“Today, we are forced to treat our audience as children of less than five years and hence we have to only make goody-goody films with a huge dose of escapism. I want to have the option making films that tackle the issues of Indian society head on, rather than being obliged to refer to them in an oblique fashion,” Kashyap said at a discussion on the future of Indian cinema at the Cannes Film Festival here.

The discussion centred around the film “Bombay Talkies”, a compilation of four films made by four directors – Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Kashyap – which was premiered here during a special screening at Cannes on Sunday evening.

The screening was followed by a gala dinner. During the discussion, Kashyap openly attacked the numerous barriers and controls that were imposed on cinema in India.

“We can not even keep surnames for our characters as we do not know who would be offended, so there are far too many special interest groups that we have to take care of. The biggest hurdle is, of course, not being able to make films about the governance of the country. I want to be able to make a film on say the Commonwealth Games scandal, or about the current government. But I can not,” he said.

The four directors were unanimous that Indian cinema had indeed improved. “We had the first Golden Age of Indian cinema in the 1950s and 1960s. Now, I think, with the current crop of filmmakers, we can be sure that we are about to embark upon the second Golden Age. Whether it comes in five years or 10 is not very important, what is key is that we are improving and it gives me a great pleasure to see the young generation of Indian cinema,” Johar said.

Talking of the film made by her in the “Bombay Talkies” series, Akhtar said her first impression on seeing the rough cuts of all four films was that hers was the most beautiful, almost girlie. She was also equally optimistic about the future of Indian cinema, outside the traditional and home markets.

Johar said that while making “Bombay Talkies”, his biggest fear was to know how to make it within the duration and budgetary limits imposed by the producer, Viacom 18.

“I have never made anything with 15 million rupees and in 25 minutes. My prologues last longer and cost more. So, all the time I was trying to sneakily find out what the others were doing,” Johar said, creating a spur of laughter in the room.

Banerjee said his film was adapted from a short story written by Satyajit Ray about a common man who suddenly finds himself on the sets of a film and is obliged to act the role. “I adapted it to the city where I live, Mumbai,” he said.
-IANS

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Enthusiastically received at the Cannes Film Festival on Friday, the aptly titled film was inspired by real events in a city blighted by child trafficking and prostitution.

A suicidal woman sets the scene in an upmarket apartment as she contemplates a concoction of pills and alcohol; she eyes a scarf hanging from a ceiling fan before putting a gun in her month.

About to pull the trigger, she is interrupted by her young daughter, full of life.

Fast forward and a police inspector mocks and toys with the girl’s father and his producer friend as they try to report her abduction from his car.

“They are divorced, that’s the problem — divorce,” he tells the actor. Turning to the producer, he reels off the names of some of Bollywood’s biggest stars.

“I suppose it’s you who decides (to cast them),” he sneers, surrounded by sniggering subordinates.

But his menacing tone turns to panic when he realises that the girl is the step-daughter of his police commissioner.

Kashyap says he drew on the “insecurity” he experienced after he separated from his first wife and daughter to write the film.

For years he discussed the script with anyone who would listen but was constantly told it could never be made.

When he finally got the go-ahead, Kashyap was wary of showing the screenplay to anyone.

As a result all the actors had to sign up blind for the film.

“I refused to share the script with anyone. I said I’m making the film and if you want to come with me and do it….

“I had this feeling that if they read the script they would not allow me to make it so for the first time I reached out to my actors, friends and said ‘you trust me’ and everyone came on board.”

It is the second consecutive visit to Cannes for the 40-year-old director.

His five-hour gangster epic “Gangs Of Wasseypur” was warmly received at Cannes last year.

“Ugly” is being screened this year as part of the Directors Fortnight, a sidebar to the main competition.

He is also known for his 2004 Hindi-language film “Black Friday” about the 1993 Bombay bombings.

In addition to “Ugly”, Kashyap is one of four up-and-coming Indian directors whose work will be showcased in Cannes on Sunday.

“Bombay Talkies”, one film comprising four short stories by the four directors, will be shown at a gala screening on Sunday to celebrate a century of Indian cinema.

India is Cannes’ third guest country following Egypt and Brazil.

The other directors whose short films are to be shown on Sunday are Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar.

Amit Kumar’s “Monsoon Shootout” will also be shown out of competition and Ritesh Batra’s “The Lunchbox” as part of the Critics Week.
-IANS

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Dramatic and suspenseful, the poster, unveiled on YouTube, captures mysterious elements like a cat crossing a dark lane, while a street shop’s light is blinking away.

