Posts tagged midnight's children

Masala movies are not for me-Samrat Charkabarti

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Kaushani Banerjee (DNA; February 5, 2013)

 

American actor Samrat Charkabarti who plays pivotal roles in latest release Vishwaroopam and Midnight’s Children wants to do films with universal appeal. “While I love watching Bollywood films, masala movies are not for me. I want to do contemporary movies, that appeal to the global audience. Movies with special messages and that show various kinds of realities is what I would really like to do.”

Samrat plays the role of Wee Willie Winkie, Shiva’s father in Midnight’s Children (archival of the protagonist Saleem) Samrat excitedly says, “I had to undergo a complete transformation for this role! Wee Willie Winkie is a poor man who makes his living by singing. He is almost a Raj Kapoor kind of a character. Even though he entertains, he goes through a very rough life.” Samrat, who is also a musician, and has a acapella group, learnt to play the accordion especially for this role. He would lock himself in the hotel room during the shooting of the movie and play the accordian for hours. “It was the perfect character for me. I do a lot of music and I could easily wease into the role. Ironically Deepa did not know that I played music, when she offered me the role at the Abu Dhabi film festival during the screening of my previous film Bombay Summer.” The multi-talented actor, also composed a song for the latest release Midnight’s Children. “They needed a melody for a lullaby that reoccurs throughout the movie. When Deepa found out about my More >

Midnight’s Children, the best film of my career-Dolly Ahluwalia

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Ruchika Kher (MID-DAY; February 4, 2013)

 

She earned acclaim as the vivacious single mum in Vicky Donor but Dolly Ahluwalia has loads more to offer. The National Award-winning costume designer’s work in Midnight’s Children has drawn for praise from all sides. Having designed for Bandit Queen, Omkara and Love Aaj Kal in the past, this veteran of two decades tells Ruchika Kher about why this film was special

How was the experience of working on Midnight’s Children? It might sound clichéd but I’m still going to say it — it’s been a great experience. The time on the film is a period that I will cherish for the rest of my life, though it was a challenge.

What sort of challenges did you face while working on this film? It was challenging because we were shooting in Sri Lanka, and the period that we were looking at was 1917 to 1970. I was aware that there would be nothing available in Sri Lanka, so I knew that if the director wants any improvisations in the costumes there, I would not get anything. Petrified of that fact and to avoid any risk, my team and me made the effort of carrying extra things with us. Even my tailor travelled with us. In spite of taking so much caution, on the eve of the first day of shoot, we realised that the costumes that had to reach us in Sri Lanka four days back hadn’t arrived. I knew that without those costumes the shooting won’t take place, but I told Deepa ( Mehta) to not worry. I told her to do the scenes where less actors are involved and we More >

Me and Milind Soman not keen on marriage-Shahana Goswami

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Shahana Goswami says she’s in no hurry to tie the knot with beau Milind Soman

Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; February 1, 2013)

 

She is known to be a straight talker and unlike other Bollywood actresses, doesn’t try to evade questions about her personal life. However, Shahana Goswami states matter-of-factly that she is in no mood to settle down before she turns 35.

The dusky actress, who is known for portraying intense roles, has been going strong with former model Milind Sonam for over three years now. Nevertheless, she says she has her priorities set both in her career as well as in her life.

“I’m way too young and just discovering myself with each passing day. I always wanted an independent life and that’s what exactly I’m living right now. Thankfully, I’ve found someone who believes in the same principles that I do. As of now, neither of us is quite keen on marrying, so the wedding thing is out of question. Besides, don’t you think 26 is too young an age to get married?” asks Shahana.

The couple is excited about their respective films that have hit the marquee today. While Shahana is part of Deepa Mehta’s film Midnight’s Children, Milind plays a gangster in Bejoy Nambiar’s David. “We work to see our films release because of all the effort and time we put into them. It’s a nice coincidence that our films are clashing at the box office on the very same day,” signs off the actress.

