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Hi Folks,

Every year during Oscar nomination times, the controversies, etc abound in India. Hence want to elucidate all the filmmakers on PFC so they can further talk about it to their friend and enemy circle. These came straight from the Academy Office. And you can mention you first heard about it on PfC (and while I may be a foodie, I don’t mean PF Chang’s, the only Chang I follow is Michael Chang)

So here goes

1) Rule # 1 - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences mailed Foreign Language Film award entry forms to 96 countries, facilitating their submissions for the 81st Academy Awards®.

To qualify for the 2008 Awards, a film must be released in the submitting country between …

Hi Folks,

In 1997, a new kind of concept hit the screens in America. It was not from the studios and it was from the generation that grew up in the US….oh, and that generation were for the most part, from the sub continent. A lot, if not most of them, had never faced the camera or even behind it professionally, a lot of them had met at Rutgers in NJ. The film was shot largely on a college campus in New Jersey. A team of three had put together the entire concept. One was a computer programmer, his brother a budding film statistician and the third an Investment banker with Credit Lyonaise, who had topped MIT, but decided acting or atleast part time acting was his calling. The programmer would be the director, the statistician the producer and the marketeer and the i banker the lead actor.

While the team was …

Hi Folks,

When I had an event with filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, 3-4 years ago, in the SF Bay area, he was asked the question (at that time the films he had come out with were HB/Rockford/Bollywood Calling), what was his biggest competition….without battling an eyelid he said Ekta Kapoor’s soaps.

That was the first I had heard of it since I had left India, when Hum Log/Buniyaad/ etc had just about concluded and never was (actually still am not) much of a television person, the only time I switch it on is to watch tennis and news.

The reality of Saas Bahu also did not hit me at home in Delhi, since my mom has never been the Sas Bahu type (we did not live in a Saas bahu setting in Altamount Road, Mumbai, it was more Mom, Dad and sis), all the Saas’s , etc, were in faraway Delhi, plus dad was …

Ok,

Maybe I am in a slumber and I am dreaming this (call it dreams cause it is definitely not a nightmare). In the big bad world of Hollywood an unusual scenario is unfolding. A film with an Indian American and a Korean American, is making $36,750,091. 43 cents as of midnight Sunday, May 25th.

If that is not a big deal, then consider this.

The film is made and distributed by the big, bad studios (not some independent).

If that is not a big deal, then consider this.

When I went to see Indiana Jones at the Universal AMC in LA, last Sunday, the movie with the Indian American and the Korean American was still going strong and had a considerable line too.

If that is not a big deal, consider this.

The two lead actors were probably signed for approx a joint cost of $2 million. The film was probably produced for $10 million. THAT …

Folks,

Upfront let me add, I ain’t no fan of Mahesh Bhatt and can see through his persona in minutes. His aura of intelligence, deep thinking, anti establishment, etc, is just that, a facade. After all in a career spanning more than 75 films (as director or writer or producer), only Arth, Sadak, Naam, Saraansh, Zakhm, Gangster standout. Hence a success ratio of 6/75 , which in most professions and walks of life would be considered a failure. Almost all his films (including Pooja and Vikram’s) have the following standard “cut and paste ingrediants:”

(a) A basic celebration of earthiness

(b) A hero who always has a friend (aka the person’s only job is to be a shoulder to cry on or vent)

(c) The emotion of sorrow is always visually depicted by hitting the bottle (as someone who follows sports where almost every day someone is a loser, hence in sorrow if Mahesh’s films were …

Hi Folks,

Late in the day for this (actually not the moment the Brahm DVD was delivered to RAAGA, since I know the onwer and his spouse, she unrapped and rented it out to me), but got a chance to see BRHAM.

While I won’t call it a classic, actually was not bad. I put it in the same overall category as Jhonny Gaddar and Manorma (from an audience perspective)- not a bad watch at all and certainly kept you engaged on the events unfolding in the screen. Plus it was probably one of the best performances by Milind Soman and actually all of the actors, plenty of them Television one’s.  Although, I was watching it wiht my film club group (3 guys and 4 gals) and about the actor Chetan Hansraj the following comments were heard by the gals (yeh kaun taxi driver hain, ekdam sadak chaap lagta hain, reminds me …

Hi Folks,

The one thing we don’t (as in in not PFC, but the Indian media), seem to be highlighting, is the ability to give back, creatively, by some of the men and women who are in cinema. And I am not talking about social service, etc. I am talking about TRYING or ATTEMPTING to make good cinema or institutes which nuture talent, from a Hindi or Bollywood film perspective (I am not qualified to talk about the regional film scene).

There have been the following exceptions which come to mind. In almost all the cases a “practical and pregmatic” approach seems to work better.

While the world might think the universe of Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Manoj Kumar, Rajendra Kumar, Dilip Kumar, to me there is a shocking LACK of inability of these folks, to give anything back to the medium (again not social work, that Dilip Kumar has done a lot), …

Folks,
 
Caught a screening of one of the bigger films of 2008, TASHAN, in LA (Fallbrook) this weekend.
 
