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Tag: Alankrita Shrivastava

  • National Film Development Corporation reveals 2024 Screenwriters’ Lab finalists

    National Film Development Corporation reveals 2024 Screenwriters’ Lab finalists

    Mumbai: National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) received more than 150 applications this year from 21 states out of which six projects of various genres have been selected for the 17th edition of NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab, an ongoing initiative to develop, nurture, and promote original voices from all over India. The six screenwriters, who also happen to be filmmakers of ad films, short films, novelist, documentaries, and feature films, have written the selected scripts in multiple languages, including Hindi, Urdu, Pahadi, Punjabi, Assamese, Malayalam, Konyak, English & Maithili.

    “We, at NFDC, strongly feel that a well-written script forms the foundation of a compelling story, engaging characters, and meaningful dialogue, all of which are essential elements of a successful film. We are at the forefront of not only training our writers to better develop their unique stories, but also pitch them successfully to domestic and international producers and investors at Film Bazaar, while keeping industry trends and practices in mind,” said NFDC Film Bazaar team

    The three-part intensive Screenwriters’ Lab is part of NFDC Labs’ ongoing initiative to develop original voices and stories from India. Selected participants work closely with noted mentors in an intensive 5-month program to fine-tune existing screenplays through personalized interactions and group sessions under the guidance of acclaimed script experts from India and around the  world. Aimed at domestic as well as international markets, the projects will be pitched to  producers and investors in a specially designed session during Film Bazaar 2024.

    The six selected projects for NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab 2024 are as follows:

    1.  Hawa Mithai by (CANDY FLOSS) Anuritta K Jha – Maithili & Hindi

    A six year-old village boy Tundu and his best friend Bullu set out on a heart-warming and fantastical journey to eat the Sun inspired by the legend of Lord Hanumanji, in order to win back his mother’s love.

    2.  I’ll Smile in September by Aakash Chhabra – Hindi, Urdu, Pahadi & Punjabi

    After getting separated from the love of his life and losing his front teeth in a brutal altercation which ensues after it, a young brass band player in Old Delhi attempts to move on in life by finding his smile back.

    3.  Kalaa Kaali (The Art Of The Dark) by Anam Danish – English & Hindi

    Two siblings along with their friends, investigate a death in the family only to discover a generational curse that looms over them and set out to end it by using their family’s tradition of black magic.

    4.  Konyak by Uddhav Ghosh – Konyak Naga & Hindi & English

    On the fringe of civilisation, amidst Nagaland’s unforgiving beauty, a deadly feud erupts between legendary headhunting tribes. Young warrior Thungpang Konyak, burdened by prophetic visions and haunted by betrayal, embarks on a relentless chase to protect his community and reclaim honor, confronting his former friend turned mortal enemy Sangba, as brother turns against brother in a brutal struggle for survival.

    5.  Mangal – The Holy Beast by Triparna Maiti – Assamese, Malayalam & Hindi

    Captured as an elephant calf, Mangal encounters both love and loss as he is made to join the world of humans. Transported from one place to another, changing hands, he ultimately becomes a revered deity worshiped as God, yet tied in chains, until he decides to break free.

    6.  Piyush Ki Toh…Nikal Padi (To Pee or Not To Pee) by Piyush Srivastava – Hindi

    Piyush, a charming 32-year old, faces a comedic nightmare on his first visit to his in-laws when a packing mistake leaves him without Adult Diapers, risking exposure of his embarrassing bedwetting problem. He must navigate a hilarious & heart-warming journey to procure new ones with his supportive wife’s help, all while keeping his secret hidden.

    About Mentors

    This year’s mentors include the founder of NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab (features) Marten Rabarts (New Zealand), Claire Dobbin (Australia), Ritesh Shah (India)

    1. Marten Rabarts – With more than 30 years of experience in the film industry, Marten Rabarts held his most recent position as the Festival Director of the New Zealand International Film Festival, following nearly 5 years heading EYE International at the EYE, the national film museum of the Netherlands. Prior to this, Marten served as the Head of Development and Training at NFDC India in Mumbai, where he established NFDC LABS, contributing to the success of films like The Lunchbox and Titli, among many others. Previously, Rabarts was Artistic Director of Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam for 12 years, which saw such successes as Michael Roskam’s Bullhead, cult hit The Babadook by Jennifer Kent, Cannes-winning Salvo by Fabio Grassadonia and Antonio Piazza, and Adina Pintilie’s 2018 Golden Bear Award winner Touch Me Not. Furthermore, Marten was a founding member of the advisory board of Torino Film Lab, is a voting member of the European Film Academy, served on the board of European Film Promotion, and regularly serves on festival juries, including the Berlinale (Short Film Jury, Generation 14plus, Teddy Awards), Skip City Tokyo, Adelaide Film Festival, and Guanajuato Film Festival, among others.

