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Hindi Film Review

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Badhai Ho
 
 
Badhaai Ho Is Laugh Riot & A Complete Family Entertainer
Banner: Junglee Pictures & Chrome Pictures
Producers: Vineet Jain, Aleya Sen, Hemant Bhandari, Amit Ravindernath Sharma, Sushil Chaudhary & Priti Shahni
Director: Amit Ravindernath Sharma
Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Sanya Malhotra, Gajraj Rao, Neena Gupta, Sheeba Chaddha, Surekha Sikri, Shardul Rana, Rahul Tiwari, Alka Amin, Alka Badola & Arun Kalra   
Music: Tanishq Bagchi, Rochak Kohli, Jam8 & Abhishek Arora  
Since the time Ayushmann Khurrana debuted in the year 2012 with Vicky Donor, he has become the poster boy of films which were unconventional, taboo & yet attracted moviegoers in hordes. While his 1st ever film talked about sperm donation, his last year’s sleeper hit Shubh Mangal Saavdhan dealt with erectile dysfunction. Now he’s back with yet another film on similar lines, Badhaai Ho.
Badhaai Ho is the story of a family that faces an unusual situation. Nakul Kaushik (Ayushmann Khurrana) resides in Delhi with his family comprising of his father Jeetender aka Jeetu (Gajraj Rao), mother Priyamvada (Neena Gupta), grandmother (Surekha Sikri) & younger brother Gullar (Shardul Rana). Nakul Kaushik is in a steady relationship with his colleague, Reene (Sanya Malhotra). 1 day Jeetu & Priyamvada get intimate when they are reading the poem written by Jeetu that is published in a magazine. 19 weeks later, Priyamvada falls ill & the doctors inform that she is pregnant. For Nakul Kaushik & Gullar, the world comes crashing down. Priyamvada is told that if she wants to abort, she should do so within the next 3 to 4 days. But she doesn’t feel like aborting & decides to go ahead with the pregnancy. What happens next forms the rest of the crux of the film.
Akshat Ghildial & Shantanu Srivastava’s story is very simple & relatable. It’s surprising that nobody made a film with this subject as the principle plot & the writers treat it well. Akshat Ghildial’s screenplay is a bit subtle. This goes against the film in a few scenes but still manages to click. Every situation in the film seems straight out of life & there’s nothing that’s over the top. Akshat Ghildial’s dialogues are very witty & funny and would be loved, as again, they will resonate with the audiences.
Amit Sharma’s direction is decent but he falters in the 1st ever half. Also he should have treated the romantic portions well. The track of Nakul kaushik & Reene is weak and it’s the older couple & Dadi who takes the cake. But on the positive side, Amit Sharma brings out the emotions very well in a lot of sequences. The film has quite a few subplots & the sequence of Nakul Kaushik going to Gullar’s school to teach a bully might seem unwarranted. But it is important as it helps in explaining how different generations react to such kind of development in their lives.
Badhaai Ho might seem like a laugh a minute riot from the promos but it’s not. The funny moments are definitely there but the film also has its share of emotional & touching moments. Hence, keep your expectations right & you’ll surely enjoy the fare. The film’s beginning & introduction of the characters is a bit shaky. The film picks up only when the Kaushik couple announces about the “good news” to Nakul Kaushik & Gullar. The reaction of Dadi at this juncture will surely be loved. The film again falls a bit & the intermission point makes it seem like an art house film. But it’s in the 2nd half where the film shines the most. The outburst of Dadi in Meerut is clap worthy. Nakul Kaushik’s reaction when his parents return from Meerut is priceless. Another scene that stands out is Nakul Kaushik apologizing to Reene’s mother (Sheeba Chadha). The finale however is the best part of the film & would surely make viewers teary eyed.
Talking of music, “Badhaaiyan Tenu” is the best of the lot & is very catchy. “Sajan Bade Senti” is average but it is presented very well. “Nain Na Jodeen” is touching but the impact is limited as the romantic track is not that strong. “Morni Banke” appears during the end credits & is okay. Abhishek Arora’s background score however is entertaining & has a naughty vibe which suits the film. 
Sanu John Verughese’s cinematography is appropriate. Ratheesh UK’s production design is straight out of life. The house of the Kaushik’s looks authentic. Kirti Kolwankar & Maria Tharakan’s costumes are appealing especially the ones worn by the lead couple. Dev Rao Jadhav’s editing could have been crisper at a few places.
Performance wise Ayushmann Khurrana delivers a brilliant performance & his act is spot on. Whether it is the scenes where he’s acting rude or when he gets drunk & creates a ruckus…he is first rate. In the scene where he apologies to Reene’s mother, he’ll win a lot of hearts. Sanya Malhotra is quite decent but has limited screen time. Neena Gupta is the soul of the film & puts up a very convincing & lovable performance. In several scenes, she expresses so well with her eyes & silences. Gajraj Rao is in top form & steals the show in several scenes. He is like the 2nd hero of the film & fulfills the responsibility ably. Surekha Sikri is out of this world & her scenes are sure to induce claps & whistles. Shardul Rana gives a wonderful performance & his scene with Ayushmann Khurrana in the 2nd half is note worthy. Sheeba Chaddha leaves a tremendous impact in a small role. She also communicates a lot through her silences. While the others are fine!
On the whole: Badhaai Ho is not a laugh riot but emerges as a complete family entertainer with emotions as its USP. The film leaves you with a smile.  
Tail Piece: At the box office, it is at an advantage. It has been released during an extended weekend & and th families are bound to come in large numbers. It is surely a “Badhaai Ho” time for the makers & the investors!
 

Bollywood Buzz

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Danish Alfaaz – Another UP Talent Makes His Entry In Bollywood

Danish Alfaaz, hailing from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, the land that’s given Hindi cinema its countless superstars & multi-talented personalities, is all set to make his debut & take over the Hindi film industry with Poonam Pandey & Shakti Kapoor starrer The Journey Of Karma.
Danish Alfaaz, the musical maestro will be making his debut as a singer, composer & lyricist.

Starting off as a singer, Danish Alfaaz has honed his musical side quite rapidly & moved on from just a singer to a lyrist & as a composer as well in no time.

Having 3 hit albums to his name, Danish Alfaaz is basking in the glory of his 1st ever Bollywood project.

Danish Alfaaz avers, “It was after my 3rd shingle that I got approached for this film. That apart I was given a free hand to not just lend my voice by producing the numbers from a scratch but also croon them to perfection and I think that freedom is extremely necessary in this field.”

Talking about the music in The Journey Of Karma, Danish Alfaaz avers, “I have 3 tracks in the film and all completely different from each other. While 1 is a sad number, the other one is a cozy romance track and the last one being a dance number,”

Danish Alfaaz further adds, “I’ve given my all to these 3 tracks and I want my debut to be loved by all. Just hoping all my 3 numbers goes down well with the audiences.”

Well, given Danish Alfaaz’s popularity with just 3 tracks & the growth he has had in the film industry, we really hope Danish Alfaaz has a long stay in Bollywood.

Bollywood Buzz

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Allah Rakha Rahman Directs Shah Rukh Khan

Music maestro, Allah Rakha Rahman directed Shah Rukh Khan for the 1st time as they created magic to bring alive the official Hockey World Cup Video: Jai Hind Hind, Jai India. The Hockey World Cup song titled Jai Hind Hind, Jai India, in itself has pulsating rhythm composed by Allah Rakha Rahman & magical lyrics penned by Gulzar. The music video will showcase the new India & have visual elements from the contemporary & urbane to the grass root India even, as it’s the core of hockey & Team India. The electric video together with the HWC Song are sure to inspire every Indian to get behind Hockey, as the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 kick starts in a month’s time. The song & the video are slated to release at the end of the month when Team India returns from the Asian Champions Trophy in Muscat. SRK last week took to twitter extending his support & pledging his heartbeat for Indian Hockey saying, “Mera dil hockey ke liye bahot tez dhadakta hai.” Cheering the Men in Blue to get the cup back home, SRK in his tweet also termed hockey, “the pride of India” and urged everyone to get behind the Team India & support to the game. With SRK & Allah Rakha Rahman combining forces to inspire one & all, it is certain that the sport will attract a larger fan base, as India takes on rest of the world at Bhubaneswar come Nov, 2018. For Allah Rakha Rahman Jai Hind Hind, Jai India marks a return to directing a music video after the legendary Vande Matram that he directed back in 1997 and his internal brief to the team that comprised lighting genius & celebrated cinematographer, Ravi Varman is for the video to showcase the India that he loves & the India that is, today. Having composed the tune, it is Allah Rakha Rahman who offered his services to direct the music video as his tribute to his motherland: India. The Opening Ceremony of the HWC 2018 is slated for 27th Nov, 2018 and will showcase both the maestros of cinema & music, Shah Rukh Khan & Allah Rakha Rahman, respectively live. World Cup is scheduled to set stage from 28th Nov, 2018 to 16th Dec, 2018 at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. A total of 16 nations will be participating in the tournament wherein each team will play 3 matches during the league stage over the span of 12 days before 4 cross-over matches take place on 10th Dec, 2018 & 11th Dec, 2018.

