Main Story
Double WhammyMaking a film with a double role is more difficult than it used to be. Have they gone out of…
CAA KWAN On Signing SpreeAfter roping in actors and models one after another, CAA Kwan is now concentrating on signing…
Three Biggies For Dharma ProductionsThey already had a small release this year in Gippi but the production house is geared up for the…
Sonakshi Sinha In Welcome 2A few weeks ago, we broke the news that Anees Bazmee would start shooting No Entry 2 and the film…
“Love stories will never go out of fashion”The film will release in a few days but we were invited to spend a day on the sets of Kumar…
“Acting is much more than just being a star”After two back-to-back successes – Rockstar and Barfi! – Ranbir Kapoor is all geared up for his…
Ajay Devgn-Katrina Kaif Paired?We’re all aware that Bajirao Mastani is a film that’s very close to Sanjay Leela Bhansali and…
I am the No.1 Dancer of Bollywood: DharmendraThe makers of Yamla Pagla Deewana 2 (YPD 2) had decided to make the music launch of the film a…
Features
Double Whammy
Making a film with a double role is more difficult than it used to be. Have they gone out of fashion or are they begging to be revisited?
Two for the price of one is an offer few can resist. Yet, last week’s action-thriller Aurangzeb which had actor Arjun Kapoor ...
Posted in Features, Main Story
Tagged Aakhree Raasta, actor, Adalat, Amitabh Bachchan, Angoor, Aradhana, Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, Bandhe Hath, Bemisal, CHaalBaaz, Desh Premi, Don, double role, film, Hum Dono, Hum Kaun Hai, Kasme Vaade, Lal Baadshah, Mahaan, Ram Aur Shyam, Salman Khan, Satte Pe Satta, Seeta Aur Geeta, Shah Rukh Khan, Sooryavansham, The Great Gambler, Toofan
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“All you need is good content to make a good film”
She’s often mistaken for the cinematographer who shares her name. We’re talking about Sejal Shah, a journalist-turned-documentary filmmaker. Shah has finally graduated to making feature films and her first one, Hasmukh Pighal Gaya under Sanjay Dutt Productions, is well on its way.
Background
I started my career as ...
“It doesn’t take money to make a film, it takes talent”
Neeraj Sharma has done it all – from television to events to reality shows – in the 13 years since he set foot in the entertainment industry. Now he’s directing his own film, which is being produced by Vashu Bhagnani. The director, who loves trying new things, speaks about his ...
Posted in Features
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“I learnt that a film never fails, its budget does”
Where most people struggle to find a toehold in this industry, Karan Butani had it relatively easy. After graduating from Whistling Woods International (WWI) in 2009, he began assisting director Tigmanshu Dhulia. Now, he is currently thrilled to be working on his first feature film.
Background
I always ...
Frisco Fling
A favourite among tourists and filmmakers alike, San Francisco offers an eclectic mix of backdrops with incentives to sweeten the bait
San Francisco, the consolidated city-county of California in the US not only boasts skyscrapers and fashionable living but also lets individuals unwind at the Bay Area, swanky restaurants ...
“Love stories will never go out of fashion”
The film will release in a few days but we were invited to spend a day on the sets of Kumar Taurani’s Ramaiya Vastavaiya long ago. Helmed by Prabhudheva, the film features Taurani’s son Girish Kumar, who is making his acting debut. Soumita Sengupta shares her experiences on the sets
...
Zanzibar International Film Festival
June 29 – July 7
Zanzibar, East Africa
What’s It All About?
The Zanzibar International Film Festival (ZIFF) is East Africa’s largest film, music and arts festival, bringing new talents together from all over the world for a Zanzibar tamasha. Every year, some of the most captivating and ...
Nantucket Film Festival
June 26-30, 2013
Nantucket, Massachusetts, United States
What’s It All About?
The Nantucket Film Festival (NFF) was founded by brother-and-sister team Jill and Jonathan Burkhart in 1996. The festival promotes the cultural awareness and appreciation of the art of screenwriting in the world of cinema.NFF screens a ...
Posted in Film Festivals
Tagged A.C.O.D., auckenland, Blackfish, Monsters University, Nantucket Film Festival, The Hunt
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Lost In Time
Bite into the South American country of Peru, where exotic locations and the ruins of ancient civilisations present stunning backdrops
Peru is a country in South America, situated on the western side of the continent, facing the South Pacific Ocean and straddling part of the Andes mountain range that ...
