Eklavya “is” India’s official entry for the Oscars
Thanks to Srinivas for pointing me to this news.
Eklavya is India’s Official entry for Oscars. As per this Rediff report “Eklavya will be India’s official entry for the prestigious Oscar awards. The decision to nominate the Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali, Khan-starrer film as the Indian entry for the awards was announced by Film Federation of India President Vinod Pande.”
I would like to reserve a seperate post on debating if we should even be sending anything to the Oscars or whether too much importance is being given by the Indian media to the Oscars.
But for this one, what would be in spirit of the post would be a healthy debate on
1. Your choice of movie which you think should have been sent to India. More Importantly - WHY?
2. and since you feel YOUR selected movie should have been sent to the Oscars, what is wrong in sending Eklavya?
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1. My choice for the Oscar entry: “Frozen” directed by Shivajee Chandrabhushan.
Why? Because for those who have seen the film will tell you that it is one of the most beautiful films to come of our country in YEARS! It is a universally accessible story that has the capability to captivate audiences across cultures. Aesthetically, it is a dream, with what is arguably some of the best cinematography I have ever seen. In a world that sees cinema encapsulated in techno razzle dazzle, “Frozen” returns to a classical style of storytelling, shot completely in black and white. It also offers a novelty factor to viewers showcasing a side of India (Ladakhi lifestyle) that audiences outside rarely get to see. The film is simple and beautiful. If not “Frozen”, “Vanaja” should have been the obvious choice.
2. What is wrong in sending Eklavya? Everything. The movie’s plot is something that could fit in a 20 min short, but has been stretched to and hour and half, showcasing an exotic palace and costumes which get boring after a 20 second shot. The movie stinks.
I have said it before, and I will say it again. The FFI board needs to have qualified selectors. Who is Vinod Pande? Why is he chairman of the board? Why can’t our respected filmmakers like Shyam Benegal, Mani Ratnam, Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Girish Kasaravalli, Shaji Karun, and others who have ACTUALLY represented Indian cinema abroad step up to the plate and ask for this responsibility to make an intelligible decision on what film represents us on a global platform?
And for god’s sake! Mr. Nihalani. I appreciate that you feel Eklavya was an improper choice, but please don’t make a laughing stock of yourself by recommending Chak De India as an alternative, a film that is a rehash of every other American sports move that comes out once in 2 months in the states.
- I’ve heard a lot about Frozen… unfortunately have not seen it so far. Anyone know about its release plans?… Vanaja - yes that was one good movie… Good point on selectors… they seem to be more and more like the selectors of the cricket team (though India just won T20)
I guess the debate comes down to one of two things: Either you nominate the film which has the best chance to win the award or you nominate the film which best represents the cinema of your country.
I understand that sports-based films with the ever-present underdog themes are common in North America. Yet Chak De India has a lot to say about the India of today within this context. The fact that the film was a hit and was universally accepted by audiences across India, that it was given a tax exemption, that ministers who don’t normally watch or comment on films took an interest in the film are all secondary reasons to have Chak De India represent Indian cinema at the Oscars. So yeah there’s my vote.
Personally I thought Eklavya was slow (ironic considering it has a run time of like 1hr45mins) and over-indulgent. Great cinematography and a few solid performances aside, I thought the film lacked soul. It seemed too… pretentious… too done up… it was a film trying too hard to achieve its own self-appointed stature of greatness to have an impact.
PS - Speaking of Chak De India is it just me or has India been ROCKING the sports world its release (capped by today’s massive victory over Pakistan at the 20/20 World Cup final!)
:))phir se hamare logon ne apni akal dikhai
Perhaps I’m being daft; but I think India’s Oscar film should be BLACK FRIDAY. Just as, it should have been BANDIT QUEEN and MAQBOOL in the past.
I say this not because I know Anurag is PFC’s blue eyed child; but because BLACK FRIDAY tries to unravel the the most popular presentiment (Islam) in the underbelly of the world.
Plus BLACK FRIDAY is the closest we have come to two extraordinary films by the German film-maker, Reinhard Hauff; The Man On The Wall and The Master Home.
Master Home (like BLACK FRIDAY) is about the Stammheimer trial in a Stuttgart master home and the death of several accused of RAF members in the prison detention. Its a brilliant film script from Stefan Aust. A must read (must watch) for all cinema buffs.
Hauffs film (like Anurag’s film) describes the expiration of the most important terrorist process of the German history, which in the years 1975 to 1977 in a Stuttgart master home. Before court stand the accused, Meinhof, Baader, Ensslin and Raspe. Its only talk talk talk. Whether the three persons last mentioned die after their condemnations of own hand or by foreign effect, this film leaves open. Quite brilliant!
I saw BLACK FRIDAY in a small theatre in Kurkumbh (Baramati district, which Mr Pawar’s constituency) where 11-12 kattar Shiv Sainiks abused the main protagonists & plotters in the auditorium. But as the film proceeded; they were silenced. First, by one of the best Indian film chase sequence in Behrampada; and then, by the relentlessness of the thing. The movie goes on and on. Later, I heard similar outbursts in Novelty, which got muted as the film proceeded. BLACK FRIDAY upsets both sides; and I love it for that in spite of all its boils and warts.
About Eklavya, its an interesting premise that the 21st Century Untouchable should stand up; and that “the meek shall, ultimately inherit the world.” But this interesting premise remains a phoney premise, at best. Its like a childish inter-school play which has grown-up actors whose antics embarass, everyone.
Hmm.
As always, India Shining has opted for shine over substance.
eklavaya is an absolute waste of a choice because you cant expect the western audience to latch on to anything thats shot in rajasthan and is predominantly a costume drama . eklavya didnt have a sound plot to begin with . the screenplay was faulty . theres nothing thats remotely good about eklavya besides its setting . and yes who is vinod pande..the guy who made a b grader” red swastika”..now what could be more horrible..
i agree with tony mera naam on what kind of movie should be sent to the oscars , if at all .
actually , i would like to ask what were the other short listed films out of which eklavya was chosen?
The other options in the list were:
Chak De India
Guru
Gandhi My Father
None of these films even remotely stood a chance.
why wasn’t Black Friday sent to the selection panel?
I havent read anywhere that BF was sent. But if it was sent and ignored, its a shame. I find it highly improbable that the FFI peeps would have even heard of a Vanaja or Frozen, but if they shunned BF (even though I felt it doesnt have the chance), its the best we had among that list. The FFI should be impaled.
It doesnt take a genius to pick Black Friday over Eklavya. So that raises the question - is this a bidding war? Can the Oscar entry be bought by rich and powerful filmmakers? Because I cannot imagine any panel made up of filmmakers with half a brain to pick such a horrible film to represent India.
Some argue that they may have been “mesmerized” by the film’s production values. Excuse me, have you seen Guru and Gandhi My Father? They have far superior production values to Eklavya as well as in terms of content and story and performances. So even if BF or better films were not submitted, it still doesnt justify Eklavya’s selection over the others in the list.
Was the FFI making up for the fact that they did not pick Lage Raho Munnabhai last year and VVC had to submit it independently??
SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?:
To submit your film to the Oscars for the Best Foreign Language Film category, you dont have to go through your country’s film federation. You can do it on your own. Most indie filmmakers cannot do so, because they dont have the resources, the money for lobbying and marketing etc.
Why can’t the indie filmmakers in India who constantly appreciate each other and claim to be united in their fight to change the face of Indian cinema actually unite for this cause. Not just for the oscars, but in general in helping a deserving independent Indian film get exposure overseas? Why can’t they form a committee themselves, and pick the most deserving candidate and submit that film? Why can’t they as a union of their own help each other out? Just food for thought.
Well if Indie filmmakers show any interest in this direction, organizations like IFFLA, Indie groups and others that are based in LA including PFC can provide them support, direction and all help that they may need… I’m sure. But I don’t see anyone standing up at the other end.
Eklavya is not such a bad film, could be better, but it’s not horrible….I guess what the FFI intends is to project something that has ‘Indian’ written all over it….which is valid..i.e like ‘Crouching Tiger…had Chinese written all over it..it wasnt exactly a ‘realistic’ film, if you get my drift?
Guys, you need to realize something, European or American homage films coming out of India, like BF etc…will never be accepted as ‘Indian’ by an overseas audience….just like ‘Indian rock music’ (i.e Indus Creed) will never be accepted as plain ol’ rock’n'roll…it’s got to be an Indian Ocean or Karsh Kale or something to that effect….. capiche?
and at the Oscars they want to see something that authentically represents a culture (in the Foreign Film category)…not a wannabe ‘noir’ or Pontecuervo attempt.
@123 - How is BF a European or American homage? It is a story about India, about issues that Indians faced, and still continue to face today. It is a record of the time we lived in. If it is an homage, it is one to ourselves, not to that of any other country’s cinema.
And as for acceptance by an overseas audience, while Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon and Hero are accepted, so are films like Infernal Affairs and the countless John Woo films. If Kurosawa’s samurai films were accepted, then so are Japan’s contemporary horror films. The Koreans have broken through with their contemporary cinema. So just because an Indian film doesnt have colorful costumes and dance and music does not mean it will not be accepted. We need to expose the good films we make or we cannot change the audience’s perception.
True the Oscars like to see culturally stereotypical films for the most part. But that doesnt mean they will see a bad film with glamour in it. If we cannot find a film that we know has a genuine chance, that is strong on storytelling and balances by also giving the academy voting members what they want to see, then we need to send to the best film that we have period. I have lost count of the number of voting members I have met in LA who have told me they do not even bother watching the Indian entries because the previous ones have been so intolerable. Obviously, if you have sent in stuff like Jeans and Eklavya, in the future years, a deserving film which by chance gets selected and submitted, may find no viewers even giving it a chance.
Vijay I agree about the need to change the audiences perception, but we were talking specifically about the Foreign Film category at the Oscars, and not general audience acceptability…Do you see any contemporary Japanese horror films being nominated for best foreign film….or John Woo for that matter? It’s only when ethnic filmmakers like Ang Lee and Shekhar Kapur start making Hollywood films (which do not fall in ‘Foreign Cinema) that they start receiving accolades……
- Vijay, Ramu, the other thing I would like to point out is whatever Indian film is sent to the Oscars, one thing gets mighty exposed here - the terribly weak marketing skills. Now this goes back to the lack of inspiration/perspiration at the distributors end who have so far shown no courage or leadership in marketing Indian movies to the Non Indian population - which by the way, there is a large chunk of this growing madly in love with Indian cinema.
So coming here each year to market your movie during the Oscars just doesn’t work, because they have no clue what to do. Except in the case of Lagaan where Aamir would be on the streets with his team getting the word out.
The usual is going to happen. To market Eklavya, it will be shown at a few functions which will be a 99% Indian audience who have nothing to do with Oscars. End Result. Kaput.
But if u want to submit your film under ‘Foreign Film’…then, guess what..it’s got to look,smell,sound and feel ‘foreign’….that’s just the way the Oscars are buddy….its not a perfect world. And besides , what’s the big fuckin deal about the Oscars anyway? Everyone with a brain knows that they are highly politicized and lop sided…a lot of great american movies dont even get nominated…so foreign films have an even slimmer chance….
eklavya?!? that
Black Friday is a European or American homage? (#14) WTF?
Black Friday ..
1. Simply because it stands a better chance of winning the Oscar than any other movie from our side.
1.1. The issue at hand is terrorism (universal).
1.2. its based on a real story (India’s 9-11)
1.3. The movie strives to show how “an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind” - the Gandhian message that the whole world understands and yet does not understand.
And then again, who cares about the Oscars anyway ?
Though Eklavya is only an average to above average film… I think it still is a good choice for oscars… WEST has seen many gandhis/CDIs/BFs before… I dont think they have seen something like EKLAVYA… Though there are better movies out there in india,Eklavya is a practical/intelligent choice
Let’s address the real issue here. We gave the Academy members what they wanted to see with Lagaan. Big spectacle, exotic, colorful costumes, music, dance etc. But it was also accepted that it was the best Indian film that year. Very few will argue against this. It struck the perfect balance between content and form. But a classic like Lagaan comes once every 10-20 years. So, we need ensure we send quality films to keep up a positive impression of Indian cinema out there as opposed to submitting hollow eye candy like Eklavya. So when finally we have a beautiful, balanced film like Lagaan to submit, the members will care to watch it. If they start walking out of the Indian submissions for the next 5 years, the classic that we can finally submit, will have an empty screening.
Vijay, it’s true that the selection committee like all other ‘committees’ in India are completely off the mark in almost all their decisions….Why dont we get together and do a film on ‘committees’? ! what do u say pfc?
It could be a laugh riot..and then we could submit it to the Oscars…! In fact the movie could be about the actual process of selecting or making an Indian film to submit to the Oscars…now how’s that for a killer idea…..any one want to collaborate?
Now guys, if this idea gets plagiarized and the film gets made a few years down the road….I have the record..this is a 123 ORIGINAL !LOL
It could be that the committee gets fed up with being rejected repeatedly at the oscars and decides to make their own film…and we show the experiences and escapades that go with the process! It cracks me up just thinking about it.lol
It would be an interesting approach to exposing to inner workings of the stereotypical Indian ‘babu’ bureaucracy….admin, want to talk about it..or is your word processor already pumping furiously…?
Yup, thats exactly what’s happening. We have all started cranking away at our screenplays with dreams of an Oscar. I’ll remember to drop you a word of thanks in my acceptance speech.
Somebody please explain Comment #14. How Black Friday is a European or American homage?
@Don G. I am still waiting for that answer as well. Perhaps the reader is just busy registering his path-breaking idea at http://www.wga.org
screw eveything else, a good story is a good story is a good story, trying to “win” over a oscar committe by sending “india packaged” visual aint gonna cut it, its not a tourism package u sending it to the goddamn oscarz and they want a good piece of film not a india shining promotion package
‘123′ - is a tosser. you guys are not going to get a reply from him. cos he knows he is wrong. he still has not acknowledged that he was wrong in another discussions. he will disappear now and come back other time. perhaps, he has somewhat vendetta against anurag kashyap and navdeep singh? You’re not one of that dipstick critic in disguise - are you 123?
