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Tag: Indian Film Industry

  • Titli – Dark & Daring

    Titli – Dark & Daring

    Titli has been one of the most amazing films of 2015. It was a part of my top movies of 2015. Here is the detailed review.

    Titli Review:
    Happy times sow the seeds of darkness.

    Dark times sow the seeds of hope.

    Titli is a film about these seeds of hope after a lifetime of darkness.

    The setting of the movie Titli is black…very black
    – A family that takes you down.
    – A life that is only dismal darkness
    – A life that has no hope
    – All the family members live in their own hells. And the way of dealing is with this hell is to make the life hell for the others.

    Titli introduces us to the under-belly of the national capital region. It is about those areas that we know that exist but we choose to ignore them. We refuse to see them.

    The movie revolves around the father and his three sons. It is a very patriarch driven and crime-driven family. The youngest son is the protagonist and is named Titli. He dreams of leaving the family and setup his parking business – to upgrade his life. But the family gets Titli married to Neelu and add the innocent woman to the crime gang and leverage her to dupe people. Neelu is their passport to additional revenues. But Neelu has her own demons and her own version of hell.

    Everyone acts out of selfish interest and use each other. The family of Rajshri and Karan Johar does not exist – here everyone is out to make life miserable for each other.

    But Titli and Neelu want to escape the life of violence and poverty. They yearn for a better life.

    Ranvir Shorey as the elder son has given his best performance till date. A superb screenplay, excellent direction and great acting. A must-watch. It is a different world. Bollywood’s growth continues in the shadow of blockbusters.

  • The Bollywood Watchlist – 2015 Version

    The Bollywood Watchlist – 2015 Version

    During The Course Of My Professional And Personal Interactions, The Topic Of Personal Interests Often Crops Up! As Soon As People Know That I Am Passionate About Movies And Have Professionalized My Passion Through PhD In Management Of Movies, The Next Question Is : Which Are The Best Bollywood Movies? Which Are Your Best Bollywood Movies? Can You Give Your Recommendations? As Everyone Knows, It Is A Really Difficult Question…

    Everyone’s Idea Of Favorite Movie Is Unique. It Depends On Individual Preferences & Taste. And Every Indian Has Their Favorites In Bollywood, Cricket And Politics. But This Is The List For My Friends, Film-Buffs, Non-Indians & Everyone Who Like Movies – We Can Match Our Favorites ! And I Have Created A Shortlist And A Long-List.

    The Beginner’s Definitive Bollywood – The Beginner’s Guide To Eleven Movies That Give A Taste Of Classical Bollywood:

    Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
    Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham
    Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
    Hum Aapke Hai Kaun
    3 Idiots
    Mughal E Azam
    Sholay
    Amar Akbar Anthony
    Dabangg
    Chennai Express
    Ram Leela

    The World Cinema Bollywood – The Eleven Movies That Give A Global Taste Of Indian Hindi Cinema:

    The Ship Of Theseus
    The Lunchbox
    Guide
    3 Idiots
    Udaan
    Taare Zameen Par
    Lootera
    Kahaani
    Haider
    Piku
    Dor

    Ash’s Favorite Movie List – My All Time Top 25 List:

    Anand
    Guide
    Mughal E Azam
    Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron
    Dor
    Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaayenge
    Kabhi Haa Kabhi Naa
    Manorama Six Feet Under
    Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi
    3 Idiots
    The Ship Of Theseus

    Mother India
    Ek Ruka Hua Faisla
    Andaz Apna Apna
    Chandni Bar
    Dev D
    Zakhm
    Lagaan
    Dil Chahta Hai
    Munnabhai MBBS
    Swades
    Taare Zameen Par
    Maachis
    The LunchBox
    Queen

    Ash’s Favorite Movie List – The Long List Of Additional 15 Movies:

    Bhoomika
    Do Aankhen Barah Haath
    Uski Roti
    Amar Prem
    Abhimaan
    Silsila
    Ek Duje Ke Liye
    Deewar
    Saaransh
    Khamoshi
    Satya
    Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam
    No Smoking
    Page 3
    Pyaar Ka Punchnaama

    Ash’s Favorites – The Recent 25 Favorites:

    Kahaani
    No One Killed Jessica
    Udaan
    Ab Tak Chappan
    Ek Haseena Thi
    Company
    Gulaal
    Tanu Weds Manu
    Rang De Basanti
    Saathiya
    Chak De India
    Hum Tum
    Omkaara
    Gangs of Wasseypur
    Paan Singh Tomar
    Vicky Donor
    English Vinglish
    Raanjhaana
    Bheja Fry
    Lootera
    Haider
    Highway
    Maqbool
    Shahid
    Piku

    Ash’s Favorite Hollywood Movies – The Eleven All Time Favorites:

    Gandhi
    Citizen Cane
    Life Is Beautiful
    The Bridge On River Kwai
    The Dark Knight
    The God Father Series
    12 Angry Men
    The Pursuit Of Happyness
    The Fault In Our Stars
    To Kill A Mocking Bird
    The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

