Gurinder Chadha's latest movie is a comic caper on Indian marriages
Gurinder Chadha, who created a sensation as well as trend with her film 'Bend It Like Beckham', is turning her attention from football and thongs to Indian arranged marriages. Her new film is a chiller! Read more »
Filmed in India, banned in Pakistan..?
A new debate over the screening of Indian films in Pakistan has confused the film community. Who decides, and on what basis, which Indian film can be allowed to distribute in the Pakistani cinema halls? Is it the star power/content of the film or the origin of the film? Or, perhaps the land where the film was shot determines its screening future in Pakistan. Shockingly, it's the Indian land as well as the Indian connection! Pakistani exhibitors, whose survival depends on Bollywood, are demanding an explanation from their rulers. Read more »
'Slumdog Millionaire' with Anil Kapoor, Irrfan Khan and AR Rahman creates buzz
'Slumdog Millionaire', based on Indian diplomat Vikas Swarup's debut novel 'Q and A' and directed by Danny Boyle of Trainspotting (1996) fame, will close the 52nd London Film Festival (15-30 October, 2008). It was premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (September 4 – 11, 2008). Read more »
Attacks on Shah Rukh Khan intensify: Amitabh, Aamir, Salman, Akshay and now- court cases!
They say his kingdom is under threat. It seems the whole world has turned against India's, arguably, most successful film star Shah Rukh Khan (SRK). Others point out, it was a black Wednesday (6th August) for him. Exaggeration? Read on this idiot's guide to the 'Inner World Of Shah Rukh Khan's Feuds With Foes & Friends':An exclusive feature by a Bollywood insider Read more »
"Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired"
"Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired" (June 9, HBO) explores the implausible events that took place between these dates, along with details, before and after, that forever altered the life and career of acclaimed film director Roman Polanski. On March 11, 1977, Polanski was arrested in Los Angeles and charged with the following counts: furnishing a controlled substance to a minor, committing a lewd or lascivious act on a child, unlawful sexual intercourse, rape by use of drugs, perversion and sodomy. Less than a year later, on February 1, 1978, Polanski drove to LAX, bought a one-way ticket to Europe, and never came back. Read more »
Bhatt: Indian film corporate honchos have no clue about movies
As India sees an unprecedented growth in the entertainment sector, one of the fastest in the world, old-fashioned film producers are being replaced by Hollywood-style studios and corporates, sometimes, headed by executives who, according to India's veteran as well as successful film-maker Mahesh Bhatt, "have no clues about movies." Read on, there's more to come. India's most famous film columnist Shobha De, commenting on the box-office failure of a multi-starrer 500 million rupee (One US dollar= appx 48 rupees) film 'Drona,' says: There are times when one wonders about the people in Bollywood who throw away serious money on what can only be called movie junk. Read more »
Let's make a short film!
A number of Shorts Film Festivals are coming up. India-EU Film Initiative believes in providing the necessary tools and training to those who are new to film-making. Before you embark on a film career we suggest why don't you read the following feature on how to make good shorts. To start with, what should be the duration of a short film? Read more »
Spielberg and Ambani deal could change the face of Indian film industry
After months of negotiations, Anil Ambani's Reliance Entertainment of India and DreamWorks SKG, promoted by legendary film-maker Steven Spielberg, are about to clinch a deal to set up a new film company, according to various media reports. The deal will allow Spielberg and others to split from Viacom Inc.'s Paramount Pictures as they need about US$1.7 billion for the new cinema outfit. Reliance Entertainment, according to reports, will invest $500 million to $600 million in the new company. Read more »
A Throw of Dice: 1929 Indian film captivates America
The Chicago Tribune writes in its August 2, 2008, edition: "The U.S. premiere of the classic 1929 Indian silent film "A Throw of Dice" Wednesday at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion had the Millennium audience erupting in cheers at the end. Where has this treasure been hiding all these years?"
"A Throw of Dice" was generally forgotten for decades until the British Film Institute rescued it from the vaults in 2006 and commissioned Sawhney to compose a score for concert use. Read more »
'Karma' remark leads to boycott of yoga lover Sharon Stone
50-year old Hollywood siren of 'Basic Instict' is known for her affinity to Yoga and Budhism. Perhaps, it's her karma that led her to say nasty things against China. Now, China is gearing up to boycott Hollywood actress Sharon Stone over her 'Karma' comment in which she said that the devastating May 12 earthquake in China could have been the result of China's bad karma for its treatment of Tibet. There has been a strong reaction in China, leading to Stone's apology. "My erroneous words and deeds angered and saddened the Chinese people, and I sincerely apologise for this," she said. Read more »