They say a movie is all about stars (this one had 4)
 
& what now.
 
I laugh loudest when I hear/see arguments over camera angles/techniques/film vs digital/ other technical stuff (cause in the larger scheme it is so immaterial). But this one had all the right technical and flashy stuff. Super production values
 
& what now.
 
They say it is all about marketing. This film was on all the channels, had some prize rushes and trailers on music channels, yahoogroups, print media, online media, etc , etc. Noise was being made
 
& what now.
 
They say, give them gloss and music and you are done. This one had relative gloss
 
& what now.
 
Some yahoogroups and self styled gurus of marketing claim that it is all about controversy. This one started the controversial relationship between Saif and Kareena
 
& what now.
 
They say “they” have …

Hi Folks,

As I go about my debut project and learn a little more about the very people I grew up amongst, but now view them professionally as opposed to personally, I get more fascinated by how “unimaginative and by the book” is the creative, “imaginative,” and “percieved as out of the book” film industry (both this side and that side of the Atlantic or I should say Pacific for me and also the LA and Mumbai film industry).

So as is generally my take in life, challenge everything and never take anything or anyone for their reputation or media perception, scratch beneath the surface. Here is to debunking myths

a) MYTH # 1: When Selecting Directors, Give More Weightage to Those With Films Under Their Belt:

This one I take great pride in beating up first, cause I think it is propulgated by the very people who are being glorified here, aka, the …

Folks,

A while ago I had published this write up on Return on Investment determining a “hit” or a “flop” as opposed to gross collections (the key word I have an issue with is “gross” as opposed to “net”). For anyone who has ever balanced their own checkbook for starters, it is KEY that unless you are making NET numbers, it really does not add up to anything.

So when I go to this site and it’s determination of a hit or flop, it surprises me that the Bollywood film industry “really does not behave like an industry,” despite many of it’s companies being publically held entities (hence accountable to the shareholder for the BOTTOM line, not the TOP line)

Refer: http://www.boxofficeindia.com/cpages.php?pageName=earnings&PHPSESSID=1facdfa2aca59a19d69fc30a783748be

Now this gives some surprising “financial misstatements.”

A film like RACE is declared a SUPER HIT…….and the definition is……GROSS COLLECTIONS!!!

Ok, so may I add, what about the COST OF MAKING and the …

Hi Folks,
Given that I am in the middle of my film development, don’t do much writing nowadays other than analyzing ad nauseum, my script. But having said that, the bad guys, the villians, have always fascinated me way more than the good guys. The villian has got to be the strong actor, the good one can be bad, but the bad had better be damn good. That being said, here is a reprint of my tribute to the late Amrish Puri.  If ever there was a fine actor, it has got to be Amrish. This was written by me, a few hours after I got the news of his demise in 2005.

FYI—-  Hi Folks,

Just got the news - Amrish Puri is no more. Let ’s pay a tribute to
one of India, nay one of the finest actors, period, of this era. A
screen presence and a voice which was perhaps matched …

Hi Folks,

Mark your calendars.

Next Sunday, Feb 17th, in the beautiful city of Hollywood, CA,
SAAFA and RK Promotions present,

A reality audition show which will culminate in one male and one
female supporting role being awarded, to that lucky guy and gal.

MORE SPECIFICS: Ever thought you wanted to be a part of Bollywood,
but did not want to risk making that trip to Mumbai, well
chill…cause Mumbai is coming to you, in LA.

THE MOVIE: BLOOD MONEY, which will mark the feature script debut of
SAAFA co founder, Vivek Kumar

THE PRINCIPAL CAST OF 6: Sorry, that is already allotted to top notch
actors from Mumbai

SUPPORTING CAST: The movie will be filmed in
LA/Toronto/NYC/ Mumbai/Africa/ Middle East/Thailand and we will be
selecting supporting cast (mind you it is not …

Hi Folks,

On this rainy Northern California day (yes I miss my tennis, but yes we also need water so I can drink some and swim in some more), most people would think that I have lost it, if I write a post on film festivals and documentaries.

I am not about festivals and my only purpose to be involved in cinema is to write and see stories that can entertain (of course my definition of entertain is “thought provoke,” not necessarily, frivolous).

So why am I changing course now?

Actually I’m not, I have always maintained that documenatries and shorts need festivals (as they do the academic market) and while festivals may have become feature obsessed, the true “stars” of the festivals are these uncovered docs and shorts. And don’t get me wrong, I am not preaching here. I can tell you upfront, most docs and shorts, like most Mani Kaul and some …

Hi Folks,

The next round of Oscar Foreign Film categories were announced and of course Eklavya did not make it:

Here is the list that did make it to Phase 2:

The films, listed in alphabetical order by country, are:
Austria, “The Counterfeiters,” Stefan Ruzowitzky, director
Brazil, “The Year My Parents Went on Vacation,” Cao
     Hamburger, director
Canada, “Days of Darkness,” Denys Arcand, director
Israel, “Beaufort,” Joseph Cedar, director…

Hi Folks,

This is pure fiction and any resemblance to any human beings is purely coincidental and unintentional.

