KAUFMAN - "Or cramming in sex, or car chases, or guns. Or characters learning profound life lessons. Or characters growing or characters changing or characters learning to like each other or characters overcoming obstacles to succeed in the end. Y'know ? Movie shit."
Kaufman is sweating like crazy now. Valerie is quiet for a moment - from "Adaptation".
We are all about CINEMA. That movie shit.
NOTHING is sacred.
NOBODY is spared.
Because we talk about films, dammit.
Not your sex life.
Films, fests, unsung, indies, undiscovered - all that and some fun. If you have dope on anything related to cinema or you would like to share something, do write to us at moifightclub@gmail.com.
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In short, if you have an issue with us or any post we've written, write to us at moifightclub@gmail.com
The Other Way – Its a film by Aniket Dasgupta and Swathy Sethumadhavan who are documenting the indie filmmaking scene in India. The feature length documentary aims to understand the various facets of an independent filmmaker and attempts to capture the passion that drives these new wave filmmakers to work out of the mainstream film industry.
And in a country where we don’t have much culture of documenting our cinematic history, this seems to be going in the right direction. More so because in the last 4-5 years the way we are making films, it has changed drastically. Filmmaking has moved beyond the domain of counted few and “indie” is being redefined with new filmmakers rewriting the rules.
Aniket and Swathy have already interviewed some of the indie voices and filmmakers like Srinivas Sunderrajan, Onir, Vasan Bala, Sandeep Mohan, Qaushiq Mukherjee (Q), Sudhish Kamat, Shiladitya Bora among others. More interviews are also on schedule and will be shot in the coming months.
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The documentary is mostly self-financed but since the makers of the film are students (of Symbiosis Institute of Media and Communication), they are also trying to raise a part of the budget through Wishberry’s crowd funding platform. Contributors get certain perks in return depending on the amount they contribute.
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They have already raised more than Rs.47,000 out of there goal of Rs.80,000 on Wishberry and have JUST 3 Days left to raise the rest. Your contribution will take them one step closer to reaching their goal.
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So what are you waiting for? Click here and help them make the film.
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Not convinced yet that you are not going to waste your money? They do have a teaser from what they have shot so far. Click on the play botton and have a look.
Telluride Film Festival has finally unveiled its line-up for this year. And Shivendra Singh Dungarpur’s documentary film “Celluloid Man : A Film on P K Nair” will have its screening at the fest. According to official release, it will be part of Telluride’s intimate screening room which features behind-the-scenes movies and portraits of artists, musicians and filmmakers.
(Click on the pics to enlarge)
Here’s more on the film from its official FB page…
Celluloid Man is a tribute to an extraordinary man called Mr. P.K. Nair, the founder of the National Film Archive of India, and the guardian of Indian cinema. He built the Archive can by can in a country where the archiving of cinema is considered unimportant.
The fact that the Archive still has nine precious silent films of the 1700 silent films made in India, and that Dadasaheb Phalke, the father of Indian cinema, has a place in history today is because of Mr. Nair. He influenced generations of Indian filmmakers and showed us new worlds through the prism of cinema.
As Mr. Nair speaks, we see the history of Indian cinema unfold. What emerges is a portrait of a man so in love with cinema that even his family had to take a backseat to his obsession. Mr. Nair is not just the founder of the National Film Archive, but a living, breathing museum of cinema. Even in retirement, he chooses to stay across the road from the Archive watching over his legacy. The fact that India has a cinematic heritage at all is the singlehanded achievement of this man.
He is truly India’s Celluloid Man. There will be no one like him again.
It was supposed to be Mallika Shehrawat’s international debut. The director had a world famous surname – Lynch. But by the time the film got released, the director, Jennifer Lynch claimed that she didn’t make Hisss. She was nowhere in sight too. During the release, it was Mallika and her good friend Govind Menon (director of Khawish, Kis Kiski Kismat, Bachke Rehna Re Baba) who handled everything. So what really happened? Did she quit or was she forced to? And if so, why and how?
A new documentary, Despite The Gods, seems to have all the answers. Penny Vozniak’s making-of documentary will premiere at HotDocs in Toronto.
Here’s the description from the official release..
