now officially been signed on to play one of the lead roles opposite Alia in the film,'' a source informs.
Shantanu is expected to start shooting for the film soon. In addition to Alia Bhatt and Shantanu Maheshwari, Gangubai Kathiawadi also stars Vijay Raaz in an important role. The film, reportedly, has a cameo of Ajay Devgn. However, the makers are yet to make any official announcement regarding the same.
Gangubai Kathiawadi is produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali in association with Jayantilal Gada of Pen India Private Limited. The movie is slated to arrive in cinemas on September 11, 2020.
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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