    2. Claire Dobbin – Claire is a globally active script editor, executive producer, and creative producer, collaborating with development agencies, screenwriters, producers, and directors. She has been serving as a script advisor since 2005 for the prestigious international script workshop éQuinoxe Europe, participating as a jury member in key international film festivals, and also organizing and leading international screenwriting workshops in diverse locations such as Italy, Ukraine, India, Norway, Doha, Dubai, Iran, Germany, and New Zealand. From 1986 to 2000, Claire held the position of Senior Executive (Creative) at Australia’s national screen agency. Between 2003 and 2019, Claire chaired the Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), overseeing initiatives that made MIFF a cornerstone of the industry. She secured funds for MIFF’s international film finance market and established the MIFF Premiere Fund, investing in over 50 Australian films that premiered at MIFF. Claire’s achievements include receiving the Order of Australia (AM) for Services to the Australian Film Industry in 2017 and the Jill Robb Award for outstanding leadership in the Victorian Screen Industry in 2019. Currently, Claire serves as the executive producer for several films and is actively involved in script editing international feature films and TV series across New Zealand, Australia, Europe, India, and the United States.

    3. Ritesh Shah – Ritesh Shah did his Bachelors in English Literature from Hindu College (1993-1996) and has done his Masters in Mass Communications from MCRC, Jamia Milia Islamia. He began his career as a playwright with Act One Art Group, New Delhi. His works include the fringe award winner Othello – A play in black and white. Ritesh switched to television in 1999. His television writing credits include Josh, Kashmeer, Krishna Arjun and the award winning series Kagaar. Ritesh Shah began his film career by contributing dialogue to movies like Kahaani and Namastey London and then went on to co-write films like D-day and Airlift. His solo screenplay and dialogue credits include films like B.A. Pass, Citylights, Force, the critically acclaimed Pink and Raid. Ritesh Shah has been nominated for Filmfare award for best story for B.A.Pass and best screenplay for D-day for which he also won a Zee Cine Awards Nomination. He won the Filmfare, Zee Cine and Star Screen awards for best dialogue for Pink.

    Previous, award-winning projects that have originated from the NFDC Screenwriters’ Lab include LUNCHBOX (Ritesh Batra), LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA (Alankrita Shrivastava), DUM LAGA KE HAISHA (Sharat Katariya), TITLI (Kanu Behl), SHAB (Onir), A DEATH IN THE GUNJ (Konkona Sen Sharma), ISLAND CITY (Ruchika Oberoi), BOMBAY ROSE (Gitanjali Rao), and CHUSKIT (Priya Ramasubban), In the Belly of a Tiger (Siddartha Jatla), Fire in the Mountains (Ajitpal Singh) Ullozhukku (Christo Tomy) just to name a few.
     

  • Manoj Bajpayee and Prasoon Joshi in conversation at Goafest 2024, day 3

    Manoj Bajpayee and Prasoon Joshi in conversation at Goafest 2024, day 3

    Mumbai: With Goafest 2024 heading towards celebrating the last leg of adaptability, Day 3 will witness an enthralling Knowledge Seminar titled The Art Of Adaptability: From Real Life to Reel Life, featuring Indian actor Manoj Bajpayee in conversation with Prasoon Joshi, CEO and CCO of McCann World Group India. The engaging session will witness Manoj share insights into the art of adaptation, drawing parallels between his experiences in real and reel life. Prasoon, in conversation with Manoj, will focus on the importance of adaptability in the entertainment industry and throw light on how adaptability plays a crucial role in the lives of actors.

    Additionally, there will be an engrossing Knowledge Seminar titled Embracing Change: Lessons from The Field to Life will feature cricket legend and former BCCI president Sourav Ganguly alongside moderator Boria Majumdar, a renowned Indian sports journalist, historian, and writer. In this enriching session, Sourav will impart various lessons from his own life experience as a renowned sportsperson on adjusting and adapting to change. Majumdar, in dialogue with Sourav, will emphasize the importance of adaptability in the field of sports, and discuss how being adaptable is crucial for not only sportspeople but all people, in navigating the ever-changing nature of life.

    Speaking on the line-up for Day 3,  the Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI) and CEO of GroupM, South Asia president Prasanth Kumar said, “Day 1 and Day 2 of Goafest 2024 witnessed stalwarts from across the industry delivering enthralling sessions. These two days have been phenomenal and we are delighted to have seen the attendees gain valuable insights. The conversation between Manoj and Prasoon will further throw light on the importance of adaptability in an actor’s life. Additionally, we are delighted to present a stellar line-up of insightful speakers and engaging sessions that will definitely entice our attendees.”

