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Tag: Nagesh Kukunoor

  • Applause Entertainment ropes in ace director Nagesh Kukunoor for the urban-political thriller titled ‘City of Dreams’

    Applause Entertainment ropes in ace director Nagesh Kukunoor for the urban-political thriller titled ‘City of Dreams’

    Applause Entertainment, helmed by entertainment veteran Sameer Nair, ropes in celebrated director Nagesh Kukunoor for a powerful political drama set in the backdrop of modern day Mumbai. Titled, ‘City of Dreams’, the series is a gritty, violent story of power, corruption and deceit. 

     ‘A single stone thrown in a seemingly placid lake sets off a series of ripples that touch everyone; hurt many.’ City of Dreams is the story of the feud within the Gaikwad family, which erupts after an assassination attempt on a polarizing political figure. Blurring the lines between moral and immoral in a struggle for power forms the core of this transfixing narrative.

    Commenting on the show, Applause Entertainment, CEO, Sameer Nair said “I am a huge fan of big city crime-political dramas. The milieu the people and the atmospherics lend themselves to gripping and intriguing stories, which in a serialized, multi-season format, are being widely consumed by audiences across the globe. This kind of storytelling is at the center of everything we want to build at Applause. Nagesh is known for creating stories that are avant-garde and it is a delight to have him helm this project.”.

    Marking the first collaboration between Sameer Nair and Nagesh Kukunoor, ‘City of Dreams’ will showcase the dark underbelly of the political world.

    “I’ve always been excited about tackling a genre that I haven’t before and with City of Dreams I get a chance to explore Mumbai, the city known for its extremes – extreme poverty, wealth, corruption, humanity. And a web series format, while really challenging, is a great format to truly explore many characters in depth. Even though I’ve known Sameer from the days of Hyderabad Blues, we are finally collaborating and it’s been fun” says Nagesh Kukunoor. 

    The shoot is scheduled to begin on the 9th February and will be shot extensively across various locations in Mumbai. The series is expected to release in the latter half of 2018.

  • NFDC to manage International Film Festival of India now

    NFDC to manage International Film Festival of India now

    MUMBAI: International Film Festival of India (IFFI) will no longer be managed by the Directorate of Film Festivals. The information and broadcasting ministry has reportedly transferred operational responsibilities for IFFI to the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

    IFFI, which is considered as one of the top 10 film festivals of the world, will be held from 20 to 28 November at Panaji in Goa. Renowned filmmakers Jahnu Barua and Nagesh Kukunoor had been chosen to head the steering and technical committees respectively for IFFI.

    Earlier, a 40-member preview committee with Vivek Agnihotri as the convenor has been set up to continue the process of shortlisting of films for IFFI.

    Indiantelevision.com had reported that the preview committee for shortlisting films for IFFI which had already seen around 150 films had also been dissolved. These changes have coincided with Smriti Zubin Irani taking on additional charge of the information and broadcasting ministry. The preview committee not merely shortlists films from all entries received, but recommends films for competition section which will then be seen by the International jury, and for the Country Focus section of the Festival.

    The NFDC had earlier invited entries for the 11th edition of NFDC Film Bazaar Co-Production Market. The co-production market is for feature film projects with South Asian themes. The regular deadline for the entries is 7 August 2017 but it has been extended to 21 August 2017. The Bazaar will be held from 20 November 2017, the day the festival opens, and close on 24 November 2017.

  • IFFI 2017: Noted filmmakers to head steering & technical panels

    IFFI 2017: Noted filmmakers to head steering & technical panels

    NEW DELHI: Renowned filmmakers Jahnu Barua and Nagesh Kukunoor will head the steering and technical committees respectively for the International Film Festival of India 2017 being held in November this year.

    Meanwhile, the preview committee for shortlisting films for IFFI which had already seen around 150 films has also been dissolved, and a new committee is expected soon. These changes have coincided with Smriti Zubin Irani taking on additional charge of the information and broadcasting ministry after M Venkaiah Naidu resigned following his nomination as the vice-president of India.

    The preview not merely shortlists films from all entries received, but recommends films for competition section which will then be seen by the international jury, and for the “Country Focus.”

    IFFI, which is considered as one of the top 10 film festivals of the world, will be held from 20 to 28 November at Panaji (Goa).

    The festival is organised by the Directorate of Film Festivals of the information and broadcasting ministry in collaboration with the Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) on behalf of the state government.

    A four-day Film Bazaar will also be organised from 20 November by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC).

