Smriti Vij. | PassionforCinema

writer, actor-reactor, thinker, dreamer. Film-maker?

Smriti Vij.'s Blog

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MUMBAI ACT 3 – Part 2 – CHOICES
After the return to Mumbai and recovering from the illness, I’ve been on the look out for that sense of achievement – something that defines who I am at this stage. As the year began, my first instinct was to pitch some written work for television, mostly because it is meant to get good money and reaches an audience directly – but that doesn’t...
by Smriti Vij. at March 19th, 2009 at 09:03 pm
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Dev D – Hindi film romance has lost its virginity and now there’s no going back
Yes, the heading is sensational, but then Dev D too is a commercial movie! I am happy about that. I am happy that it is being received well…well enough to be called a ‘hit?’, which really should mean it has connected ‘emotionally’ with it’s intended audience using whatever means required…emotional build ups, music, of course a...
by Smriti Vij. at February 8th, 2009 at 07:02 am
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No villains in Rab Ne Bana di Jodi …
Going by media reports, Rab ne bana di jodi, has had a tremendous opening but a lukewarm response. As in, a lot of people wanted to watch it but not too many went back for a second viewing. Suprising? Not really. At the Screenwriters’ conference yesterday, Abbas Tyrewala brought up the idea that there is no ‘Villain’ in our Hindi films today. I agree...
by Smriti Vij. at December 15th, 2008 at 08:12 am
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Who Is This Terrorist?? An answer
In Mumbai, In India and around the world, we are shocked, confused and some of us shattered, of course. But, maybe this ignorance will unite us to search for an answer until we escape into our safer zones. Maybe that is what the terrorist wanted, for us to understand his side of the story. At this moment I have no feeling of shock, fear or hatred, all I know is that I...
by Smriti Vij. at November 30th, 2008 at 09:11 pm
10
Mumbai – ACT3
Hello, It’s been 24 hours since my third ‘move’ to Mumbai. The first was when I was lucky to move into an office, the second when I came with the only purpose of living through raw and real life experiences, following my heart till wherever it took me. I have cherished this phase the most. I lived, loved, cried, lost, dreamt, wrote. I am lucky that I...
by Smriti Vij. at November 14th, 2008 at 05:11 am
21
No Smoking – My Views
Warning: This is not a review. This is an extremely personal letter to K – the protagonist of No Smoking. No one forces you to read, leave alone comment! Dear K, Hey! I saw the film they made about you. It’s about your smoking habit, they think. I don’t think so. It didn’t have an email address to reach you so I am posting the letter here. You know, when I...
by Smriti Vij. at October 28th, 2007 at 08:10 am
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Manorama – six feet under – premiere video and some thoughts
[updated: second video of PFC's first on camera reaction after the premiere] Had good fun at the premiere, thanks Navdeep and PFC. Here’s my opinion about the film and a quick home video footage from the premiere! I enjoyed it especially because it was refreshing to see a character like Satyaveer on screen. I am glad he got a place in a release rather than being...
by Smriti Vij. at September 21st, 2007 at 08:09 am
15
are things really changing?
I was looking forward to watching ‘Jashn-e-Azaadi’, the documentary by Sanjay Kak at Prithvi on the 30th and i get this email today: “Dear Friends, We write to bring to your notice yet another violation of the freedom of expression in India. On Friday, 27 July 2007, a posse of policemen attached to the Dadar police station in Bombay broke into a private...
by Smriti Vij. at July 28th, 2007 at 06:07 am
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Mumbai Meri Jaan – Dadar to Mahim
I was in Delhi when Oz called. The Mumbai Meri Jaan shoot was on but I couldn’t make it. Got back to Mumbai and got in touch with the gang to catch up with PFC and get a chance to spend a few hours on a shoot and get back to Mumbai-mode. I am glad I did. Another interesting film but we can’t talk much yet. Wait for it, you’ll know. It seems like a film that wants...
by Smriti Vij. at July 7th, 2007 at 06:07 am
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Film, Food & Cheeni Kum
