ITV

Tag: All About Section 377

  • Right to be gay: new show on NDTV Prime from 25 Nov

    Right to be gay: new show on NDTV Prime from 25 Nov

    MUMBAI: Live and let live. The launch of this show on TV is one of those days when your happiness knows no bounds.

    Director and writer Amit Khanna, who created the first ever LGBT web-series called All About Section 377, has added one more feather in his cap. The series which won hearts in the digital space, is all set to make its debut on the Indian television from 25 November. Not only is this the first LGBT serial on TV, but it is also the first web-series that has been picked up by a broadcaster.

    With Hitachi on board as the title sponsor, the show will be aired on NDTV Prime every Friday at 9pm. The repeat telecast will be aired on every Saturday and Sunday though the channel has not yet decided a time slot, yet. Khanna said, “The response has been terrific. In fact, I am so happy with the way viewers have poured comments on the YouTube channel; it has been very motivating for the entire team. This encouragement has led to such a big move and this will be the very first time an LGBT web-series will be showcased on National Television.”

    All about Section 377 is about freedom of love, love in its purest form. It connects to each and every individual irrespective of age from anywhere in the world. The web-series is a light and fun representation of the dilemmas faced by homosexuals.

    It takes a light-hearted look at a gay couple’s life as seen through the eyes of straight homophobic man. It is about Suresh who comes to Mumbai from Delhi to pursue acting and modeling. Being a homophobic, his worst nightmare comes alive when he realizes that his cousin, who he is supposed to live with, is gay and also lives with his boyfriend in the same apartment. Hence begins the journey of a homophobic man who lives with a gay couple and how his perceptions change over a period of time. The response towards this web series has been overwhelming. Khanna has received some heart-throbbing letters and messages from those who belong or are staying with a person belonging to the community. He has also received tremendous appreciation for his acting skills in the web-series.

    “I am touched by the effect of this web-series. A lot of youth have come out of the closet. Boys and girls have been living a life where they can’t express freely. A mother wrote a letter to me, thanking me for creating the web-series. It actually changed her perception towards her son who is gay,” added Khanna. Khanna and his team are currently working on the series’ second season which will be launched shortly.

  • Right to be gay: new show on NDTV Prime from 25 Nov

    Right to be gay: new show on NDTV Prime from 25 Nov

    MUMBAI: Live and let live. The launch of this show on TV is one of those days when your happiness knows no bounds.

    Director and writer Amit Khanna, who created the first ever LGBT web-series called All About Section 377, has added one more feather in his cap. The series which won hearts in the digital space, is all set to make its debut on the Indian television from 25 November. Not only is this the first LGBT serial on TV, but it is also the first web-series that has been picked up by a broadcaster.

    With Hitachi on board as the title sponsor, the show will be aired on NDTV Prime every Friday at 9pm. The repeat telecast will be aired on every Saturday and Sunday though the channel has not yet decided a time slot, yet. Khanna said, “The response has been terrific. In fact, I am so happy with the way viewers have poured comments on the YouTube channel; it has been very motivating for the entire team. This encouragement has led to such a big move and this will be the very first time an LGBT web-series will be showcased on National Television.”

    All about Section 377 is about freedom of love, love in its purest form. It connects to each and every individual irrespective of age from anywhere in the world. The web-series is a light and fun representation of the dilemmas faced by homosexuals.

    It takes a light-hearted look at a gay couple’s life as seen through the eyes of straight homophobic man. It is about Suresh who comes to Mumbai from Delhi to pursue acting and modeling. Being a homophobic, his worst nightmare comes alive when he realizes that his cousin, who he is supposed to live with, is gay and also lives with his boyfriend in the same apartment. Hence begins the journey of a homophobic man who lives with a gay couple and how his perceptions change over a period of time. The response towards this web series has been overwhelming. Khanna has received some heart-throbbing letters and messages from those who belong or are staying with a person belonging to the community. He has also received tremendous appreciation for his acting skills in the web-series.

