ITV

Tag: Andhadhun

  • Indian Film Festival Los Angeles 2023

    Indian Film Festival Los Angeles 2023

    Mumbai: The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA) has always been more than just movies; it’s an immersive experience that takes audiences on a journey through the rich tapestry of Indian cinema. IFFLA will return 11 to 15 October and has announced an impressive lineup of official selections for the 21st annual edition.

    The festival will showcase 24 films (6 narrative features, 2 documentary features, 16 shorts) from 13 countries and in 14 languages. Opening and Closing Night Galas will take place at the historic Harmony Gold Theatre in Hollywood with other screenings and the masterclass will be at the Regal LA Live.

    “We are thrilled to enter IFFLA’s third decade offering a unique and much needed platform for emerging South Asian storytellers, and bringing a highly curated program to Los Angeles audiences,” said IFFLA executive director Christina Marouda.

    IFFLA’s Opening Gala selection, Vishal Bhardwaj’s Khufiya, is based on the novel Escape to Nowhere written by a former chief of Counter Espionage agent, Amar Bhushan. This riveting espionage thriller follows operative Krishna Mehra (Tabu) whose dangerous mission leaves her juggling between her dual identity as a spy and a lover. The film stars Tabu (Drishyam 2, Andhadhun), Ali Fazal (Mirzapur, Victoria & Abdul), Wamiqa Gabbi (Jubilee, Eclipse), and Azmeri Haque Badhon (Rehana).

    During the festival, renowned Indian film director, screenwriter, music composer, and producer Bhardwaj, will host an exclusive master class, where Bhardwaj will dive into his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across disciplines. Known best for his clever adaptations of Shakespeare to the Indian reality with Maqbool (2003), Omkara (2006), and Haider (2014), and having recently adapted Agatha Christie in Charlie Chopra (2023).

    Bhardwaj will also discuss his book to screen transitions. Lauded also for his priceless contributions to music for films, with hits like “Sapne Mein Milti Hai” (Satya) and “Beedi” (Omkara), Bhardwaj will delve into the impact music has on films.

    Making its LA premiere, action-packed Joram by IFFLA alum Devashish Makhija (Ajji) boasts a cast of A-listers that includes Manoj Bajpayee in the leading role, as well as Tannishtha Chatterjee, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and Smita Tambe. This adventure thriller follows a young couple who has fled their tribal battleground for a peaceful life in Mumbai, when a ruthless shadow from their past shows up at their slum and sends them clinging for dear life.

    The Closing Gala selection will be the North American premiere of All India Rank by writer, filmmaker, comedian, and lyricist Varun Grover, that premiered at the 2023 Rotterdam Film Festival (IFFR). This charming coming-of-age dramedy, brimming with ‘90s pop culture paraphernalia, follows a turbulent year in the life of fresh-faced Vivek as he preps for India’s toughest undergrad exam at a coaching center far away from home. Grover will be in attendance opening the evening with an exclusive stand-up performance.

    Among the six feature films which will have major premiere screenings is IFFLA Alum Atul Sabharwal’s world premiere of Berlin, a spy thriller mystery set in the early ‘90s in Delhi starring Rahul Bose, Aparshakti Khurana, and Ishwak Singh.

    IFFLA’s co-director of programming Thouly Dosios said, “We’re profoundly inspired to have such a wide range of generations of South Asian storytellers join together in conversation under one roof over these five extraordinary days. From maestros whose oeuvre continues to expand in dynamic ways, to singular emerging voices who make leaps with their second films or feature debuts, to absolute newcomers whose striking entryways into the cinematic form have us longing for more.”

    The two films making their North American premieres at IFFLA are the dark supernatural tale Rapture by Dominic Sangma, a Locarno premiered Garo language film set in a remote Meghalayan community where a Christian pastor desperately struggles to maintain his grip over his congregation; and Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi, a scathing Malayalam chamber drama starring Vinay Forrt, about the havoc that ensues amidst a twelve-man theater troupe when their sole female member is groped by one of her colleagues.

    IFFLA will host the US premieres of two documentary features: The World is Family by legendary filmmaker Anand Patwardhan (Reason, War and Peace), his most personal film to date, that pays tribute to his parents whose lives were closely linked with India’s independence movement; and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain, a lyrical homage to one of the last remaining jute mills in West Bengal, once home to the world’s largest jute industry, now ravaged by mechanization.

    Co-director of programming Ritesh Mehta added, “We remain deeply committed to championing women directors, the forces behind 50% of our shorts program. Additionally, we are enthralled by how well the shorts represent the rich diversity of diasporic stories, from immigrant to second generation and mixed race experiences, from America to New Zealand, and beyond.”

