ITV

Category: Hindi

  • Box Office: ‘Saala Khadoos’ opens weak; ‘Airlift’ collects Rs 82.8 crore in first week

    Box Office: ‘Saala Khadoos’ opens weak; ‘Airlift’ collects Rs 82.8 crore in first week

    MUMBAI: Saala Khadoos shows once again that sports films don’t usually work with Hindi audience and, if and when they do, they have limited takers. The film had a poor opening considering names like Raju Hirani and R Madhavan are in the credits. It barely collected Rs 1.2 crore on Friday, after which, not managing to improve much on Saturday and Sunday, it collected Rs 5.3 crore for its opening weekend. It’s the  very predictable script that  took the film down.

     

    On the other hand, Mastizaade fails to sell is senseless, humorless skin show and forced comedy. The film is so void of humor, it depends only on Sunny Leone to salvage it; sadly, that does not happen. The fact is, now box office is mostly about multiplex audience and this film is what would have been called C grade mass film during pre-multiplex days. The film has managed to put together 11.15 crore for its opening weekend and is not expected to sustain through the week.

     

    Airlift has proved to be the only film so far in the year of 2016 to win appreciation as well as box office numbers. The film opened slowly on Friday last but then took wings. It improved on the following Saturday and took a quantum jump on Sunday thereby recording a weekend of Rs  44.24 crore as against the opening day of little over  Rs 10 crore which is remarkable.

     

    This is rare that the film, which has almost met its weekend figures over next four days to close its first week with an impressive Rs 82.8 crore.

     

    Kyaa Kool Hain Hum 3, a supposed sex comedy, is poor. The film, after an opening weekend of Rs  17.2 crore, manages to add just another Rs 9.1 crore to take its first week total to Rs 26.3 crore.

     

    Wazir survives through its third week but merely. The film collect 1.1 crore and takes its three week tally to 37.95 crore.

     

    Bajirao Mastani comes to the end of its run with collections of RS  1.05 crore in its sixth week. The film collections tot up to Rs 171.45 crore for six weeks.

  • Insurgency issues, lack of cinemas plague NE India filmmakers

    Insurgency issues, lack of cinemas plague NE India filmmakers

    MUMBAI: An interaction with first-time filmmakers from north-east India showed that their primary concern was the lack of exhibition facilities in the seven states where the number of theatres has come down substantially.

     

    The filmmakers, who were part of workshops held by the Films Division, had the satisfaction of showing their films at the ongoing Mumbai International Film Festival of documentary, short and animation here in a separate package – Telling Tales from the Northeast.

     

    The films also showed that they were disturbed by insurgency in their part of the country and were struggling to find peace.

     

    Lallianpuii (Mizoram), Aldrin Zosangliana (Mizoram), Anungla Longkumer (Nagaland), Tiakumzuk Aler (Nagaland), Megotsolie Dolie (Nagaland), and Arup Mazumder (Assam, Director of Photography) had trained with the Division beginning in 2014 and this is the first phase of a continuing programme. States like Manipur and Tripura might be on the Films Division map soon. Of these states, only Assam has an organised film industry but there too, FD deputy director general Joshy Joseph chose to go to Silchar instead of the state capital, Guwahati.

     

    Over a mere nine days, the participants completed a film each: three days to write, three to shoot and three to edit. Since there are virtually no cinemas in Nagaland and Mizoram, the six will never see their films in a local theatre.

     

    Tranquility (Lallianpuii) is about car drivers in Aizawl, a relatively ‘crowded’ capital, who are amazingly patient and tranquil, even when stuck in traffic jams. Sounds of horns are conspicuous by their absence. In a mere three minutes, Lallianpuii provides a capsule of a horn-free city and its polite drivers, with car registration numbers beginning with MZ. The story is in the form of a mother and child going shopping.

     

    Songs of the Marbles (Ao) uses playing marbles as currency among children and a child bully as a symbol of political extortionists. It is made in the organic unity style, cyclically, practically ending where it began. The idea of taking marbles by extortion was a symbolic picture of the true scenario, the filmmaker said.

