News

Pahlaj Nihalani In An Interview Exposed The Dark Times At The Censor Board (Photo Credit – IMDb/Instagram)

Pahlaj Nihalani’s tenure as the chief of the Censor Board Of Film Certification has been quite controversial. The former filmmaker was accused of being too rigid and going on a hysterical drive to omit important scenes and dialogues from films, calling them vulgar or unnecessary.

The former Cbfc chief received a lot of flak when he objected to the word Intercourse in Shah Rukh Khan‘s Jab Harry Met Sejal trailer. While he objected to the word, he refused to pass the trailer.

In fact, when there was a public intervention, and Bollywood celebs started dissing and slyly digging into Pahlaj Nihalani’s decision, he even asked for 1 lakh public votes for Jab Harry Met Sejal’s trailer’s Censor Board clearance.

Trending Is Laapataa Ladies A Copy Of This 1999 Film? National...

Preity Zinta Broke Her Leg, Cut Her Lip, And Was Left Brusied While Shooting For Her 1999 Film Sangharsh. (Photo Credit – Youtube)

The Veer Zara actress has become the talk of the French Riviera after she returned to the Cannes Film Festival after 17 years. This season has been all about Zinta, who went viral for her appearances during the Ipl season. There is also a lot of excitement about Preity’s comeback with Sunny Deol’s Lahore 147. But before all the new excitements and updates, Zinta also revealed that she would love to reunite with her 1999 film Sangharsh, director Tanuja Chandra. Preity Zinta also reflected on the harsh working conditions while shooting the movie. She revealed that she broke her leg and even cut her lip.

The 49-year-old actor, who will next appear in the period drama Lahore 1947, revealed that she broke her leg, chipped her teeth, and cut her lip while filming Sangharsh.

Ratna Pathak Shah Reveals Being Unemployed For a Year Because Of This Reason. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Ratna Pathak Shah has some news for you if you have ever thought that it gets easier for Bollywood actors. The famed and critically acclaimed actress revealed shocking details after walking the red carpet at Cannes 2024. Ratna revealed that she has been unemployed for a year because she does not have social media.

While attending the Cannes Film Festival, the actor brought attention to the fact that, in the age of Instagram, an actor’s chances of getting work are determined by the quantity of their social media followers.

When asked if an actor’s appearance matters more than their skill, Ratna answered candidly while speaking with Brut. She disclosed, “Yes, the answer is simply yes. She continued, “I don’t know how to blame actors for that because these are the things that...

Director Ananth Mahadevan Claims Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies Is Similar to His 1999 Movie. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies has made everyone fall in love with the story of Deepak, Jaya, and Phool. The internet has been raving about the sweet and hilarious Heartland story. And it has already become one of the best movies of 2024. Director Ananth Mahadevan made wild claims that Kiran’s movie was very similar to his 1999 movie, Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol. After the claims went viral, the story’s original writer responded, and here’s how everything went down.

Ananth Mahadevan, a National Award-winning filmmaker, has sent waves online. He claims that Kiran Rao‘s critically acclaimed Laapataa Ladies is a copy of his 1999 film Ghunghat Ke Pat Khol. Netizens have been lending support to Ananth, but Biplab Goswami, the original author of Lapataa Ladies, maintains that the “story, script, dialogues, characterization...

On Mahatma Phule’s birth anniversary, the makers of the ”Phule” biopic reveal a new poster. Starring Pratik Gandhi as Mahatma Phule and Patralekha as his wife Savitribai Phule, the film commemorates the social reformer’s remarkable journey.

Anticipation Builds:

Scheduled for release this year, ”Phule” is in its post-production phase. Directed by National Award winner Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, the film promises to delve into Mahatma Phule’s life and contributions.

Behind the Scenes:

Produced by Pranay Chokshi, Jagdish Patel (Drs Kiran and Pallavi Patel Global University Kpgu), Anuya Chauhan Kudecha, Ritesh Kudecha, and Suunil Jaiin, ”Phule” is a collaborative effort dedicated to bringing the visionary’s story to the forefront.

Biopic On Mahatma Phule: New Poster Of Pratik Gandhi – Patralekha Starrer Unveils… On #MahatmaPhule’s birth anniversary today, the makers of #Phule – the biopic starring #PratikGandhi [as #MahatmaPhule] and #Patralekha [as #MahatmaPhule’s wife #SavitribaiPhule] – unveil… pic.twitter.com/xHA90V5GbW

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh...

April 2024 Box Office Expectations: 400 Crore With 9 Releases ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Another month has arrived, and another set of releases is scheduled for this Eid month. The biggest one, of course, is the massive Ajay Devgn Vs Akshay Kumar clash at the April 2024 box office with Maidaan and Bade Miyan Chote Miyan. However, if all goes well, then the two films might put up a strong show, bringing a massive 300 crore collection on Eid.

However, despite the 300 crore cumulative collection, the two Eid releases might not beat Salman Khan‘s best Eid performance of 320.24 crore by Bajrangi Bhaijaan in 2015. The film was helmed by Kabir Khan and is the biggest Eid release till date.

