Late last year we had reported that model turned actor Sudhanshu Pandey who was contemplating on turning producer with a film titled Farmayish, had alleged that Sanjay Gupta's next with Hrithik Roshan that would be coproduced by Rakesh Roshan had been inspired from his script. Well matters simmered down a bit, after Roshan released a statement stating that since they had not launched any film there was no question of it being similar. However, now we hear that Sudhanshu has registered criminal charges of fraud and theft against Rakesh Roshan and Sanjay Gupta at the Amboli Police station. Further, Pandey's lawyer Rohini Vakil added that apart from this they would also be filing a civil complaint next week. While currently the police are recording statements with the investigation underway. Pandey and Siraj Ahmed, the writer who assisted Pandey on the script, recorded their statements. Whereas Gupta and Roshan have...
- 1/6/2016
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
Week 4 of the popular new musical reality show The Voice India, continued with the fourth round of the Blind auditions. As the coaches aimed to fill up their remaining spaces in their teams, the competition to choose the best singers just got a whole lot tougher!
The first contestant of Saturday’s episode was Passang Doma Lama. Passang is 19 years old and she originates from Gangtok, Sikkim. Passang performed a lovely religious ‘Bhajan’ which pleasantly surprised the ‘fabulous four’ coaches, as the Bhajan also carried a number of classical traits. Coach Mika was the first to buzz, followed closely by coach Hr. Coaches Shaan and Sunidhi did not buzz this time. Passang chose to be in team Mika! The second contestant was Vishva Shah. Vishva is 25 years old and is from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Vishwa performed ‘Tu Hi Re’ from Bombay. Coach Shaan was the first to buzz, followed by coaches Mika and Sunidhi.
The first contestant of Saturday’s episode was Passang Doma Lama. Passang is 19 years old and she originates from Gangtok, Sikkim. Passang performed a lovely religious ‘Bhajan’ which pleasantly surprised the ‘fabulous four’ coaches, as the Bhajan also carried a number of classical traits. Coach Mika was the first to buzz, followed closely by coach Hr. Coaches Shaan and Sunidhi did not buzz this time. Passang chose to be in team Mika! The second contestant was Vishva Shah. Vishva is 25 years old and is from Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Vishwa performed ‘Tu Hi Re’ from Bombay. Coach Shaan was the first to buzz, followed by coaches Mika and Sunidhi.
- 7/1/2015
- by Jem Raj
- Bollyspice
Director of Choreography for the Tata Motors Iifa Awards Shiamak Davar has been working tirelessly with his team to put up a sensational Bollywood Awards night for the American audience. As the biggest Bollywood stars rehearse with Shiamak, he gives us his take on each of the star performers and hosts who are taking to the stage in Tampa Bay, Florida.
Viraf Sarkari (Director Wizcraft)
Iifa is a testimony to the fact that the world embraces Indian Cinema and it is a global phenomenon. Viraf, Andre and Sabbas along with their team at Wizcraft tirelessly puts together a scintillating weekend that takes Bollywood beyond the Indian shores. The creative freedom I get on the Iifa stage allows me to bring my vision to reality and create something new each time. This has been one of the oldest and finest associations for more than a decade now. Iifa is a great...
Viraf Sarkari (Director Wizcraft)
Iifa is a testimony to the fact that the world embraces Indian Cinema and it is a global phenomenon. Viraf, Andre and Sabbas along with their team at Wizcraft tirelessly puts together a scintillating weekend that takes Bollywood beyond the Indian shores. The creative freedom I get on the Iifa stage allows me to bring my vision to reality and create something new each time. This has been one of the oldest and finest associations for more than a decade now. Iifa is a great...
- 4/26/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Thanks to: Bharat Gupta & Rajesh Mansukhani
Guru of dance Shiamak Davar has entertained audiences with choreography par excellence at the Iifa Awards for over a decade. At various international destinations and with the biggest Bollywood stars dancing to his tunes, he has taken Bollywood to the world. We caught up with the man behind the moves to trace his favourites from the past performances!
• Sushmita Sen in Malaysia (2002)
Winner of Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen is the perfect mix of east and the west. Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend was the perfect song for her. She mesmerized the audience and Malaysia experienced Shiamak’s Jazz movement.
Shiamak’s memories – ‘This being the first Iifa that I was choreographing, the entire experience was extremely special. Sushmita was a complete treat to work with, extremely professional and talented beyond belief!’
• Shahid in Singapore (2004)
The new kid on the block back then,...
Guru of dance Shiamak Davar has entertained audiences with choreography par excellence at the Iifa Awards for over a decade. At various international destinations and with the biggest Bollywood stars dancing to his tunes, he has taken Bollywood to the world. We caught up with the man behind the moves to trace his favourites from the past performances!
• Sushmita Sen in Malaysia (2002)
Winner of Miss Universe, Sushmita Sen is the perfect mix of east and the west. Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend was the perfect song for her. She mesmerized the audience and Malaysia experienced Shiamak’s Jazz movement.
Shiamak’s memories – ‘This being the first Iifa that I was choreographing, the entire experience was extremely special. Sushmita was a complete treat to work with, extremely professional and talented beyond belief!’
• Shahid in Singapore (2004)
The new kid on the block back then,...
- 4/13/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
This year the 12th edition of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) includes a lineup of narrative and documentary features and short films. The impressive program reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema, as well as the future of Indian filmmaking, with cutting-edge filmmakers and emerging voices bringing their acclaimed films to Los Angeles.
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
The festival is widely recognized as the premiere showcase of groundbreaking Indian cinema globally. Iffla will run April 8-13 at ArcLight Hollywood in Los Angeles, the festival’s home since its inception. Jadoo, an exploration of family bonds amidst two feuding brothers’ restaurants in England, will screen as the festival’s Closing Night Gala. The film is written and directed by Iffla alum Amit Gupta, and first premiered at the 2013 Berlinale. It features a wonderful ensemble cast that includes Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, and Madhur Jaffrey. As previously announced, Iffla will open with Jeffrey D. Brown’s Sold, produced by Jane Charles and executive produced by Emma Thompson.
Iffla 2014 wil l present more than 33 films, including three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
“I'm thrilled and proud that Iffla's line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora,” said Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani. "We would like to thank our Programming Advisor in India, Uma Da Cunha, for helping our programming team source some of these exceptional films."