     

    Birth of a Poem (Mazumder) highlights the plight of a lover waiting to meet his beloved and how his longing gives birth to a romantic poem.

     

    Misty Voyage (Losanghina) focuses on the Mizos who do not venture out after dark because of the two-decade old insurgency, and watch films and, in terms of entertainment, programmes dubbed in Mizo, on TV.

     

    Of the two Nagaland films, one addresses displacement, and unsung heroes. It is called Untitled and uses only one Naga folk song, and no dialogue whatsoever. The other version of the film was called the ‘faculty version’, or ‘Anungla’, because it was ideated by her.

     

    Lack of regular cinemas in the region also means virtually no censorship, and filmmakers can make films of their choice. But they have to depend upon DVD distributors and cable TV operators. The filmmakers from Mizoram said Mizos generally do not speak or understand any language other than Mizo and even Salman Khan’s films are dubbed in the local language. Songs, however, are left intact. In Nagaland, the filmmakers said Nagamese is the link language among many tribes so the dubbing is into Nagamese. Most people in the state love to watch Korean soap operas and identify a lot with Korean culture. Nagas are also very fond of Korean content.

     

    Insurgency has almost ended in Mizoram after 1986, but Nagaland continues to face the problem. There is no state help for filmmakers in either state, films being low on their priority list.

     

    The North East Zone Cultural Centre, set up in the 1980s by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, still functions with headquarters in Dimapur (Nagaland). Though it funds cultural activities, and even documentation, cinema is not on their agenda.

     

    Joshy pointed out that the camera, sound and editing were handled by professionals and the equipment was sourced from the nearest big city, Kolkata.

     

    Many more such workshops are needed before the outreach can have full impact, but all six filmmakers were of the unanimous view that this was a breakthrough. As ‘Puii’ summed it up, “I was so touched when, after the screening of my film, some members of the audience expressed their hope that other cities will follow Aizawl in becoming horn free.”

  • Insurgency issues, lack of cinemas plague NE India filmmakers

    Insurgency issues, lack of cinemas plague NE India filmmakers

    MUMBAI: An interaction with first-time filmmakers from north-east India showed that their primary concern was the lack of exhibition facilities in the seven states where the number of theatres has come down substantially.

     

    The filmmakers, who were part of workshops held by the Films Division, had the satisfaction of showing their films at the ongoing Mumbai International Film Festival of documentary, short and animation here in a separate package – Telling Tales from the Northeast.

     

    The films also showed that they were disturbed by insurgency in their part of the country and were struggling to find peace.

     

    Lallianpuii (Mizoram), Aldrin Zosangliana (Mizoram), Anungla Longkumer (Nagaland), Tiakumzuk Aler (Nagaland), Megotsolie Dolie (Nagaland), and Arup Mazumder (Assam, Director of Photography) had trained with the Division beginning in 2014 and this is the first phase of a continuing programme. States like Manipur and Tripura might be on the Films Division map soon. Of these states, only Assam has an organised film industry but there too, FD deputy director general Joshy Joseph chose to go to Silchar instead of the state capital, Guwahati.

     

    Over a mere nine days, the participants completed a film each: three days to write, three to shoot and three to edit. Since there are virtually no cinemas in Nagaland and Mizoram, the six will never see their films in a local theatre.

     

    Tranquility (Lallianpuii) is about car drivers in Aizawl, a relatively ‘crowded’ capital, who are amazingly patient and tranquil, even when stuck in traffic jams. Sounds of horns are conspicuous by their absence. In a mere three minutes, Lallianpuii provides a capsule of a horn-free city and its polite drivers, with car registration numbers beginning with MZ. The story is in the form of a mother and child going shopping.

     

    Songs of the Marbles (Ao) uses playing marbles as currency among children and a child bully as a symbol of political extortionists. It is made in the organic unity style, cyclically, practically ending where it began. The idea of taking marbles by extortion was a symbolic picture of the true scenario, the filmmaker said.