April 2024, the box office will witness 9 releases that include a clash we discussed and another clash between Dukaan and Jnu. There will also be a triple clash between Janhvi Kapoor, Vidya Balan, and Uorfi Javed. Overall, the...

The severity of the emotional trauma experienced by any victim of physical or emotional abuse is so heinous and ghastly a crime perpetrated by the sinner that unless one scratches the outer layer of the victim’s psyche, one never gets to know the brutality or the cruelty. In dealing particularly with a sex crime, there are several ramifications that overrule and throw out several fundamental causes and leave a permanent impression on the victim. For one, incest continues to be a taboo subject and interferes with any wounded sufferer’s mental health some of which lead to numerous personality disorders.

Child abuse or incest is not a subject often discussed and deliberated upon both either in public or within the narrow confines of our secure homes. And since it is such an offensive and unmentionable issue that it’s considered forbidden.

Understandably, cinema, too, though it reflects and mirrors society and its ills,...

The real life Amritsar born Jaswant Singh Gill advanced through the ranks during his employment with Coal India Limited before retiring in 1998 as Engineer-in-Chief. The rescue mission at the Mahabir Colliery in Raniganj, West Bengal, was the most important event of his more than two-decade career. Reportedly he saved lives of 65 trapped miners from a flooded coal mine earning him the moniker of Capsule Gill.

Jaswant Singh Gill, a brave and courageous mining engineer from Iit Dhanbad, takes it upon himself to rescue miners trapped in Raniganj coalfields so that they can be reunited with their families. A real-life hero, Jaswant Singh Gill led a solo and brave mission saving the lives of ordinary people. The canvas of the film is huge, allowing users to actually experience a coal mine rescue, which can only best be enjoyed on the big screen.

Set in 1989, ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’ captures...

The real life Amritsar born Jaswant Singh Gill advanced through the ranks during his employment with Coal India Limited before retiring in 1998 as Engineer-in-Chief. The rescue mission at the Mahabir Colliery in Raniganj, West Bengal, was the most important event of his more than two-decade career. Reportedly he saved lives of 65 trapped miners from a flooded coal mine earning him the moniker of Capsule Gill.

Jaswant Singh Gill, a brave and courageous mining engineer from Iit Dhanbad, takes it upon himself to rescue miners trapped in Raniganj coalfields so that they can be reunited with their families. A real-life hero, Jaswant Singh Gill led a solo and brave mission saving the lives of ordinary people. The canvas of the film is huge, allowing users to actually experience a coal mine rescue, which can only best be enjoyed on the big screen.

Set in 1989, ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’ captures...

The trailer for the thriller Mission Raniganj:The Great Bharat Rescue, directed by Tinu Suresh Desai, and starring Akshay Kumar and Parineeti Chopra, has dropped!

Set to release on the 6th of October, Mission Raniganj mirrors a real-life episode from November 1989. The story is inspired by the valourous act of Late Jaswant Singh Gill, an engineer who orchestrated and executed an audacious rescue mission, saving trapped miners from a submerged coal mine Raniganj Coalfield. This dramatic narrative centers around Gill’s unmatched courage and his relentless push to overcome life-threatening adversities.

The eagerly anticipated gripping rescue thriller is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, drama, inspiration, courage, all beautifully woven together with terrific performances from the cast that also includes Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt and Omkar Das Manikpuri. Mission Raniganj...

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is reuniting with the ‘Teri Mitti’ hitmakers Arko Pravo Mukherjee and BPraak for the song ‘Jeetenge’ from the upcoming rescue thriller, ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’.

‘Jeetenge’ is touted to be an inspirational anthem. What makes this collaboration even more significant is the thematic connection between ‘Kesari’ and ‘Mission Raniganj’. Both films delve into themes of inspiration and real-life success stories.

‘Mission Raniganj’ brings the heroic tale of Late Jaswant Singh Gill to the celluloid. The recently unveiled trailer showcases Akshay Kumar in an entirely new avatar portraying the role ofJaswant Singh Gill with the newly-wed Parineeti Chopra opposite him.

The film also stars Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt, and Omkar Das Manikpuri.

It tells the real-life incident at the Raniganj Coalfield where miners...

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar is reuniting with the ‘Teri Mitti’ hitmakers Arko Pravo Mukherjee and BPraak for the song ‘Jeetenge’ from the upcoming rescue thriller, ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’.

‘Jeetenge’ is touted to be an inspirational anthem. What makes this collaboration even more significant is the thematic connection between ‘Kesari’ and ‘Mission Raniganj’. Both films delve into themes of inspiration and real-life success stories.

‘Mission Raniganj’ brings the heroic tale of Late Jaswant Singh Gill to the celluloid. The recently unveiled trailer showcases Akshay Kumar in an entirely new avatar portraying the role ofJaswant Singh Gill with the newly-wed Parineeti Chopra opposite him.

The film also stars Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt, and Omkar Das Manikpuri.

It tells the real-life incident at the Raniganj Coalfield where miners...

The trailer of ‘Mission Raniganj’ starring Akshay Kumar as Jaswant Singh Gill which was released on Monday, is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, drama, inspiration, courage, and soulful music, all beautifully woven together with terrific performances from the cast.