Program highlights include: the North American premiere of Anurag Kashyap’s latest, Ugly an intense, masterfully directed psychological thriller that premiered in the 2013 Director’s Fortnight section of Cannes; Liar's Dice, the remarkable directorial debut of South Indian actress Geetu Mohandas that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival; Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost, starring Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi, Slumdog Millionaire), winner of Netpac Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and Dioraphte Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam; the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival Hank and Asha , an exploratory, romantic look at two people bonding in the digital age by newcomer James E. Duff; Nagraj Manjule’s Fandry, a highly praised debut feature for its multilayered emotion and realism on the subject of caste discrimination; Brahmin Bulls starring Roshan Seth (Gandhi, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, Mississippi Masala) and Sendhil Ramamurthy (Beauty and the Beast, Heroes) as an estranged father and son unexpectedly brought together to confront the family’s past; and Siddharth, a nuanced look at a family whose son goes missing, by lauded Canadian director and Iffla alum Richie Mehta (Amal).
The festival's feature documentary competition includes an eclectic mix of films from established and upcoming filmmakers that consider India's unique traditions and dynamic future. The films include: the world premiere of
The Auction House , an intimate and funny look at two brothers trying to keep their anachronistic family business going in the digital age; festival favorite Powerless, which depicts intense struggles over electricity in a mid-size Indian city; Faith Connections, Iffla alum Pan Nalin's beautiful and rare look at the Kumbh Mela; and the National Award-winning Shepherds of Paradise, about an arduous, mountainous trek through an animal drive in the Kashmiri winter.
The Bollywood by Night series returns this year with Bombay Talkies and Monsoon Shootout. Premiering at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, Bombay Talkies is a quartet of short films that celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema. The omnibus film features work by four of India’s most exciting contemporary directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, and Anurag Kashyap, as well as a stellar cast that includes Amitabh Bachchan, Rani Mukerji, and Katrina Kaif. Monsoon Shoutout is a thrilling debut by Iffla alum writer/director Amit Kumar about how a split-second decision made by a rookie police officer has rippling effects in his life and the lives of those around him.
The shorts competition showcases a diverse selection of 15 films that include narrative, documentary, experimental, and animated works. Highlights of this year’s program include Academy Award® shortlisted Kush; Sundance award winner Love.Love.Love.; and the world premiere of acclaimed director Umesh Kulkarni’s The Fly.
Festival Passes and Gala tickets are currently on sale at the festival's website.
For more information, please visit:
Website: www.indianfilmfestival.org.
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ indianfilmfestival
Twitter: https://twitter.com /iffla
Tumblr: http://indianfilmfestival.tumblr.com/
About Iffla
Now in its 12th year, the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) is a nonprofit organization devoted to a greater appreciation of Indian cinema and culture by showcasing films, honoring entertainment industry business executives, and promoting the diverse perspectives of the Indian diaspora.
Opening Night Gala
Sold
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2014/97min
Director: Jeffrey D. Brown
Producer: Jane Charles
Executive Producer: Emma Thompson
Screenwriters: Joseph Kwong, Jeffrey D. Brown
Composer: John McDowell, Sammy Chand, Salim & Sulaiman Merchant
Cast: Susmita Mukherjee, Seema Biswas, Tillotama Shome, Niyar Saikia, Priyanka Bose, Ankur Vikal, Parambrata Chatterjee, Gillian Anderson, David Arquette
Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Jeffrey D. Brown adapts Patricia McCormick’s novel Sold – a National Book Award finalist – into a vivid, harrowing and inspiring story of a young girl’s resilience in the face of unspeakable cruelty.
Closing Night
Jadoo
Los Angeles Premiere
UK/2013/84 mins
Director: Amit Gupta
Producers: Amanda Faber, Isabelle Georgeaux, Richard Holmes, Nikki Parrott
Screenwriter: Amit Gupta
Composer: Stephen Warbeck
Cast: Kulvinder Ghir, Amara Karan, Harish Patel, Tom Mison, Madhur Jaffrey
Set in Leicester, England, Amit Gupta’s culinary comedy charts the chaos that ensues when young Shalini gets engaged to her longtime boyfriend Mark. The fact that Mark is not Indian is the least of Shalini’s concerns. Her father Raja and uncle Jagi have been at war for years. After a legendary falling out that caused them to close their family restaurant, each man opened his own establishment – directly across the street from one another! Shalini’s dream wedding would see both men put aside their differences and prepare the feast together, but resentment runs deep and neither man can hear mention of the other’s name without a spike in blood pressure. Both the prospect of disappointing their beloved Shalini and the threat of a new, hip restaurant opening in the area force Raja and Jagi to work together – but for how long? In this uproariously funny and heartfelt exploration of family bonds, shared history and gastronomic perfection, Gupta’s cast is endlessly appealing. Plus, there’s enough mouth-watering Indian food on display to have your stomach growling before the credits roll.
Feature Films
Before My Eyes (Ankhon Dekhi)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/107min
Director: Rajat Kapoor Producer: Manish Mundra
Screenwriter: Rajat Kapoor
Cast: Sanjay Sanjay Mishra, Seema Pahwa, Rajat Kapoor, Taranjeet, Maya Sarao
Celebrated writer, director, and actor Rajat Kapoor (Midnight’s Children, Monsoon Wedding, Mixed Doubles, Mithya) paints an offbeat yet thought-provoking portrait of domestic life in modern day Delhi when an incident prompts head of the family Bauji to reject anything he himself has not experienced, much to the exasperation of his extended family but to the delight of his newfound philosopher disciples. Balancing the comical and the existential, both Bauji and the film ask the basic question, ‘Can you know truth without true experience?’
Brahmin Bulls
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/96min/2013
Director: Mahesh Pailoor
Producer: Yoshinobu Tsuji
Screenwriters: Anu Pradhan, Mahesh Pailoor
Cast: Sendhil Ramamurthy, Roshan Seth, Mary Steenburgen, Justin Bartha, Cassidy Freeman, Monica Raymund, Michael Lerner
Mahesh Pailoor's tender, funny, and touching debut tells the story of estranged father and son Ashok and Sid, who reunite at Sid's Los Angeles home when Ashok arrives unexpectedly. Each man is keeping secrets from one another, and when the truth is revealed, parent and child must work even harder to close the rift between them.