The filmmaker has also changed his Twitter handle to “UGLYAnurag”.

“Ugly”, starring Ronit Roy, Tejaswini Kolhapure, Vinit Kumar Singh and Vipin Sharma in pivotal roles, has been shortlisted for Directors’ Fortnight, an independent section at the Cannes Film Festival.

Kashyap’s last directorial venture was two-part crime thriller “Gangs of Wasseypur”. He had previously directed “Dev D”, “Gulaal” and “Black Friday”.
-IANS

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Kashyap was first married to film editor Aarti Bajaj but they got divorced in 2009 and two years later he married Kalki Koechlin.

“All women in my life controlled me completely. I have always followed them and asked them what to do and what not to do starting from my mother to my wife, to now my daughter who is telling me exactly what to do at a festival in France,” the 40-year-old director told reporters here Thursday at an awards ceremony organised by the Women in Film and Television (WIFT).

His films “Dev D” and “Gangs of Wasseypur” depicted women as strong personalities.

He recently contributed a story in anthology film “Bombay Talkies”, made as a tribute to 100 years of Indian Cinema.Bollywood filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Anurag, who has always depicted women as strong characters in his movies, says his life has been controlled by women.

- IANS

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As many as 15 stars from the Indian cinema industry will be walking the red carpet this time, either to promote their movies or as brand ambassadors of other products. Apart from the regular stars whom we see at the Cannes, there is an addition of new upcoming Bollywood stars who shall be seen at the film festival aswell.

Here’s a list of all the stars who will be attending the Cannes Film Festival this year.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

The actress was first seen walking the red carpet at Cannes in 2002 for the promotion of her movie, Devdas and she’s been a regular since then. She’s one of the most beautiful actresses to ever grace the Cannes representing Indian Cinema. This year, she will be present at Cannes as the brand ambassador of L’Oreal Paris, which is completeing 16 years as the official make-up partner of the Cannes festival.

Vidya Balan

This will be Vidya Balan’s first appearance at the Cannes. The actress has been invited to be a part of the prestigious 10 member jury that includes Hollywood filmmaker Steven Spielberg. The promising star, who’s well known for her roles in movies like, Kahani and The Dirty Picture, commented that she shall be seen in her favourite attire – Saree!

Sonam Kapoor

Sonam Kapoor will also be seen at the Cannes film festival as the brand ambassador of L’Oreal and this shall mark the third time of her being present at Cannes. The actress along with Aishwarya Rai and Freida Pinto, who are joint brand ambassadors of L’Oreal, will be sporting the brand’s new sunset  look which is said to be inspired by Bollywood’s different eras, to mark 100 years of Indian Cinema.

Ameesha Patel

Ameesha Patel’s upcoming movie “Shortcut Romeo” will premier at Cannes this year. She’s been heard saying that she shall be sporting a Manish Malhotra creation for her red carpet appearance. She will be accompanied by Neil Nitin Mukesh and director Susi Ganesh.

Amitabh Bachchan

Amitabh Bachchan’s Hollywood debut film, ” The Great Gatsby” starring Leonardo Dicaprio will also premiere at Cannes. Bachchan will appear in a very small role and only for a few seconds. He is also expected to walk the red carpet with his wife Jaya Bachchan, son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai.

Rajinikanth

The trailer of  Kochadaiyaan will be unveiled at the film festival and this Rajnikanth’s movie has been anticipated for a long time! Deepika Padukone stars opposite Rajnikanth and it’s claimed to be the first 3D Indian movie with motion capturing technology.

Sherlyn Chopra

Sherlyn Chopra the ‘outrageous’ sensation will also be seen at Cannes to unveil the second trailer of her new movie, Kamasutra 3D. The actress shall be accompaied with the film’s director Rupesh Paul.

Anurag Kashyap

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap who last time made it to the Cannes for his movie Gangs of Wasseypur will be seen again for the premier of Bombay Talkies. This movie is a compilation of four short movies by Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar, Dibakar Banerjee and Anurag Kashyap. It’s also a tribute to a 100 years of Indian Cinema.

Nandita Das

Actress Nandita Das who was previous seen as one of the jury members in 2005, will once again be seen at the Cannes this year. The actress will again join the jury for the short films category.

