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It’s been almost three months since I have been in Mumbai. I was called in by Sudhir Mishra to edit a 90 minute international version of his new film, Tera Kya Hoga Johnny! It was a very interesting experience to take a film and reconstruct it in a different way. The Indian version is about 130 minutes long and one could not just throw away 40 minutes of the film. So the narration had to change and the story had to be told in a different way. As the film was made up of multiple characters and their stories, I tried to find a situation in the original film which would become the pivotal point of the new narrative structure. Once I had found that, I reworked the different stories from that pivotal point in a non linear narration. It was quite fun. I dismantled the rough cut and …

1971- Simply Superb!

When I was a kid; I used to like watching Ramayan, Alif Laila, Krishna and all those stuff made by Sagar brothers. But at the same time; I did not like their terrible technical ignorance and over over over the top acting. Can you imagine a camel cart with rubber tyres in age of Alif Laila or that typical hindi filmy back ground music in Ramayan. In 60s and 70s, Ramanad Sagar made some good movies like Geet, Charas and Aankhein. But after that Sagar brothers made aweful movies and serials with pathetic technicalities, over the top dramatic performances and cheap budget. They made a film on Bhagat singh and the opening sequence was of a jail. And can u believe they show animated version of jail in a live action film.

But new generation of Sagar Family seems to be more knowledgeable than their previous. 1971 is …

Fair, fairer, fairest Renu (Kundan shah on Renu Saluja and JBDY)

I caught hold of this book while doing a google on renu saluja. It is easily available and at 50 rupees, quite a steal.
This book is highly recommended. Thanks to Graftii.com and comet media foundation.

Here’s a wikipedia on Renu Saluja and a very informative upperstall article.

Anyways, this post isn’t entirely about the book or Renu Saluja. This is an article written by Kundan Shah on Renu Saluja. They had worked together in the classic Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron.

Here’s a brief overview of the book (courtesy indianwriting.blogsome.com)

Over to Kundan shah who has written an article in the book, which I’m reproducing here for all the JBDY and Kundan shah fans -

”In my three years at FTII, I hardly exchanged a word with Renu Saluja. All I knew is that she was a sister of Radha …

Was Kuleshov right in claiming new meaning from the clash of unrelated images? To put it another way, does montage have any relevance to the contemporary filmmaker, scholar, or cinephile?
Rewind: Like other Russian formalists of the era, Lev Kuleshov was looking at unveiling the formal properties of the moving image. Okay! so you have heard this argument before. For most, intellectual montage is nothing but old Soviet skullduggery in its primal forms. Afterall, Kuleshov and co wanted to give big brother a leg up for the cause of the revolution (which the bosses in Kremlin, after much initial enthusiasm, gave a quiet burial). Many film and communications studies scholars in the West set up experiments to prove that Kuleshov was wrong after all. And so besides the usage of montage as stylisation device, its worth has more or less been reduced in film debates. We seem to have lost the …

Some directors are editors also. Hrishikesh Mukharjee always enjoyed editing more than the direction. Tight editing is reflected in his films. Tight editing is the demand of the time also especially when film belongs to low budget category and there is no money to waste.
But there are very few directors who are editors also. Shekhar Kapur believes that he should have a woman editor so that her post shooting works can bring a balance in the footage he has shot from a male director’s point of view. He had liked immensely the editing work of Late Renu Saluja in Bandit Queen.

I have got this curiosity that what is better situation.

(1) A director is a good editor also Ala Hriskhesh Mukharjee. As Then he has full command on post shooting work also as he knows story well and the mood of the film he wanted to make so he can …

SARFAROSH (1999) - ORIGINAL AND AWESOME

Perhaps all of PFC guys have shown this superb film but I want to discuss this film as this film has impressed me lot with respect to story telling, griping script, dialogues, characters, performances and music.

Sarfarosh was John Mathew Mathan’s first film after making ads and in his first film he seems to be prominent director of hindi cinema. Let’s discuss this film by its qualities

Story: The first rule of cinema is it should be entertaining. The good message attached with it is secondary thing. Sarfarosh is entertaining as well it conveys the message of patriotism which writer and director want to say. The story has superb balance of qualities of commercial cinema as well as off beat cinema.

Story deals with exposure of weapons racket supported by ISI and our in-house terrorists. Film starts with mass killing and loot of passengers by some south …

Finally finished reading Reluctant Fundamentalist. Wow! No wonder Mohsin Hamid spent 7 years producing this after Moth Smoke. Its brilliant and equally frightening. He gets the hatred so well. The language is so deceptively smooth and flowing that one tends to glide over the increasing nastiness, hostility, violence….and the narrator’s voice that initially seemed so calm and reassuring and by the end has the even and rational tone seems extremely alarming…and yet… I am sorry, but my thoughts about the novel are not composed. I am writing this as soon as I put the book down. I still need to digest and analyse what I read so that I can write in a calm and structured manner, except that I dont know when that will happen. The book is truly mindblowing. The monologue style is totally brilliant!

