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Tag: Mani Ratnam

  • Lyca rolls camera on trio of treats for south cinema superfans

    Lyca rolls camera on trio of treats for south cinema superfans

    MUMBAI: Lights, camera, triple action! Lyca Productions is turning up the heat in South Indian cinema, announcing a power-packed line-up of three upcoming films that promise drama, spectacle and plenty of box-office buzz.

    The studio, which made waves with the 2014 blockbuster Kaththi and more recently with Mani Ratnam’s magnum opus Ponniyin Selvan Parts 1 and 2, is back on set with fresh plans to deliver another round of cinematic showstoppers. Known for its flair for grandeur and high-stakes storytelling, Lyca is doubling, making that tripling, down on its mission to redefine regional filmmaking for a global audience.

    A spokesperson for Lyca confirmed: “We are pleased to confirm that Lyca Productions has plans to produce three new movies in the coming months. Our team has a proven track record of delivering major hits, both critically and commercially.”

    Lyca’s secret sauce? A solid mix of creative vision and pan-Indian appeal. The production house has become synonymous with high-quality Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films, consistently spotlighting top-tier talent both in front of and behind the camera.

    Part of the Lyca Group of companies, the studio has carved out a space where South Indian cinema thrives not just locally, but globally. From its early days producing landmark titles to its current standing as a cinematic powerhouse, Lyca’s journey is as gripping as the films it backs.

    And if fan ratings are anything to go by Lyca’s films consistently score big on platforms like Imdb, the audience is already sold. With three more titles loading, the production house is clearly not just banking on past glory.

    “We are committed to investing in the future of the Indian film industry,” the spokesperson added, “supporting the next generation of writers, directors and actors, bringing their best talents to the big screen.”

    From historic epics to contemporary thrillers, Lyca’s upcoming slate could be just what the doctor ordered for a movie-hungry audience. Now all eyes are on the big screen and on what magic Lyca will unveil next.

  • SRK, Mani Ratnam among prominents to be at ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ awards

    SRK, Mani Ratnam among prominents to be at ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ awards

    Mumbai: CNN-News18, India’s one of the leading English news channels unveils the highly anticipated ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ awards, an upcoming spectacle, on 10 January at New Delhi. Recognised as India’s premier television awards now into its 13 edition, the ceremony vows to honour excellence, spotlighting Indians who have conquered the world across various domains. This year, the awards evening will witness the presence of the ‘King of Bollywood’, actor Shah Rukh Khan, renowned filmmaker Mani Ratman, among others.

    Set to honour luminaries in the categories of business, sports, entertainment, youth icon, rising sports star, social change, and climate warrior, the ‘Indian of the Year’ awards stand as a beacon of recognition for those shaping India’s narrative. A ground-breaking feature of this year’s event is the distinctive blend of expert judgment and public voting, where 50 per cent of the decision-making power lies with the discerning audience, and the remaining 50 per cent entrusted to a distinguished panel of judges.

    The esteemed panel of jurors comprises iconic figures, including former solicitor general of India Harish Salve, screenwriter and lyricist Javed Akhtar, Retd Supreme Court Judge Indu Malhotra, former Indian athlete and vice-president of Athletics Federation of India Anju Bobby George, chairperson of RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, Sanjiv Goenka, and environmental activist and lawyer, Afroz Shah. Their collective wisdom ensures a judicious selection of the most deserving awardees.

    The event’s significance is magnified by the calibre of nominees for ‘Indian of the Year 2023.’ sports stars such as Neeraj Chopra, Shubman Gill; rising sports stars such as R Praggnanandhaa, Shafali Verma; business tycoons such as Dinesh Kumar Khara, entertainment stars such as Deepika Padukone, Mani Ratnam; environmental champions like Arun Krishnamurthy, and social change catalysts such as Dr R Ravi Kannan, Menaka Guruswamy & Arundhati Katju, reflect the diverse tapestry of India’s excellence.

    With a legacy that includes past winners such as Narendra Modi, Neeraj Chopra, and Virat Kohli, the ‘CNN-News18 Indian of the Year’ awards have solidified their standing as the epitome of distinction in news television. The 13 edition promises to be a witness to the grandeur and credibility that the event has acquired over the years.