Fenil’s Bollywood Talk # 241

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

12 FILMS THIS FRIDAY…WHY THIS HARA-KIRI?

The first over-crowded Friday is here! Tomorrow, February 1, will see the release of almost 5 Hindi films. If one takes into account the Hollywood, Gujarati and Marathi movies, the number goes upto mind-boggling 12! Half of them are being released without any buzz whatsoever, shockingly! My views on the Bollywood films:

DAVID: The best bet of the week. It’s directed by Bejoy Nambiar, who showed his brilliance with Shaitan. The film deals with three eras and three characters (played by Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vikram and Vinay Virmani) all named David. All three look fabulous. Neil is happening and his track will be presented in black and white. Monica Dogra (of Dhobi Ghat fame) is also in his story while Tabu and Isha Sharvani features in Vikram’s track. Vinay, last seen in Speedy Singhs, is a revelation. Dama Dam Mast Kalandar seems rocking and great to see Bejoy opting for someone like Sarika over a scantily clad ‘item girl’! The promo generated excitement but buzz hasn’t been significiant. Good word of mouth can attract many moviegoers.

DEEWANA MAIN DEEWANA: Govinda-Priyanka Chopra’s long delayed film Deewana Main Deewana seems forgettable from the trailers itself and no chance that the film will sustain even for the first three days.

VISHWAROOP: The Hindi version of Kamal Haasan’s much in news Vishwaroopam, Vishwaroop, also hits theatres nationwide tomorrow. The response to the film has been fabulous and viewers too have got aware of More >

Protest nightmare revisits Salman Rushdie

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Agencies (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 31, 2013)

 

Salman Rushdie has abandoned plans to attend a publicity event for the film adaptation of his award-winning novel Midnight’s Children in Kolkata after Muslim groups took to the streets to protest his visit. Around a hundred protesters congregated outside the city’s airport ahead of the author’s visit on Wednesday, airport officials said, the latest in a string of recent clashes over freedom of expression in the country.

“We will not allow him here. He is hated by all Muslims in the world. I thank the government of West Bengal for listening to us,” said Idris Ali, chief of the All India Minority Forum, referring to the state of which Kolkata is the capital. The joint commissioner of police in Kolkata declined to comment on the issue.

This comes amid protests against Indian actor and director Kamal Hasan’s Vishwaroopam film, which Muslim groups say target their beliefs.

Bombay is all about its people-Salman Rushdie

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Author Salman Rushdie on the city he grew up in and what keeps bringing him back…

Kaushani Banerjee (DNA; January 31, 2013)

 

The Bombay you grew up in and the Mumbai of today is different… Partly. It looks like a city that’s been built on top of another. So while driving on a flyover, you can see little bits of the old city! In The Moor’s Last Sigh, I was tried to write about the change in the Bombay I grew up in to the now existing Mumbai, and I do think it is a very different city. With the enormous physical expansion it does change the way people live in the city. It’s a much harder city to live in now. When there were no flyovers there were less traffic jams, there were lesser cars of course.

The city seems to have grown physically and emotionally… I shock people when I say this but there was not one high rise building when I was growing up. It was all low rise bungalows and when I was about 12 or 13 the first high rise building went up and we would call it a match box house, because it looks like a match box standing on its end. We use to poke fun at it, saying look at that ugly thing, who would want to live in that ugly thing? And the answer is everyone! (Laughs).

But you still consider the city your home? Yes, it still feels like home because I have a lot of friends here. Bombay is always the city rooted in its people. It is not about the place. There are more beautiful cities than this one. But this one has always had people here I love. I don’t have family here More >

The Godfather seemed B-grade during its first rough cut-Salman Rushdie

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Salman Rushdie tells us why we would not want to mess with the likes of his grandmother, while Deepa Mehta says she was drawn to the strong women characters in Midnight’s Children

Chandrima Pal (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 30, 2013)

 

Salman Rushdie has been on a promotional blitzkrieg for Midnight’s Children. The film, directed by Deepa Mehta, also marks his turn as scriptwriter. Mirror caught up with the duo as they engaged in a conversation peppered with sparkling anecdotes and filled the five-star suite with seriously contagious laughter.

MIRROR: (To Rushdie) Do you think it is important for authors get involved with the process of filmmaking when their works are adapted for the big screen? RUSHDIE: Recently Cosmopolis was made into a film by David Cronenberg and Don (author Don DeLilo) had nothing to do with it, though Cronenberg was very faithful to the book which was as a script for shooting. I can see reasons for not getting involved with the film. For instance, now that there is a possibility of a film being made on my autobiography, I do not want to write the script but want to give it to someone else. DEEPA: With Midnight… it was different because the book was written 32 years ago… RUSHDIE: Yes, it was an important book for me and I just wanted to get involved with it this time. I know writers who are interested in movies and those who are not. I have always been very interested in films. During my childhood the cinema system was a bit different in Bombay… what you More >

I had to grow emotionally with the character-Shahana Goswami

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Shahana Goswami talks about her role in an upcoming film based on Salman Rushdie’s book

Kaushani Banerjee (DNA; January 29, 2013)

 

Actress Shahana Goswami, who made her mark with a memorable performance as Debbie Mascarenhas in Rock On!! is gearing up for her international debut in Deepa Mehta’s Midnight’s Children. The budding actress hopes to further her commercial success with a significant role in the adaptation of Salman Rushdie’s Booker prize-winning book.

