#i started watching bollywood thrillers in 2015

[thistransient]

Mumbai

[no-passaran]

Now that the USAmericans/English are listening (thank you Bong Joon-Ho), time to share our favourite movies

Here's a list of my favourite films and TV series. I encourage all non-American people (or Americans too if they watch other stuff) to add to the list. I'm from Southern Europe so my list is going to be pretty centred on what I know, please add things from other parts of the world too.

In no specific order:

MOVIES

Amélie (Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain): France, 2001. One of the most famous modern films of all times in Europe. Amélie is a girl from Paris who finds an old box hidden by a child decades ago. From there, she decides to go on a quest to fix other people’s lives, and maybe also her own. Romantic comedy narrated in a very cool and interesting way, with touches of fantasy. A classic in Europe which everyone has seen and whose music we’d always recognise. Trailer in French with English subs.

Agora (Ágora): Spain, 2009. This movie was originally filmed in English (starring Rachel Weisz and Oscar Isaac) but I found it’s surprisingly unknown in the USA. It tells the real story of the astronomist and philosopher Hypatia of Alexandria in 4th century Egypt, during the rise of Christianity and religious intolerance (as well as intolerance for a woman teaching those subjects). This movie was my favourite the years after it came out. Trailer in English.

3 idiots: India, 2009. Two friends are searching for their long lost companion. They revisit their college days and recall the memories of their friend who inspired them to think differently, even as the rest of the world called them "idiots". Humour but also talks about very real problems, like the problems of the education system -especially in universities- in the way it is centered on memorizing and how it over-stresses students. By the way, this is Bollywood, it’s a musical. Trailer (activate the English subtitles on the subtitles button).

The Chorus (Les Choristes): France-Switzerland, 2004. A new teacher at a severely administered boys' boarding school works to positively affect the students' lives through music. One of my personal favourite movies of all times, and the music is beautiful too. English trailer.

Life is Beautiful (La Vita è Bella): Italy, 1997. When an open-minded Jewish librarian and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor, and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp. Drama and (romantic) comedy. Another modern classic in Europe that everyone has seen. It won the Oscar for Best Foreign Movie (also Best Actor and Best Original Score) in 1998. English Trailer.

Like Stars on Earth (Taare Zameen Par): India, 2007. An eight-year-old boy is thought to be a lazy trouble-maker, until the new art teacher has the patience and compassion to discover the real problem behind his struggles in school. A positive story about the issues faced by neurodivergent children. THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL, PREPARE TO CRY! English trailer.

The Wave (Die Welle): Germany, 2008. I guess everyone has seen this movie by now, but I couldn’t leave it out. It’s based on the real story of the Third Wave social experiment. A high school teacher has to teach a class about autocracy. His students believe that a dictatorship would not be possible in nowadays Germany, he starts an experiement to show how masses can be manipulated: The Wave. This movement embraces uniforms, discipline, the leadership of the teacher, and quickly develops into fascism, and gets out of the professor’s control. Trailer.

Colonia: Chile-Germany-Luxembourg-France, 2015. A thriller based on a real story, filmed in English (starring Emma Watson). A young German couple get involved in the fight for socialism in Chile. In 1973, the military coup led by Augusto Pinochet deposes Salvador Allende and rounds up its supporters, including Daniel. This mocie explains the story of Lena, Daniel’s girlfriend, and her desperate search for her abducted boyfriend draws her into the infamous Colonia Dignidad, a sect nobody has ever escaped from. Trailer.

Cinema Paradiso (Nuovo Cinema Paradiso): Italy, 1988. A filmmaker recalls his childhood when falling in love with the pictures at the cinema of his home village and forms a deep friendship with the cinema's projectionist. English trailer.

Rabbit-Proof Fence: Australia, 2002. Technically from an AngloSaxon-dominated country (Australia) but based on the experiences of indigenous people so it and anyway just a generally very good film so it deserves a place on the list. About the true story of three Aboriginal girls of the Stolen Generation. Taken from their home and separated from their mothers, they are sent to a remote settlement 1,500 miles away. In response they attempt the impossible and embark on a daring escape and epic journey to find their way back home - across an unforgiving landscape that will test their very will to survive. Trailer.

Good Bye, Lenin!: Germany, 2003. In 1990, to protect his socialist mother from a fatal shock after a long coma, a young man must keep her from learning that her beloved nation of East Germany as she knew it has disappeared. Trailer.

A Twelve-Year Night (La Noche de Doce Años): Uruguay, 2018. The real story of the 12 years that Pepe Mujica, Mauricio Rosencof and Eleuterio Fernández Huidobro spent in solitary confinement for their ideology after the dictatorship decides that, since they can’t kill them, they will drive them crazy. Trailer.

Rang de Basanti (रंग दे बसंती): India, 2006. Six young Indians who assist an English woman to film a documentary on the freedom fighters from their past. Disinterested at first, the events in their lives and the lives of the early 20th century revolutionaries have more and more parallels, leading them to relive the long-forgotten saga of freedom. Trailer.

Salvador (Puig Antich): Catalonia, 2006. The real story of the last person condemned to death -in 1974- by Franco’s fascist dictatorship: the Catalan anarchist Salvador Puig i Antich. Trailer.

Lagaan (लगान): India, 2001. When the British occupiers raise the Lagaan tax during a drough, the people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against the ruthless British rulers. Trailer.

Fènix 11*23: Catalonia, 2004. The real story of a 14-year-old Catalan boy who sent an email to a supermarket chain asking them to label their products also in the Catalan language. Inspired by Harry Potter, he had an account on a forum website called The Army of the Phoenix. One nigh, 30 military policemen show up to his home to arrest him, accused of terrorism. Trailer.

War of the Buttons (La Nouvelle Guerre des boutons): France, 2011. In France occupied by the Nazis, Lebrac leads a play war between two rival kid gangs, but a girl he likes, who's Jewish, is in danger of being discovered by local Nazi sympathisers. Lebrac and the village must now respond to the reality of what's happening. Trailer.

Jean-François and the Meaning of Life (Jean-François i el Sentit de la Vida): Catalonia, 2018. A 12-year-old boy finds a copy of “The Myth of Sisyphus” by French philosopher Albert Camus. He then decides to become an Existentialist and runs away from home to Paris to meet Albert Camus, not knowing he has been dead for fifty years. On the way, he meets a girl named Lluna and new experiences and feelings. Trailer.

Update: @beautiful-basque-country recommended this and I loved it: Errementari (Basque Country, 2018). A gothic fantasy about a popular Basque legend regarding a blacksmith, a little girl, and a demon in the rural Basque Country of the 19th century. A beautiful story of friendship and love, stunning ambientation, and great CGI.

TV SERIES

Rookie Historian Goo Hae-Ryung (신입사관 구해령): South Korea, 2019. Historical drama and romantic comedy set in the Joseon Dynasty, follows a 26 year old woman who decides to become a historian instead of getting married. It deals with how women were treated, censorship, literature, and the power of the imperial court. I enjoyed it very much and it’s on Netflix. Trailer.

Deutschland 83: Germany, 2015-2020. An East German young man is recruited to infiltrate the West German army. As a rookie spy, his decisions constantly put his cover at risk and force his agency to take extreme measures. The first season takes place in 1983, the second (titled Deutschland 86) in 1986, and end with Deutschland 89 with the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989. (Btw, gay and lesbian main characters). Trailer.

Babylon Berlin: Germany, 2017-. Netflix show based on the bestselling detective novels by Volker Kutscher. Set during the Weimar Republic, starting in 1929, in Berlin, a city that represented freedoms of all kinds, but where a drastic change was being prepared. Following Colognian commissioner Gereon Rath who just moved to the city and Charlotte Ritter, mechanographer by day and flapper by night, teir investigation takes them to the deepest secrets of Berlin: from the clandestine meetings of refugee Troskyist Russians, to the army generals planning the return of the Kaiser, to the Berlin nigh scene and sexual and gender freedom circles, to working class movements, and more. Trailer.

Cable Girls (Las Chicas del Cable): Spain, 2017-2019. Netflix. Four women in search of independence are brought together through their work as telephone operators in 1928 Madrid. Their lives show the troubles and fights of women of their time. (Bisexual and trans main characters). Trailer.

The Ministry of Time (El Ministerio del Tiempo): Spain, 2015-. On Netflix. The Spanish Govenrment has a secret Ministry: the Ministry of Time. Through a centuries-old system of doors that connect different times and places of the history of Spain, its workers travel in time to make sure nobody changes history for their own personal benefit. Follow the main characters (Julián, a nurse from modern-day Madrid; Amelia, a Catalan 19th-century woman, one of the firsts to attend university; and Alonso, a 16th-century soldier who has some trouble but a lot of fun discovering the modern world) accross time in different missions that lead you to meet the most important people in Spanish history and literature. Trailer (activate English subtitles).

Note: the American company Sony Pictures offered to buy El Ministerio del Tiempo to make an American version of it. After a while, they decided to copy it without paying (but making it worse and way less funny): that is the show Timeless. This is a situation where a big business took advantage of small countries’ productions. The Spanish TV sued Sony Pictures for it, but because of how much more money American entertainment businesses have, the case wasn’t solved. Please, boycott Timeless and watch the original El Ministerio del Tiempo. There is also a Portuguese version (Ministério do Tempo) who did it legally and has been successful in Portugal. China has also bought the idea but hasn’t made the show yet.

Romanzo Criminale: Italy, 2008-2010. The complete first season of the Italian crime drama based on the novel by Italian judge Giancarlo De Cataldo. The series follows the dealings of an organised gang of drug dealers as they gain control over Rome's heroin trade. As well as coming up against each other from time to time, the group also have to compete with other local criminal syndicates with similar illicit interests. Trailer.

Polseres Vermelles: Catalonia, 2011-2013. A group of children (teenagers in the second season) with different illnesses meet in a hospital. An older man in the hospital tells the main characters that, in order to be a good group of friends, they must have a leader, a second leader, the indispensable one, the handsome one, and the girl. Narrated in a semi-magical way, this is their story of friendship and will to live.

Note: Steven Spielberg loved the show so much he bought the rights and made an American re-make, named Red Band Society. The re-make erased all the settings and instead of having the action take place in Barcelona (Catalonia) with Catalan culture, they moved it to the USA. The result was that they took away the depth and uniqueness of the characters, and the American show was very bad and got cancelled. If you’re interested, watch the original Catalan, NOT the American re-make.

Dark: Germany, 2017-2020. I won’t try to explain the plot because it’s too complex for a few lines lmao but it’s a science-fiction show that follows the disappearance of locals in a rural town in Germany and how the same events repeat every 33 years, with time as a circular concept instead of a linear one. This has been defined by many as the best Netflix show ever. Trailer.

The Trial (Il Processo): Italy, 2019. A judicial drama that follows the trial of after the murder of a young girl who found herself in the middle of the rich families of Mantova. It’s also on Netflix. Trailer.

I think that’s enough for now, I’ll probably add more to the post in the future. And as I said, feel free to add too!