Upscale Font Jennifer Lynch, daughter of cult film auteur David Lynch, made her auspicious directorial debut in 1993 with Boxing Helena at the Sundance Film Festival. A box office disaster, the film was viciously mauled by critics and became the focus of multiple lawsuits. Fifteen years later, a recovering addict and hard-working single mother, Lynch returns to the director’s chair with an ambitious project that will test her skills and the entire crew’s sanity.
Despite the Gods brings us behind the scenes on the set of Lynch’s Bollywood/Hollywood action film about a man-eating snake goddess. Out of her depth shooting on location with an Indian crew and two top Bollywood stars, Lynch turns her production into a vehicle for her own self-actualization, paying no regard to timeline, budget or reality. As the story in front of the camera derails, the story behind the camera explodes.
Earlier this week Ashvin Kumar released the 7min preview of his new film Inshallah, Kashmir : Living Terror. And now he has released the full film online. The film is available for viewing for 24 hours. Watch it NOW.
After he faced problems with the Censor Board for his last film, the idea is to bypass the Censor Board and reach out to the audience directly with this one. Click here to read a Tehelka article on the film.
You can also click here and have a better view on the Vimeo page.
DISCLAIMER : This is a compilation of live interviews. The statements of the interviewee are completely their own. The explicit nature of the content may affect the viewer’s sensibility and therefore viewer discretion is advised. Please proceed to click only if you wish to watch the contents. The viewer shall be fully responsible for the access to and viewing this content.
We apologize for the low resolution of the video – it has been impossible to upload larger files. We’ll continue trying.
Filmmaker Ashvin Kumar is ready with his new film titled Inshallah,Kashmir: Living Terror. He shared the preview of the film and posted this message on his FB wall recently –
We will bypass the Indian censor board and will be releasing the full-film online and free-of-charge for 24 hours at 12am, 26th of January 2012, India’s Republic Day.
The film contains shocking, heart-wrenching stories of the effects of brutality and terror by Indian armed forces and militants alike.
Click on the play button and do watch it. We are eagerly looking forward to its online premiere.
WHAT : I & Eye, a series of multicity seminars on documentary practices and perceptions, an initiative by Whistling Woods International comes to Kolkata with Q’s Love In India.
WHEN/WHERE : 17th Aug 2011 at Cinemax Mani Square, 6 p.m. onwards.
FILM + Discussion + Q & A:
6-7pm : Screening of Love In India
7-8pm : Panel Discussion – DISPELLING THE MYTH : There is ‘No Scope’ in Documentaries
Panelists : Shyamal Karmakar (Editor, Oye Lucky Lucky Oye), Saurabh Sarangi (Director, Bilal) and Q. The session will be moderated by Somnath Sen, VP Academic Affiliates, WWI & Director of Leela
8:15-9pm : The seminar will be followed by an interaction with the film maker Kaushik Mukherjee (Q).
Songs Of Protest : I&EYE culminates on 19th Aug 2011 at WWI campus in Filmcity, Mumbai. It will unveil a viral campaign created by the students of WWI for an Independent music album Songs of Protest – a collection of revolutionary songs from the tumultuous 40’s and the 50’s.
The unusual album, produced by Susmit Sen (Founder & Lead Guitarist, Indian Ocean) was born out of economist Sumangala Damodaran’s Research & Documentation Project that aims to explore a forgotten musical tradition of the Songs of Protest sung during pre- independence days (ie from the 1940s and 1950s) by the artists of IPTA – the Indian People’s Theatre Association.
The BIG DEBATE : DOCUMENTARY , after all, can tell lies. And it can tell lies because it lays claim to a form of veracity which the fiction doesn’t.
Panelists : Bishakha Datta, Paromita Vora
Most of you might not have even heard about the film Videokaaran. We also had no clue. A video link on someone’s FB wall and it quickly spread all over. Varun Grover saw the film, loved it and strongly recommends it. Read on…
“Nahin boloonga – Mera secret hai yaar yeh” – Videokaaran
Before the film: The trailer hit like a bolt. “A film about a slightly unusual film buff” it said, and gave me the biggest blood rush that week. It looked dark, candid, grungy, and very passionate. Aur Hindustan mein film lovers pe film kaun banaata hai? It looked like a story from our own backyard, an original story. The trailer was shared, RTed, discussed, and we all were very curious. A screening at Vikalp, Alliance Francaise Mumbai came up. Not on a weekend, hence only I from among the Mumbai group could make it. And mighty glad that I did. Baaki ki kahaani…cut to.