Fandry
North American Premiere
India/2013/103min
Director: Nagraj Manjule
Producers: Vivek Kajaria, Nilesh Navalakha
Screenwriter: Nagraj Manjule
Cast: Kishor Kadam, Chhaya Kadam, Somnath Awghade, Suraj Pawar, Rajshree Kharat, Sakshi Vyavhare, Aishvarya Shinde, Nagraj Manjule
Marathi poet Nagraj Manjule's impressive debut feature tells the story of Jabya, a Dalit boy, and his family's struggle against daily prejudice in their Maharashtra village. Jabya's carefree childhood desires and antics are soon stifled by his family's "untouchable" status, and the film's gradual transformation into an insightful and damning look at caste discrimination builds from a murmur to a defiant roar. Refusing to reduce his Dalit characters to victims – most explicitly at the film's explosive conclusion - Manjule's socially reflective film has received critical acclaim in India.
Hank and Asha
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/73min
Director: James E. Duff
Producers: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Screenwriters: James E. Duff, Julia Morrison
Cast: Mahira Kakkar, Andrew Pastides
James E. Duff's feature directorial debut, the Audience Award winner at the 2013 Slamdance Film Festival, is an endearing tale of a long-distance connection in the digital age. Hank and Asha, two aspiring filmmakers separated by an ocean, connect with one another through video messages and quickly find themselves heading towards romance. That is, until Asha reveals some surprising news. Duff has created a captivating ode to the new possibilities open to us now that the world's gotten smaller.
Liar's Dice
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/104min
Director: Geetu Mohandas
Producers: Alan McAlex, Ajay G. Rai
Screenwriter: Geetu Mohandas
Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Geetanjali Thapa, Manya Gupta
Established actress Geetu Mohandas steps behind the lens for her bracing directorial debut. A woman named Kamala and her daughter journey from their remote Himalayan village to Delhi in search of Kamala's missing husband. They find a guide in an unfriendly wanderer whose interest may lie more in his personal gain than in any help he can offer them. Beautifully shot by Rajeev Ravi (Gangs of Wasseypur), Mohandas' film evokes a hazardous world where answers may never be clear and a helping hand always comes at a price.
Phoring
North American Premiere
India/2013/128min
Director: Indranil Roychowdhury
Producers: Anasua Roychowdury, Sugata Bal
Screenwriters: Indranil Roychowdhury, Sugata Sinha
Cast: Akash Adhikary, Sohini Sarkar, Sourav Basak, Ritwick Charaborty, Shankar Debnath, Senjuti Roymukherjee
Indranil Roychowdhury's stunning feature debut is an evocative, unpredictable tale of confused adolescence in a struggling North Bengal town. Phoring, an imaginative adolescent boy, and his beautiful new teacher Doel form a close friendship that soon arouses doubt and suspicion when Doel's presence in the town is revealed to have less-than-noble origins. Roychowdhury accomplishes a tricky feat with his first film by luring us with the promise of an inspirational teacher-student story before ultimately delivering a much more complex and truthful account of the joys and pains of growing up.
Qissa: The Tale of a Lonely Ghost (2013)
Los Angeles Premiere Germany-India-Netherlands/2013/109min
Director: Anup Singh
Producers: Bero Beyer, Johannes Rexin, Bettina Brokemper, Thierry Lenouvel
Screenwriter: Anup Singh, Madhuja Mukherjee
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Tisca Chopra, Tillotama Shome, Rasika Dugal
Set in 1940s Punjab, Anup Singh’s latest feature Qissa details the aftermath of the Indo-Pakistan Partition through the experiences of one Sikh family, headed by Umber (Irrfan Khan). Following the family’s forceful displacement from their village, Umber’s desire for a male heir is stronger than ever. When his wife gives birth to their fourth daughter, Kanwar, Umber makes the fateful decision to raise her as a boy. This tragic choice ends up dividing the family in violent ways, and provokes a series of increasingly unsettling situations for Kanwar as she grows up. While in a sense a ghost story, the source of pain and suffering is all too real.
Siddharth
Los Angeles Premiere
Canada-India/2013/96min
Director: Richie Mehta
Producers: David Miller, Steven N. Bray
Screenwriter: Richie Mehta
Cast: Rajesh Tailang, Tannishtha Chatterjee
A celebrated Iffla alum, Canadian director Richie Mehta returns to the festival with a heartbreaking story of parents Mahendra and Suman, whose son goes missing after being sent to work 200 miles north of Delhi. Carried by powerful yet restrained performances from Rajesh Tailang and Tannishtha Chatterjee as the parents, Mehta and cast capture the dignity of those facing the unthinkable. Mehta's chance encounter with a man searching for his lost son alerted him to the underreported plight of the families of 44,000 children estimated missing in India every year.
Ugly
North American Premiere
India/2013/128mins/Dcp
Director: Anurag Kashyap
Writer: Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Vikas Bahl, Madhu Mantena, Vikramaditya Motwane, Vivek Rangachari, Arun Rangachari
Cast: Rahul Bhatt, Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Anshika Shrivastava
When ten-year-old Kali disappears from her father Rahul's car on the busy streets of Mumbai, the events that follow quickly spiral out of control and plunge into a morass of corruption and violence. Rahul and Kali's mother, Shalini, are divorced. Shalini is now married to Shoumik, the local police chief. When Shoumik learns that his stepdaughter is missing, he and Rahul clash in a breathless race to find the girl. With intricate plotting and vivid characterizations, Iffla alum Anurag Kashyap fashions a story that's sure to keep the heart racing.
Writers (Sulemani Keeda)
North American Premiere
India/2013/90min
Director: Amit V Masurkar
Writer: Amit V Masurkar
Producer: Datta Dave
Cast: Naveen Kasturia, Mayank Tewari, Aditi Vasudev and Karan Mirchandani
Writing partners Dulal and Mainak dream of shaking up Bollywood in director Amit Masurkar's slacker comedy. The two young men take a job from the wealthy, oddball son of a famous B-movie producer, but soon fear they're on the path to selling out. Masurkar's film captures the creative spirit of Andheri West, a Mumbai suburb where writers, directors, and actors come from all over India with the dream of working in the film industry, and is a sweet taste of things to come from the new "hindie" cinema.
Documentary Features
The Auction House: A Tale of Two Brothers
World Premiere
UK/2014/85min
Director: Ed Owles
Producers: Ed Owles, Giovanna Stopponi
The auction houses of Kolkata used to be where the rich and famous found the right high-end objects to decorate their homes. Today, the family-owned Russell Exchange is the last, and oldest, one to remain in India. Director Ed Owles follows two brothers, with the older brother moving back to Kolkata from London with hopes of using his Western business acumen to bring the Exchange into the 21st century. However, in a country radically transformed by technology and a rising youth culture, it may already be too late.
