How was Cannes?
Just got back .It was exciting and exhausting. With all it’s glitz, its primary purpose of being a haven for films and filmmakers cannot be undermined. it was a bit insane to take ten days off in the middle of one’s shoot to want to go to Cannes to share the journey thus far. But it was a worthwhile one. After all Cannes won’t happen for another whole year!
How was your bio-pic on Sadat Haasan Manto received in Cannes?
I feel fortunate that we have HP Studios as one of our main producers and as HP is one of the official partners of Cannes, they could host a wonderful evening at Le Majestic, one of the prime hotels, on May 22nd, where we showcased a compilation of 3-min footage.
I believe Paulo Coelho is supporting your Manto bio-pic?
Yes, Paulo Coelho sent a video message supporting the film and Manto’s ideas .Finally the evening ended with Nawaz reading from Manto’s writings in Urdu which I translated for the foreign audiences in English. The response was overwhelming. Sales agents, distributors, Film festival directors, friends and film lovers, all seem to have connected with the spirit of Manto. The curiosity about the film was palpable.
Nawazuddin Siddiqui who plays Manto got rave responses in Cannes?
He was loved by all. There was a tête-à-tête with the lead actors,Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rasika Dugal along with me and our producers – Jean-Pierre Le Calvez, representing HP Studios and AjitAndhare, representing Viacom 18, at the India Pavilion. NamrataGoyal of FilmZtoc, a new independent company, had to leave that morning. We also have Film Caravan, Movie Makers – two other independent companies as co-producers and the mix gets complete with Sandrine Brauer and Marie Masmonteil as my French producers.
You seem to have attracted quite a lot of producers for this one?
It has not been easy to raise funds for this film. And while it is quite small for the canvas and vision we have for the film, I am glad at least the film is being made. It is important for me that the investors make their money, so that such films are not tagged as Festival films and dismissed at the box office. I strongly feel it has the power to transcend borders and markets, reaching out to audiences both in India and the world. And for this I am fortunate to have a cast, crew and producers that share my passion. They all seem to have a ‘Mantoiyat’ in them and that is what we want to invoke in every person that sees the film.
Do you feel Cannes helps a film to find a larger audience?
Manto’s free spirit and the compulsion to tell the truth have inspired me to want to share his story. Now that the necessary buzz has been created in Cannes and thereby back home, to ensure the film reaches to more and more people, I can get back to what I need to do for now. Another twelve days of shoot and that too some of the most difficult scenes. But I have come this far, despite many challenges, so I know I will go till the end, come what may. Manto’s spirit will continue to be the spirit of the film.

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Pink Director’s Next Featuring Yami As A Crime Reporter To Stream From February 16

Anniruddha Roy Chowdhury whose Pink featuring Amitabh Bachchan and Taapsee Pannu was one of the most important films of 2016, is all set to release his next Hindi film.
Entitled Lost, Anniruddha’s film , based on true events, will see Yami Gautam Dhar(that’s what the actress calls herself after her marriage) as a crime journalist. LOST is an emotional social thriller that represents a higher quest, a search for lost values of empathy and integrity.
Inspired by true events, Lost is a story of a bright young woman crime reporter in her relentless search for the truth behind the sudden disappearance of a young theatre activist.

Lost
Says Aniruddha “The shoot of LOST has been an incredible journey. I have been eager for the release of our hard-worked venture. The film is a realistic highlight of media in a social context and I am sure that it will give the audience a compelling watch. I am curious about its release and see the responses it shall get. I hope they will welcome it with open hearts.”
Yami Gautam Dhar who plays the lead of the crime reporter says, “I can’t be happier and more proud of the film’s selection for the opening night at CSAFF. I feel like its one that the people will connect to and will be the one that you cannot miss, especially in the current age and time. I have loved playing this role because it was such a special experience, it allowed me to explore so many layers of emotions as an actor and the entire team has worked really hard on it. I genuinely cannot wait for the film’s release, especially to see the reactions of the audience to it.”
The crime investigation drama boasts a stellar cast. Along with Yami, the film will feature Pankaj Kapur, Rahul Khanna, and an ensemble of younger talent, including Neil Bhoopalam, Pia Bajpai, and Tushar Pandey, in pivotal roles.
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Jamuna Had A Love-Hate Relationship With Bollywood