    Of the 16 short films presented in IFFLA’s main competition lineup half of them are US productions, with seven countries and 13 languages represented. This section boasts three world premieres including IFFLA alum Sushma Khadepaun’s Places I’ve Called My Own, starring Aditi Vasudev, about an Indian woman returning from the US and navigating fragile threads of family and unrequited queer love; Jhanvi Motla’s Mirage; and Aleem Hossain’s On the Blue Table.

    Other highlights include Vibirson Gnanatheepan’s Anushan from France, about a teenager reconciling with his Tamil identity when an uncle arrives from Sri Lanka with wounds of war; the award-winning Bangladeshi documentary, Fantasy in a Concrete Jungle by Mehedi Mostafa; the DGA student winner Men in Blue, by Sachin Dheeraj Mudigonda; Reema Maya’s Sundance premiered Nocturnal Burger; and Running, a playful hybrid documentary written and performed by Danny Pudi and directed by Arpita Mukherjee, that follows Pudi as he sets out to uncover the story of his late estranged father.

    “Los Angeles has become home to countless artists with roots across South Asia and its diasporas. IFFLA has long been a vital touchstone for filmmakers due to both the platform it provides for their work to be seen in the heart of the American film industry as well as the support and networking it has offered the directors, actors, and other film artists who have been a part of the IFFLA ‘family,” stated Marouda.

    Seven features and 16 shorts will compete for the Grand Jury Prize Awards, which will be announced by the Jury members during the Awards Ceremony at the Closing Night Gala, along with the Audience Choice Awards.

    One of the most notable aspects of IFFLA 2023 is its continuing commitment to diversity and inclusivity. The festival not only showcased films from different regions of India but also celebrated the voices of Indian diaspora filmmakers from around the world. This inclusivity highlighted the global reach of Indian cinema and its ability to resonate with audiences of various backgrounds.

  • It is the culmination of one’s keen observation and boundless imagination that eventually translates into stories: Storyteller actor filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai

    It is the culmination of one’s keen observation and boundless imagination that eventually translates into stories: Storyteller actor filmmaker Sudhanshu Rai

    Mumbai:  The film industry in the pursuit of box office collections has not concentrated on good content or storytelling. Today’s audience’s thanks to the surge of OTT platforms and exposure to all kinds of content and especially regional has become choosy and not taking to Hindi films in a big way.

    Sudhanshu Rai is an Indian film director, actor and storyteller. Rai made his acting and directorial debut in 2021 with Chaipatti, which premiered on YouTube and subsequently released on OTT platforms Disney+ Hotstar and MX Player. A year later in 2022, he released his first web series Detective Boomrah wherein he was the director and also the lead actor

    Indiantelevision.com caught up with the filmmaker to know more about the art of storytelling and box office

    ‘Kahaniyaan,’  has successfully completed the first season.  ‘Chaipatti’ on ISHQ 104.8 FM, which is Rai’s first production, has garnered rave reviews and positive feedback across video and OTT platforms like Disney+ Hotstar, MX Player and YouTube.

    On advice for aspiring filmmakers and storytellers who are creating work both commercially viable and artistically meaningful

    The fundamental elements of any story are imagination and observation. It is the culmination of one’s keen observation and boundless imagination that eventually translates into stories. Once you start writing your observations, they get interspersed with your thoughts and understanding, thereby giving it the shape of a story. While this helps in weaving the story forward, it also helps you in ascertaining the shortcomings as well as strength. Instead of opting for various professional and theoretical courses, one needs to first make a start themselves.

    The same goes for storytellers as well as the filmmakers, for the key here too is to make a start, even if it is a small beginning. You may start with something small like a YouTube video or short film with friends. A smartphone is enough to make this a reality, provided you have a captivating storyline and a unique concept that relates to the audience in place. Instead of waiting for the right opportunity, or even the right investor, one can start small, and keep on polishing their skills.

    In order to make any form of art – storytelling or filmmaking – commercially viable, the pre-requisite is a certain level of experience. When you take the commercial route, you need to get associated with professionals, who cannot be managed or whose full potential cannot be utilized unless one at the helm of affairs has the basic knowledge & experience. Lack of experience acts as an impediment to great teamwork, and thus prevents you from the desired or envisioned product. Therefore, my foremost advice to aspiring filmmakers and storytellers is to take the first step, and initiate their vision at whatever level possible, for it is rightly said – well begun is half done!

    On the belief that there is a tension between box office success and good storytelling

    Box office runs on commercial success, where the number of tickets sold equate to the money earned by the film. So, to cash in on this factor, filmmakers have traditionally been packaging similar storyline and concepts in different packages with different actors. It did lead to commercial success, but the old method does not work with today’s audience. This is why newer genres, new storylines are being experimented with. I am a storyteller and a filmmaker and I have realised the changing taste of the audience when it comes to stories. Thrillers and haunted stories for instance are being lapped up by listeners of late.

