Sony, Discovery announce strategic alliance

Discovery Networks International and Sony Entertainment Television announced their intent to create a distribution alliance for six entertainment channels in India.

This partnership will join the distribution of Discovery's brands -- Discovery Channel and Animal Planet with Sony's brands -- SET India, SET MAX, AXE and NBC. The joint venture will be based in Mumbai. The announcement was made by Michael Gridon, President, Columbia International Television and Dawn McCall, President, Discovery Networks International.

Theerthadanam -- Best film

Theerthadanam has been adjudged as the Best film produced during 2001 and would receive the Mathrubhumi-Medimix film award.

Jayaram has been chosen as the best actor and Samyuktha Varma the best actress for their roles in Theerthadanam and Megha Malhar respectively.

Nedumudi Venu and Purnima Mohan have been adjudged as the best character actor and the best character actress respectively for their roles in Ishtam and Megha Malhar.

The Life Time Achievement award will also be given on March 31, and the name of the recipient is yet to be finalised.

The other prize winning awardees are:
Best Director -- Kamal (Megha Malhar)
Best Script -- M T Vasudevan Nair (Theerthadanam)
Best Music Director -- Ramesh Narayan (Megha Malhar)

-- PTI

Johnny Depp to star in Pan Nalin film

Nalin Pandya, the noted documentary maker, is working a film based on the life of a Buddhist monk which will star Johnny Depp.

Pan Nalin, as Pandya is more widely known, made Samsara which was screened last year at the Toronto Film Festival.

Bharati Dubey

The Sharad Kapoor comeback

Sharad Kapoor is raring to go. His performance in the forthcoming Lal Salaam, has won rave reviews and the actor is also being signed by by various filmmakers for substantial roles.

Apart from commercial films like Yeh Hai Jalwa with Salman Khan, Sharad has also signed on some interesting flicks like Yeh Kaisi Mohabbat and Sansad.

In Sansad he plays a terrorist based on a one called Aftab Ansari.

Design: Imran Shaikh