Filmiholic : Meri duniya - bilkul filmi
India & Ireland, film & more
Still some more interviews to come, and write-ups of several films, but here’s a few pictures from the last evening of the New York Indian Film Festival (when Nitin Kakkar’s Filmistaan was the closing film, and then came the awards):
Aseem Chhabra & Nitin Kakkar
Padma Lakshmi
Hansal Mehta & Dr. Biju Kumar with their awards
Alex Eaton & Arjun Mathur
Tell me about Bombay Movie
AM: There’s a film I did called Barah Anna, and Alex (Eaton) was, well, I thought she was just shooting the making of, and three years later I learned that she’s made a documentary film on it. I’m so excited. It gives an insight into the process that goes into making independent film in India, which is not easy at all. So I’m excited to see how she’s captured it. Barah Anna is a special film for me, it’s one of the films that I’ve done that’s closest to my heart, so I’m happy for this film.
And talk a little bit about the other film you’re connected to at NYIFF this year, which is Fireflies…
AM: Fireflies has been one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. In fact, when Fireflies first came my way, I was going through a very rough emotional, personal patch, and I was in no shape to work at the time. I told Sabal that in our first meeting, and I think that’s exactly why he cast me. And through the film, I wasn’t acting, every day on set I was going through a catharsis honestly, and I think it shows… let’s see what everyone else thinks.
You’ve done some work behind the camera as well…Bunty aur Babli, Rang De Basanti…
AM: I have yeah….. I was doing continuity on Bunty aur Babli….in fact I’ll share something with you…. Dev Makhija whose the director of Oonga was my First AD on that film.
What’s coming up next for you?
AM: Other than Fireflies, I have three other films that are ready. Two of them are independents, so we’ll have to see what festivals they go to and when they release in India. One of them, the more commercial, is called Ankur Arora Murder Case. That releases on June 14th, and it’s produced by Vikram Bhatt, it has me, KayKay Menon. It’s got strong performers, good story, it should be nice.
And the other two?
AM: One is called Couching Tiger Mannu. It’s about a young Delhi boy who discovers couch-surfing, then his only aim in life is to get some white women to come and live in his house. And then there’s a film tentatively called Coffee Bloom, again a fantastic relationship drama, beautiful script, so I’m excited.
And any theater at the moment?
AM: No, no theater, it takes a lot of time and commitment and doesn’t pay enough. I would love to come and do some theater here maybe. I’d love to do a Broadway musical, I’m waving my arms and legs for it.
Monsoon Wedding is coming to Broadway….
AM: Apparently. Mira gave me my break actually in Migration, so I’ve asked her already “When that comes you have to let me audition.”
Note: Bombay Movie screened at NYIFF on May 1st and Fireflies on May 2nd.
Tell me about working on Fireflies
MD: Fireflies was one of those dream projects where literally there was so much synchronicity and so much energy between everyone, from the spot boys – which is what they call them in India – to the actors, and when it ended, my heart broke a little because I didn’t want the experience to end. And I think that will show in how visually beautiful the film is and how sensitive it is in every which way.
And what else do you have coming up?
MD: I’m in a really unique position where I’m not really mainstream, I have no real desire to be a star, so I just wait for the right things and people. Also, as an actor, I think you have very little control over how the film ends up being, so I just want to work with people that I think are worth working with and whose hearts are in the right place, and Sabal’s one of them.
Every role I play I want to be very different from every other role. Next I’m gonna be a “pretty girl” who’s kind of neurotic and crazy, and that’s cool ‘cos I’m not that way in real life, I’m very laid back.
Note: Fireflies screened on May 2nd at this year’s NYIFF. It’s directed by Sabal Shekhawat and stars Monica Dogra, Arjun Mathur and Rahul Khanna.
As everyone and his wife have been mentioning today, this is the centenary of the Bombay film industry, and I thought it was a particularly wonderful (planned) coincidence that this year’s IAAC NY Indian Film Festival featured three documentaries about film-making there.
May 1st saw a paired screening of Bombay Movie, Alexandra Eaton’s heartfelt and eye-opening study of the struggles that indie films face to get made (in this case, Barah Anna) and reach an audience in the Indian film capital amidst all the big studio releases, together with Rudradeep Bhattacharjee’s The Human Factor, a film about the father and two sons of the Lords family, Parsi musicians who collectively worked for four decades on Hindi films.
And May 2nd was the screening of Jaideep Varma’s Baavra Mann, an in-depth and fascinating film about director Sudhir Mishra and his work, but that only half describes it. Aside from the extensive time Varma spent with his subject, where – seemingly – little or nothing was off limits, there are also dozens of other directors, writers and actors who have spoken about Mishra and the Hindi film industry in general.
Now down to the final two days of NYIFF, there are still several films on offer tonight and tomorrow, including the only one from Kerala to make the cut for this year’s festival: Dr. Biju Kumar’s Aakashathinte Niram (Color of Sky) starring Indrajit, Amala Paul and Prithviraj, set in the Andamans, and the closing film Saturday evening, Filmistan.
Happy anniversary to all of us who love Indian films, and thanks and love to everyone who makes them.
Here’s a quick look at last night’s red carpet at the 13th New York Indian Film Festival:
Nikhil Mahajan (Pune 52)
Ganesh Matkari (Investment) & Dr. Biju Kumar (Aakashathinte Niram) & Gajendra Ahire (Anumati)
Alexandra Eaton (Bombay Movie)
Pooja Kumar (Vishwaroopam) & Aasif Mandvi (The Internship)
Alexandra Eaton & Arjun Mathur (Bombay Movie, Fireflies)
Sabal Shekhawat (Fireflies)
Falu (Bumbug Musical)
Samrat Chakrabarti (Midnight’s Children) & Feroz Abbas Khan (Dekh Tamasha Dekh)
Monica Dogra (Fireflies)
Some films are already sold out, so if you’re thinking of going to this year’s festival, it’s time to get moving…
Today’s the day when the Indo-American Arts Council‘s 13th New York Indian Film Festival opens.
The yearly event, which has grown from strength to strength, looks to have a really interesting and diverse line-up of Indian and Indian-American stories.
Here’s a trailer for the festival.
Some films that I’ve already got my eye on are Fireflies, Aakashathinte Niram (Color of Sky) and Baavra Mann, and I’m looking forward to many other delights and surprises.
The festival launches tonight with Dekh Tamasha Dekh and closes on Saturday, May 4th with Filmistaan.