Awesome Twosomes
Are hit actor-director pairings a commercial success or do they simply make for great publicity?
Chemistry, chemistry, chemistry! But no matter what is said about the potent chemistry of the lead pair in a film, there’s another equally potent formula that seems to spell success at the box office. And ...
Guns & Poses
There’s nothing funny about shooting in the scorching Rajasthan desert. But War Chhod Na Yaar promises to tickle the funny bone. An on-location peek into Bollywood’s first-ever comedy war film
It’s a Monday morning and the temperature is 48˚ C. The venue is Bikaner in Rajasthan. Yes, we’re serious! ...
Posted in Features
Tagged actor, Director, film, Sejal Shah, Soha Ali Khan, War Chhod Na Yaar
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For The Love Of Money
Like romance, our industry is often fickle and we love to follow a trend. Despite the onslaught of edgy film subjects that’s made their way into filmdom, will the super success of Aashiqui 2 now turn romance into a bankable genre once again?
In a day and age when ...
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Cannes Film Festival
May 15 – 26, 2013
Cannes, France
What’s It All About?
The Cannes Film Festival popularly known as Festival de Cannes, is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France. It previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. The festival was founded in 1946 ...
Ranbir Kapoor’s Badtameez Dil
The moment the Ranbir Kapoor and Deepika Padukone starrer Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani’s song Badtameez dil, hit the television screens, it mesmerised one and all. The song sung by Benny Dayal and Shefali Alvares became a rage right from the word go. And not just that, Kapoor’s dance moves became ...
“Live music brings more melody to a song”
Establishing yourself as a composer is tough mainly because the domain has been pretty much divided into camps. The good news is things are changing and there’s new talent making us sit up and take notice. Mannan Shah is one of them. Mannan’s recent album Commando rocked the charts, especially ...
Posted in Features
Tagged Commando, Dilip Ghosh, mannan shah, sawan bairi, Vidyut Jamwal, Vipul Shah
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“Aashiqui 2 put me under a lot of pressure”
Ankit Tiwari hails from Kanpur, and, like thousands before him, he too came to Mumbai to make a mark. After much blood, sweat and tears, Tiwari’s talent was noticed by the audience in Aashiqui 2, for which he has composed the song Sunn Raha…
Background
Music is in ...
“Success is defined by your own goals”
From playing live songs on stage, composing music and then songwriter, Sachinn Gupta has done it all. Mere Dad Ki Maruti is the latest feather in his cap.
Background
I spent my childhood in Nigeria, where we used to watch a lot of Hindi films. I remember how ...
On A Roll
Is Marathi cinema finally emerging from its cocoon? A look at how the landscape of this regional film industry is changing
When a noted filmmaker plans a 3D movie, a first for the industry, it’s a harbinger of good times. And when corporate production studios throw their hats ...
Posted in Features
Tagged Chintoo 2, Ek Thi Daayan, films, Kokanastha, Mahesh Kothare, Mahesh Manjrekar, Marathi, Star Pravah, Viacom18 Motion Pictures, Yeda, Zapatlela 2
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“Big names are not holding back new talent”
Priyanjali Lahiri has carefully woven together her dream of becoming a costume designer. Lahiri first graduated from National Institute of Fashion Technology before she moved to Mumbai to stitch her dream into reality.
Initial Days
When I came to Mumbai, I started by assisting Anaita Shroff Adjania. I worked ...
Posted in Features
Tagged costume, designer, Priyanjali Lahiri, Sonali Cable., Taare Zameen Par
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“Contrary to belief, actors are not demanding”
Falguni Thakore is a seasoned player in the costumes department and began her career many years ago with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Kareeb. There’s been no looking back ever since.
Initial Days
When I started my career, it was not very difficult to land a project. The challenge was ...
Posted in Features
Tagged Abhishek Bachchan, actor, Akshay Kumar, Boss, costume, designer, falguni thakore, film, Kareeb, Special 26
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‘‘Costume designers are not fashion designers”
Payal Saluja has worked in the industry for a long time but it was Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola this year that gave her recognition. The costume designer talks about her journey in Bollywood and experience on a Vishal Bhardwaj film.
Initial Days
I always wanted to get ...
Batting @100
Exactly a 100 years after it all began, just how much has Indian cinema changed?
It’s a red-letter day in the history of Indian cinema, not just Bollywood. On May 3, a hundred years ago, a daring film connoisseur Dadasaheb Phalke gifted the nation its first silent, full-length feature ...