Jaswant Singh Gill played a significant role in rescuing surviving miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in Raniganj in November 1989. It was a successful rescue mission against all odds.

The trailer lives up to the hype that has surrounded the film. The 2 minute 15 seconds trailer begins with chaos in a coal mine, and the workers are running to save their life as water enters the mining area. Akshay enters the scene as Jaswant Singh Gill, who is the rescue officer.

Jaswant is seen saying: “Neeche agar ek bhi jindagi saans le rahi hai, to wo hamare intezaar me hain”. He assures the family members of the workers that he will help them rescue,...

The trailer of ‘Mission Raniganj’ starring Akshay Kumar as Jaswant Singh Gill which was released on Monday, is a roller-coaster ride of emotions, drama, inspiration, courage, and soulful music, all beautifully woven together with terrific performances from the cast.

Jaswant Singh Gill played a significant role in rescuing surviving miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in Raniganj in November 1989. It was a successful rescue mission against all odds.

The trailer lives up to the hype that has surrounded the film. The 2 minute 15 seconds trailer begins with chaos in a coal mine, and the workers are running to save their life as water enters the mining area. Akshay enters the scene as Jaswant Singh Gill, who is the rescue officer.

Jaswant is seen saying: “Neeche agar ek bhi jindagi saans le rahi hai, to wo hamare intezaar me hain”. He assures the family members of the workers that he will help them rescue,...

The upcoming film ‘The Storyteller’, directed by Ananth Mahadevan, has been selected as the closing night film for the 14th edition of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The film will be screened on September 22.

It stars Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Jayesh More and Revathy, and is based on a short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’ by the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Sharing his excitement, Ananth Mahadevan said: “‘The Storyteller’ has emerged as a befitting tribute to the master storyteller Satyajit Ray. Film festivals are not just about showcasing our work; they are a celebration of storytelling and the magic of cinema. It gives me immense pride and it’s the most gratifying moment for all of us as our film is selected as a Closing Night Film at the prestigious Chicago South Asian Film Festival.”

The film tells the story of a wealthy businessman who hires a...

The upcoming film ‘The Storyteller’, directed by Ananth Mahadevan, has been selected as the closing night film for the 14th edition of the Chicago South Asian Film Festival. The film will be screened on September 22.

It stars Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Jayesh More and Revathy, and is based on a short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’ by the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray.

Sharing his excitement, Ananth Mahadevan said: “‘The Storyteller’ has emerged as a befitting tribute to the master storyteller Satyajit Ray. Film festivals are not just about showcasing our work; they are a celebration of storytelling and the magic of cinema. It gives me immense pride and it’s the most gratifying moment for all of us as our film is selected as a Closing Night Film at the prestigious Chicago South Asian Film Festival.”

The film tells the story of a wealthy businessman who hires a...

Director Tinu Suresh Desai, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming Akshay Kumar-starrer film ‘Mission Raniganj’, opened up on the challenges that he and his team faced during the production of the film. He particularly opened up on the incident when the team dug up a 40-foot deep hole.

‘Mission Raniganj’ is a film depicting a coal mine accident that sent shockwaves through the nation and the world. The film narrates the relentless efforts of the rescue team led by the valiant Jaswant Singh Gill (portrayed by Akshay Kumar).

To ensure that the visuals portrayed the authentic and relatable essence of this tragic incident, Desai and his team dug a hole of about 40 feet deep into the earth.

The reason behind this ambitious undertaking was to allow the actors to genuinely experience the pain and suffocation that real miners endured while trapped inside the coal mine. This immersion...

Director Tinu Suresh Desai, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming Akshay Kumar-starrer film ‘Mission Raniganj’, opened up on the challenges that he and his team faced during the production of the film. He particularly opened up on the incident when the team dug up a 40-foot deep hole.

‘Mission Raniganj’ is a film depicting a coal mine accident that sent shockwaves through the nation and the world. The film narrates the relentless efforts of the rescue team led by the valiant Jaswant Singh Gill (portrayed by Akshay Kumar).

To ensure that the visuals portrayed the authentic and relatable essence of this tragic incident, Desai and his team dug a hole of about 40 feet deep into the earth.

The reason behind this ambitious undertaking was to allow the actors to genuinely experience the pain and suffocation that real miners endured while trapped inside the coal mine. This immersion...

Mumbai, Sep 15 (Ians) Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Mission Raniganj’, has paid a tribute to Jaswant Singh Gill, an unsung hero in Indian history, celebrating Engineer’s Day.

Taking to Instagram, the actor expressed his excitement at portraying Gill as he shared an image of the latter, and wrote: “Happy #Engineers Day. I could never even imagine myself studying hard to be an engineer.”

“But then I got an opportunity to play a brave, intelligent engineer like Jaswant Singh Gill ji in #MissionRaniganj. माँ बाप की इच्छा पूरी हो गई (My parents wish has been fulfilled). #RealHero,” he added.

The post was accompanied by a real life black and white image of a young Jaswant Gill from 1961, standing proudly outside Ism college, where he pursued Mining Engineering.

Jaswant Gill was the leading engineer during the 1989 Raniganj Coalfield collapse in West Bengal,...