    CNN-News18 managing editor Zakka Jacob said, “CNN-News18 Indian of the Year award 2023 is a momentous occasion to celebrate the legacy we have built over the years. This prestigious event, with its rich history, has consistently paid homage to exceptional individuals whose contributions have not only shaped the nation but have also resonated on the global stage. The distinguished personalities who participate in this celebration of merit have, year after year, elevated the standards of this platform, cementing its status as one of the most esteemed awards in the industry.”

    Network18 CEO – English and business news cluster Smriti Mehra said, “As we mark the journey from its inception to the 13 edition, CNN-News18 Indian of the Year awards stand tall as the epitome of excellence in the field of news television. We extend our heartfelt best wishes to the esteemed nominees, who, through their remarkable global contributions, have become the driving force behind the nation’s narrative. It’s a flagship celebration that not only enhances the prestige of our news channel but also creates unparalleled value for the brands that choose to partner with us.”

    CNN-News18 Indian of the Year has RPSG Group as the presenting partner, Chola MS Insurance and Reliance as the associate sponsors, and Amrita University as the education partner.

    Tune in to CNN-News18 Indian of the Year 2023 LIVE on 10  January 2024, 6pm onwards, only on CNN-News18

  • Lights, camera, recognition! CNN-News18 to honour top entertainers at Indian of the Year 2023

    Lights, camera, recognition! CNN-News18 to honour top entertainers at Indian of the Year 2023

    Mumbai: In the rich fabric of India’s culture, entertainment plays a pivotal role, with cinema holding the lion’s share in uplifting the nation’s spirits. CNN-News18, the number one English news channel in India, is back with news television’s biggest awards, CNN-News 18 Indian of the Year (IOTY) 2023. The awards will honour individuals who have brought pride to the nation with remarkable contributions in their respective fields. Recognizing excellence across seven categories – Entertainment, Business, Sports, Youth Icon, Rising Sports Star, Social Change, and Climate Warriors, IOTY 2023 promises to be a celebration of India’s finest achievers.

    In a year that witnessed the Indian film industry scale new heights, the entertainment category of ‘Indian of the Year 2023’ promises to be an electrifying showcase of talent and success. Here are the luminaries who will be contending for the ‘Indian of the Year – Entertainment’ title:

    1. Shah Rukh Khan – Two biggest Hindi blockbusters of all time, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Jawan’ gave Bollywood the much-needed break from its longest box office dry spell, re-affirming SRK as the one and only king of Bollywood.

    2. Mani Ratnam – The years 2022 and 2023 saw Ratnam’s spectacular take on the revered novel of Ponniyin Selvan, which he adapted for the big screen in two parts ‘PS-I’ and ‘PS-II,’ respectively, captivating the audience worldwide.  

    3. Sunny Deol – He witnessed a career-defining moment in 2023 after he reprised his iconic role as Tara Singh in Anil Sharma’s ‘Gadar 2’. The film recreated the magic of the original movie and helped Deol make the biggest comeback of his career.

    4. Deepika Padukone – In 2023, she stunned everyone as a true-blue action star in Siddharth Anand’s Pathaan. Deepika’s Rubina Mohsin has set a new benchmark for her contemporaries in Bollywood. Deepika also performed a stellar cameo in Jawan, which is the highest grosser of 2023 so far.

    5. Manoj Bajpayee – His most recent releases ‘Gulmohar’ and ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ were described by critics as the most hard-hitting films of 2023. The actor’s terrific portrayal of an upright advocate fighting against a rape-accused godman in ‘Sirf Ek Bandaa Kaafi Hai’ easily puts him in the topmost league of actors in Indian cinema.

    The winner will be revealed at the star-studded grand finale celebrating luminaries in Indian entertainment at The Indian of the Year 2023 award ceremony.

    The ‘Indian of the Year’ Awards have been a beacon of recognition for exceptional talent across various fields. Past winners in the entertainment category include legends like Amitabh Bachchan, A R Rahman, Irrfan Khan, Rajkummar Rao, Aamir Khan, Allu Arjun, and Rajkumar Hirani, to name a few.

    This year, the winner selection process will combine expert judgment and public voting, with 50% of the decision-making power given to the audience and the remaining 50% entrusted to the jury. Online voting will remain open throughout November. To cast your vote for your favourite Indian and for more details regarding the awards, visit www.indianoftheyear.com

  • Viacom18 partners with FHF in its film restoration and archiving for third year

    MUMBAI:  Viacom18 announced its support to the Film Heritage Foundation (FHF) for the annual Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India being held from 7 to 14 October 2017 in Chennai.