You can find most of these easily with English subtitles online on for free. Some are also on streaming services (in case they are, it’s preferred to watch them there so the production can get recognition and money to make more! our movies most of the time have to be financiated by the government and the European Union because we can’t make as much money as American movies because Americans have bought most of the distribution for themselves, so it helps a lot if people watch the movies/shows legally. But enjoy them in any way you can!).

[meeth-designresearch2]

Methods - Identifying the work of others

Luke Nicholas - @SonyNZ Digital Imaging Advocate

Luke is someone I have been following for quite some time now on Instagram. He specialises in Urban, Cityscape & Night Photography in and around Auckland. He has a unique style of editing which can easily be identified once looking through his work and I look up to him as a photographer, he posts a lot of unique and also helpful content for other photographers. The reason I chose this photo of his in particular as it features many different aspects of photography in one image. He’s used a time slice effect, long exposure and had to be extremely patient to get all 8 images then combine them into one. This image consists of 8 separate shots all taken at different times during the sunset. All carefully selected to show the change of light. This was very unique and something you don't quite see often. More of his work is available to be viewed on Instagram - @lukenicholas

Mike - @northborders​ (Instagram)

Mike is a photographer I discovered on Instagram and YouTube 2 to 3 years ago. He does all types of amazing photography but has a niche in urban, city, and automotive photography. I selected this as a photo to analyse as I’ve wanted to execute something similar but I’m just waiting for the right time and place for it. I think he's based in Melbourne which has a lot of trams and he's used that to create a cool long exposure effect with his subject in the middle. I have also seen him mirroring and blending another image in when he wants a similar look on both sides so that's what I’m guessing he did here unless he got really lucky and two trams actually went past at the same time. Nonetheless, very cool photo, I will definitely be doing something similar personally in the near future. 

Badlapur - Bollywood Movie Poster (2015) 

I’ve only started really getting into Bollywood movies a few years ago, I’ve grown up watching them. Because of my interest in design, movie posters are things that always excite me. Each poster has it’s own message that it’s trying to convey based on what it’s about. Badlapur is actually a city in the Maharashtra State in India. “Badla” means “revenge” in Hindi and that is basically what the movie is about. It belongs to the neo-noir action thriller genre. The reason that I really like this poster is how the designer has used double exposures to in a way show two personalities/mindsets as a dark silhouette of the main protagonist. The fire on the left is also integrated nicely with a soft edge just to add more energy into the poster. Anger is definitely one of the driving forces that is fuelling the protagonist along with the traumatic events that happened to his family. The striking red font certainly gives the impression of something negative and significant which matches with the rest of the design elements used in the poster. 

Fan - Bollywood Movie Poster (2016)

I absolutely love this poster. Both the roles in the movie are played by Shah Rukh Khan who's playing a double role in this movie but with more prosthetics for one of the roles. This movie also belongs to the action thriller genre. If I didn’t already know about the events which occur in the movie I would been interested in finding out if I was looking at it for the first time. The colours play a key part in grabbing the viewers attention showcasing a due lighting effect. It’s showing how both personalities could possibly be contrasting with each other. The shards of glass would also make the viewer wonder why and for what reason it is shown in that way. It creates questions - why? how? who? which ultimately provokes the viewer looking at the poster to watch the movie. 

[chameli]

south indian films rec

for the lovely @curryaboo since she wants to watch more non-bollywood films. rao, i hope you enjoy these films as much as i have! 💕💖💗

i’m not eloquent at all so excuse my horrible summaries, lol.

kadhalar dhinam (1999 - tamil): i’ve seen both the hindi & tamil versions of this film but i prefer the tamil one bc of the ending. anyway, it’s the story of a cute couple who meet online and fall in love, although there are a few complications. the soundtrack is beautiful (in both languages) as expected from A.R. Rahman. i love the simplicity and innocence of the main characters and also the nostalgia? omg. also, the last shot of kunal (the hero) sitting in a field of flowers is absolutely breathtaking.

arundhati (2009 - telugu): omg. this film is intense. anushka shetty plays a fierce queen battling the evil pasupathi (the wonderful sonu sood who is terrifying in this role). pasupathi is awful and has the power of dark magic on his side. arundhati is told she can only beat him in her next birth, and is reincarnated to complete her mission. anushka shetty is a national treasure. this film belongs to her. i saw it 10 years ago but i remember it scared me (in a good way). 

baahubali: the beginning & baahubali 2: the conclusion (2015/2017 - telugu): baahubali 2 is my most favorite film in the universe so ofc i would recommend it. the first part is decent, but you need to watch it to understand the sheer brilliance of second one. the soundtrack & bgm slap, there are tons of little details and symbolism sprinkled throughout, loads of interesting characters, and devasena, whom i’d give my life for.

bommarillu (2006 - telugu): i think this was my first telugu film. the story focuses on siddhu (played by siddharth, whom i loveeee) a young man with very controlling father. however, he falls in love with the cute and spunky hasini, which goes against his father’s wishes. siddharth and genelia are just adorable. prakash raj is fantastic as the father, he and siddharth are great together. the songs are very cute too! here’s my review when i originally watched it.

darling (2010 - telugu): omg this film made me a bigger prabhas fan than i was. it was so cute and enjoyable. i loved the songs too! 

konchem ishtam konchem kashtam (2009 - telugu): another siddharth film. he looks so cute in this one too. tamanna plays geeta, a girl who comes to the city to study. she falls in love with siddhu, but her father doesn’t approve of the relationship bc siddhu’s parents are divorced. here’s my original review.

magadheera (2009 - telugu): i love this one. it’s directed by ss rajamouli (the genius behind baahubali). indu and harsha meet by chance and fall for each other, but it turns out they were lovers in a past life. indu was a princess and harsha was a warrior whose clan served the royal family. they had a tragic ending but were reincarnated, as was the villain who separated them. i’m a sucker for historical films and i loved the main leads. as always, the songs were amazing!!

nuvvostanante nenoddantana (2005 - telugu): siddharth and trisha are just the cutest. i love this film so much, it’s a classic. the plot is similar to maine pyar kiya. siddharth is a rich boy and trisha is a simple girl from a village. they fall in love, but she and her brother are insulted by his snobby family. siddharth decides to prove his love for her by living/working on their farm, far away from his comfortable life. there’s also a hindi remake but it sucks ass. my review here.

yevadu (2014 - telugu): first of all, allu arjun and ram charan are gorgeous. this film is also kinda intense. arjun’s character loses his girlfriend and is almost killed, but he wakes up with a brand new face. then, he takes revenge on the person responsible. i can’t say too much without revealing the plot, but it’s a great action thriller. nee jathaga the best song!!

sarvam (2009 - tamil): arya and trisha are SO lovely together. this film is so sad though and it always makes me cry. arya and trisha are a young couple who fall in love and plan to get married, but she suddenly dies. her heart is transplanted into a young boy, whose father is being stalked by a man who wants revenge (bc the father was in an accident which killed the man’s family). the two stories tie into each other and the characters are connected. i don’t want to reveal how bc it’ll spoil things. siragugal is my favorite song ever and i love the entire soundtrack. this is one of my fav tamil films.

mirchi (2013 - telugu): i loveeeeeee this film!!!! it stars my parents, prabhas & anushka. the soundtrack is flawless!!! it’s about two warring families and their rivalry, and how one man sets out to reform them. idk but i enjoy masala films and even though there’s lots of violence, i love watching prabhas beat up bad guys >:)

bangalore days (2014 - malayalam): it’s a lovely film about 3 cousins who relocate to the city of bangalore and the challenges they face there. i liked all of the characters, their stories, and how the director wove them together effortlessly. everyone did a wonderful job and had great chemistry with each other, especially the three leads. it was refreshing to see a film like this (especially where a disabled love interest isn’t treated like a burden and does everything on her own despite the fact she was in a wheelchair). 

urumi (2011 - malayalam): this film is very very very aesthetically pleasing. it’s directed by santosh sivan, the cinematographer for asoka (my fav hindi film ever). every frame looks like a painting. prithviraj (i love him) goes to kerala to sell his ancestral property, but finds out he is a descendant of kelu, a 16th century warrior. the story then shifts to the past. kelu wants to avenge the death of his father and kill vasco de gama. the chemistry between prithviraj and genelia is electrifying. the songs? FANTASTIC. the picturization of aaro nee aaro (idc if it’s plagiarized) reminds me a lot of roshni se. nithya menen is so so so cute as princess bala. vidya balan also has a small appearance but she’s smokin. the end makes me sob every single time. the soundtrack is also available in tamil & telugu and honestly, all 3 versions are PERFECTION.

inji iduppazhagi (2015 - tamil; size zero in telugu): anushka plays sweety, who is overweight but happy with herself. she rejects a marriage proposal from abhishek (the dreamy arya), but later becomes friends with him. however...after she finds out abhishek likes someone else, she joins a weight loss clinic. the place ends up being super shady and sweety (along with abhishek) decides to expose it. the first half started off really well. we meet sweety, who is confident despite what her mother and others say about her/her weight. but the second half fell flat and kind of dragged. even then, i still enjoyed it. anushka and arya are my favorites and pair well with each other. the songs were fun and enjoyable!! i lovelovelove kannalam. the ending song is also cute & cheeky :)

aval (2017 - tamil): there’s a hindi (the house next door) & telugu (gruham) version too, but my sister and i watched this film in tamil. bruh...it scared me but i really enjoyed it. the ambiance was just creepy and unsettling. in my opinion it was a well done horror film, which is rare bc nothing fazes me anymore. anywho, siddharth and andrea jeremiah look really good opposite each other and the entire cast did well. the girl who played jenny was awesome and i can’t believe this was her first film.

okay, i think this is good for now! i still have loads of films to watch and if y’all have any recommendations, PLEASE let me know! xoxo 💕

[niaking]

My top ten Hindi films on Netflix

If you’ve never seen a Hindi film, you’re missing out. Action, romance, comedy, and drama: you can often find them ALL in one of these three-hour films. (OK, not all Hindi films are three hours, but they tend to skew longer than American films, especially the older ones.) If the constant genre-changing doesn’t hold your attention, maybe the singing, dancing, bright costumes and incredible cinematography will. If you’re not sure where to start, check out my recommendations below. Most of these feature strong female characters or have a feminist bent. Here are a few Hindi words to listen for while you’ve got the subtitles on.

pyaar – love, dost – friend, dushman – enemy, zindagi – life

1.) Dangal (2016) – Feminist sports movie, based on a true story. Lead actor and producer Aamir Khan plays Mahavir Phogat, the father of Geeta Phogat and Babita Kumari, two girls from a small town in Haryana who aspire to become professional wrestlers, though the state lacks both structural and social support for female athletes. Their father was a professional wrestler who dreamed of winning Olympic gold for India, and failing that, aspired to have a son that could fulfill his ambitions. But he didn’t have a son. He had one daughter, and then another, and then another, and then another. One day, after the girls get in trouble for beating up some boys in the neighborhood that were bullying them, Dad realizes he may not need a son to have Olympic gold winners in the family. Aamir got most of the praise when this film came out, but all the actresses who played his daughters (Fatima Sana Shaikh, Sanya Malhotra, Zaira Wasim, and Suhani Bhatnagar) trained super hard for this film, and it shows 100% on screen. Best song: Dangal.