A lot of interesting comments I want to address, but to stay on topic, I still think Vanaja is one of the best films I saw this year, Indian or otherwise. It is a shame that it was probably never considered.
I missed Eklavya in the theatres because I was working, so I can’t comment on whether or not it deserves to be sent. But, I got a thrill every time I saw the trailers as it looked astonishing. Will watch it in the next couple of weeks.
And, I have said it before, BF is another one of my favourites, but it never stood a chance to be recognized with an Oscar, for so many reasons.
Which leads me to my next question for you guys. I find it hard to believe that film fans from other countries have these types of ongoing discussions about what films should be nominated, about what film makes a definitive statement about the best of their cinema that year. What is it about the Indian film industry that they don’t send films to the Academy that represent the best of what they make, and completely ignore the best of the best - the small, independent films? It certainly isn’t due to the quality of the films made…
why not ‘Shootout at Lokhandwala’ then??… b-(
aye ganpat chal oscar la… ;))
mukut pehnado…sehra saja do….muchein lagado…pallu sar pe udhado…Badi badi haveli ke pardon ke beech….rajasthan ke ret per camera ghumado….Oscar to jana hi hai….
I am not even surprised…..Jeans was sent the year Satya was released……then Paheli and now Yucklavya…..anyways VVC clearly made the film with an Oscar entry in mind…..just like Paheli….
And turrtle - 12 march is not Indian’s 9/11….sorry but me pissed when even a terrorist attack needs to be their reference to us…I know you did not mean it..but some where it’s sunk deep in us….take anything and it’s their event compared to us…though the Bombay blasts happened way back in 93…it still is India’s 9/11….turrtle yaar nothing presonal against you but this got me worked up….I know you are saying this as the white might relate to the film since they too have woken up to the fact that it’s no longer just school kids who can kill many at random but terrorists too…..and that too in their own backyard…ok this going somewhere else….[closed]
I think Evklavya is a poor choice because, in brief, it lacks a good-enough script. It is a movie that sounds good in summary, and looks wonderful at first, but the potential of its story is not developed.
As I understand it, for Foreign Language Film, each country can nominate only one thing. Apart from that, anybody can send anything into any category - hypothetically the Indian Film Indsutry (s) could send all of its fabled 800 films for the Best Picture category.
I don’t know the cutoff own-country release date for Foreign Language - I am guessing it’s September 1.
I’d have sent Black Friday — I think it award-worthy, and I think the judges, who are not unsophisticated, would appreciate it for its skill in telling a tough true story.
As an alternative I’d also have sent Chak De! India. From the standpoint of the American judge, who might be expected to respect good filmmaking but not know India that well, it’s a good mix of “foreign,” accessible, and “issues,” popular in style but without the problematic (for ewest) music. And a movie that addresses the plight of a maligned Muslim hero is something that I think could engage the committee at this moment.
I think India’s situation vis-a-vis these awards is unique in that India does produce really good popular movies as well as “art” movies, and in spite of assumptions about what they like, a good movie from either category might capture the interest of the judges I’d say.
Black Friday is the best choice to be sent to Oscars, because it deals with real life issues and involves real characters. The movie has been shot very beautifully with great performances by all the leading cast specially KK, Pavan Malhotra and Aditya Srivastava. I really liked the way blast scenes were shot, and the background score by Indian Ocean was amazing.
Now the 2nd part, why not Eklavya? Well the movie was combination of some very brilliantly shot action sequences but overall it was not a brilliant movie. Also the performances were not even remotely close to KK and Pavan in Black Friday. The movie was very slow paced and could not hold the audience till the very end.
according to what I’m hearing, Black Friday “WAS” sent to the Selection Panel, and it was “REJECTED” for Eklavya
my 2 cents on this is that all the work we (IFFLA) do throughout the year, and have been doing for the past 5 years, to educate people in the US and in particular in Hollywood about Indian cinema, it’s wasted when such a submission makes it to all the houses of the academy members who get a taste of Indian cinema and create their own perception of what films India makes…good luck to us trying to attract these people to come back to the festival, write about it, be on our jury, help our filmmakers, and consider distributing and financing their films…
- I hear you, Christina… years of work trying to promote Indian cinema goes down the drain by the stupidity of all this “political” and “influential” decision.
one question: Did the selection panel know that “Eklavya” was rejected by “ALL” the major film festivals in the “competitive” section and was only shown at a few in the “Non-competitive” gallery… if most of the foreign audience around the globe had rejected it, what were the pin-headed members in the panel thinking when they gave “Eklavya” the green signal… really what were they thinking? “Red Swastika”???
ACHELAVYA!! god know who and what caliber this V Pande has for selection of movies,i definitely agree black friday must be sent for OSCARS but i still stick to it that the message that it gave was not right. from cinemas point of view its brilliant but otherwise it fails miserably,,,for which i dont blame Anurag but Hussain Zaidi,,,da book itself is not true in coverin all da facts!!
Regards
Oscars usually have a theme every year on type of films they give awards to. So picking a movie thinking it gives a best chance to win would not work in my opinion. Our entries are based on which film represents “Indian Culture”, or atleast thats what is told in news, so BF would never get picked (it reminds us of our faults, who wants that huh). I don’t have any issues with Eklavya, but if the list included all hindi movies only, then thats a bigger problem.
ANOTHER RIDICULOUS DECISION BY THE SELECTION COMMITEE WHICH DESPIRATELY NEEDS A OVER HAUL
@123 honestly do you even think before you speak ?…none of your messages here make any sense and they are far from truth ..you call black friday a homage to europeon films ..howw????or are you mistaking it for black and you think eklavya is a good film because it has our culture …what culture???..rajasthan and a royal family????? …does it have a story thats sound?? and what about the performances???..the worst performances by all the actors involved.
@ashish shukla …my vote for shootout at lokhandwala as well;) ..
@lynch you have a valid point ..alrightthe india packaging works …but only as far as the packaging is concerned ..
a film about the biggest terrorist attack on the city of mumbai ..what can be more authentically “indian” ??..terrorism a burning global issue . the narrative format.
big budgets and production values is not what the academy is looking for , especially so in case of foreign film ..whats more even kunal kohli agress that black friday is the kind of film we should send to oscars .
somebody suggested on rediff message board that we should file a PIL against the committee …
well , it looks like something on those lines needs to be done . and also against producers such as VVC who try to influence the commitee
aj, if someone has all the details they can file a petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/create_petition.html
haha aj thats a brilliant idea… also i second that shoot out at lokhandwala to be considered, it would be better bet :d
Bu If vvc had the influencing powers why couldn’t he influence munna bhai’s entry?
Hello people,
I have browsed through the discussion and I agree that Eklavya is NOT the film that should be our official entry to the oscars. Reasons are many, most of them discussed already so won’t waste time.
