Where Bollywood Comes Alive
Posts tagged farmers' suicide
Peepli Live a hit with PM, Advani
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
THE TIMES OF INDIA (August 30, 2010)
New Delhi: Senior BJP leader L K Advani praised Aamir Khan’s Peepli Live for its “realistic depiction of village life”but wished that the filmmaker had chosen a subject like implementation of NREGA rather than farmers’ suicide.
The film is a satire on the country’s agrarian crisis and the subsequent media and political response.
“When last week Aamir Khan arranged a special show of his Peepli Live for our NDA MPs, I complimented him on the fact that his film was a sharp contrast. It was a starkly realistic depiction of village life. For many urban viewers, it may have been a first time experience,” the veteran leader wrote on his blog on Sunday.
“I told Aamir, I have been to villages in Andhra Pradesh and Vidarbha where many such suicides have taken place. And I can well imagine how distressed these families would feel if they were to see the film and find that the tragedies they have passed through were being made an object of mockery. The film would have been very effective if it had chosen some subject like NREGA as the central theme,” he added.
On Sunday evening, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh watched Peepli Live at his 7 Race Course Road residence. Singh, along with his wife Gursharan and close relatives, “watched the film with great interest” at a special screening. TNN & AGENCIES
Movie Review: PEEPLI [LIVE] by FENIL SETA
22 years ago
Farmers’ suicide has been a grave problem since past many years and no individual, commission or government has able to put an end or at least reduce it. Peepli [Live] is a story based on this burning issue. However, the treatment is simple and a major part of the film is light-hearted and comical. However, at the same time, the goings-on at several places terribly move you. Achieving such a fine balance between the two is difficult but debutant director Anusha Rizvi succeeds in doings so very well. Peepli [Live] thus is a must watch…something that our countrymen should not miss!
The story of the movie: Natha (Omkar Das Manikpuri) and his brother Budhia (Raghuvir Yadav) are involved in farming and live in a small village called Peepli, somewhere in the state of ‘Mukhya Pradesh’. The brothers are about to lose their land as they are unable to pay a bank loan. At this juncture, they learn that the government pays one lakh to the family of all those indebted farmers who commit suicide. Budhia thus persuades Natha to do the ‘honour’ so that their land can be saved. However, somehow, the local journalist Rakesh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) gets to know about their plan and publishes it in the local newspaper. From here, the news reaches the national television channels whose reporters immediately head to Peepli and turn the issue into ‘breaking news’! What makes the story ‘spicy’ is the fact that by-elections are soon happening in the constituency in which Peepli More >
Movie Review: PEEPLI [LIVE] by TARAN ADARSH
12 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in External Reviews
By Taran Adarsh, August 10, 2010 – 10:45 IST
When Aamir Khan produces a film, or is associated with any film in the capacity of an actor, be prepared for the unpredictable. Films like TAARE ZAMEEN PAR and 3 IDIOTS took pot shots at the education system in India and PEEPLI [LIVE], directed by Anusha Rizvi, is a tongue-in-cheek satire on the farmers’ suicides and the role of vote-hungry politicians and the over-enthusiastic, TRP-seeking desperate electronic media jostling for eyeballs.
Come to think of it, the concept [farmers' suicides] would instinctively translate into a serious, thought-provoking film. But PEEPLI [LIVE] takes a grim and solemn issue, turns it into a satire, garnishes it with populist sentiment and makes a far greater impact than a mere documentary, had it tackled the burning issue. In fact, like all Aamir Khan films, PEEPLI [LIVE] marries realism with a winning box-office formula most brilliantly.
BY BOLLYWOOD HUNGAMA.COMA sad fact of our society is that bad news attracts instant attention. In PEEPLI [LIVE], an impoverished man offers to commit suicide so that his family can benefit from a government grant – a dark subject matter which is dealt with in a delightfully humorous manner. In fact, it’s a terrific satire about a troubled India, the shining India, the industrialised India that’s rarely depicted on the Hindi screen.
