Tag: Jaya Bachchan

  • Mumbai Film Festival to feature workshops by cinematic legends

    Mumbai Film Festival to feature workshops by cinematic legends

    MUMBAI: In addition to the stellar lineup of over 200 movies set to be screened at this year‘s most eagerly awaited 14th Mumbai Film Festival, it promises to offer attendees with an opportunity to be audience to panel discussions and participate in workshops conducted at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) by cinematic luminaries from around the globe.

    The most enthusiastically anticipated workshop at the festival is the two-day Pitching Screenwriting and Script Development Masterclass that will commence on 17 October with a panel discussion on pitching.

    Participants will benefit from invaluable inputs on the subject provided by Claire Dobbin, script consultant and chair of the Melbourne International Film Festival, renowned scriptwriter David Maggee and special guests such as successful Indian film producers Madhu Mantena (Ghajini) and Guneet Monga (Gangs of Wasseypur) as well as illustrious Indian film director Dev Benegal. The session will be followed by a seminar on How to Approach the Rewrite by Claire Dobbin.

    The subsequent session on 18 October will begin with a presentation by David Maggee, scriptwriter of films such as Life of Pi and Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day about his masterpiece Finding Neverland. This will be followed by a dissection of the developmental process of the film.

    The workshop will conclude with a seminar with Claire Dobbin and celebrated Australian film producer Robyn Kershaw on how to pitch in a way that turns a no to yes, an integral part of filmmaking and knowledge that is imperative for aspiring filmmakers in Final Pitches.

    The sessions on both the days are scheduled at the K. R. Cama Institute, Opp. Lions Gate, Fort, between 10 am and 5 pm.

    Science fiction movie buffs attending the festival on Saturday, 20th October, 2012 will be ecstatic about the 2 – 3 pm segment featuring an open forum discussion between Gary Kurtz, legendary producer of epic Hollywood films such as Star Wars and The Steal and Anubhav Sinha, acclaimed Indian director of 2011 science fiction superhero blockbuster Ra.One, about the similarities and differences in execution from Eastern and Western points of view in the making of science fiction films.

    This edition of the Mumbai Film Festival will also witness the country‘s first open forum Panel Discussion on the current state of film preservation and the challenges facing archives in future world of diminishing financial resources and rapidly evolving technologies between 1 & 2.30 pm on Sunday, 21st October, 2012. The session will involve eminent guests representing World Cinema Foundation, Film Foundation, Twentieth Century Fox Archives and Academy Film Archive of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as other highly distinguished members of the international cinematic fraternity. The session will be moderated by Ian Birnie, US Representative at the Mumbai Film Festival and Director of the Film Department at the Los Angeles County Museum.

    Other workshops at the festival include the Masterclass in "Concept to Script to Film Production" conducted on Sunday, 21st October, 2012 between 3 & 5 pm by ace Filipino film director Brillante Mendoza and moderated by respected German film critic Daniel Kothenschulte, who will also groom the collegians selected for ‘Mumbai Young Critics‘ in another segment.

    A special segment organised by WIFT (Women in Film & Television) will see veteran actor Jaya Bachchan conduct a Masterclass in Acting on Monday, 22nd October between 3 & 5 pm.

    The Masterclass in Creative Production will be conducted by Gary Kurtz between 3 & 5 pm on Wednesday, 24th October, 2012 and moderated by seasoned film producer Julian Alcantara who will also moderate the Masterclass in Direction conducted by noted director Andy Tennant of ‘Fool‘s Gold‘, ‘Hitch‘ and ‘Anna and the King‘ fame on Thursday, 25th October, 2012 between 2 & 4 pm.

  • Big B to lead Indian film delegation for MIFF

    MUMBAI: Legendary actor Amitabh Bachchan will lead the delegation of Indian artistes and filmmakers for the 12th edition of Marrakech International Film Festival, Morocco.

    While the exact dates for the event has not been finalised, the festival will be held in November-December.

    The list of the attendees to the festival also includes Bachchan’s wife and actress Jaya Bachchan, besides son Abhishek Bachchan and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

    The delegation also boasts of the Khan trio Shah Rukh, Saif and Aamir Khan, former minister and Congress leader Shashi Kapoor, ace film-makers Yash Chopra and Shekhar Kapur, Nandita Das, Preity Zinta and Aparna Sen.

    The festival will have events dedicated to Indian cinema including screening of Indian films and felicitation of Indian talent. Every evening the festival will be invited to the Jemaa el-Fnaa Square of the city to watch outdoor screenings of a selection of recent films from India.

    The Marrakech International Film Festival held under the patronage King Mohammed VI is run by a foundation headed by Prince Moulay Rachid.

    The festival had in the past promoted Indian cinema, which is celebrating its centenary year this year.