    “I am touched by the effect of this web-series. A lot of youth have come out of the closet. Boys and girls have been living a life where they can’t express freely. A mother wrote a letter to me, thanking me for creating the web-series. It actually changed her perception towards her son who is gay,” added Khanna. Khanna and his team are currently working on the series’ second season which will be launched shortly.

  • Neeru Khera’s films at Cannes and Nice in 2016

    Neeru Khera’s films at Cannes and Nice in 2016

    MUMBAI: A creative piece of cinema is driven by the content it carries. The soul of a film is the story it narrates. The digital fast era of creativity and awareness has given way to short crisp films. India is entering a phase where every producer and director whose dream was  to see the credits scroll on the big screens of multiplexes with their names, have started rising on YouTube channels, web series and short film releases in esteemed international film festivals.   Who would have thought that a 20 odd minute film on serious social concerns could get recognition in prestigious festivals like Cannes and Nice? 

    Breaking the stereotype, Neeru Khera of the YouTube channel The Creative Gypsy fame, produced two short films on sensitive issues – An Untold Story of Paperboats, on child soldiery, directed by Amit Khanna and another one on secularism and Naxalite terror- Aadha Chand Tum Rakh Lo, directed by Mayank Bokolia. Both have been selected for Cannes and Nice. 

    An ecstatic Khera said that she was extremely excited about the screening of her work during the festivals because people would see and appreciate it.

    “I am extremely excited about my film’s selection for Cannes, and I hope we win there,” said the An Untold Story of Paperboats director Amit Khanna. 

    An Untold Story of Paperboats, with Neeru Khera as producer, is a story of a school boy from West Bengal who falls in the trap of Naxalites. This changes his life and those of people related to him, as many children’s lives in these Naxal camps take a drastic turn at some point, leaving no option but to face the gruesome reality. The film was shot in July 2015 within a span of four days with over 200 village kids in the cast. The location used to shoot the film was Badalpur. 

    Sources revealed that the production cost of An Untold Story of Paperboats was about Rs 22 lakh. Neeru Khera had mentioned that the production of the film was challenging, as they had to create West Bengal in Haryana, and that everything was made like a feature film, but in a miniature form. There was lot of support from the locals to put everything together. The makers claim that their focus was content and not monetary gains. 

    The second success story of Indian short films in Cannes is Khera’s 20 minute entry – Aadha Chand Tum Rakh Lo, directed by Mayank Bokolia. The film portrays secularism as being an area of major concern in our country.  The story is around the friendship of Dalit and Muslim boys. This film has been shot in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The narration of the film is through the eyes of painters. About 10 painters were taken to Varanasi to paint the walls. The maker of the film said that it took 20 to 25 days to shoot the entire films as sometimes only one or two sequences could be shot during an entire day due to various situations. Sources reveal that the film cost about Rs 20 lakh to make. There was no compromise in the quality of the film, it was shot on high definition and was a technically sound film, the sources averred.

    Khera said that even though the story pointed at various social issues, the treatment of the film did not lower the image of India. Clarifying, she said that the issues in the film were global and not restricted to any particular nation, adding that the films were educative and entertaining. 

    When asked about how a short film could stand out if it didn’t make it to international festivals, she suggested that the content of the film should be strong and catchy. Variety in treatment would get admiration across borders, and most importantly, the first the five minutes of the film had be able hold the viewers. 

    The makers of the film expressed that it was difficult to have sponsors for such sensitive topics, but Khera said creating awareness about the issues was essential, hence she produced these films. She also expressed the keenness on marketing the films and promoting them on her YouTube channel. Although as of now, no strategy had been laid regarding promotion of the films, Khera believed that her content was suitable for the internet and digital mediums because it had a very strong grasp on such audiences. She revealed that talks with Doordarshan in North East Indian were on. 

    Khera has made films concerning various social issues even in the past. She has produced a revolutionary web series which was directed by Amit Khanna. The series – All About Section 377, addressed the much talked about LGBT community. AAS 377 aimed at changing the perspective of society towards the LGBT community. It is a story of a homophobic man, who ends up staying with his gay cousin and his live-in boyfriend and how his concepts about homosexuality change. 