Iranian filmmakers for long have thrived on their unmatched ability to reflect upon their times through the eyes of their children. Majidi is perhaps the finest examples of exploring the issue through the viewpoint of the children who live it, because they are perhaps the only ones who see the world for what it is. They don’t judge, they observe. They see it, and tell it like it is. In the same vein, “Turtles Can Fly” matches if not betters the precedent set by Iranian masters.

Set in the Iraqi-Turkish border, Bahman Ghobadi showcases the lives of Kurdish refugees during the days leading up to the US invasion and the removal of Saddam Hussein from power. A young boy known across all the surrounding villages as Satellite (because of his ability to install satellite dishes), holds himself responsible for the well-being of all the orphaned children in the …

Hmmm, this is going to be just a ramble….I have often wondered what are the piles of books/reading material that one keeps by on one’s bedside table (or even in the bathroom for that matter!). Isnt reading a very personal matter? Surely it is not to be dictated by fashions? There are times, when I feel quite stunned by the media blitzkrieg about books. As a publisher I can understand the desire to promote books and ensure that every little space that is made available for books is to be utilised, but surely, the readers too should have their say. And somewhere, somewhere there should be a meeting ground/platform where publishers, retailers, readers/customers etc can decide what to sell/browse/buy. (And an internet portal is not necessarily the answer to this… the pleasure of browsing and smelling through a fresh clean book is just indescribable!) Its a 24×7 quandry about …

Hi!

This is my first post on this fabulous website. I hope to be contributing a few thoughts/comments on publishing. Before I begin, I may as well give a brief introduction about myself. So, if anyone has thoughts/comments/queries etc to suggest for this column, please feel free to write/ask!

I am a publisher in India, working with a gendered firm called Zubaan. At Zubaan I am a Commissioning Editor and Marketing Directory. I am also responsible for the websites and am very interested in exploring digital publishing. Meanwhile, here is a link to a website on “womens’ writing” that we are in the midst of constructing, but its USP is the database of profiles. I am also associated with a monthly journal published from New Delhi called The Book Review where I guest-edit their annual issue on Children’s and Young Adult’s Literature. Its published …

Orwell’s prediction of the horrors of 1984 would seem mellow compared to what humanity really saw. In Delhi at least, thousands were massacred, families destroyed forever, the scum of humanity exposed, as justice still remains to be served. It’s a disgusting piece of our history that our government, which still employs many of those directly responsible, chooses to conveniently bury. In that context, it is of utmost importance for us Indian’s to look at ourselves through our own personal stories, to re-live the horror we allowed into our society, and hopefully prevent that from happening in the future. “Amu” tells one such personal story.

Kaju (Konkona Sensharma) arrives in India, appearing to be the stereotypical Indian-American in search of her roots, doing the rounds of the exotic side of the country with her camcorder. Adopted at the age of three and raised in Los Angeles by her foster …

“Will this survive the Kingfisher litmus test?” asked Oz as we inebriated ourselves while hogging on some butter chicken at Ambala Dhaba. I was hesitant to respond because Vijay Mallya’s concoction has a tendency to strip your tolerance levels considerably. The last film we saw under the influence (Nishabd) had us running to save our tender brains from deterioration within 30 minutes. Fortunately, and finally, this time the hops have met their match!

Mallya ain’t got nothin’ on Anurag…Anurag Basu that is! “Anurag who?” you say? The Anurag previously known for xeroxing firang flicks for the ever so original Bhatts (Murder, Saaya). The Anurag who hinted at his ability to pack a punch with Gangster. If only he hadn’t succumbed to the producer’s safety net! But beware, for this time, there are no ifs, and no Bhatts, as the writer/director nails the bull’s eye with a film that is refreshingly …

Bhidu (Buddy): Thank god it’s over! I had such high expectations from this film.

Apun (Me): Eh dimaag ka dahi mat kar. Subhe ka teen bajela hain. (Don’t make brain into yogurt. It is 3 in mornings)

Bhidu: It just went on and on.

Apun: More fillum. More timepass.

Bhidu: But I wasn’t feeling the punch.

Apun: Bak bak mat kar nahi tho Spiderman 4D mein parde ke baahar aake kaan ke neeche bajaayenga. Phir punch ka feeling aayenga tereko. (Dont talking too much. Spiderman coming in 4D out of screen and punchings. Then you feelings)

Bhidu: But they went on and on with the love story!

Apun: It is masala yaar. Like Hindi fillum. Love, emotion, jealousy, badla, and action! There has to be good mixings, otherwise no fun.

Bhidu: Well, I guess the action was quite cool.

Apun: Arre it was deadly yaar! Maar dhaad between moving trains with the Sandman, end climax fight in Venom ka …

Amidst all the wonderful discussions about indie movies, we haven’t quite had the opportunity to talk about what is in my opinion, one of the best indie films this year - The Pool. If the credits were deleted, one would never in the wildest of their imagination believe that this is an American movie. Independent documentary filmmaker Chris Smith, famous for the award-winning doc American Movie, makes his narrative feature-film debut with an unusual piece of work that is simple, yet captivating and heartwarming.