    In addition to this, Day 3 will also witness a Knowledge Seminar titled Indian Women Harnessing the Power Of Identity. The esteemed panellists are Shilpa Rao, a renowned Indian Playback Singer, Alankrita Shrivastava, a Filmmaker, Tamannaah Bhatia, an actor; and Prajakta Koli, also known as MostlySane, a leading content creator and actor, and climate activist. Guiding the conversation is  Femina editor-in-chief Ambika Muttoo.

    Following this is yet another insightful Knowledge Seminar titled Secrets of Longevity: Adapting our Lifestyles to Increase our ‘Healthspan’ with Dr Marcus Ranney – Founder and CEO, of Human Edge alongside moderator – Anupriya Acharya, CEO, Publicis Groupe, South Asia. Next in line is a keynote address by WhatsApp titled Do More With Conversations, by Gaurav Jeet Singh, Head of Agency Business, India, at Meta. Subsequently, an enriching Knowledge Seminar spotlighting The Art of Storytelling will be led by Neelesh Misra, a multifaceted Indian Journalist, Author, Radio Storyteller, Scriptwriter, and Lyricist.

    The second half will also captivate the attendees with a dynamic Knowledge Seminar on Customer-Centric Adaptability; Meeting Shifting Expectations; and Maintaining Customer Loyalty in a Dynamic Environment. Leading the discussion is Tarun Puri, senior operating partner at Lighthouse Funds, Asha Kharga, chief customer & brand officer at Mahindra Group, Siddharth Roy Kapur, founder & MD at Roy Kapur Films, with moderation by Anuradha SenGupta, founder of @anuradhasays.

    Another Knowledge Seminar titled Adaptability And Innovation: The Cornerstones Of A Future-Ready Agency will feature a distinguished panel of industry leaders. Among them are Anusha Shetty, chairperson & Group CEO of Grey Group, India; Arun Iyer, founder & managing partner of Spring Marketing Capital; and Babita Baruah, chief executive officer of VML India. Steering the discussion is Dheeraj Sinha, Group CEO for India and South Asia at FCB Group India.

    Next, a Knowledge Seminar, themed Evolving Market Landscape: Navigating The New Normal. Shashank Srivastava, a distinguished member of the executive committee at Maruti Suzuki, and Sunil Kataria, chief executive officer of Raymond Lifestyle (India & International), are among the esteemed speakers in conversation with Anuradha SenGupta, the esteemed founder of @anuradhasays.

    A Knowledge Seminar on OOH – Adapting to be accountable will feature Pawan Bansal, COO Jagran Engage & chairman IOAA (Indian Outdoor Advertising Association); Noomi Mehta, chairman of the Board, Selvel One Group; and Jahan Mehta, chief growth officer at Oap Mediatech in conversation with industry veteran Sam Balsara, Founder, chairman and MD Madison World & Madison Communications.

  • TCH 2022: Will the 2020s decade drive an insatiable demand for content?

    TCH 2022: Will the 2020s decade drive an insatiable demand for content?

    Mumbai: The world is undergoing a fierce transformation courtesy the pandemic, streaming services, new content forms and formats and changing work and entertainment consumption habits. The excitement and expectation are palpable amongst those in content creation and distribution – TV, film, streaming, short format, audio series, games, metaverses and what have been to serve those emerging needs.

    The transformation leads to a lot of questions such as will the 2020s see a further revolution and exploitation of the opportunities the decade offers? Or will there be a cooling off? Will Indian content follow the trajectory of the Korean Wave? And how? Will the 2020s prove to be India’s roaring twenties?

    Finding and discussing the answers to these questions, the first panel of the sixth edition of Viacom18 presents Indiantelevision.com’s The Content Hub Summit 2022 saw an insightful debate on the theme ‘The Roaring Twenties: Repeating The Successful Era Of Content Explosion.’

    Moderated by Indiantelevision.com Group founder & CEO, the panel included Indian screenwriter, director and producer Alankrita Shrivastava, Indian Film Director Arif Ali, Pratilipi  head, IVM Podcasts Amit Doshi, Neela Films Productions founder and managing director Asit Kumarr Modi, Balaji Motion Pictures creative producer and executive vice president Ruchikaa Kapoor and Zee Studios chief business officer Shariq Patel.