    The partnership was flagged off for the third consecutive year at an event held today in the city and was attended by Viacom 18 group CEO Sudhanshu Vats, legendary actor and producer Kamal Haasan, renowned film-maker Mani Ratnam and celebrated film-maker, archivist and founder director of Film Heritage Foundation Shivendra Singh Dungarpur.

    The Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2017 aims to train an indigenous pool of film archivists and restorers as well as to create awareness about the urgent need to save India’s cinematic heritage. With previous editions being held in Mumbai and Pune, this year the workshop hopes to not create awareness among  the South Indian film industry to this urgent issue but to build on the movement that has been created all over India as well as in neighboring countries.

    “At the heart of it, civilization is a chronicle of stories across generations. As India’s foremost storytellers we connect deeply with this ethos and our support to Film Heritage Foundation is a confluence of this shared belief. India’s culture and heritage is captured creatively and reflected through our films and therefore, these become historical artefacts representative of the times they were created in. It is pertinent that this content is preserved for reference as well as archived for perusal by future generations”, Vats said.

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    Dungarpur added, “Film Heritage Foundation is committed to preserve the film heritage of India across various genres and languages. Bringing the workshop to Chennai this year, our aim is to create awareness about the urgent need to preserve India’s film heritage including the rich regional film heritage of the South Indian film industry. The programme this year is further strengthened with support of Viacom18 and enriched by partnering with the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF), the Film Foundation’s World Cinema Project, L’Immagine Ritrovata, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, Prasad Corp., La Cinémathèque Française, Imperial War Museums, Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna, the Finnish Film Archive and the Czech National Film Archive and Criterion Collection.”

    Open to applicants from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh, the Film Preservation & Restoration Workshop India 2017 will extensively focus on repairing damaged and decayed celluloid film, restore and preserve film posters, lobby cards, song booklets and photographs, techniques of digital preservation and restoration etc.

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    There are several scholarships available for deserving candidates along with job opportunities at FHF on successful completion of the course.

    Speaking about the workshop, Haasan said, “I am very happy and proud to know that the Film Heritage Foundation has decided to come to Chennai to run a workshop on film archiving. I have seen them do it once in Pune. There were about 50 students and I was really moved. The film industry should come forward to conserve, save and keep our film heritage intact. And this very important workshop is going to teach future archivists how to go about preserving film.It is a very important workshop for those interested in cinema itself, cinema not only of today but of yesterday.”

    Eminent experts from across the globe such as FIAF’s Head of Training and Outreach David Walsh, Camille Blot-Wellens from FIAF, Tina Kelly from Imperial War Museum, Dawn Jaros from the Academy of Motion Picture, Arts & Sciences, Emilie Cauquy from La Cinémathèque française, and Marianna De Sanctis from L’Immagine Ritrovata, Bologna, amongst others will comprise the faculty of the workshop.

  • Dangal benchmarked; new big race on cards

    Dangal benchmarked; new big race on cards

    MUMBAI: It has been tough going for the exhibition trade for the last couple of weeks as there has been nothing to feed the screens. Thankfully, Dangal sustained the trade for three weeks and still, in its fourth week and fifth weekend, has been drawing better footfalls than the new releases could do.

    The new week comes as a windfall for the exhibition trade as two major films, Kaabil and Raees, release midweek, on 25 January, to cash in on the Republic Day holiday on Thursday. In fact, this is more than the exhibitors could have asked for as their acumen is on test on which film should be given how many screens!

    The scale will probably tilt in the favour of whichever film looks more likely to go with the multiplex audience. Such competition and simultaneous release between two major star-cast films coming from established banners, is not wise and also rare in the high stakes scenario.

    *Coffee With D proves to be another film made on whim! The makers fancy with the don Dawood has caused many losses among investors. And, to think that a poorly conceived idea of shaming the don could work, the idea was amateur. Not to mention that so was the scripting and direction besides the poor casting.

    The film remained below a collection of Rs 15 lakh on its opening day and faced the same fate as other such films do, no viewers leading to cancelled shows. The film collected a total of around Rs 50 lakh for its opening weekend.

