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Tag: Sanjay Leela Bhansali

  • Ted Sarandos spills the Netflix masala to Indian billionaire Nikhil Kamath

    Ted Sarandos spills the Netflix masala to Indian billionaire Nikhil Kamath

    MUMBAI: What happenswhen a video store clerk-turned-media mogul sits down with a new-gen Indian billionaire?

    Streaming gold. 

    In a riveting episode of People by WTF, Netflix co-ceo Ted Sarandos spilt the tea, dropped truth bombs, and dished out storytelling wisdom in an electric tête-à-tête with Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. 

    From his Phoenix roots to Hollywood power tables—and yes, dinners with Shah Rukh Khan—Ted held nothing back.

    Sarandos shared his origin story: a would-be journalist whose real education came behind the counter at a video rental store. That humble setting gave him a ringside view of consumer desire—something he scaled up spectacularly at Netflix. “People hated late fees, but they loved discovering something new,” he quipped, summing up the genesis of Netflix’s ‘everything, anytime’ model.

    Sarandos’ India story was peppered with glam. He reminisced about his first meal with SRK—“very different in Mumbai than in LA”—and lauded Aryan Khan’s directorial chops in The Ba**ds of Bollywood*. His creative crush? Sanjay Leela Bhansali. “Heeramandi felt like a dare… he pitched it in LA like, ‘I dare you to make this’,” said Ted, still in awe.

    “For 10 years, I heard India was two years away,” Sarandos laughed. “Now, it feels truer than ever.” With local stories making global noise—think RRR or Kapil Sharma—Netflix doubled down. Sarandos noted that Indian audiences aren’t just watching Bollywood. They are binging Korean anime, true crime, Tamil action, and Turkish dramas with equal zest. “This market’s appetite is unmatched,” he said.
     

    Nikhil Kamath Ted Sarandos

    On leadership, Sarandos kept it brutally real. “Work-life balance? That’s a fantasy,” he shrugged. His playbook: take big swings, fail fast, and hire smart. He credited Netflix’s risk-positive culture to Reed Hastings, who saw streaming coming when dial-up ruled the world. “In 1999, Reed said, ‘Everything will come through the internet.’ It sounded crazy. Turns out, he was right.”

    Sarandos bet big on local stories going global. “Squid Game was never supposed to be a global hit. But great stories travel.” He stays bullish on AI—so long as humans lead the charge. “The art of the prompt will be a human skill,” he remarked, calling AI a cost cutter, not a creator killer. “It’ll help make better films, but won’t replace human imagination or emotion.”

    From gaming titles like Grand Theft Auto to video-forward podcasts, Netflix’s empire keeps expanding. Sarandos sees serious returns in content creation. “The best ROI? Still content. Delivery and monetisation are evolving faster than ever,” he noted.

    His advice to young creators? Make the coffee. “Be a PA, join a writers’ room, see if this is what you really want. Passion often follows excellence,” he urged, advising rookies not to reverse-engineer Netflix’s tastes, but pitch what needs to be told.

    The full episode of People by WTF featuring Ted Sarandos streamed on YouTube—popcorn highly recommended.

  • “I don’t think of filmmaking being gender-specific:” Mitakshara Kumar

    “I don’t think of filmmaking being gender-specific:” Mitakshara Kumar

    Mumbai: In the world of Indian cinema, where grandeur and storytelling often collide, Mitakshara Kumar stands out as a filmmaker whose journey is as captivating as her creations. With a background in Economics from Lady Shri Ram College and prestigious training from the Film and Television Institute of India, Kumar has seamlessly transitioned from a promising student to a celebrated director and writer. Her cinematic journey began as an assistant director with the iconic Bluffmaster! and has since soared to the grand stages of working on Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s epics and helming Disney+Hotstar’s The Empire.

    Indiantelevision.com’s Suman Baidh caught up with filmmaker Mitakshara Kumar as she took the helm of Netflix and Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s highly anticipated Heeramandi as episodic director, Kumar reflects on her career, her passion for diverse storytelling, and the future she envisions for herself and the industry.

    Edit Excerpts:

    On your entry into the film business working with Emmay Entertainment, and collaborating with Sanjay Leela Bhansali.

