Vidya Balan is joining the league of actresses like Priyanka Chopra, Anushka Sharma, and Deepika Padukone. The Kahaani actress is all set to make her debut as a producer with a short film titled Natkhat. She won't just produce it but will also star in the short film.
Natkhat is mainly being made for film festivals and will tackle a lot of issues like patriarchy, gender inequality, rape culture, domestic abuse, compartmentalization by men in different relationships with women; and in doing so surpasses all possible barriers, be it age, gender, urban-rural divide, and nationality. Along with Vidya, the short film will also be produced by Ronnie Screwvala.
Vidya took to Instagram to share this news with her fans. She posted, "I’m happy and excited to share that a few days ago, I did my first short film as an actor .... The film is called Natkhat and has me in a new role....that of ‘PRODUCER‘ ?.... I never had plans to turn producer but the story written by @annukampa_harsh and #ShaanVyas propelled me in that direction ?...Its been a new and precious experience working with @shaanvs the director and his team, and to be partnering with #RonnieScrewvala & @rsvpmovies @sanayairanizohrabi on this beautiful and powerful story.Can’t wait to share it with my world and hoping that it speaks to you like it did to me ?. #natkhat #ronniescrewvala."
Talking about the film, Ronnie Screwvala said, “When I first heard the script for Natkhat, I immediately knew this film had to be made. The film addresses so many issues and gives out a powerful message too. I am very happy to collaborate with Vidya on this film…”
Coming to other projects of Vidya, the actress will next be seen on the big screen in Mission Mangal which is slated to release on 15th August 2019. The movie is based on ISRO's Mars Orbiter Mission and will mainly focus on the women behind the mission. The movie also stars Akshay Kumar, Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Kirti Kulhari, Nithya Menen and Sharman Joshi.
Vidya also has Shakuntala Devi's biopic in her kitty. For the uninitiated, Shakuntala Devi is a writer and mental calculator and she is popularly called as the 'human computer'. Reportedly, Vidya will also be seen in Anurag Basu's next which also stars Abhishek Bachchan, Rajkummar Rao, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, and Aditya Roy Kapur.
The Britain Meets India 2024 report said 667 British companies are already operating in India, generating £47.5 billion in revenue and employing over 516,000 people. (Representational image: iStock)
UK BUSINESSES are increasing their focus on India as a key market following the UK–India Free Trade Agreement (FTA), according to Grant Thornton’s latest International Business Report (IBR).
The report found that 72 per cent of UK firms now see India as a major international growth market, up from 61 per cent last year.
While only 28 per cent currently operate in India, 73 per cent of those without a presence plan to enter the market, including 13 per cent within the next year.
The Britain Meets India 2024 report said 667 British companies are already operating in India, generating £47.5 billion in revenue and employing over 516,000 people.
Among Indian firms, 99 per cent of those already in the UK plan to expand, while nearly 90 per cent of those not yet present intend to set up operations.
Anuj Chande, Partner and Head of South Asia Business Group at Grant Thornton UK, said: “The shift we’re seeing is clear: UK mid-market businesses are no longer asking ‘why India’ — they are asking ‘how soon’.
“With 73 per cent of firms planning to establish operations in India and over half of existing players looking to scale up within a year, this is a pivotal moment. The UK–India FTA is a game-changer, reducing entry barriers and accelerating opportunity, but it won’t remove the complexity of operating in a fragmented and dynamic market.”
Chande added that the recent UK trade delegation accompanying the Prime Minister’s visit has added to the impetus to trade and invest with India.
However, 63 per cent of UK firms cited regulation and foreign exchange controls as the main barriers to operating in India, while 38 per cent mentioned infrastructure gaps. For Indian companies, tariffs, regulation, and the UK’s fragmented regulatory system were the key concerns.
Despite the challenges, 21 per cent of UK businesses said they had no concerns about the FTA and viewed it as wholly beneficial.
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