PEEPLI [LIVE] focuses on the poorest of the poor in India and it not only highlights the plight of a More >
I always enjoyed entertaining-Omkar Das
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Theater actor Omkar Das has come a long way from Bhilai to Mumbai bringing raw folk talent to the fore
Divashri Sinha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 08, 2010)
Omkar Das, aka Natha, brings his raw and rustic charm to the Mumbai screens, courtesy Peepli Live. Given his pedigree in theatre, he almost sets the tone of his first feature film.
How did you start out in theatre?
I started theatre full-time in the year 2000. Until then, I was a folk singer and used to travel with my troupe of 30-odd singers in Chattisgarh. I always enjoyed entertaining, so theatre came naturally.
How did Peepli Live happen?
I was auditioning for another project in Bhopal when the writer and director saw me and wanted me to audition for Natha. I got the lead role immediately. I never expected it.
How did it feel being on a film set, with untrained actors and a big crew?
Oh, that was something! From street performances and folk songs to big lights, cameras, etc; I was very intimidated. But the director was very helpful.
She asked me to ignore the cameras and be as natural as possible. After the first day, I concentrated on everything else except the camera and soon got over the hesitation.
How popular is theatre in villages now? How much has Bollywood managed to influence its style and subject?
People usually enjoy the song and dance routines much more than staged drama.
Even though the issues may be relevant, naatak is expected to have more entertainment than anything else. There More >
The decade ahead will belong to women directors-Peepli Live director
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Debutant director Anusha Rizvi in a candid chat with BT
Harshada Rege (BOMBAY TIMES; August 2, 2010)
Few women with the exception of Farah Khan have made inroads in Bollywood. But things seem to be changing. Unlike before, when producers seemed reluctant to hand over the reins of their films to a woman director, today you have producers like Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan ready to back the women who they think have substance. Delhi-based Anusha Rizvi, who makes her directorial debut with Peepli Live, believes that it’s now time for women directors to make their place on the Bollywood mantle. “Such changes don’t happen overnight. It’s taken time to come this far. It’ll have to evolve. Yes, till date Bollywood has had very few female directors and that definitely is a cause for concern. Women filmmakers have proved themselves time and again. I believe that the decade ahead will belong to women directors,” she says. Works of directors like Nandita Das and Sooni Taraporevala have impressed her a lot. “Firaaq was such a brave film and Little Zizou was told in such an interesting way…” she gushes.
Speaking about her directorial debut, Anusha says, “I didn’t set out to make a satire or a romantic movie. I am just telling a story that appealed to me. It’s not just about farmers committing suicide… that’s just one element.”
Anusha, who has worked as a television producer for four years, is also an independent documentary filmmaker. She has More >
Peepli Live director clueless about film’s promotion & marketing
02 years ago
Peepli Live director Anusha Rizvi has no clue about the film’s promotion which producer Aamir Khan is handling
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 08, 2010)
Producer Aamir Khan’s insistence to completely take charge of the promotion campaign of Peepli Live hasn’t gone down well with director Anusha Rizvi. The debutante director of the much talked-about Aamir Khan Productions has been asked to stay out of the marketing of her film while the actor works his magic to create the right buzz.
While earlier Delhi-based Anusha, who submitted her screenplay for Peepli Live to Aamir Khan on email, was seen accompanying Aamir to the Sundance Film Festival, she was nowhere to be seen at the Edinburgh Film Festival.
“As you can see I’m in Delhi and not in Edinburgh,” Anusha said while the Edinburgh festival was on. She volunteers no reason for her absence from the festival. In fact she seems petrified about even being interviewed. “I’m really not supposed to say anything about the film,” she added.
On being assured that it’s not about the film but her, the reluctant director reveals, “I’ve absolutely no connection with Bollywood. I stay in Delhi. When I decided to show around the script to prospective producers for my first film Mr Aamir Khan’s name naturally came up.”