    *Haraamkhor makers shared the ‘success’ of their film with the media the other day! For a film that was rejected outright and failed to find audience on most days of its opening week, this must be quite an achievement. The film’s collection figures barely crossed merely a crore-mark, for the week.

    *OK Jaanu is poor; but managed to collect just Rs 16.85 crore in its first week. The big names of Karan Johar and Mani Ratnam didn’t help, only the content does.

    *Dangal has sustained very well in its fourth week by collecting Rs 15.08 crore taking its four-week total to Rs 374.95 crore. The film has added further Rs 6.12 crore for its fifth weekend to take its 31-day tally to Rs 381.07 crore.

  • Dangal benchmarked; new big race on cards

    Dangal benchmarked; new big race on cards

    MUMBAI: It has been tough going for the exhibition trade for the last couple of weeks as there has been nothing to feed the screens. Thankfully, Dangal sustained the trade for three weeks and still, in its fourth week and fifth weekend, has been drawing better footfalls than the new releases could do.

    The new week comes as a windfall for the exhibition trade as two major films, Kaabil and Raees, release midweek, on 25 January, to cash in on the Republic Day holiday on Thursday. In fact, this is more than the exhibitors could have asked for as their acumen is on test on which film should be given how many screens!

    The scale will probably tilt in the favour of whichever film looks more likely to go with the multiplex audience. Such competition and simultaneous release between two major star-cast films coming from established banners, is not wise and also rare in the high stakes scenario.

    *Coffee With D proves to be another film made on whim! The makers fancy with the don Dawood has caused many losses among investors. And, to think that a poorly conceived idea of shaming the don could work, the idea was amateur. Not to mention that so was the scripting and direction besides the poor casting.

    The film remained below a collection of Rs 15 lakh on its opening day and faced the same fate as other such films do, no viewers leading to cancelled shows. The film collected a total of around Rs 50 lakh for its opening weekend.

    *Haraamkhor makers shared the ‘success’ of their film with the media the other day! For a film that was rejected outright and failed to find audience on most days of its opening week, this must be quite an achievement. The film’s collection figures barely crossed merely a crore-mark, for the week.

    *OK Jaanu is poor; but managed to collect just Rs 16.85 crore in its first week. The big names of Karan Johar and Mani Ratnam didn’t help, only the content does.

    *Dangal has sustained very well in its fourth week by collecting Rs 15.08 crore taking its four-week total to Rs 374.95 crore. The film has added further Rs 6.12 crore for its fifth weekend to take its 31-day tally to Rs 381.07 crore.

  • Director Brian De Palma to get lifetime award at 72nd Venice Film Fest

    Director Brian De Palma to get lifetime award at 72nd Venice Film Fest

    NEW DELHI: American director Brian De Palma will be receiving the Venice International Film Festival’s Jaeger-Le Coultre Glory to the Filmmaker 2015 Award, dedicated to personalities who have made particularly original contributions to contemporary cinema. 

     

    The award will be given on 9 September in the Palazzo del Cinema. The documentary De Palma by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow will be screened out of competition.

     

    Festival director Alberto Barbera said, “The child of an artistic era (the ’70s) full of innovative ferment, Brian De Palma has made a name for himself as one of the most skillful directors in constructing perfect narrative mechanics with great creative freedom, experimenting with new technical solutions, rejecting the classic rules of the language, abandoning himself to aesthetic virtuosity, and celebrating his favorite authors. When watching a movie by Brian De Palma, we revert to being basic spectators. Although our eyes are wide open to avoid falling into the trap, we know full well we’re bound to fall into it anyway. De Palma’s cinema is playful to the nth degree; it is a pleasure for the eyes and at the same time a game that tantalizes the cinéphile. He has never lost the curiosity of the experimenter as he reinvents the already-seen, and when it comes to constructing and manipulating images, this fundamental trait makes De Palma one of the greatest innovators who came of age in the shadow of the New Hollywood.”

     

    “Jaeger-LeCoultre is proud to pay tribute to Brian De Palma with the Glory to the Filmmaker Award. For ten years, our company has supported the seventh art and the Venice International Film Festival through continuous promotion of cinema’s creativity and ingenuity. Precision watches and the maximum expression of the cinematographic art are fruit of the same passion. Both call for months and even years of concentration and patience, in order for the virtuosity of talented professionals to lead to the creation of masterpieces of aesthetic and technical perfection, destined to last forever,” added Jaeger-LeCoultre CEO Daniel Riedo.