Nawazuddin Siddiqui

The talented actor who’s done a great job in his latest Bombay Talkies  will be seen on the red carpet for not just one, not two but three of his movies with Dabba and Monsoon Shootout being the other two.

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Kashyap, 40, had given up on becoming part of Bollywood and decided to quit, but Bhatt gave him Rs.10,000 for his expenses and encouraged him to continue his work.

“It was director Mahesh Bhatt who dragged me back in the film industry when I had given up on everything and left. Even after coming back, I worked for six months and tried to quit,” said Kashyap whose “Friday” got him recognition as a director.

“Despite all this, when I was leaving, Mahesh Bhatt stopped me from going. I didn’t have money and he gave me Rs.10,000 for my expenses. I had a lot of self-respect and ego, but no money. All this was before the success of the film ‘Satya’,” added the filmmaker who co-scripted “Satya”.

The filmmaker will be seen sharing much more about his experiences in the film industry on UTV Stars’ show “Ye Hai Meri Kahaani”.

The show will be aired May 12.

- IANS

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Bollywood Celebden Rating – 4/5

Cast- Rani Mukherjee, Randeep Hooda, Katrina Kaif, Saqib Saleem, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Vineet Kumar, Sadashiv Amrapurkar, Naman Jain.

Direction- Anurag Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Karan Johar, Zoya Akhtar.

A quartet of four contemporary movie directors come together to mark the centennial celebration of Indian Cinema by making an anthology of four short films. Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap, these geniuses display something that they have never done before and probably won’t get another chance to. Each was given a budget of 1.5cr and looks like they’ve done justice in all respect.

Plot :

Karan Johar.

The movie starts with Karan Johar’s short film. This movie revolves around three people – Dev ( Randeep Hooda ), Gayatri ( Rani Mukherjee ), Avinash ( Saqib Saleem ). Now, we know Karan Johar and his style of movies, music, stunning locations, ecstactic costumes, etcetra etcetra.  But in this movie, looks like Karan Johar has taken a U-turn from his customary. His film starts with the  monotonous life of a  married couple – Gayatri and Dev and how Gayatri meets her new collegue in Avinash who plays a homosexual rebel in the movie and flips their whole world upside down.

Rani Mukherjee is a sexually repressed wife in the movie and befriends Saqib Saleem at work. While she wonders why her husband ( Randeep Hooda ) doesn’t pay heed to her sexual needs, the young guy turns around the married man’s life and shows him his misplaced sexual tug. While the plot surrounds the ongoing societal cringe on homosexuality, you see how it unfolds the message of how sexuality is being hidden inside closets fearing a stamp of marriage.

Dibakar Banerjee.

A middle class family man ( Nawazuddin Siddiqui )  struggles to make a living. No jobs, no opportunities and no money. Based on the short film of Satyajit Ray’s ‘Patol Babu, Film Star’, Dibakar Banerjee has paid an ultimate tribute to Ray. After failing to reach for a job opportunity on time, Purandar ( Nawazuddin Siddiqui ), he reaches an area where a film shoot is taking place. Eventually, he lands up with a bit part role in the movie and that’s when he imagines his late father talking to him, making him realise the fact that personal satisfaction cannot be compared to monetary incentives.

In the end, the contentment on Nawaz’s face and the way he describes his day’s story to his down-with-fever daughter is just a treat to watch. The plot’s main punch comes here, where Nawaz’s stunning dexterity lures the spectators to the core emotional point. Without any words spoken and just a Tagore song playing in the background, Nawaz’s body language and how he engages her daughter into the whole atmosphere of felicity is completely bliss.

Zoya Akhtar.

A small kid ( Naman Jain ), named Vicky in the movie, is completely allured by Katrina Kaif. The little boy wants to explore his sexuality while his father, played by Ranveer Shorey, is adamant on making his son play sports to get tough. The plot revolves around belief. Self-belief and Dreams. Taking into account how Katrina coming into Bollywood without knowing anybody and a single word of Hindi, is now a superstar, the boy also wants to follow her footsteps. Obviously the boy couldn’t just tell his dad “Kyun Ladki Hone Mein Kya Burai Hai? So he hides his dream within himself and wishes to make it come true when the time is right.

Though the movie doesn’t match up to the other ones, Zoya Akhtar amazes us with her technical expertise. The elation on the guy’s face while watching the item number, Sheila Ki Jawaani, is really worth and how he wishes to be like her. While the performance of Ranveer Shorey as a disciplinarian father is done with perfection, the little kids, Naman Jain and her sister in the film Khushi Dubey are just groundbreaking with their respective roles. Katrina Kaif plays a sparkling cameo in the film.