Faith Connections
Los Angeles Premiere
France-India/2013/115min/Dcp
Director: Pan Nalin
Producers: Raphaël Berdugo, Gaurav Dhingra, Pan Nalin, Virginie Lacombe
Every three years, Hindus gather at one of four rotating sites for Kumbh Mela, a religious celebration of faith and devotion marked by bathing in the sacred waters of the Ganges. With 100 million people at the 2013 Kumbh Mela, the pilgrimage is said to be the largest gathering on the planet. Iffla alum Pan Nalin crafts a moving and unique view of the mass gathering and presents unique stories of how individuals came to be there to share in the belief of the divine.
Powerless (Katiyabaaz)
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/82min
Director: Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar
Producers: Fahad Mustafa, Deepti Kakkar, Judy Tam, Leopold Koegler
Screenwriter: Fahad Mustafa
In Kanpur, a city of three million that has seen better days, one of the only ways for many residents to get electricity is to steal it. Co-directors Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar focus their attention on the likes of pirate engineers like Loha Singh and first female CEO at the local power authority Ritu Maheshwari. Coupled with beautiful photography of the intricately tied together powerlines of the city and a pulsating original score, they present a unique documentary about current-day India and its future battles over limited resources.
Shepherds of Paradise
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/50min
Director/Producer/Screenwriter/Cinematographer/Editor: Raja Shabir Khan
Composer: Bilal Iran
Nomadic herder Gafoor has to lead his large flock of goats, sheep, cows and horses across Jammu all the way to Kashmir so they can graze. Director Raja Shabir Khan presents lives few have ever seen, let alone lived, with simple beauty and real terror in a film that has won major National Awards in India. A cinematic wonder that must be seen to truly understand, Shepherds of Paradise is a testament of the power of film to transport us to other lands and experiences.
Bollywood By Night
Bombay Talkies
North American Premiere
India/117min/2013
Directors: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap
Producers: Ritesh Sidhwani, Farhan Akhtar, Guneet Monga
Screenwriters: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Reema Kagti, Anurag Kashyap
Cast: Amitabh Bachchan , Rani Mukerji, Katrina Kaif, Randeep Hooda, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui
A quartet of short films directed by four of India’s most exciting contemporary filmmakers celebrates 100 years of Indian cinema in this omnibus film. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap crafts a tale of ordinary people whose love of movies profoundly alters the course of their lives. Each story beautifully captures how lovers of cinema can’t help but carry that fascination into their day-to-day life. Haven’t we all wished, at one time or another, that our lives were more like a film?
Monsoon Shootout
Los Angeles Premiere
India-uk-Netherlands/2013/88min
Director: Amit Kumar
Producers: Trevor Ingman, Guneet Monga, Martijn De Grunt
Screenwriter: Amit Kumar
Cast: Vijay Varma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Geetanjali Thapa
A split-second decision made by a rookie police officer propels writer/director Amit Kumar’s debut feature, which fascinatingly splinters into three separate, equally pulse-pounding scenarios. In a secluded alley drenched in the pouring rain, principled cop Adi aims his gun at Shiva, a vicious gangster on the run. What Adi decides to do next will reverberate throughout his personal and professional life in ways he could never imagine. Kumar thus explores the ripple effect our choices have, and how we unknowingly alter the lives of those around us.
Shorts
Aarti
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
USA/2013/4min
Director: David Walter Lech
Producer: Terrie Samundra
A hypnotic look into the nightly “ceremony of light” ritual in a Hindu temple in Sheikhupur, Punjab.
Alchemy
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/5min
Directors: Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat, Janmeet Singh
Producer: Pritesh Varia
A bold and vibrant song to the intricate fabric of modern day India, a kaleidoscope of voices, colors and traditions.
Bhiwani Junction
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
USA/2013/18min
Director: Abhi Singh
Producer: Abhi Singh
A poignant documentary portrait of Himanshu, a 12-year old boxer, whose formidable commitment to the sport makes his lofty dreams to become an Olympic champion appear well within reach.
Black Rock (Kaatal)
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/22min
Director: Vikrant Pawar
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Two young lovers spend one last afternoon together. A beautiful meditation on the ephemeral nature of young love that has won three of India’s National Film Awards.
The Fly (Makhi)
Shorts Program 2
World Premiere
India/2013/31min
Director: Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
Producer: Film and Television Institute of India
Employed as a Fly Killer in an upscale restaurant, Pipal must ensure a fly-free environment by smacking dead the flies that buzz over the patrons’ heads. When a nearby drainage is closed and the source of the fly infestation eradicated, Pipal must find a way to produce enough live flies to save his job, in this delightfully absurdist commentary on urban India’s emerging work culture.
Beloved (Humsafar)
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors/Writers: Swapnil Awate, Laura Erbacher
Producer: Dsk Supinfocom
A sweeping single shot takes us on the breathtaking animated journey of two lovers and their eternal pursuit of harmony.
Jaya
Shorts Program 2
USA/2013/19min
Director: Puja Maewal
Producer: Puja Maewal
Young Jaya is able to survive the gruesome gang life in the unforgiving streets of Mumbai by posing as a boy. When she meets a wealthy businessman who looks like he could be the father who abandoned her, she sets out to reclaim her identity, in this engrossing drama that was shortlisted for a Student Academy Award®.
Kush
Shorts Program 1
India/2013/25min
Director: Shubhashish Bhutiani
Producer: Shubhashish Bhutiani
A bus full of schoolchildren boisterously makes its way back from a field trip when the news of Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards breaks. As violence quickly erupts across the country, Kush, the only Sikh student in the class, must find a way to escape the unquenchable fury of retribution, in this gripping drama that was shortlisted for an Academy Award®.
Little Gypsy (Kachho Gadulo)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2012/6min
Directors: Saptesh Chaubal, Pranay Patwardhan, Shivangi Ranawat
Producer: D.S.K. Supinfocom
Inspired by the folk traditions of various parts of India, this stunning animated film sweeps us into a mythical journey that celebrates the power of play and imagination.
Love.Love.Love.
Shorts Program 2
Los Angeles Premiere
Russian Federation/2013/12min
Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram
Producers: Tanya Petrik, Guillaume Protsenko
An intimate ode to the wondrous force of love, as it takes new shapes and forms through the endless Russian winters. Love. Love.Love. won the Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-Fiction at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.