    The industry event is co-powered by Applause Entertainment and IN10 Media Network. Aaj Tak Connected Stream is the association partner. Industry partners are Fremantle India, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, One Take Media, Pratilipi, Pocket FM and The Viral Fever. The Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association (IMPPA) is our community partner.

    A century ago, after the global pandemic known as the Spanish flu, much of the world enjoyed a boom period, later immortalised as the ‘Roaring Twenties’.Opening the discussion, ITV founder, CEO & editor-in-chief Anil Wanvari asked the panel, “Are we about to experience another Roaring Twenties?”

     Pratilipi head, IVM Podcasts Amit Doshi said, “we’ve barely scratched the surface in terms of what exactly kinds of content we’re going to see in future.”

    “Technological transformation over the last ten years has already unleashed creativity in this country and it is going to continue,” he added.

    Further, Wanvari asked Neela Films Productions founder and managing director Asit Kumarr Modi, who has successfully run over thirty-five hundred episodes of ‘Tarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma’, how he sees this remarkable show in the 2020s?

    “We started back in 2008 where technology was way behind than where we are today and we have seen it all changing over the years. Now, things are developing rapidly, it might be more challenging but we are more excited to create stories in the new age of technology,” answered Modi.

    Taking the discussion further, Zee Studios chief business officer Shariq Pate said, “pandemic has shown that all of us have this insatiable amount of content that all of us could consume and this prompted platforms to step up on investments.”

    “We can expect a roaring 2020s with huge amounts of content to be created which is definitely far more than what the existing platforms can digest at present,” he added.

    Sharing her outlook for the roaring 2020s, Balaji Motion Pictures creative producer and executive vice president Ruchikaa Kapoor said, “the big realization about this changing content landscape is that there’s an audience for every genre, however the size of the audience differs.”

    She added, “the content consumption has increased dramatically over the last three years. But as far as movies are concerned, the urgency of going to the theatres has come down drastically due to the growth of OTT.” Talking about the future, she said, “we expect exponential growth in the 2020s too.”

    Agreeing with what his co-panellists had said, Indian film director Arif Ali said, “being behind the doors for so many months during the pandemic has actually opened a lot of doors for content creators.”

    “Pre-pandemic there was more focus on making money, but now content creators want to have a legacy and it is going to lead to a thrilling 2020s,” he asserted.

    Further, highlighting the challenges that the transformation in the content space brings, screenwriter, director and producer Alankrita Shrivastava said, “today the major challenge is to go back to the core of storytelling and not get overwhelmed.”

    Watch the complete video of this insightful session here.

  • Bombay Begums: NCPCR asks Netflix to snip ‘objectionable’ scenes

    Bombay Begums: NCPCR asks Netflix to snip ‘objectionable’ scenes

    NEW DELHI: The National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued an order asking Netflix to immediately remove specific scenes involving minors which are cited to be objectionable from the Bombay Begums series and asked it to stop streaming the series until then, the Times of India has reported.

    It has also sought an action taken report within the next three days.

    According to the report, the child rights body has also directed Mumbai police commissioner to take action with regards to the content in the series cited in the order and report back within a week. NCPCR has also given Netflix time till 18 March to reply.

    The order was passed following a meeting of Netflix officials with NCPCR to discuss the issues pertaining to representing and portrayal of children in the series Bombay Begums.

    “After detailed deliberations, the commission is of the view that these particular scenes are in violation of relevant sections of JJ Act, 2015, POCSO Act 2012 and IPC, 1860 as minor children were used in these scenes. Therefore, Netflix is directed to immediately remove these scenes from the series and meanwhile till the time they come to any decision in this regard, they shall stop the streaming of this series on their platform,” Kanoongo asserts in the order, according to the TOI report.

    As reported earlier, the NCPCR had issued a notice to OTT platform Netflix to stop streaming Bombay Begums. According to the notice, the commission received complaints from two Twitter handles regarding the Netflix original. The objections have been raised in regards to a scene where a 13-year-old girl is seen “snorting cocaine” at a party, as well as another plot point dealing with school girls sending nude selfies to members of the opposite sex.

    NCPCR had stated that the series with this type of content will pollute young minds and may result in abuse and exploitation of children at the hands of perpetrators and offenders and it does not allow representing, portraying, glorifying children in India in such manner on any platform including streaming services.

    Bombay Begums, written and directed by Alankrita Shrivastava, started streaming on 8 March and revolves around five women whose lives are interconnected.

    The action comes days after Netflix’s arch rival Amazon Prime Video issued an apology for its series Tandav in the wake of widespread furore over the depiction of Hindu deities.

    Meanwhile, the government has also notified new rules to better monitor and regulate the content on new age entertainment platforms consisting of a three-tier redressal mechanism.