Light salad with mild seasoning. Good for health! I liked some of the ingredients.. but a bit bland still. Maybe because I am North Indian and non vegetarian! In short: a sweet little honest film that relies totally on performances. Film about Food: This connect about food and emotion - maybe it’s cultural or just purely human but to me it’s interesting....
by Smriti Vij. at May 29th, 2007 at 04:05 am
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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
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Black Friday – reactions from Delhi
Reactions from Delhi: Two of my writer friends from Delhi have requested to forward their reactions to Anurag & team, on watching Black Friday with the Dilli crowd. These are fairly long emails so i am pasting them here as a combined post. From Sucharita: Dear Anurag, Have you ever heard of the phrase “Do not cast pearls before swine”? You’ve made...
by Smriti Vij. at February 12th, 2007 at 03:02 am
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Anuragspeak – Videos 2 & 3- Black Friday
Two more videos from Anurag’s discussion with the PFC team 1. Chaitanya asks Anurag about whether the stay order on Black Friday was justified and AK explains.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVa_rp_nTYA 2. Kartik asks Anurag whether the Badshah Khan track in Black Friday was required to be so long… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab6OXo2rAlY All for now!
by Smriti Vij. at February 9th, 2007 at 09:02 pm
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Anuragspeak – video 1- dialogue vs. actor’s performance
Here’s a video snippet from Anurag’s discussion with PFC. You’ve already heard the entire discussion that Chaitanya and Vasan uploaded earlier. I am just pulling out some portions from the video that i shot . Here’s one in which he explains how dialogue affects an actor’s performance. Enjoy! or go here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcxOlWQbHtQ
by Smriti Vij. at February 7th, 2007 at 11:02 pm
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FIRST POST FOR THERAPY
(With thanks to minds who invented ink and the pen – The Chinese? for paper and to God for trees..I wrote the following using pen and paper and am typing it out of a cybercafe somewhere in bandra..so thanks to technology and to Oz for PFC) WHY AM I DOING THIS? WHY THE ^&%% am I HERE? in mumbai? last night.:08:30 pm – I email OZ, that i just put down 15...
by Smriti Vij. at February 7th, 2007 at 01:02 am
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NEW VIDEO – AK blogs on PFC
New releases on smritivideo… You’ve already read/heard Chaitanya and Vasan’s post about the discussion AK had with the PFC team yesterday. I am uploading one video for now …. (as you can see, this was shot on the day mosquito man took PFC by storm…so well…watch the video!) (for the observers – loads of continuity glitches to catch...
by Smriti Vij. at February 3rd, 2007 at 03:02 am
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NO SMOKING – MORE VIDEOS
Here are two more videos from the final day of the No Smoking Shoot in Mumbai…ENJOY! AK wraps up No Smoking in Mumbai …in this video look out for Anurag with his sister Anubhuti, the PFCwallahs – Kartik, Vasan n Manjeet, the unique numberplate of the snazzy car – MCP – K1, Ak in his dark-comedic element, Ayesha Takia, John and Ak with the...
by Smriti Vij. at January 17th, 2007 at 09:01 pm
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NO SMOKING – VIDEO BLOG
Only images..no words..well..just a few… Video 1 – On the final day of the shoot at Kamalistan studios in Mumbai – This one is a sample of a scene being rehearsed and shot (more coming…) Watch it here:
by Smriti Vij. at January 17th, 2007 at 08:01 am
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NO SMOKING @ DHARAVI – PICTURES
Friends! I don’t think i’ve done such appalling photography ever in my life. Have been resisting from posting these online, but PFC are a determined lot. See, as i posted earlier, i landed at the No Smoking shoot only with the intention of getting a feel of the shooting, milieu and of course to observe AK at work. Capturing images was incidental…never...
by Smriti Vij. at December 28th, 2006 at 08:12 am
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BEING ON A FILM SHOOT
(Warning – no offence to anyone – but my words have potential to be injurious to health! They’re usually honest n sharp!) ….ACTION! This year I learnt, ‘Films are about people’ –Those who work on the film – crew, cast, everyone who puts in their sweat, blood, grey cells – black hair that turn grey…etc … – Those who are in the film itself...
by Smriti Vij. at December 21st, 2006 at 01:12 am