So with increase globalization and Hollywood entering Bollywood with mega flops such as Saawariyan and Marigold, two of Hollywood screenwriting gurus, Syd McKee and Robert Field decided to come to Nana Nana park in Oshiwara to conduct a workshop for scriptwriters. But this was one with a difference, it was by invite only and only established and upcoming Bollywood types were invited. The following is an extract of what happened in this class:

Robert: So let us start with the Logline, the “what happens when?” response, which get’s the attention of the script analysts in the studio right away, what do you think it should be?

Farah Dance and Copier Gupta raise their hands. Syd is impressed.

Syd: These two constantly give hits in Bollywood, they must know it all. Go for it….

Farah (Nonchalantly): The hero’s 8 …

Hi Folks,

Just concluded my whirlwind tour of India. While there is good news to report on my project, will make it public when a couple of legal formalities are completed. But what was outstanding and infectious was the media mood and the general mood in Delhi and Mumbai.

I can safely conclude that there is more excitement in the air, on the television and in places like Prithvi, Mocha, etc, than all of NY and LA put together.

Of course not all that is good news. Like the city of Gurgaon, which has great apartment complexes, wondeful malls and NO AUTO and NO PUBLIC transportation (moral of the story, agar sabzi tarkari leni hain to mall jaon), television in  India is getting ahead of itself, in that it is buzzing but the basic infrasturcture is missing.

Most programs and certainly reality programs suffer from a “filmi” obsession complex. Also we as a group in the film industry …

Hi Folks,

When I had completed my debut script and started to call on the production houses (actually two), got a favorable response right away based on the concept, and then the script (cause I am confident of that part). However, when talk of the actors came up, one of them suggested names like Priyanka, Hrithik, Abhay….now I don’t want to sound full of myself and I can’t say that the script made it in front of them, but actually I declined there and then. This whole, “guaranteed return on actors,” or “x sells and y does not,” to me is like total HOGWASH, of people (including filmmakers from the Mumbai system), who ”claim” to know it all. Well my question to them is “then why do you make so many flops?” if you have “mastered the crystal bowl?”

And here is my counter argument(s):
A …

Hi Folks,

Three pieces of news. Two reminders and one fresh

A) Jackie Chan’s The Myth. This film represents a true ASIAN
Collaboration as it has Jackie with Bollywood actor, Mallika Sherawat.
The film is distributed in the US, by SONY PICTURES and Barking Cow
Distributions (which is owned by an Indian American), hence again
making it a true collaboration in every which way. These collaborations
represent the future of the South Asian centric media.

More information -
http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/jackiechansthemyth/index.html

An epic action adventure in the style of Raiders of Lost Ark, The
Mummy, or Tomb Raider…..it’s in English language and rated PG-13 so
it is perfect of family holiday viewing

Now available in DVD at Netfix, Blockbuster, etc

B)EHSAAS - …

Hi Folks,

Details of the panel discussion that I am putting together in LA, next Thursday.

Panel Discussion on Casting Agents/Producers in LA (aka the folks
who can really, really) make all the difference in your creative life:

WHERE and WHEN: Thursday, Nov 1, 2007, in Los Angeles.
                Tanzore Restaurant / www.tanzore.com
                Gaylord Special Events / www.gaylordla.com
                50 North La Cienega Blvd
                Beverly Hills CA 90211 .

COST:           $12, Inclusive of Soft Drinks and 3 Appetizers, & OPEN
bar Drink Specials
                Hosted in Haveli room

PANELISTS:ROBERT BALLO, Producer & Cinematographer
Robert Ballo is an image-maker and storyteller.  He has established an
environment at Shadowland where interesting scripts can be developed
and made into even more interesting movies.  His role is guiding the
company artistically in finding, developing and creatively making
movies as well as ensuring the financial success of the company for
both its investors and its employees. 
 
In addition to supervising creation of the North American version of
Jackie Chan’s The Myth, …

Hi Folks,

Here is the irony of the situation. The medium which gave us SRK, the medium which recreated SRK (I would like to believe that being a host of KBC, was the precursor for his “new” avatar in Chak De), the medium which has thrown to us fine directors, the medium which gave a lease of life to AB, the medium which got more fame for Karan than his movies did, the medium that made Jeetu’s daughter more powerful than Jumping Jack in his prime….is called, rather unfairly, the IDIOT BOX..Idiotic are those who ignore the power and the reach of this medium.

The west is no different. The medium in which breaking in is so much easier for South Asians, the medium where a person merely cracks jokes and talks to people, yet which makes them a millionaire, the medium which has created superstars of a bunch of friends from …