The Pool is a Hindi-language film set entirely in Goa that tells the story of Venkatesh Chavan, a bell-boy at a modest Panjim hotel. On his way to work every morning, Venkatesh takes time out to stare over the wall of a large uninhabited house at its swimming pool. Urged by his best friend Jehangir, Venkatesh finally decides one day to take …

“Tae Guk Gi” (2004) is a sweeping war epic, impressively written, devastatingly photographed and designed, and captivatingly told. It’s old-fashioned mainstream filmmaking, overtly melodramatic and sappy, but deeply moving, disturbing, and breathtaking at the same time.

Set in 1950 Korea, it tells the story of two brothers who are forcefully drafted to fight in the Korean war. When Lee jin-Seouk is taken by South Korean forces to serve, the protective elder brother Lee jin-Tae follows an unsuccessful attempt to bring him back by asking to serve alongside his inexperienced sibling, all in an effort to sheild him. As war thickens and blood and guts spill from all directions, jin-Tae realizes that he needs to find a way to get his brother out of the battlefield, and back home to their mother. He risks his life, volunteering for the riskiest of missions, in an effort to impress …

Chetan Anand has been pioneer in so many fields. He was teaching at Doon School but film making brought him to bombay.
His first ever film “Neecha Nagar” was screened at Cannes festival and also had won Karolvy International fim Award. He made Haqeeqat in 1964 which could be said as first authentic war film in Hindi cinema and he repeated his skill in making war films in 1971 with Hindustan Ki kasam.

Later he conceptualised and made “Param Veer Chakra”, a TV serial, for DD. He directed around 15-16 films and around 10 films can’t be ignored if history of hindi cinema is written in proper way.

Chetan Anand worked, mostly with Dev Anand, but he also joined hands with Raaj Kumar for 3 films and all three films can be said as milestones in the entire career of Raaj Kumar. All three films suggest about the vast range of Raaj Kumar …

Nida Fazli the famous Urdu Poet wrote once –
 

Tum bhee likhna Tumne us shab kitanee baar piya paanee
Tumne bhee to dekha hoga Chajaje upar pura chand.
 

 A loose translation –
  (You also write to me how many times you drank water that evening
   You also might have seen full moon from your balcony)
 

If you like this poetry and understand the romance in it then you can enjoy Vivah also. Vivah has several romantic moments which can happen between lovers of 18-24 years age.
In one such scene Amirta Rao says to Shahid kapoor,” Jab Tum barat lekar aaoge to hamare mohalle mein sab gharon mein chulhe par rotiya jal jayengee”
Shahid asks why? And she says” kyonki ladkiyan dulhe ko dekhne chaton par jo aa jayengee”.

If you enjoy the episode in Ram Charit Manas where Sita sees Rama first time in a garden then you can enjoy this film- Vivah. 

Its not an intellectual film …

Here’s an event for PFC-ites in Mumbai… a few months back I had given an introduction to Baiscope Entertainment, an NGO designed to benefit fledgling filmmakers and others interested in film and the industry. Now they’re back with an event in Juhu and the director of the upcoming Salaam-e-Ishq will be in attendance. Highly recommend those of you in Mumbai to check it out if possible and give a write-up on what transpires.

BAISCOPE ENTERTAINMENT

Presents

In Association with

PVR CINEMAS and IndieFocus

A workshop with Nikhil Advani

(Director - Kal Ho Na Ho, Salaam-e-Ishq)

“From the Other Side of the Fence”

The workshop will explore:
Salaam-e-Ishq: The making of the mother of all multi-starrers
Bridging the 2 worlds: Nikhil Advani’s journey from the realistic world of Sudhir Mishra to the kandyfloss of Karan Johar
Film Finance for Great Scripts in Indian Cinema: A myth or reality
Casting Blues: The Final Clincher
…And other Agonies …

I love short films. They’re perfect for when you’re in the mood to watch a film but don’t have the time. Hell, I even try to catch a couple here and there during the day at work. Sadly, the market for short films is just not there with the masses. Unless a Darna Mana Hai or Darna Zaroori Hai comes along with Ramu’s banner behind it, the audience won’t care much for it. But that’s just another reason I’m obsessed with Ramu :) I digress. This is not a post about Ramu.. calm down striker…

Short films can be just as challenging to make as a feature film, if not more. Feature films have a 2hr (or more) luxury time in which to captivate the audience. In some cases, even if the first half isn’t good, the second half can make up …

Alfonso Cuarón achieves a rare and deeply satisfying balance between form and content with Children of Men, a tale set in a dystopian future (2027, we are told) plagued by infertility and hurtling to doom as people and lands are devastated by war, civil and political breakdown and terrorism. We are in the London of the future. The urban landscape is bleak, polluted, filthy and shrouded by depression and gloom. Despite this being years into the future, the vehicles don’t look futuristic at all, but merely aged versions of their current selves — double-decker buses look just as dusty and mundane; only advertising seems to have made big strides: billboards and bus signs are now animated. One of the advertising spots running even informs us that The world has collapsed; only Britain strives on. A nationalist government is aided by a brutal police force and all …