  • Neeru Khera’s films at Cannes and Nice in 2016

    Neeru Khera’s films at Cannes and Nice in 2016

    MUMBAI: A creative piece of cinema is driven by the content it carries. The soul of a film is the story it narrates. The digital fast era of creativity and awareness has given way to short crisp films. India is entering a phase where every producer and director whose dream was  to see the credits scroll on the big screens of multiplexes with their names, have started rising on YouTube channels, web series and short film releases in esteemed international film festivals.   Who would have thought that a 20 odd minute film on serious social concerns could get recognition in prestigious festivals like Cannes and Nice? 

    Breaking the stereotype, Neeru Khera of the YouTube channel The Creative Gypsy fame, produced two short films on sensitive issues – An Untold Story of Paperboats, on child soldiery, directed by Amit Khanna and another one on secularism and Naxalite terror- Aadha Chand Tum Rakh Lo, directed by Mayank Bokolia. Both have been selected for Cannes and Nice. 

    An ecstatic Khera said that she was extremely excited about the screening of her work during the festivals because people would see and appreciate it.

    “I am extremely excited about my film’s selection for Cannes, and I hope we win there,” said the An Untold Story of Paperboats director Amit Khanna. 

    An Untold Story of Paperboats, with Neeru Khera as producer, is a story of a school boy from West Bengal who falls in the trap of Naxalites. This changes his life and those of people related to him, as many children’s lives in these Naxal camps take a drastic turn at some point, leaving no option but to face the gruesome reality. The film was shot in July 2015 within a span of four days with over 200 village kids in the cast. The location used to shoot the film was Badalpur. 

    Sources revealed that the production cost of An Untold Story of Paperboats was about Rs 22 lakh. Neeru Khera had mentioned that the production of the film was challenging, as they had to create West Bengal in Haryana, and that everything was made like a feature film, but in a miniature form. There was lot of support from the locals to put everything together. The makers claim that their focus was content and not monetary gains. 

    The second success story of Indian short films in Cannes is Khera’s 20 minute entry – Aadha Chand Tum Rakh Lo, directed by Mayank Bokolia. The film portrays secularism as being an area of major concern in our country.  The story is around the friendship of Dalit and Muslim boys. This film has been shot in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The narration of the film is through the eyes of painters. About 10 painters were taken to Varanasi to paint the walls. The maker of the film said that it took 20 to 25 days to shoot the entire films as sometimes only one or two sequences could be shot during an entire day due to various situations. Sources reveal that the film cost about Rs 20 lakh to make. There was no compromise in the quality of the film, it was shot on high definition and was a technically sound film, the sources averred.

    Khera said that even though the story pointed at various social issues, the treatment of the film did not lower the image of India. Clarifying, she said that the issues in the film were global and not restricted to any particular nation, adding that the films were educative and entertaining. 

    When asked about how a short film could stand out if it didn’t make it to international festivals, she suggested that the content of the film should be strong and catchy. Variety in treatment would get admiration across borders, and most importantly, the first the five minutes of the film had be able hold the viewers. 

    The makers of the film expressed that it was difficult to have sponsors for such sensitive topics, but Khera said creating awareness about the issues was essential, hence she produced these films. She also expressed the keenness on marketing the films and promoting them on her YouTube channel. Although as of now, no strategy had been laid regarding promotion of the films, Khera believed that her content was suitable for the internet and digital mediums because it had a very strong grasp on such audiences. She revealed that talks with Doordarshan in North East Indian were on. 

    Khera has made films concerning various social issues even in the past. She has produced a revolutionary web series which was directed by Amit Khanna. The series – All About Section 377, addressed the much talked about LGBT community. AAS 377 aimed at changing the perspective of society towards the LGBT community. It is a story of a homophobic man, who ends up staying with his gay cousin and his live-in boyfriend and how his concepts about homosexuality change. 

  • Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    MUMBAI: With a number of campaigns fighting for the rights of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and the continuous squabble to decriminalize section 377 of the IPC, The Creative Gypsy and Weirdoze are all geared up to launch their revolutionary web series All About Section 377. AAS 377 will launch on the YouTube channel on 27 March 2016.

    The series aims at breaking the perceptions of the LGBT community in society. The team has also sent a two hour cut out of the series to various web series festivals.

    The very draconian and archaic Section 377 from chapter XVI of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1860 introduced during the British rule of India, criminalises sexual activities ‘against the order of nature’, including homosexual acts, as past orders of some of the courts indicate.

    Highlighting the joys and sorrows of the much neglected and side-lined community by most of people, the 8 episode series of 18 minutes each presents a light-hearted look at a male gay couple’s life as seen through the eyes of a straight homophobic man.

    Directed by Amit Khanna, the series is about Suresh who comes to Mumbai from Delhi to pursue a career in acting and modelling. His worst nightmare comes alive when he realizes that his cousin Rohit with whom he is supposed to live with is gay and also has a live-in boyfriend Sid in the same apartment. Thus begins the journey of a homophobic man who lives with a gay couple and how his perception changes over a period of time.

    “From episode 6, the story changes completely and whoever is against the community will have no other go except to accept the fact. My expectation from this web series is that people must understand that they can’t bind love by gender, by society or by social status. I want our society to be more open-minded,” says Amit Khanna.

    The Creative Gypsy’s Khera reveals that since the series did not have any sponsors on-board, they had to launch a new channel for it. “Whoever was ready to take the series was not ready to pay us the amount we have put in producing this series. They wanted to own all the rights of the series, and a few of them didn’t even want our name in it. We have all worked hard for this series. OTT is definitely an emerging platform, but the waters are being tested as yet. We are passionate about having our series up everywhere”, she further adds.

    AAS 377 features an enthusiastic cast of 6 that includes Gulshan Nain aka Suresh, Ankit Bhatia playing Sid and Mustafa Shaik enacting the character of Chotu. The series also shows two girls Fiza Aziz and Surabhi Raut. Amit Khanna makes his debut in the series playing the role of Rohit. Celebrities like Niranjan Iyengar, Iris Maity and Suzanna Mukherjee will also be seen in cameos.

    There are plans to launch a second series. “The second series depends on the success of this one. Till now, we have got a good response from the screening. We aim to give our viewers a strong message through the content on our channel. We have not compromised on anything and have poured our hearts in it”, concedes Khera.

    Here is the trailer of the web-series:

  • Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    Do you know ‘All About Section 377’?

    MUMBAI: With a number of campaigns fighting for the rights of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community and the continuous squabble to decriminalize section 377 of the IPC, The Creative Gypsy and Weirdoze are all geared up to launch their revolutionary web series All About Section 377. AAS 377 will launch on the YouTube channel on 27 March 2016.

    The series aims at breaking the perceptions of the LGBT community in society. The team has also sent a two hour cut out of the series to various web series festivals.

    The very draconian and archaic Section 377 from chapter XVI of the Indian Penal Code dating back to 1860 introduced during the British rule of India, criminalises sexual activities ‘against the order of nature’, including homosexual acts, as past orders of some of the courts indicate.

    Highlighting the joys and sorrows of the much neglected and side-lined community by most of people, the 8 episode series of 18 minutes each presents a light-hearted look at a male gay couple’s life as seen through the eyes of a straight homophobic man.

    Directed by Amit Khanna, the series is about Suresh who comes to Mumbai from Delhi to pursue a career in acting and modelling. His worst nightmare comes alive when he realizes that his cousin Rohit with whom he is supposed to live with is gay and also has a live-in boyfriend Sid in the same apartment. Thus begins the journey of a homophobic man who lives with a gay couple and how his perception changes over a period of time.

    “From episode 6, the story changes completely and whoever is against the community will have no other go except to accept the fact. My expectation from this web series is that people must understand that they can’t bind love by gender, by society or by social status. I want our society to be more open-minded,” says Amit Khanna.

