From Berlinale’s politically charged opening to India’s expanding global presence, theatre movements, advertising crossovers and new film releases, this week’s arts landscape reflects a world where culture, cinema and civic discourse intersect powerfully and urgently.

The global arts landscape this week was shaped by a convergence of cinema, politics, theatre, and technological innovation, with the 76th Berlin International Film Festival at the epicentre of international cultural discourse.
Berlinale 2026: Cinema and Conscience

The 76th Berlinale opened on 12 February with No Good Men, an Afghan film that set the tone for a festival steeped in political engagement. Across its programme, films confronting war, displacement, identity, and state power dominated conversations, reaffirming Berlin’s reputation as one of the world’s most politically attuned festivals.

Author Arundhati Roy withdrew from a scheduled Berlinale appearance following controversy surrounding jury remarks on Gaza. Roy stated she was “shocked and disgusted” by suggestions that art should remain separate from politics, igniting debate across global cultural communities about artistic responsibility in times of conflict.

Michelle Yeoh received the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement, becoming the first Asian woman to be honoured with the prestigious recognition. Her award marked a historic moment for Asian representation in global cinema and drew widespread acclaim.
Festival press conferences have also been marked by intense scrutiny of filmmakers and actors over geopolitical positions. For instance, several directors faced pointed questions about the Israel–Gaza conflict and the role of cinema in shaping public conscience, reinforcing the increasingly inseparable relationship between art and global politics.

India at Berlin: Expanding Global Presence
India’s visibility at Berlinale continues to grow. The launch of the Bharat Pavilion at the European Film Market signalled a strategic push to position Indian cinema and creative start-ups within global co-production networks.
Filmmaker and archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur is serving as a jury member for the main competition at the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival.

The jury is headed by acclaimed German filmmaker Wim Wenders and also includes Nepalese director Min Bahadur Bham, South Korean star Bae Doona, American writer-director Reinaldo Marcus Green, Japanese filmmaker Hikari and Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska.
Meanwhile, Saagar Gupta, artistic director of the KASHISH Pride Film Festival, joined the Teddy Awards jury during its landmark 40th anniversary year — a significant moment for Indian LGBTQ+ representation on the global stage. Saagar said, “Being part of the Berlinale Teddy Awards Jury is deeply meaningful to me, both personally and professionally. The Teddy has long been at the forefront of celebrating queer cinema with courage, rigor, and global relevance. To engage with stories from across cultures at such a pivotal platform is an honour and a responsibility—to champion voices that expand representation and reaffirm the transformative power of queer storytelling in world cinema.”
Filmmaker Rima Das premiered her new coming-of-age feature Not A Hero in the Generation Kplus section, further strengthening India’s independent cinema footprint.

Back home, the Guwahati Film Festival announced a dynamic line-up of 16 international films alongside regional classics, highlighting the growing cultural influence of Northeast India in the national film movement.
Theatre Across India: Scale and Innovation
India’s theatre scene is witnessing both scale and experimentation. The National School of Drama’s Bharat Rang Mahotsav continues across more than 40 cities, featuring hundreds of productions and reinforcing its status as one of the world’s largest theatre festivals.
In Maharashtra, the Constitution-themed Marathi play Rashtragranth has begun touring with packed houses and post-performance discussions on civic values and democracy. Its success underscores theatre’s continuing role as a site of public dialogue.

Technological innovation also marked the week as FTII Pune received a patent for a hybrid cinema-theatre auditorium capable of seamlessly transitioning between film screenings and live performances — a development that could redefine performance infrastructure in India. This hybrid auditorium, developed by assistant professor Ranjit Sadakale and students, uses a movable screen and speaker system to seamlessly switch between cinema and theatre/stage, solving long-standing acoustic challenges.

Advertising and Cinema Converge
The boundary between advertising and cinema continues to blur. Zoya Akhtar’s cinematic campaign for CEAT Tyres, created by the advertising agency Ogilvy India in collaboration with her production house Tiger Baby, has been trending widely for its storytelling depth and film-style direction.

On the theatrical front, Vishal Bhardwaj’s O’ Romeo, starring Shahid Kapoor and Triptii Dimri, released on 13 February, bringing his signature dramatic style to a mainstream action-romance format. It is already declared as the second highest opening film of the year 2026. Meanwhile, Malayalam romantic-thriller Shukran hit theatres on 6 February, adding to a robust early-year slate for regional cinema.

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