Fronted by Anil Kapoor, Sridevi, and Amrish Puri, Mr India is considered one of the most iconic films of Indian cinema. The Shekhar Kapur directorial is also credited for popularising the superhero genre in Bollywood decades before other filmmakers attempted making sci-fi films.
Recently, Shekhar Kapur shared an important detail about how he shot the toughest scene of the film in an era when there was no green screen.
A netizen captured a video of the film being played on television. In the scene, Kapoor’s Arun Kumar feels the power of the invisibility bracelet for the first time and tests the special power by going invisible and coming back multiple times at the request of a kid.
The internet user shared the scene on his Twitter account and tagged Shekhar and Anil in the caption. Appreciating the film, the netizen wrote, "Watching again & again. My all-time favourite movie.@AnilKapoor @shekharkapur." His tweet got 19 likes, one retweet, and one quote tweet by Kapur himself.
The filmmaker wrote, "This was perhaps the toughest scene to shoot in Mr India. We did not then have Green Screen technology which is so common now. This was shot by masking part of the lens of the camera, then rolling back the film negative precisely and masking a different part of the lens. Five times!”
— (@)
Fans of the film loved the revelation by the director.
“Thanks for sharing how it was done. Shows your love for filmmaking and the extent to which you’ll go achieve your vision as director,” commented a user.
“Wow… Thanks for this behind the scene story... It’s incredible how technology eases the special effects shoot but to shoot this in 80’s without the help of technology is a real task,” wrote another.
Shekhar Kapur is gearing up to commence work on his next film Masoom: The Next Generation, a sequel to his 1983 film Masoom.
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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