Book ExcerptThis excerpt is from the chapter on Anjali Menon in a book on women filmmakers in India.Nandita DuttaAnjali Menon has always shared a peculiar relationship with reporters, thanks to their discomfiture at the newness of engaging with a female director. They are interested to know what she does in her spare time more than what she achieves when she is working. They also want to know whether, like her male counterparts, she smokes or drinks. ‘On the wedding day, Nazriya, unable to bear the tension, is shown smoking a cigarette. Do girls do things like that?’ asked an interviewer for a leading Malayalam daily, referring to the character of Divya in Bangalore Days. ‘As a director when Anjali gets tensed up, what does she do?’ he slyly added. ‘That is a scene where the bride is supposed to show anxiety. How else will I portray that! Anyway, I do not smoke.
- 7/18/2019
- by Sowmya
- The News Minute
Kanu Behl’s Titli will screen in Un Certain Regard section of the 67th Cannes Film Festival
Kanu Behl’s debut feature Titli will be screened in Un Certain Regard section of the 67th Cannes Film Festival. Behl, who assisted Dibakar Banerjee on Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and co-wrote Love Sex aur Dhokha, makes his feature debut with a film about a young man in Delhi’s underbelly who makes a desperate attempt to escape his oppressive brothers.
Behl shares his journey with Nandita Dutta:
What is Titli about?
Titli is a film about family and patriarchy. It’s a film about roots and how you can’t escape your roots ever. The film revolves around a young boy, the youngest of three brothers, who wants to escape his oppressive eldest brother and for that, he plots, plans, lies and cheats. But, as he sort of escapes his family,...
Kanu Behl’s debut feature Titli will be screened in Un Certain Regard section of the 67th Cannes Film Festival. Behl, who assisted Dibakar Banerjee on Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! and co-wrote Love Sex aur Dhokha, makes his feature debut with a film about a young man in Delhi’s underbelly who makes a desperate attempt to escape his oppressive brothers.
Behl shares his journey with Nandita Dutta:
What is Titli about?
Titli is a film about family and patriarchy. It’s a film about roots and how you can’t escape your roots ever. The film revolves around a young boy, the youngest of three brothers, who wants to escape his oppressive eldest brother and for that, he plots, plans, lies and cheats. But, as he sort of escapes his family,...
- 4/17/2014
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Veteran Indian filmmaker Shyam Benegal and Qissa director Anup Singh are among the filmmakers who have had projects selected for the Co-production Market at this year’s Film Bazaar in Goa, India.Scroll down for full list of projects
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
Benegal has been making award-winning films since the 1970s – most recently satires Welcome To Sajjanpur and Well Done Abba. Singh’s Qissa: The Tale Of A Lonely Ghost is currently having a successful run on the festival circuit.
International projects at Film Bazaar include Amok, from Chilean director Valeria Sarmiento and produced by the UK’s Anna Holburn; UK filmmaker Robert Mullan’s Son Of India; Malabar Court, directed by Niara Modi and produced by Canada’s Paul Scherzer; and Polish director Piotr Trzaskalski’s Incredible.
The line-up also include one project in partnership with the Netherlands’ Boost programme, Bikas Mishra’s Wild Fire, and one project with Ifp, Varenya directed by Shripriya Mahesh.
Organised by the...
- 10/22/2013
- by lizshackleton@gmail.com (Liz Shackleton)
- ScreenDaily
A small independent film has been quietly winning hearts and awards in the festival circuit. The latest victory for Kamal K.M.’s I.D. is winning the Black horse competition at the 3rd Ars Independent International Film Festival in Poland.
Not many are aware that Resul Pookutty, best known as the Oscar-winning sound designer for Slumdog Millionaire, turned producer for I.D. with five other friends (called Collective Phase One). His ambition for production encompasses the plan of opening a production house of his own very soon.
Resul Pookutty, the producer, chats with Nandita Dutta:
Why did you think of getting into production and forming Collective Phase One?
It was never in my mind to start a production house, it just happened. Rajeev Ravi, Madhu Neelakandan and I were together at the Ftii. So one day Rajeev called up and said that a junior of ours, Kamal, has written a film...
Not many are aware that Resul Pookutty, best known as the Oscar-winning sound designer for Slumdog Millionaire, turned producer for I.D. with five other friends (called Collective Phase One). His ambition for production encompasses the plan of opening a production house of his own very soon.
Resul Pookutty, the producer, chats with Nandita Dutta:
Why did you think of getting into production and forming Collective Phase One?
It was never in my mind to start a production house, it just happened. Rajeev Ravi, Madhu Neelakandan and I were together at the Ftii. So one day Rajeev called up and said that a junior of ours, Kamal, has written a film...
- 10/1/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
A still from Qissa
Q issa, that premieres at Toronto International Film Festival in September, is the culmination of a 12-year long ‘exile’ period for Geneva-based filmmaker Anup Singh.