    I must agree that God and my parents have been kind, to say the least. Even before graduation, I had decided to write the FTII entrance exams, much to the disappointment of my father because I was an economics student. However, when I cleared FTII and thankfully because it is a premier Government Institution, my father’s disappointment soon turned into pride, especially because I was awarded a scholarship. After that, the decision to move to Mumbai was a natural step. I am thankful to all the filmmakers I had the opportunity to work with, be it Rohan Sippy, Onir, Nikhil Advani or Sanjay Leela Bhansali, each one of them have taught me so much and have helped me be the filmmaker I am today. I cannot say I had it tough, because the reality is that I did not… I definitely worked hard to get here, but the truth is also that the people I worked with were generous to let me learn.

    On directing the magnum opus Empire and then becoming the episodic director for Heeramandi, was there any difference for you, considering both were grand period pieces

    Honestly speaking, not quite. Because thanks to my training with Sanjay Sir on the films he made, I was comfortable with working on the scale and grandeur of these series. I am grateful to Nikhil Advani, Monisha Advani and Madhu Bhojwani for entrusting me with The Empire. It was my first and their confidence in me, in a way, bolstered mine as well. Then when Heeramandi happened, because it was Sanjay Sir, the world and the script was to the minutest of detail. So as a filmmaker for me on both fronts, it was easy, also as we had the best of crew and talent working on them with the utmost of passion. What more can a filmmaker ask for. (Laughs)

    On your concern towards being labelled as a filmmaker who only does period pieces

    There are days when I do think about it, I will not lie. But then I think that is the nature of the business. We are quick to slot people as to what they can and cannot do, till you break that for yourself. As a filmmaker, I want to be known for my quality of work and the legacy I will get to leave behind. I am working on my next, feature debut which is a contemporary, off-beat subject and have written another thriller that I am working on. So for myself, I am exploring different genres of cinema. I want to keep challenging myself to grow as a filmmaker.

    On the most difficult thing about being a filmmaker

    I think growing up, my parents much like everyone else’s, always told me that no matter what you do, do it to the best of your ability. That is something I try and do on every piece of work I do. I think I am now conditioned in a manner wherein I look at the difficulties presented on a set as an opportunity and find solutions around them. I think that is the best way to tackle a problem be it on set or off. On a day to day basis every film set will have something or the other that poses as a problem, the key for me is to be able to not lose focus on the larger picture and more importantly the story being told.

    On that note, you are one of the few female filmmakers in the country

    I don’t think of filmmaking being gender specific. That being said, yes there are fewer women filmmakers in the country, but that is something I also believe is on the path of change. Today we have the likes of Zoya Akhtar, Anjali Menon, Payal Kapadia, Kiran Rao, Meghna Gulzar, Farah Khan and so many others who are championing Indian cinema not just here but globally. I think what is crucial is that more press highlights the achievements of all these brilliant storytellers, which in turn can inspire a whole new breed of women storytellers.

    On inspiring a new breed of storytellers

    As an art form, Cinema is meant to inspire and evoke emotions. If through my work I can even influence one person for the good, then why not? Something I am more conscious about in my filmmaking is having more women part take in the making of my films and content. Just like I was given the platform, I only think it is fair and just to pave the way for others and pass it forward. Knowledge is always to share and that is something that I have learnt both from my parents and all my collaborators across everything I have done so far. The only thing I keep telling everyone is never stop dreaming and if you fail, keep trying till you succeed. “Himmat harne ki cheez nahi hai” (“Courage is not something that one loses”).

    Could you tell us a bit about what’s next

    I have a couple of interesting things lined up. Like I mentioned, one of them is a feature film with Emmay Entertainment. Collaborating with Nikkhil, Monisha and Madhu is always fun, for me they are home. I have a women-centric comedy I am working on and then there is also a thriller and musical that I am working on. I think it would be a little early in the day to share more details and I would leave that to my producers to do when the time is right. I want to focus on the creative and storytelling.

  • Netflix Hosts LA screening of Heeramandi with Sanjay Leela Bhansali Q&A

    Netflix Hosts LA screening of Heeramandi with Sanjay Leela Bhansali Q&A

    Mumbai: On Monday, 29 April (PST), Netflix hosted a special screening and Q&A with series creator, director, and producer Sanjay Leela Bhansali, moderated by Lilly Singh to celebrate the upcoming series, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar.