2.) Queen (2014) – Feminist coming-of-age travel film. This film is about a small-town girl that gets dumped on the eve of her wedding and decides to take her honeymoon to Europe alone, even though she’s never been out of India. Along the way, she makes friends with a diverse group of other travelers, sheds some of her more conservative views, and learns to embrace life fearlessly. Best song: Hungama. Second best song: London Thumakda.

3.) PK (2014) – This film was controversial when it came out because it pokes fun at religion, but it’s ultimately about we shouldn’t allow religious differences to divide us. Aamir Khan plays an alien that pays Earth a visit to try and understand human society. Unfortunately for him, there are a lot of rules he has to learn to pass as one of us (even though he looks human). Fortunately for us, that learning process includes a number of hilarious mishaps. Best song: Tharki Chokro.

4.) Dil Dhadkne Do (2015) – Family drama (but not without comedy, action, and romance) starring Priyanka Chopra (who you may recognize from Quantico or Baywatch). The parents in a family of business moguls decide to celebrate their anniversary by taking a ten-day cruise with some of their best frenemies. What could possibly go wrong? Best song: Girls Like to Swing. Second best song: Gallan Goodiyaan.

5.) 2 States (2014) – One of my favorite romantic Hindi films, this rom-com becomes a family drama when college sweethearts Krish and Ananya have to convince their parents to accept their partners. Krish is Punjabi (North Indian) and Ananya is Tamil (South Indian) and their cultures are very different. Will the parents be able to overcome their prejudices around class, color, and culture to accept their children’s partners? Best song: Iski Uski. Second best song: Locha E Ulfat.

6.) Little Things (2016) – This is a series, not a TV show, but I wanted to include it because I love it so much. It’s a super cute portrayal of a relationship between affluent twenty-somethings living in Mumbai. She’s very career-driven and he’s a little less clear on what his goals are, which contributes to some of the relationship conflicts in season one.

7.) Raees – This is a pretty straightforward gangster movie. A boy with strong values but few career options starts making money the best way he knows how: bootlegging liquor in a dry state. He eventually gets rich and powerful enough to scare even cops and politicians, but ultimately gets in over his head. Raju Ban Gaya podcast described this as a rip-off of Narcos, but I feel that’s a little unfair. They also praised the film’s portrayal of a Muslim protagonist. This movie features a fight scene in a butcher’s market, which, if you’re vegetarian like me, you may find a little hard to stomach. Also, some people get murdered. Best song: Laila Main Laila.

8.) Kahaani (2017) – The feminist thriller/murder mystery you didn’t know you needed. Vidya is living in London and very pregnant when her husband, who has traveled to Kolkata for work, goes missing. She travels to India to find him, but the local authorities, who assume he bounced because he couldn’t handle the prospect of fatherhood, are no help. Anyone that tries to help her mysteriously turns up dead. Can she find the killer before he finds her?

9.) Om Shanti Om (2007) – I included this because it’s a classic, and it’s got a lot of the wackiness I think Americans expect from Hindi films. It’s chockfull of references to other Hindi films, so the more you’ve seen, the more you can appreciate it. However, you don’t need to be a Bollywood buff to be able to enjoy this story about reincarnation and karmic comeuppance. It’s also a good introduction to Shah Rukh Khan, one of Hindi films’ leading men, and one of the world’s highest-paid actors. Best song: Deewangi Deewangi.

10.) Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga (2019) – This is the first mainstream Bollywood with a lesbian protagonist. (The independent Hindi film Fire portrayed a lesbian relationship in 1996 and it did not go so well.) Ek Ladki starts out as a rom-com and then becomes a family drama. The plot gets a little convoluted between the second and third act, but the chemistry between 90s heartthrobs Anil Kapoor and Juhi Chawla is a joy to watch. Fun fact: Anil, who plays the protagonists’ father in the film, is the father of lead actress Sonam Kapoor in real life.

These are all on Netflix right now. Not sure how many will be taken down next month.

[dissecting-bollywood]

10 Iconic On-Screen Couples of All-Time

As someone who grew up watching the same romance tropes used over and over again, I can almost immediately figure out on which on-screen couples have actual chemistry or not and a big part of it comes from the couples friendship off-screen. Some of them are really solid while others just straight up despise each other, and these relationships really affect the way their characters interact on-screen. Here, I’ll discuss 10 on-screen couples that are just too good together (in my opinion!)

1. AMITABH AND REKHA

One of the most controversial couples of Bollywood, the Amitabh-Rekha formula was a hit after the film Do Anjaane (1976). Although the pair starred in 10 movies opposite each other, their most talked about movie with Jaya Bachchan was the 1981 film Silsila. The movie focused on a love triangle between Bachchan, his wife Jaya, and Rekha, and it was so controversial because many thought that it was a real life depiction of the three’s relationship. Although the pair haven’t collaborated after Silsila, they now seemed to have gotten over it and started respecting each other as they began greeting each other in award functions and whatnots.

2. SRK AND KAJOL

This duo is basically like two puzzle pieces; they fit perfectly! The actors paired up for the first time in the 1993 thriller Baazigar and went on to star in 8 more movies. Those include Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998), Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham (2001), Karan Arjun (1995), and of course Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995), which is the longest running Bollywood movie ever. Off-screen, they are very good friends that still talk and work with each other, which shows that they are very well connected and it helps in improving their characters’ chemistry.  The romance and connection between them is so natural that you forget for a moment that they aren’t a real couple!

3. RAJ AND NARGIS

The oldest on-screen couple in this list, the successful actors were paired with each other for the first time in 1948′s Aag. Although the film did an average job in the box office, the pair did the 1949 film Barsat, which went on to be a hit. They then starred in many blockbusters together, including Shree 420 (1955), Awaara (1951), and Chori Chori (1956). Even though in most of their movies they ended up together, off screen the duo were having an affair for a long time. Nargis wanted to marry Raj, but he refused her proposal, sinking herself into depression before meeting her future-husband Sunil Dutt. If only singing in the rain could make the actors fall in love with each other in real life.

4. SRIDEVI AND ANIL

A very nostalgic couple in my opinion, they were showcased as a couple in the silver screen for the very first time in Mr. India (1987), even though they worked together in two films before this iconic one. They then went on to star in 10 movies together, with the most memorable one being 1991′s Lamhe. Sridevi went on to marry Anil Kapoor’s brother Boney Kapoor and take a 15-year-long hiatus from acting after 1997′s Judaai. On screen they were so comfortable together and a big part of it comes from the the actors real-life relationship. Many of the 80′s-90′s kids wished that they would collaborate again, but sadly it seems to be left as a dream after Sridevi’s untimely death.

5. AAMIR AND JUHI

Probably one of my favorite couples of all time, Aamir and Juhi starred together in the movie Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988), which was a successful venture. The duo went on to star in movies like Ishq (1997) and Love Love Love (1989). Although on-screen the couple shared great chemistry, off-screen they weren’t really in good terms. According to Aamir, the petty fight started in the set of Ishq where Aamir would avoid Juhi at all costs. The actors didn’t get in touch for seven years and when they did, it was when Aamir was getting a divorce from his first wife, Reena Dutta. The actors are now in talking terms and I seriously hope they do a movie together again.

6. VARUN AND ALIA

Hands down the generation’s most prominant on-screen couple is Varun-Alia. Both of them debuting in Student of the Year in 2012 with Siddharth Malhotra, the interviews they give together indicates a rock solid friendship between them.  The duo continued starring alongside each other in Humpty Sharma ki Dulhania (2014), Badrinath Ki Dulhania (2017), and Kalank (2019), most of them being hits. Whats there not to love about them? Both of them are equally charming and they steal all your attention whenever they are on-screen. And even though they are the newest/youngest couple in the list, I can say undoubtedly that in the future years, they’ll star in more romantic blockbusters opposite each other. 

7. SALMAN AND MADHURI

Let’s be honest: after the hit Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! (1994), you thought they were a match made in heaven. Although they starred in other movies before, this classic 90′s movie with a generic plot showed how much chemistry they have and its the kind that you don’t come across that often. In film promos, interviews, and reality shows it is apparent that the two actors have a very friendly relationship together. There is little to no hatred nor pettiness between them and they praise each other as artists whenever they can. They are basically the example of how memorable a movie can be if the right actors with a strong friendship are put opposite each other.

8. HRITHIK AND AISHWARYA

*sigh* Where do I even start? The two equally gorgeous stars were opposite each other for the first time in Dhoom 2 (2006), a film that lacked a good script but was saved by the performances and the connection of the duo. The public loved them together on the silver screen (even though they were very against their kissing scene), so two years later they were starred in the award-winning Jodha-Akbar (2008), one of the best period films Bollywood has to offer. Although their next film together, Guzaarish (2010), was a box office failure, it didn’t falter the friendship and respect both the actors have for each other. I really do hope that they will work in more films together soon.

9. KATRINA AND AKSHAY

Even though they have a prominent age gap between them (15 year, to be exact), there is no denying the fact that they work very well together. First paired up in Humko Deewana Kar Gaye (2006), they later on worked together in films like Namastey London (2007) and Singh Is Kinng (2008). Growing up in the 2000′s, I grew up watching their films with comedy and romance and the fact that they are gonna be back at it again with Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi (2020) just has me squealing with joy! Both the actors have grown so much (especially Kaif) and much of the growth comes from them learning from each other, which I have to commend to.

10. RANBIR AND DEEPIKA

One of the biggest reasons I love their dynamic is not just because they look cute together. It is because of how much they have grown and are willing to overlook each other’s differences. They started dating in 2007 and worked in their first film together, Bachna Ae Haseeno (2008). Ranbir cheated on Deepika 2 years later, which caused them to break up. The media treated the news like hot gossip and there are many outrageous theories made out there, but somehow the actors learned to persevere and continued to work in more films together. Yeh Jawani Hai Dewani (2013) and Tamasha (2015) both have great performances from both the actors and themes.

[themovieblogonline]

Drishyam 2 (2022) -- The Visual: They See What You Want Them To See!