    The members of the Steering Committee are:

    1.      Jahnu Barua (Convener)
    2.      Siddharth Roy Kapur
    3.      Shoojit Sarcar
    4.      Bharat Bala
    5.      Anand Gandhi
    6.      Prasoon Joshi
    7.      Vani Tripathi
    8.   Piyush Pandey
    9.      Shaji N. Karun
    10.  Meren Imchen
    11.  Ashwini Iyer Tiwari
    12.  Director NFDC
    13.  Nagesh Kukunoor – Chairman of Technical Committee

    The Technical Committee comprises:

    1.     Nagesh Kukunoor – Chairman
    2.     NFDC representative
    3.     Sameer Arya
    4.     Director DFF
     5.    Commissioner, Panaji Municipality, Govt of Goa
    6.     Chief Engineer (Elect.), Govt of Goa
     7.    Health Officer, Panaji
     8.   Chief Fire Officer, Goa
     9.   Traffic Commissioner, Panjim, Goa
    10.  Incharge, INOX Theatre, Goa
    11.  Chairman, Kala Academy, Goa
    12.  CEO, ESG, Goa.

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  • ALTBalaji integrates JioMoney as a payments platform

    MUMBAI: ALTBalaji, a digital platform for original content subscription service, has integrated with JioMoney, the mobile wallet from Reliance Payment Solutions Limited.

    The integration will enable easy and hassle-free subscription payments for ALTBalaji’s customers. With over 250 hours of original content, ALTBalaji has become a popular service.

    ALTBalaji was launched on 16 April 2017 with five original shows, and adds new shows every fortnight for its viewers to binge-watch. The content is created by some of the best talent of the Indian entertainment industry, including critically acclaimed directors and actors. The long illustrious list of artists comprises of Nagesh Kukunoor, Juhi Chawla, Nimrat Kaur, Rajkumar Rao, Hansal Mehta, Sakshi Tanwar, Ram Kapoor, Atul Kulkarni, Sameer Soni, Yudhishtar Urs, Dipannita Sharma Atwal, and more.

    JioMoney is the PPI wallet offered by Reliance to carry out instant cashless transactions. Jio Money offers a safe and secure platform for making digital transactions at both physical and online stores. JioMoney has been consistently enhancing the digital transaction ecosystem in the country. JioMoney users can do mobile and DTH recharges, make everyday payments at physical stores, send/receive money, pay insurance premiums, manage finances, get great deals, and much more. Simultaneously JioMoney Merchants can also leverage the digital ecosystem to bring greater choice and benefits to their customers.

    Commenting on the partnership, Nachiket Pantvaidya, CEO of ALT Digital Media Entertainment Ltd said, “ALTBalaji is the #1 repository of original and exclusive Indian content in the OTT space today. Our integration enables us to synergistically target quality content to JioMoney consumers while allowing an easy and quick means to pay and subscribe via JioMoney”.

    ALTBalaji launched with shows like DevDD, Karrle Tu Bhi Mohabbat, Boygiri, Bewafaa sii Wafaa, Romil & Jugal and have added The Test Case starring Nimrat Kaur and Maya Thirrai – the first Tamil original digital series to the portfolio.

  • Drishyam’s Dhanak is ‘Best Children’s Film’, new ‘Kadvi Hawa’ gets special mention

    MUMBAI: Drishyam Films’ much loved film Dhanak has won the 64th National Film Award for Best Children’s Film and their upcoming film, Kadvi Hawa has received a ‘Special Mention’ by the National Awards jury.

    Drishyam Films’ next, Kadvi Hawa is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda (of I am Kalam fame) and is a powerful and heartrending take on climate change. It stars Ranvir Shorey as a young bank loan recovery agent and Sanjay Mishra as a blind old farmer, two ordinary people fighting for survival in two extreme weather conditions not of their making. The film is slated for a nationwide theatrical release later this year and the producers have just released a first look poster of the film (attached below).

    Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, Dhanak stars Krrish Chhabria and Hetal Gada as the loveable siblings who set out on a magical, life-altering journey across Rajasthan. The film made its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival 2015 where it won two prestigious awards. It was released to critical and commercial acclaim on June 17, 2016.

    Drishyam Films founder and producer of Dhanak and Kadvi Hawa Manish Mundra: “Even though all of our films have premiered and won awards at various prestigious international film festivals, the National Awards are the biggest honour for us. For me, as an Indian producer, there is no greater joy than being recognised by the government for our efforts to produce quality content-driven cinema. We are very excited to bring our films Rukh, Newton and Kadvi Hawa to the Indian audiences later this year.”

    Kadvi Hawa: Once famous for farming, the people of Mahua in Rajasthan have forgotten the scent of rainfall on their soil. Lack of rainfall has led many farmers into debt traps set out as bank loans. Unable to grow food grain anymore and to escape repayments, many farmers have committed suicides. Hedu, the blind father of a farmer finds his son’s life threatened by the same pressure. Gunu Baba, a ruthless bank agent arrives with a growing list of suicides in his wake. But frequent cyclones threaten his family in a coastal village in Odisha. Each wanting to save their own family, they end up helping one another.