    Created and directed by one of India’s most celebrated filmmakers, Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar is his first-ever series premiering globally on 1 May only on Netflix.

    Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s series debut marks the first Indian series to be showcased at the historic theater, The Egyptian. The evening began with opening remarks from Netflix chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, followed by a screening of the first episode of the series and a lighthearted Q&A moderated by Lilly Singh. Notable attendees included Rushi Kota , Punam Patel, Nisha Ganatra, Joya Kazi, Tesher, Radhi Devlukia-Shetty, Kevin Kreider and many more.

    Speaking to Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Lilly Singh shared her admiration for the upcoming series and how she was mesmerised after watching the two episodes of the show. She expressed, “On behalf of all the audiences here, I can say that it was spectacular and so visually stunning.”

    Reflecting on the project’s journey, Bhansali revealed, “The script for Heeramandi was charming, vast, and epic. The story was too long for a film, and I had the concept 18 years ago, but there were no OTT platforms then. I finally saw an opportunity to do it properly on an OTT platform, where you can develop it and enjoy each character. This story has taken the longest—18 years of nurturing, cherishing, and living it.”

    Bhansali continued “Working with Netflix on my first series was a completely different experience. In 30 years of my career, I have never met producers as beautiful as them. They are tough, and relentless, and ask for honest directors to create content with the same passion. It’s good karma as a filmmaker to meet such producers, and I’m grateful to them.”

    Heeramandi: The Diamond Bazaar releases globally on 1 May only on Netflix.

    http://www.netflix.com/Heeramandi 

  • ALTBalaji onboards Snehil Dixit Mehra as head of content & digital media

    ALTBalaji onboards Snehil Dixit Mehra as head of content & digital media

    Mumbai: A wholly-owned subsidiary of Balaji Telefilms ALT Digital Media Entertainment appointed Snehil Dixit Mehra as the head of content & digital media. Earlier, Mehra worked with filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali as associate director.

    Mehra has a vivid professional portfolio and worked as a writer, director and digital influencer. He recently forayed into acting with her stellar performance in Jio Studios’ Apharan Season 2.

    Mehra brings with her an enviable experience in the media and entertainment space and over 16 years of experience in the broadcast industry. She has held various leadership positions at Bhansali Productions, Star India, Sony Entertainment Television & Endemol India. Ektaa R Kapoor is keen on expanding her digital footprint with producing more originals and after the immense success of her digital reality show Lock Upp she aspires to create more original formats for the non-fiction audiences. Thus, a high-profile acquisition was expected, given the content powerhouse wanted the leadership to work in close association with content creators and producers.

    In her new role, Snehil will be leading the content and programming division for ALTBalaji and will be responsible for managing the upcoming original content line-up and the platform’s creative strategy.

    Talking about joining the team, Snehil said, “This is my second innings at ALTBalaji, a homecoming for me, however with a larger mandate now. I am looking forward to planning a roadmap for further accelerated growth of ALTBalaji as a leading digital content hub.”

  • ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ to premiere at 72nd Berlin International Film Festival

    ‘Gangubai Kathiawadi’ to premiere at 72nd Berlin International Film Festival

    Mumbai: Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s much-anticipated film “Gangubai Kathiawadi” starring Alia Bhatt and Ajay Devgn will be screened at the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival in February. The screening will also mark the world premiere of the film that is set for theatrical release on 18 February 2022.

    “Gangubai Kathiawadi” has been chosen to be screened as part of Berlinale Special, a segment of the film festival which is dedicated to showcasing exemplary cinema. This year’s selections are films that have been shot during the pandemic. “We are happy to premiere Gangubai Kathiawadi and to be continuing the tradition of the Berlin Film Festival being a special setting for Indian movies, this time with a film that joins the usual craft in shaping camera movement and the choreography of bodies with a subject that is socially relevant, also beyond in India,” stated artistic director of Berlin International Film Festival Carlo Chatrian. “From the very beginning we were taken by the story of Gangubai, an exceptional woman dragged into exceptional circumstances.”