You live happily with your family. One day, an uninvited guest barges in and plans destruction upon you and your family. You try to convince and stop him from doing so, but all in vain! He just won’t listen. Then all of a sudden a tragedy happens, and you send that uninvited guest to a place from where there is no return… Starring Ajay Devgn and Akshaye Khanna, Drishyam 2 has been written and directed by Abhishek Pathak, and produced by Bhushan Kumar. This Bollywood sequential blockbuster was released across theaters worldwide on November 18, 2022. Featuring Ajay Devgn as Vijay Salgaonkar in Drishyam 2 https://youtu.be/DYIgU7mPaXw Will Vijay Salgaonkar’s wit and mind manipulation of witnesses be able to save him and his family from the police this time too? If you would like to know the full story, then check out my narration of Drishyam (2015) and Drishyam 2 (2022) here! Drishyam 2 (2022) Official Trailer: https://youtu.be/cxA2y9Tgl7o The Good: How Far Can You Go To Save Your Family? “If you think you can outwit me, you are wrong. Your fox-like cunningness will be gone. If you consider yourself the master, then remember every dog has his day. Spy on me, and you will eventually get tired. ‘Cause I do the wrong the right way!” After reading these lines, don’t mistake me for a poet. Jokes apart! This is how Vijay Salgaonkar thought, and is exactly what he did to save his family who had committed an accidental murder as an act of self-defense. Any responsible family man could have done the same. After all, this was no real crime. The perverted Sameer came to harm his family. So, they sent him to a place where he rightly deserved to be! What the family did was wrong, but I must say, to avoid arrest and protect his family, Vijay surely did the wrong the right way! The engaging screenplay of this chilling suspense-thriller might appear slow-paced at the beginning. But with every passing moment, the thrill builds up as Vijay’s hiding the body under the then under-construction police station now has an eyewitness in the form of a murder suspect named David. As David gave his statement of witnessing Vijay that night at the under-construction police station where Sameer’s corpse was supposed to be buried, the thrill and excitement start picking up. And what an intelligent twist at the ending! The plot takes a dramatic twist, and this time the “mind manipulation” of the cops, lawyers, the judge, and eyewitness is done by Vijay Salgaonkar with the aid of a film script that he had himself written! Drishyam (2015) had a seriously engaging plot with Vijay manipulating the witnesses as he wanted using his sheer wit, and Drishyam 2 does live up to our expectations with a similar mind-manipulative baffling game. https://youtu.be/6ftRSr9gxcs Performances That Leave A Mark Ajay Devgn’s performance in Drishyam 2 as the troubled and tension-filled Vijay Salgaonkar is superb. His mysterious and shady character succeeds in retaining the thrill throughout the movie. When you come across the character of Vijay, you will agree with the fact that something is always going on in his mind. He appears disturbed, and upon seeing him you would know that he is always cooking up plans to save his family from the clutches of the police. Akshaye Khanna’s performance leaves no stone unturned. He appears more like a detective than a police officer in Drishyam 2. And the fact is that his detective-natured character was absolutely necessary for building up the thrill in the movie. Had he acted like a regular cop, then there would have remained no place for some chilling thrill! Even if Akshaye Khanna’s looks have deteriorated as he has aged, it’s his performance that leaves a mark. Had you seen him in early 2000s you would agree how handsome he was. His looks once surpassed any other Bollywood actor even to this day! If you have watched Drishyam (2015), you will see all characters like former Inspector General (IG) Meera Deshmukh (Tabu), Vijay’s wife Nandini (Shriya Saran), his daughters Anju (Ishita Dutta) and Anu (Mrunal Jadhav), all present in this sequel too. And why won’t they be? After all, this is a continuation of the 2015 movie. Even if their screen times are less as compared to the prequel, they did lend decent support throughout. As always, Vijay’s family comprising his wife and daughters, everyone appeared in constant fear and tension of getting caught by the police because of the accidental murder which they had committed. Tabu as former IG Meera Deshmukh appeared even more vengeful. She was determined to obtain justice for her son’s murder, and get the accused (The Salgaonkars) punished. https://youtu.be/ldJ7rwEn7Y8 Supporting cast includes Kamlesh Sawant as suspended Sub-Inspector Lakshmikant Gaitonde who appeared more like a henchman rather than a cop in the prequel, Siddharth Bodke as murder convict David who was an eyewitness to Vijay’s misdemeanor, Rajat Kapoor as IG Meera’s husband, and not to forget Neha Joshi and Nishant Singh as the married undercover cops, carried out their respective parts convincingly. Saurabh Shukla as screenwriter Murad Ali twisted the story at the climax. His relevant screen presence cannot be ignored. Dialogues That Create An Impact What powerful dialogues Drishyam 2 has! You will find a strong convincing note in the dialogues in this movie which have been written by Aamil Keeyan Khan. The manner in which they have been delivered is worth the appreciation. I will narrate some amazing dialogue from the movie. Just read them to feel their impact! A dialogue by Ajay Devgn goes, “Sach Ped Ke Beej Ki Tarah Hota Hain...Jitna Chahe Dafna Lo, Ek Din Bahar Aa Hi Jaata Hain” meaning, “Truth is like a seed. No matter how deep you bury it, one day it will show up (as a tree)”. Another mind-blowing dialogue by Devgn is, “Shabdon Mein Nahi, Drishyon Mein Dhyaan Do. Kyuki Shabdon Mein Jhoot Chupne Ki Jagah Dhoondh Hi Leta Hain. Lekin Drishya Kabhi Jhoot Nahi Bolte. Isliye Sawaal Yeh Nahi Ki, Aapke Aakhon Ke Saamne Kya Hain?...Sawaal Yeh Hain Ki, Aap Dekh Kya Rahe Ho?!” This awesome dialogue has an in-depth meaning. It means, “Don’t trust words, trust visuals. Because lies can be hidden within words, but visuals never lie! So the question is not about what’s in front of your eyes…the question is about what you are visualizing!” A dialogue by Akshaye Khanna goes, “Case Padhne Se Pehle Main Insaan Ko Pakarta Hoon” meaning, “Before I go through a case, I catch the suspect”. A Cryptic Cinematography Coupled With Sharp Editing The murder-mystery drama Drishyam (2015) with its suspenseful plot was so engaging that it earned the status of a cult film. So does Drishyam 2. As a direct continuation to its prequel, it is sure to hold a similar ground. The essence of the tense and unexpected situations in Drishyam 2 has been elevated even more by the cryptic and shady cinematographic atmosphere created by Sudhir Chaudhary. The camerawork as well as the background music did add to the mystery essence. What’s more, the sharp and skillful editing performed by Sandeep Francis made the complex plot of Drishyam 2, which is loaded with twists and turns, easy to apprehend. Moreover, the extensive storyline was covered in just 2 hours and 20 minutes, which is quite an appreciable job done by the film’s editor. Nice Songs The rap track in Drishyam 2 “Sahi Galat” has a mystery tune, and you will enjoy listening to it. Singer Jubin Nautiyal rocked the track “Saath Hum Rahein” with his melody. https://youtu.be/GkOV2-q01Nc The Bad: The Original Credit For This Awesome Cult Drama Does Not Go To Bollywood…But The South Indian Film Industry! If you wonder what “bad” can be there in such a hair-raising intriguing film? Then allow me to place a sad reality before you! Both the films, Drishyam (2015) and Drishyam 2 (2022) are not Bollywood’s brainchildren. The credits for the fascinating stories of both films go to the South Indian film industry! Bollywood’s Drishyam (2015) was a remake of the 2013 Malayalam-language crime-thriller by the same name. Similarly, Bollywood’s Drishyam 2 (2022) is also a remake of the 2021 Malayalam suspense drama yet again by the same name! The original credits for the plots of Drishyam (2015), as well as Drishyam 2 (2022), go to Malayalam cinema’s renowned filmmaker, Jeethu Joseph. Abhishek Pathak, who has written and directed the sequential remake “Drishyam 2” starring Ajay Devgn, has simply adapted Jeethu Joseph’s story. The only difference both Bollywood remakes have from the original Malayalam dramas is Ajay Devgn! Devgn, with his mega fan base, rocked the show! https://youtu.be/HGoTIw-EiJg The Verdict: After the South Indian, suspense-drama Drishyam 2 (2021) was declared a success, a sequel to Bollywood’s Drishyam (2015) was announced and finally released as Drishyam 2 on November 18, 2022. So, Bollywood as usual was only following in the footsteps of the South Indian film industry. Nothing was its own innovation. The filming for the Ajay Devgn sequel began in February 2022 and was wrapped up by June 2022. The sequel was shot extensively in the Indian state of Goa. By this time, after reviewing several action movies, I may have gained the image of an action lover. But actually, I am not! I appreciate a film by its storyline and screenplay, whether it is an action movie or a non-action drama. Drishyam 2 is not an action film. You won’t come across any real action sequences in this film except police interrogation and at times, police brutality. If police brutality is what you term “action”, then so be it! Excuse me for the joke! A Glimpse: Behind The Scenes Of Drishyam 2 https://youtu.be/Z8xyk_5vlg0 Drishyam 2 is a copy, but I must appreciate Abhishek Pathak’s cleverly adapted screenplay as well as the beautiful direction of the film. Even though Drishyam 2 is not a very high-budget film as compared to Bollywood’s other recent releases, it does pack a heavy punch in the minds of the audiences with its intensified suspense. You will be able to understand Drishyam 2 only if you have watched its 2015 prequel as it is a direct continuation of its prequel. So, if you are not yet familiar with the “Drishyam” film franchise, I advise you to watch both films as soon as you can! As Vijay Salgaonkar said, "This case will go on till we are alive". So, I hope we see Bollywood coming up with "Drishyam 3" very soon. However, I also hope it doesn't take another seven years to release. Else, as Ajay Devgn is aging, next time we may see Vijay Salgaonkar as a granddaddy! Read the full article

[adarshswaroop]

#Drishyam2Review : #AjayDevgn proved his worth and #AbhiskekPathak showed his master class in the Sequel #Drishyam2.

The encounter scenes between Akshay Khanna and Ajay Devgn was treat to watch.

Movie Ratings - ⭐⭐⭐⭐🌟tars

Analysis : Drishyam 2 The Resumption Its Just The Beginning Visuals can Be Deceived From Past Till That Present Moments And With Abhishek Pathak S Smart Directional Style and His Elements Suspense, Thrilling, Twist, Drama, Emotions and Thrilling Moments Which Hooked and Made A Perfect Sequel of Salongkar and His Family. The Camerawork, Picturization and Visuals Top Notch Beautiful song Saath Video song Its already in my playlist Heart Touching Emotional song.

In the recent times, Bollywood crime thrillers are becoming talk of the town and film like Drishyam set a high benchmark for Indian film industry. Infact, Drishyam is the only Indian film which was remade in Chinese. Most of the sequels in india were made to cash in on the popularity of the first film. However, there are very few gems where the director tries to put his best efforts to connect the dots layed out from the original film. Ajay Devgn proved his worth and Abhiskek Pathak showed his master class in the Sequevl Drishyam 2 : The Resumption.Director justified the new roles and their contribution for the twist and turns in the screenplay is quite amazing. Ajay Devgn is an asset for our indian cinema and there is lot to learn from this ace actor. Surprisingly, Akshay Khanna picked up in style from where it was ended. The interval block gives the pinch of shocking element and set the right tone for the second half. Top notch cinematography provides a stunning visuals for us to absorb the beauty of goa.Overall, Drishyam 2 is a rare best made sequel which need to be experienced in the big screen but unfortunately Nevertheless,it is a perfect mystery crime thriller and a worth sequel to watch at your own convenience. Abhishek Pathaks smart direction, twisting screenplay and brillance of Ajay Devgn acting makes this sequel a must watch first day first show.