  • IFFK opens today; to have a mix of World Cinema

    IFFK opens today; to have a mix of World Cinema

    MUMBAI: Kerala Chief minister Oomen Chandy declared the 16th International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) open at the Nishagandhi open air auditorium in Thiruvanthapuram today.

    The inaugural function, that will have Jaya Bachchan as the chief guest, will also be attended by Om Puri.

    The festival will feature 196 films from across 65 countries in 15 different sections. More than 100 delegates from abroad, including 50 eminent personalities, are expected to attend the festival. 

    11 films from Asia, Africa and Latin American countries will figure in the competition section. In the retrospective section, films of Robert Bresson (France), Nagisa Oshima (Japan), Theo Angelopoulose (Greece), Adolfas Mekas (USA) and Djibril Diop Mambety (Senegal) will be screened.

    In addition, seven films of Malayalam actor Madu will also be screened. In the homage section, films of Raul Ruiz, Mani Kaul, Tariq Masood and Elizabeth Taylor, artists who passed away in 2011, will be screened.

    A special package on football will also be the attraction of the festival. In addition, open forums, discussions, and conversations with eminent personalities will add flavour to the festival.

    The festival will conclude on 16 December.

  • Bangladesh film Guerrilla wins top award at KFF

    Bangladesh film Guerrilla wins top award at KFF

    MUMBAI: The Bangladeshi film Guerrilla, which recreates the heroic deeds of the valiant freedom fighters of the 1971 liberation war, won the best Asian film award in the ‘Asian Select‘ section at the 17th Kolkata Film Festival (KFF).

    In all, 12 films competed in the Asian Select section for the coveted award. This was for the first time that a separate competitive section was added to KFF that was so far the oldest non-competitive film festival in the country.

    Besides, London-based filmmaker Hammad Khan‘s Slackistan, Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylon‘s Once Upon a Time in Anatolia, Hungarian director Bela Tarr‘s The Turin Horse and Certified Copy made by Italian director Abbas Kiarostami too proved to be a hit with the audience.

    But the biggest attraction of the festival was Ketan Mehta‘s film Rang Rasiya and the Bangladeshi film Meherjaan. While Rang Rasiya is based on the life of 19th century painter Raja Ravi Varma, Meherjaan, that stars Victor Banerjee and Jaya Bachchan along with a number of actors from Bangladesh and Pakistan, is about a Bangladeshi woman‘s love affair with a Pakistani soldier during the 1971 Liberation War.

    The festival also saw the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee declare her government‘s plans to felicitate renowned directors and actors of Hollywood and Bollywood from 2012. “From next year we will felicitate and award the famous directors, actors and even good technicians of Hollywood, Bollywood and Tollywood,” she said while addressing the closing ceremony of the 17th KFF.

  • Deepak Sawant signs Jaya Bachchan for Bhojpuri film

    Deepak Sawant signs Jaya Bachchan for Bhojpuri film

    MUMBAI: Following his penchant with the name Ganga, Deepak Sawant, the make up man of Amitabh Bachchan and film producer has signed Jaya Bachchan for his next Bhojpuri film Gangadevi.

    “Mother has a strong role in the film that is a political thriller so I thought Jayaji would fit the bill. Initially she was reluctant, but later agreed to do the role,” revealed Sawant.

    “I will also request Amitji to be part of this film since he has featured in all my Bhojpuri ventures starting from Ganga,” he added.

    The film will also mark the debut of Gulshan Grover in Bhojpuri cinema.

    Sawant had earlier made films like Akka Ajay Phansekar and Sulabha Deshpande in 1994, Ganga with Amitabh Bachchan, Hema Malini in 2006 and Gangotri with Amitabh Bachchan and Bhoomika Chawla in 2007.

  • Tanishq associates with Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan for an ad

    Tanishq associates with Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan for an ad

    MUMBAI: Jewellery brand, Tanishq, has associated with movie-stars Amitabh Bachchan and Jaya Bachchan for their forthcoming diamond campaign.

    The campaign that is scheduled to go on air in mid April, aims to create awareness on how to evaluate the purity of these precious stones at the time of purchase.

    According to an official statement, this ad will educate consumers about the 4Cs: cut, clarity, colour and carat.

    Tanishq vice president Sandeep Kulhalli said, “With the growing demand for diamond jewellery category that contributes major part of our sales, our major focus this year will be to offer hi-quality diamond jewellery coupled with exquisite designs. Understanding the lack of awareness amongst customers in choosing right diamonds, we conceived the idea of educating our consumers through the ad campaign.”

    On Tanishq‘s association with the Bachchans, Kulhalli said that for this campaign they needed someone who would reflect the brand‘s standing, and connect with people across a wide spectrum.

