Archive for February, 2007

  • Nishabd – Sc. 55 + 56 and Aftermath
    It was december 1999 that i passed out from Jamia Millia Islamia, within no time being a mass communication student and that too from a reputed institution like jamia, it was not too haerd to finad a job for myself. Though lookintg back, i think that i would have as well started directing instead of working as an AD for the last seven years. But there was a greed and hunger...
    by Surendra Hiwarale at February 28th, 2007 at 02:02 pm
  • PERSONALLY SPEAKING
    Popular Cinema I personally think that most film makers in India are children and most films in India are childrens’ film and rather bad childrens’ films. Their notion of love is that of a fourteen year old. In all popular entertainment the notion of life is going retarded. It’s an illusion which you make people buy into and you get rather hurt when they realize...
    by Sudhir Mishra at February 28th, 2007 at 10:02 am
  • Video Review – Pray For Me, Brother
    AR Rahman finally releases a music video, something that was long awaited. This song, which was actually released as a single through a mobile phone company, was composed two years ago. Bharatbala, of Maa Tujhe Salaam fame, directs this video with an international crew. This is a fine example of how quality video-making can elevate a song from the stature of great to memorable....
    by Tushar at February 27th, 2007 at 05:02 pm
  • Indo Pak Film Series In Long Beach,CA
    Hi Folks,  Wanted to announce this first in PFC (written, verbal is already announced)- SAAFA is presenting the inaugural Short and Doc Indo Pak, film series, on Friday, March 30, 2007 (from 5 pm onwards), in the beautiful Southern California city of Long Beach (the city with the largest number of scriptwriters and the Queen Mary). Along with the showcase of choice short...
    by Vivek Kumar at February 27th, 2007 at 01:02 pm
  • Chainsaws, Demons & Gore: OH MY!
    For any artist (actor, musician, filmmaker, or anyone for that matter) in the film industry, one of the most important things for them is to recognize the industry they work in, and to have a basic understanding of the demographic they cater to. Those that understand this simple fact, do go a long way – one of the few reasons I admire Amitabh Bachchan and Shahrukh...
    by striker at February 27th, 2007 at 08:02 am
  • Black(2005):: Sanjay Bhansali takes constructive revenge from audience
    Sanjay Leela Bhansali (SLB) had made a film Khamoshi where Nana Patekar and Seema Biswas had played mute couple but that film tasted no commercial success. Wounded ego of a creative director like SLB was waiting to hit back and after earning name and money from HDDCS and Devdas, he became again ready to repeat his experiment on a far bigger level and brought us Black....
    by Rk at February 27th, 2007 at 07:02 am
  • Jumma Bazaar
    Had been to a place called Mohamed Ali road in Mumbai which you encounter en route to VT. We all know it’s the place to be for the firni and aflatoon. Happened to be there on a Friday and my friend took to a ritual there every Friday. The Jumma Bazar. I never trusted him when he told me there were Bose speakers and Sony 29 inch TV and Laptops and Rolex for sale on the...
    by Vasan Bala at February 27th, 2007 at 12:02 am
  • A Life Without Books
    About Books Being Banished Recently Mumbai hosted an International Literature Fest. Writers from India and 10 other countries spoke about books. It seemed like a continuation of themes that has been previously explored in the dark ages. Writers being prosecuted. Books being banished. But much more scary, is the slow and insidious nature of the author being co-opted by...
    by Ramu Ramanathan at February 26th, 2007 at 07:02 pm
  • Nishabd – First screening for Big B & crew
    It was around twelve noon that i was working on that script evolving the mystery woman, the writer has just reached her office, he was visiting there for the first time that my cell phone blinked thus forcing me to get out of my chair and viewing the message. ” First screening for Big B and the crew at yash raj at nine pm”, the message was from sheel. I was...
    by Surendra Hiwarale at February 26th, 2007 at 02:02 pm
  • Honeymoon Headache Pvt. Ltd.
    A few Kingfishers later, I was in a state of mind where I could pretty much enjoy any movie. Or at least that’s what I thought. I was hopeful that a Farhan Akhtar production couldn’t be half bad. I should have listened to that inner voice that warned me about how the films coming out of his production house have only got progressively worse. It was a Saturday...
    by Vijay at February 26th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
  • Biased Oscar Summary!!