     

    Birth of a Poem (Mazumder) highlights the plight of a lover waiting to meet his beloved and how his longing gives birth to a romantic poem.

     

    Misty Voyage (Losanghina) focuses on the Mizos who do not venture out after dark because of the two-decade old insurgency, and watch films and, in terms of entertainment, programmes dubbed in Mizo, on TV.

     

    Of the two Nagaland films, one addresses displacement, and unsung heroes. It is called Untitled and uses only one Naga folk song, and no dialogue whatsoever. The other version of the film was called the ‘faculty version’, or ‘Anungla’, because it was ideated by her.

     

    Lack of regular cinemas in the region also means virtually no censorship, and filmmakers can make films of their choice. But they have to depend upon DVD distributors and cable TV operators. The filmmakers from Mizoram said Mizos generally do not speak or understand any language other than Mizo and even Salman Khan’s films are dubbed in the local language. Songs, however, are left intact. In Nagaland, the filmmakers said Nagamese is the link language among many tribes so the dubbing is into Nagamese. Most people in the state love to watch Korean soap operas and identify a lot with Korean culture. Nagas are also very fond of Korean content.

     

    Insurgency has almost ended in Mizoram after 1986, but Nagaland continues to face the problem. There is no state help for filmmakers in either state, films being low on their priority list.

     

    The North East Zone Cultural Centre, set up in the 1980s by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, still functions with headquarters in Dimapur (Nagaland). Though it funds cultural activities, and even documentation, cinema is not on their agenda.

     

    Joshy pointed out that the camera, sound and editing were handled by professionals and the equipment was sourced from the nearest big city, Kolkata.

     

    Many more such workshops are needed before the outreach can have full impact, but all six filmmakers were of the unanimous view that this was a breakthrough. As ‘Puii’ summed it up, “I was so touched when, after the screening of my film, some members of the audience expressed their hope that other cities will follow Aizawl in becoming horn free.”

  • ‘Mastizaade:’ Sex tragedy!

    ‘Mastizaade:’ Sex tragedy!

    Comedy films in Hindi are bad enough most of the time, but what comes in the name of sex comedy is pathetic. It is all about lewd gestures, vulgar innuendos and a voyeur for the camera. There have been films with partly lewd and suggestive scenes and dialogues but the Mastizaade script aims to be a thesis for doctorate in this genre. Milap Zaveri has been attempting to write sex comedies but this time round, he also decides to direct the film.

    The saleable face or the inspiration for Mastizaade is Sunny Leone or, rather, her background. The makers stretch it a bit as they cast her in a double role of twins. Rest of their assets being same, how do you tell one from the other? One wears skimpy clothes, while the other sports scholarly specs, a red tikka on her forehead and sari. But, she being Sunny Leone too, the blouse is as skimpy as befitting Sunny.

    The sisters run an institution for perverts addicted to sex. The idea is to cure them of this affliction on the face of it but actually the sisters Sunny and Sunny use such guys for their own gratification. The sisters readily find two such sex starved buffoons in Tusshar Kapoor and Vir Das. Both soon prove that if they had any expression or twitching or any movement of muscle, it is their hidden talent; hidden in their underclothes!

    Both fall for one Sunny each. While otherwise they are known to be sex fiends, with Sunnyx2 oozing with sex, they seek romance as in love!

    The problem is that one Sunny wants only sex sans love, the other one is in love with a paraplegic wannabe soldier.

    The rest of the film is about Tusshar and Vir making bananas represent them as well as their aspirations while they see rounded fruits in Sunnyx2.

    The problem is that it’s unimaginative script writing. Even what has been lifted is from PJ department. The 1960s and 1970s English film and even Dada Kondke films entertained better than this one.

    Writing about direction, music, editing etc would be futile. And, to write about performances nigh impossible because no performers are involved in this film.