Set in post-colonial India, Qissa tells the story of Umber Singh, a Sikh, who is forced to flee his village due to ethnic cleansing at the time of partition in 1947.
In an interview to Nandita Dutta, Singh describes his journey of making Qissa, why audiences will relate to it easily, and why he hopes to be invited for a Punjabi meal after the world premiere at Toronto!
How did Qissa originate? You were born in Tanzania and currently live in Switzerland. What drew you towards writing a story about partition and displacement in Punjab?
Qissa had been flickering within me from that terrible day my parents, my two younger sisters and I had to leave forever the city of my birth,...
Q issa, that premieres at Toronto International Film Festival in September, is the culmination of a 12-year long ‘exile’ period for Geneva-based filmmaker Anup Singh.
Set in post-colonial India, Qissa tells the story of Umber Singh, a Sikh, who is forced to flee his village due to ethnic cleansing at the time of partition in 1947.
In an interview to Nandita Dutta, Singh describes his journey of making Qissa, why audiences will relate to it easily, and why he hopes to be invited for a Punjabi meal after the world premiere at Toronto!
How did Qissa originate? You were born in Tanzania and currently live in Switzerland. What drew you towards writing a story about partition and displacement in Punjab?
Qissa had been flickering within me from that terrible day my parents, my two younger sisters and I had to leave forever the city of my birth,...
- 8/29/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Still from When Hari Got Married
D haramshala-based filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam who ruffled a few feathers with their documentary on Tibetan struggle for independence The Sun Behind the Clouds in 2010 are now ready with When Hari Got Married, the story of a taxi-driver’s arranged marriage in the Himalayas. The film has screened at prestigious film festivals like Idfa Amsterdam, Dok Leipzig, Films From the South, Oslo and is all set to release in theatres in India on August 30.
Ritu Sarin in conversation with Nandita Dutta:
How did you meet Hari and why did you decide to follow his wedding?
We live very close to Hari’s village a few miles outside Dharamshala. We’ve known him and his family for many years. In fact, his elder brother works part-time for us and so does his father. When Hari was engaged to get married, he invited us to his wedding.
D haramshala-based filmmakers Ritu Sarin and Tenzing Sonam who ruffled a few feathers with their documentary on Tibetan struggle for independence The Sun Behind the Clouds in 2010 are now ready with When Hari Got Married, the story of a taxi-driver’s arranged marriage in the Himalayas. The film has screened at prestigious film festivals like Idfa Amsterdam, Dok Leipzig, Films From the South, Oslo and is all set to release in theatres in India on August 30.
Ritu Sarin in conversation with Nandita Dutta:
How did you meet Hari and why did you decide to follow his wedding?
We live very close to Hari’s village a few miles outside Dharamshala. We’ve known him and his family for many years. In fact, his elder brother works part-time for us and so does his father. When Hari was engaged to get married, he invited us to his wedding.
- 8/20/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
No other recent Indian film has received so much acclaim for its cinematography as “Ship of Theseus”. The film won technical excellence awards at Mumbai and Tokyo film festivals and the award for best cinematography at Transilvania Film Festival. The awards have taken cinematographer Pankaj Kumar by surprise whose idea was “to keep the cinematography completely invisible”!
Pankaj Kumar, who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (Ftii) in 2004, comes across as a passionate, unassuming and highly articulate person. During his school days, he chanced upon Tarkovsky’s “Mirror” and “Andrei Rublev” on Doordarshan. The poetic imagery of the master left him eternally inspired to seek a career in cinema.
DearCinema Associate Editor Nandita Dutta in conversation with Pankaj Kumar.
Pankaj Kumar
On winning accolades for Ship of Theseus’s cinematography (Best Cinematography award at Transilvania, Best Artistic Contribution award in Tokyo and Jury award for Technical Excellence...
Pankaj Kumar, who graduated from the Film and Television Institute of India (Ftii) in 2004, comes across as a passionate, unassuming and highly articulate person. During his school days, he chanced upon Tarkovsky’s “Mirror” and “Andrei Rublev” on Doordarshan. The poetic imagery of the master left him eternally inspired to seek a career in cinema.
DearCinema Associate Editor Nandita Dutta in conversation with Pankaj Kumar.
Pankaj Kumar
On winning accolades for Ship of Theseus’s cinematography (Best Cinematography award at Transilvania, Best Artistic Contribution award in Tokyo and Jury award for Technical Excellence...
- 7/8/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Mira Nair recalls the long and arduous journey of making The Reluctant Fundamentalist in a conversation with Nandita Dutta
Multicultural filmmaker Mira Nair known for making films that win both commercial and critical success might seem to have the best of both worlds, in every sense. For instance, Monsoon Wedding made her the first woman director to receive a Golden Lion at Venice in 2001 as well as raked up more than 30 million Usd at the box office. But her latest film-The Reluctant Fundamentalist-was realized through a long and arduous journey, full of ups and downs, just like any independent filmmaker in any part of the world would have it. Investors came and disappeared, budgets were slashed and the project fell apart several times.