    Hi Folks, Had the good fortune of watching the Oscar’s in the SAAFA Co-Founder’s Projector, where the screen was the entire length and bredth of the war and in keeping with the ‘Green’ mood, only vegetarian food was served and wine was allowed, beer and other alcohol was not (just fine with me since I drink one glass of wine per by weekly period)....
    by Vivek Kumar at February 26th, 2007 at 11:02 am
  • Sam
    Sam’s Oscar Report Sun, 25 Feb 2007 – Hollywood I had fully intended not to attend, watch, or even think about, the Academy Awards tonight. I have important stuff to do, movies I’m preparing, a major book revision I’m racing down to the end of the finish line. That is what I’m paid for, what I should be paying attention to. So, no Oscars for...
    by Sam Longoria at February 26th, 2007 at 05:02 am
  • Ek Nayee Pahelee(‘84)::Love tale of young & old, No Lolita connection!
    K Balachander made three hindi films with Kamal Hasan, Ek Duje ke liye (1981-82), Zara see Zindagi (1983) and Ek Nayee Pahelee (1984) and all the three films are wonderful films and they cover three different social stories. Though love is the common factor between Ek Duje ke liye and Ek Nayee Pahelee but these two films are very different from each other. Ek Nayee Pahelee...
    by Rk at February 26th, 2007 at 04:02 am
  • If i were Abhishek Bachchan…..
    ……thank u, thank u guys. M really honoured with this award. Filmfare means a lot. And i would like to dedicate this one to…no, not dedicate anymore but this time…..i think the more deserving actor in this category is Siddharath for Rang De Basanti. So,I would like to give this award to Siddharth. Come here Siddharth. And if you dont believe me,...
    by Phoenixnu at February 26th, 2007 at 03:02 am
  • What all was wrong with the 52nd Filmfare Awards?
    What all was wrong with the 52nd Filmfare Awards? Kangana Ranaut getting the Face of the Year takes the cake for me. You know guys, we are a star-starved society, we crave for icons…and Hrithik Roshan with his gymn-toned body and chiselled looks is the perfect candidate for the title…at least for the unhappy millions for whom movies are a way of getting away...
    by PROJEKT iVIEW at February 26th, 2007 at 03:02 am
  • Filmfare barbaads
    The 52nd Filmfare Awards ended with much and mush (read: the Bachchan parivar milan) aplomb. However, the awards nominations and most of the results were a sheer disappointment (at least, to me). For the ceremony that was once considered even prestigious than the coveted National Awards, Filmfare is now reduced to a poor shadow of its glorious past. For once the stage...
    by PROJEKT iVIEW at February 26th, 2007 at 01:02 am
  • National anthem film – Codered films – Gajraj rao
    Thanks to the rave viewing the previous short film made by Codered films got, Gajraj Rao forwarded me the National Anthem film, that he and his team had made sometime back. I think most of you might have seen the video. Nevertheless, multiple viewings are always guranteed for a well made and patriotic film !!! It has the same cobbler (the caretaker of the hostel in the...
    by kartik krishnan at February 24th, 2007 at 10:02 pm
  • Lollyta Sans Sex
    Bachchan says that there is nothing physical in Nishabd and if there would have been any sexual angle in the movie ,he would have not done the film. I have no qualms in what Bachchan thinks…I mean an icon like Bachchan in a country like India has to take care of his image (especially after the flak he received post BOOM). But if that is the case , RGV has a tough...
    by PROJEKT iVIEW at February 24th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
  • We love to create stars, don’t we?
    the editorial in today’s edition of the Times of India lauds modernity for being able to open itself up for ridicule and criticism. despite attacks on the very soul of modernity over the years, the churning has gone on and never stopped. every creation of the human universe puts itself up for praise and ridicule at the same time. should it be different for cinema?...
    by PROJEKT iVIEW at February 24th, 2007 at 12:02 am
  • Generation Now, Cannes and… Cash
    GENERATION NOW A few months back there was a screenwriting conference at the FTII, where there was a lot of bullshitting going on. Even some of the people there had no idea about writing and had written some terrible scripts. Today, the problem is that people theorize too much. They think they have become events, before they have actually become events. Before you know...
