With the onset of 2019, cinephiles are looking forward to some great movies once again. So here is a list of five films that are set to take Bollywood by storm.
Luka Chuppi
The latest Bollywood heartthrob Kartik Aaryan will once again spread his charm on the big screen in Dinesh Vijan’s production Luka Chuppi. He will be seen romancing Kriti Sanon in the movie. Both the actors play TV reporters from Mathura in the film and the story travels from Mathura to Gwalior and Agra. The rom-com is directed by Laxman Utekar and also stars Aparshakti Khurana, Pankaj Tripathi and Vinay Pathak. The film will be released on 1 March.
Kesari
Based on the Battle of Saragarhi where 21 Sikhs fought against 10,000 Afghans in 1897, Kesari stars Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra. It is helmed by Anurag Singh who has directed films like Jatt & Juliet and Punjab 1984 among others. The movie is set to release on 21 March.
Mental Hai Kya
Directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Prakash Kovelamudi, the comedy thriller, starring Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao, will hit the theatres on March 29. The film is being promoted as a celebration of the "imperfections and the crazy within us".
The Zoya Factor
The Zoya Factor is Malayalam actor Dulquer Salmaan’s second Bollywood outing after Karwaan. The movie also stars Sonam Kapoor. It is a screen adaptation of Anuja Chauhan’s best-selling novel of the same name. The movie is directed by Abhishek Sharma. The film is about a Rajput girl named Zoya Singh Solanki (Sonam) who meets the Indian Cricket Team through her job as an executive in an advertising agency and ends up becoming a lucky charm for the team in the 2010 Cricket World Cup. Eventually, Zoya falls for skipper Nikhil Khoda (Dulquer) who doesn’t believe in luck and superstitions. The movie is set to release on 5 April.
Kalank
Karan Johar’s epic drama set in the period of 1940s is said to be a dream project of the filmmaker which was conceptualised by him and his late father Yash Johar fifteen years ago. Helmed by Abhishek Varman, the movie stars Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, Sanjay Dutt, Madhuri Dixit, Sonakshi Sinha and Aditya Roy Kapur. The film is set to release on 19 April.
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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