After the film: Starting with a question. How many of us remember the title song, with antara, of Amitabh Bachhan’s 1992 film ‘Khuda Gawah’ (probably his last good act as a ‘hero’ in Hindi cinema). Think a bit. I am sure some can come close to remembering ‘Ho koi ghulaam…ya ho baadshaah…ishq ke bagair, zindagi gunaah’ lines. (Or was it ‘zindagi tabaah’?) But how many will remember, AND relish, the casually thrown in repeat-phrase ‘wai-wai’ throughout the song? Videokaaran is about a group of film-lovers who not only remember this ‘wai-wai’ bit but also sing it (over a doped out night at one point in the film) with as much respect as the rest of the song. In fact, a lone voice keeps singing ‘wai-wai’ even after the rest of the group has faded off.
Now this may sounds like a frivolous start – especially when the claim is that Videokaaran is the most definitive work you will see on the very complex cinema-fan relationship in India. But the example, much like a zen puzzle, is an answer in itself. It’s about passion for something some of us may consider unpassionworthy. It’s about people, who while living on the edge in their day to day existence, find a bond with moving images, words, tunes, stories, and to use an Arundhati Roy-esque term ‘the collective hysteria of larger-than-life’.
And it’s not a ‘look, they are so unique/ weird/ curio-pieces’ narrative the director goes for at all (the easiest way out, taken by many including the ‘B-Movie-Club’ of Mumbai which shows 80’s films to a group ‘for laughs’, or Anuvab Pal’s latest book on ‘Disco Dancer’ which reads the film as campy fun at its best). The subjects, with Sagai Raj in focus mostly, have been treated with as much respect as a serious film lover/observer deserves.
And the best part – Videokaaran (Video-waalah), doesn’t just stop at cinema. It very incidentally, mostly through the conversations, paints a picture of a world within Mumbai which seems not only time-removed from us, but plane-removed too. The characters, their pains, days, uninhibited laughter seem to hang in a surreal space-time we never cared to check. (But don’t mistake it for an ‘activist’ take on ‘two Indias’ or such. It’s as much fun as you will ever have at the movies.) A real, brass-and-nails world where Rajnikanth is God, and with a very strong reason.
And it helps that the Rajnikanth fan Sagai Raj, the central character of Jagannathan Krishnan’s debut docu-feature, has a unique, intelligent opinion on almost everything to do with cinema. Sagai used to run a Tamil video parlor in Chembur, in the shanties by the railway tracks, and is the kind of Thalaivar fan we have come to smirk at. But the smirk fades off with every passing minute, replaced by friendly warmth.
Sagai talks non-stop, loves porn and slasher flicks, has a quirky tangential mind (“I can’t fool a mad dog by pretending that I am not afraid. Dog’s sixth sense will interact with my sixth sense to let out the truth”), a weirdly original thought process (“porn films are the best indicator of a girl’s mind”), lives in a shady locality where police-raids and death by local trains is a norm, and has a life-story straight out of City of God. But above all, and in the context of Videokaaran, he is the brand ambassador of a class of people who consume cinema differently. And a brand-ambassador who not only was a regular viewer, but somebody who sourced porn to be exhibited, edited out films according to audience tastes at his own machine, marked out escape routes and strategies in case of a police raid, and indulgently, heartbreakingly filmed (on his DV cam) the bulldozer destruction of the very video-parlor he helped grow.
Interspersed with film footage (‘Subramaniapuram’, primarily) and Hindi songs sung by the group of Sagai’s friends on a trippy night in Karjat, Videokaaran is as intimate a piece of documenting a vanishing history as it comes. The astonishing thing is, Jagan had not initially planned to make the film around Sagai. Sagai was just going to be the camera-person for the documentary, and the story was supposed to be about this bunch of Chembur guys who are the standard target audience of single-screen and/or video parlor cinema. And this bunch is equally interesting – comprising of a professional juggler and clown, whom Jagan calls ‘an evolved soul’, a DJ and painter who even designed a camera rig for the shoot on his own instinct, a sadhu baba they chanced upon who loves singing sappy songs from the 90’s hindi films (and whatay voice he has!), and a couple of other friends from the locality. (“We even thought up a sequence where the juggler-clown (name: Alisha) stands outside SRK’s bungalow, wearing an SRK mask, and does the juggling act.”)