    As Sanjay Leela Bhansali celebrates 25 years in the world of cinema, this will be his tenth film. “The story of Gangubai Kathiawadi has been very close to my heart. My team and I have given it all to make this dream possible. We take pride and honour in showcasing it at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival,” said Bhansali.

    Producer Jayantilal Gada of Pen Studios added, “I believe in Mr. Bhansali and his craft. It gives me great joy that our film will be presented at the Berlin International Film Festival and I am proud to associate with him for it. Alia has given a great performance and I am thankful to Ajay Devgn too for being a part of this project. It’s a story that will engage and appeal to global audiences.”

  • Saregama strikes long-term music deal with Sanjay Leela Bhansali

    Saregama strikes long-term music deal with Sanjay Leela Bhansali

    KOLKATA: It’s the confluence of two iconic entities in the Indian film and music industry. Saregama and Sanjay Leela Bhansali have now decided to collaborate, where Saregama has come on board as the music label for three forthcoming projects of the award-winning filmmaker. These projects will be the much awaited Alia Bhatt-starrer Gangubai Kathiawadi – the music rights of which have been acquired from Pen Studios; the next untitled Bhansali directorial and his first non-film Hindi originals album which will have music composed by him.

    “Many a childhood memory of mine are of listening to the golden classics of Hindi cinema that the Saregama library holds and imagining my own world of stories around it. These songs and the music have been an essential part in my formative years. What an absolute delightful moment it is for me then that the music of three of my most zealous projects in the near future will add to this rich legacy of Saregama. This is a special collaboration for me, and one which is personal,” Bhansali said.

    Saregama India managing director Vikram Mehra commented, “There is history that breathes in the golden libraries of Saregama. And we believe history is about to be made again with our partnership with Sanjay Leela Bhansali. In today’s modern times of Hindi cinema, few raconteurs have come close to the consistent brilliance that he has shown in his movies and the music that he composes. His music sense is unparalleled – it imparts his stories a narrative purpose, and the songs stand on their own as that which transcend the immediate to find a more permanent place in our hearts.”

    “Saregama has preserved the work of some of the biggest talent from our music and film industry, and what an apt addition this will be. I can't wait for us to bring the music of three of Bhansali’s projects to audiences. It’s going to be special, for sure,” he added further.

  • Television industry faces renewed threat as Covid2019 cases begin to surge

    Television industry faces renewed threat as Covid2019 cases begin to surge

    MUMBAI: Just as the television industry began limping back to normal after braving the toughest lockdown in the country’s history, a resurgence of fresh Coronavirus cases nationally – and more so with Maharashtra leading the infections – have set it on high alert once again. In the past few weeks, some production houses have been forced to halt shooting or work with lesser staff and crew amid the new surging wave of Covid2019 infections in the general population. This, despite strict standard operating procedures (SOPs) being followed at every shoot location.

    There have been instances of cast and crew members contracting the novel Coronavirus. Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan, Ranbir Kapoor, director Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Sanam Teri Kasam director and writer Vinay Sapru, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah actor Mayur Vakani and an artist from TV show Mehndi Hai Rachne Wali and Gum Hai Kissi Ke Pyaar Mein tested positive recently.

    According to the Indian Film & TV Producers Council (IFTPC) member and  TV producer Nitin Vaidya, the TV production community has done well so far as far as Covid2019 is concerned, especially considering the pace they have to produce at.  Safety protocols with adequate arrangements for checking temperature of staff members and timely sanitisation and fumigation on the sets are being followed.

    IFTPC has asked producers to personally visit the sets and share pictures if Covid-2019 protocols are being followed.

    “We have been through the lockdown once, and we do not want to face that situation again. So, we are trying our best to ensure that adequate protocols are followed on sets. Each of us have to be careful and we are trying to ensure that producers do not become complacent and keep shooting programmes in a safe manner,” said Vaidya.

    Last week, the IFTPC wrote a letter to producers and cautioned them about a potential situation akin to "September 2020" developing again. The association urged them to avoid outdoor shoots with immediate effect. It also requested them to personally visit their sets and ensure that SOPs are implemented even more meticulously. “Fatigue and carelessness have crept into our system rather exponentially which needs to be rectified immediately," IFTPC warned.