    Producers: PNC
    Director: Milap Zaveri
    Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Vir Das, Sunny Leone

    ‘Saala Khadoos:’ Made to prescription

    A pattern has been set for sports related films in India, a pro forma is followed. The format followed by such films is an underdog from poor background, who is oozing with talent, which lies untapped. There is a down and out ex-champ of the sport in whichever sport the film deals with, who spots the talent and decides to hone it. A corrupt and debauch official heading the said sports body. The finale, of course, being the underdog under the aegis of the charged up ex-champ, takes on the best in the world.

    Saala Khadoos, produced in Hindi and Tamil (as Irudhi Suttru meaning Final Round), follows the set pattern.

    R Madhavan is an ex-champion boxer who aspired to win a boxing gold for India. His dream lay unrequited due to internal politics when his boxing gloves were spiked by his own coach, Zakir Hussain, due to which he had to fight blind bout and lose the fight. Madhavan has been appointed the coach of the national women’s boxing team which, Madhavan’s b?te noire, Hussain, heads now. Sparks fly between the two instantly. There is no way the power wielding Hussain would want Madhavan around him.

    Madhavan is accused of molesting his women team members and, as a compromise, transferred to Chennai to coach the local team there. The state team here figures at the bottom of the national ranking and Hussain expects Madhavan to fail in his posting.

    As Madhavan gets down to business and starts disciplining his wards, he is witness to partiality decision as a contender, Mumtaz Sorcar, looks the obvious winner but is declared a loser because her opponent happens to be an official’s daughter. Mumtaz’s sister, Ritika Singh, can’t take this and immediately gets violent and starts punching and felling the jury members. Ritika is the bindaas kind and street smart; she sells fish for earning. Madhavan is impressed by her aggression and the way she throws her punches.

    He has spotted a prospective champ and decides to make her his pupil. She is unwilling but he offers to pay her Rs 500 per day to get her to take up boxing. Besides him, Nassar, his assistant coach, is also convinced the girl has it in her. The training of the team begins with special emphasis on Ritika. Madhavan has a point to prove to Hussain and others.

    To redeem his prestige, Madhavan makes all sorts of sacrifices including financial to the extent of selling his bike. Two human emotions come to play in this situation: While Ritika is infatuated by Madhavan and professes her love to him, her sister Mumtaz starts getting jealous of Ritika. She plans to hurt her hand and Ritika is knocked out of the qualifications.

    Madhavan feels let down when Ritika loses and tells her to get lost. Other predictable things happen including Hussain wanting to seduce Ritika and failing leading to her ouster from team. But, soon there is a major tournament for women on Indian soil. And, Madhavan sees the only hope for the country in Ritika. She makes it to final and slated to face the same Russian who knocked her out earlier.

    The end comes on expected lines.

    Indians are familiar with women’s boxing thanks to Mary Kom and have seen at least one film on woman’s boxing in her bio-pic, Mary Kom. The script is on predictable lines and, hence, does not really touch a viewer as such a film about an underdog should. But, it keeps one engaged. Direction is capable though with a heavy South touch. Music as the songs go, is purely functional. Cinematography is generally good.

    The best thing is the casting, which makes the film convincing and, what’s more, all of them live up to their characters. Ritika’s casting has stories behind it already covered in the media and she tops. Madhavan is a veteran of many films in many languages (also being one of the producers of this film) and puts in his best as a determined sports failure. However, he could have done with a suave look rather than the unshaved rough one he sports. Nassar and Hussain are around for their talent and they are naturals. Others cast mostly from the South are adequate.

    Saala Khadoos aims at a limited patronage and unlimited praise. The opening response is weak and the film faces opposition from India Australia T20 matches on Friday as well as on Sunday thus limiting its prospects to pick up at the box office.

    Producers: Rajkumar Hirani, R Madhavan
    Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
    Cast: R Madhavan, Ritika Singh, Mumtaz Sorcar, Nassar, Nazir Hussain, Bajinder Kaur, Kaali Venkat, Radha Ravi

  • ‘Mastizaade:’ Sex tragedy!