The Reluctants
“I have always managed to finance every film I want to make. It’s not easy each time but it’s not as tough as this.
Multicultural filmmaker Mira Nair known for making films that win both commercial and critical success might seem to have the best of both worlds, in every sense. For instance, Monsoon Wedding made her the first woman director to receive a Golden Lion at Venice in 2001 as well as raked up more than 30 million Usd at the box office. But her latest film-The Reluctant Fundamentalist-was realized through a long and arduous journey, full of ups and downs, just like any independent filmmaker in any part of the world would have it. Investors came and disappeared, budgets were slashed and the project fell apart several times.
The Reluctants
“I have always managed to finance every film I want to make. It’s not easy each time but it’s not as tough as this.
- 5/18/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Nandita Dutta takes us into the world of the most sought after Independent producer of Mumbai, Guneet Monga
Next week, Guneet Monga heads to Cannes with an impressive lineup as a producer: Monsoon Shootout in official selection and Dabba (The Lunchbox) in International Critics’ Week.
She featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of 12 outstanding International women achievers in the field of entertainment a few months ago. They called her India’s go-to producer for edgy young filmmakers. The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) conferred on her their annual Industry Leadership award.
Though her success may sound astounding, few will believe that this young woman-full of enthusiasm-travelled to her first international film festival in Venice in 2010 with some 200 posters and 20,000 handouts of That Girl in Yellow Boots. She thought she could paste posters of her film everywhere-like the festivals she had attended in school and college-and grab attention of the audience.
Next week, Guneet Monga heads to Cannes with an impressive lineup as a producer: Monsoon Shootout in official selection and Dabba (The Lunchbox) in International Critics’ Week.
She featured in The Hollywood Reporter’s list of 12 outstanding International women achievers in the field of entertainment a few months ago. They called her India’s go-to producer for edgy young filmmakers. The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) conferred on her their annual Industry Leadership award.
Though her success may sound astounding, few will believe that this young woman-full of enthusiasm-travelled to her first international film festival in Venice in 2010 with some 200 posters and 20,000 handouts of That Girl in Yellow Boots. She thought she could paste posters of her film everywhere-like the festivals she had attended in school and college-and grab attention of the audience.
- 5/11/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Thierry Frémaux, the Artistic Director of Cannes film festival, in an Exclusive interview to Nandita Dutta, voices his thoughts on contemporary Indian cinema and the new crop of Indian directors making waves at Cannes:
What was the thought behind inviting India as a guest country this year?
India is the third country to be invited after Brazil and Egypt. This is the celebration of hundred years of Indian Cinema which gives us the possibility to pay homage and we are very proud that the Government of India and the community of professionals have chosen Cannes to celebrate this anniversary. However, we are also delighted to be able to maintain a continuous dialogue with this great country of cinema. India is an extraordinary country for cinema.
What are your views on contemporary Indian cinema? Where do you think it stands today?
For people from the West like us, Indian Cinema is...
What was the thought behind inviting India as a guest country this year?
India is the third country to be invited after Brazil and Egypt. This is the celebration of hundred years of Indian Cinema which gives us the possibility to pay homage and we are very proud that the Government of India and the community of professionals have chosen Cannes to celebrate this anniversary. However, we are also delighted to be able to maintain a continuous dialogue with this great country of cinema. India is an extraordinary country for cinema.
What are your views on contemporary Indian cinema? Where do you think it stands today?
For people from the West like us, Indian Cinema is...
- 5/8/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
Three Indian films that premiere at Cannes 2013 have Nawazuddin Siddiqui in prominent roles. Nandita Dutta speaks to the actor and his directors to find out what’s special about the man and his craft
Nawazuddin plays an actor in Dibakar Banerjee directed segment of Bombay Talkies. The film will have a gala screening at 66th Cannes Film Festival
Six films in two years at the crème de la crème of film festivals is no mean feat to pull for any actor anywhere in the world. As Indian cinema gains more visibility at the Cannes film festival by the year, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has become a face which is easy to spot and hard to ignore when one talks about the films that have made it to the coveted film festival. After Miss Lovely and Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2 in 2012, the actor will walk the red carpet this year for Bombay Talkies, Dabba and Monsoon Shootout.
Nawazuddin plays an actor in Dibakar Banerjee directed segment of Bombay Talkies. The film will have a gala screening at 66th Cannes Film Festival
Six films in two years at the crème de la crème of film festivals is no mean feat to pull for any actor anywhere in the world. As Indian cinema gains more visibility at the Cannes film festival by the year, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has become a face which is easy to spot and hard to ignore when one talks about the films that have made it to the coveted film festival. After Miss Lovely and Gangs of Wasseypur 1 & 2 in 2012, the actor will walk the red carpet this year for Bombay Talkies, Dabba and Monsoon Shootout.
- 4/23/2013
- by Nandita Dutta
- DearCinema.com
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