But while filming, Jagan stumbled upon Sagai’s story and the camera changed hands. (The film still retains many portions shot by Sagai too.) From then on, it’s Sagai and his worldview – filled with anecdotes that shock, regale, and in a few surprise moments pierce through the hard skins of our snobbery to treat him as an equal, if not greater film lover.
The 70-minute film, culled from 40-hrs of footage, is edited (by Jagan’s life-partner Pallavi Singhal) unconventionally too. No voice-overs, no time-stamps or location-stamps (you won’t see many documentaries this confident about their content), and no fixation with linearity – Indian docus just took a huge leap ahead with Videokaaran.
Watch it wherever you can – jaise bhi. A film this passionate deserves some passion from each and every film lover out there. Options? At a film club or festival screening, by buying the DVD straight from Jagan, or waiting for someone to rip it off and put it up online.
As a final important word – Jagan hopes the film helps Sagai get more work as a photographer and photoshop artist. He is a brilliant, natural artist, as per Jagan. He can be contacted through his FB page: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002362315963. And Jagan at: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=781940706. So if any of you have any photoshop or photography gig in Chembur or around, try Sagai.
Because its Indian Ocean. Its their story. Its all about their music. And if you are not a fan of Indian Ocean, what are you listening ? Or what are you smoking, dude ?
From Kabir to Kashmir, Narmada to North-East, Indian Ocean’s music has the sound and soul of India. The roots that makes it an original and unique voice. And they just dont sing those songs, they believe in it, they live by it.
Jaideep Varma’s documentary Leaving Home starts with a really funny and smart line, the funniest I have ever read on a film’s opening credit. Actually even before the credit rolls. Am not going to spoil the fun by telling you the line.
The documentary unfolds in different chapters, based on their songs and tells the story of all the four band members, one by one. Susmit Sen, Rahul Ram, Amit Kilam & Asheem Chakravarty. How the band was formed, new members, entry, exit, girl in the band, girl gone, days of struggle, no money, first performance, first song, first album – many unknown and known stories are documented through family members and freinds.
Sometimes you cringe at the way the handheld shaky camera is used, you can spot the boom mike, its shadow, the lapel mike wires, the second camera in the frame while the first one is shooting and wonder why the makers could not cut it out at the edit or just be little more careful during the shoot. But if you are an Indian Ocean fan, you just sail through without wondering much about it. Because this is one untold story that needs to be told.
The tone is intentionally raw & rugged, the space has not been polished to make it look better, much like what the music of Indian Ocean is all about. Also, as a friend pointed out, there is enough drama in their story to convert it into a feature film but here everything has been kept subtle without hammering it down the throat with loud music and going extreme close up to record the tears rolling down, as the news channels intentionally do in their features.
At one tense moment, the camera remains on Asheem, when he is talking about his childhood and then he goes silent for few seconds and you wait and wait, not knowing what is he going to say next. But Jaideep holds it back without intruding his space for any kind of emotional manipulation.
The film was edited much before Asheem’s death but now it seems too uncanny. May be it was all written. The film opens with Asheem’s voice, it closes with his story and there is a clip of him singing “wahan kaun hai tera… musafir…jayega kahan…dum le le ghadi bhar…yeh chaiyaan payega kahaan! Gave me goosebumps all over. Still seems unbelievable that the man on the screen is not anymore with us.
Towards the end, at another point, the director even asks the band members about their future plans. What will they do when they grow old or are the worried about tomorrow ? what will happen next ? Then, they didnt. Now, we know something.
And thats why this documentary is important. We dont have the tradition of documenting our cultural history. Films, music, art, theatre…we never bothered. Lost it all. Its great that someone thought about Indian Ocean and documented their times and music because with one core member gone, it will never be the same again. I know that they got new members, they will continue with their music but somehow I already have a mental block. May be, am thinking too much. But there is some good news too. Have been told that there are many pending tracks that has Asheem’s contribution in many way.