Posted in Features
Tagged 100 years of Indian Cinema, Anil Sharma, Govind Nihlani, Sameer
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Back To The Future
This mini-England in Canada blends old-world charm with new-age experiences. All this against a postcard-perfect backdrop
Victoria, the capital of the British Columbia region of Canada, is also known as the City of Gardens for it is always blooming. Acknowledged for its innate beautiful gardens, coastlines, forests, beaches and lakes, ...
Posted in Location Hunt
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Maryland Film Festival
May 8 – 12, 2013
Baltimore, US
What’s It All About?
The Maryland Film Festival (MFF) is an annual, four-day event that takes place during first weekend of May. It presents top-notch film and video work from all over the world and screens around 50 feature films and 75 ...
Posted in Film Festivals
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Small Wonders
So far, this year had about 35 releases, both big and small. But it was the small films that earned the best return on investments (ROI). Small scale films including Jolly LLB, Table No 21, Kai Po Che!, ABCD – AnyBody Can Dance, Special 26 ...
Posted in Features
Tagged Aashiqui 2, ABCD – AnyBody Can Dance, Bombay Talkies, Fukrey, Gippi, Go Goa Gone, Hum Hain Rahi Caar Ke, Jolly LLB, Kahaani, Kai Po Che, Mickey Virus, Paan Singh Tomar, Saheb Biw Aur Gangster Returns and Mere Dad Ki Maruti, Special 26, Table No. 21, Vicky Donor, What The Fish
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Hawaiin Hiatus
Smoking volcanoes, endless beaches and dense rainforests… The island of O’ahu in Hawaii is a stunning tropical destination for film shoots
O’ahu is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands and the most populated island in the state of Hawai‘i. The state capital, Honolulu, referred to as the most-in-style city, ...
New York Indian Film Festival
April 30 – May 4
New York, US
What’s It All About?
The New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) is the oldest and most prestigious film festival in the US. It screens premieres of feature, documentary and short films made from, of and about the Indian subcontinent ...
Posted in Film Festivals
Tagged Baavra Mann, Dekh Tamasha Dekh, Filmistaan, Sati, Shaahid
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Castles & More
After already seducing Hollywood with its idyllic charm, the German state of Bavaria is waiting to be discovered by Hindi film producers
This is the free state of Bavaria (aka Bayern) in Southern Germany with its picture-perfect countryside. Unspoilt natural surroundings, healthy air, a wealth of culture and the ...
Posted in Location Hunt
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“Novels are the biggest story bank we have”
Ashwin Sanghi is the author of bestselling books like The Rozabal Line, The Krishna Key and Chanakya’s Chant. Recently, Disney UTV bought the rights of Chanakya’s Chant, which will now be translated into celluloid.
Background
I had always been a voracious reader because of my grandfather. He was an ...
Posted in Features
Tagged Ashwin Sanghi, Chanakya’s Chant, The Krishna Key, The Rozabal Line
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Pirates…Comes Up Trumps
Johnny Depp’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Strange...
Johnny Depp’s Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Strange...
Star Gold- The Frontrunner in the TRP Race
Movie channels are milking the latest blockbusters...
Movie channels are milking the latest blockbusters...
Digital Rights and Wrongs
In the last week or so, online piracy has dominate...
In the last week or so, online piracy has dominate...
The Alps at half price!
A virgin Austrian town steals the thunder from the...
A virgin Austrian town steals the thunder from the...
Hear And Now
Listen up! Cutting-edge sound quality, which was r...
Listen up! Cutting-edge sound quality, which was r...
To Market, To Market
Key players at MAMI share their vision to turn the...
Key players at MAMI share their vision to turn the...
Films To Look Forward To This Year
Agneepath Banner: Dharma Productions P...
Agneepath Banner: Dharma Productions P...
“Marathi cinema makes you think”
She’s a well-known name in the Marathi film indust...
She’s a well-known name in the Marathi film indust...
Director’s Special
Sticking to convictions paid off big time for dire...
Sticking to convictions paid off big time for dire...
Wild Ut-ah!
A pure mountain country known to host many hi-prof...
A pure mountain country known to host many hi-prof...
Seeing Is Believing?
In times when it’s all about perception, do gaps b...
In times when it’s all about perception, do gaps b...
Decoding The Budget
Experts from Ernst & Young analyse the imp...
Experts from Ernst & Young analyse the imp...