Outpost
Shorts Program 1
U.S. Premiere
India-usa/2013/17min
Director: Shiva Shankar Bajpai
Producer: Aditi Anand
In the barren desert of the India-Pakistan border, two lone army guards on the opposite sides of the line yearn for booze, mosquito repellent and some human contact, in this humorous glimpse into the absurdity of rigid immaterial divides.
Presence
Shorts Program 2
U.S. Premiere
India/2012/17min
Directors: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Producers: Ekta Mittal, Yashaswini Raghunandan
Long days and nights spent within the bellies of the rising structural beasts that rapidly transform the city of Bangalore bring on visions of ghosts that speak of the construction workers’ memories, longings and fears, in this haunting meditation on the migrant experience.
Skin Deep
Screens with Writers
U.S. Premiere
India/2013/20min
Director: Hardik Mehta
Producers: Devang Bhavsar, Niraj Kothari
Sanjay and Sushma plan to elope to escape a looming arranged marriage. They are in love and their future together shines bright and perfect and filled with possibility--that is, as long as an extra piece of skin that complicates their sex life gets fixed in what should be a routine medical procedure. But Mumbai’s electricity gods have other plans in store for them.
Small Yellow Field (Tau Seru)
Shorts Program 1
Los Angeles Premiere
Australia-India/2013/8min
Director: Rodd Rathjen
Producer: Rodd Rathjen
In the remote vastness of the Himalayas, a young nomad's curiosity lies beyond the horizon. This stunningly photographed film made its world premiere at Cannes Critics’ Week.
The Puppet (Tamaash)
Screens with Shepherds Of Paradise
Los Angeles Premiere
India/2013/32min
Directors: Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
Producers: Datta Dave, Chaitanya Hegde, Omar Nissar Paul, Devanshu Singh, Satyanshu Singh
A mysterious puppet offers young Anzar the chance to escape his father’s relentless punishments over his poor school grades by granting him the power to inflict misfortune on his nemesis, his brilliant classmate, Sadat. However, his newfound peace is short-lived as Sadat falls severely ill and Anzar comes to realize that the puppet’s powers are spiraling out of his control...
- 4/8/2014
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Sydney's Buzz
From April 8th to the 11th, Indian films will once again be showcased in the Us at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). In its 12th year, Iffla boasts an incredible lineup of fabulous films that reflects the rich diversity of Indian cinema. Iffla’s Artistic Director Jasmine Jaisinghani says, “I’m thrilled and proud that Iffla’s line-up this year includes an especially diverse range of cinematic experiences, covering many regions of India and the diaspora.”
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
Iffla 2014 presents 33 films that include feature films, documentaries and shorts. The festival will have three world premieres, six North American premieres, six U.S. premieres, and 16 Los Angeles premieres. The films feature 10 different languages, from Hindi to Marathi, to Russian to Bengali. Additionally, Iffla supports American, Australian, British, Canadian, and European diaspora filmmakers from nine different countries telling their stories.
Bollywood will be well represented with three outstanding films all showing during the festival’s run.
- 3/21/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha’s next feature Bobby Jasoos, produced under their banner Born Free Entertainment starring Vidya Balan has completed its filming schedule and the film is now off to post-production.
Sahil Sangha says, “The shoot is complete! Now we will carry the same energy in to completing the film and presenting it to the audience.”
The film was shot over 51 days in a non-stop schedule across a host of never seen before real locations in Hyderabad. The unit ended the shooting on a melodic high as they wrapped with the filming of a song, which has all the ingredients of a chartbuster!!! With Shantanu Moitra and Swanand Kirkire collaborating on the music of Bobby Jasoos, the music promises to be exceptional with melodies that are long lasting.
Producer Dia Mirza says, “We are thrilled with the work done so far. Vidya and the entire cast and crew...
Sahil Sangha says, “The shoot is complete! Now we will carry the same energy in to completing the film and presenting it to the audience.”
The film was shot over 51 days in a non-stop schedule across a host of never seen before real locations in Hyderabad. The unit ended the shooting on a melodic high as they wrapped with the filming of a song, which has all the ingredients of a chartbuster!!! With Shantanu Moitra and Swanand Kirkire collaborating on the music of Bobby Jasoos, the music promises to be exceptional with melodies that are long lasting.
Producer Dia Mirza says, “We are thrilled with the work done so far. Vidya and the entire cast and crew...
- 2/3/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
After an intense 2013 with the release of many memorable films, 2014 looks very promising. From Salman Khan’s new film to Anurag Kashyap’s upcoming project, Bollywood fans will have to make an effort to track the most awaited releases. BollySpice offers you a guide with all the films you cannot miss next year.
Dedh Ishqiya
The first big release of the year, Abhishek Chaubey’s film stars Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah and Huma Qureshi in the lead roles. A sequel of 2010 Ishqiya, the film follows the romantic adventures of Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi). If Vidya Balan was the main actress in the first film, Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi are the love interests in the sequel, who play the roles of Begum Para and her confidant Muniya respectively. Set in a small town in Uttar Pradesh and very inspired by the Lucknowi culture, Madhuri Dixit...
Dedh Ishqiya
The first big release of the year, Abhishek Chaubey’s film stars Madhuri Dixit, Arshad Warsi, Naseeruddin Shah and Huma Qureshi in the lead roles. A sequel of 2010 Ishqiya, the film follows the romantic adventures of Khalujaan (Naseeruddin Shah) and Babban (Arshad Warsi). If Vidya Balan was the main actress in the first film, Madhuri Dixit and Huma Qureshi are the love interests in the sequel, who play the roles of Begum Para and her confidant Muniya respectively. Set in a small town in Uttar Pradesh and very inspired by the Lucknowi culture, Madhuri Dixit...
- 1/9/2014
- by Núria Bonals Hidalgo
- Bollyspice
Mumbai,2nd December,2013:-Born Free Entertainment’s next feature Bobby Jasoos, starring Vidya Balan, started filming on November 23rd, 2013 in the picturesque city of Hyderabad.
The film will be shot in one schedule, over a span of 55 days, amongst a host of never seen before real locations that stand testament to the vibrant and royal cultural history of Hyderabad, as it aims to be a summer 2014 release.
Producers, Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha have put together a strong supporting cast that surround Vidya Balan in a pulsating, thrilling and most importantly heartwarming tale of a woman who’s solitary dream is to become the numero uno private eye of her community. This includes Ali Fazal, Arjan Bajwa, Anupriya, Supriya Pathak, Tanvi Azmi, Aakash Dahiya and Rajender Gupta amongst others. Bobby Jasoos also marks the return of Kiran Kumar who has been away from the big screen for sometime and the...
The film will be shot in one schedule, over a span of 55 days, amongst a host of never seen before real locations that stand testament to the vibrant and royal cultural history of Hyderabad, as it aims to be a summer 2014 release.
Producers, Dia Mirza and Sahil Sangha have put together a strong supporting cast that surround Vidya Balan in a pulsating, thrilling and most importantly heartwarming tale of a woman who’s solitary dream is to become the numero uno private eye of her community. This includes Ali Fazal, Arjan Bajwa, Anupriya, Supriya Pathak, Tanvi Azmi, Aakash Dahiya and Rajender Gupta amongst others. Bobby Jasoos also marks the return of Kiran Kumar who has been away from the big screen for sometime and the...
- 12/2/2013
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
S. Hussain Zaidi is a Mumbai based investigative crime journalist, who has worked for some of India’s leading newspapers. One of his previous best selling books was Black Friday, which Anurag Kashyap successfully transformed onto screen. His most recent book is Dongri to Dubai: Six decades of the Mumbai Mafia and from this book has Shootout at Wadala been created. Sanjay Gupta says without it he could not have made this film, Anil Kapoor called it by far the best book on the Mumbai mafia and John Abraham hailed Zaidi as a master storyteller. If you have not had a chance to read the book, take it from us, it is an absolutely amazing book and having read the book recently, our expectations are sky high for the film. Further, Sanjay Gupta is back after a long hiatus and John Abraham attempts the role of gangster for the first time.
- 5/4/2013
- by Anjum Shabbir
- Bollyspice
The cast of Shootout At Wadala is getting bigger by the day. The latest is that Jackie Shroff has joined the massive ensemble cast of the film.
He will be seen in a cameo with Anil Kapoor and plays an ex Police Commissioner who was reportedly instrumental in the encounter of Manya Surve (played by John Abraham).
Anil and Jackie were the hit pair of the 80s having rocked in numerous films like ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Parinda’, ‘Lajja’ and many others.
The actors are set to re-unite on reel after a gap of twelve years in Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout At Wadala, produced by Ekta Kapoor. Jackie has worked previously with Gupta in Ram Shastra and Jung.
We can’t wait to see the two when Saw hits screens on May 1st!
Jackie Shroff-Anil Kapoor on screen together in Shootout at Wadala is a post from: BollySpice
The post...
He will be seen in a cameo with Anil Kapoor and plays an ex Police Commissioner who was reportedly instrumental in the encounter of Manya Surve (played by John Abraham).
Anil and Jackie were the hit pair of the 80s having rocked in numerous films like ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Parinda’, ‘Lajja’ and many others.
The actors are set to re-unite on reel after a gap of twelve years in Sanjay Gupta’s Shootout At Wadala, produced by Ekta Kapoor. Jackie has worked previously with Gupta in Ram Shastra and Jung.
We can’t wait to see the two when Saw hits screens on May 1st!
Jackie Shroff-Anil Kapoor on screen together in Shootout at Wadala is a post from: BollySpice
The post...
- 4/15/2013
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Sunny Deol starrer Mohalla Assi, directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi has reached its last round of dubbing. Almost all the main actors of the movie have finished dubbing and since Monday, the film's lead hero Sunny Deol has also started dubbing for his character. This is the first time in his career that Sunny Deol plays the role of a Sanskrit teacher. Sunny Deol has recently returned from abroad and is all set to start shooting for his next film Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 soon and thus has taken time off his busy schedule to dub for Mohalla Assi. Shot by the streams and ghats of the River Ganges at Varanasi, Mohalla Assi is based on the works of the famous novelist and storyteller Dr. Kashinath Singh's Kashi Assi. Claiming that content-based movies is his Usp, producer Vinay Tiwari's company called Crossword Entertainment states that apart from Sunny Deol as...
- 8/10/2012
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
I loved director Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Haasil but his subsequent films had been disappointments of varying degrees. So I was not expecting much from Paan Singh Tomar starring Irrfan Khan and Mahie Gill. However, this time Dhulia has lived up to the promise he showed in Haasil and more.
Based on a real life story, the film starts with a nervous journalist (Bijendra Kaala) approaching Paan Singh (Irrfan Khan) for an interview. As Paan Singh narrates his life story in flashback we see a young, fresh army recruit who loves his family, his country and his food. His seniors recognise his potential and in no time he becomes a national champion in the steeple chase race. However, he is forced to take premature retirement from army when his family in his village is threatened and unjustly treated. When the law fails to get him justice, he picks up the gun...
Based on a real life story, the film starts with a nervous journalist (Bijendra Kaala) approaching Paan Singh (Irrfan Khan) for an interview. As Paan Singh narrates his life story in flashback we see a young, fresh army recruit who loves his family, his country and his food. His seniors recognise his potential and in no time he becomes a national champion in the steeple chase race. However, he is forced to take premature retirement from army when his family in his village is threatened and unjustly treated. When the law fails to get him justice, he picks up the gun...
- 3/4/2012
- by Shalu Dhyani
- Bollyspice
The censors displayed unprecedented liberality by passing an inherently violent story like .Paan Singh Tomar. with a .UA. certification, which allows it to be a suitable watch under parental guidance. But it wasn.t easy for director Tigmanshu Dhulia to get a clearance without toning down the language in the movie..Though the film is set in the Indian heartland and the characters speak a rough raw earthy bhasha, they don.t use expletives as such. There is only one character played by veteran actor Rajendra Gupta, whose colourful language had the censorboard running for the scissors and gunning for the gaalis (abuses),. said a source close to the project.Dhulia apparently had to fight tooth and nail to prove that cleaning-out the character.s language would be tantamount to emasculating him. He had to wage a long battle, and still he had to finally expunge the expletives from the film,...
- 3/3/2012
- Filmicafe
Mumbai, March 3: The censors displayed unprecedented liberality by passing an inherently violent story like "Paan Singh Tomar" with a 'UA' certification, which allows it to be a suitable watch under parental guidance. But it wasn't easy for director Tigmanshu Dhulia to get a clearance without toning down the language in the movie.
"Though the film is set in the Indian heartland and the characters speak a rough raw earthy bhasha, they don't use expletives as such. There is only one character played by veteran actor Rajendra Gupta, whose colourful language had the censorboard running for the scissors and gunning for the gaalis (abuses)," said a source close to the project.