So, three cheers to their music. And more cheers for documenting the tales of their music. Jaideep is trying to get a theatrical release for it. Hope it happens soon. And those of us who saw the film, were expected to talk about it, if we liked it, so that atleast twenty people would buy the ticket when it releases. I hope it goes much beyond twenty.
Do this favour to yourself. When it releases, buy the ticket. Its one ticket for lot of music. And if you know & love Indian Ocean, I know you will do it for sure.
PS – As always, Sudhir Mishra’s sound bites are priceless, with Che Guevara on the back wall and Hazaroon Khwashein Aisi on the side wall.
PS1 – Jaideep is also planning a four hour version of it with more music and more stories. May be for the dvd.
PS2 – A friend made a very relevant comment after the screening. If your kid is still feeling suicidal, forget Aamir Khan & 3 Idiots, go watch this film. Who said life is going to be easy. But see, there is way to do it. These guys did it, lived it, enjoyed it. And then you would not mind dying for it too. Just dont waste it.
Here is an excerpt from the documentary…Asheem and more…
It was all hush-hush before she made headlines claiming that she managed to save 40 children in a day. A video featuring Lindsay Lohan’s journey in India has now been released on the net. Its part of the BBC documentary called Lindsay Lohan In India and deals with human trafficking.
And guess who is coming next! If gossipmongers are to be believed, a well known international actor is soon going to make his/her directorial debut and is all set to shoot the film in India. This one also deals with similar issue. Though we cant reveal the name right now but those of who are extra curious, here is what the Navis would have said – I see you, Luly!
Good news for the fans of R D Burman. After doing the festival rounds, the documentary on Pancham’s life titled Pancham Unmixed – Mujhe Chalte Jaana Hai finally gets a direct to dvd release. The 2 hour long film is directed by Brahmanand S Singh and features Pancham’s friends, colleagues and admirers from the industry talking about the genius and telling tales behind all those magical numbers. Check out the trailer…
The film is packed as a double dvd set along with a coffee table book and is priced at Rs 999. The second dvd has original videos of 30 songs composed by Pancham. Here is the complete track list….
Dum Maaro Dum – Hare Rama Hare Krishna
Gulabi Aankhein Jo Teri Dekhin – The Train
Bhali Bhali Si Ek Soorat – Buddha Mil Gaya
Jaan-E-Jaan Dhoondhta Phir Raha – Jawani Diwani
Musafir Hoon Yaaron – Parichay
Kaali Palak Teri Gori – Do Chor
Aao Aao Jaan-E-Jahan Dil Se – Gomti Ke Kinare
Panna Ki Tamanna Hai – Heera Panna
Neend Chura Ke Raaton Mein – Shareef Badmash
Dil Mein Jo Baatein Hain – Joshila
Jai Jai Shiv Shanker – Aap Ki Kasam
Bheegee Bheegee Raton Mein – Ajanabee
Tere Bina Zindagi Se – Aandhi
O Manjhi Re Apna Kinara – Khushboo
Ek Din Bik Jaayega Mati – Dharam Karam
Keh Doon Tumhein Ya Chup – Deewaar
Kasme Vaade Nibhayenge Hum – Kasme Vaade
Aanewala Pal Jaanewala Hai – Gol Maal
Rimzhim Gire Saawan – Manzil
Do Lafzon Ki Hai Dil Ki Kahani – The Great Gambler
Jahan Pe Savera Ho – Baseraa
Nahin Lagta Hai Dil Tere Bina – Jail Yatra
Aa Dekhein Zara – Rocky
Pyar Humein Kis Mod Pe Le Aaya – Satte Pe Satta
Tu Tu Hai Wohi Dil Ne Jise – Yeh Vaada Raha
Ae Ri Pawan Dhundhe Kise – Bemisal
Pyar Mein Dil Pe Maar De Goli – Mahaan
Bachke Rehna Re Baba – Pukar
Roz Roz Aankhon Tale – Jeeva
Tu Rootha To Main Ro Doongi Sanam – Jawaani
The coffe table book is titled Pancham – Strings of Eternity and has some rare pics and all those anecdotes about Pancham which could not be incorporated in the film.
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 