    by Sudhir Mishra at February 23rd, 2007 at 06:02 am
  • Navarasa – Myth meets Santosh Sivan
    Navarasa(Tamil) directed by Santosh Sivan Quoting imdb “Swetha, 13, discovers that her uncle Gautham dresses as a woman once night has fallen. Intrigued, she asks him about him, and he confesses her that his dream would be to escape to Koovagam, a little city in the South of India, where transvestites gather to perpetuate the myth of Aravan. Once he disappears,...
    by kartik krishnan at February 23rd, 2007 at 03:02 am
  • Nishabd – Last few days…
    hey there, Had been too busy… busy dating this mystery woman, before that chasing her… guys i think i am in love… uske mere zindagi main aane se main Nishabd hua” ha ha ha. This is what i thought the writer protagonist of my script that i am working on will be heard while writing on his writing pad…. In the mean time, dad in assal marathi...
    by Surendra Hiwarale at February 22nd, 2007 at 11:02 pm
  • Quick Notes on Movies Viewed
    The last few days have been good. Infact very good. There have been quite a few movies that I’ve loved and some that were uhuh could have been better… Children of Men My filters for seeing a movie were “Does the title sound exciting?”, “What’s it about?” etc. etc… but recent movies like Pan’s Labyrinth, Babel, 13 Tzameti...
    by oz at February 22nd, 2007 at 03:02 pm
  • “Rozaana” song :: Amitabh touches different & higher level of singing!
    Amitabh’s filmi songs can be divided in to few categories. (1) Mere Pass Aao Mere Doston Ek Kissa Suno ( Mr Natwar Lal) (2) Mere Angne mein (Lawaris) Rang Barse (Silsila) Holi khele Raghuvira (Baghban) (3) Mein yahan tu wahan (Baghban) Neela Asman So gaya (Silsila) (4) Chali chali phir...
    by Rk at February 22nd, 2007 at 04:02 am
  • Guru vs Iruvar
    Mani Ratnam’s Guru has been a hotly debated movie of late. To those who have followed his Tamil movies, the comparison to Iruvar is but natural. Having heard comments here and there, I decided to put my thoughts onto the keyboard and hopefully wrap it up with a comprehensive discussion. Firstly, let us set the basics right. Guru is based on the life of Dhirubhai...
    by PROJEKT iVIEW at February 21st, 2007 at 08:02 pm
  • In Variety Today
    Hi Folks, As a follow up to my prior e-mail on the fact that Americanizing Shelley has obtained distribution, here come a couple of articles from Variety on that. a) http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117959843?categoryid=13&cs=1   Titled: IDream nabs Shelley Rights & b) http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117959839?categoryid=13&cs=1 Titled: IDream Will take...
    by Vivek Kumar at February 21st, 2007 at 12:02 pm
  • Star sons & daughters : : heritage profile
    People are different but when children opt same profession which their parents and grandparents were owning then comparison between their performances in their different era comes in to the existence. Though comparison can be odd but still it can be searched that whether children went upside or downside in terms of skill and performance? Kapoor family: Prithvi Raj...
    by Rk at February 21st, 2007 at 05:02 am
  • Black Friday party – The Aftermath! Video
    Alright! Whoever said the Black friday party video will be my next post is absolutely right! Here it is .. ‘The Aftermath!’ – By the way, i am quite impressed with how much Windows Movie Maker can accomplish! Watch it – you’ll know. So – here it is – The Aftermath – kitsch at its worst! (but a few laughs guarenteed) Starring...
    by Smriti Vij. at February 20th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
  • Wong Kar Wai’s “The Hand”
    The Hand is part of a compilation DVD called Eros. It includes three movies/shorts by Wong Kar Wai, Steven Soderbergh, and Michelangelo Antonioni. I’m just going to focus on Wong Kar Wai’s “The Hand”, which kicks off the trio. The Hand is like a lot of Wong Kar Wai movies – it is a sad, sad love story. The Hand is about a prostitute (another...
    by Shripriya Mahesh at February 20th, 2007 at 05:02 pm
  • Summary of Sharmishta Panel Discussion LA
    Hi Folks,  Per Om’s request here is the summary, with my comments in the brackets (these were not aired but felt, aired after that to Sharmishta when having the after event khana and peena..oops no peena, don’t do peena) Event kicked off to an almost full capacity at the very hip, very chic, very Gay, Ultra Suede Lounge in Hollywood. Moderated primarily by...
    by Vivek Kumar at February 20th, 2007 at 05:02 pm