What I would like to say is that BLACK FRIDAY is the only film that has potential to find an audience across the globe as it is the only complete film (And I don’t mean the ‘Bollywood’ complete otherwise Partner would have been our entry)
It’s a film that’s more like a wake up call. It doesn’t blame anyone (rightly pointed out by some people earlier that it doesnt take sides, in fact it angers/questons all sides)
In terms of technique, we all know that the film had a limited budget and within that it has done wonders. Just look at the attention to detail (recreating India of the early nineties is not easy as people still remember it)
Inspite of being based on a true story, BLACK FRIDAY moves like a thriller. (The pace sure is relentless, I agree)The dialogue, the screenplay (I can only imagine how difficult it must be to write a screenplay based on a book that’s further base on true events)everything about the film is just so honestly done which comes out of the belief the makers had in it.
I can go on writing about Black Friday and I know most of us here can but at the end of the day EKLAVYA is our entry to the oscars and that has made me sad. For me BLACK FRIDAY will always be India’s ‘official’ entry for the Academy awards 2008.
I just want to know why wasn’t BLACK FRIDAY even part of the august list..
@ oz and a very good point that u mentioned eklavya’s release was held up for more than 8 months or so because they were more than confident that it will be selected at all major festivals in the competition category and it would be last year’s oscar entry(not this year) but that didnt happen for it was wishful thinking on VVC’s part. where it was screened in non competitive sections , thats because it was a big bollywood film , they would even go for kabhi khushi kabhi gham , no big deal .
I thought Eklavya was a lovely movie. It was a touch slow but lyrical. The cinematography was breathtaking but the shots were grounded in real locations and the dialogues were brilliantly written. I think if the other choices were among Guru, Chak De and Gandhi-My father alone, then it was a very wise decision.
It’s not going to win anything though as it does not have a crossover appeal. I have heard so much about ‘Vanaja’. Why weren’t other non-Hindi movies looked at? What is the process of this whole thing? Do the producers have to submit their movies formally for a selection? I think there’s something wrong with the process of selection if the other good movies are not being looked at.
I haven’t seen Black Friday yet (can I still visit PFC?!) so cannot comment if that would have been a better choice. It might well have been but I suspect that the panel would find it easier to explain its decision about Eklavya to the general public than it would have about Black Friday. I suspect that if they had chosen Chak De etc. they couldn’t have explained it to themselves.
I hope Namesake gets nominated for something. That was another brilliant movie.
suchita , because that year also had rang de basanti and aamir khan backing it …aamir khan the oscar ambassador of india . may be the committee struck a deal with VVC
but seriosuly the committee members change every year , so there’s no comparison , previous year may be they were more judicious.
@ oz thanks for the link.
dazed and confused , what were you on when you watched eklavya? ;)…maybe we should also drug the academy .:)
Can anyone tell me whether Vanaja released in India during the last year from say October 2006 to September 2007? Or can one simply tell me whether it is eligible to be sent as an Indian entry? Does it meet all the requisite criteria? Cause if it does then there was no other possible choice. Read what Roger Ebert thinks about the film. Me yet to see it…
http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070913/REVIEWS/709130308
aj,
Haha! No am serious! I thought the only weak links in the movie were the female characters who were not fleshed out enough. Vidya Balan’s character was too coy (fluttering eyes and shy smiles- gimme a break)- some spirit would have been nice and Raima Sen’s, well, too stereotypical for me. Thankfully they didn’t share too much screen time.
BLACK FRIDAY…. BLACK FRIDAY….BLACK FRIDAY…..
BLACK FRIDAY…..
This is slightly off-topic, but can anyone tell me why Vanaja is so lauded? I saw it recently, with eager anticipation given all the glowing reviews, and found it to be a big yawn - a lot of potential and promise that was never fulfilled. So, why the raves? I have read Ebert’s review linked above, and it echoes other reviews. What most seem to admire is a look at a part of India they haven’t seen. But a film is not a travelogue. My problem was that the plot was not thought through, nor resolved. It reminded me of the kind of short stories written by MFA graduates, big on style and sometimes character, but almost never with any discernible plot. So, please, can someone enlighten me?
And by the way, somebody else apart from me also found Eklavya to be a pleasure :)-
http://www.rediff.com/movies/2007/feb/16eklavya.htm
And before you say bad things about the reviewer, this guy has said nice things about Navdeep’s movie as well.
the firangs are never tired of seeing rajasthan..dusty india and bullock carts..do they ever want to see the modern emerging india??..its the same here…do we wanna see whats up in idaho, wyoming or iowa..or the redneck corn belts in the US..how many ppl have seen/ watched napoleon dynamite in india? every one wants to see Hollywood at its striking best here.(general opinion)
sm i agree with you. i saw vanaja and my reaction was that it’s a nice film. nothing more nothing less. but i guess there are lot of other people who have connected with the film in a strange way. i guess that is what we call the magic of cinema
my choice would be “Black Friday” because it has a backdrop which the academy can relate with and it talks about india now.
“the firangs are never tired of seeing rajasthan..dusty india and bullock carts..do they ever want to see the modern emerging india??..its the same here
NB. The mistake they made actually, if I can get back into Indian panel mode, is by not sending ‘Omkara’ last time. Now that was a perfectly eligible combination of a well made appreciated by both audiences and critics, it had the universal familiarity of Shakespeare with the novelty of it being transported to a rustic Indian backdrop, it had both elements of realism combined with the melodrama and naach-gaana of Hindi cinema, the technical elements (eg looks-wise) it had both style and flair and was pretty much on a par (if not better) than some those of Hollywood epics, it was artsy yet accessible (unlike BF)…I could go on…but basically a great opporunity missed there….
Just found out..
Adlabs and manmohan shetty kept telling us that BLack Friday was being sent for the selection committee but he never sent it..why i don’t know
That is really careless Anurag (of whoever that didn’t bother sending it) and a great shame. Another wasted opportunity, after ‘Omkara’ (as mentioned above). Sooo frustrating!!!
well there is some kind of politics..still finding out.. i was ok till now for not being selected..it happens..
but then spoke to sudhir who was in the selection committee and he said..”why did you not send Black Friday”.. then i started calling people up..
still finding out
Keep us posted! Maybe we can all kick up a fuss here and lobby them!
multiple entries can be sent right ???..why do want to be the official entry..ask adlabs to push Black Friday for unoffical entry. i guess it requires lot of lobbying..and pro lobbyist.
@oz, aj: a petition is a good idea and v neccessary.
“well , it looks like something on those lines needs to be done . and also against producers such as VVC who try to influence the commitee”
@aj: VVC tried to influence the committee? Interesting.
Anyway Oscar or no Oscar, nothing comes even close to ‘Black Friday’ this year - how they can send anything else is beyond me, but then given some of their past choices (Jeans!) it’s not exactly surprising…
Btw, was Aag sent? :d
This is just not done Anurag… you should follow it up seriously!! What kind of a joke is this?
~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(~X(
Waste waste waste ….
Anurag is it not your responsibility to see that the film was sent for the committee ..and not just take the adlabs’ verdict on it ??? Despite knowing how badly they marketed BF abroad ???
Anurag………Annnnuuuuuurrrrraaaaaaagggg… you mean you actually did not push MS and Adlabs to send Black Friday??? What pains me is that a piece of crap like Eklavya sneaks through when a well-crafted film like Black Friday is not pushed.