Sanjay Khan – Actor, Producer, Director Sanjay Khan Now Turns A Writer!

Sanjay Khan, who is known for his brilliant work in Hindi cinema & television, began his journey in the industry with Satyan Bose & Chetan Anand’s Haqeeqat way back in the year 1964. This was followed by the blockbuster hit, Dosti which won the National Film Award for “Best Feature Film” in Hindi that year. Best remembered for hit films like Ek Phool Do Mali, Intaqam, Mela, Abdulla amongst the rest, Sanjay Khan later turned producer & director with Chandi Sona (1977), Abdullah (1980) & Kala dhandha Gore Log (1986). Sanjay has bagged accolades like The Rajiv Gandhi Excellence Award (1993), National Citizens Awards twice, American Federation of Muslims of Indian Origin, The Gem of India Award for Excellence (1993), Honor of Lifetime Achiever Award (1996), The Millennium Achievers (2000), The Lifetime Achievement Award by Screen Star (2009). In 1990, he also starred in & directed the historical television series, The Sword of Tipu Sultan based on Bhagwan S Gidwani’s best-selling novella. Sanjay Khan was grievously injured when a fire broke out on the sets of the TV series in the year 1989 and was hospitalized for over a year where he underwent 73 surgeries. An actor, producer & director, Sanjay Khan is now all set to be an author with the launch of his debut autobiography on 28th Oct, 2018, titled, “The Best Mistakes Of My Life”, the book chronicles Sanjay Khan’s life on & off the celluloid silver screen. Sanjay Khan said, “The Best Mistakes of My Life published by Penguin India, is a journey through my mistakes in other words learning experiences that helped me become the person that I am today. No person is perfect and it is our mistakes that make us stronger. I hope the audience too takes to my journey, the same way I have.”

Karan Johar Celebrates 20 Years Of The Release Of ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ With A Big Bang

Not only the film, but also the iconic music of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai has been a landmark in the film industry. It set precedence in film marketing & sales & broke all records Lalit Pandit & Jatin Pandit have created history along with lyricist Sameer Anjaan. It gave a revered place & recognition to the film in that era. Today after 20 years the music is still benchmark for good music space. The estranged music director duo who are brothers in real life were spotted together at the 20 years of celebration of film Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, with which Karan Johar had actually made his debut as a director. Along with Shah Rukh Khan, Karan Johar, Rani Mukerjee, Kajol, Twinkle Khanna, Farida Jalal, Sanjay Kapoor and of course Karan Johar and his mother Hiroo Johar. Karan wistfully recollected how every top heroine of the day had refused to be part of the film with Shah Rukh Khan & Kajol and how ultimately he decided to cast the 17 year old Rani Mukerjee who had just 1 one release, Raja Ki Ayegi Baraat & 1 film, Gulaam on the floors when he had signed her. Twinkle Khanna who made a surprise entry at the function declared that if only she had agreed to work in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai with Shah Rukh Khan, it could have emerged as a big flop

Big B & Aamir Khan Dance For The 1st Ever Time

Yash Raj Films mega action adventure Thugs of Hindostan has stunned audiences worldwide with its larger than life, extravagant trailer that has made it the biggest film to come out of Bollywood in years. This visual spectacle about an epic war & adventure on the high seas, is releasing this Diwali. The film has managed an incredible casting coup of this generation by bringing together 2 of the biggest icons of Hindi cinema Big B & Aamir Khan for the 1st time ever on celluloid silver screen and to make this even more interesting, looks like the 2 have also danced together in the film! Prabhudheva, whose choreography sets benchmarks each time, has directed this song titled Vashmalle (Dance your heart out & make merry). Prabhudheva always leaves his mark with high energy dance numbers that boast of unique dance moves. “Vashmalle” too will stand out because Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan are seen dancing their heart out in the film. Sukhwinder Singh & Vishal Dadlani have sung this anticipated number while celebrated lyricist Amitabh Bhattacharya has penned its supremely catchy lyrics. Ace music composers Ajay-Atul have created this track. Thugs of Hindostan co-stars Katrina Kaif & Fatima Sana Shaikh. The film is all set to treat audiences across India with the biggest jaw-dropping action sequences seen by audiences on screen to date. With its edge-of-the-seat thrills & a visually immersive experience, YRF’s out & out entertainer, Thugs of Hindostan, is all set to release on 8th Nov, 2018, a national holiday, in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu.

Veteran Actor Asrani In A Play Titled “Welcome Zindegi”!

The veteran actor Asrani is all set to act in the play “Welcome Zindegi”, produced by Sanjay Jha. “Welcome Zindagi” centers around the lead character Ashutosh a retiring Government servant & his family including Indu his wife, Setu his daughter & Aayush his son. Being a miser & old fashioned Ashutosh never paid any attention to his family’s needs proclaiming it to do it once he gets retirement. The Comical play will take you to the journey of fun, laughter & emotions. The play will premiere on 28th Oct, 2018 in Mumbai.

‘Mukti Bhawan’ All Set For Release In Japan

Mukti Bhawan/Hotel Salvation distributed by C International Sales (CIS) has been sold in over 50 International territories including UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany, Middle East, Japan, Taiwan, France, Spain, South Africa, Portugal, South Korea and Italy amongst others and invited to over 70 International Film Fest’s around the globe. The film has been released in over 25 countries and is now scheduled for a theatrical release in Japan titled Ganges Ni Kaeru on 27th Oct, 2018. Written & directed by Shubhashish Bhutiani, Hotel Salvation follows a son faced with his father’s untimely demand to go and die in the holy city of Varanasi and attain salvation. The film starring Adil Hussain, Lalit Behl, Geetanjali Kulkarni & Palomi Ghosh and has won over 30 International awards, including the Grand Prix Enrico Fulchignoni, the UNESCO Gandhi Medal during its premiere at Venice & 2 National Awards in the year 2017.

Jasmin Bhasin On Casting Couch Syndrome

The #MeToo movement has been gaining a lot of momentum and women from all walks of life have been talking about their stories of harassment at work. Jasmin Bhasin, too, talks about how once a filmmaker asked her to strip down, to judge if she had a “bikini body”. The incident took place 5 years back, when Jasmin was a model and was scheduled to meet a casting director, who was known for his Gujarati & Hindi films, as he was auditioning for his next film. Since the meeting was set, I went to meet him. I sensed that something was wrong by the way he spoke. In fact, the 1st ever question was enough to make me feel awkward. He asked me, ‘What will you do to become an actress and to what extent can you go?’ Being naïve at that time, I replied “What more I can do, I left my city & home and I am living here & struggling.’ I realized that I did not at all “understand” what he was trying to say,” Jasmin says. It was then that the director demanded that the actor take off her clothes so that he could see how she looked in a bikini. “In cases like these, you know you can’t fight, so I told him I was not in the best possible shape to flaunt a 2 piece and the brief given to me was that the girl’s character is not supposed to wear a bikini. I immediately left saying that my agency will get back to him.” she says. Strength is what helps in these situations, says Jasmin. “That sexual harassment exists can’t be denied, but one needs to be strong. Girls should know how to work in their own conditions & not trust anyone, unknown, so easily. It is important to be courageous and this is the right time to take a stand and I am happy that at last this is happening,” she says.