     

    The 72nd Venice International Film Festival (2 to 12 September) has Alberto Barbera as its director and is organized by the Biennale chaired by Paolo Baratta.

     

    Following the award ceremony, the 72nd Film Festival will present the world premiere, Out of Competition, of the documentary De Palma (109’) by Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow. The film grew out of the two directors’ spending time with Brian De Palma for over ten years. It’s an intimate conversation between filmmakers, chronicling Brian’s six decade long career, his life, and his filmmaking process.

     

    This major award consolidates the important bond between the Venice Film Festival and Brian De Palma, who has presented seven movies at the Lido, the first time forty years ago with Sisters in the section Proposte di nuovi film (1975). In 1981, De Palma screened Blow Out in the section Mezzogiorno/Mezzanotte; in 1987, The Untouchables, an out-of-competition Special Event; in 1992, Raising Cain, the closing film in competition; in 2006, The Black Dahlia, the opening film in competition; in 2007, Redacted, in competition and the winner of the Silver Lion; and in 2012, Passion, in competition.

     

    Born in 1940,  De Palma studied film in New York. In 1963, he directed The Wedding Party, giving twenty-year-old Robert De Niro his first part. Carrie, a movie starring Sissy Spacek and based on the Stephen King novel, was his first big success. To date, De Palma has directed over 30 films, including The Untouchables (1987) with Robert De Niro, Kevin Costner and Sean Connery; Mission Impossible (1996) with Tom Cruise; and Scarface (1983) with Al Pacino.

     

    Over the years, De Palma has directed stars such as John Travolta, Melanie Griffith, Tom Hanks and Sean Penn. He is particularly famous for his psychological thrillers, which feature his personal style, unusual camera angles and elements that often recall works by the directors who have influenced him, in particular Alfred Hitchcock. Among the great actors De Palma has directed, three have received Oscar nominations: Sissy Spacek (best actress, Carrie), Piper Laurie (best supporting actress, Carrie) and Sean Connery (best supporting actor, The Untouchables), who received the Oscar for his performance.

     

    Jaeger-LeCoultre has been a sponsor of the Venice International Film Festival for eleven years, and for nine years has sponsored the Glory to the Filmmaker Award. In the past years, the prize has been awarded to Takeshi Kitano (2007), Abbas Kiarostami (2008), Agn?s Varda (2008), Sylvester Stallone (2009), Mani Ratnam (2010), Al Pacino (2011), Spike Lee (2012), Ettore Scola (2013), and James Franco (2014). 

  • Reliance MediaWorks wins Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013 award

    Reliance MediaWorks wins Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013 award

    MUMBAI: Reliance Mediaworks has won the “Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013″ award for Mani Ratnam’s film Kadal, at the 24FPS Awards 2013. The 24FPS International Animation Awards is recognition for animation talent from across India and beyond.

     Reliance MediaWorks had worked on the visual effects of Mani Ratnam’s film ‘Kadal’, released on 1 February.  The company provided end to end solutions for services in visual effects, digital intermediate (DI), elaborate colour grading and digital cinema mastering for the film. Kadal, revolves around the life of Christian fishermen who instill the fact how faith can lead to the triumph of humanity.

    Reliance MediaWorks CEO Venkatesh Roddam said “It has been a privilege and a challenge to work with the winning combination of Mani Ratnam and Rajiv Menon, on Kadal. The duo along with the artistic editor Srihar Prasad gave us a free hand to execute their creative vision. We are very excited on winning the 24FPS Award, and I congratulate the team. The award bears testimony of how the blend of modern technology and a great pool of human talent can contribute to dramatic storytelling”

    The team at Reliance MediaWorks delivered stunning visual effects (over 700+ shots) keeping a hawk eye focus on Mani Ratnam’s brief and his vision. 

    Adding to the same, the film’s DOP Rajiv Menon said; “We technicians work hard on every film, we also form strong bonds as we toil and try to get the colours and textures just right and when the film is released all is forgotten.  I would like to place on record my gratitude to every member of the Reliance MediaWorks team who have worked round the clock, under very difficult timelines and delivered an absolutely world class post production job on the film. Half the credit I am getting for the visuals of Kadal, I need to share with the team at Reliance MediaWorks. I thank you all once again. Keep the flag flying!”