    The Creative Gypsy’s Khera reveals that since the series did not have any sponsors on-board, they had to launch a new channel for it. “Whoever was ready to take the series was not ready to pay us the amount we have put in producing this series. They wanted to own all the rights of the series, and a few of them didn’t even want our name in it. We have all worked hard for this series. OTT is definitely an emerging platform, but the waters are being tested as yet. We are passionate about having our series up everywhere”, she further adds.

    AAS 377 features an enthusiastic cast of 6 that includes Gulshan Nain aka Suresh, Ankit Bhatia playing Sid and Mustafa Shaik enacting the character of Chotu. The series also shows two girls Fiza Aziz and Surabhi Raut. Amit Khanna makes his debut in the series playing the role of Rohit. Celebrities like Niranjan Iyengar, Iris Maity and Suzanna Mukherjee will also be seen in cameos.

    There are plans to launch a second series. “The second series depends on the success of this one. Till now, we have got a good response from the screening. We aim to give our viewers a strong message through the content on our channel. We have not compromised on anything and have poured our hearts in it”, concedes Khera.

    Here is the trailer of the web-series:

  • Promo of ‘All About Section 377’ web series released

    Promo of ‘All About Section 377’ web series released

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Supreme Court has referred the curative plea on homosexuality to a five-judge bench, which will re-examine the two-year-old verdict by which a colonial law, criminalising consensual sexual acts between the same sex under section 377 of IPC, a web series called All About Section 377 by director Amit Khanna will be aired shortly.

    Khanna, who had directed Tutiya Dil and Badmashiyaan has already brought out a promo reflecting the joys and sorrows of people who have different sexual preferences and how they cope up with the society.

    All About section 377 is written and directed by Amit Khanna, who is also an ace photographer.

    The web series consists of eight episodes, which is produced by Weirdoze and the Creative Gypsy. It features Gulshan Nain who played the lead in Channel V’s Show Friends Conditions Apply, Ankit Bhatia, Mustafa Shaikh and Khanna himself.

    The promo leaves a strong message by planting a serious thought in the minds of every individual. The promo is aimed to hit hard to a lot of Homophobic people and their phobia just might come to an end.

    Khanna said, “The existence of Section 377 itself is frightening. How does someone else get to decide how, when and who, one should love? Basically the right of ‘freedom of choice’ isn’t legal anymore…”

    Apart from the concept of the series, what is interesting to see is that celebrities like Niranjan Iyengar, Iris Maity and Suzanna Mukherjee will be seen in cameos.

    Watch the promo here:

  • Promo of ‘All About Section 377’ web series released

    Promo of ‘All About Section 377’ web series released

    NEW DELHI: Even as the Supreme Court has referred the curative plea on homosexuality to a five-judge bench, which will re-examine the two-year-old verdict by which a colonial law, criminalising consensual sexual acts between the same sex under section 377 of IPC, a web series called All About Section 377 by director Amit Khanna will be aired shortly.

    Khanna, who had directed Tutiya Dil and Badmashiyaan has already brought out a promo reflecting the joys and sorrows of people who have different sexual preferences and how they cope up with the society.

    All About section 377 is written and directed by Amit Khanna, who is also an ace photographer.

    The web series consists of eight episodes, which is produced by Weirdoze and the Creative Gypsy. It features Gulshan Nain who played the lead in Channel V’s Show Friends Conditions Apply, Ankit Bhatia, Mustafa Shaikh and Khanna himself.

    The promo leaves a strong message by planting a serious thought in the minds of every individual. The promo is aimed to hit hard to a lot of Homophobic people and their phobia just might come to an end.

    Khanna said, “The existence of Section 377 itself is frightening. How does someone else get to decide how, when and who, one should love? Basically the right of ‘freedom of choice’ isn’t legal anymore…”

    Apart from the concept of the series, what is interesting to see is that celebrities like Niranjan Iyengar, Iris Maity and Suzanna Mukherjee will be seen in cameos.

    Watch the promo here: