what we are reading – EightandHalf
We had announced about the Tamasha Post Screening Q an A with Imtiaz Ali here. Thanks to our friends at FilterCopy, the entire Q and A is online now. Apologies for the bad sound as we had to do the session in open area this time. Use headphones or speakers.
Like always, Imtiaz was quite candid about his thoughts and our criticism about the film. Also, the high point was a bunch of us saying “Hiiii” to A R Rahman on Imtiaz’s phone.
Imtiaz Ali is one of those rare directors who is not afraid to take questions post-release. And we have always been very happy to take the initiative and make it happen. Thanks to Anurag Kashyap, what started it with Imtiaz’s Rockstar, we have managed to do with many other films. And directors have been very co-operative about it. Now, we are back to another new film by Imtiaz Ali, Tamasha. Going by reviews, FB posts and tweets, seems like this film has polarised people. That’s always interesting for a film.
Navjot Gulati has taken the initiative to get Imtiaz Ali for Tamasha post-screening Q and A. Here are the details –
Venue – PVR Icon, Infinity Mall (which was Cinemax Versova earlier)
Day/Date – Monday (30th November, 2015)
Time – After the 6pm show.
So do book your tickets, and wait after the film is over. For those of you who have already seen the film, or for some reason you can’t come for the screening but want to attend only the Q and A, do tweet to Navjot at the earliest and inform him. He is making the list and will get you in.
Come, we will have fun!
Legendary cinematographer Christopher Doyle is at Mumbai Film Festival this year. He screened his film Hong Kong Trilogy, and did a Masterclass as well.
Doyle is a complete performing artiste. And it’s great fun to watch him talk. As expected, he was in his true colours in both the Q and A, and the Masterclass. In his session, he showed clips and videos while he talked about his art, craft, life, and inspiration. As the security guys at the theatre kept panicking, Doyle didn’t give a fuck (with liberal use of the word in every second sentence) as he kept guzzling his beer.
Here are some of the interesting quotes from his Masterclass. The tweets are embedded, you don’t need to click the links. Just wait and let them load to see the text, or refresh.
(DivingBATB – The Diving Bell And The Butterfly. Blue is Derek Jarman’s film. HPotter – Harry Potter. WKW – Wong Kar-wai)
And here are some quotes from his post-screening Q and A of Hong Kong Trilogy.
All of you who have asking us about the videos of Q and A with Dibakar Banerjee, here it is. And apologies for the delay. The first two parts were already out, the third part is out now. We are putting all the three parts here. Click on “PLAYLIST” tab on the top left corner of the video and select the part you want to see.
If you have seen Detective Byomkesh Bakshy, and liked/didn’t like it, the videos are a must watch. Because a good filmmaker always has a lot to deliver than just his film. Especially if it’s someone like Dibakar Banerjee. Also, it’s always nice to see a filmmaker who can see the problems in his films, accepts them, and doesn’t try to defend it always as its-my-baby-from-my-sperm-so-beautiful-how-can-it-have-problems.
Dibakar Banerjee has always got the love of cinephiles and reviewers, starting from his debut feature Khosla Ka Ghosla. But his latest one seems to be on the middle ground. Same with the reviews. And if the film left you unsatisfied (or satisfied) and you got a question for Dibakar, here’s an event that you must attend.
If you have been following the blog regularly, we are guessing you know the routine. Just buy the ticket and wait after the film is over. And such interactions with filmmakers are not only fun but great learning experience too that gives you a peek into the thought process that has gone behind the film. We are lucky that more filmmakers are open to this idea now.
Details :
Venue – PVR ECX, Citi Mall, Andheri West. (NOT the Juhu one)
Date/Day : 8th April/Wednesday
Show – 7.45pm
Q and A will be after the show.
We generally don’t have a culture of discussing movies with the makers after they are made. Most of the talk on the film happens before its release, mostly as a PR exercise. But things are changing slowly/steadily and after similar discussions on Gangs of Wasseypur, Rockstar, Paan Singh Tomar, and recently Highway, we got a chance to interact with Rajat Kapoor on his excellently reviewed ‘Ankhon Dekhi’.