  • ‘Dhanak’ bags top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland

    ‘Dhanak’ bags top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland

    MUMBAI: After bagging two awards for Dhanak (Rainbow) co-produced by Drishyam Films Manish Mundra and directed by Nagesh Kukunoor at the Berlinale, it has further bagged the top award at Sneakers Children’s Festival, Poland.

     

    Having won the best film award in the main category, ‘Children’s Feature Film Competition’, the prize ceremony took place on 22 June.

     

    Kukunoor who couldn’t attend the festival shared a recorded message thanking the festival authorities and the audience. The film was screened at International Film Festival Los Angeles (IFFLA) and at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), Kids.

     

    Dhanak which stars Hetal Gada and Krrish Chhabria in the lead roles is about an eight-year-old blind boy whose 10-year-old sister promises him that he will get his vision back before he turns nine. The film follows the duo on a magical journey through the sand dunes of Rajasthan. The film also stars theater actors, Vipin Sharma and Vibha Chhiber in the prominent roles.

     

    The award winning film had its world premiere at the prestigious film festival, Berlinale where it bagged The Grand Prix for the best feature-length film and the Special Mention for the best feature film by The Children’s Jury for Generation Kplus.

     

  • NDTV Prime presents ‘Prime Talkies’ with Nagesh Kukunoor

    NDTV Prime presents ‘Prime Talkies’ with Nagesh Kukunoor

    NEW DELHI: NDTV Prime will soon air a new TV series called Prime Talkies, which will screen award-winning short films providing alternate entertainment to the discerning urban audience, who is on the lookout for something different.

     

    Launching on 19 March, Prime Talkies with Pocket Films, hosted by filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, will be an hour of pure storytelling, which will showcase different styles of cinema with a generous dose of entertainment. The show will be aired every Thursday at 9 pm.

     

    Each episode will showcase some never heard before nuances of the genre, where young filmmakers will be seen in conversation with Nagesh Kukunoor, sharing their approach, passion and perspective behind their film.

     

    Speaking about the show, Kukunoor said, “It is pretty exciting to see the amount of talent in so many amateur filmmakers. As a filmmaker, I thoroughly enjoyed every interaction with individuals from very diverse backgrounds. The viewers will get a firsthand look at some enjoyable short films from future talent while at the same time getting a peek into the fascinating process of filmmaking. Kudos to NDTV Prime and Pocket Films for being the first to recognise short films as a serious art form!”

     

    Some promising filmmakers to watch out for in the series include Shlok Sharma (director of the short film Tubelight Ka Chand), whose feature film Haram Khor, produced by Anurag Kashyap, is due for release. The interview will be followed by the screening of selected short films.

  • Kukunoor bags Grand Prix for children’s film at Berlinale

    Kukunoor bags Grand Prix for children’s film at Berlinale

    NEW DELHI: International award-winning filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor’s Dhanak (Rainbow) has won the Grand Prix for Best Feature given by the International Jury in the Generation KPlus section for children, as well as a Special Mention of the Children’s Jury in the same section, at the Berlin Film Festival.

     

    Kukunoor has directed and written the film, which is a fable-like story of a young girl in Rajasthan who is determined to have vision restored to her blind brother before his ninth birthday.

     

    “This dynamically-directed film delivers joy and heartbreak in equal measure – the young brother and sister at its heart and the unbreakable love between them is irresistible… Filled with colour, magic, music, spontaneity and a plenty of emotion, this film lives up to its name and delivers a celebration of life to savor long after the end credits roll,” a statement from the International Jury said.

     

    Dhanak, produced by Manish Mundra, also won prize money of 7,500 euros that comes with the Grand Prix. 

     

    This is Kukunoor’s 14th film since Hyderabad Blues. He was on the red carpet at the Berlin Film Festival along with Mundra, co-producer Elahe Hiptoola, sound designer Vipin Bhati and music composer Tapas Relia.

     

    “Actually when I met Manish, I went to pitch a film about a boxer,” Kukunoor recalled. “In passing, I also mentioned a small, sweet film – as a filler – about a brother and sister set in Rajasthan, and he said let’s do this one.” 

     

    Mundra grew up in Jodhpur and for Kukunoor too, it is the third film in Rajasthan after Dor and Yeh Honsla. “I am repeatedly drawn to Rajasthan because I’m fascinated by how small and insignificant humans become in vast open spaces,” said the director. “The moment I had this image of a brother and sister against the desert landscape, I rushed to my computer and wrote the script right away. I couldn’t stop,” he added.

     

    Dhanak also conveys a message. “I wanted to say that life is good and there are good people too. When I was growing up in Hyderabad, you could trust people. You could go over to a stranger’s house and they would be kind to you. WithDhanak, I’m kind of returning to my childhood and a kinder world,” Kukunoor said.