    General entertainment  broadcasters were also alerted about the sudden resurgence of cases and urged to cooperate with the production houses and not make requests for extravagant scenes. “We asked the broadcasters to depute Covid inspectors on the sets and request their creative teams not to insist on any outdoor shoots at this point or even shooting in places where there can be a crowd,” IFTPC chairman (TV division) JD Majethia told Indiantelevision.com. “We have fought hard for the entire year and we will continue to do the same.”

    Maharashtra currently accounts for roughly 70 per cent of the total caseload of the country. Last week, state health secretary Pradeep Vyas also warned that Maharashtra’s active Covid2019 cases may reach the three lakh mark by the first week of April if the current trend of rising cases continues.

    IFTPC has asked producers to personally visit the sets and share pictures if Covid-2019 protocols are being followed.

    The surge in cases could pose serious trouble for the beleaguered television industry, which has just begun to show signs of revival. In its latest report, television monitoring agency Broadcasting Audience Research Council (BARC) had highlighted that the TV ad volume had a promising start in January and February, with a higher ad-spend than last year.

    Some production houses like Contiloe Pictures, Directors Cut, Banijay, Endemol Shine India, and StudioNext have Covid2019 compliance agencies which look after the sanitisation process, disinfection, and misting of the entire set including the main floor, vanity vans, and makeup rooms. Others like Swastik Productions have a separate residential facility in Umbergaon for the cast and crew members.

    There are concerns that actors and staff members who commute daily to the sets are more likely to be exposed to the Coronavirus. In its letter, IFTPC has asked the producers to restrict the crew size to 33 per cent like last year and avoid shooting scenes that require large crowds.

    Meanwhile, the Maharashtra government is mulling over an extended lockdown, but chief minister Uddhav Thackeray said he is counting on people to cooperate to prevent the situation from escalating. On Monday, the state witnessed a total surge of 24,645 cases in 24 hours and lost 54 lives. Roughly 3,200 of these cases were reported from Mumbai.

  • 63rd National Film Awards: ‘Baahubali’ is best film;’Bajirao Mastani’ bags largest number of awards for 2015

    63rd National Film Awards: ‘Baahubali’ is best film;’Bajirao Mastani’ bags largest number of awards for 2015

    New Delhi, 28 March: ‘Baahubali – The Beginning’ by S S Rajamouli, arguably the most expensive film ever made in India, today bagged the Best Film award for 2015, while megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ranaut won awards for best artistes for ‘Piku’ and ‘Tanu weds Manu Returns’.‘Bajirao Mastani; bagged the largest number of awards with Sanjay Leela Bhansali getting the best director for the film at the 63rd National Film Awards for 2015, which will be presented on 3 May. ‘Baahubali – The Beginning’ also got the special effects award for V Srinivas Mohan.

    The Feature Film Central panel was headed by Ramesh Sippy, and comprised of 11 members including the chairman. The-Non Feature jury was headed by Vinod Ganatra and comprised seven members including the chairman. The jury on Best Writing on Cinema was headed by Advaita Kala and comprised three members including the chairperson.
    Prior to the announcement of the awards, the chairpersons of the three juries and members of the jury presented their reports to Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley. MoS Rajyavardhan Rathore and secretary Sunil Arora were also present. Jaitley appreciated the efforts put in by the jury members in deciding the awards in various categories which reflected the diversity of India’s cinematic brilliance and diversity.

    Awards list in brief

    Interestingly, the highly acclaimed and internationally applauded film ‘Masaan’ only received theIndira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for Neeraj Ghaywan.

    Contrary to expectations, Tanvi Azmi bagged the supporting actress award for ‘Bajirao Mastani’ (as the names Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra were also doing the rounds), while Samuthirakani got this award for the film ‘Visaaranai’, which also received the best Tamil Film and Best Editing awards (late Kishore T.E). Gaurav Menon was named best child artiste for ‘Ben’. Kalki Koelchin got a Special Jury Award for ‘Margarita with a straw’.

    ‘Bajirao Rao Mastani’ also won awards for Best choreography by Remo D’Souza for the song ‘Deewani Mastani’, Best Cinematography Sudeep Chaterjee, best sound design by Biswajit Chatterjee, re-recording of final mixed track by Justin Ghose, and best production design by Shriram Iyengar, Saloni Dhatrak and Sujeet Sawant.

