This is a story I did that appeared in the June 13, 2008 issue of India Abroad.   For the filmi connection, have a look at the postscript. Consider this patch of humid land, sitting at the nation’s edge, packed with people of all income levels, trying to make a go of it while […]

  On the occasion of the recent DVD release of his debut film, Vanaja, here’s the first part of an interview with the film’s director, Rajnesh Domalpalli:   Can you talk more about how this film took some inspiration from a cry in Sophie’s Choice? I remember seeing Sophie’s Choice a long time ago, before […]

  Before we ended a recent interview, running in this month’s Khabar magazine, I had a chance to ask  Manil Suri, author of The Age of Shiva  and The Death of Vishnu about his  interest in  movies.   Here’s what he had to say:   In both novels, Hindi  movies are all around the edges, […]

Here, on  Rediff, is  an interview I did with Mani Ratnam. His workplace, Madras Talkies, is quieter than a library governed by  the strictest librarian.   The day I went to see him, I was ushered in to his office and found him  at his desk,  seated  behind his  MacBook, no music playing, no phones […]

Met Vikram Chandra for a breakfast interview yesterday.   The totally mellow and down-to-earth author  was in town because his maha-novel Sacred Games was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.   The book is sodden with filmi references, just one more reason why I loved it. More about the interview […]

  Mamata Bhukya has been in New York for several appearances connected with  her film Vanaja.   She and director Rajnesh Domalpalli have been at the red carpet premiere and  at several screenings  to introduce the film and to do Q&A sessions afterward.   I caught up with both of them recently as they grabbed […]