Mumbai, Sep 15 (Ians) Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is awaiting the release of his upcoming film ‘Mission Raniganj’, has paid a tribute to Jaswant Singh Gill, an unsung hero in Indian history, celebrating Engineer’s Day.

Taking to Instagram, the actor expressed his excitement at portraying Gill as he shared an image of the latter, and wrote: “Happy #Engineers Day. I could never even imagine myself studying hard to be an engineer.”

“But then I got an opportunity to play a brave, intelligent engineer like Jaswant Singh Gill ji in #MissionRaniganj. माँ बाप की इच्छा पूरी हो गई (My parents wish has been fulfilled). #RealHero,” he added.

The post was accompanied by a real life black and white image of a young Jaswant Gill from 1961, standing proudly outside Ism college, where he pursued Mining Engineering.

Jaswant Gill was the leading engineer during the 1989 Raniganj Coalfield collapse in West Bengal,...

Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar, who is gearing up for his upcoming film, ‘Mission Raniganj’, visited the Mahakaleshwar temple in Ujjain on his birthday. The actor’s visit to the temple was not only a personal pilgrimage but also an opportunity to seek divine intervention for his film ‘Mission Raniganj’.

The film, produced by Pooja Entertainment, is based on the Raniganj coalfield rescue mission led by the Late Shri Jaswant Singh Gill (played by Akshay Kumar).

Jaswant Singh Gill played a significant role in rescuing all the surviving miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in Raniganj in November 1989, which was a successful rescue mission against all odds.

The film also stars Parineeti Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Pavan Malhotra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Rajesh Sharma, Virendra Saxena, Shishir Sharma, Ananth Mahadevan, Jameel Khan, Sudhir Pandey, Bachan Pachera, Mukesh Bhatt and Omkar Das Manikpuri.

‘Mission Raniganj’ is an ode to the resilience,...

Eminent filmmaker Ananth Narayan Mahadevan is in post-production on “Phule,” about the pioneers of women’s education in India.

Jyotirao Govindrao Phule and his wife Savitribai were social reformers known for their efforts against India’s endemic caste system. Phule’s first school for girls was founded in Pune, western India, in 1848. In 1873, Jyotirao Phule and his followers began the Satyashodhak Samaj (Truth-seekers’ Society) to campaign for increased rights for the underprivileged. In 1888, the honorific Mahatma (great soul), a term later used to describe Gandhi, was accorded to Phule.

“The two of them are lethal, the husband and wife, because at a time when the girl child was being refused education and just pushed into marriage, Jyotirao chose to actually educate his little wife – she was just 11 at that time, he was 17 when they got married, because it was the time of child marriage,” Mahadevan told Variety.

Many of the...

Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy’s Malayalam movie, ‘Max, Min & Meowzaki’, starring Nafisa Ali, Nassar, Adil Hussain and Mandira Bedi, has won the best feature film awards at the 20th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart 2023.

If a cat plays a key part in ‘Max, Min & Meowzaki’, a dog is at the centre of the drama in Victor Mukherjee’s vigilante action thriller ‘Lakadbaggha’ starring Anshuman Jha and Ridhi Dogra, which took home the Director’s Vision award.

Other awards included Best Documentary, which went to Nisha Pahuja for ‘To Kill A Tiger’; Best Short Film for ‘Nocturnal Burger’ by Reema Maya; Best Tvc bagged by ‘Mental Health’ by Bauddhayan Mukherji; and the Audience Award, which was picked up by the Busan Film Festival favourite ‘The Storyteller’, with Paresh Rawal and Naseeruddin Shah in prominent roles, by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan.

As the news about the awards came in, Ians spoke with ‘Lakadbaggha’ lead actor Anshuman Jha.

New Delhi, July 25 (Ians) The vigilante action thriller ‘Lakadbaggha’ starring Anshuman Jha and Ridhi Dogra, has achieved international acclaim by winning the German star of India ‘Director’s Vision’ award at the 20th Indian Film Festival Stuttgart 2023.

The categories in the ‘German Star of India’ Award 2023 are: Best Feature Film bagged by ‘Max, Min & Meowzaki’ by Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy; Best Documentary bagged by ‘To Kill A Tiger’ by Nisha Pahuja; Best Short Film went to ‘Nocturnal Burger’ by Reema Maya; Best Tvc bagged by ‘Mental Health’ by Bauddhayan Mukherji; and the Audience Award bagged by ‘The Storyteller’ by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan.

Directed by Victor Mukherjee, ‘Lakadbaggha’ is a love letter to dogs and is the story of an animal lover vigilante against an animal abuser kingpin. The film deals with the underbelly of illegal animal trade and the inhuman treatment of the voiceless creatures.

The film had its world premiere at...

Jio Studios’ The Storyteller continues to earn international recognition during its festival run, achieving yet another milestone by receiving the German Star of India 2023 for director Ananth Mahadevan in the category Audience Award at the Indian Film Festival Stuttgart in Germany. The award is given by the audience for outstanding achievements in entertainment. The film received a warm reception, with a packed audience and great appreciation during its recent screening at the festival where it was also the Closing Film.