Veteran Telugu actress Jamuna who passed away on Friday, shared an uneasy relationship with the Hindi film industry.She did eleven Hindi films including the iconic Milan in 1967 where Jamuna agreed to play the second lead, or the supporting role if you will, to Nutan.
Jamuna as Gauri was the Other Woman who craved for the hero Sunil Dutt’s attention whereas he had eyes and devotion only for Nutan. In later years Aruna Irani played a similar role in Caravan.
In Milan Jamuna was not keen to do a supporting role. Producer L V Prasad tempted her with three chartbusting songs. Besides, Jamuna had played the same role in Mooga Manasulu, the Telugu original of Milan. But it was the songs composed by Laxmikant-Pyarelal which convinced Jamuna to take up the second lead in Milan.
While Nutan had no solo songs in Milan, she did have the chartbuster duet Sawan ka mahina . Jamuna on the other hand, had two splendid Lata Mangeshkar solos: Tohey saawariya naahin khabariya and the magnificent Ghazal Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin.Not only these, Jamuna also had a hit duet with Mukesh based on her character Gauri: Bol Gauri bol tera kaun piya.
But then, fate intervened. After the film released one of Jamuna’s solos, the poignant and memorable Aaj dil pe koi zor chalta nahin was snipped out of the film.
Here is what happened: the Ghazal , one of Lataji’s all-time greats, was very much a part of Milan when it released on 17 March 1967. But then it was seen to hamper the flow of the film and edited out. The beautiful song occurred right after intermission. Producer Prasad, a shrewd filmmaker, got to know that audiences prolonged their loo breaks as there was a song after the break. Hence the sacrifice of a seriously sonorous melody.
Jamuna hardly did Hindi films after Milan. Her last Bollywood appearance was in Raj Kumar Kohli’s Raj Tilak where she was lost in a multistarrer as the royal queen.
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Karan Johar Moves Alia Song From Switzerland To Kashmir

The romantic duet in Karan Johar’s Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahaani which was to be shot in Switzerland and which was delayed due to the film’s leading lady Alia Bhatt’s motherhood, is now being relocated to Kashmir.
Purely out of the love for new mom Alia.
Says a source in the know, “Karan loves Alia like his own daughter. He would do anything for her. He postponed the release of Rocky Aur Rani Ki Prem Kahani as the love duet could not be shot before Alia’s maternity leave. Karan had decided to shoot the song in Switzerland after Alia’s maternity love. But now he has relocated the song to Kashmir as Alia doesn’t want to leave her baby girl behind for long stretches.”
And as Karan Johar argued, snow is snow. How does it matter whether it is Switzerland or Kashmir?
This song would be Karan Johar’s tribute to his idol Yash Chopra. Alia would be dressed in chiffon sarees while Ranveer, for a change, would be seen in formals.
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Bobby Deol’s Switchover To Villainous Roles

After Prakash Jha’s webseries Ashram where Bobby played a sleazy godman, and Love Hostel where he was a ruthless assassin, he is playing the villain to Ranbir Kapoor in Sandeep Vanga’s Animal.
Bobby says it is not conscious career decision to play negative characters but a conscious decision to play interesting characters. “ I don’t look at characters as positive or negative.When I watch films there is always one character that stays with you. I want to play that character.”
Prakash Jha’s Ashram proved a gamechanger for Bobby. He admits finding challenging roles is tough. “I am trying. I am doing Sandeep Vanga’s Animal with Ranbir Kapoor , Parineeti Chopra. Then I am doing the family film Apne 2 which I am very excited about.”
In an earlier interview with this writer Bobby spoke about his long absence from screen before Prakash Jha’s Ashram. “My fans would ask why I wasn’t being seen on the screen.And I couldn’t tell them it was because I wasn’t getting good roles. But my fans stood by me. They gave me the strength to keep looking for the right roles. Thankfully I found the roles I liked. My new films have given me some new fans. I am thankful I am still here. Yeah , I am in a good space right now.”
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