    The Salman Khan-starrer ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ by Kabir Khan was named for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, while the best Hindi Film award was given to ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha.’

    Also interestingly, apart from the top actor awards, ‘Piku’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ also bagged awards for both original screenplay and dialogues for Juhi Chaturvedi (Piku) and Himanshu Sharma (Tanu Weds Manu Returns) respectively. The renowned director Vishal Bhardwaj received the best adapted screenplay accolades for the crime drama ‘Talvar’ inspired by a real-life case.

    This is the fourth time that Bachchan, who entered the film industry in the late sixties, has won a national award. He had earlier bagged the award for ‘Agneepath’ in 1990, ‘Black’ in 2005 and ‘Paa’ in 2009.

    Ranaut earlier won the best actress award for ‘Queen’ and a supporting actor award for ‘Fashion’.

    The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration went to ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ which also bagged the awards for Best Costume Designer for Payal Sajula and Best Make-up Artist to Preetisheel G Singh and Clover Wootton for film ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ by Gurbani Media Pvt. Ltd.

    The award for best film on Social Issues went to ‘Niranayakam’ by V K Prakash, the Environment Conservation/Preservation award went to ‘Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal’ by Dr Biju, and ‘Duronto’ Soumendra Padhi got the best Children’s Film. There was a special mention for Ritika Singh for the film ‘Irudhi Suttru’.

    The award for best female playback went to Monali Thakur for the song ‘Moh Moh Ke Dhaage’ in ‘Dum Lagaa ke Haisha’ and Mahesh Kale won the male playback for ‘Katyar Kalijat Ghusli’.

    The veteran Ilaiyaraaja got the Direction – Background Score award for ‘Thaarai Thappattai’ while M Jayachandran won the best Music Direction award for the song ‘Kaathirunnu Kaathirunnu’ in the film ‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’.

    The best non-feature award went to Amdavad Ma Famous by Hardik Mehta. The best book on cinema book award went to Dr. Rajakumar Samagra Charithre by Doddahulluru Rukkoji and the best film critic award to Meghachandra Kongbam of Manipur.

     
     
  • 63rd National Film Awards: ‘Baahubali’ is best film;’Bajirao Mastani’ bags largest number of awards for 2015

    63rd National Film Awards: ‘Baahubali’ is best film;’Bajirao Mastani’ bags largest number of awards for 2015

    New Delhi, 28 March: ‘Baahubali – The Beginning’ by S S Rajamouli, arguably the most expensive film ever made in India, today bagged the Best Film award for 2015, while megastar Amitabh Bachchan and Kangana Ranaut won awards for best artistes for ‘Piku’ and ‘Tanu weds Manu Returns’.‘Bajirao Mastani; bagged the largest number of awards with Sanjay Leela Bhansali getting the best director for the film at the 63rd National Film Awards for 2015, which will be presented on 3 May. ‘Baahubali – The Beginning’ also got the special effects award for V Srinivas Mohan.

    The Feature Film Central panel was headed by Ramesh Sippy, and comprised of 11 members including the chairman. The-Non Feature jury was headed by Vinod Ganatra and comprised seven members including the chairman. The jury on Best Writing on Cinema was headed by Advaita Kala and comprised three members including the chairperson.
    Prior to the announcement of the awards, the chairpersons of the three juries and members of the jury presented their reports to Information and Broadcasting Minister Arun Jaitley. MoS Rajyavardhan Rathore and secretary Sunil Arora were also present. Jaitley appreciated the efforts put in by the jury members in deciding the awards in various categories which reflected the diversity of India’s cinematic brilliance and diversity.

    Awards list in brief

    Interestingly, the highly acclaimed and internationally applauded film ‘Masaan’ only received theIndira Gandhi Award for Best Debut Film of a Director for Neeraj Ghaywan.

    Contrary to expectations, Tanvi Azmi bagged the supporting actress award for ‘Bajirao Mastani’ (as the names Deepika Padukone and Priyanka Chopra were also doing the rounds), while Samuthirakani got this award for the film ‘Visaaranai’, which also received the best Tamil Film and Best Editing awards (late Kishore T.E). Gaurav Menon was named best child artiste for ‘Ben’. Kalki Koelchin got a Special Jury Award for ‘Margarita with a straw’.