    While filmmaking is nearly 127 odd years old, the art of storytelling is considered as ancient as humankind. The only difference being that the traditional art passed through generations is now at a pinnacle, like never before. Best storytellers in India today are giving an experience to their listeners, no less than a cinema or even concert. Supported by sound effects, ambient music, orchestrated lighting and voice modulations, it almost feels like a film without visuals playing before your senses. As a filmmaker too, I derive heavily from my storytelling experiences. I have realised that just like storytelling innovates every day, we need newer stories to enthral the audience, and filmmakers too need to evolve and experiment with variety, unlike the past.

    It is often said that storytelling is the core of filmmaking. Hence, the need is to build a film on the foundation of a strong story, and only then can we get the best of both worlds. There is definitely no tension between the two as the two are interspersed. 

    On telling a good story or making money

    Without a second thought, both are equally important. In fact I would reiterate here that the most important thing is to take the first step, at whatever level feasible for one. And almost equally important is to ensure the commercial viability of it because it is not easy to take your stories to larger audiences in the paucity of money or resources. Once your first step is a commercial success, you will get the resources to bring more stories to the audience. Making a film is a time consuming process, right from conceiving it to presenting a story, the production and the post production. And every stage needs money. Thus, commercial success frees you from many shackles, as you need money to present a good story too. However, just like the Hippocratic Oath for doctors, it is sacrosanct for a storyteller to tell a good story. One can never compromise on the same. And this is what differentiates one film from another. 

    On the  importance of originality and experimentation in filmmaking

    Originality and experimentation always ensure that you are different from the league, and en route successful feats. If we look at it traditionally, all filmmakers considered iconic have stood out of the crowd solely because of their uniqueness and storytelling prowess. Films made decades ago continue to entice and amaze large sections of the audience even today. They get pretty much the same adulation and appreciation that they received several years ago. I would like to mention the name of Steven Spielberg here, who is no less than extraordinary owing to completely distinct concepts and style of filmmaking. In India too, we have had talented directors such as Sriram Raghavan, who has delivered films like Andhadhun and Ek Hasina Thi, which performed well because of novel concepts and powerful performances. To sum it up, it is the elements of originality and experimentation that differentiates a successful filmmaker from the other.

    For instance, our previous streaming releases Chaipatti, Chintaa Mani or Detective Boomrah are anything but cinema with run-of-the-mill storylines. They present novel concepts in a manner that strikes a chord with the audience. Our upcoming Bollywood sci-fi thriller, directed by Puneet Sharma, too is based on a never-seen-before storyline. The actors in the film, including myself, Sourabh Raaj Jain, Hiten Tejwani, Shobhit Sujay and Manisha Sharma, are portraying characters distinct from almost all our previous performances. The factor of novelty continues to rule the roost.

    On today’s Regional cinema producing good content at 1/10th the price and making profit in the box office

    The prime reason for the success of regional films is that they never dilute the local flavour in their storylines and films. Also, the filmmakers in regional industries always take into account the preferences, expectations and liking of the masses. In fact, the mainstream Bollywood filmmakers need to take a cue from them and ensure that the aspect of the masses is not ignored, for they are the ones that actually organically connect a film to the audience. Probably, some of the new-age filmmakers have realized the same and hence making attempts to capture the ethnicity and culture of different regions, thereby delivering some successful releases of late.

    Furthermore, the regional stars and superstars share a personal connection and rapport with the audience at large. If any of the current leading men from Bollywood are cast in, say a Bhojpuri, Telugu or Kannada film, it might fail to correspondingly resonate with the audience. But the results are completely different when the viewers watch their ‘own’ heroes on the screen.

    So, when it comes to making more profitable films, we need new storytellers, more precisely, new age storytellers. Filmmakers can no longer afford to play safe. They are continuing to play safe and hence not being able to probably keep pace with time.

  • Eros International Plc to release Andhadhun in Japan on november 15

    Eros International Plc to release Andhadhun in Japan on november 15

    MUMBAI: – Eros International Plc, a Global Indian Entertainment Company, has announced the planned theatrical release of Andhadhun in cinemas in Japan on November 15th. Andhadhun is an Indian black comedy crime thriller film directed by Sriram Raghavan. The engaging thriller starring Tabu, Ayushmann Khurrana and Radhika Apte was originally released theatrically in India and internationally to widespread critical acclaim. The film was produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Matchbox Pictures and distributed internationally by Eros International.

    Andhadhun has already been screened and appreciated by the audience of multiple nationalities and cultures in various parts of the world including China, Korea, Russia and Kazakhastan.

    Speaking on the announcement,Eros International Media Ltd  Chief Operating Officer Kumar Ahuja said, “Eros Now’s legacy of entertaining the masses with the best of Bollywood films is a well-established territory. We are keen on sharing this exciting & highly captivating narrative with the audience of Japan and hoping they will enjoy and embrace the film it just as much as the viewers did from the other parts of the world.”