Uma Da Cunha Rebrands Her Film India Worldwide Into “On Global Screens”

The veteran film historian & curator Uma Da Cunha is privileged to have been part of India’s independent cinema movement over the last 5 decades through its innumerable highs & lows. The year 2018 marks 2 decades since she 1st ever started editing & publishing the magazine Film India Worldwide. Then, as now, the aim has been to champion Indian independent films on the global stage. With this in mind, Uma Da Cunha has decided to re-branded her magazine under the rebranded title On Global Screens, which is planned to coincide with the opening of 20th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Fest with Star (25th Oct, 2018 to 1st Nov, 2018). The OGS magazine will continue the legacy of Film India Worldwide, as a news journal, arguably India’s only publication focused on its independent & regional cinema movement. It will cover India’s vibrant filmmaking spectrum: art house, independent, debutante & regional language work, short films & documentaries, books on cinema, views & reviews. It will feature regularly, in advance, upcoming work from both debutante & master filmmakers, just as it celebrates India’s cinematic achievements the world over. It is designed to be of special interest to film professionals, fest organizers & programmers, as well as to academics, journalists, researchers & libraries, nationally & internationally. The On Global Screens (OGS) banner endeavors to occupy an exclusive space, spotlighting the lost and often forgotten independent film & filmmaker. It is an embodiment of our longstanding efforts to link India’s many cinemas to international opportunities, sparking dialogue, business & recognition. OGS will support quality cinema and provide services including subtitling in English, casting & film fest programming & consultancy. Stay tuned to www.bollyy.com for more information on On Global Screens.

Teaser Of Vidyut Jammwal Starrer ‘Junglee’ Released!

After producing one of the most-awaited family Comedy of the year Badhaai Ho, Junglee Pictures is all set to present the teaser of their next big family adventure Junglee. Starring one of the biggest action heroes Vidyut Jammwal, the film is directed & voiceover introduces us to the story of this jungle. By revealing just a glimpse of the plot, the by now Hollywood film Chuck Russell (maker of The Mask & The Scorpion King. The teaser takes one through the breath-taking visuals of the forest as a teaser has managed to create quite an impact leaving the audiences excited for more. The family action adventure film revolves around the incredible friendship between a man & elephant. Vidyut, Jammwal sometime back, had also posted an adorable picture online introducing the elephant and his very dear friend “Bhola”, giving us a peek into his unique bond they share. Talking about the teaser, actor Vidyut Jammwal said, “Junglee has been a truly unique experience. Becoming one with nature and being welcomed into the world of the animals was just incredible. It taught me so much about the wonderful relationship that can exist between man & animal and it definitely brought me closer to my own craft as an artist & my abilities as a human being. I can’t wait for everyone to join us in our adventure starting with the teaser we’ve just launched.” Directed by Hollywood Filmmaker Chuck Russell & produced by Junglee Pictures, the film is all set to release on 5th Apr, 2019.

Pyarelal Ji Finds His Guru In Maniesh Paul On The Sets Of “Indian Idol 10”

For the 1st time ever in this season, the upcoming episode of Sony Entertainment Television’s singing reality show Indian Idol 10 featured a 40 piece orchestra which created a magical musical experience along with the presence of legendary composer Pyarelal ji. The top 8 contestants from Indian Idol 10 took the viewers on a musical extravaganza this weekend with melodious songs from Laxmikant-Pyarelal’s life. In the show, Maniesh Paul always jokes around as being the Guruji of the contestants but the tables turned this time when Pyarelal ji declared that he has finally found his Guruji and he is none other than Maniesh Paul. Pyarelal ji loves Maniesh Paul & his ability to make people laugh. The whacky anchor brings his own flavor of humor & zany energy to the iconic show and leaves everyone in splits, right from the judges to the contestants & audiences too. Filled with full zest & joy, the anchor always keeps the show lively & full of fun.

Comedy Circus Artiste Paritosh Tripathi Enjoys Navratri With His Fans

Paritosh Tripathi who is well known for his different avatars, hosting & anchoring skills was seen enjoying this auspicious festival of Navratri with his fans at Kora Kendra grounds, Borivali. TRP mama, Paritosh shook a leg & played garba too. The host is making his long awaited Bollywood debut with the upcoming release Kashi starring Sharman Joshi slated for release on 26th Oct, 2018. He plays the role of “Rangeela” in the film, who stands strong with his friend through thick & thin times. With 1000’s of fans waiting to hear him take this stage, everyone enjoyed interacting with him and needless to mention, Paritosh Tripathi loved this meet & greet with his fans.

ZEE5 To Premiere Horror Comedy ‘Nanu Ki Jaanu’

ZEE5 is now all set to digitally premiere the horror comedy Nanu Ki Jaanu on 18th Oct, 2018 to enthrall audiences. Written & directed by Faraz Haider, Nanu Ki Jaanu is a bizarre horror comedy. Couched in robust humor with Abhay Deol & Patralekhaa, it is a quirky film that has its moments of brilliance. The story is about a Delhi land mafia agent, Nanu (Abhay Deol) who faces problems in his personal & work life as an unwanted person occupies a new flat that he wants to usurp. From Padman, Veere Di Wedding, Mulk, Parmanu et al in Hindi to Faster Fene, Gulabjaam, Mercury et al in Marathi & Tamil respectively, ZEE5 continues to digitally premiere week after week blockbuster movies across languages.

Bappi Lahiri Performed At Navi Mumbai Bengali Association (Nmba) Durgotsav 2018’s Grand Finale

Bappi Lahiri performed on Navami (18th Oct, 2018) at Durga Puja celebration by Navi Mumbai Bengali Association (NMBA) (Vashi Kalibari) while diva singer Jaspinder Narula performed on Ashtami (17th Oct, 2018) at CIDCO Exhibition Centre, Hall No. 1, Sector 30, Vashi, Opposite Centre One Mall (next to Assam Bhavan). NMBA, being the foremost social organization for Bengalis in Navi Mumbai, has taken a major pledge towards positive contribution to the community & society at-large. In its 39th year, NMBA Durgotsav 2018 was bigger than ever before, in its scale, grandeur & epitome. It is the biggest Durgotsav Mohatsav in entire Mumbai & Navi Mumbai. This year, the Puja was being held from 15th Oct, 2018 till 19th Oct, 2018 at a brand new locale of CIDCO Exhibition Centre. It’s fully Air-conditioned Hall of around 45000 sq.ft. Around 5 lakhs of people took take part in this 5 day long mega-festival. The biggest attraction of NMBA Durgotsav 2018 was its theme “The Great Bengal Pavilion” the grand display of Bengal Art & Culture. Durga Idol was around 20 ft height, made up of natural artifacts of Bengal. Substantial portion of the revenue generated from this event, through individual donations & corporate sponsorship, was for the construction of an ambitious “Senior Citizen Living Project” especially one which will provide housing for senior citizens, who live in this city all by themselves. The facility will have provision to coach economically challenged children by the residents. It will have a fully equipped multipurpose hall for coaching & workshops. In fact, a Kala Bhavan for classes on Art & Culture is part of the design. There will be separate rooms for guests/relatives of the residents to come and visit a separate hall for meditation & prayer and a Bengali restaurant/pantry for the residents. This will be made available to the residents at a very reasonable price. NMBA also runs a “Home For Cancer Patients”, a unique social initiative by NMBA, where subsidised accommodation & varied other free facilities are provided to the patients coming to Mumbai for cancer treatments irrespective of their cast, creed, religion, faith et al. NMBA also render service for varied social initiative.

ZEE Maharashtra Kusti Dangal Kickstarted

Wrestling gets a shot in the arm, with Zee Talkies innovative franchise based format of this traditional sport, “Zee Maharashtra Kusti Dangal”. The tournament was held from 2nd Nov, 2018 to 18th Nov, 2018 at The Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex Stadium known as Balewadi Stadium, Pune with 6 teams across the state participating in it. People who love the sport have been excited about this show, and finally, the Big Reveal happened on 19th Oct, 2018. The 6 teams representing different cities across Maharashtra had 12 players each, and the team members & the team owners was introduced at this event. Over 100+ State, National & International Champs were a part of “Zee Maharashtra Kusti Dangal”.

Taapsee’s Character Rumi In Manmarziyaan Inspires Young Indian Women

For an actor, one of the ultimate rewards is when the audience personally relates to the roles played by them. Taapsee Pannu’s character, Rumi, from her last film Manmarziyaan has done exactly the same for her. Her character has resonated with a lot of young Indian women, so much so, that Taapsee is receiving plenty of letters from young girls & women. Taapsee’s role has inspired many women and those from other countries have been sending letters to her as well. They have shared their own stories on how the role helped them connect with themselves. A lot of them asked her for advice on varied aspects in their lives. Taapsee shares, “Overwhelming is the word. The kind of personal notes I have gotten from so many women is heartening”. Girls have felt attached & close to Rumi because everyone feels there is a part of their own self depicted on screen through her. One thing common amongst all the messages is the line, “Rumi is all heart”. Rumi reminds them of a girl within them, which a lot of us fail to acknowledge or are shy to flaunt. “Rumi is one of those characters, which is closest to my real self. The success of such a character instills faith in me that I am right about how a modern Indian woman feels & thinks. It does give me confidence to keep moving ahead with such choices in terms of characters & roles. Rumi will definitely be one of the most cherished characters in my career.”

Ultra Opens Global Sales Of Its In House Production ‘Chippa’

Chippa is a story about the aspirations of a child who lives on the streets, told through a journey he takes into an enchanting world that he creates for himself on 1 wintry night in Kolkata. The film is an endearing & a universal homage to the spirit and the timeless stories of children growing up globally. Sunny Pawar’s debut film Lion won him a lot of international accolades & he was also nominated for The “Best Actor” by AACTA Awards, He also won a “Special Mention Grand Jury Prize” at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, was a prime nominee for “Young Artist Award”. The film in total has also garnered 6 nominations at the Oscar Awards. Along with the above, Ultra also will also offer an array of Bollywood & International blockbusters, animated Films, TV Shows & 85 well known films from the “Children Films Society of India (CFSI)” at the market. From the regional stable, it will offer a range of films in Marathi, Bhojpuri & Bengali languages. They will also present internationally acclaimed films like Ramanujan, Doctor Rakhmabhai & Evening Shadows at the market. They will also be showcasing their existing, exhaustive slate of more than 1500 titles comprising of Indian & International films, television & animation content at the market.

Radhika Apte Unveils Diwali Collection

Daniel Wellington, the Swedish watch brand known for its sleek, stylish & minimalist designs celebrated the onset of the festive season in Mumbai with an exclusive Diwali celebration at the seafront restaurant, Estella. The event was a true celebration to the impeccable craftsmanship behind all of Daniel Wellington’s timeless designs. Radhika Apte along with Sander Van Der Stroom, General Manager, Daniel Wellington India, graced the occasion. The event was launched with a grand campaign featuring Radhika Apte, showcasing how classic beauty goes beyond the boundaries of time & space. Radhika Apte averred, “This is an exciting time to be partnering with Daniel Wellington and I’m so happy to be the face of the new campaign. Daniel Wellington truly personifies what I believe are the important aspects of great style. It’s minimalist, gorgeous while being classic & luxurious which syncs with my personal style too.” Born out of a love for elegance, refined materials & quality, the new Classic Bracelet is an exquisite affirmation of the core values of Daniel Wellington, which has grown exponentially since its launch in India with 13 stores across Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Mumbai & Pune and presence across multi brand outlets, watch retailers & leading e-commerce websites.

‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ Unveils Their New Poster

The makers of Bohemian Rhapsody have launched a new poster of the film & the classiness of the color scheme will surely grab your attention. Bohemian Rhapsody is a foot-stomping celebration of Queen, their music & their extraordinary lead singer Freddie Mercury. The movie will release in cinemas worldwide on 16th Nov, 2018. Freddie Mercury defied stereotypes & even shattered convention to become one of the most beloved entertainers on the planet. The film traces the meteoric rise of the band through their iconic songs & revolutionary sound. They reached unparalleled success, but in an unexpected turn Freddie, surrounded by darker influences, shuns Queen in pursuit of his solo career. Having suffered greatly without the collaboration of Queen, Freddie Mercury manages to reunite with his bandmates just in time for Live Aid. While bravely facing a recent AIDS diagnosis, Freddie Merecury leads the band in 1 of the greatest performances in the history of rock music. Queen cements a legacy that continues to inspire outsiders, dreamers & music lovers to this day. Produced by Bryan Singer, Graham King, Jim Beach & Robert De Niro, the film has been directed by Bryan Singer.

Ashok – Vikram – Padmini Star In ‘Pravas’

Pravas or journey is an indivisible part of our lives. Pravas or the journey which begins from the time we are born, teaches us something new at every turn of our lives, thus enriching our lives with the cumulative experiences. Presenting a different perspective of this journey, the movie Pravas very recently had its grand muhurat. Veteran actor Ashok Saraf & actress Padmini Kolhapure, from the Hindi film industry, will be acting together for the 1st time ever in Pravas. Vikram Gokhale, Rajat Kapoor, Shashank Udapurkar and others are also acting in the film. Ashok Saraf expressed his happiness in being able to portray a different role in his 5 decades of career. He hoped that Pravas would give the audience a totally different experience. Padmini Kolhapure was happy that after a long time she was going to act in a Marathi film Pravas. Director Shashank Udapurkar said that the movie Pravas which says that “what remains is special”, it is a very special movie for him. He said that working with the veterans would give him valuable lessons. Producer Om Chhangani said that his wish to enter the art world was fulfilled by Pravas. He thanked all the artistes. The shooting of the film will commence soon. The film Pravas, produced by Om Chhangani Films, is written & directed by Shashank Udapurkar. Cinematography is by Suresh Deshmane. Well known music directors Salim-Suleman from the Hindi film world start their journey in the Marathi film industry with Pravas. The lyrics are written by Guru Thakur. The background music is by Amar Mohile.

Juggy D Teams Up With Ikka & Rishi Rich

Punjabi Rockstar JUGGY D teams up with rapper Ikka & urban producer Rishi Rich to create the season’s hottest party jam “Get Down” – the next single dropping on VYRL Originals today! “Get Down” an urban club banger is laced with Juggy D’s punjabi flow matched with slick production that only Rishi Rich could execute with his fusion of Western & Asian beats. Ace rapper Ikka then elevates the track with his fiery rhymes to a level of pure explosion. Excited to release the song Juggy D shares “I really cannot wait for this track “Get Down” to drop now. It’s been an amazing vibe from vocaling the track to shooting the video & having Ikka on it is great, it mixes our UK flavor with the Indian rap scene. Very happy that it’s releasing on VYRL Originals platform” Rishi Rich adds “When I made the beat, I had a vision in mind which is now ready to be shared with everyone. Working with Juggy D once again on this track alongside Ikka has been great. I am looking forward for it to release on the VRYL originals platform“. Ikka shares “When I first heard the track Rishi Rich & Juggy D had created, I knew I had to be a part of the collaboration. It was an amazing experience working with the 2 people that inspired me when growing up. I am glad VYRL Originals gave us this opportunity.” The music video represents the song down to a T. It has been perfectly shot in tandem with the soundtrack & adds the grungy & raw sounds of the production, vocals & the rap, accentuating the musical brotherhood between all 3 artists.

Director Partho Ghosh All Set To Make His Comeback

Parto Ghosh, who directed the film, like Ghulam – E – Mustafa & Agni Sakshi, has directed the film Mausam Ikrar ke Do Pal Pyar ke. The film has been produced by Manju Bharti, with her husband Mukesh Bharti & Maddalsa Sharma in the lead roles, along with Avinash Wadhawan, Arun Bakshi, Manju Bharti, Deepu Shrivastav & Neelu Kohli. Music director-singer, Bappi Lahiri who is the king of romantic & disco songs, is once again bringing a new flavor of music with Mausam Ikrar ke Do Pal Pyar ke. The music of the film was launched in Mumbai. Present were Bappi Lahiri, Mukesh Bharti, actress & producer Manju Bharti, Avinash Wadhawan, Aroon Bakshi, Deepa Narayan Jha, singer Brajesh Shandilya, former ATS chief KP Raghuvanshi et al. Madalsa the leading lady was conspicuous by her absence as according to Mukesh Bharti, she did not want to face the media after her marriage to Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh Chakravarty. After a long interval, Bappi Lahiri has composed all the songs of the film, and the lyrics have been written by Deepak Sneh. Armaan Malik, Palak Mucchlal, Shaan, Brajesh Shandilya, Amruta Fadnavis & Babul Supriyo have sung in the film along with Bappi Lahiri. The songs have been choreographed by Ganesh Acharya. Bappi Lahiri said that the film Mausam Ikrar ke Do Pal Pyar ke, has romantic as well as party songs, which will be liked by today’s youth.” Producer Manju Bharti said that “We have shot the film on very beautiful places according to the story, Amar and Anjali’s love story will take many twists & turns in the story which will be very much liked by the audience. Mausam Ikrar ke Do Pal Pyar Ke will be released on 2nd Nov, 2018.

Cine Buzz

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Aamir Khan Besotted By Katrina Kaif’s Scorching Beauty

Aamir Khan is besotted by Katrina Kaif’s scorching beauty. Katrina Kaif will cast her spell on Firangi (Aamir Khan) with her sizzling looks & hot dance moves in Thugs of Hindostan’s new song “Suraiyya”. The film promises to present Katrina Kaif in her hottest desi avatar to date as she plays the role of an outrageously beautiful performer named Suraiyya. She is the most gorgeous girl in British India who makes every man go weak in their knees.

Prabhudheva, who always sets a benchmark in innovative choreography, has worked tirelessly to design this song that combines old Indian dance forms with intricate contemporary moves. The song will see Aamir Khan, dressed as a British captain, having the guts to woo Katrina Kaif in front of a room filled with British officers. It is a peppy, humorous song which shows off their fun & teasing chemistry. The song has been composed by the renowned duo Ajay-Atul while Amitabh Bhattacharya has penned its lyrics. Shreya Ghoshal & Vishal Dadlani has sung this song that will surely become a chart-buster.

The director of Thugs of Hindostan, Vijay Krishna Acharya said, “Suraiyya is a song that gives a sneak peek into the flirtatious relationship between Firangi & Suraiyya. While she is Hindostan’s most famous performer of India, Firangi is an equally cunning man of the country whom Suraiyya doesn’t trust at all. They have a fun chemistry, they are an odd pair and they are both Thugs in their own right. Prabhudheva has done a sensational job in creating steps that only Katrina Kaif could pull off. I’m sure audiences will love it.”

Yash Raj Films Thugs of Hindostan is the biggest visual spectacle hitting the big screen this Diwali. It boasts of a larger than life, never seen before action extravaganza & an incredible casting coup that brings together 2 of the biggest legends of Indian cinema, Amitabh Bachchan & Aamir Khan on screen for the 1st time ever. It also stars Fatima Sana Shaikh in a pivotal role.

Thugs of Hindostan, is all set to release on 8th Nov, 2018, a national holiday, in Hindi, Tamil & Telugu.

Global Film Festival Round Up

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Singer Atif Aslam’s Enthralling Performance Brings The 2nd Edition Of Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (Sg.Saiff) To A Close

Singer Atif Aslam’s enthralling performance brings the 2nd edition of Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (Sg.Saiff) to a close

The crowd of 1500 people was completely spellbound by the electrifying performance of Atif Aslam on the closing night held at glittering gala night at Resorts World Sentosa in Singapore on the night of 14th Oct, 2018.

The winners include Atanu Ghosh’s Mayurakshi which won “Best Feature Film Award”, Miransha Naik won “Best Director award for his debut feature, Juze, Syed Zaigham Imam won the award for “Emerging Filmmaker Of The Year”, Binodini won “Best Short Film”.

Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (Sg.Saiff) held was a 10 day extravaganza of sublime cinema which represented a diverse mix of feature films, short films & documentaries from India, Bangladesh, SriLanka, Pakistan, Nepal &Afghanistan. The festival was packed with multiple panel discussions, master classes, 1st ever edition of the South Asian Film Market (SAFM), red carpet opening & a grand closing ceremony had set the pulse of the Singapore cinephiles racing.

The winner filmmakers Atanu Ghosh director of Mayurkashi averred, “Rarely do you come across such eminent people comprising the jury board & I felt so honored & humbled to receive the awards. The ambience was electrifying & with such enthusiastic participation of filmmakers, I am sure this festival is fast shaping up as a very important platform for independent films from South Asia.”

Talking about this year’s edition Abhayanand Singh, Chairperson of SGSAIFF averred, “We are truly humbled by the overwhelming response to the 2nd edition of Sg.SAIFF. We had a sold-out opening & closing night but what was more heartening is the fact that cinephiles in Singapore came & watched a lot of films screening at our festival.”

He adds, “The filmmakers enjoyed themselves during the interaction with the audiences on multiple occasions & the festival has truly emerged as a strong platform for South Asian cinema in the region. The launch of South Asian Film Market (SAFM) was also a huge success with 11 filmmakers pitching to an esteemed jury panel & high net worth individuals and we are very sure that some of them will receive the financial support that they were seeking.”

Here is the complete list of winners: 1. “Emerging Filmmaker Of The Year – Syed Zaigham Imam. 2. “Best Feature Film” – Mayurakshi – Atanu Ghosh. 3. “Best Director” – Juze – Miransha Naik. 4. “Best Short Film” – Binodini – Mallika Subramanian (director). 5. Children Of White – Dulanka Devendra (director). 6. “Best Actor Female” – Dying Candle – Srijana Subba. 7. “Best Actor male” – Summer Of Miracles – Chandra Kiran GK. 8. “Best Cinematographer” – Dying Candle – Dipankar Sikder & Rabin Acharya. 9. “Best Editor” – Midnight Delhi – Rakesh Rawatmau

The Special Screenings of, Siddiq Barak’s Osama & O P Srivastava‘s Life In Metaphors. The Feature Films in Competition section, Prasad Namjoshi’s Video Parlour, Rakesh Rawat’s Midnight Delhi, Miransha Naik’s Juze, IndrashishAcharya’s Pupa, Sumathy Sivamohan’s Sons And Father, Naresh Kumar KC’s Dying Candle, Ektara Collective’s Turup & Prashanth Vijay’s Summer of Miracles (Athisayangalude Venal).

The SGSAIFF 2018 hosted World Premieres of Prasad Namjoshi’s Video Parlour, Murari M Rakshit’s Reunion, Pravin Tarde’s Mulshi Pattern, Rakesh Rawat’s Midnight Delhi & Zaigham Imam’s Nakkash which was launched at Cannes 2018. The Feature Film Showcase section included – Aparna Sen’s Sonata, Rima Das’ Village Rockstars, Fakhrul Areefen Khan‘s Bangladeshi film Bhuvan Majhi, C V Nandeeshwar’s Akkamma’s Fate, Murari M Rakshit’s Reunion, Praveen Tarde’s Mulshi Pattern, Kireet Khurana’s T For Tajmahal, Sumit Mishra’s Agam¸Zaigham Imam’s Nakkash & Atanu Ghosh’s Mayurakshi.

The Short Films in the Competitive Section included, Mallika Subramanian’s Binodini, Muhammad Belal Imran’s Just A Cup Of Tea, Harish Mohan’s Kalki, the Devendra’s Children Of White, Umang Vyas’ Majaal Hai¸ Akash Mihani’s Mum, AthithyaKanagarajan’s Dreams,
Vikrant Dhote’s Ajay & Syahrul Musa’s Glimpse. The Short Film Showcase featured 3 titles, Kabeer Khurana’s Religion For Dummies, Aditya Kelgaonkar’s Sound Proof & Prabhjit Dhamija’s Me (Asmad).

The Documentary Film Showcase section included UmeshKulkarni’s Kumbh, Manhoor Zaidi’s Dust To Dust, Upneet Kaur-Nagpal’s Singh In The Lion City, Aparajita Ghosh’s Dance Of Joy, Anirban Mitra & Tirtha Dasgupta’s Ray Of Light & Prasanna Ramaswamy’s Writer Ashokmitran.

SGSAIFF 2018 also conducted 2 interesting workshops during the course of the festival. The 1st was an Acting Workshop For Adults & Children. The 2nd was a Filmmaking Workshop For Children that focuses on making films using smartphones.

This year the festival launched the 1st ever edition of South Asian Film Market (SAFM) where Pankaj Kapur’s Aadi (The Beginning), Kartik Aryan & Adil Hussain’s Barasinghey, Abhay Deol’s JL50, Sanjay Mishra & Pankaj Tripathi’s 18 Not Out, Chandan Roy Sanyal’s So Sicily, Shreyas Talpade’s Khwaish, Prabhjit Dhamija’s Samir, Leela Manimekalai’s Maadathy, Rahat Kazmi’s Country Of Blind, Somnath Sen’s Charulata & Harish Vyas’s Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele were the 11 projects chosen from a selection of over 100 entries.

Literature Round Up

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“The Diary On The Fifth Floor By Raisha Lalwani”

The Diary on the Fifth Floor is not just a story about a girl dealing with her issues. This book is about our society and how we are all going through similar experiences. The book is about the lack of emotions in our everyday interactions. It is about our inability to emote & express ourselves. We hear stories from friends & family, from our neighbors. They aren’t pleasant so we express our sympathy & then forget about them. Writing gave me an emotional outlet to express these deep-seated feelings of our everyday struggle, of our joys, of our loneliness & our longings

The Diary on the Fifth Floor is a fascinating tale of a 25 year old woman that takes hold of us from the moment she enters the hospital; more precisely, the 5th floor. Visibly terrified, she clutches at her cloth bound Diary, caught in the horns of a terrible dilemma, whether or not to hand over the diary to the doctor. She fears that she will be declared insane if her tangled web of thoughts, unspooling in dark mysterious stories is read by the dissecting eye of a doctor.
What does this diary contain?

As the novel progresses, we are drawn into characters & stories that are toe curling, strange & haunting in their raw intensity. What is the story of this woman? What secrets lie in the pages of her Diary?

What happens on the fifth floor?

The book revolves around one single question. It is not asked upfront but has been sent out in the void & resurfaces at the end of every chapter

Raisha Lalwani elabores on her novel, “Having lived in Bombay, Jaipur, Delhi & Dubai, life has been one long travel tale! I went to a bunch of schools in different cities & most of my experiences, friends & memories revolve around these cities. After having graduated from The University of Delhi, I decided to test the waters of International Business. When I started writing, it was without any distinct goal in mind. Some write for money, others as a hobby, I write for peace & quiet it brings me. Writing was how I could express myself & it has made me braver than I thought I could be.
It is funny how “nocturnal” was the 1st ever word that came to my mind when I thought about who I am. Whether it was studying for my Board exams back in the year 2004 or working on my book all these years later, I feel my mind is more active during the later hours of the evening. Like my husband says, I am a “homemaker” by day & a writer by night.”

Festival Round Up

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The 7th Edition Of Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) Announces Its Full Line-Up

The Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) which will be held from 1st Nov, 20p18 to 4th Nov, 2018 in the beautiful mountain town of McLeod Ganj, Dharamshala, home of His Holiness the Dalai Lama & the meeting point of a rich & cosmopolitan mix of people & cultures. The 7th edition of DIFF will build on the hallmarks that have given the festival its reputation as a cutting-edge event, an intimate & carefully curated festival in the Himalayas showcasing an eclectic mix of the best of independent features, documentaries, shorts & animation films from India & around the world.

Dar Gai’s Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence will open & Ere Gowda’s Kannada debut feature Balekempa will close the 7th edition of Dharamshala International Film Festival (DIFF) 2018. Both directors will be present.

Manoj Bajpayee, the lead actor of Bhonsle, and internationally renowned photographer Raghu Rai will be attending the festival along with his filmmaker daughter Avani Rai for her debut documentary, Raghu Rai: An Unfinished Portrait.
Indian feature film directors Ere Gowda, Anamika Haksar, Devashish Makhija, Ridham Janve & Priya Ramasubban will be present.
International filmmakers attending the festival include Tashi Gyeltshen (Bhutan), Dar Gai (Ukraine), Mathieu Roy (Canada), Hiroshi Sunairi (Japan) & Luc Schaedler (Switzerland).
Indian short filmmakers Siddharth Chauhan, Sudha Padmaja Francis, Mukul Haloi, Rishi Chandna, Tarun Jain, Raghbir Singh Toor, Natesh Hagde, Abhijeet Phartiyal, Divya Unny, Pia Shah & Ajitpal Singh will also be present.

The DIFF 2018 lineup includes Indian fiction & documentary features: Balekempa, Bhonsle, Ee.Ma.Yau, Ghode Ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon, The Gold-Laden Sheep & the Sacred Mountain, Ma•ama, Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam’s The Sweet Requiem, Namdev Bhau: In Search of Silence & Raghu Rai: An Unfinished Portrait & international fiction & documentary features: 48 Years: Silent Dictator, A Long Way Home, Bamboo Dogs, Boom for Real, The Dispossessed, Father to Son, House of My Fathers, In the Intense Now, Little Forest, Namme, Of Fathers & Sons, The Red Phallus, Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda & Waru.
Short Films include: Amma Meri, Eye Test, Khurafat, Letter To Home, Namage Navu Godege Mannu, Pashi, Sakhisona, The Open Door, Tungrus & Two Brothers.
Children’s Films include: 2 features Chuskit, Cross My Heart & 4 shorts Abu Adnan’s Father, Beauty, Hadia (The Gift) & Rammat Gammat.

The Indian Programming highlights at the festival include Devashish Makhija’s Bhonsle, Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Ee.Ma.Yau, Ridham Janve’s Gaddi language feature film The Gold-Laden Sheep & Sacred Mountain, Dominic Sangma’s Garo language film Ma’ama & documentaries like Raghu Rai: An Unfinished Portrait by Avani Rai, Asia Premiere of Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam’s The Sweet Requiem which has its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival 2018 & Anamika Haksar’s Ghode ko Jalebi Khilane Le Ja Riya Hoon.
The International Programming highlights at the festival include the Indian Premieres of Hiroshi Sunairi’s 48 Years: Silent Dictator (Japan), TIFF 2017 Official Selection Waru (New Zealand), Tashi Gyeltshen’s The Red Phallus (Won FIPRESCI at Busan), Zaza Khalvashi’s Namme (official entry to Oscars from Georgia) & screenings of Yim Soon- Rye’s Little Forest (Korea), Hsiao Ya Chuan’s Father To Son (Taiwan) & documentaries Boom For Now (Sarah Driver, USA), In the Intense Now (João Moreira Salles, Brazil), A Long Way Home (Luc Scheadler, Switzerland) & Ryuichi Sakamoto: Coda (Stephen Nomura Schible, USA/Japan).

The popular DIFF Children’s Film Programme is once again curated by Children’s Media Specialist, Monica Wahi & the line-up includes 2 award-winning features, Chuskit (Priya Ramasubban, India) & Cross My Heart (Luc Picard, Canada) & 4 internationally acclaimed shorts, Rammat Gammat (Ajitpal Singh, India), Hadia the Gift (Sinem Sakaogl,Germany/Turkey), Father (AbuAdnan, Denmark), Beauty (Christina Willings,Canada)

DIFF has always recognized the importance of short films as a category in its own right & for the 5th year in a row, filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni has curated a selection of 10 shorts including Tungrus And Eye Test. Besides this, DIFF is partnering with Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films to present a package of short films.

This year, DIFF is thrilled to host the 1st ever Dharamshala PJLF Editing Workshop, an initiative supported by NFDC. The 2 selected projects are Where the Winds Blow by Director Karma Takapa & Editor Anadi Athaley, & 4Sum by Director Neeraj Gwal & Editor Rishiraj Bhattacharya. A third project, Chola, directed & edited by Sanal Sasidharan, was unanimously recommended by the selection committee & will receive editing consultation from the mentors. The projects will be mentored by internationally renowned editor Jacques Comets who co-headed the editing department at France’s leading film school, La Femis, along with editor & Artistic Director of the Kerala International Film Festival, Bina Paul & producer & script/editing mentor Olivia Stewart.

5 filmmakers from Himachal Pradesh, Rahat Mahajan, Aman Sharma, Mrinalini Singha, Vaasu Soni & Kesang Thakur will be mentored by renowned National Award-winning filmmaker Gurvinder Singh & award-winning documentary filmmaker Anupama Srinivasan in this year’s edition of DIFF Film Fellow initiative. The initiative, started in the year 2014, is supported by the HP Government’s Department of Language, Arts & Culture & this year focuses specially on filmmakers from Himachal Pradesh.

Riddham Janve’s Gaddi language debut feature, The Gold-Laden Sheep & Sacred Mountain & Shimla based filmmaker Siddharth Chauhan’s short film, Pashi, shot in Himachal Pradesh, are part of this year’s Spotlight on Himachal.

Talking about this year’s line-up at DIFF, Festival Director Ritu Sarin who along with Tenzing Sonam directed The Sweet Requiem which had its World Premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival averred, “It’s been 7 years since we embarked on this amazing journey & we’ve had so many good movies & happy memories.” She adds: “With each edition we’ve learnt new things & tried to improve DIFF as much as possible. As always, we have tried our best to put together a range of unusual & thought-provoking films, several of which are India premieres. Especially important to us is our community outreach programmes & initiatives to help young filmmakers. This year we’re thrilled to launch the 1st ever Dharamshala PJLF Editing Workshop in which 2 promising editor/director teams will benefit from mentorship from internationally renowned professionals. And we are very happy that our DIFF Film Fellows initiative this year is geared specifically to budding filmmakers from Himachal Pradesh.”