To Anusha’s surprise Aamir responded positively to her email. “That’s how the journey began for Peepli Live. But I am surprised at how many misapprehensions there are about the film. More >
Director of Peepli Live had to undergo audition
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Anusha Rizvi was auditioned before being finalised to direct Peepli Live for Aamir Khan
By Sonal Chawla (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 19, 2010)
// // //
Known for his perfectionism, Aamir Khan is quite particular about the directors he works with and also those he appoints to make films for his production house Aamir Khan Productions.
Debutante director Anusha Rizvi had to undergo a test before she was selected to direct Aamir’s production Peepli Live. Aamir tested her by asking her to shoot five scenes to convince himself that she was the right choice – somewhat like auditions for actors.
It is learnt that Anusha was initially a reporter and had approached Aamir via email with an unusual subject on farmers’ suicide. Aamir was quite impressed with the script. Aamir said, “I liked the script but I wasn’t too sure if she would direct it well.
So I asked Anusha to shoot five scenes of the film. The scenes she shot were up to the mark and I decided to have her onboard”
Anusha confirmed and said, “I was obviously nervous but I was used to handling a video camera as I was a reporter earlier. That I was dealing with actors was something new but it wasn’t much of a hurdle.
What is actually difficult is a film’s technical aspect, but we had our technical team in place when we started shooting and it was a lovely learning process.”
Aamir Khan’s ‘Peepli Live’ gets ‘A’ certificate
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Mumbai: After the success of latest blockbuster 3 Idiots, Bollywood actor Aamir Khan is all set for his next project ‘Peepli Live’.
Aamir Khan, who is known for making a family film, has received a severe jolt from censor board. Yes, the Censor Board has awarded his forthcoming film Peepli Live with ‘A’ certificate.
Raghuvir Yadav starrer ‘Peepli Live’ is based on farmers’ suicide. Earlier the Censor Board had decided to give the film ‘U’ certificate and asked the director to drop some objectionable scenes from the movie.
But the director Anjum Rizvi was not happy with the decision to remove any scenes from the film. Even Aamir was not ready to remove a single line from the movie. After the rigid behaviour of Aamir, the board has left no option and the movie was given ‘A’ certificate. It seems that Aamir is unfazed by the A certification.
The film has already hogged limelight and selected for Sundance film festival 2010. The film has some abusive dialogues due to which it was awarded such a certification.
Raghuvir has been playing the troubled farmer in the movie who announces suicide to save family. Aamir khan is not acting in the movie but has only produced it.
Well, if you under 18, you will miss the movie in theaters. The movie is directed by Anusha Rizvi and produced by Aamir Khan.
SAMAY LIVE.COM
Local train child beggars sing for Aamir's next
03 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Three kids who sing in Mumbai’s local trains are the singers for Aamir Khan’s next production, The Falling
By Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 27, 2009)
Aamir Khan has done a Danny Boyle. He has signed on three kids who sing in Mumbai local trains to earn money, to lend their voice for his production, tentatively titled The Falling. The kids, Durga (12), Nagarjuna (17), Bramendra (18) have recorded for the film which is about farmers’ suicide.
They have sung under the guidance of Mathias Duplessy, who has given the background score to the film, directed by Anusha Rizvi. A source from the film revealed, “Mathias discovered the talented kids. He learnt that they earn their daily bread and butter by singing in local trains. He found it interesting, got in touch with the kids and things quickly fell in place. Aamir was really happy with the trio’s talent and immediately agreed to record with them. In fact, Mathias is now making a film with a foreign production house where these kids will sing about six-seven songs.” Last weekend, Aamir and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, who is the producer of 3 Idiots, had a small get-together at Vidhu’s house to check out the kids’ talent. Aamir’s wife Kiran Rao, and Vidhu’s wife Anupama were also present.
Mathias accompanied the kids to Vidhu’s house. “The kids gave a zabardast performance. Aamir was very impressed. Aamir and Vidhu may do something for the kids in future,” the source added. Confirming the news, Mathias said, “I More >