    ‘Bajirao Rao Mastani’ also won awards for Best choreography by Remo D’Souza for the song ‘Deewani Mastani’, Best Cinematography Sudeep Chaterjee, best sound design by Biswajit Chatterjee, re-recording of final mixed track by Justin Ghose, and best production design by Shriram Iyengar, Saloni Dhatrak and Sujeet Sawant.

    The Salman Khan-starrer ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ by Kabir Khan was named for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, while the best Hindi Film award was given to ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha.’

    Also interestingly, apart from the top actor awards, ‘Piku’ and ‘Tanu Weds Manu Returns’ also bagged awards for both original screenplay and dialogues for Juhi Chaturvedi (Piku) and Himanshu Sharma (Tanu Weds Manu Returns) respectively. The renowned director Vishal Bhardwaj received the best adapted screenplay accolades for the crime drama ‘Talvar’ inspired by a real-life case.

    This is the fourth time that Bachchan, who entered the film industry in the late sixties, has won a national award. He had earlier bagged the award for ‘Agneepath’ in 1990, ‘Black’ in 2005 and ‘Paa’ in 2009.

    Ranaut earlier won the best actress award for ‘Queen’ and a supporting actor award for ‘Fashion’.

    The Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration went to ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ which also bagged the awards for Best Costume Designer for Payal Sajula and Best Make-up Artist to Preetisheel G Singh and Clover Wootton for film ‘Nanak Shah Fakir’ by Gurbani Media Pvt. Ltd.

    The award for best film on Social Issues went to ‘Niranayakam’ by V K Prakash, the Environment Conservation/Preservation award went to ‘Valiya Chirakulla Pakshikal’ by Dr Biju, and ‘Duronto’ Soumendra Padhi got the best Children’s Film. There was a special mention for Ritika Singh for the film ‘Irudhi Suttru’.

    The award for best female playback went to Monali Thakur for the song ‘Moh Moh Ke Dhaage’ in ‘Dum Lagaa ke Haisha’ and Mahesh Kale won the male playback for ‘Katyar Kalijat Ghusli’.

    The veteran Ilaiyaraaja got the Direction – Background Score award for ‘Thaarai Thappattai’ while M Jayachandran won the best Music Direction award for the song ‘Kaathirunnu Kaathirunnu’ in the film ‘Ennu Ninte Moideen’.

    The best non-feature award went to Amdavad Ma Famous by Hardik Mehta. The best book on cinema book award went to Dr. Rajakumar Samagra Charithre by Doddahulluru Rukkoji and the best film critic award to Meghachandra Kongbam of Manipur.

     
     
  • Eros readies pipeline of 65 movies across 7 languages in 2016

    Eros readies pipeline of 65 movies across 7 languages in 2016

    MUMBAI: Even as it has been embroiled in controversy over the last few months regarding its accounting practices, Eros International is planning to release as many as 65 movies in 2016 across seven different Indian languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali and Punjabi.

     

    Additionally, Eros is also planning to release Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Bajirao Mastani in China and other international markets in 2016.

     

    HINDI

     

    Eros’ Hindi films pipeline for 2016 includes R. Balki’s Ki & Ka starring Arjun Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor, the promos of which are already out. The company will also be releasing Sajid Nadiadwala’s Housefull 3 starring Akshay Kumar, and Rohit Dhawan’s Dishoom starring John Abraham and Varun Dhawan.

     

    Baar Baar Dekho – a love story starring Katrina Kaif and Siddharth Malhotra will be releasing in association with Dharma Production, whereas Rock On 2 featuring Farhan Akhtar and Shraddha Kapoor will be released with Excel Entertainment.

     

    After associating with producer-director Aanand L Rai on films like Tanu Weds Manu Returns and Raanjhanaa, Eros will release multiple films with Rai’s joint production company Colour Yellow Production. These include Nil Battey Sannata that has received a good response at various festivals including the 20th Busan International Film Festival, 59th BFI London Film Festival with Swara Bhaskar wining the Best Actress at the Silk Road Film Festival of China. Also in the pipeline are films like Happy Bhaag Jayegi, a comedy that will present the first-time pair of Abhay Deol and Diana Penty and Manmarziyan, a romantic drama starring Bhumi Pednekar and Ayushmann Khurrana. 