With an exciting line-up of films & events, DIFF 2018 promises to provide another unique, captivating cinematic experience against the backdrop of the dramatic Dhauladhar range.
The 7th edition of Dharamshala International Film Festival will be held in McLeod Ganj from 1st Nov, 2018 to 4th Nov, 2018. Filmmakers Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam, who are long-term residents of Dharamshala, initiated the festival in the year 2012, with the aim of bringing high-quality independent cinema to the mountains, encouraging local filmmaking talent & creating a meaningful platform to engage the area’s diverse communities.

DIFF is presented by White Crane Arts & Media, a trust founded by filmmakers Ritu Sarin & Tenzing Sonam to promote contemporary cinema, art & independent media practices in the Himalayan regions of India.
The 1st ever edition of DIFF was held in the 2012. Since then, it has established itself as one of India’s leading independent film festivals. DIFF’s cutting-edge & eclectic programming, which includes many India premieres, and its policy of inviting as many directors as possible has made it one of the go-to events in any cinephile’s calendar. Last year, the films & side programmes at DIFF attracted a viewership of around 6000, of which at least 60% were from out of town from places as far away as Kerala, Bangalore, Hyderabad & Mumbai. Some of India’s best-known film critics & journalists from leading media houses were on hand to cover the event.

This year, for the 3rd time in a row, the festival will take place in the peaceful environs of Tibetan Children’s Village, a short distance from McLeod Ganj. Along with 2 existing auditoriums at the school, this year DIFF is excited to partner with Delhi-based Picture Time to set up a mobile digital theatre with state-of-the-art projection facilities at the festival venue.

Hindi Film Review

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Jalebi

This “Jalebi” Is Neither Sweet Nor Tasty

Banner: Vishesh Films

Producer: Mukesh Bhatt & Sakshi Bhatt

Director: Pushpdeep Bhardwaj

Star Cast: Varun Mitra, Rhea Chakraborty, Digangana Suryavanshi, Aanya Dureja, Poorti Arya, Pravina Deshpande, Mahesh Thakur, Priya Yadav, Sonali Sudan, Jashn Kohli, Shabnam Kapoor, Farida Dadi, Arjun Kanungo, Sanchay Goswami, Chayan Trivedi, Abhishek Khanna & Yusuf Hussain

Music: Jeet Ganguly & Tanishq Bagchi

Vishesh Films, headed by Mukesh Bhatt & Mahesh Bhatt, are known for their small-budget & high-concept films. They have given some memorable films & even chartbuster songs but since the last few years, their reputation has taken a beating. None of their films after the blockbuster Aashiqui 2 in the year 2013 have worked well. The number of films made by the banner has also reduced. Their last film, Begum Jaan was released in the year 2017, almost one and a half years ago. Now they are back with Jalebi, which promises to be a clean & romantic love story & also its miles away from the erotic & the horror films that had become their trademark.

The scripted story of Jalebi reveals that it is the story of love & separation. Ayesha Pradhan (Rhea Chakraborty) is a depressed girl. She has written a bestselling novella but her troubled past is not allowing her to focus & write her next book. She is on her way from Mumbai to Delhi for a book reading session. In the train, her co-passenger is Anu (Digangana Suryavanshi) & her daughter Pulti (Aanya Dureja). Over the course of their conversation, Ayesha gets a jolt upon learning that Anu’s husband is none other than her ex–hubby Dev Mathur (Varun Mitra). The story goes back 7 to 8 years. Dev is from Purani Dilli where he does guided tours. He’s proud of his roots & proudly flaunts his locality & also his mansion, popularly known as Netaji Ki Haveli. Once, Ayesha takes this tour & falls for Dev, who in turn also develops feelings for her. In no time, they get married & that’s when cracks begin to develop in their relationship. Meanwhile, in the present day, the train halts at Bhusawal railway station & Dev enters their coach to give Anu a surprise. The ex-lovers, that is Dev & Ayesha, thus come face to face after all these years. What happens next forms the crux of the rest of the film.

Just like Begum Jaan, Jalebi is also a Bengali film remake of Prosenjit Chatterjee & Rituparna Sengupta starrer Praktan (2016), which was written by Nandita Roy & directed by Nandita Roy & Shiboprosad Mukherjee. Here in Hindi, Kausar Munir & Pushpdeep Bhardwaj’s story is disappointing & juvenile. There’s no head & no tail to the story & they end up doing total injustice to the original film. Kausar Munir, Pushpdeep Bhardwaj & Suhrita Sengupta’s screenplay is the biggest culprit. The film is bland & the trio has made no attempt to make situations exciting or novel. Kausar Munir, Pushpdeep Bhardwaj & Suhrita Sengupta’s dialogues are horrible to say the least. The manner in which the characters are talking to each other is laughable.

Pushpdeep Bhardwaj’s direction is amateur and he doesn’t even know the basics properly it seems. The way the film moves back & forth especially when Ayesha would hear a term or hear a song is so convenient & outdated. And the post-marriage problems are akin to a saas-bahu melodrama shown on television but even those daily soaps are more entertaining & even progressive than this film.

Jalebi is terrible from the word “Go”. The film begins with a loud cry of Ayesha on the black screen and hence, even before the 1st ever visual, the film gets unsettling! The beginning portion of Ayesha crying over abandoning her marriage is weird. Once the train portions begin, one hopes for the film to get a bit better. Also, there are 3 subplots involving varied passengers in the bogie. They seem interesting and you expect them to add to the film, in case the lead protagonists aren’t able to. Sadly, these 3 tracks are boring and contribute in no way to the film. The flashback portion begins well. Dev showing his house to the tourists is nicely done. Also the way Ayesha books the entire tour for herself just so that she can spend all the time with Dev is lovely. Once they get married, the film becomes routine & showcases problems beaten to death in films. The miscarriage portion is also poorly executed. The train portions aren’t that interesting, although few a developments are a bit unpredictable. If you expect the climax to at least lift the film to some extent, you’ll be dejected. The Kashmir sequence makes no sense and even more senseless is the justification given by Dev in the end.

Music also gets thumbs down, which is sad, since Vishesh Films was known for its songs. “Tum Se” is catchy but it’s not going to linger in one’s mind for long. “Tera Mera Rishta” is played during the courtship scenes, which as mentioned above, was the only good part of the film. The rest of the songs like “Mujhme”, “Pehle Ke Jaisa”, “Pal” & “Mera Pyaar Tera Pyaar” are nothing special. Raju Singh’s background score is bad. Same goes for Manoj Soni’s cinematography, few shots are taken from a very close range. The VFX is tacky and anyone can make out that the scenery seen from the window is fake. Sandeep Suvarna’s production design is alright and the set does look like an actual First AC bogie. But it’s funny to see the railway station being so empty in the end, and that too the busy Hazrat Nizamuddin Railway Station of Delhi. Devendra Murdeshwar’s editing is not good and even the film that’s just 112 minutes looked like a 3 hour plus film.

Performance wise Varun Mitra is disappointing. He looks weird in the scenes where he has to cry and even when he’s seen celebrating his wife’s pregnancy. In the beginning scenes, he does well. The actor has done well in the past, in Ishaan Nair’s unreleased film Kaash (2015). So, here, the fault could be of the director in failing to get better performance from him. Rhea Chakraborty is what makes the film bearable. She has done chirpy roles in the past and Jalebi is the 1st time ever that she is seen in a serious & mature role. She is the only one to benefit from this film as she proves that she can do a lot more than comic capers & special appearances. Digangana Suryavanshi is alright while Aanya Dureja is sweet. Arjun Kanungo (Arjun) is okay and his track makes no sense. Farida Dadi & Yusuf Hussain (the old couple in train) are fine but are letdown by the script. What exactly are they doing in the film one wonders! Poorti Arya (Renu; Dev’s sister) & the actor playing Dev’s mother are forgettable.

On the whole Jalebi will leave you with a bitter taste. It’s a film that has no plot or logic.

Tail Piece: At the box office, it will be a disaster. Just Skip it!

Fashion & Lifestyle Round Up

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The 14th Edition of “GLITTER 2018” Exhibition Held

The outset of the annual festive & wedding season is incomplete without the mention of GLITTER, India’s most celebrated Pre-Festive, Wedding & Lifestyle exhibition. The 3 days exhibition, was held from 12th Oct, 2018 to 14th Oct, 2018 at Hotel JW Marriott.