Fact : Well I can't talk about the plot much here as I would be walking into the spoiler territory so I have to tread carefully. I just wanted to say that after watching Drishyam (2015) version so many years back it is exactly the same feeling. The revelations in the original were slow and in a particular order but here is more of the same but adding to it are some jaw dropping elements which will leave you speechless and gasping for air, that is how tensed it's finale is. The background score that rises on occasional revelations is simply astounding and bone chilling. Ajay Devgn is an actor who don't have to say much and acts only through his gestures and expressions (That is acting is all about). Abhishek Pathak is India's answer to Hollywood and beyond that great thrillers need not have sky rocket budgets but it is the storytelling that reigns over everything and is the DNA of a film which makes it a unique experience. My only gripe (just nitpicking) with this one it is shot in very limited locations and the budget constraints start to show there. But Hats off to the writer director for coming up with this mystery thriller which stitched so well as the sequel to Drishyam with Unexpected twists , the complete build up of suspense & thrill keeping you at the edge of your seat. The !dea of male protagnist played by Ajay Devgn who is always ahead of everyone in every possible way and he proves it towards the climax just gives you rush of adrenaline out of the suprising excitement . The Climax just makes you go Woow , though not as jaw dropping as the 1st part but still gets you super excited with thrill . There are very rare film sequels where you feel SEQUEL HO TOH AISA.

Performances- Ajayl s Performance Wonderful and and Fantastic Smart Genius Tactics With his Smart Moves. Akshay Khanna s Performance Wonderful and Amazing Performance. Tabu's Performance Beautiful and Amazing Performance. Saran Fabulous and Amazing Performance Ishita and Heart Touching Performance. Rajat,and Tabu Both Wonderful and Fantastic Performance. Mrunal and Kamlesh it's just Mind-blowing and outstanding it's just a beginning of The resumption Drishyam 2 A gripping thriller mystery ride Wonderful performances visually Stunning Great performance best thriller investigation 2022 film Drishyam 2 Hindi film

Verdict- A Perfect Sequel Seat edge of A Mystery Drama Suspense Thriller Ride With Twist and Turns and Its Gripping Thriller Investigation Ride From Abhishek Pathak s Smart Brilliance of Writing and Its Style Suspense ,Evidence, of Drishyam 2 The Resumption A Picture Perfect Thrilling Watch out for.

[pallabbose-blog]

KRITI SANON

Kriti Sanon (born 27 July 1990) is a Bollywood Diva, an Indian actress who appears predominantly in Hindi films. She pursued an engineering degree from the Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, after which she briefly worked as a model. After making her debut in Telugu cinema with the psychological thriller 1:Nenokkadine (2014), Kriti won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for her performance in Sabbir Khan’s action comedy Heropanti (2014), which marked her first Bollywood release.

She has since starred in the commercially successful action comedy Dilwale (2015), which ranks as her highest-grossing release, the romantic comedies Bareilly Ki Barfi (2017) and Luka Chuppi (2019), and the comedy Housefull 4 (2019). She has also launched her own line of clothing and endorses several brands and products, and has appeared in Forbes India’s Celebrity 100 list of 2019.

Conversation with the stylish celebrity –

Q. What’s the real Kriti Sanon like?

Kriti- Oh. Well (pause) I’m a simple girl from a middle-class background. I’m not someone who fakes it. You won’t hear me talking in a fake accent or being all hoity toity. The toughest thing is to fake it throughout the day, every day. I like being real and talking to people who’re real. I’m sensitive but not too emotional. I can’t judge people correctly. Effort and gestures matter more than materialistic things. I love spending time with my people and close friends at home rather than party and do small talk. I enjoy a good conversation with good people.

Hi. Kriti, do tell us about your background before everyone came to know you as a filmstar ?

Kriti- I am originally from Delhi, now settled in Mumbai. My dad, Mr. Rahul Sanon, is a Chartered Accountant and mom Mrs. Geeta Sanon, is a professor at the University of Delhi. We are Punjabi. Everybody knows that I have a younger sister Nupur, who lives with me here. I schooled from Delhi Public School, RK Puram and later secured Bachelor of Technology degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, Noida

Q. Do tell us about your association with the Film industry till now?

Kriti — I made my acting debut in 2014 with Sukumar’s Telugu film 1: Nenokkadine, a psychological thriller, in which I played the role of Sameera, a journalist who is also the love interest of Mahesh Babu’s character. Later that year, I got a chance to make my Hindi film debut, opposite Tiger Shroff, in Sabbir Khan’s action romance Heropanti. It emerged as a commercial success. Later I won the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut for this film.

Then I did a Telugu film release with Sudheer Varma’s Dohchay, a crime film co-starring Naga Chaitanya followed by Rohit Shetty’s action-comedy Dilwale, in which I starred alongside Varun Dhawan, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol.

Then I starred alongside Sushant Singh Rajput in Dinesh Vijan’s directorial debut Raabta, which tells the story of star-crossed lovers who are reincarnated. My next release, Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s romantic comedy Bareilly Ki Barfi, was a super hit. Last year I starred opposite Kartik Aaryan in Luka Chuppi, a romantic comedy about a couple in a live-in relationship. Commercially, it proved to be a success. My next two releases of the year were the comedies Arjun Patiala and Housefull 4. The latter emerged as a commercial success despite receiving unfavourable reviews. My last film before lockdown happened was Ashutosh Gowariker’s period drama Panipat, based on the Third Battle of Panipat.

Q: Which of your films has benefitted you the most?

Kriti- “Heropanti” was a film that was designed to launch two newcomers — Tiger Shroff and me. It did well. But for someone like me who did not come from a film family, it was “Dilwale” that gave me a huge reach. It was so much fun that it did not feel like work at all, and because it had Shah Rukh (Khan)-sir, Kajol ma’am, Varun Dhawan and Rohit (Shetty)-sir as Director, my audience reach increased hugely. Today, children still love my songs in the film and come and show me my steps.

Q: How do you choose a script now?

Kriti: I have always been instinctive about scripts. I like what the aam janta (masses) would, and I ask myself if I would want to watch this film. We give at least three months to a film, so I should enjoy working on it and wake up with excitement every day. My character comes next, and it is not about how different my character is, but about how important it is for the film.

Q: How would you compare your heroes till now?

Kriti: All are very hardworking and great actors. Tiger and I both have a hunger for improving and Tiger is very disciplined, whether at work or about his workouts. Varun is spontaneous, and always wants to do better until he gets it right. Sushant is very methodical and thus very inspiring. And Akshay sir is by far the best. He is a seasoned actor.

Q. There are reports of you doing a film based on surrogacy ?

Yes, it’s an exciting project with Maddock Films, yet untitled. It’s an entertaining story with its heart in the right place. It’s going to be directed by my Luka Chuppi director, Laxman Utekar. I share a great bond with him. It was an idea initially, which has shaped into a script, better than I expected. Laxman sir has the knack of presenting an emotional subject in an entertaining manner. This will be the first film, which will ride on my shoulders as the protagonist is a girl. It’s challenging. I’m nervous about it. Shooting will start later this year, once this Covid 19 issue gets over.

Q. You still model too and endorse brands?

Kriti- Yes, of course. I endorse for several brands and products. These include Titan Watches’ Raga Collection, Parachute, UrbanClap, among others. I also promote my

own clothing line, labelled ‘Ms. Taken’.

Q: Your sister is also exploring singing and acting now.

Kriti: Yes, she was always passionate about singing, and has taken three or four years of classical training. I told her to keep all doors open.

Q: Unlike most young actresses of today, you have never sung in a film?

Kriti: Yeah (Laughs)That is because I am not trained. I would like to be first trained, and then sing

Q. Your biggest inspiration?

Kriti- My Mom and Dad.

Q. What’s next then?

Kriti- There’s one script which I have said yes to, which I would only want the producers to announce. It’s a thriller. There are two other scripts that I have liked. There are other things to be put together — as to how and when it happens — which needs to be figured out. So it’s all up in the air for now.

When did you sign your first autograph?

Kriti- My first autograph (pause and thinks). Thats an interesting question. I think while shooting my first film Heropanti..on the sets.

Any special message to your fans?

Kriti — Take precautions during this lockdown. Lets pray that we all come out hale’n’hearty. And do watch all my movies now..one by one.( Laughs !) And See you all soon at the cinema halls.

Visit www.ifdainternational.com

[liveindiatimes]

Why Sushmita Sen is making her comeback with Aarya: ‘She put her faith in me as she liked Neerja,’ says Ram Madhvani - bollywood

https://liveindiatimes.com/why-sushmita-sen-is-making-her-comeback-with-aarya-she-put-her-faith-in-me-as-she-liked-neerja-says-ram-madhvani-bollywood/

Filmmaker Ram Madhvani, who is gearing up for the launch of his web series starring Sushmita Sen – Aarya, has seen years pass by before this project came to fruition. Aarya was initially supposed to be a movie, but it was shelved one month before filming was to start. This was years ago.

“Aarya didn’t happen for nine years but then when it did, it happened easily,” Madhvani told Scroll, “One just has to have the tenacity. It’s like climbing a mountain. You will get pushed off it, get frostbite, there might be a landslide, but you have to get to base camp and stay there because you have to keep climbing that mountain.”

Talking about working with Sushmita, Ram told Mid Day in an interview, “She is a star, in the position of saying yes or no. When I met her, I walked her through our process. The opportunity and the story excited her. She put her faith in me because she had liked Neerja. In some ways, she is a true star who has an unusual aura. ” Sushmita was last seen on screen in 2015’s Bengali film Nirbaak; her last Bollywood project was 2010 Hindi film No Problem. Aarya marks her comeback to the screen after five years. Set to release on June 19, the 9-episode series also stars Sikander Kher and Chandrachud Singh.

Also read: Sushant Singh Rajput mourns death of former manager Disha Salian: ‘A devastating news’. Richa Chadha, Nushrat Bharucha react

On her part, Sushmita had said during the trailer launch of Aarya, “I was ready to beg for the role after I read the script. Life me pehli baar workshop karae mujhse (I did workshops for the first time in my life). It is the courage of human being – it is not about being a man or a woman.”

“I put out a word everywhere that I am ready to work and I will give my everything. But I need something that will help me grow as an actor. If you give me that I will go out my way. I want to do good work,” she had said.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYajW2ePmFQ

Claiming he has focused on human emotions rather than aiming at making taut thrillers, Ram told the tabloid, “To me, Neerja wasn’t as much a hijack story as it was a mother-daughter tale. Here, I wanted to explore the interpersonal relationships in a family. I watched Penoza nine years ago and fell in love with the protagonist.”

Aarya is a remake of the Dutch series Penoza. Announcing her comeback on Instagram last year, Sushmita had written, “I have always been in awe of love that knows patience. This alone makes me a fan of my fans. They have waited 10 long years for my return to the screen, and lovingly encouraging me every step of the way throughout my hiatus… unconditionally! I return just for you.”