    Ash’s Favorite Hollywood Movies – The Long List:

    The Bicycle Thieves
    As Good As Is Gets
    The Help
    Vertigo
    The Ring
    Psycho
    The Bourne Series
    Far From The Madding Crowd
    Before Series: Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, Before Midnight
    Dead Poets Society
    Cast Away
    The Theory Of Everything

    Ash’s Favorite Hollywood Movies – The Recent Favorites:

    The Descendants
    Avatar
    Hugo
    The Da Vinci Code
    Midnight In Paris
    The Contagion
    The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
    The Grand Budapest Hospital
    Asylum
    Oprhanage
    Sliver Lining Brookings
    Argo
    The Artist
    12 Years A Slave

    Ash’s Children Favorites – Bringing Out The Child In Us!

    Baby’s Day Out
    Tin Tin
    Finding Nemo
    Cars
    The Lion King
    Paddington Bear
    Inside Out

    Ash’s Favorite Marathi Movies:

    Shwaas
    Deool
    Shyamchi Aai

     

    Ship_Of_Theseus

  • The Rise Of India’s Independent Cinema

    The Rise Of India’s Independent Cinema

    The 12th Phalke Memorial Lecture was ‘Multiplicity in Motion: The Rise of India’s New Independent Cinema’ by Dr. Ashwin Immanuel Devasundaram. The lecture series organised by South Asian Cinema Foundation has featured eminent speakers like Shyam Benegal, Saeed Akhbar Mirza, P K Nair amongst others.

    Noted film-maker had spoken about India’s independent cinema at the same forum and hence the second lecture on the topic proves the importance of the new wave of Indian cinema. Dr. Ashvin has been passionate about new independent Indian cinema and his thesis has explored the socio-ideological impact of the new independent Indian cinema. Dr. Ashvin is currently working on a book that promises to be the first dedicated and comprehensive analysis of new Indian Independent Cinema and hence he was the apt person to speak on the subject.

    Dr. Ashvin has been a fan of ‘The Ship Of Theseus” and he creatively and aptly presented the “Ship Of Indian Cinema”. There are different parts to the Superstructure Ship:
    – Post 1947 Art Films of Satyajit Ray, Ritwik Ghatak, Bimal Roy
    – The Parallel & Popular Cinema of 1960s
    – The Parallel Cinema of 1970s-80s – The Cinema of Shyam Benegal, Mani Kaul, Gulzar etc.
    – The Hinglish Cinema of 1990s-2000s
    – The Regional Cinema
    – The 1990s Rupture – Bollywood Beyond Liberalization
    – The New Indies – Post 2010

    According to him, the new Indies in India has been “inspired” by these various parts like Parallel / Art cinema movement, Regional Cinema and World Cinema in ample proportions. Thus it can be compared to a mutant hybrid ninja. It is very Glocal – Global in ambition and and local in content and cultural nuances.

    The new Indies are more ambitious than the earlier parallel cinema movies. They seek wider audience, open to alternative source of funding and address the ‘state of the nation’. They liberally experiment with language, technology and narrative. The Indies seek creative funding and are open for new channels of distribution. Q showed the movie on Internet only. Film Festivals and Online are some of the preferred avenues for distribution. Indies are open for crowdfunding and cross-country deals. In fact, the collaboration with foreign entities goes beyond the funding requirement.

    The session also raised important questions about the Censorship. The Audience was treated to the wonderful clips from movies like The Lunchbox, Peepli Live, Gandu and The Ship of Theseus. These clips were enhanced by Ashwin’s wonderful perspectives and socio-economic inferences.

    The season concluded rather early and we were still waiting for more from Dr. Ashvin. The event concluded with wonderful interactions with Dr. Aswhin, Farrukh Dhody Saheb and Nasreen Munni Kabir. The even was chaired by none other than Professor Rosie Thomas, Director of CREAM: Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media, University of Westminster. Rosie Thomas is a renowned expert and pioneer in academic study of Indian Cinema.

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  • The Rise Of Gujarati Cinema – Kevi Rite Jaish

    The Regional Cinema in India has seeing a good upsurge in the recent times. The Corporatization of the Indian Film Industry and The Professional Management Practices have started making an impact beyond the Hindi Film Industry. The New Story Lines, The Young Talent, The Effective Use of Technology and The Business Management Mantras have yielded rich results for Bengali, Marathi and Punjabi Films.

    The Gujarati Film Industry is the next in line to redefine itself. Ritam Bhatnagar is one shining example of the young talent leading the way. As an executive producer of Kevi Rite Jaish, he has invested in a script that youth can relate to, used the latest technologies and gave it the right contemporary look which people can relate to. And the results seems inspiring – the first look of Kevi Rite Jaish is interesting ! Have a look:

    More Power to young talented film makers like him and others !