The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) yesterday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Australia’s Deakin University to deepen academic and creative collaboration.

The pact was signed during the ongoing Waves Bazaar, organised alongside the 56^thInternational Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2025, a PTI report from Panaji, Goa stated yesterday.

The partnership has been formalised under the Australia–India Creative Collaboration initiative in association with the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

The collaboration aims to promote innovation, academic excellence and cross-disciplinary engagement in creative technology-driven education. As part of the MoU, the two institutions will jointly develop academic programmes, training modules and research projects in creative and applied technologies.

‘Gustaakh Ishq’ Special Screening At IFFI: Meanwhile in another news, Manish Malhotra’s debut production, ‘Gustaakh Ishq – Kucch Pehle Jaisa’, is all set for its special screening at the 56th International Film Festival of India (IFFI) in Goa, according to a PTI report.

The film, produced by the celebrated designer and his brother Dinesh Malhotra under the Stage5 Production banner, will be showcased on November 24.

Marking Malhotra’s formal entry into film production, ‘Gustaakh Ishq’ is positioned as a heartfelt ode to old-school romance. The film brings together the essence of poetry, nostalgia and the enduring charm of classic love stories — elements that Malhotra has often referenced through his decades-long journey in fashion and storytelling.

The project also reflects the designer’s long standing passion for cinema, a space he has been deeply connected to through costume design and creative collaborations. With its selection at IFFI, the film festival known for spotlighting meaningful and artistically rooted cinema, the screening offers a prestigious platform for Malhotra’s first full-fledged narrative venture.