Follow @htshowbiz for more

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[bigyack-com]

Meghna Gulzar on Chhapaak: ‘Let’s hope this film starts a conversation on what could be probable solutions’ - bollywood

“Chhapaak is an important story and we are all encouraged with the love being showered on us,” says director Meghna Gulzar about her recently released film, which she co-produced as well. While the film is based on acid violence, the issue of women’s safety in India is a burning issue, too. The filmmaker hopes that her film will contribute to the conversation and make people aware about acid attacks. Meghna says, “There is a lot of awareness on sexual assault and rape, which are crimes of violence against women, but acid violence, although it is rampant in our country, there is lack of awareness about it. Acid is going beyond crime against women and being weaponised. Men are being attacked and property disputes end up in attacks. Let’s hope this film starts a conversation on what could be probable solutions.”Also read: Chhapaak: As Deepika Padukone champions their cause, meet real life acid attack survivorsThey say life imitates art and vice versa. Moreover, how impressionable people get influenced by crime depicted in films or the tube, has always been debated. The filmmaker gives her take, “The sensibility and intent of the presentation is important. Are you going to glorify the crime or the consequences? That approach is critical,” she adds. While her movies, Talvar (2015), Raazi (2018) and Chhapaak have some elements of crime, Meghna says she was never interested in the genre, but has just stumbled into it. “I wrote Chhapaak after Talvar but I shot Raazi. After Raazi, I wrote the script on Sam Manekshaw but made Chhapaak. Scripts have their own destiny. My films straddle two-three genres — such as crime-thriller, social drama, police procedural. I want to give my audience a fuller viewing experience with many elements,” she says.  Meghna, 46, reveals that even before casting Deepika Padukone in Chhapaak, she was impressed with her acting abilities. “I saw her in Om Shanti Om (2007), which is one of my favourite films, and Farah Khan is one of my favourite filmmakers. I love the reincarnation theme that Indian films have and I have loved watching Karz (1980), Madhumati (1958), Karan Arjun (1995). For Deepika, to play a double role in her debut was impressive. She was hilarious in Chennai Express (2013) and adorable in Piku (2015). I was aware of her calibre, but she lived her character and became Malti beyond the transformation,” she shares. When we spoke to her right after the trailer launch, she was happy with the reception the promos got: “It feels nice when your work gets validation, whether it is from actors or producers... the fraternity sending text messages that they loved your work. That pat is very reassuring. Every filmmaker needs validation.”Follow @htshowbiz for more Read the full article

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior December 20, 2019 – STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER, CATS, BOMSHELL, INVISIBLE LIFE

I’m doing a lot of writing about J.J. Abrams’ STAR WARS: THE RISE OF SKYWALKER (Lucasfilm/Disney) and Tom Hooper’s CATS (Universal) over at The Beat, so I don’t have too much more to add here. I have only seen the latter, and I’m under embargo, so can’t say much more about it anyway.

I mentioned last week that Jay Roach’s BOMBSHELL (Lionsgate), starring Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie -- all SAG Award nominees!! -- was going to expand nationwide this weekend, and I’m still hoping to review it sometime this week, but haven’t had a chance to write it just yet. Sorry!

LIMITED RELEASES

Not a lot of limited releases this weekend, thank God, but I do want to draw attention to the Brazilian Oscar entry INVISIBLE LIFE (Amazon), which will get a limited release this weekend.  Directed by Karim Aïnouz (Madame Satã), it’s the story of two sisters from Rio who are separated in 1950 as the elder one, Guida, travels to Europe to marry a sailor and is estranged by her parents when she returns alone and pregnant. The younger sister Euridice is forced into a loveless marriage, and the two of them end up living their lives unaware that the other is still living in Rio. The movie takes a little time to get going, but once it does, it’s quite an emotional experience, especially the last act where Oscar nominee Fernanda Montenegro takes over one of the roles. Invisible Life won the Un Certain Regard at Cannes earlier this year, but sadly, it did not make the shortlist in the Oscar’s International Film category, which is a shame. It will open at the Film Forum in New York Friday, as well as the Laemmle Royal in L.A.

It’s actually the only film I’ve seen this week, although the Bollywood action-comedy Dabangg 3 (Yash Raj Films) brings Salman Khan’s badass cop Chulbul Pandy back for his third movie, which should do decently over the holidays.

Xiaogang Feng’s Chinese drama Only Cloud Knows (China Lion) will also open in select cities this Friday about a Chinese man (Xuan Huang) who returns home to New Zealand after the death of his wife and learns that she has all sorts of secrets.s

Irish filmmaker Alexandra (Lotus Eaters) McGuinness’ indie drama-thriller She’s Missing (Vertical Entertainment), starring Lucy Fry and Eiza Gonzalez, playing Heidi and Jane, best friends living in a small desert town, and what happens when one of them goes missing.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Another movie I hoped to review, and I just didn’t get a chance to is this the amazing drama THE TWO POPES, starring Jonathan Pryce and Anthony Hopkins, which will hit the streaming service this Friday. It’s a wonderful film directed by Fernarno Meirelles (City of God) about the relationship between

This Friday, Netflix will also begin streaming the fantasy series THE WITCHER, based on the popular video games and starring Henry Cavil. I really don��t know much about the series, but it looks like the kind of big-scale fantasy I love.

Although the seventh episode of Disney’s series The Mandalorian will air on Weds. this week, as to not conflict with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’s opening. Friday will see the debut of the new Disney+ movie Togo, starring Willem Dafoe and a Siberisan husky named Togo. Don’t know much about it, but Dafoe has been great in recent years, so I’m sure it’s worth watching.

REPERTORY

You’ll notice a lot of the same movies playing in the repertory theaters in New York and L.A. this weekend, maybe because Christmas is next week?

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

The big retrospective in New York this week is FilmLinc’s comprehensive “Varda: A Retrospective,” which will run from Friday through through January 6, and it is indeed comprehensive, showing all of her films, including four shorts programs and some television work. It ties into the late French filmmaker’s excellent last film, Varda by Agnès, which has been playing there for the past couple weeks. (It’s an exceptional introspective film class that I highly recommend.) If you want a taste of Varda’s work but can’t figure out what to sees then maybe you can check out the free five-part mini-series Agnés Varda: Here to There, each episode screening on the afternoons starting Friday and running through December 24. (Even though it’s free, you still need to go to the FilmLinc site and register for tickets.) The series will include a wide range of films from her part in the early French New Wave to her more recent documentary work, and it’s a slew of riches for those who’ve already seen Varda by Agnès and want to see some of the films discussed.

On Thursday night, FilmLinc will have a special 20th anniversary screening of Steven Soderbergh’s The Limey with Soderbergh in attendance along with cinematographer Ed Lachman and some of his cast.

METROGRAPH (NYC):

“Holidays at Metrograph” continues this week with screenings of Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964), Mitchel Leissen’s Remember the Night  (1940), The Thin Man (1934) and of course, Todd Haynes’ 2015 film Carol, Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2017 movie Phantom Thread, and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Metro’s holiday standbys. Welcome To Metrograph: Redux will screen Lizzie Borden’s Born in Flames  (1983) and Haile Gerima’s Bush Mama (1979) while this week’s Late Nites at Metrographis Eric Rohmer’s Claire’s Knee (1970). This weekend’s Playtime: Family Matineesis the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, in case you haven’t seen one of the 200 showings at IFC Center.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

Wednesday’s “Afternoon Classic” is The Bishop’s Wife (1947), starring Cary Grant, while Friday’s “Freaky Friday” matinee is John Carpenter’sThe Thing  (1982). Wednesday night’s double feature of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and Scrooged is sold out (of course) but Thursday night, you can see It’s a Wonderful Life (of course) with Brad Pitt’s Meet John Doe. Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogsis the Friday midnight offering while the horror film Christmas Evil screens Saturday at midnight, while the weekend’s Kiddee Matinee is The Muppet Christmas Carol, which shows that even Tarantino can get in the Xmas spirit. Monday’s “Afternoon Classics” matinee is expecting that kiddee’s will be out of school, as it’s screening Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, while Tuesday night aka Christmas Eve is a double feature of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas (1954) and Holiday Affair (1949), starring Robert Mitchum. Also on Tuesday are two sold out screenings of the Xmas classic Die Hard (of course), the night screening a double feature with Silent Partner (1978).

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

The Egyptian’s “Holiday Spirit 2019” series begins with a double feature of Terry Gilliam’s Brazil and Things to Comeon Thursday, then they will screen It’s A Wonderful Lifeon Friday night. (Why not? Every other rep theater is playing it.) Saturday is Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (ditto) and then Saturday’s “Christmas Noir” is 1950’s Backfire on 16mm! Sunday evening is a double feature of the Oscar-winning The Apartment, starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine, paired with the 2015 film Tangerine. No, I don’t get it, either.

AERO  (LA):

A lot of the same movies are playing here this week including Die Hard(as part of “Greg Proops Film Clumb 2019” on Weds, a double feature of The Thin Man (1934) and Mr. Soft Touch (1949), as part of the “Christmas Noir” series. “Holiday Spirit 2019” continues on Saturday with a double feature of White Christmas and The Holly and the Ivy (1952). Saturday’s midnight movie is The Exorcist III (1990), then Sunday is a screening of Will Ferrell’s 2003 movie Elf, and then Monday might, what else? It’s a Wonderful Life.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

On Friday, the Quad is beginning a new series called “A Face in the Crowd: Remembering Lee Remick” including a 40thanniversary restoration of James Ivory’s The Europeanswith Ivory appearing on Friday. The series will also include 1957’s A Face in the Crowd, 1959’s Anatomy of Murder, as well as one of my favorite movies of all time, 1976’s The Omen, and more.Wednesday night’s One-Shots offering is Jean Cocteau’s 1950 film Orpheus.

MOMA  (NYC):

Modern Matinees: Iris Barry’s History of Film continues this week with the 1930 film All Quiet on the Western Front Wednesday, 1921’s The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse on Thursday, and the classic Battleship Potemkin (1921) on Friday. Monday is a double feature of Dream of a Rarebit Fiend from 1906 and Buster Keaton’s The Navigator  (1924). Fred Newmeyer’s The Freshman  (1925) screens on Tuesday.  The Wonders continues through the weekend with its look at the films of Italian sisters Alice and Alba Rohrwacher, including Luca Guadagigno’s I Am Love (2009) on Wednesday evening and other more recent films including Alice Rohrwacher’s 2014 eponymous film The Wonders on Monday night.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

While all the other rep theaters in New York and L.A. have been jumping on the It’s a Wonderful Life bandwagon, the IFC Center has been playing it consistently for weeks with Donna Reed’s daughter Mary Owen introducing many of the screenings. That continues through Christmas Day. Next year, you’ll be able to watch all of the Studio Ghibli movies on HBO Max, but if you can’t wait that long, the IFC Center is celebrating the holidays with “The Films of Studio Ghibli” from Friday through January 16. It’s a pretty comprehensive series including many films not directed by Miyazaki, but there’s a lot of great stuff, and you can click on the link above to see when various movies are playing or check out the full calendar here. (There are a few 35mm prints in there, labelled accordingly.)