Anurag Kashyap

Anurag’s short film is about a young man Vijay ( Vineet Kumar )  who arrives in Mumbai to fulfil his ailing father’s (Sudhir Pande) last wish. Anurag Kashyap, with this movie, should be able to tight-lip the naysayers who say that he confines to limited themes for his movies. While he’s known for his swimming against the tide type of dark films, in this movie he has expressed more than just one thing. Vineet Kumar hails from Allahabad, UP and comes to Mumbai with a wish to meet Amitabh Bachchan. He is on a hopeful journey to meet Big B and make him eat his mother’s Murabba. 

Vineet Kumar’s performance in the film considering his role as an outsider to the new city of Mumbai is just outstanding. Anurag’s film evokes millions of emotions in us, happiness, sorrow, a few tears would shed when something transpires during the train journey of Vijay. All in All, one of the best among the four short films.

The Last Word

All the three actors of Karan Johar’s part have performed brilliantly especially newcomer Saqib Saleem. The movie also highlights a very controversial topic in today’s world especially in our country. Zoya Akhtar and Anurag Kashyap have done justice in celebrating the 100 years of Indian cinema with their mind boggling plots and expertise. But the standout performance was Nawazuddin Siddiqui’s in Dibakar Banerjee’s short story. His acting keeps you glued to the screen and makes you feel everything that you haven’t yet.

Though the movie has not much of the ‘centenary celebration of Indian cinema’, Bombay Talkies is surely something that everybody should watch and have a glimpse of four different lives living in the same world with four different societal problems.

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Anurag Kashyap’s short film in the anthology is based on a die hard Bachchan fan who has a wish to meet Big B in person some day. So what actually changed the scene for the duo ? According to Kashyap, “There was something between us. What exactly it was I also have forgotten, then the article on Black happened and then something else happened with Abhishek and the silence kept on increasing. We finally began talking thanks to Mr Bachchan’s magnanimity.” He went on clarifying, “A smaller man will have a bigger ego. It was his personality that he went out and praised Gangs of Wasseypur Part 1, I didn’t reply back to him then, everyone told me I should and I told them, why should I?” 

He also said, “Then one day, I was sitting and I told myself it is high time that we should solve our issues and he is giving me a chance to do that. So I had two pegs and I replied back to him and asked him if I could meet him and the reply came that you can come home whenever you want. When I met him, the Bachchan fan in me came out.”

Well it’s good for us that these two have finally joined hands and we are excited to see Kashyap’s short movie in Bombay Talkies.

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The milestone will be marked with the release of “Bombay Talkies”, made up of short commemorative films by four leading directors, while India will be honoured as “guest country” at next month’s Cannes festival.

Exhibitions in the capital New Delhi are showcasing a century of cinema, including onscreen kissing scenes that originally fell foul of the censors.

It is also a time for reflection on how the industry has evolved, from its early screen adaptations of Hindu mythology to the garish romantic escapism of modern blockbusters.

Commercially, cinema is thriving: India produced almost 1,500 movies last year and the industry is expected to grow from $2 billion to $3.6 billion in the next five years, according to consultancy KPMG.

Leading the way is Hindi-language Bollywood, which took the “B” from its home in Bombay and won the hearts of movie-mad Indians.

But old-timers complain that it has become superficial, neglecting to deal with pressing social concerns of the age.

“There’s a dumbing down that has taken place in the content. I think we are suffering from what is called the narrative crisis,” said veteran director and producer Mahesh Bhatt.

He contrasts modern filmmakers with Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, known as the “father of Indian cinema”, who brought the first all-Indian feature film to the silver screen in Bombay (now Mumbai) on May 3, 1913.

A tale from the Hindu epic Mahabharata, “Raja Harishchandra” quickly became a hit despite its female characters being played by men — women acting was still widely frowned upon.

Phalke made more than 100 films until his silent style fell victim to “talkies” in the 1930s, but the advent of sound technology allowed India cinema to flourish.

Bollywood plotlines today can involve stars breaking into song, often in picturesque far-flung locations, apropos of nothing — a style that may bemuse a Western audience, but one that helps to set Indian cinema apart.

“If it was exactly the same thing as Hollywood, Hollywood would have run us over. We don’t have that money,” said film critic Anupama Chopra.

For her and many others the “golden age” of cinema was the 1950s, when movie greats emerged such as Satyajit Ray, India’s most renowned filmmaker, who hailed from the alternative film hub of West Bengal.

It was the era of newly independent India, searching for an identity and producing films such as Mehboob Khan’s 1957 hit “Mother India”, which combined social concerns with popular appeal.

The 1970s and 80s saw a growing commercialism with the rise of the “masala” movie — a family entertainer that typically mixed up romance and action, songs and melodrama, a comedy touch and a happy ending.

Parallel Cinema continued to focus on realism, with films such as Mahesh Bhatt’s “Arth” (Meaning) in 1982, a gritty tale of an extramarital affair that presented strong female characters.

It was a path-breaker in a decade described as the “dark ages” of Hindi cinema, which struggled with the advent of colour television, rampant piracy and dependence on the Mumbai underworld for funding.

Things improved after India’s economy opened up in the early 1990s, and again a decade later when filmmaking won formal “industry” status. Both steps encouraged foreign firms, such as Fox and Disney, to invest in Bollywood.

But subsequent leaps in technology have not been matched by advances in storytelling, say critics, who lament the formulaic plots, passive roles for women and the copying of Hollywood.

Bollywood’s escapist fantasies have long held mass appeal because “there’s enough realism in the common man’s life”, said Bhatt.

But with ever more TV shows, the Internet and easily available global films, such movies may no longer meet the demands of the educated middle-class.

This expanding group “wants to see something better than trash which caters to the common man who drives auto-rickshaws. They want to see a different kind of cinema,” said veteran actor Rishi Kapoor.

A new crop of experimental filmmakers has started to appear, such as “Hindi indie” darling Anurag Kashyap who is a fixture on the global film festival circuit.

Trade analysts say the growth in multiplex cinemas has also encouraged mainstream films to diversify: a surprise hit last year was “Vicky Donor”, a romcom about sperm donation.

Raj Nidimoru is co-director of upcoming “Go Goa Gone”, one of India’s first zombie films, and he believes the move away from staple Bollywood is only just beginning.

“This is just a ripple right now, it’s going to become a wave.”

–IANS

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It’s an accumulation of four short stories directed by four different filmmakers – Kashyap, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan  Johar. It is lined up for a May 3rd release, the same date when India’s first feature film – Raja Harishchandra which was made by the legendary Dadasaheb Phalke was released.

“Initially, I used to feel that Karan is a misfit but not anymore. The more I have discovered him, I love him a lot. I identify with him on a lot on many things in life. And he is also who he is because of where he comes from. He aspires to be a filmmaker… He is constantly trying to change himself, adapt to situations, produces films for younger lot,” Kashyap told reporters in an interview.

“The only difference is he has the resources that I don`t have. I find a parallel in what he does. I like him as an individual now,” he said.

Kashyap is mightily impressed with the movie that Karan Johar has made for the centenary celebration and feels it’s one of a kind.

“I have seen their (Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar and Karan Johar) films and they have done a brilliant job. Everybody has made a magical film. There is a silent secret competition between the four of us but my favourite is Karan Johar`s film,” he added.
Anurag was the first one to come on board for this film and he did recommend a few directors including Dibakar.

Initially, Anurag Kashyap was the only one to come on board for this project and he did recommend a few directors, including Dibakar.

“I came on board because I enjoy doing short films. But I am not a struggler anymore to make a short film. I had also given Vishal Bharadwaj`s name. He was shooting something so he couldn`t come on board,” he said.

For `Bombay Talkies`, all the four directors were given Rs 1.5 crore each.

“We were all given the same budget, I think for Karan it would be a very tight budget. But for me Rs 1.5 crore was enough as I could make a feature film in that,” he says.

Anurag’s short film which runs for about 20 minutes, is about a huge fan of Big B and his quest to meet his idol. Amitabh Bachchan plays a cameo in the film where he meets his ardent fan, who comes to visit him all the way from his hometown Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh.
For Anurag, working with Big B has always been a dream. The filmmaker is all praise for the legend.

“He took care of the crew, he was so hospitable, he kept feeding us all the time. We were overwhelmed,” he said.
Considering the story is about a fan of Bachchan, the shooting happened in and around Pratiksha bungalow, one of houses of the legend.

“I have shot inside the bungalow and around. Pratiksha is the main protagonist of my film. And that for me is the important thing and without Pratiksha I couldn`t have made the film,” he said.

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