    ‘Mastizaade:’ Sex tragedy!

    Comedy films in Hindi are bad enough most of the time, but what comes in the name of sex comedy is pathetic. It is all about lewd gestures, vulgar innuendos and a voyeur for the camera. There have been films with partly lewd and suggestive scenes and dialogues but the Mastizaade script aims to be a thesis for doctorate in this genre. Milap Zaveri has been attempting to write sex comedies but this time round, he also decides to direct the film.

    The saleable face or the inspiration for Mastizaade is Sunny Leone or, rather, her background. The makers stretch it a bit as they cast her in a double role of twins. Rest of their assets being same, how do you tell one from the other? One wears skimpy clothes, while the other sports scholarly specs, a red tikka on her forehead and sari. But, she being Sunny Leone too, the blouse is as skimpy as befitting Sunny.

    The sisters run an institution for perverts addicted to sex. The idea is to cure them of this affliction on the face of it but actually the sisters Sunny and Sunny use such guys for their own gratification. The sisters readily find two such sex starved buffoons in Tusshar Kapoor and Vir Das. Both soon prove that if they had any expression or twitching or any movement of muscle, it is their hidden talent; hidden in their underclothes!

    Both fall for one Sunny each. While otherwise they are known to be sex fiends, with Sunnyx2 oozing with sex, they seek romance as in love!

    The problem is that one Sunny wants only sex sans love, the other one is in love with a paraplegic wannabe soldier.

    The rest of the film is about Tusshar and Vir making bananas represent them as well as their aspirations while they see rounded fruits in Sunnyx2.

    The problem is that it’s unimaginative script writing. Even what has been lifted is from PJ department. The 1960s and 1970s English film and even Dada Kondke films entertained better than this one.

    Writing about direction, music, editing etc would be futile. And, to write about performances nigh impossible because no performers are involved in this film.

    Producers: PNC
    Director: Milap Zaveri
    Cast: Tusshar Kapoor, Vir Das, Sunny Leone

    ‘Saala Khadoos:’ Made to prescription

    A pattern has been set for sports related films in India, a pro forma is followed. The format followed by such films is an underdog from poor background, who is oozing with talent, which lies untapped. There is a down and out ex-champ of the sport in whichever sport the film deals with, who spots the talent and decides to hone it. A corrupt and debauch official heading the said sports body. The finale, of course, being the underdog under the aegis of the charged up ex-champ, takes on the best in the world.

    Saala Khadoos, produced in Hindi and Tamil (as Irudhi Suttru meaning Final Round), follows the set pattern.

    R Madhavan is an ex-champion boxer who aspired to win a boxing gold for India. His dream lay unrequited due to internal politics when his boxing gloves were spiked by his own coach, Zakir Hussain, due to which he had to fight blind bout and lose the fight. Madhavan has been appointed the coach of the national women’s boxing team which, Madhavan’s b?te noire, Hussain, heads now. Sparks fly between the two instantly. There is no way the power wielding Hussain would want Madhavan around him.

    Madhavan is accused of molesting his women team members and, as a compromise, transferred to Chennai to coach the local team there. The state team here figures at the bottom of the national ranking and Hussain expects Madhavan to fail in his posting.

    As Madhavan gets down to business and starts disciplining his wards, he is witness to partiality decision as a contender, Mumtaz Sorcar, looks the obvious winner but is declared a loser because her opponent happens to be an official’s daughter. Mumtaz’s sister, Ritika Singh, can’t take this and immediately gets violent and starts punching and felling the jury members. Ritika is the bindaas kind and street smart; she sells fish for earning. Madhavan is impressed by her aggression and the way she throws her punches.

    He has spotted a prospective champ and decides to make her his pupil. She is unwilling but he offers to pay her Rs 500 per day to get her to take up boxing. Besides him, Nassar, his assistant coach, is also convinced the girl has it in her. The training of the team begins with special emphasis on Ritika. Madhavan has a point to prove to Hussain and others.