Weekend Classics: May All Your Christmases be Noir is … also Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut. Seriously, if you live in New York and still haven’t seen this movie, then I don’t know what your damage is.  Waverly Midnights: Spy Games will screen Matt Damon’s The Bourne Identity (2002) and Late Night Favorites: Autumn 2019 is Kubrick’s The Shining (1980), which you also should have seen by now.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

The Film Forum will begin screening its own holiday offering, the 1962 thriller Cape Fear, starring Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck, through Christmas Eve. The weekend’s “Film Forum Jr.” is a sing-along version of 1954’s White Christmas.  Lee Grant will also be at the Film Forum Thursday night to screen her 1981 documetnary debut The Willmar 8.

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

The Nicholas Cage-a-thon continues Thursday with 1996’s The Rock, directed by a very young Michael Bay, as well as Leaving Las Vegas, for which Cage won an Oscar. On Saturday, you can get in the Xmas spirit with Bill Murray’s Scrooged  (1988) and Home Alone (1990).

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART  (LA):

This Friday’s midnight offering is Tim Burton’s Beetlejuice (1988).

Next week is Christmas, and there are two new movies in the animated Spies in Disguise (20thCentury Fox) and Greta Gerwig’s Little Women.

[alexllove-blog]

Although it rained the night before, it’s done little to cool the air. Even at 9am, the sun is already blazing down. The thermometer shows 39 degrees Celsius and is poised to climb further. It’s Easter, so the schools are closed, and there’s a snaking queue at the ticket counter of Ramoji Film City (RFC), on the southeastern edge of Hyderabad, in the Indian state of Telangana.

The set of popular Telugu mythological TV series Sri Bhagavatam

Sprawled across 810 hectares, RFC features in the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest film studio complex in the world, specialising in Telugu-language cinema. It’s widely visited by movie buffs from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the two southern Indian states that share Telugu as their main language. If that sounds niche, Telugu is in fact one of the 22 major languages in India, ranked third in the country by number of native speakers. Moreover, according to US-based publication Ethnologue, it’s also the 12th-most spoken language in the world, with 82 million speakers.

Introducing Tollywood

It makes sense then that, as well as being a working film studios, RFC is one of the most popular tourist attractions in India, welcoming around 1.5 million domestic and international tourists each year. On any average day, the studios see a footfall of 2,500 visitors. During last year’s summer holidays, it topped 16,000 in a single day. The crowds come for a chance to wander through the sets of their favourite films and shows, with secret hopes of catching famous actors at work.

Models of trains and vintage cars from the props department

Also known as Tollywood, this strand of Indian cinema dedicated to producing movies in Telugu may not be as well-known internationally as Bollywood, but a handful of its past deliveries have seen it go toe-to-toe with its Mumbai-based cousin, in terms of budgets and box office numbers. A recent example is 2017’s Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, the second of two period films that follow a young villager who discovers his royal heritage and saves his fictional kingdom in medieval India.

“Entertainment is the only mantra in Telugu films; they spend lavishly on costumes, sets, special effects, action scenes and musical scores”

This lavish production, shot entirely at RFC, cost INR2.5 billion (S$49 million) to shoot and went on to capture worldwide attention. A dubbed version was the highest-grossing Hindi movie of all time. Also made available in Tamil, Malayalam, Japanese, Russian and Chinese, the film grossed INR18.1 billion (S$353 million) at the box office worldwide. Buoyed by its success, there have been a series of even more ambitious Telugu productions in the works, including one titled RRR, from Baahubali director SS Rajamouli. Another action movie, this time set in pre-Independence India, the film will cost INR4 billion (S$78 million) and is set for release next year. Sci-fi action thriller Saaho, featuring Baahubali star Prabhas, is coming to cinemas on 15 August this year and cost more than INR3 billion (S$58.5 million) to make. Needless to say, both films were shot at RFC.

Remnants of the Baahubali set

A cinematic visit

Beyond the ticket counter and after a brief security check, I join the visitors to get into a bright red, vintage-style, hop-on-hop-off coach that will take us around the complex. Each coach seats about 25 visitors and includes a guide who points out the different landmarks where iconic scenes of popular films were shot.

Our coach makes its first stop at Eureka, a huge courtyard that acts as the entry area into five major attractions. Designed to mimic with white marbled floors, lavish staircases and landscaped gardens, the threshold to this cinematic town hints at what lies ahead.

Princess Street is one of the many urban city sets in RFC

Despite Telugu cinema’s long history dating back to its first silent feature film in 1921, it was only in the early 1990s that the Telugu Film Industry (TFI) completely shifted base to Hyderabad, as major Telugu producers started setting up their own sets and studios in the state capital. RFC was founded in 1996 by film mogul and producer Cherukuri Ramoji Rao.

Recognising the need for an infrastructure of pre-designed sets and ambience, Rao shaped RFC while at the peak of his career “to provide comprehensive filmmaking facilities under one roof,” explains RFC vice president AV Rao. “The tourism potential was only realised in later years when people expressed a desire to have a glimpse of where their favourite films were made.”

Entrance to the five live shows in RFC

According to Rao, over 2,600 films in various languages have been shot at RFC so far. There are around 50 shooting floors, the largest being the size of two football fields. RFC also has dedicated departments for set construction, props, craft services and camera and lighting rental.

Back at Eureka, I find shade under a flowering bougainvillea, as traditional Rajasthani music floods the open compound and early visitors fill in. At 9.45am, the music switches to a more energetic number as two wooden plank-doors leading to the Central Court start to ancient Indian forts and palaces, complete swing open and a group of dancers dressed in golden costumes and ornate jewellery appear to draw in the mass of visitors.

A hop-on-hop-off coach takes you around the film city

“Which way is Fundustan?” A hassled parent with two young children in tow breaks the calm that descends after the music stops. Our guide, a burly man in his forties, directs them towards the themed children’s play area, where thrilling rides and fascinating games await. Adjacent to it is Borasura, a spine-chilling walk-through designed as a magician’s workshop.

Globalising entertainment

Largely devoted to mainstream filmmaking with a wide commercial appeal, Tollywood has in recent years shed its regional character, delivering colossal productions that are dubbed in multiple languages worldwide. “Entertainment is the only mantra in Telugu films. They spend lavishly on costumes, sets, special effects, action scenes and musical scores,” enthuses Himavati Kurup, a college student from Coimbatore and my fellow passenger in the RFC coach. “And we love watching them.”

Setting up a scene at a pre-designed railway station set

Another college student and amateur filmmaker Venu Nagaraju, who is also on the tour makes another interesting observation. “In most Telugu films, you will see a surprising storyline,” he says. “We, the Telugu people, love fantasy and horror and will lap up any film that gives us these. And if the story is not strong enough to hold your attention, the costumes and sets will definitely do it.”

As we chat, our coach passes by a replica of the Hawa Mahal, the pink palace in Jaipur, a doorway of Fatehpur Sikri – the Mughal city just outside Agra – before driving past rolling, landscaped fields. My fellow passengers raise a cheer whenever our guide names the popular Bollywood and Tollywood films – such as Dilwale (2015) or Mirchi (2013) – that were shot at the locations we pass.

A visitor walks past part of the Baahubali set

The coach pulls to a stop near North City, where permanent sets resemble a suburban neighbourhood in a north Indian town, with multi-storied buildings featuring adorned columns, arched doorways, winding corridors and wooden carvings. A film is being shot inside one of the palatial houses and some of us try to sneak in, only to be pulled back by our guide.

“When a location is rented out for a movie, the producers take over and arrange for props to further dress up the scene. The area then belongs to the producer and we are not supposed to trespass,” he explains.

Guests enjoying a Rajasthani dance performance

As such, visitors are unlikely to witness a film being shot. However, some guests do get lucky and chance upon film stars. R Lakshmana Rao, a Hyderabad businessman on his third RFC visit, shares how he met Bollywood superstar Salman Khan here two years ago. “He was awesome and very humble, and took pictures with us.”

Just down the street are façades of rural village homes that can be found in South India, and around a corner, a street dressed up to look like a generic urban thoroughfare in Europe or the US. Our guide quips: “This is the only place in the world where you can travel from a North Indian city to a South Indian city by crossing a street, and to Europe or America without a passport.”

At these permanent railway sets, the hoardings, letterings and billboards can easily be changed to match the film

The bus halts next at the indoor sets of Sri Bhagavatam, a popular mythological Telugu television series from 2013, based on the life and deeds of Lord Krishna. Diagonally opposite this fantastical set is the façade of a tiny airport, with a huge parking lot. Our guide reveals that the fight scenes from the 2015 Shah Rukh Khan romantic action film Dilwale was shot here.

“This is the only place in the world where you can travel from a North Indian city to a South Indian city by crossing a street, and to Europe or America without a passport.”

“I am here to see the sets of Baahubali,” 75-year-old Manorama Nair from Kochi tells me, pausing for breath as she braves the noon sun while her granddaughters run up the staircases to reach the famous throne. “Baahubali was a great entertainer, and I am curious to know how they made the film. I have read almost every article written about the movie.”

The massive wooden entrance that leads to Central Court

It’s almost past 1pm and I am ravenous. Over the buffet spread at Superstar, one of the most luxurious restaurants in RFC, I reflect on the meaning Telegu cinema holds for its fans. Telugu viewers hold their films and their film personalities in high regard. I think back to the words of Anna Kowalski, a young Polish tourist I met on the coach earlier today. She and her partner were struck by their fellow riders. “We will take back with us the exuberance and craziness of the people here, and how they relate to films as well as they relate to life.”

Indeed cinema here is not just entertainment; it’s a way of life. It’s the high emotion, the grandness of life as it appears in Telugu cinema that pulls people into its fold – and why a visit to RFC is such a draw.

SEE ALSO: Taste of summer: India’s love for mangoes

This article was originally published in the June 2019 issue of Silkwinds magazine

The post On set in Hyderabad at the largest film studio in the world appeared first on SilverKris.