About the committee, the lesser spoken, the better. I fail to understand how do they zero in on the final entry. Anyways, I just do not wish to comment on the mules shouldering this huge responsibility.
Please stand up to whatever politics throws itself at you. Its time, someone spoke up. And having created a good film like BF, slam the daylights of the ones who deny you an answer.
Don’t let this one pass, Anurag. Just don’t.
Cheers,
Milind
well we could have sent RGV ki Aag..
if the object it not to get the award then RGV has done better work than VVC… one arroant over the another..
.. with all due respect to Anurag.. i am saying this first because i already see bricks coming my way… hollywood is producing some good movie and tv shows on terrorism.. movies on 9/11 were nicely made but didnt stand chance at oscars.. remember oscars chose Crash over Brokeback Mountain.. because they have their own agendas to be resolved.. racism is considered genuine problem in US than equality of same sex relations..terrorism is still an outside US issue.. this year no movie stood chance.. chak de india is feel good cliche movie..with same problem we have been dealing with for decades.. women’s equality.. it’s genuine problem but it is done before.. in a heartbreaking movie like maatrbhoomi..chak de’s packaging had mass appeal..
when we make movies we dont make them for oscars we make them for junta..or for love of what projects our passion.. so why worry about oscars..
Apparently Guru was their film of choice.. still not concrete about it…
I didn’t know when we were suppose to send it.. there wasn’t an ad or intimation.. apparently no one knew ..there were ten films in total..
ya , ekalavya (or black friday) ,doesnt deserve to be indias official entry to the oscars .. its an average movie with good production standards.. nothing special either in script or treatment that it deserves this honour…
but i read many comments nominating black friday to the honour…
frankly, i dont think even black friday deserves the honour…
fine , its not the usual popcorn film and has a tight script and good treatment .. but i dont think its a film thats exceptional that it needs to be nominated..
i would call black friday more of a docu-film ..
(no offence against anurag k)
well then which film among the list deserves the credit..
well we will hav to choose the “lesser evil” in that sense since ther is no one film that is exceptional…
well .. i would vote for guru …
and why guru…
(i know u all know what the film is abt,but then this is my take on it)… guru is the story of a village lad who never had access to “convent education” ( rather,didnt even pass him tenth)
but still makes it big and competes with the biggest and best , the credit for which goes to his unconventional thinking and his “never say die ” attitude. this film doesnot stop at narrating the story of a village under dog who makes it big, but brings in a totally new dimension by revealing the means and methods used to fulfill his dreams…
this film is the reflection of todays situation where we youngr generation are just concerned abt the goal giving no concern to the path followed to attain the goal…
mani ratnam makes us sympathise wih the protagnist in the first half of the movie and then reveals his cunning ways of business in the second half ,thereby putting the audience in to a dilema as if this person is to be supported by the audience..
and the best part of the movie is that mani ratnam doesnt take sides or justify “guru s” actions .
leaving the audience to ponder over the questions of morality and success and the means and methods to it,the effect of money on relationships…
i feel its a film that reflect todays india and its relationship with money ,power,love,ethics,social outlook etc..
conclusion: u may not agree with my views , but guru would me my choice,but then u could call it crap… india is a free country dear..
Anurag…. any idea if Vanaja was amongst the 10?
Vanaja and Frozen are not elligible as they have not released in the country..
it wasn’t there..
i think Paruthiveeran was..which is far superior to all regional entries
i meant hindi entries
VVC’s million dollar quote….if u ask me objectively,i dont think there is better film than eklavya….in an interview to cnn ibn. since BF wasnt submitted cz of whoever’s mistake, no point comparing. But between Guru and Eklavya,would pick Guru anyday. Eklavys is just visuals!!! BTW,we shuld get sudhir mishra to talk about it. what they looked for…hwo n why ? since he was in jury…rite ?
But ya havent seen Paruthiveeran…
Eklavya is a better shot at the Oscars than Guru… Guru with its songs and length would not even get a look in. Eklavya at least has got great reviews (100 per cent on rottentomatoes.com) in the international press.
@anurag - around two weeks back Oz had posted something on Oscar entry to be announced by the end of the month. Maybe you should have reacted then. It is sounding so shocking to me, you must be feeling quite mad. Sorry.
Anurag,
This is the first time im posting a comment cos usually i dont belive in a lot of interaction over film blogs and cinema is personal to me… BUT this time i could not restrain. If Manmohan Shetty and ADLABS are responsible for not sending in BLACK FRIDAY to the Selection committee, WE NEED TO PULL THEM TOO TASK. It’s time for a change and the TIME is NOW. Very frankly its not about winning or loosing at the OSCARS but just about letting our best represent us.
From starting a petition to a group of us filmmakers, cinephils, journos, art students and whoever the hell would care to come along could go upto the Adlabs office and demand an explaination/written apology. which could then be printed in newspapers/ given to channels and we could then go to DELHI I&B Ministry and state the reasons for delay in submitting the film. They will HAVE to regroup the committe and reconsider their choice. THEY WONT HAVE A CHOICE. Think Hard Anurag. Lets take a fuckin stand. Am with you on this and i know there’ll be many more. We owe this to BLACK FRIDAY..
Hell man! even our cricket team is in a fight back mode!
@Pratim…songs n length…then Lagaan ?
Eklavya vs Guru? Hmmmn…
Rohit, great to have you comment here… We are all with Anurag if he chooses to take a stand…
Phoenix, babu Lagaan didn’t win for exactly those two reasons - songs and length… everything else was exceptional and reason to reach the final five…
Black Friday was definitely the best choice. ‘Paruthiveeran’ is good, but I don’t think it was better than BF.
I am happy about one thing: that both BF and Eklavya were shot by Nutty. And he deserves all the appreciation for his good work in both movies.
Anurag, do you know which were the ten shortlisted? And I agree with all those that say you HAVE to make a stand on this. This cannot be allowed to pass just like that! VVC’s quote was pricless =)) And yeah, if Lagaan with all its songs and length can be nominated, then why not Guru???
forget ol… it would be easy to convince some other country to send BF as their entry (like water last yr) than to convice our own people,
& I am serious ppl
even pak. may agree to do so..
wat u say?
Pratim…na re. dont agree. if that can be the only reason. we dont need to make films according to their time constraint n sensibility….dont need to think so much.
Actually, going back to the original post, why are we so fixated upon the Oscar? Every year this happens. Stop giving some American award so much importance. As Big B (I think) once said, it’s not like they are falling over themselves to send their films to India to be judged, so maybe it’s high time we go over this inferiority complex and West worshipping.
this is the year of EDGE OF HEAVEN and 4 MONTHS, 3 NIGHTS AND 2 DAYS..either of them is taking home the trophy..
three years ago before syriana and paradise now and Fahrenheit 9/11 BF could have had a shot at nominations..the year it was made.. it’s too late anyways.. just bad luck i would say..
but i am pissed off at the dirty politics if there is any.. or if someone has played around deliberately..
lets stop obsessing over it.. come to think of it ..the way they look at our cinema and what they want to see EKLAVYA would please them more..
