Moscow, 30 March 2026 : For the first time in modern Russia, Russian producers working in collaboration with the Indian and international film industry have completed a large-scale international project: the musical comedy “Persimmon of my love”. This is the first Russian wide-release feature film of its kind: it was produced entirely in India, utilizing the infrastructure of Indian cities and Bollywood’s filmmaking capabilities. More than 350 Indian and international crew members worked on set every day, not including background actors. In certain episodes, up to 1,000 people appeared on screen simultaneously, a scale rarely seen outside major global production companies, which reflects the spectacle traditionally associated with Bollywood productions. The project is particularly significant in the context of growing cooperation between Russia and India, as well as broader collaboration among BRICS partners.
Famous Russian film and television actors Demis Karibidis and Mikhail Galustyan starred as the brothers Ramash and Shamar, who are the main characters. The cast also included popular Russian actors such as Adila Ragimova, Albina Kabalina, Artur Vakha, Sergey Rost, and other well-known artists.
Tina Kandelaki, Deputy General Director of Gazprom-Media Holding and Director of TNT channel, emphasized, “Russia and India have developed strong partnership for decades, and culture has always played an important role in that relationship. We started working in India with an international team long before cooperation between our countries became a global trend. This film shows how organically the creative traditions of the two countries can merge: Bollywood’s emotions and music and the Russian drama school.”
Demis Karibidis is also a screenwriter of the film. According to producers, the film tells a vibrant and memorable musical comedy story, which combines rich visual traditions of Indian cinema, modern cinematic language, original music, songs and spectacular dance scenes.
Russian audiences have been familiar with the aesthetics and expressive style of Indian cinema since the Soviet era. The trailer shows that the film has the well-known genre features supplemented with gentle self-irony and humor.
Demis Karibidis, the creator and the lead, emphasizes, “A strong story is key to any successful international project. Audiences can understand it regardless of their country or culture. We made sure that humor, emotions, and visual storytelling would resonate with audiences everywhere. A huge number of talented people got excited about this — directors, actors, cinematographers, dancers, and the entire crew. When you have a strong idea and a team willing to work together, it becomes possible to implement a truly international project.”
Indian professionals played a particularly important role in production. Dance scenes were staged by Jay Kumar, a renowned choreographer, and the film featured Bollywood actors and dancers. This helped preserve the distinctive visual style, and the music and dance traditional for Indian national cinema. Actor training also included work with stunt coordinators. The actors performed many stunts by themselves, adding to the authenticity of their on-screen personas.
Russian composer, producer and actor Zurab Matua wrote the music for the film and created the original soundtrack, including songs performed in Hindi.
Director Marius Weisberg, known for his work on both international and Russian film projects (“Love in the Big City”, “Granny of Easy Virtue”, “The Taming of the Shrew”, “Irony of Fate in Hollywood”, etc.), emphasized the professionalism of Indian crew:
“We worked in several teams simultaneously, including separate groups for stunts and crowd scenes. I was astonished by the professionalism and the speed at which the Bollywood teams worked. This is an enormous industry capable of handling the greatest production challenges. When creative teams from different countries cooperate, projects that would be difficult to produce within national film industries become possible. When I read the script, I immediately understood that it was an opportunity to create something completely new and to work with the Bollywood aesthetic. It was a great honor to direct the film in collaboration with Indian professionals.”
Filming took place in Mumbai, the “hub” of the Bollywood industry, and the historic cities of Udaipur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan. These cities are famous for their palaces, forts and rich cultural heritage. Mumbai was the main location for studio sets and interior scenes. Meanwhile, the architecture of Rajasthan provided the visual image of the fictional city of Khurmada where the story unfolds.
Ramash, an upright police officer, and Shamar, a charismatic criminal, are at its heart. Their conflict gradually reveals their secret: the heroes are brothers separated in childhood. Adventure and family drama intertwine throughout the story: the audience understands the theme of justice and the romantic storyline irrespective of the language and culture.
Producer Lika Blank shared her opinion, “This is a new fairy tale created from scratch. This is a story about love, family, hope, and light, told through music, humor, and visual beauty. It was important for us to honor Indian culture while creating an original international film. We worked in close partnership with our Indian colleagues, and this exchange of expertise was of key importance for the project. Their experience, energy, and deep understanding of the musical and visual “language” of Bollywood cinema allowed us to make a brand new film.”
Real architectural complexes, including historic palaces which are cultural heritage sites, were used for filming the main episodes. These locations provided the authentic Indian visual setting for the film.
Actress Adila Ragimova highlights, “India became an integral part of the visual and emotional world of our story. Learning lines in Hindi, rehearsing dances with Bollywood choreographers, and working with Indian colleagues was a unique experience. We felt like we were part of a big international team, and real nature and architecture of India contributed to that feeling.”
Denis Alarcón Ramírez is the cinematographer of the project with extensive international experience. Other professionals who have worked on major international productions were also involved. The screenplay was developed by an international creative team including Demis Karibidis, Vitaly Kolomytsev, Vladislav Lutsenko, and Armen Pogosyan. Demis Karibidis and Vitaly Kolomytsev also served as creative producers.
The project was produced by TNT channel and MyWayStudio, with the support from the Russian Cinema Fund and the involvement of Indian partners. ASB FILM VILLAGE was a production partner for the project in India, which provided for interaction with local studios, professional associations, and technical services.
The musical comedy “Persimmon of my love” is to hit the big screen on April 1, 2026.