An elated director Ananth Mahadevan shares, “The unanimous acknowledgement of The Storyteller from Busan to Houston, London, Iffi, now Stuttgart and on to Melbourne next month is absolutely overwhelming. What has indeed been rewarding is the acceptance of understated performances and subtle storytelling that conforms to global cinema. When I set out to pay tribute to the Master, I had set a very nervous foot forward. But the thought process...

Melbourne, July 13 (Ians) The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (Iffm) has announced the nominations for its 14th edition, which includes titles such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Kantara’, ‘Pathaan’ and ‘Bhediya’, among many others.

This year, the festival welcomes a new addition to its jury panel, the Oscar-winning Australian filmmaker Bruce Beresford, known for directing films such as ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ and ‘The Contract’.

The Iffm advisory committee after meticulous consideration of hundreds of films and series from across Indian cinema, have finalised the nominations of films and series which have been released between June 1, 2022 to May 31, 2023.

Leading the pack in the film categories, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress, are notable productions such as ‘Darlings’, ‘Monica O My Darling’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’ and ‘Kantara’.

In the Ott category, series such as ‘Trial By Fire’, ‘Jubilee’, and ‘Delhi Crime Season 2’ have garnered the highest number of nominations. The winners of the prestigious...

Jio Studios‘ ‘The Storyteller’, based on a short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’ by master filmmaker Satyajit Ray is all set to open the London Indian Film Festival on June 22 at BFI Southbank, London. Jio Studios presents, a Purpose Entertainment and Quest Films Production, the movie stars powerhouse actors Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Jayesh More and Revathy.

Talking about the film’s selection as the opening film, an elated filmmaker Ananth Mahadevan shares, “The Storyteller that has already been acclaimed at Busan, Palm Springs, Iffi and Iffk, Kerala has emerged as a befitting tribute to the Master Satyajit Ray on the occasion of his birth centenary. It is hence a matter of pride and indeed gratifying that Europe’s biggest indie festival The London Indian Film Festival has accorded it the status of Opening Film.”

“Based on an original story by Ray, The Storyteller evokes the master’s...

The prestigious and brilliant London Indian Film Festival is gearing up for another outstanding line up of films starting in June. This year, UK and Europe’s largest South Asian film festival takes place at the prestigious BFI, Barbican (London), and Mac (Birmingham). The London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival presents a selected season of films and shorts premieres in June, with a larger programme returning in September across the UK.

The exciting June season, supported in London by the Bagri Foundation, begins with the the European premiere of the multi-starrer film The Storyteller directed by Ananth Mahadevan on 22nd June at BFI Southbank and 23rd June at Mac Birmingham. This sumptuous film is based on the writings of Satyajit Ray and includes charming performances from Indian arthouse stalwarts Paresh Rawal as a struggling writer with Adil Hussain and Tannistha Chatterjee amongst the glittering cast, presented by Jio Studios.

Life After Oil, a film festival that deals specifically with the environment and human rights on an international level, celebrates an important milestone: its 10th edition. A journey that began in 2014 under the sign of cinema seen not only as artistic expression, but also as a tool for knowledge and information on topics that should concern everyone. For the third consecutive year, the collaboration with the municipality of Villanovaforru, a town in the province of South Sardinia that will host the event from June 6 to 10, is confirmed.

“In spite of all the logistical and organizational difficulties that are encountered and that seem to be increasing instead of decreasing,” highlights artistic director Massimiliano Mazzotta, “the need to make a clean change in the system is so tangible that we want to continue in our intent of popularization through cinema in all its facets, with the hope of reaching an ever-wider audience.

The U.K.’s London Indian Film Festival and Birmingham Indian Film Festival will work together to present a two-city, two-part panoply of feature and short films, kicking off next month with “The Storyteller.”

Directed by Ananth Mahadevan, “The Storyteller” sees Adil Hussain play a Gujarati businessman who believes that once physical wealth is accumulated, happiness will follow, but this proves not to be the case. Paresh Rawal plays the titular storyteller. The film is based on a story by the late, great Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray and contrasts the pursuit of material wealth with that of intellectual knowledge. Hussain, co-star Tannishtha Chatterjee and Mahadevan are expected to be on hand for Q&a sessions on June 22 at BFI Southbank and on June 23 at Mac Birmingham.

The “Storyteller” screenings represent the first element of a short summer season. The main festival in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds will take place Sept.

Mumbai, May 25 (Ians) After unveiling the first-look poster for Raveer Singh as Rocky and Alia Bhatt as Rani, the makers of ‘Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani’ have released the first-look posters featuring the Randhawa and Chatterjee families.

In the movie, Ranveer Singh (Rocky) is from the Randhawa clan, a loud Punjabi family that also includes Dharmendra, Jaya Bachchan, Aamir Bashir, and more.

Alia Bhatt as Rani hails from the Chatterjee clan, which is smart and understated, and includes Shabana Azmi, Tota Roy Choudhary, Churni Ganguly and Anant Mahadevan.

Sharing the posters on social media, Karan Johar’s Dharma Productions tweeted: “Do alag parivaar, ek bada dhamaka! Meet the Randhawas & the Chatterjees. #RockyAurRaniKiiPremKahaani, a film by Karan Johar in his 25th anniversary year. In cinemas 28th July, 2023.”