Dhulia apparently had to fight tooth and nail to prove.
"Though the film is set in the Indian heartland and the characters speak a rough raw earthy bhasha, they don't use expletives as such. There is only one character played by veteran actor Rajendra Gupta, whose colourful language had the censorboard running for the scissors and gunning for the gaalis (abuses)," said a source close to the project.
Dhulia apparently had to fight tooth and nail to prove.
- 3/3/2012
- by Diksha Singh
- RealBollywood.com
Kabeer Kaushik's film Maximum has completed its shooting and the post production is in progress.The film stars Sonu Sood, Naseeruddin Shah, Vinay Pathak, Neha Dhupia, Arya Babbar, Anjana Sukhani, Amit Sadh, Mohan Agashe, Swanand Kirkire and Rajendra Gupta. The film, an Action Drama, encapsulates the journey of two super cops and their struggle for power. "Maximum power". But they are not alone in this game. There are other players. The conspirators. Moving at every le...
- 11/22/2011
- GlamSham
New Delhi, Nov 21: Well-known TV and theatre actor Rajendra Gupta, who featured in the Limca Book of Records for doing maximum number of television serials, says most of the new faces on the small and big screen are attracted by glamour and it has an adverse effect on their career.
'Experience definitely counts. I would say that 50 percent of those who join showbiz today are attracted by the glamour part and they don't stay for long. Time has proved that those who are experienced have more knowledge and that's the reason they dominate the small screen,' Rajendra told Ians.
Among the new faces, he is impressed with Bollywood actor.
'Experience definitely counts. I would say that 50 percent of those who join showbiz today are attracted by the glamour part and they don't stay for long. Time has proved that those who are experienced have more knowledge and that's the reason they dominate the small screen,' Rajendra told Ians.
Among the new faces, he is impressed with Bollywood actor.
- 11/21/2011
- by Lohit Reddy
- RealBollywood.com
New Delhi, Nov 15: Sab TV is to air comedy show "Chidiyaghar" that the makers say will deal with the progression of human beings from animals and what separates them.
"The show has a fresh concept that revolves around a unique idea that humans too have animal traits and that it is our values and culture that separates us from animals," Sab TV Executive VP and Business Head Anooj Kapoor told Ians.
The cast of "Chidiyaghar" includes Rajendra Gupta and Sumit Arora of "Pavitra Rishta" fame and Debina Mookherjee, who portrayed Sita in "Ramayan".
"Finalizing the star cast was not at all difficult. What we were focusing on was that these.
"The show has a fresh concept that revolves around a unique idea that humans too have animal traits and that it is our values and culture that separates us from animals," Sab TV Executive VP and Business Head Anooj Kapoor told Ians.
The cast of "Chidiyaghar" includes Rajendra Gupta and Sumit Arora of "Pavitra Rishta" fame and Debina Mookherjee, who portrayed Sita in "Ramayan".
"Finalizing the star cast was not at all difficult. What we were focusing on was that these.
- 11/15/2011
- by Machan Kumar
- RealBollywood.com
Spice World Mall, Noida organized a press conference of the film “Rivaaz”. Directed and produced by Ashok Nanda, Rivaaz is releasing all over India on 16th Sep 2011. The film casts Deepti Naval, Reema Lagoo, Meghna Naidu, Alok Nath, Rajendra Gupta, Ritisha Vijayvargya, Vijay Raaz, Manoj Biddvai, Sadhika Randhawa, Manoj Verma, Yashpal Sharma, Upyendra Limaye and Sayaji Shinde. Actress Meghna Naydu, director-producer Ashok Nanda, associate producer Sandeep Jain and music director Raj Inder Raj attended the press conference and shared their experiences about the movie at the gold class lounge at Spice World Mall in Noida ...
- 9/13/2011
- Bollywood Chaska
Anticipation for Red Chillies’ upcoming Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Ra.One is building every day with details about the film and the video game releasing every passing week. But every true Bollywood fan knows that no film is a true success without chartbusting music! Ra.One is no exception and is looking to make quite an impact in the music scene.
Creative Director of Star Plus, Anil Jha, had a few updates about the launch of Ra.One’s soundtrack, which has Vishal-Shekhar at the helm. ‘Chamak Challo’, which previously was leaked on the Internet in its rough version will be released in its final version on the Ra.One album. The ‘Chamak Challo’ leak itself has already captured many music fans’ hearts with R&B superstar Akon’s impressive Hindi vocals. ‘Chamak Challo’ will sweep the nation soon enough when it comes out on September 12 on Star Plus!
Creative Director of Star Plus, Anil Jha, had a few updates about the launch of Ra.One’s soundtrack, which has Vishal-Shekhar at the helm. ‘Chamak Challo’, which previously was leaked on the Internet in its rough version will be released in its final version on the Ra.One album. The ‘Chamak Challo’ leak itself has already captured many music fans’ hearts with R&B superstar Akon’s impressive Hindi vocals. ‘Chamak Challo’ will sweep the nation soon enough when it comes out on September 12 on Star Plus!
- 8/21/2011
- by Anita Ramakrishna
- Bollyspice
Bollywood stars often complain of intrusive questions from the media and controversies created by their reporting. But actresses Divya Dutta and Shahana Goswami say their respect for mediapersons has grown manifold after playing journalists on screen. Divya and Shahana are playing journalists in the forthcoming movies 'Monica' and 'Game' respectively. 'Playing a journalist in 'Monica' helped me see a very interesting facet of being a political journalist wherein you get to enter the corridors of the political setup of the country and ask about anything! It made me realise what a powerful zone the mediapersons are in,' Divya told Ians on phone from Mumbai. 'I've always looked up to women journalists like Barkha Dutt, who are strong and intelligent. But I respect them even more now,' added Divya, whose character in the film is extremely ambitious and bold. Shahana, who is essaying a crime reporter in Abhinay Deo's thriller 'Game',...
- 3/24/2011
- Filmicafe
Cast: R Madhavan, Kangana Ranaut, Deepak Dobriyal, Eijaz Khan, Swara Bhaskar, Jimmy Shergill, K K Raina, Rajendra Gupta; Director: Anand Rai; Rating: 2 out of 5.