For this festive & bridal season, GLITTER had curated a marketplace wherein visitors got a chance to witness &n shop from over 80 hi-end designers from all over India in Ethnic & Western Couture (prêt-à-porter & also made-to-measure); Bridal Trousseau-must-haves for all the brides out there; Fine Jewellery for all occasions; Festive Wear & Lifestyle Accessories & Art. The offerings of the show not only made it the most awaited exhibition in the lifestyle segment but even a one-stop-shop for everyone’s festive & bridal fashion must haves.

The 14th edition of GLITTER housed more than 80 exceptional brands like Akansha Creations (Rose By Anupama) of Delhi; Aleah Ahmed of Delhi; Bharatsons Jewellers of Mumbai; The Cappuccino Collection of Mumbai; Charu Jewels of Surat; Dhadda Designer Diamond Jewellery of Mumbai; Zahairaa by Golank Diamonds of Mumbai; Johri of Mumbai; Kantilal & Bros Jewellers of Surat; Kara Handcrafted Bridalwear of Mumbai; Mehak Creations of Delhi; Monica Bhayana of Delhi; Maitri Mehta Label of Mumbai; My Best Friend of Mumbai; Nona’s Exclusif of Delhi; Riwaaya of Mumbai; The Pink Mirror of Kolkatta; Sammohi Design Studio by Moksha and Hiral of Mumbai; Sanzany Jewellery of Mumbai; Sola Jaipur of Jaipur; Soshai of Mumbai; Ushnakmal of Banaras; Polkie of Faridabad; Ritu Gadhaiya of Jaipur; Shrivas by Archita Mehta of Udaipur; Sid N Vani of Delhi to name a few.

Hindi Film Review

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Andhadhun

Andhdhun Is A Par Excellence Thriller Movie That Shocks & Stuns The Viewers

Banner: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures & Matchbox Pictures

Producer: Viacom 18 Motion Pictures & Matchbox Pictures

Director: Sriram Raghvan

Star Cast: Ayushmann Khurrana, Radhika Apte, Anil Dhawan, Zakir Hussein, Ashwini Kalsekar, Manav Vij, ChayaKadam, Gopal K. Singh & Child Artiste Kabir Sajid

Music: Amit Trivedi, Raftaar & Girish Nakod

Bollywood filmmakers have used blindness as an interesting aspect in their movies and most of these films have turned out to be interesting fares in the past. In recent times, films like Kaabil (2017), Aankhen (2002), Black (2005), Fanaa (2006) & Lafangey Parindey (2010) et al featured blind characters and it gave a distinct touch to the film. Now, Sriram Raghavan, mostly known for his crime thriller movies, uses this aspect in his latest fare, Andhadhun.

The scripted scenario of director Sriram Raghvan’s Andhadhun unveils the story of a creative artist who gets involved in a crime scene. Akash (Ayushmann Khurrana) is a blind piano player based in Pune. While crossing the road, he one day accidentally bumps into Sophie (Radhika Apte), who along with her father runs a restaurant named Franco’s. Impressed with his piano skills, she hires Akash to play at Franco’s. Akash impresses the guests with his performance & also Sophie. Both start a love affair. A frequent customer at Franco’s is a yesteryear actor Pramod Sinha. He has retired from films and is now into real estate. 3 years ago, he had married Simi (Tabu), who is his 2nd wife. He has a daughter from 1st ever wife, Dani. Pramod loves Akash’s performance and is also moved by the fact that he is able to recognize Pramod by his voice. It’s his marriage anniversary the next day and he asks Akash to come to his house for a private concert for him & Simi. The same night, he tells Simi that he’s going to Bengaluru the next day for work purposes. He purposely lies as his plan is to surprise Simi and then have a concert by Akash. The next day, Pramod reaches his residence but he’s shocked to find Simi sleeping with her lover, Inspector Mahendra (Manav Vij). In the madness that ensues, Pramod is shot dead. Minutes later, Akash arrives for the concert. What happens later forms the crux of rest of the film.

Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Yogesh Chandekar & Pooja Ladha Surti’s story is inspired from the French short film L’Accordeur written & directed by Olivier Treiner. However, a lot of changes have been done and it’s praiseworthy. Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Yogesh Chandekar & Pooja Ladha Surti’s screenplay is flawless in the 1st ever half and is bound to leave the viewers stunned. The 2nd half becomes a bit routine & unrealistic. Sriram Raghavan, Arijit Biswas, Yogesh Chandekar & Pooja Ladha Surti’s dialogues are sharp & witty.

Sriram Raghavan’s direction is terrific. In the past, he has made some great urban thrillers like Ek Hasina Thi (2004), Johnny Gaddaar (2007) & Badlapur (2015). Andhadhun is more in Johnny Gaadaar zone and he treats the plot very well. The dark humor element comes out beautifully and that helps the film from becoming too gory or disturbing. Also, his love for 70’s Hindi cinema comes to the fore and it adds to the film’s charm. If only he had done something about the glitches in 2nd half, Andhadhun would have been a game changer!

Andhadhun’s 1st ever half is simply out of this world! The introduction of the characters is great and soon, the plot begins to unfold. There are surprises after every 10-15 minutes. The real fun however begins when Pramod Sinha gets murdered & Akash reaches his residence. This scene is seen to be believed! All scenes from here on take the film to dizzying heights, whether it’s the scene at police station or Manohar visiting Akash’s residence or Akash visiting Pramod’s residence the 2nd time or the prayer meeting. The intermission point raises tension levels significantly. The 2nd half begins with a bang and even a shocker. Although this hour also keeps the viewers gripped, the film begins to drop & gets unconvincing. The proceedings become far-fetched which is not the case in 1st ever half. Newer characters are added while a significant character from the 1st ever half gets sidelined. In fact, the 1st ever & 2nd halves seem like 2 different films. The climax is interesting & do watch out for the final scene!

Amit Trivedi’s music is melodious & suits the narrative well. “Naina Da Kya Kasoor” is the best of the lot and is quite foot-tapping. “Laila Laila” comes next despite coming immediately after “Naina Da Kya Kasoor”. “Oh Bhai Re” is quite quirky while “Woh Ladki” is played at a crucial juncture. Daniel B George’s background score has a very important part to play and enhances the impact in several scenes. The piano pieces are excellent. K U Mohanan’s cinematography gives the film a captivating feel. Also, Andhadhun is a rare film shot almost entirely in Pune & captures the city like never before. Snigdha Pankaj & Anita Donald’s production design is quite rich & appealing, especially Pramod & Simi’s residence. Anaita Shroff Adajania & Sabina Haldar’s costumes are also eye-catching, especially the ones worn by Radhika Apte. Parvez Khan’s action is realistic. Pooja Ladha Surti’s editing is razor-sharp.

Performance wise Ayushmann Khurrana has done unconventional but mostly light films till now. Andhadhun is his 1st ever intense flick & he excels in it. This is a very challenging role as his character has lot of shades & even a secret to hide. But he puts up an excellent act. He’s unforgettable in the sequence where Pramod Sinha is killed and also in the scene immediately after intermission. Ayushmann already has a wonderful filmography and this flick will add a lot of weightage. Tabu delivers a bravura performance as expected. The manner in which she plays the mind games & tries to manipulate the situations at varied points is quite fun. Radhika Apte plays a chirpy character & delivers a fine performance. Sadly, she has very little to do in the 2nd half. Anil Dhawan is terrific & leaves a mark. Manav Vij’s entry scene is quite chilling & do notice how he conveys a lot merely with his eyes. A 1st rate performance! Ashwini Kalsekar (Rasika) is too good & rocks in the scene wherein she’s discussing the murder of Pramod Sinha. Zakir Hussain (Dr Swami) is quite quirky & contributes to the fun quotient. Gopal Singh (Sub inspector) is fine. Chhaya Kadam (Maushi) is an actor to watch out for. Kabir Sajid (the kid) is too good & even too funny. The actors playing Murli & Mrs D’Sa too are also nice.

On the whole, Andhadhun is a thriller par excellence. Very rarely does Bollywood deliver a thriller that shocks & stuns you so well. Although the 2nd half does drop, the impact is made and this would surely result in a good word of mouth.

Tail Piece: Strongly Recommended!

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