  • Reliance MediaWorks wins ‘Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013’ award

    Reliance MediaWorks wins ‘Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013’ award

    MUMBAI: Reliance Mediaworks has won the “Best Visual Effects Feature Film Studio India 2013″ award for Mani Ratnam’s film Kadal, at the 24FPS Awards 2013. The 24FPS International Animation Awards is recognition for animation talent from across India and beyond.

     Reliance MediaWorks had worked on the visual effects of Mani Ratnam’s film ‘Kadal’, released on 1 February.  The company provided end to end solutions for services in visual effects, digital intermediate (DI), elaborate colour grading and digital cinema mastering for the film. Kadal, revolves around the life of Christian fishermen who instill the fact how faith can lead to the triumph of humanity.

    Reliance MediaWorks CEO Venkatesh Roddam said “It has been a privilege and a challenge to work with the winning combination of Mani Ratnam and Rajiv Menon, on Kadal. The duo along with the artistic editor Srihar Prasad gave us a free hand to execute their creative vision. We are very excited on winning the 24FPS Award, and I congratulate the team. The award bears testimony of how the blend of modern technology and a great pool of human talent can contribute to dramatic storytelling”

    The team at Reliance MediaWorks delivered stunning visual effects (over 700+ shots) keeping a hawk eye focus on Mani Ratnam’s brief and his vision. 

    Adding to the same, the film’s DOP Rajiv Menon said; “We technicians work hard on every film, we also form strong bonds as we toil and try to get the colours and textures just right and when the film is released all is forgotten.  I would like to place on record my gratitude to every member of the Reliance MediaWorks team who have worked round the clock, under very difficult timelines and delivered an absolutely world class post production job on the film. Half the credit I am getting for the visuals of Kadal, I need to share with the team at Reliance MediaWorks. I thank you all once again. Keep the flag flying!”

  • Indian cinema centenary celebrated in Bangkok

    Indian cinema centenary celebrated in Bangkok

    NEW DELHI: Ten feature films including Dadasaheb Phalke’s ‘Raja Harishchandra’ are being screened at a three-day Indian film festival which opened at Bangkok yesterday.

    The first-ever Indian Centenary Film festival, which is being held at the SF Cinema, Central World, is to mark the Centenary of Indian Cinema. Similar Indian film festivals are being held in other parts of the world to celebrate the centenary of the world’s largest film industry.

    The opening day saw the screening of Vishal Bharadwaj’s ‘Maqbool’ based on William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’, a psychological and action-packed thriller. This film has been to many festivals, including Bangkok. It stars Irrfan Khan, Tabu, Naseeruddin Shah and Om Puri among others.

    The restored version of the first indigenous feature film to be made in India, ‘Raja Harishchandra’ which is still incomplete as many reels are missing, was also screened.

    Other films include cine craftsman Satyajit Ray’s ode to music ‘Jalsaghar’, the rarely seen 1946 movie ‘Dr Kotnis ki Amar Kahani’ by V Shantaram based on the life of Dwarkanath Kotnis, an Indian doctor who worked in China during the Japanese invasion in World War II, Rajesh Khanna-starrer ‘Anand’, Dev Anand-starrer ‘Guide’, ‘Hum Dil De Chuke sanam’ by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, and the new-age Bollywood film ‘Corporate’ by Madhur Bhandarkar.

    In addition, there are two regional films – Girish Kassarvalli’s Kannada film ‘Gulabi Talkies’ and ‘Kannathil Muthamittal’ in Tamil by Mani Ratnam.

    At a press meet prior to the Festival, the Indian Embassy confessed it had been a tough task selecting just ten films “to reflect the diversity of the country.” Indian Ambassador Anil Wadhwa was the chief guest.

    The press meet was attended by top Thai directors like Nonzee Nimibutr and Prachya Pinkaew, as well as young indie director Choyanop Boonprakob, and actress Ae Maneerat Khamoun, all diehard lovers of Indian cinema.

    Suvanee Chinchiewchan of the SF Cinema group which organised the festival was excited about holding the first-even Indian film festival in the city, and hoped the trend would continue.