Posts tagged summer vacation

Revisit your childhood-Amole Gupte

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Amole Gupte’s film releases during this summer vacation

Nimisha Tiwari (BOMBAY TIMES; March 22, 2011)

 

His desire to direct a film on children may have been thwarted when Aamir Khan took over the reigns of Taare Zameen Par, however Amole Gupte is now ready to prove that he was the right man for the job. The writer and creative director of TZP is all set to release his film Stanley Ka Dabba, an emotional drama about school-going children and their tiffin boxes.

Amole has not just directed and produced the film, he has also acted in it as a teacher (with his signature beard intact). Shot at a workshop over a period of one-and-a-half years, this film is about growing up and human spirit. Interestingly, the 500-odd kids who have acted in it, weren’t fed with scripted dialogues. They spoke their own language and quite beautifully at that. “You would have never seen childhood, so upclose and personal. This film attempts to visit the wonderful world of children,” promises Amole.

Calling himself a ‘handsfree’ actor, who has nothing to prove through his acting skills and just enjoys the role, Amole says, “I don’t make films without any purpose. I see children slogging for 11-12 hours during school days. While I am not being judgemental, I would want to reverse this system and give them time to learn from life. So, Stanley Ka Dabba will send out an emotional message to everyone.” Divya Dutta, Divya Jagdale, Rahul Singh, Rajendranath Zutshi More >

Exclusive: Band Baaja Baaraat writer speaks

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2 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

The ‘jugaad’ behind Band Baaja Baaraat, on the grammar of commercial cinema

Malay Desai (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 26, 2010) Rana Chakraborty

Kin kanjaro ke saath kaam kar rahi hai? Paying in ghaas-poos, wanting delivery of kukkad?” went Bittoo Sharma, of the last recognised hit of 2010, Band Baaja Baaraat. The line created spontaneous laughter in the packed suburban screen we watched the film at, despite ‘kanjar’ or ‘kukkad’ being alien words to most native Mumbaikars.

This, the man behind its screenplay and dialogues feels, is one of many gratifying moments the film has brought him. Habib Faisal is also beaming on reports that the film is running to packed houses in Chennai too.  That’s quite a high to end a whirlwind year with, in the face of a personal tragedy.

The 44-year-old lost his father in January and made his directorial debut in October. Sitting cross-legged on the floor mattress in his Lokhandwala 2-BHK, Faisal reflects, over black coffee, on his structured approach to the craft.

“I owe much to my summer vacation relationship with Bhopal and its ‘fursat’ people,” he smiles, talking of Delhi, where his family moved when he was a toddler. Growing up in Jangpura, a ‘hardcore Punju area’, Faisal didn’t have much of a career plan when he opted for Karodimal College.

“But I caught the theatre bug there and eventually studied cinema in USA,” he recalls. That said, his recent liaisons with Yash Raj Films (YRF) couldn’t have More >

The months ahead will witness an erratic flow of films

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

By Taran Adarsh, May 18, 2010 – 08:50 IST

The flow of film releases will get erratic and uneven in the forthcoming months. Generally, the number of releases shows an escalation from April onwards, to capitalize on the summer vacations in India, and the number of new films shows a further escalation in June, July and August. But this year will be an exception.

RAAJNEETI and RAAVAN are the only two biggies confirmed for June, while I HATE LUV STORYS, LAMHAA, ONCE UPON A TIME IN MUMBAI and KAJRAARE are the talked-about films hitting the screens in July. Of course, expect a slew of low cost/medium range movies week after week in June and July, but there’s also a strong possibility that a few weeks may pass off without any release at all.

However, the shortage of new films will be felt in August. The number of new releases and also the footfalls at multiplexes will take a dip this month. Reason: The holy month of Ramzan will begin this month. Generally, film producers avoid releasing their films during this month, since a sizable chunk of movie-going audience stays away from movies.

But September promises to be bountiful, with Anees Bazmee’s NO PROBLEM, Priyadarshan’s AAKROSH, Arbaaz Khan’s home-production DABANGG and UTV’s animation film ARJUN arriving on Eid. In fact, Mukesh Bhatt was keen to bring the Emraan Hashmi starrer CROOK in August, but he wants to avoid the rush during the Eid week.

Speaking from Melbourne, where he’s shooting for CROOK, More >

I want a National Award for Akshay-Twinkle Khanna

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in

Twinkle or Tina, the actor’s classy and stylish designer wife is holding a ‘holiday line’ exhibition todayMARK MANUEL Times News Network (BOMBAY TIMES; April 9, 2010)

Wednesday night, and it’s dinner time at the sea-facing Juhu residence of Tina and Akshay Kumar. She’s eating elegantly with her fingers, Frank Sinatra is singing Strangers In The Night, but Akshay is in the kitchen ordering halwa. I know he’s also slyly checking on what’s happening at the Eden Gardens where Kolkata’s killing Delhi in the IPL. He’s crazy about cricket. And, being savvy about finance and figures and people, he knows instinctively when a match is being thrown. Bollywood’s action star is a different man at home. He’s just completed Housefull and Action Replayy, but is busy shooting for Khatta Meetha and Tees Maar Khan, and will soon begin Patiala House and Thank-You. Right now, he’s chilling out in between schedules. The couple spend time walking their garden, hand-in-hand, sipping drinks. “When he thinks I’m not looking, he chucks the wine in the bushes,” Tina complains. And Akshay also makes a valiant attempt at taking son Aarav’s homework because Tina is busy with an exhibition that begins today. “I get a call at work, and Akshay wants to know what’s a noun and what’s an adjective,” Tina laughs, “then when I get home, I find the homework is all wrong!”

She talks about her exhibition, it’s of a holiday line at her designer store White Window in Bandra, More >

Filmi chakkar: Rs 500 cr at stake from December to February

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3 years ago
by Fenil Seta in
MUMBAI: If this were a Hindi film, one would say imtihaan ki ghadi aa gayi hai-testing times are here. After a tumultuous year at the box office, the health of the Hindi film industry will be tested from December 4 to February 12. About Rs 500 crore is at stake and many a big brand of the industry will try its luck at the box office. While Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots is arguably one of the biggest films of 2009, Shah Rukh’s My Name is Khan may give 2010 a headstart at the box office. Brand Bachchan isbanking on Paa and Ranbir Kapoor will try and consolidate his new found viability as a solo star with Rocket Singh. And after his success with Wanted, Salman Khan will hope to emerge victorious once again with Veer.

 

“The film industry tries to avoid releases in the first two weeks of January and also in March (exam season),” says an industry source. “The movie business really picks up during summer vacation time and the festive season. Big releases are reserved for Diwali, Eid or Christmas.”

Why this deviation from plan then? Trade analyst Amod Mehra blames it on the backlog. “The multiplex strike changed many a plan,” Mehra says. “Rann was meant to be a Diwali release but could not manage a clearance from the producers. Shah Rukh’s Dulha Mil Gaya was also marked for 2009 and My Name is Khan was rumoured to be a Christmas release. Veer is the only film that was planned for January 2010 and is on schedule,” he adds.

Producer Mukesh Bhatt More >

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