@night ..i think its nto about the oscars per se
if you are making a big deal about it and sending some movie to represent your cinema …thats what makes it al the more debate worthy , why shoud there be any politics in suhc a thing.
Uh guys,Just out of Curiosity,Isn’t Vinod Pande the same guy who directed that soft porn movie Red Swastika this year:-?:-?
Pity that Black Friday’s been sidelined for Ekalavya
:-<
Anuragbhai,Please please please make the committee change their mind
I think Anurag, being the talented film-maker he is, should concentrate those energies towards his next film rather than bother about being ’seen’ at or by the Oscars.
I would have not said so if it was a worthier award. Oscars, as is evident, is a distinct case of our white-approval-syndrome. And worse they really don’t care too hoots about our films. Besides, its all about marketing all the way…
But Anurag, if there is any international award worth its salt then I think you should make sure BF is sent and whats more nominated at least!
has neone seen “Maatimay”…heard good reviews abt the movie…
“Eklavya” according to me does not deserve the place as an indian entry…its simply boring…
Eklavya is ok.
I say this because Vidhu Vinod Chopra is a rich man. He’ll spend.
If BF was nominated would mid-day be investing tht kind of money it takes to promote your film at tht level. NOO.
good.
Oscar is like lickin a white man’s shit.
Amir has done tht. Vidhu vinod chopra will do it again after parinda.
Well neither Eklavya nor anyfilm made in the past year’s gonna even make it to the nomination stage let alone win it - As far as I know only 2 Indian films have ever got to the last five stage in a century. Shows where we stand in world cinema. Maybe we should start importing foreign writers and directors or outsourcing our films….
But for the sake of addressing the issue of the post, my choices would be Black Friday - Not the greatest film, but certainly not embarassing if you’re an Indian in the Oscar comittee.
Besides, the issue of terrorism and random bombings and the Muslim issue is hot in the West, so I do see a chance for it to make it to the final five if some of the other entries are weak… The acting too is naturalistic and not hammy like in Eklavya, which has no story and even at 90 mins feels like 4 hours.
My second choice would be Lage Raho Munnabhai, as its Bollywood with a twist, so the overblown shit and musical numbers kinda fit in and its got a unique Indian theme and Gandhi, who remains the most famous Indian in the west after Deepak Chopra… So it has a prayer.
Gurpreet,
This “so called standing” in world cinema may be somewhat slippery?
I guess you are associated with catering services of some airlines, now is it possible for you or anybody to present an entirely Indian dish to a foreigner which he may accept without any hitch? If he is experimental by nature then perhaps he would go for it but on an average audiences of a particular country live inside a defined bounadry only. When culture is so different, cinematic format is so different then it can be difficult for US audiences and cinematic judges to understand the Indian films because first they will have to be open towards Indian culture, like Indian audiences are open towards any kind of cinema, then after this acceptance only they can see Indian cinema with a curious eye and then can understand it.
Surely there are some stories which touch people all over the world but they are less in number. You travel a lot and must be meeting many different kinds of people belonging to different backgrounds, cultures etc, you may say something solid based on your own perception.
Please Leave aside debate based approach and please write from your own understanding which is based on your personal experience.
Perhaps we get some interesting point there to go further in the discussion.
Ok Gurpreet, you have already written what kinda films may work. We were writing comments at same time.
But please say about acceptance factor in west.
I am quoting from the horse’ mouth (Vinod Pandey) on this one, found it in today’s TOI paper…
“It was a close call between Dharam and Eklavya-The Royal Guard.”
“@night ..i think its nto about the oscars per se
if you are making a big deal about it and sending some movie to represent your cinema
“Besides, the issue of terrorism and random bombings and the Muslim issue is hot in the West, so I do see a chance for it to make it to the final five if some of the other entries are weak
RK,
I am basing it on my personal experience, but you seem to be able to see more into my mind than I do, guess you must be a palmist or a clairvoyant…
The West are incredibly open to foreign cultures, far more so than Indians - 81 percent of the clientele in the top 50 Indian restaurants in England were non Indians - and there are far more eclectic restaurants in Western cities in one block than in the whole of Mumbai - if they didn’t understand Indian or Asian cinema, the Chinese or the Koreans wouldn’t be rocking in the west the way they are. But they’re also smart enough to not excuse mediocre writing and film making skills and derivative and pretentious themes masked by “culture” or exoticism. So please don’t use the age old excuse of - you don’t like it because you don’t understand it on me.
And thanks for your magnanimous advice on what I should write and not write out here.
And I apologise for offending your great mind and position in society and my lowly position in the social strata which you so beautifully derided with such magnificent and sarcastic wit.
@Anurag. I feel for you bro. Cheap politics has unfairly stripped you of your opportunity to compete. But do you know who else was on the committee? Just so I can reason why “Eklavya” was selected over “Dharm”, which evidently was the closest competitor.
“Oscars, as is evident, is a distinct case of our white-approval-syndrome. And worse they really don
Yes,Vinod Pandey on Headlines Today went on record saying his personal choice was Dharm but committee in totality opted for Eklavya..
BTW, VVC interviewed both at Headlines Today and CNNIBN(by Rajeev Masand)said yes Eklavya is the right choice..His reasons: New York Times :It’s a classic, The Guardian :It is Shakespearene, LA Times : It reminds of David Lean..
According to him west has already accepted Eklavya’s(five years of research)uniqueness..Now its luck from here onwards..Modesty ablaze!
Night,
They care two hoots for us films because we don’t deserve any better - and the whites are cheering for the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Latins, Black Cinema, so I don’t think we have any right to whine about racism. And as far as publicity is concerned No Man’s Land had virtually no publicity being from war ravaged Bosnia, but it was infinitely superior to Lagaan, something that both Amir and Ashutosh graciously admitted.
And when we make something that’s worth being proud about like Monsoon Wedding or Bend it Like Beckham then they’re the ones buying tickets in droves and not the NRIs who’re lining up for Partner.
@night - I don’t know about what value oscars holds to the others here. For me it translates into exposure and money. Cinema is becoming global. And the west is a huge market. The Oscars are a global platform, and when an Indian film is highlighted on that platform, an awareness is created. The Oscars are broadcast and discussed in every country in the world whether we like it or not. So when an Indian film makes it to those discussions, a niche market begins to open up. Which is why the Oscars are important. I had never even thought of seeing a film from Bosnia at one point in time. After No Man’s Land won, I started watching Bosnian and other Eastern European films. An Oscar nod creates awareness, which then has to be built upon by our marketing brains to translate that exposure into greenbacks.
One of the comments said that anyone with power can get their film nominated to represent India at the Oscars. My question is - what would this get the filmmaker (or the producer)? I mean, how would this benefit them. They would know, in all honestly, that their film will not be selected for the Oscars. It will just be viewed by the panel of judges there, and in that too there might be no guarantee that all the judges will watch it. So what is their benefit?
Lets take the film in question here. Eklavya has been released, watched by many, rejected by most and pretty much done with. Is VVChopra expecting that with this Oscar buzz suddenly there will be a revived interest in the movie? That people will suddenly start buying DVDs, etc? I really don’t think so.
Now, if the producer of a small indie film expected that it would make sense. Since not everyone watches such a movie, they might just get interested knowing it was nominated for the Oscars.
Plus why do our fucking selectors never understand that sending a movie for Oscars is like sending India. That Indian movie-making intellect is being judged there. So by sending an incompetent movie not only keeps it from getting selected but also will not reflect well on the Indian movie makers abilities.
I might not call Eklavya trash, but it was not something that got me sit up and notice. I normally like to watch a movie with complete attention but it never did have my attention throughout. Costumes should assist a good script and well direected movie, not be the central part of the movie.
I don’t know if Khosla KG could have been considered (given its release date) but that would have been a good choice. There was an actual story with a proper problem and a solution. There was humour and excellent performances.
On a slightly tangential topic, whats the obsession with costumes that has started with the moviemakers? I know costume is very important in most movies, especially period films and movies based in a particular region. But getting designers to do that, etc, does it make sense? For e.g., Kareena’s sareee in Chameli was designed by Manish Malhotra. They could have just gone to some f’ing small shop in Dadar (E) and picked up a Rs. 200 saree from there to solve the purpose. Why does Neeta Lulla (or whoever the designer for Eklavya was) need to do the costumes for the movie? Couldn’t somebody just go to Rajasthan and get those? I read an article on Eklavya where the designer talked about giving specific coloured turbans to AB to show his mindset….Does that f’ing make sense? I mean, does that enhance the story in any way? Who notices something like that?
Agreed in part, Gurpreet. Asian (China, Jap, Korea et al) cinema is (creatively and otherwise) flourishing right now, so why aren’t we? Or are ticket sales of Chak De India/Partner/Apne/whatever success enough for us? At the end of the day, I guess the audience gets the cinema it deserves!
But then, I feel I am being hypocritical, because I dont personally judge a movie’s success on how well it’s done internationally, in fact I don’t judge a movie’s success at all. To me a film is either good or bad….but then I’m not a producer and I understand your points about exposure, Vijay, but I still think Indians are a little too obsessive about the Oscar thing. So we win an Oscar. Phir? So this then means our cinema is now worthy of viewing? I guess you would argue that all exposure or any exposure can only be a good thing, yes it is for the makers, but somehow still think it’s more about Western ‘approval’ than anything else. Now if Sri Lanka suddenly decided to award Eklavya with their highest film award would be really care??? But then, business-wise I also understand the market lies West…so I guess I am sitting on all fences here…!
@night,the audience is large hearted and challenging the makers to come and discover it..its not what audience deserves its about raising the bar and trusting its intelligence.
And as far as ‘exposure’ goes, Bollywood, with all its faults, has done a lot in that dept. I am not saying it’s neccessarily a good thing, but can’t deny it has played it’s part, but then that’s because the majority of them (in the West) love the whole exotic/kitsch/melodramatic elements of Bollywood and not neccessarily because they love Indian cinema per se. This is why I made that comment in the other post about Johnny Gaddar’s non-release not making a huge difference to UK audiences who mostly patronise the Chopra/Johar/SRK brand of cinema and would probably steer clear of something like JG. If there is to be a new Indian wave, then it has to be wider reaching and not just confined to the elite of Barista and PFC.
Night, only the Indians in the West patronise Bollywood Cinema - it is largely the non-Indian audience who has patronised “good (According to you)” Indian cinema from Ray to Mira Nair. So forget about Sri Lanka, Hindi Cinema has not been able to even penetrate Tamil Nadu. And its because our screenwriters, actors and filmakers have about the same ability by and large (some rare exceptions) as our Football players or Olympic atheletes.
@night. Mainstream Indian films are hugely popular in the US and UK. But the fact is that popularity exists among the Indian diaspora (myself included) who crave for that kitsch/melodrama whatever you want to call it. Yes there is some awareness no doubt beyond the Indian diaspora about mainstream films.
But the cultural divide is so wide that a non-Indian audience cannot accept the lead characters breaking into song and dance, despite the fact that Hollywood itself has a history of musical cinema. Which is why in today’s time, studios themselves are very hesitant to pump money into musicals despite what stars they have attached. It’s a genre that is not finding takers in the West. As a result, it is virtually impossible for mainstream Indian cinema to cross over into the Western market the way mainstream Chinese Kung-fu cinema did.
Indian cinema has the capability to cross over into the Western INDIE market, the way Korean cinema has in the last decade or so. With contemporary, universal stories. These are the films whose strength we need to exploit. And there are lot of organizations that are trying hard to increase exposure of Indian independent cinema. As Christina said, when people like us are sitting in the LA market, working hard to expose India’s independent scene here, and the government sends in a shit film, it just undoes all the hard work we have been putting in for all these years.
I am not totally against Bollywood per se, Gurpreet, and I disagree that ONLY Indians patronise Bollywood, because in the UK at least, Bollywood and Indian culture is quite popular among whites…maybe not HUGE numbers, but it has it’s share of non-desi fans. It’s certainly well known there. Why else is every backing dancer now a gori?! Why was Big B mobbed at King Cross station by a bunch of entirely non-Indian fans? And so on…. So its fair to say that BW is not unheard of there. And anyhow, dont you think that Ray, Nair et al do well with non-Indians because those kinda films are *targetted* towards them???
THIS IS FUCKING SICK! The panel announced India’s official entry to the Oscars just 7 days before the final submission date which is October 1.
Night, let me throw some figures at you - As many whites are into Bollywood films as UP wallahs are into Telugu cinema - sure Chiranjeevi might get mobbed in Lucknow but a small group of Awadhis who’ve returned from Warangal - Wake up - I live in London, and there’s always been less than 1 percent whites in every bollywood film I’ve ever seen abroad. The people who’re into Bollywood are miniscule outside the Indian community - but there are tons of white Indian food lovers and a significant number who listen to British Bhangra and read Salman Rushdie, but Bollywood, I assure you my friend is as obscure in the West or as well known as a hot dog in Mohammed Ali Road. Its only the Indian media that claims that Rajnikant is huge in Japan or Shahrukh is loved by Goras.
And what has the Western people got to do with gori dancers in Bollywood - Its us who want to see them - they have better bodies, are more well trained and have no qualms about wearing skimpy outfits…
Sure the films of Ray and Nair are targetted towards the West - they’re smart, and its high time others did the same instead of living in a cocoon - After all isn’t Hollywood targetting Europe and Asia as well since 65 percent of their revenue come from outside the USA - And the Koreans are targetting China and Japan and raking in the bucks.
Oz, why is that sick? Whether they announced it now, earlier or later, the choice would have been the same. What difference does it make?
the timing Vijay… if any group wanted to oppose or petition they wouldn’t have much time to do it.
imo, a petition would not be any help; i have not seen it work. you gotta break away from the system and create your own system - then outdo the original system, that is when you will get notice.
This decision affects us as lovers of cinema, but at the end of the day, its just a movie. It’s entertainment. There are more important issues in the world that deserve petitioning and protesting. More pressing injustices that people need to turn activist for. I have drained more than my share of energy on this topic and have realized that it is useless. It’s just a fucking movie. With that I’m ending my participation in this Oscar entry discussion.
Good decision Vijay. Also, it’s just a fucking award too! Why are we all going so ballistic about some movie awards organized by a different country?
Why do we always have to got the goras approval for everything? Khao piyo, aish karo!!
And another thing, why is there so much importance given to Oscars by us? Whats the big deal about it? I can still understand going to various international film festivals….exposure to different countries, etc…..but I just can’t fathom the craze behind the Oscars.
And on that line, neither can I understand our media’s craze to any rumour about one of our stars signing some Hollywood movie….the whole media goes berserk when there is the slightest news on that front….as if signing a hollywood movie means the star has arrived and is the king/queen. Recently there was news of Celina signing some hollywood movie…Who the fuck cares about her anyways in India. Who would give a fuck what she does in HWood!!! And I can bet my life, if at all she has signed something, her role would be a simple blink-miss one.
How is that Sudhir Mishra was in the commitee & he did not pick up his cellfone to call anurag’s cellfone as soon as he realised BF wasn’t sent?
BF clearly is blocked due to politics. Anurag is definitely not the most popular kid in Bollywood. Too many powerful players would love to see his demise. And BF if gets nominated, would have taken him to another level where these big Ego’s couldn’t have done anything.
There’s a careless director who did not even bother to follow up whether his film was “finally” sent for nomination
Then there’s a bunch of “why not BF” heroes who can spend time and keystrokes but wont put money where their mouth is(Surely folks can contribute along with Anurag and still send as an outside entry)
Then theres a (may be jealous)friend of director who was in jury and who asks him ” why you did not send for nomination after result is announced”
yeah politics,bribe, corruption, nepotism are to be blamed
from TOI,
This year
- oh teri… now THAT is an eye opener!
Maybe only Anil Sharma voted
jwalant you have spoken th eturth as it is …
for more read this
http://mid-day.com/hitlist/2007/september/164599.htm
i cant believe that black firday was not in the running because of all these stupid reasons ..
mr sudhir mishra was a member of jury and yet ….he only remembers black friday after the result was announced..
i can understand aunrag’s silence(and if he was this careless well what can we say) at this point o ftime , he has a release coming up and we know how this industry works , the politics.
the reasons that were cited against dharam were , the producer and director dont have enough money to promote their film…the diector is new and unexperienced etc etc….well well well…isnt that shameful?
Well well… lots has been happening! The dirty politics of Indian Cinema splashes our computer screen. Its definitely sad that Black Friday did not even get a chance to compete against the likes of Eklavya, Dharam etc etc. I feel for AK. But in an earlier post I read Anurag saying he had no idea that India was sending its official entry to the Oscars. Now that is ignorant. One doesn’t need too long in the movie business to know that September end is the time to do this. If Vidhu Vinod, Bhavna Talwar, Yash Raj, Mani Ratnam etc etc could send their entries and make sure the print reaches the committee, I guess AK should have made it a point to follow up. In any case, I feel bad for BF and AK. The film deserved a chance!
As for all the Eklavya bashing - lets get real guys. It is a film that will appeal to the ‘Western Eye’. Dont know what with the papers saying Chak De should have been sent cos its a more popular film and that the people have loved it and all that. Popularity does not count people! Who the hell is Pahlaj Nihalani anyway? Haha.. I just checked his filmography on imdb http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0631548/ - does he understand cinema? Why are the papers quoting him as if he is the authority on Indian cinema? And to all of you making references to Sudhir being a jealous director - really get real guys - your love for AK cant be so blinding. Anyway, I feel Eklavya is one of Amitabh Bachchan’s most heartfealt performances! His eyes throughout the film are simply enticing. The cinematography (by Natti - the same guy who shot BF) is fantastic. It takes you to a period lost in time. You know you are in contemporary times, but during the film you lose track of that and are taken to some other period. It makes you warmly disoriented. I just read the LA times review of the film, which does call it ‘a lost film by David Lean’.
Anyway, its definitely a film which some American Vinod Pande would like. I believe this is one of the best entries sent by India in a while - earlier entries - Paheli, RDB, Jeans (???) dont seem anywhere close. I’m glad this yr it isn’t Chak De man… America makes what 15 sports films a year - its not going to give them anything new. Eklavya is gonna take them to this mysterious India, and tell a tale of a impotent Maharaja - the Gora choots are gonna relate to that for sure! India finall has a chance to win an Oscar cos you need someone like Chopra who can put in the few crores required for the numerous screening and publicity. Hype is gonna get us the Oscar and Eklavya can get it for us. Also, an Oscar is not about a pat on the back from the west, but just a general boost to Indian cinema.
I agree, Eklavya will appeal to the American eye — picture postcard India with the right noises about it’s social fabric etc….Let’s wait & watch!!!
@Gurpreet(106),
I dont need to be sarcastic. I asked you some simple things with simple curiosity. If I write you seem, then you will take it as guessing game but anyway, You seem to be completely filled with anger inside thats why you are taking everything as attack on you. When you have expressed some points on a public forum then others can raise questions on your points, or can discuss your points.
One does not need to know palmistry or astrology to know about your profession, as you yourself has stated in one of your comment that you are associated with some airlines and may present some dishes. A profession is a profession and you may not be happy with yours but I doubt if anybody here will see one differently because he is associated with a different profession.
Though your angry nature and your profession produce contradiction as you cant afford same anger in that profession.
Anyway, UK and Britishers have been familiar/ associated with India and Indians for more than 200 years.
Do you see same scene in rest of the Europe? Rather in any other country of Europe?
Indian restaurants Vs Chinese, Globally?
West cant understand folk arts of Indian villages so they are bad? Folk arts even dont follow any kind of grammer, they are simply distorted arts in very simple form and only local people can enjoy their intricate hints, so all that is garbage?
Bombay cine Industry does not produce world class cinema but then they dont produce it for entire universe. There can be good and bad movies there also and they have been over the years. This is quite possible that some very good film which touched hearts of Indian people cant get same treatment from west based audiences because they dont have any connection with the content.
And then Hollywood deals with characters belonging to Christanity and half of the world follow same religion. Their habits are almost similar and hence different countries can relate to same subject.
Again sorry for guessing game,- your name suggests that you should be a sikh person, try to make a film on Guru Nanak, Guru Govind Singh or Maharaja Ranjit Singh’s life and do it with few best authors of world, with best directors of world and see if whole world sees it as they can see a Ben Hur?
Because later’s mythological concepts are somewhere associated with them, they have something familiar there.
There are many factors associated with globally successful films.
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and please participate in any discussion if you are able to control your anger else you may be making some valid points but they will be concealed behind your own anger.
@Gurpreet….which world are you living that u dont know about johnny gaddar. or you are flying too much and so dont have time to watch tv. just switch on any channel and you will spot it. people surely know about it. atleast those who follow and watch movies. or may be you were flying to timbuktoo where people dont know about the gaddar yet.
RKsaab…kya baat hai. Gurpreetey…tu pagdi to nahi bandhta. saara gussa wahin bandha rah jaata hoga. thand bhai thand.
Hey guys,
assuming vinod chopra had not directed eklavya and had eklavya still being selected for the Oscars than what would have been Vinod Chopra’s reaction????