Shahana plays the role of Amina, mother of the protagonist Saleem Sinai, in the movie. She says, “It was quite a challenge playing Amina, the mother of Jamila (Soha Ali Khan) and Saleem (Satya Baba), especially since we did not use prosthetic makeup.” The character goes through many experiences and it requires Shahana to subtly express awareness. “I had to grow emotionally with the character to portray her age,” adds Shahana. The 26-year-old actress says she could relate to the love and affection in Amina’s character. “I am welcoming, affectionate and unapologetic about displaying affection and this common quality of love is what I found in Amina,” explains the actress.

The talented star, who ages from 19 to 45 in the film, says the character came with quite a few challenges. “The toughest scene was when Saleem, who was sent away by his father, returns when he is 17, and his father kicks him out again. I first find out that Saleem is not my son, then I stand up for my son, against my husband. I had to react to all More >

Both the hero and the villain in Vishwaroopam are Muslims-Rahul Bose

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Rahul Bose, who plays an Al Qaida terrorist in Kamal Haasan’s Vishwaroopam, is livid over the protests

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 29, 2013)

 

Rahul Bose is livid over protests by Muslim groups alleging that Kamal Haasan’s Hind/Tamil bilingual, Vishwaroop/Vishwaroopam, also dubbed in Telugu, portrays the community in a negative light. The actor who plays the villain, Omar, asserts that there’s not even a shadow of communal colour in the film.

“If Omar is an Afghani Al-Qaeda Jihadi intent on destruction, then Mr Haasan’s character, Vishwanath, is an undercover RAW agent, equally determined to keep the country safe. And since both the hero and the villain are Muslims, the anti-Islamist debate is a non-starter, they targeted the wrong film,” he says.

Speculations are rife that Omar is modelled on the slain terrorist, Osama Bin Laden. Bose shrugs off the misconception, “It’s laughable, there’s no resemblance in look or dialogue, 32 reviews down South have been kind to me.”

The espionage thriller opened in 82 screens in Kerala on January 25, but screening was stopped after the first show. In Trivandrum, youth wing members of parties like the Yuva Morcha and Hindu Munnani ensured shows resumed the next day, but in Karnataka the state police, afraid of disrupting communal harmony, pushed the release to January 27, post the Milad-un-Nabi and Republic Day celebrations.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu version opened in Hyderabad a day after the rest of the state, More >

Deepa Mehta on the exotic costumes of Midnight’s Children

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3 months ago
by Fenil Seta in

Director Deepa Mehta reveals costumes played a big part in getting the actors into character for her upcoming film

Sanaya Chavda (DNA; January 26, 2013)

 

Deepa Mehta’s film, Midnight’s Children, which is based on Salman Rushdie’s novel by the same name and stars actors Shabana Azmi, Rahul Bose, Anupam Kher, Soha Ali Khan, Shahana Goswami and Shriya Saran, has costumes created by fashion designer Ritu Kumar and costume designer Dolly Ahluwalia. The director feels that the two played an integral part in the film by helping the actors get into their characters. Deepa says, “For the wedding costumes, I wanted a colour palette that resembled the feathers of a peacock — rich jewel tones. The intricacy and detail of each piece that Ritu created is breathtaking.” In order to make the outfits authentic, the designer did much research on the royal costumes of the Muslim families of pre-Independence India. The ensembles, worn by the Begums for their weddings consisted of a three piece ensemble — a kurta, a farshi pyjama and a dupatta or veil. Actress Anita Majumdar sports a bridal poshaak consisting of a kurta in emerald green, with a yoke in an angarkha style, which is embellished with butis, while Shahana Goswami’s ensemble has elaborate embroidered borders in strips of gota and kiran to give it a metallic sheen, which Ritu said was typical of the Rampur and Avadh courts. Soha Ali Khan’s outfit was hand-embroidered with natural silk cotton to give a look of jaali work.

Talking More >

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