Manu is in India to choose a suitable bride. Kanpur girl Tanu has no intention of getting into an arranged marriage. Manu is almost unbelievably saintly. Tanu is almost excessively fiery. The two are chalk and cheese, just right for a rollicking rom com. But that’s exactly what we don’t get in `Tanu Weds Manu’ : a range of interesting supplementary.
Manu is in India to choose a suitable bride. Kanpur girl Tanu has no intention of getting into an arranged marriage. Manu is almost unbelievably saintly. Tanu is almost excessively fiery. The two are chalk and cheese, just right for a rollicking rom com. But that’s exactly what we don’t get in `Tanu Weds Manu’ : a range of interesting supplementary.
- 2/25/2011
- by Bollywood
- GoBollywood
STARRINGVivek Oberoi, Shatrughan Sinha Abhimanyu Shekhar Singh, Sushant Singh, Zarina Wahab, Ashish Vidyarthi, Suriya, Kota Srinivas Rao, Sudeeep, Radhika Apte, Priyamani, Anupam Shyam, Ashwini Kalsekar, Sushmita Mukherjee and others.DIRECTIONRam Gopal VarmaSTORYThe plot of the flick revolves around the character of Paritala Ravi(Vivek Oberoi) and his transformation from a soft spoken person to a brutal killing machine to avenge the death of his brother(Sushant Singh) and father (Rajendra Gupta).
- 10/22/2010
- Stardust Bollywood
October 14, 2010: Filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj has composed music for many noted films like Maachis, Satya, Chachi 420, Omkara, Kaminey and Ishqiya. But he has always been very choosy to sign a movie as a composer. Now, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has signed Vishal to compose music for his upcoming film ‘Milte Hain’. Moreover, Gupta has been able to rope in Gulzar for writing the lyrics.
The film will star Vidya Balan in the female lead role and Gulzar’s daughter Meghna will be directing it. Vishal usually composes music for his own film but he has agreed to score music for another filmmaker after a long.
The film will star Vidya Balan in the female lead role and Gulzar’s daughter Meghna will be directing it. Vishal usually composes music for his own film but he has agreed to score music for another filmmaker after a long.
- 10/14/2010
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Rajendra Gupta aka Mahavir Singh, the latest entrant in Sphere Origins’ Balika Vadhu, is an archrival of Dadisa. Rajendra Gupta who has been in industry for around 24 years, shares his experience on Balika Vadhu and more…
What made you take up Balika Vadhu?
I have been a fan of Balika Vadhu since a long time. I was very impressed by the concept and the way it was presented. I was in touch with lots of artists from the serial and always complemented them for their performance. The sets, costume and language, everything has been worked upon so well that they seem real..
What made you take up Balika Vadhu?
I have been a fan of Balika Vadhu since a long time. I was very impressed by the concept and the way it was presented. I was in touch with lots of artists from the serial and always complemented them for their performance. The sets, costume and language, everything has been worked upon so well that they seem real..
- 9/17/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Additi Gupta aka Heer of Kis Des Mein Hain Mera Dil is baffled with her on-screen character. Well she was supposed to look like the cute and simple but yet elegant Kareena of Jab We Met, but the actress ended up looking like Kajol in her straight hair and a saree.
Additi revealed about the confusion, “Actually it was planned when we started the serial that my character would resemble like that of Kareena in Jab We Met, but people say my looks are like Kajol of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” she said.
Though, the actress doesn’t have any problem in being a Kajol look alike; as she added, “After.
Additi revealed about the confusion, “Actually it was planned when we started the serial that my character would resemble like that of Kareena in Jab We Met, but people say my looks are like Kajol of Kuch Kuch Hota Hai,” she said.
Though, the actress doesn’t have any problem in being a Kajol look alike; as she added, “After.
- 8/29/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Two-serial-old Ragini Khanna is all set to join the bandwagon of actors who are hopping between film and television. She’s starring in ‘Mare Mere Dushman’ opposite veteran television actor Ninad Kamat.
“This film happened to me before I signed Bhaskar Bharti”, she informs. “It is too early to talk about the film, all I can say is that, it’s a dark comedy and I am playing a simple small-town girl in it”, she reluctantly briefs on the film.
As of now actors are tight-lipped to divulge any details. Besides Ragini and Ninad, television actress Ravee Gupta will also be.
“This film happened to me before I signed Bhaskar Bharti”, she informs. “It is too early to talk about the film, all I can say is that, it’s a dark comedy and I am playing a simple small-town girl in it”, she reluctantly briefs on the film.
As of now actors are tight-lipped to divulge any details. Besides Ragini and Ninad, television actress Ravee Gupta will also be.
- 7/4/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
Ravee Gupta was last seen in Madhur Bhandarkar’s Tele-film on Sony and now she is making her high-flying comeback. She is featured in the film with tentative title Mare Mere Dushman.
Though the story revolves around male protagonist, Ravee’s is essaying a significant character. “My character in the film is of very simple girl who is an actress by profession but she is not at all ambitious, in fact she takes life as it comes” she briefs.
“I got to perform a monologue from Shakespearean acts. I have read lot of his books but this.
Though the story revolves around male protagonist, Ravee’s is essaying a significant character. “My character in the film is of very simple girl who is an actress by profession but she is not at all ambitious, in fact she takes life as it comes” she briefs.
“I got to perform a monologue from Shakespearean acts. I have read lot of his books but this.
- 6/23/2009
- by realbollywood
- RealBollywood.com
A pretty Hot photoshoot between Neetu Chandra and Krishikha Gupta was interrupted by a group, claiming to have connections with a political party.
So what exactly happened? We have the inside info and some pictures from the photoshoot, read on..
Place : Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai
Neetu Chandra - who has acted in films like Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Garam Masala, Traffic Signal - was busy with a sexy photoshoot for the cover of The Man (a magazine) with Krishikha Gupta (a model), when a group at the hotel objected to the “lesbianish” photoshoot.
Soon, things got pretty serious when some starting shouting ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and claimed to have Read More...
So what exactly happened? We have the inside info and some pictures from the photoshoot, read on..
Place : Hotel in Juhu, Mumbai
Neetu Chandra - who has acted in films like Oye Lucky Lucky Oye, Garam Masala, Traffic Signal - was busy with a sexy photoshoot for the cover of The Man (a magazine) with Krishikha Gupta (a model), when a group at the hotel objected to the “lesbianish” photoshoot.
Soon, things got pretty serious when some starting shouting ‘Jai Maharashtra’ and claimed to have Read More...
- 5/22/2009
- by Indicine Team
- indicine
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