Posts tagged inshallah football

What’s the point of winning National Awards?

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1 month ago
by Fenil Seta in

It doesn’t even help us screen our films, say indie filmmakers, as many of this year’s National Award winners plan a protest on the day of the awards

Jyothi Prabhakar (BOMBAY TIMES; April 4, 2013)

 

It is still the most coveted, but the National Award no longer opens doors it once did for struggling filmmakers. Rather, it shuts even state-owned avenues, say filmmakers. That’s why, many regional and Hindi filmmakers who have won this time, are planning to protest on May 3, the day of the awards ceremony, by wearing a black armband as they receive their award, and also give a signed petition to the President.

AFTER WINNING, NOW WHAT? Aamir Bashir, whose film Harud — that deals with Kashmiris’ issues — has won this year, says, “Mine is a case of ghar girvi rakh ke, biwi ke gehne bech ke film banana. Award bhi mil gaya. Now what? This is my first film. It has to be seen, only then will I make money for my next. But how will people see it? Mainstream exhibitors will not buy it, I’ll not get satellite rights, and even if some channel decides to, khao taras on me, I don’t want to be humiliated with 1 lakh. My film’s done the rounds of international festivals too, but that doesn’t mean revenue. I now have no option but to go to Doordarshan. There too, I’ve been told not to hope for anything.” Acclaimed Assamese filmmaker Jahnu Barua, whose Baandhon won the Rajat Kamal last year, echoes, “Everyone hankers after a National Award, from the top star to the struggling director. But it More >

Check out Jaaved Jaaferi’s Ranveer-lookalike son

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1 year ago
by Fenil Seta in

Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 17, 2012)

 

Tuesday night saw a grand party to celebrate the twin successes of The Forest and Inshallah Football, both directed by Ashwin Kumar.

At the celebration, Mirror spotted for the very first time, the father-son duo of Javed and Meezan Jaaferi. While Javed was elated at his production Inshallah Football having won the national award for Best Documentary on Social Issues, all eyes were on the 17-year-old boy who normally shies away from accompanying his father to social do’s.

Said Javed, “Meezan is not filmy and doesn’t come with me on the sets. Today, he was sitting at home and chilling so I asked him to come and he immediately agreed. He is least interested in all these things. He is into sports and plays football and basketball. He is also into a lot of music.”

And does he take after his father as far as dancing goes? Apparently, Meezan is a good dancer and can be spotted flashing some mean moves at parties and school functions.

It is learnt Javed’s eldest son is studying in Ecole Mondiale World School and doing the International Baccalaureate (IB). A long time ago, he did an ad with his father for Takeshi’s castle. While he doesn’t have acting inhibitions, his focus is to set up a business. Interestingly, the boy’s hair cut and mannerisms remind us of Ranveer Singh.

Kashmir film kicked off goalpost

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Inshallah Football, a film on how the sport becomes a catalyst for youth in the Valley and suggests a solution to the Kashmir problem, has a limited reach due to its ‘adults only’ tag. Is Indian politics at work here?

Aseem Chhabra (MUMBAI MIRROR; April 17, 2011)

 

Towards the beginning of Ashvin Kumar’s remarkable documentary Inshallah Football, the film’s protagonist Basharat states his case and that becomes the basis of the film.

Basharat is an 18-year-old high school student in Srinagar, a star footballer who has a chance to go to Brazil to play in the minor leagues. But unfortunately, his passport application has been delayed for one obvious reason his father is a former Kashmiri militant, who travelled to Pakistan for training and was later arrested and tortured by the Indian security forces.

Basharat was only two years old when his father joined the militancy and he rightly feels that he is being unfairly punished for something he had no control over.

The passport application of the protagonist, an 18-year-old star footballer, is delayed as his father is a former militant

His father has since renounced the militancy and now runs a legitimate business in Srinagar. The film follows Basharat’s struggle to get a passport. He eventually succeeds with the assistance of the state’s Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

Inshallah Football is a rare film that provides an alternative solution to the crisis in Kashmir, at a time when nobody seems to More >

We’re more transparent than Americans-Sharmila Tagore

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Sharmila Tagore is only the second person to chair the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for two full terms. A three-month extension enabled the I&B ministry to find a successor, giving Tagore the distinction of the longest tenure in that office. The legendary actress, who debuted 52 years ago in Satyajit Ray’s “Apur Sansar”, continues her film career with the just released “Life Goes On”. She spoke to Ratnottama Sengupta on her last day in office at the CBFC. Excerpts:

Ratnottama Sengupta (THE TIMES OF INDIA; April 3, 2011) What do you think you achieved as CBFC chief and what have you learnt? • I realized that we’re far more transparent than the Americans. We speak to the press whenever they want to discuss a decision; we’re not “all white”’ nor all of “a certain age”. Their debate is about “why X, not A”; ours is about “why UA, not U”. Except for “Ghajini” which fell through the net, we give ‘UA’ if there’s violence, item songs, expletives… Tell me honestly, is “Kaminey” watchable by a 12-year-old?

Sometimes a single dialogue tarnishes the dignity of women. One character in “Raajneeti” gave the impression that every woman sleeps around to get a ticket (in elections). Sometimes friendly relations with a country can’t be jeopardized. As an insider, I understand the compulsions of both the industry and the audience. I also know that some people take advantage of our openness and go to the press for publicity. Still, and More >

Why Do People Still Want Their Films to be Certified?

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Tehelka.com, February 7, 2011 – 09:45 IST

Sharmila Tagore tells RISHI MAJUMDER why the censor board is not running a popularity contest

Sharmila Tagore completes her tenure with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) on 5 February. But she has been requested to stay on till the CBFC finds a suitable successor. During Tagore’s tenure, the CBFC has come into conflict with a radically changing film industry. Scenes have been cut, adult certificates doled out, and some films denied certification altogether. At her home in Vasant Vihar in New Delhi, the 64-year-old sits relaxed against a cushy sofa. Rugs line the floor. The walls are covered with art and family photographs. She sips a cup of tea as TEHELKA brings up the criticism levelled against her as chairperson of the CBFC. “I have been misquoted in the papers,” she says. “But we have to put our side there as well.” And she begins to reply – adamant at times, but never losing that calm. Edited excerpts:

The documentary Inshallah Football has been awarded an A certificate for a scene where a former militant spoke about being tortured. Now its main markets – TV broadcasting, satellite channels, cable and DTH are closed. No distributor will pick it up. Isn’t this a virtual ban? The CBFC is not familiar with the exhibition process of documentary films. The producer was invited to a meeting for his point of view but he didn’t come, citing personal reasons. This film, with that scene, had to be given More >

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