    “We needed to create something that conveyed the desired message in an uncomplicated way. In line with this thought, we zeroed in on Mr. and Mrs Bachchan for this ad, whose combined fan following varies across 6 to 60 yrs of age, and will be desired personalities to reach out to the people easily spreading awareness on this precious jewel”, Kulhalli added.

    Said Amitabh Bachchan, “I am glad to be a part of this ad campaign. This campaign has helped me discover the finer details on buying diamonds besides giving me an opportunity to create awareness on this rarest and most beautiful form of the precious stone.”

    Added Jaya Bachchan, “While working in this campaign I got to know that the genuinity of a diamond depends on the cut, clarity and carat of the diamond, irrespective of the size. It is important for each one of us to know these intricate details, especially if there are any inclusions or spots in them.”
     

  • Vertu Constellation touches base in India

    Vertu Constellation touches base in India

    MUMBAI: Vertu, luxury mobile phone manufacturers unveiled their new collection of hand crafted handsets ‘Constellation’ in Mumbai today. To cater to a niche clientele, this range offers seven handsets as part of its collection and targets globe trotters.

    Crafted by creative director Frank Nuovo, the inspiration for this collection has be derived from an aircraft and thus, the details on the phone resemble the wing form, propellers and air inlets. The Constellation collection ranges from stainless steel to gold finishes with an array of colourful leather backs and the distinguishing feature of a ceramic keypad that is said to be scratch resistant. Depending on the model the price could differ from two to nine lakhs.

    “The fluid surface developments are inspired by classic aircraft – in particular, the classic cross section of the leading edge of wings combined with the high polished metal and small fasteners along many edges. Symbolically, the microphone port design is a subtle tribute to the powerful force that made our first aircraft fly – a classic propeller fan. Vertu Constellation has a sleek and confident low profile. Leather is a dominant material to increase the tactile delight in the hand. I wanted the elegant sophistication and dramatic appeal of Vertu Signature with a slight softening and a small degree of visual simplification of form and line”, said Frank Nuovo.

    Showcased by Vertu Global marketing director Chris Harris, the collection is being distributed solely by Matrix Distribution Pvt. Ltd. Currently available in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai, the later half of this year will see outlets in Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chandigarh. It will be available at select high end jewellry and watch outlets like Popley La Classique at the Grand Hyatt in Mumbai, The Helvetica at Spencer’s Plaza in Chennai, Rodeo Drive in Bangalore, the Johnson Watch Company and the Regent Watch and Jewellry Co. Maurya Sheraton Hotel in New Delhi.

    The collection will be showcased in fashion and lifestyle magazines and the buzz created around this brand should provide incentive enough for high flyers to make their style statement with this new accessory.

    When queried about the demand for such a high end phone in the Indian market, Matrix Distributors Pvt Ltd Tusshar Alvani said, “The brand value of Vertu is huge internationally and in India too we have far exceeded our expectations. This is a luxury phone that gives a sense of accomplishment and reward to its owner.”

    Taking luxury travel to another dimension ‘Constellation’ is the third addition to the Vertu stable. Prior to this, Vertu launched its Signature and Ascent collections based on the themes of luxury watches and Formula 1, respectively. The Signature collection used precious metals and the upper end model a platinum solitaire diamond handset was priced at 22 lakhs, while the Ascent F1 race track series gives the aggressive look and feel associated with the sport.

    “The design of Vertu Constellation began with the precise understanding of our achievements with both the Vertu Signature and the Vertu Ascent models. The Vertu Constellation design was conceived in order to complement both of these Vertu originals and reinforce the style and design quality of the Vertu Brand,” stated Nuovo.

    Vertu Constellation was designed to assist the demanding traveller encompassing a quad-band engine with connection in over 180 countries around the globe; real-time flight tracking that enables Vertu Constellation to provide flight information, in the lounge or en-route to the airport. The real-time currency converter provides correct currency information when required, and the world clock tells the time at home as well as away, in up to three locations simultaneously. To complete the navigation facility Vertu Constellation has world weather facilities that let one know exactly what to expect when you get to your destination.

    Vertu Concierge complements the Vertu Constellation and allows one button access to lifestyle services 24 hours a day from virtually anywhere in the world. Vertu Concierge can help from recommending local restaurants and making theatre bookings, or simply sending a gift to someone around the globe.

    Available at 300 authorised retailers across 40 countries worldwide, the brand has also made its mark in India with Sabyasachi, Shobha De, Leander Paes and Atul Kasbekar posing as its brand ambassadors. The Ascent F1 model was gifted to SRK by Karan Johar, in addition, other owners of Vertu phones include Katrina Kaif and Jaya Bachchan, while the Beckham couple along with pop diva Madonna also own Vertu phones.