    To redeem his prestige, Madhavan makes all sorts of sacrifices including financial to the extent of selling his bike. Two human emotions come to play in this situation: While Ritika is infatuated by Madhavan and professes her love to him, her sister Mumtaz starts getting jealous of Ritika. She plans to hurt her hand and Ritika is knocked out of the qualifications.

    Madhavan feels let down when Ritika loses and tells her to get lost. Other predictable things happen including Hussain wanting to seduce Ritika and failing leading to her ouster from team. But, soon there is a major tournament for women on Indian soil. And, Madhavan sees the only hope for the country in Ritika. She makes it to final and slated to face the same Russian who knocked her out earlier.

    The end comes on expected lines.

    Indians are familiar with women’s boxing thanks to Mary Kom and have seen at least one film on woman’s boxing in her bio-pic, Mary Kom. The script is on predictable lines and, hence, does not really touch a viewer as such a film about an underdog should. But, it keeps one engaged. Direction is capable though with a heavy South touch. Music as the songs go, is purely functional. Cinematography is generally good.

    The best thing is the casting, which makes the film convincing and, what’s more, all of them live up to their characters. Ritika’s casting has stories behind it already covered in the media and she tops. Madhavan is a veteran of many films in many languages (also being one of the producers of this film) and puts in his best as a determined sports failure. However, he could have done with a suave look rather than the unshaved rough one he sports. Nassar and Hussain are around for their talent and they are naturals. Others cast mostly from the South are adequate.

    Saala Khadoos aims at a limited patronage and unlimited praise. The opening response is weak and the film faces opposition from India Australia T20 matches on Friday as well as on Sunday thus limiting its prospects to pick up at the box office.

    Producers: Rajkumar Hirani, R Madhavan
    Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
    Cast: R Madhavan, Ritika Singh, Mumtaz Sorcar, Nassar, Nazir Hussain, Bajinder Kaur, Kaali Venkat, Radha Ravi

  • Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    MUMBAI: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said his Ministry was seriously contemplating a dedicated channel for documentary, short and animation films.

     

    However, he said it was difficult to say at this stage whether it would be a new channel or an existing channel like Doordarshan’s DD Bharati.

     

    Speaking at the inauguration of the 14th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films – MIFF 2016 – which was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rathore said that documentaries more than features ‘shake us’ and bring about changes in society.

     

    At the same time, he said that the Films Division, which runs the festival needs to innovate and re-invent itself if it had to remain in the public eye and ‘find a reason to exist.’ Rathore cited that the MIFF was part of that process as it gave new vitality to documentary, short and feature films, which get a strong platform here.

     

    He was particularly satisfied that the Division had taken the bold step of FD Zone, whereby documentary films are being shown in other cities at the same time as MIFF.

     

    Rathore said that the I&B Ministry would continue to make efforts to make things easier for makers of documentary, short and animation films. “The mushrooming of so many news and current affairs channels can be probed to help exhibit these films.

    Documentary filmmakers are strong storytellers who move audiences with their films. Digital technology has ushered in a new era in film making and is greatly contributing to the documentary film movement,” he said.

     

    “It is heartening to note that our film makers, despite having great financial hurdles have gone ahead and made excellent films, displaying a mature approach while dealing with social and economic issues. Such films should not remain unseen,” Rathore added.

     

    He also said that the Government was in favour of ensuring that the power and freedom of the filmmaker was not limited by archaic certification laws and referred to setting up of the Shyam Benegal Committee to examine the entire certification process.

     

    Benegal was a Guest of Honour at the inauguration, which also included MIFF brand ambassador Jackie Shroff, Indian Documentary Producers Association president Mike Pandey and Festival director Mukesh Sharma.

     

    Veteran wildlife filmmaker and conservationist Naresh Bedi, who along with his brother Rajesh has been making films for over 45 years, received the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to documentary filmmaking. Filmmaker Kiran Shantaram, who is son of the late V Shantaram, presented the award comprising a trophy, shawl and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. 

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said that he had offered land to the central government in the Film City in Mumbai for building the long-pending Centre of Excellence in Animation and Gaming. “The state will extend all help in this process,” he said.

     

    Earlier, Benegal said it was sad that while such a prestigious festival was being held, no serious thought was being given to exhibiting and distributing these films. “Ways need to be found to ensure that filmmakers who dabble in the documentary format get their money back to be able to make more films as many are not even able to pay back the loans they took for such films. This is imperative at a time when digital cameras and even cellphones can be used to make films,” he said.

     

    A total of 385 documentaries, short and animation films will be screened during the Festival, which is held every second year in Mumbai. The Festival concludes on 3 February.

     

    The event, organised by the Films Division of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry is supported by the Maharashtra Government.

  • Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    Centre considering dedicated documentary TV channel: Rathore

    MUMBAI: Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Rathore said his Ministry was seriously contemplating a dedicated channel for documentary, short and animation films.

     

    However, he said it was difficult to say at this stage whether it would be a new channel or an existing channel like Doordarshan’s DD Bharati.

     

    Speaking at the inauguration of the 14th edition of Mumbai International Festival for Documentary, Short and Animation Films – MIFF 2016 – which was inaugurated by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Rathore said that documentaries more than features ‘shake us’ and bring about changes in society.

     

    At the same time, he said that the Films Division, which runs the festival needs to innovate and re-invent itself if it had to remain in the public eye and ‘find a reason to exist.’ Rathore cited that the MIFF was part of that process as it gave new vitality to documentary, short and feature films, which get a strong platform here.

     

    He was particularly satisfied that the Division had taken the bold step of FD Zone, whereby documentary films are being shown in other cities at the same time as MIFF.

     

    Rathore said that the I&B Ministry would continue to make efforts to make things easier for makers of documentary, short and animation films. “The mushrooming of so many news and current affairs channels can be probed to help exhibit these films.

    Documentary filmmakers are strong storytellers who move audiences with their films. Digital technology has ushered in a new era in film making and is greatly contributing to the documentary film movement,” he said.

     

    “It is heartening to note that our film makers, despite having great financial hurdles have gone ahead and made excellent films, displaying a mature approach while dealing with social and economic issues. Such films should not remain unseen,” Rathore added.

     

    He also said that the Government was in favour of ensuring that the power and freedom of the filmmaker was not limited by archaic certification laws and referred to setting up of the Shyam Benegal Committee to examine the entire certification process.

     

    Benegal was a Guest of Honour at the inauguration, which also included MIFF brand ambassador Jackie Shroff, Indian Documentary Producers Association president Mike Pandey and Festival director Mukesh Sharma.

     

    Veteran wildlife filmmaker and conservationist Naresh Bedi, who along with his brother Rajesh has been making films for over 45 years, received the V Shantaram Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to documentary filmmaking. Filmmaker Kiran Shantaram, who is son of the late V Shantaram, presented the award comprising a trophy, shawl and a cash prize of Rs 5 lakh. 

     

    Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said that he had offered land to the central government in the Film City in Mumbai for building the long-pending Centre of Excellence in Animation and Gaming. “The state will extend all help in this process,” he said.

     

    Earlier, Benegal said it was sad that while such a prestigious festival was being held, no serious thought was being given to exhibiting and distributing these films. “Ways need to be found to ensure that filmmakers who dabble in the documentary format get their money back to be able to make more films as many are not even able to pay back the loans they took for such films. This is imperative at a time when digital cameras and even cellphones can be used to make films,” he said.

     

    A total of 385 documentaries, short and animation films will be screened during the Festival, which is held every second year in Mumbai. The Festival concludes on 3 February.

     

    The event, organised by the Films Division of the Information & Broadcasting Ministry is supported by the Maharashtra Government.

  • NABARD to showcase films on rural India at Mumbai International Film Festival

    NABARD to showcase films on rural India at Mumbai International Film Festival

    MUMBAI: The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) has been invited for the first time to participate in 14th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2016.

     

    MIFF in association with NABARD will showcase unique and innovative documentaries titled ‘Documenting Rural India’s Real Heroes’ at MIFF 2016.

     

    With the theme of ‘celebrating development documentaries,’ this year, MIFF 2016 has identified over 100 such development documentaries. In MIFF, developmental films on ‘Rural India’ made by design and communications students, will be showcased as a category. 

     

    NABARD has joined hands with MIFF 2016 to initiate this category of films, which will exhibit the facets of developments in Rural India.

     

    The files of Rural India will be captured and reflected by students of film making at institutes such as Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Whistling Woods International, Mumbai and Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Mumbai. These students have captured various developmental projects, which NABARD has undertaken in many villages in India those have changed the lives of rural populace and empowered them in many senses. Either through watershed development for better farming or a super market to produce and sell local agriculture produce, etc., these are the ‘life changing’ stories connecting Rural India’ with an ‘Urban India.’

     

    The films will be showcased on 30 January, 2016 between 9.30 am – 11.15 am at the Films Division in Mumbai.

  • NABARD to showcase films on rural India at Mumbai International Film Festival

    NABARD to showcase films on rural India at Mumbai International Film Festival

    MUMBAI: The National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) has been invited for the first time to participate in 14th Mumbai International Film Festival (MIFF) 2016.

     

    MIFF in association with NABARD will showcase unique and innovative documentaries titled ‘Documenting Rural India’s Real Heroes’ at MIFF 2016.

     

    With the theme of ‘celebrating development documentaries,’ this year, MIFF 2016 has identified over 100 such development documentaries. In MIFF, developmental films on ‘Rural India’ made by design and communications students, will be showcased as a category. 

     

    NABARD has joined hands with MIFF 2016 to initiate this category of films, which will exhibit the facets of developments in Rural India.

     

    The files of Rural India will be captured and reflected by students of film making at institutes such as Xavier Institute of Communications, Mumbai, Whistling Woods International, Mumbai and Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Mumbai. These students have captured various developmental projects, which NABARD has undertaken in many villages in India those have changed the lives of rural populace and empowered them in many senses. Either through watershed development for better farming or a super market to produce and sell local agriculture produce, etc., these are the ‘life changing’ stories connecting Rural India’ with an ‘Urban India.’

     

    The films will be showcased on 30 January, 2016 between 9.30 am – 11.15 am at the Films Division in Mumbai.

  • Cinekorn acquires Asia distribution rights of ‘Airlift’ from B4U

    Cinekorn acquires Asia distribution rights of ‘Airlift’ from B4U

    MUMBAI: Cinekorn Entertainment has acquired the Asian distribution rights of Akshay Kumar’s new film Airlift from B4U Television, which is the official international distributor of the film.

     

    Produced by Emmay Entertainment, Airlift is based on the true events of the world’s biggest evacuation from Kuwait in 1990. The film released on 22 January, 2016 and Cinekorn Entertainment is distributing the film in all major areas of the continent.

     

    Cinekorn Entertainment’s Kalapi Nagada said, “Asia has always been a splurging market for Hindi Films and the numbers are increasing day by day as more of non ethnic audiences have been getting glued to Hindi films. We have acquired the film from B4U Television, who is the official international distributor of the film Airlift. We are very positive and confident on the film since in the past Akshay Kumar with Singh is Bliing and Baby has become very popular among local audiences. In fact, we plan to go all out in terms of release spread for Airlift from the growing popularity of the past Akshay Kumar films.”

     

    Prior to this, Cinekorn acquired distribution rights for films like Jazbaa, Singh is Bliing, Happy New Year and Haider. These movies were screened in theatres in Sri Lanka, UAE, Malaysia and Singapore.

     

    Directed by Raja Menon, Airlift stars Nimrat Kaur opposite Kumar.