The film also features Sara Ali Khan, Preity Zinta, Rohit Singh, Kaustubh Mani Mishra and Kartik Aaryan in cameo appearances.

Directed by Karan...

Mumbai, March 24 (Ians) Actress Patralekhaa, who was most recently seen in the streaming series ‘Aar Ya Paar’, is set to start working on her next project titled ‘Phule’ in early April.

The actress will portray the titular character of social activist, Savitribai Phule, who is known to have laid the foundation of female’s education in India and is a pioneer of India’s feminist movement. Savitribai was the wife of Jyotiba Phule, who is credited with changing the social landscape of India by fighting caste discrimination.

The actress was recently spotted at director Anant Mahadevan’s office. Patralekhaa responded to the commencement of the shoot in affirmative. She said: “Savitribai Phule was a trailblazer in pioneering female literacy in the country. Her life is heralded as a textbook of women empowerment. To portray the mother of Indian feminism on screen is an absolute honour.”

The film will be helmed by Anant Mahadevan,...

Nh Studioz, which holds the largest film bank in India with rights of over 2500 feature films, acquired the Hindi theatrical copyrights of the bi-lingual film Michael. The movie is directed by Ranjit Jeyakodi and stars Vijay Sethupathi, Sundeep Kishan, Gautham Menon, and Varalaxmi Sarathkumar. Nh Studioz forayed in the Telugu film industry in the year 2019, with the Ram Gopal Varma’s, Lakshmi’s Ntr and has extensively delivered a number of successful projects worldwide.

“We had a great run recently with Kartik Aryan and Alaya F, who delivered a splendid performance in Freddy. As we expand our wings at Nh Studioz, we have seen Teleugu movies become the face of Indian cinema globally, and we have all witnessed the spectacle that Rrr was able to deliver. The response to the trailer of ‘Michael’ is very encouraging, and we are excited to be a part of it,” said Mr. Shreyans Hirawat,...

National Award-winning film director Ananth Mahadevan has announced his next venture “Veterans Of War – The India Story”.

Mahadevan stated: “This is India’s biggest march of pride…the veterans of the armed forces who are the sentinels of the nation. A salute to our nation’s ‘kavach’!”

Written and directed by Mahadevan and produced by Ashvin Gidwani of Agp World, the 75-minute documentary film that celebrates 75 years of Indian Independence will feature real life stories and interviews of 20 Indian armed forces Gallantry awardees.

Veterans Day is commemorated every year on January 14, and this parade that is due to take place on January 8 this year, will be the final shoot and scene for this epic docu-film.

In collaboration with the Navy Foundation Mumbai Chapter (Nfmc), this documentary has been created. It will feature living legends of war, where retired, top-ranking military personnel and Mahavir Chakra awardees have shared their true-life experiences.

The International Film Festival Of India (Iffi) has announced the 15 films that will screen in competition at this year’s edition of the annual event, including recent festival favourites such as Maha Haj’s Mediterranean Fever and Lav Diaz’ When The Waves Are Gone, and three Indian films, including recent Busan premiere The Storyteller.

The selection of 12 international titles also includes Syrian filmmaker Soudade Kaadan’s Nezouh; Next Sohee, from South Korea’s Jung Ju-ri; Red Shoes, from Japan’s Toshiro Saiga; Cold As Marble, from Azerbaijan’s Asif Rustamov; Seven Dogs, from Argentina’s Rodrigo Guerrero; Ursula Meier’s The Line (La Ligne); Valentina Maurel’s I Have Electric Dreams, and two Iranian films – Dariush Mehrjui’s A Minor and Nader Saeivar’s No End.

South Asia is also represented by Maarya: The Ocean Angel, about a group of fishermen disturbed by a sex doll they find in the sea,...

Indian film ‘The Storyteller’, which stars Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Jayesh More and Revathy, wil be screened at the International Film Festival of Kerala (Iffk) after being selected for the International Film Festival of India (Iffi).

The film getting selected at three big festivals in such a short duration brings pride to the lead actor and protagonist of the film, Paresh Rawal said: “These are moments of real pride and satisfaction.”

Based on a short story by the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, ‘The Storyteller’ follows the tale of a wealthy businessman who hires a storyteller to help get over his insomnia; turning more intriguing as twists are added to it.

Sharing his excitement on the occasion of the film’s selection, director Ananth Mahadevan said: “Selection of ‘The Storyteller’ at these reputed festivals couldn’t have come at a more opportune time, following Satyajit Ray’s centenary year.

After “Sunrise” in 2014 and a double whammy with “The Wayfarers” and “Nirvana Inn” in 2019, Indian thespian Adil Hussain is back at the Busan International Film Festival this year with two more films – “The Storyteller” in the Jiseok section, and “Max, Min and Meowzaki” in the Open Cinema strand.

Hussain, best known internationally for “Life of Pi” and “Star Trek: Discovery,” also won global plaudits for “What Will People Say” and “Hotel Salvation.”