     

    Kukunoor’s work reveals a lively keenness to experiment with genres and subjects, varying wildly from homegrown romance Hyderabad Blues to thrillers Teen Deewarein and 8×10 Tasveer, inspirational drama Iqbal, to Dhanak. “The process of filmmaking is what I live for, and the day the print comes out, my fun ends,” said the director. 

     

    One of the revelations of Dhanak is how confidently its young blind protagonist moves, unlike the cane-tapping, champion hobblers of Bollywood. Kukunoor says he knew he wanted to make it as a road movie, so he needed to know “how the kid moves.” 

     

    Kukunoor said, “I’m extremely impatient and immediately asked my assistant director Ranjeet Jha to bring me phone camera footage of blind children. He followed some blind kids in the slums of Ghatkopar. The blind kids moved so fast and confidently, not stumbling or even touching walls, I said, ‘Wow, what the hell is this?’ The characters, featuring Krrish Chhabria and Hetal Gada, were worked out accordingly.” 

     

    For the success of Dhanak, Kukunoor duly credits co-producer Elahe Hiptoola. “Elahe is always invaluable. I had hired her as an actress two days before we shot Hyderabad Blues, but her skills were so good, she was an assistant director on Hyderabad Blues, and then we formed SIC Productions, and she has been my creative producer since. She totally gets my back, above and beyond the call of duty.”

  • Nagesh Kukunoor gets SRK for a cameo

    Nagesh Kukunoor gets SRK for a cameo

    MUMBAI:  In a bid to give the noble cause of eye donation an impetus director Nagesh Kukunoor has got none other than the Baadshah of Bollywood Shah Rukh Khan to do a cameo in his upcoming Marathi film Dhanak.

     

    According to media reports, SRK recently shot for this movie in Rajasthan for two days despite his busy schedule.

     

    Nagesh Kukunoor’s last film Laxmi highlighted the plight of young girls forced into prostitution in Hyderabad. His film Dhanak, being made in Marathi, hopes to support the noble cause of eye donation. Even though Shah Rukh Khan’s role in the film is now known, buzz is that he will be playing himself in the film and will endorse the noble cause of eye donation.

     

    Dhanak tells the story of the deep bond that an older sister shares with her blind, younger brother and how she works towards restoring his eyesight before he turns nine. 

     

    Dhanak which means a ‘rainbow’ in Rajasthani language is reportedly a remake of the Iranian film Besak. Even though the film’s title is Dhanak, it will be called as Rainbow overseas.

     

    SRK is currently busy promoting his upcoming movie Happy New Year, directed by Farah Khan which is slated for Diwali release this year.

  • 7th Advantage India Short Film Contest organized by Pocket Films, calls for entries

    7th Advantage India Short Film Contest organized by Pocket Films, calls for entries

    MUMBAI: Pocket Films has organized a short film contest, 7th Advantage India in association with River to River Florence Indian Film Festival, Italy. With a promise to be bigger and better like every year, 7th Advantage India Short Film contest is calling for entries from young budding film makers as well as professional filmmakers.

     

    Organized with an aim to uplift the filmmakers and give them the ‘center stage’ in the film industry by recognizing their talent internationally, the contest has carved its name in the industry through its initiative taken for short filmmakers.

     

    7th Advantage India organized by Pocket Films will render a lot of opportunities to filmmakers to show up their talent in filmmaking. It opens the doors for the 3 winning films to reach out to audiences and other festivals in Europe through screening at River to River and as promised 7th Advantage India is back this time to take the film makers a step closer to their dreams.

     

    The 3 winning films will be broadcast on the show ‘Prime Talkies with Pocket Films’ on NDTV Prime, getting a national audience.

     

    Further, Pocket Films is proud to present the first ever ‘India Chapter of the River To River, Florence Indian Film Festival’ in Mumbai in March 2015. All the winning films of the festival (not just Advantage India) will be screened at this event to be held at Blue Frog.

     

    The film entries will be judged by esteemed jury members like Film maker, Nagesh Kukunoor, Director of River to River, Florence Indian Film Festival, Selvaggia Velo and Specializer in casting, film programming and Academic research, and Editor of Film India Worldwide ‘Uma Da Cunha.

     

    According to Saameer Mody, Managing Director, Pocket films, “7th Advantage India is an initiative by Pocket films which is aimed to showcase the talent to respected professionals and veteran film directors from the industry. We aim to be at the forefront of these exciting, challenging and transformative times by giving alternate content and its creators the exposure and acclaim they deserve.”

     

    By organizing such contests, especially in association with respected International Film Festivals, Pocket Films provides a fantastic platform for filmmakers to show case their talent not only domestically but worldwide.

     

    River to River is the only festival in Italy that is totally devoted to films from and about India. This year will be its 14th edition, starting from 6 to 12 December in Florence and 13-14 December in Rome, under the direction of Selvaggia Velo and the Patronage of the Embassy of India.