Here’s the video in 3 parts, and advance apologies for low sound on the questions (keep your speakers at full-blast please). Though Rajat Kapoor’s responses are loud and clear enough. The session was moderated by our own Somen Mishra and film’s music director Sagar Desai, lyricist Varun Grover, and actor Taranjit Kaur (who played Rajat’s wife in the film) were also present on/around the dais.
(A quick thanks to Cinemax Versova managers and our PVR-man Shiladitya Bora for the venue permissions and arrangements, and Sameer Sheikh for getting the video recorded and uploaded..)
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As far as the reactions go, Imtiaz Ali’s new film ‘Highway’ is more or less on the same track like his last film Rockstar – completely divided between lovers and haters. And like last time, Ali was quite open and candid to discuss the strength and every weakness of the film, and took it all head on. We love and respect those filmmakers who are open to such dialogues. So thanks a lot, Imtiaz Ali. Whatever film you make, hope you remain like this.
We also hope more bollywood filmmakers will be open to such Q and As. Who really wants to read about the film pre-release, which is still quite the norm in the country. And post-release, they just vanish.
Also, it all happened because Navjot Gulati took the initiative, contacted Ali, sorted the logistics and made it possible. And thanks to Mihir Desai, Aniruddh Patankar and Sumit Purohit for the videos.
The film got over by 12:15 or so, and then the discussion went on till 2:30 am, and then it went on for some more time outside the theatre. It was great fun. Hope you guys enjoy the videos as much as we enjoyed the live session. Some questions might not be audible, so do use your headphones or speakers.
Thanks to PVR Andheri and Shiladitya Bora for helping us out with all the logistical support.
Last time when we met Imtiaz Ali to discuss Rockstar, there were many conspiracies and accusations. But since some of you appreciated our effort, we thought let’s try it again. This time it was done in a bit formal way. Film was Paan Singh Tomar, guests were Tigmanshu Dhulia (Director) and Sanjay Chouhan (Writer). Location – PVR, Juhu.
To get more time for Q & A, PVR helped us by cutting down the time for commercials, making the interval much shorter and delaying the next show by few minutes. But even then we could hardly manage some 20minutes of interaction. Because even the next show was housefull and people were getting desperate to get in. So we quickly wrapped it up and went outside. Aha, back to the stairs. And a filmmaker really needs a cigarette in his hand to open up. Watch the two videos and you will get what i am saying.
I saw the film on friday morning with just 15 people in the theater. And then i saw it again on wednesday night. This time it was a housefull show. A good film finding its audience is a great feeling.
And many thanks to Anurag Kashyap, Shiladitya Bora and PVR Cinemas for making it possible.
Pics – Priyanka Jain
Videos – Sumit Purohit and Manu Warrier. Edit – Sumit Purohit.
And here are pointers to some priceless gems –
00:47 – I needed an actor who could give me more than just his dates.
03:33 – Hum log ab mombatti na uthayein, bandook utha le.
04:25 – Koi research fund karne ke liye tayyar hi nahi tha.
04:40 – Actually yeh picture Vikas Behl ke wajah se huyee hai………..aaj us aadmi ko (credit) nikal diya hai unhone.
05:45 – Mad woman in the mayhem – Boss, yeh main karoonga. (Jo Shekhar Kapoor ke film se kat gaya tha.)
07:03 – Irrfan ne apne paise aadhe kar diye. Maine apne paise aadhe kar diye.
08:22 – Meri kisi picture me itne zyada darshak nahi aaye hain.
11:20 – Hum sabse galtiyaan ho jaati hai.
13:20 – Aapke sanskaar bolte hain yaar.
18:16 – Is society me hero kahan hai yaar?
20:13 – Aaj bhi duno cheeks me ched hai uske, woh zinda hai.
And if you enjoyed the first part of the video, you must watch the second part of the video.
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 