Both of the actor’s Busan films this year are by festival alumni – “The Storyteller,” is by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, whose “Bittersweet” was in Busan 2020 and “Max, Min and Meowzaki” is helmed by Padmakumar Narasimhamurthy, who was at Busan in 2016 with “A Billion Colour Story.”

In “The Storyteller” Hussain plays Goradia, a Gujarati businessman who believes that once physical wealth is accumulated, happiness will follow, but this proves not to be the case. The film is based on a story by the late,...

Ananth Narayan Mahadevan’s Busan International Film Festival selection “The Storyteller,” based on a short story by Oscar-winning Indian filmmaker Satyajit Ray, isn’t “just another homage” to the late master.

Film enthusiast Tapobrati Das Sammaddar recommended Ray’s story “Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro” to Mahadevan, who was “instantly fascinated by the layered social satire.” The story follows an unpublished Bengali storyteller who answers a help ad from a Gujarati businessman who suffers from insomnia, and there is a twist in the tale.

Samaddar translated the story and Kireet Khurana (“T for Taj Mahal”) and Mahadevan developed it into a screenplay that was a faithful adaptation of the original. Mahadevan, who cites Ray’s “Charulata” and “Pather Panchali” as influences, says that the choice of film grammar was the tricky part of the shoot.

“If one claimed that the film would be a homage/tribute, then it called for an...

The trailer of the upcoming film ‘The Storyteller’, which stars powerhouse actors Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Revathy, was unveiled on Monday. The film has been selected in competition for the 27th Busan International Film Festival, which will be held from October 5 through October 14, 2022.

It will be contending for the revered ‘Kim Jiseok’ award. Based on a short story ‘Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro’ by the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, the film tells the story of a wealthy businessman who hires a storyteller to help get over his insomnia; turning more intriguing as twists are added to it.

Commenting on the occasion, the director of the film Ananth Mahadevan, who has earlier directed the National Award-winning film, ‘Mee Sindhutai Sapkal’, said in a statement, “The selection of ‘The Storyteller’ at the Busan international Film Festival in Competition is indeed prestigious and is a big step forward for Indian cinema in meeting global standards.

Click here to read the full article.

The 27th edition of Busan International Film Festival will open with Scent of Wind by the Iranian director Hadi Mohaghegh and close with A Man by Japan’s Kei Ishikawa.

Launched in 1996, Busan has long been considered Asia’s premiere film festival, famous both for launching the careers of exciting new Korean and Asian auteurs, as well as its festive beachfront vibe, with tented restaurants serving soju and Korean seafood specialities into the wee hours.

This year, Busan festival director Heo Moon-young has promised an edition that represents “a full recovery” from the pandemic, restoring various programs and forums that were interrupted over the past two years due to the Seoul government’s social distancing measures. In 2022, the festival will screen 354 films from 71 countries, with various satellite events happening across town.

Scent of Wind is the fourth film by Mohaghegh, whose feature film...

Korea’s Busan International Film Festival (October 5-14) has announced its full line-up, including opening film Scent Of Wind, directed by Iran’s Hadi Mohaghegh, while Hong Kong actor Tony Leung Chiu-Wai will be honoured as Asian Filmmaker Of The Year.

Leung has credits including Wong Kar Wai’s In The Mood For Love and Happy Together, as well as the Infernal Affairs trilogy, and more recently, Disney’s Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings.

Japanese filmmaker Kei Ishikawa’s A Man, which premiered in Venice, has been set as Busan’s closing film. Opening film, Scent Of Wind, revolves around a disabled man living with his handicapped son in a remote Iranian village. Mohaghegh previously won Busan’s New Currents Award in 2015 for Immortal.

The festival will screen 354 films including 89 world premieres and 13 international premieres, with 100 seating capacity in cinemas, a full program of parties, events and...

‘The Storyteller’ headlined by Paresh Rawal, Adil Hussain, Tannishtha Chatterjee and Revathi, is set for its World Premiere at the soon to be held Busan Film Festival in South Korea. In addition, it will also be contending for the revered ‘Kim Jiseok’ award.

Reacting to the news, director of the film Anant Mahadevan said in a statement, “I am looking forward to presenting ‘The Storyteller’ at the Busan International Film Festival. The film is my tribute to the legend Satyajit Ray and what better occasion than to showcase it at a platform like Busan.”

Based on a short story by the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray, the film tells the story of a wealthy businessman who hires a storyteller to help get over his insomnia, turning more intriguing as twists are added to it. The original Bengali short story Golpo Boliye Tarini Khuro is one among the series of stories written by Ray,...

Two new sections will showcase a total of 10 world and international premieres.

The Busan International Film Festival is to launch a new competitive section titled Jiseok and has unveiled eight films in the running for its awards.

The festival previously selected 10 films from the A Window on Asian Cinema section to compete for the Kim Jiseok Award, named after the programme director who died in 2017 and had devoted his career to introducing and supporting Asian cinema.

The new Jiseok strand will sort these nominees into a section of their own and comprise films from Asian directors with more than three...

Two new sections will showcase a total of 10 world and international premieres.

The Busan International Film Festival is to launch a new competitive section titled Jiseok and has unveiled eight films in the running for its awards.

