FESTIVAL, MARKET

The first version of India’s Cinevesture International Film Festival and market (Chandigarh, March 27-31) will characteristic a spread of masterclasses and panels headlined by a spread of luminaries together with filmmakers Shekhar Kapur (“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”) and Karan Johar (“Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”).

The lineup additionally consists of actors Jaideep Ahlawat (“Paatal Lok”), Roshan Mathew (“Paradise”), Suvinder Vicky (“Kohrra”), Rajshri Deshpande (“Trial by Fire”), Boman Irani (“Dunki”), Rasika Dugal (“Mirzapur”), Abhay Deol (“Trial by Fire”), actor-producers Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal (“Girls Will be Girls”), filmmakers Tahira Kashyap (“Sharmajee Ki Beti”), Sudhir Mishra (“Tanaav”), Ajitpal Singh (“Tabbar”), Anurag Singh (“Kesri”) and Saugata Mukherjee, head of content material at streamer SonyLiv.

As previously announced, the India premieres of France’s “The Taste of Things” and Korea’s “Exhuma” will open and shut the pageant. Former Cannes movie market director Jerome Paillard, Indian actor and producer Rana Daggubati and Nicole Guillemet who was co-director of the Sundance Film Festival are on the occasion’s advisory board. The pageant is the brainchild of Nina Lath, who beforehand headed Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, from 2006 to 2018.

THEATER CASTING

Musical “Fangirls,” the U.Ok. model of the hit Australian musical, co-produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, can have its British premiere on the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from July 13-Aug. 24. The preliminary casting consists of Jasmine Elcock (“The Crucible”), Miracle Chance (“The Witches”), Mary Malone (“Burnt at the Stake”), Gracie McGonigal (“The Little Big Things”), Terique Jarrett (“Daddy”), Eve De Leon Allen (“The House with Chicken”), Max Gill (“Bugsy Malone”), Lena Pattie Jones (“She Loves Me”) and Nicky Wong Rush (“The Wedding Singer – The Urdang Academy”).

Book, music and lyrics are by Yve Blake and the musical is directed by Paige Rattray.

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Elsewhere, Matt Henry, greatest identified for his Olivier-winning efficiency taking part in Lola in “Kinky Boots,” will play Nigel within the London stage musical adaptation of “The Devil Wears Prada.” He joins the previously announced Vanessa Williams who will play Miranda Priestly.