[ayshakhatunbda4]

তাহলে বাংলাদেশে কবে মুক্তি পাচ্ছে ভাইজান ও সুলতান? | Shakib Khan | Jeet | New Bangla Video Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Subscribe Us: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUG53aYhOUb2pu4L7-tirg Facebook Fan Page: https://ift.tt/2HrC9CV Twitter: https://twitter.com/relaxmulti Google Plus: https://ift.tt/2kTyJjP Please Like , Comment , Share and subscribe our channel . Thank you for watching the video. Running News Multimedia is going to start a new one. I wish you cooperation. You are our friend, you always stand beside us. Show your friends on the video and like, comment. And share it on your facebook. You must subscribe to the channel to get new videos and press the call button to get new videos. ➤ Running News Multimedia videos show how it sounds. And if you want to watch videos on any topic, please tell us, we will try to make videos on your favorite topics. ➤ Health Tips, Bangla Love Story, Food Tips, Bangla News, Cooking Tips, Bangla Funky Jokes, Bangla Poetry, and more on video on this channel. Thank you. Please Like , Comment , Share and subscribe our channel . About== Sultan:The Saviour is an upcoming 2018 India-Bangladesh joint production Bengali language action thriller film directed by Raja Chanda. The film features Jeet, Bidya Sinha Saha Mim and Priyanka Sarkar in the leading roles. The film will release in West Bengal and Bangladesh in Eid 2018. Production== The movie was announced by Jeet through official Twitter handle of his production house on 16 February 2018. Shooting began on 21st February. The shooting takes place in Kolkata, Bangladesh and Bangkok. Jeet will play a character with different shades and Priyanka Sarkar will essay the role of his sister. This is is a big budget film, and the promotions are started. Bajrangi Bhaijaan (English translation: Brother Bajrangi) is an Indian Hindi-language drama film,[4] directed by Kabir Khan. Written by K. V. Vijayendra Prasad, the film was produced by Salman Khan and Rockline Venkatesh. It stars Salman Khan and Harshaali Malhotra, with Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Kareena Kapoor Khan in supporting roles. Salman Khan plays Bajrangi, an ardent devotee of Hindu deity Hanuman, who embarks on taking a mute six-year-old Pakistani girl (Malhotra), separated in India from her parents, back to her hometown in Pakistan. Made on a budget of ₹100 crore (US$15 million), the principal photography commenced in November 2014. The cinematography was done by Aseem Mishra and was edited by Rameshwar S. Bhagat. Julius Packiam composed the film score while the songs featured in the film were composed by Pritam. It became the highest-grossing Indian film ever at the time.[5] In October 2015, the film was broadcast on Star Gold and became the most watched Bollywood movie in the history of television. It had 15.5 TRP in its world television premier, beating the previous record held by 3 Idiots.[6] The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment at the 63rd National Film Awards.[7] The film was nominated for Best Film and Best Actor in the 61st Filmfare Awards, as well as other categories, and won the Filmfare Award for Best Story. It was also nominated for Best Foreign Film in China's 6th Douban Film Awards for 2015. Our Tag== shakib khan jeet shakib khan srabonti movie sultan the savior jeet new movie bangla news Bangladeshi news bangla news 2018 bangla news update latest bangla news film bangla new bangla movie media news health tips bhaijaan elo re eid new movie sultan movie eid news Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Thank you for watching the video. Running News Multimedia is going to start a new one. I wish you cooperation. You are our friend, you always stand beside us. Show your friends on the video and like, comment. And share it on your facebook. You must subscribe to the channel to get new videos and press the call button to get new videos. ➤ Running News Multimedia videos show how it sounds. And if you want to watch videos on any topic, please tell us, we will try to make videos on your favorite topics. ➤ Health Tips, Bangla Love Story, Food Tips, Bangla News, Cooking Tips, Bangla Funky Jokes, Bangla Poetry, and more on video on this channel. Thank you. Please Like Comment and subscribe our channel. Subscribe Us: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUUG53aYhOUb2pu4L7-tirg Facebook Fan Page: https://ift.tt/2HrC9CV Twitter: https://twitter.com/relaxmulti Google Plus: https://ift.tt/2kTyJjP Please Like , Comment , Share and subscribe our channel . Please Like , Comment , Share and subscribe our channel . Please Like , Comment , Share and subscribe our channel . by Running News Multimedia

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Bollywood Heoine Sonam Kapoor Caught Wearing The Beautiful outfits Sonam Kapoor ( born 9 June 1985) is an Indian actress who appears in Bollywood films. Kapoor has established a career in Bollywood, is one of the highest-paid actresses in the industry and is the recipient of several awards, including a Filmfare and a National Film Award. Starting in 2012, she appeared in Forbes India's Celebrity 100 based on her income and popularity. The daughter of actor Anil Kapoor, Kapoor studied theatre and arts at the United World College of South East Asia in Singapore. She was an assistant director to Sanjay Leela Bhansali on the 2005 film Black. Kapoor made her acting debut in Bhansali's romantic drama Saawariya (2007), for which she was nominated for a Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut. She had her first commercial success three years later in the romantic comedy I Hate Luv Storys (2010). After a series of commercial failures, the sleeper hit Raanjhanaa (2013) marked a turning point in her career, earning her several Best Actress nominations. She then featured in the 2014 romantic comedy Khoobsurat and the 2015 comedy drama Dolly Ki Doli, both of which earned her Filmfare Award for Best Actress nominations. Kapoor played a princess in the melodrama Prem Ratan Dhan Payo (2015), one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films of all time. She received the National Film Award – Special Mention and Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actress for portraying the much praised titular role in the biographical thriller Neerja (2016), one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films featuring a female protagonist. Kapoor supports various charities and causes, such as raising awareness of breast cancer and LGBT rights. She is known in the media for her outspoken personality, is frequently credited as one of Bollywood's most fashionable celebrities, and is a prominent celebrity endorser for brands and products. Music : Cartoon - On & On (feat. Daniel Levi) [NCS Release] (3:27) NoCopyrightSounds YouTube Link : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4DyBUG242c&list=RDfzNMd3Tu1Zw&index=1 Social Network Links : Follow Cartoon : • SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/cartoonbaboon • Facebook https://www.facebook.com/cartoondband Follow Daniel Levi (vocalist) : • Facebook http://facebook.com/daniellevimusic • Website http://daniellevi.eu/ For More Videos : http://goo.gl/8NWCQ0 ----------Others Videos you Can Also Like-------------- Top 10 Bollywood Celebrities Who Went Fat to Fit : https://youtu.be/4XX7wmW71gs 8 Television Couples And Their Love Triangle : https://youtu.be/6HrOI3ZuFO4 10 Unseen Teenage Pictures of Bollywood Celebrities! : https://youtu.be/v822RncN04 Top 10 Plastic Surgery Photos Of Popular Bollywood Actresses - BEFORE & AFTER :https://youtu.be/VFB2qTo0HM4 20 Bollywood Child Actors Who Grew Up Unrecognisable - BEFORE & AFTER : https://youtu.be/wNAPuXVfrK4 Real Life Partners Of Kumkum Bhagya Zee Tv - https://youtu.be/UePSjSvdhuQ Popular Bollywood Actresses Who Married for Money : https://youtu.be/H7J3FDchOuo Top 10 Plastic Surgery Photos Of Popular TV Actresses - BEFORE & AFTER : https://youtu.be/eSUC6r39faw 6 Celebrities Who Lost Their Lives : https://youtu.be/xPLWlm_uYNE TV Actresses Looks Beautiful Without Makeup - PART 3 : https://youtu.be/v9C_kbu2AYo Top 10 Handsome TV Actors With Their Real Life Partner : https://youtu.be/U7HOkyP7__c Top 10 Plastic Surgery Photos Of Popular TV Actresses - BEFORE & AFTER : https://youtu.be/hxGXxnkiPlM Top 10 TV Celebrities Who Had Royal Weddings : https://youtu.be/PNsW4Zy-3uw Kratika Sengar aka Tanushree Real Life Photos - Kasam Tere Pyaar Ki : https://youtu.be/w3lMTUKQPEI 12 Rare School Life Pictures Of Bollywood Celebs. : https://youtu.be/52fMM1LccY0 Hello, This is Moumita Pal Here. I declare that all slideshow belong me. Photos all are taken from Google Image search and using advanced image search option.All images were fairly used during the making of this video for entertainment purposes. We do not mean to victimize anybody emotionally. Thanks to Google for providing this beautiful and related pictures.

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We have to create universal content , says Bhaskar Hazarika - art and culture

With an enthusiastic crowd patiently waiting outside the Cinépolis Fun Republic theatre, Andheri, it was heartening to see how Aamis (Ravening) — filmmaker Bhaskar Hazarika’s much-talked-about Assamese film pulled in people from a diverse spectrum, and not just the Assamese diaspora. What the crowd perhaps wasn’t expecting was a macabre end to what seemed like a sweet love story.Two films down and Hazarika has somewhat made a reputation as somebody, who is drawn to experimenting with dark themes and complex characters. His debut film, Kothanodi (2015), won a National Award for Best Film in the Assamese language. Based on characters and events described in Burhi Aai’r Xadhu (Grandma’s Tales), a beloved anthology of folk stories compiled by the Assamese literary giant Lakshminath Bezbaroa, Kothanodi proofed to be its sinister retelling. And, if it managed to spook people out, Aamis is a notch above that, a film that will make you question topics such as morality, and forbidden relationships. “I like watching films from the masters of horror and sci-fi,” says the director, and indeed, this love for the dreadful reflects in his work.Earlier this year in April, Aamis had premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival (TFF) in New York, USA, where it was nominated in five categories, including Best Film. The film also received two awards at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival, Best Director for Hazarika and Best Actress for Lima Das. After watching the film, director Anurag Kashyap took note of it and wrote on his Instagram account, “have not seen anything like this coming out of India” before. Kashyap, who has been known to present independent films from across India in theatres, declared that he will be presenting Aamis. But, this was the first time he presented a film from North-East India.Aamis is a story set in urban Guwahati, Assam and written by Hazarika himself. It revolves around the lives of a doctor, and a PhD student, bonding over food — a variety of exotic meat. The story then takes a bewildering turn, which may even leave many in disbelief.

A still from Aamis ( Photo: Dolee Talukdar ) Starring debutants — Lima Das and Arghadeep Barua, Aamis, Hazarika says is based on the Romeo and Juliet template. He, who’d earlier cast popular actors such as Adil Hussain and Seema Biswas for Kothanodi, says that it is important to not have familiar faces while working on that template. “It is easier for the audience to relate to new faces when it’s a love story,” he says.When asked if he looks at himself as somebody who might be at the risk of being typecast as a teller of grim tales, he says, it’s only coincidental that both his films touch upon the deviant. “I am currently working on a comedy film, and I have also written a thriller,” he adds.Writing for an A-list Bollywood movie, is what most aspiring filmmakers look out for, but Hazarika chooses to focus on independent content. In 2012, he got writing credit for the Abbas-Mustan thriller, Players, a remake of the American film, The Italian Job (2003). Hazarika says being a part of that film was an eye-opener of sorts for him. “It helped me realise what I didn’t want to do,” he adds.For a long period of time, regional cinema meant only southern films. But with films such as Sairat (Marathi, 2015) making a mark, it doesn’t seem impossible for the mainstream to open up to films from North-East India, as well. Assamese cinema, especially, seems to have undergone a qualitative change with filmmakers taking on unconventional topics. For instance, in 2017, Village Rockstars, directed by Rima Das, was selected as India’s official entry to the 91st Academy Awards. But do these filmmakers make films keeping a universal audience in mind? “We have to create universal content, which will work outside,” Hazarika says. This belief is why he started Metanormal Pictures, a small studio based in New Delhi, with a vision to create original cinema from India, especially, with a focus on regional content.Is the audience, then, ready to take on such films?, we ask. Hazarika, who looks at filmmaking as his “job” and not particularly a “passion”, says it’s not a filmmaker’s responsibility to educate people to come and watch films from a certain region. “That’s too much pressure on the maker,” Read the full article