The festival previously selected 10 films from the A Window on Asian Cinema section to compete for the Kim Jiseok Award, named after the programme director who died in 2017 and had devoted his career to introducing and supporting Asian cinema.

The new Jiseok strand will sort these nominees into a section of their own and comprise films from Asian directors with more than three...

The Busan International Film Festival will further honor its co-founder and former programmer Kim Jiseok, who died suddenly in 2017, by expanding the existing prize in his name into a fully-fledged competitive section.

Previously, the Kim Jiseok Award was given to one of ten films selected from the ‘A Window on Asian Cinema’ sidebar which introduces new films from significant Asian directors, defined as those who have each made more than three films.

“Starting this year, the Kim Jiseok Award nominees have been sorted into a section of their own, namely the ‘Jiseok’ section. Also, Korean films will be included in the ‘Jiseok’ section,” Busan organizers said. “This program section aims to both reinforce the spirit and determination of [Kim], who devoted himself to the growth and support of Asian films, and direct attention to the nominated works.”

The section comes with two cash prizes of 10,000 each. “Thus, the Jiseok section is...

The eighth edition of the International Film Festival of Shimla will be held from August 26-28 at Gaiety Theatre in Himachal Pradesh capital with Bollywood actress Divya Dutta as the celebrity guest, it was announced on Thursday.

Festival Director Pushp Raj Thakur said the screening of Divya Dutta’s transgender-based film Sheer Korma at the film festival will be presided over by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

This time, 81 films will be screened at the International Film Festival of Shimla. Twenty-seven films in the international category, 34 Indian films, 4 Himachali films and 15 national award winning films will be screened in the three-day festival.

This time, films from 17 countries including Canada, the US, Spain, Iran, Brazil, Iceland, Mexico, Australia, Greece, Russia — will be screened. These include documentary, animation feature and short films.

Gujarati feature film ’21 M U Tiffin’ directed by Vijay Giri Baba, Hindi feature film ‘Alpha Beta Gama’ directed by Shankar Sri Kumar,...

Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, has joined hands with the Cannes Film Market to present seven projects looking for co-producers and financiers on July 9.

Film Bazaar, an annual event that takes place in Goa, India, is organized by the country’s National Film Development Corporation (Nfdc). The selected projects are the ones that attracted the most meetings at the Bazaar’s January online edition.

The projects include “Dengue” by Prantik Basu, produced by Basu and Jan van der Zanden, where a feverish romance plays out between two men as a tropical virus develops. Basu’s “Bela” played at Rotterdam and Visions du Réel, Nyon International Documentary Film Festival.

“Rasa” (Immerse) by Anjali Menon (India), produced by Menon and N.P. Prakash is a dance-based film. Menon is one of India’s most commercially successful filmmakers whose credits include “Bangalore Days” and “Koode.”

“Kuhiro Pariko Sahar” (A Hidden Tale...

As is the practice each year with the Government of Maharashtra selecting Marathi cinema for the Cannes’ Marche Du film, the Official selection for this prestigious section this year is Bittersweet, the hard-hitting drama of the emotional dilemma of women sugarcane workers in interior Maharashtra.

Bittersweet, produced by Suchhanda Chatterjee and Shubha Shetty of Quest Films had its world premiere at the Busan International Festival where it was an official selection. The film received rave reviews in Screen International which called it 'a conversation starter of a picture' and praised the debutante actress Akshaya Gurav for her performance as the protagonist.

Bittersweet is written and directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan who was overwhelmed by the headline in a prominent newspaper 'Beed: a village of women without wombs' that urged him to investigate and film the story on actual location, using real sugarcane cutters along with prominent Marathi actors Suresh Vishwakarma,...

Film Bazaar, South Asia’s largest co-production market, has revealed 21 eclectic projects from several countries and in a welter of languages, for its 2021 online edition.

The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects virtually to a curated audience of Indian and international producers, distributors, festival programmers, financiers and sales agents at an open pitch session. This year, Film Bazaar has also collaborated with the French Embassy in India which will be sponsoring the French Institute Award for one market project.

As is the usual case, the projects are a mix of festival favorites and debutants.

From India, Berlinale title “Eeb Allay Ooo!” editor Tanushree Das and Rotterdam title “Nasir” cinematographer Saumyananda Sahi make their directorial debuts with Bengali-language “Baksho Bondi” (aka “How Long Is Tomorrow?”), produced by Naren Chandavarkar (Rotterdam Fipresci winner “The Bangle Seller”); Tamil-language “Bommainayagi” (aka “Queen Doll”) by debutant Shanawaz Nizamudeen, produced by Pa. Ranjith, director of Rajinikanth...

Line-up includes new projects from Onir, Anjali Menon, Shyam Bora and Haobam Paban Kumar.

Film Bazaar, organised by India’s National Film Development Corp (Nfdc), has announced the 21 projects selected for the Co-production Market (Cpm) of its 2020 edition, which will take place online next month after being postponed from its usual November slot.

The line-up includes projects in 17 South Asian languages originating in India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka, as well as co-productions with Canada, China, Netherlands and France.

International collaborations include Onir’s We Are, co-produced by India’s Anticlock Films and Canada’s Fae Pictures; India-Netherlands collaboration Dengue,...