Rani Mukerji starrer Hichki released in March 2018. The film got positive reviews and went on to collect more than Rs 250 crore at the box office worldwide. The movie didn’t really get many accolades at the award functions in India, but it is surely making a mark internationally.
Recently, at Giffoni Film Festival in Italy, the Siddharth P Malhotra directorial won Gryphon Award for Best Film. At the festival, there’s a segment called Elements +10, where jury’s age range from 10 to 12 years. Over 1500 children voted for seven feature films from different countries like China, Germany, Sweden, Australia and Netherlands in the Elements + 10 category. But it was Hichki that won the award.
The movie was produced by Maneesh Sharma under Yash Raj Films banner. Talking about winning at Giffoni, Sharma said, “Hichki is truly a universal film that has resonated with audiences across the world. The fact that children have voted Hichki as the Best Film of the festival just goes to show that the film's story of overcoming odds and finding your own success is relevant to cinema lovers even in this age group.”
Rani Mukerji’s character Naina suffered from Tourette syndrome in the film and the movie showcased how she overcomes this obstacle and becomes a successful teacher. Rani simply nailed it with her performance in the film, and even the casting of the kids was perfect in Hichki.
Talking about Rani’s next movie, the actress will be seen in Mardaani 2 which is a sequel to 2014 release Mardaani. The first instalment tackled the issue of child trafficking in India and while talking about the sequel, Rani had told a few days ago, “In Hichki, they (audience) came to know about the symptoms of Tourettes which not many people knew in India. With Mardaani we got to tell people how the menace of child trafficking exists in our lives even though we don’t want to see it but it is rampant around us. In Mardaani 2, we will again tackle a subject that will be shocking; it will show something very real, very alarming to audiences and make them aware of what’s happening in and around our lives.”
Mardaani 2 is directed by Gopi Puthran and reportedly it will hit the screens in November this year.
UK life sciences sector contributed £17.6bn GVA in 2021 and supports 126,000 high-skilled jobs.
Inward life sciences FDI fell by 58 per cent from £1,897m in 2021 to £795m in 2023.
Experts warn NHS underinvestment and NICE pricing rules are deterring innovation and patient access.
Investment gap
Britain is seeking to attract new pharmaceutical investment as part of its plan to strengthen the life sciences sector, Chancellor Rachel Reeves said during meetings in Washington this week. “We do need to make sure that we are an attractive place for pharmaceuticals, and that includes on pricing, but in return for that, we want to see more investment flow to Britain,” Reeves told reporters.
Recent ABPI report, ‘Creating the conditions for investment and growth’, The UK’s pharmaceutical industry is integral to both the country’s health and growth missions, contributing £17.6 billion in direct gross value added (GVA) annually and supporting 126,000 high-skilled jobs across the nation. It also invests more in research and development (R&D) than any other sector. Yet inward life sciences foreign direct investment (FDI) fell by 58per cent, from £1,897 million in 2021 to £795 million in 2023, while pharmaceutical R&D investment in the UK lagged behind global growth trends, costing an estimated £1.3 billion in lost investment in 2023 alone.
Richard Torbett, ABPI Chief Executive, noted “The UK can lead globally in medicines and vaccines, unlocking billions in R&D investment and improving patient access but only if barriers are removed and innovation rewarded.”
The UK invests just 9% of healthcare spending in medicines, compared with 17% in Spain, and only 37% of new medicines are made fully available for their licensed indications, compared to 90% in Germany.
Expert reviews
Shailesh Solanki, executive editor of Pharmacy Business, pointed that “The government’s own review shows the sector is underfunded by about £2 billion per year. To make transformation a reality, this gap must be closed with clear plans for investment in people, premises and technology.”
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) cost-effectiveness threshold £20,000 to £30,000 per Quality-Adjusted Life Year (QALY) — has remained unchanged for over two decades, delaying or deterring new medicine launches. Raising it is viewed as vital to attracting foreign investment, expanding patient access, and maintaining the UK’s global standing in life sciences.
Guy Oliver, General Manager for Bristol Myers Squibb UK and Ireland, noted that " the current VPAG rate is leaving UK patients behind other countries, forcing cuts to NHS partnerships, clinical trials, and workforce despite government growth ambitions".
Reeves’ push for reform, supported by the ABPI’s Competitiveness Framework, underlines Britain’s intent to stay a leading hub for pharmaceutical innovation while ensuring NHS patients will gain faster access to new treatments.
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