     

    Apart from these, Rai is also working on his own directorial film, which will go into production this summer.

     

    This Diwali, Eros will release Ajay Devgn’s action drama – Shivaay. 

     

    After co-producing films like Goliyon Ki Rasleela Ram-Leela and Bajirao Mastani, Eros and Bhansali Productions will be joining hands on more co-productions, details of which will be announced at a later date. 

     

    Also scheduled to go on floor this year will be Eros and Phantom’s socio-drama superhero film Bhavesh Joshistarring Harshvardhan Kapoor to be directed by Vikramaditya Motwane.

     

    Other films slated to release in 2016 include Hansal Mehta’s critically-acclaimed Aligarh, Marathi director and National award winner Ravi Jadhav’s Hindi debut Banjo starring Riteish Deshmukh and Nargis Fakri, director Mohit Jha’s sports drama Saat Kadam and Pawan Kripalani’s psychological thriller Phobia starring Raadhika Apte.

     

    Eros will also release Vinay Sapru and Radhika Rao’s musical love story Sanam Teri Kasam starringnewcomers Harshvardhan Rane and Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane; Do Lafzon Ki Kahani by Deepak Tijori with Randeep Hooda and Kajal Agarwal as the lead pair along with Saif Ali Khan starrer Chef, a remake of 2014’s Hollywood hit Chef.

     

    REGIONAL LANGUAGES

     

    The company’s regional slate includes Marathi films like Sanjay Jadhav’s Guru, National award winning director Sujay Dahake’s Phuntroo, and Prakash Kunte’s & Jara Hatke. 

     

    Eros has already released the Telugu films – Balakrishna’s Dictator on 14 January, Pawan Kalyan’s Sardar Gabbar Singh, Mammootty’s Malayalam films White and Fahad Fazil’s Nale along with 2 Penkuttikalfeaturing Tovino Thomas, Amala Paul, Anju Kurian and Anna Fathima.

     

    Following the release of Bengali film Monchora by Sandip Ray with Abir Chatterjee and Raima Sen in January, Eros will release Prakton directed by Shiboprasad Mukherjee starring Prosenjit Chatterjee and Rituparna Sengupta paired together after a decade. 

     

    The Tamil movies’ in the pipeline include the Sivakarthikeyan starrer Rajini Murugan that released earlier this month; Suriya’s 24 directed by Vikram, Enkitta Mothathe, which is cinematographer Natarajan Subramaniam’s (Nutty) debut as an actor with Sanchita Shetty directed by Ramu Chellapa, actor Jaya Prada’s first Tamil production Uyire Uyire, Suriya’s Singam 3, Kai Neelam directed by Nalan Kumarsamy, Oru Kidayin Karunai Mamu directed by Suresh Sangiah and an untitled film starring mega star Karthi.

     

    The company is also collaborating with Harry Baweja to co-produce the sequel to the 3D animation film, Chaar Sahibzade, titled Chaar Sahibzaade 2 (Rise of Banda Singh Bahadur) followed by another 3D animation film Guru Tegh Bahadur. 

     

    Commenting on the company’s line-up, Eros International Media managing director Sunil Lulla said, “We have seen an excellent 2015 with the resounding success of Tanu Weds Manu Returns, peaking with the multiple-record breaking Bajrangi Bhaijaan and ending the year with our crowning glory Bajirao Mastani. We are at a very exciting phase in Eros and have an equally promising slate coming up this year that will reinforce and further strengthen our leadership position in the Indian media and entertainment industry. As a strategy, we will continue to diversify our presence across difference film genres, budgets and languages with a mix of popular and content driven cinema. In a few weeks, we will showcase to the world the first set of films under our Trinity franchise banner. Also scheduled to go on floor this year are some exciting directorial ventures by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai, Homi Ajadania, Sujoy Ghosh, Nishikant Kamat and Siddharth Anand. We hope and believe that 2016 will be just as magical as 2015 has been.”