Entertainment
Karan Tejpal's 'Stolen’, about missing girl children, only Indian film headed for Venice
New Delhi, June 1 (IANS) Gradual growth of characters, complexities at every turn reminiscent of real life, people as grand and low as they exist in the real world. Understated, and grim, but eventually the sun decides to rise in its full glory.
In April this year, it was the only Indian film to be selected at the International Beijing Film Festival and swept the highest number of awards — Best Director, Best Actress and Best Cinematography, more than any other participating film.
Last year, ‘Stolen’, directed by debutant Karan Tejpal was the only Indian film to be selected (World Premiere) at the Venice Film Festival after a three-year hiatus.
While it may be hitting three festivals every month even now (Shanghai, Transylvania, Japan), it is yet to see the light of the day in India.
“It has had an excellent international run, but I admit we are still really struggling to find our feet with sales in India. Of course, I am confident that someone will pick it up here, but well, it has not happened yet,” Tejpal tells IANS.
In ‘Stolen’, two urbane brothers from a well-to-do family witness a baby being kidnapped from an impoverished mother at a railway station in rural India. The younger one played by Shubham, guided by moral duty, convinces the other (Abhishek Banerjee) to help the mother (Mia Maelzer) to a perilous investigation to find the baby.
Drawn from real-life incidents, for example, when two youngsters fishing in Assam were lynched as the villagers thought they were child kidnappers, Tejpal reveals that he started writing the film in 2019, and was later joined by Agadumb and Gaurav Shingra at the writing desk. Then Covid hit and they were left floundering for four years. The film was ultimately shot in January and February 2023 and had its World Premiere in Venice on August 31.
Like many other Indian films that have done exceptionally well in festivals abroad, including the recent Cannes, theatrical release in India remains a distant mirage. The director feels the biggest challenge lies in convincing the audiences to come in to watch these films.
“You know, ultimately the government needs to step in and provide subsidies, and create an ecosystem to encourage these films to get a theatrical release. Do not forget, we are competing at the same level as the big-ticket films. Most people do not come to see our films for they know that they will be screened on an OTT platform soon,” laments the director who is now writing the screenplay for a Mira Nair film.
He however feels that lower entertainment taxes and special theatres like in Europe and America can save the day for such movies. “This is how they have managed to keep that side of the industry alive — realising its importance.”
Tejpal opines that successive governments have failed to figure out how cinema can be a major soft power.
“Here, it is just a side industry, Look at South Korea – around 40 years back, they started investing in cinema, dance and music, and now have almost become the cultural gatekeepers of the world. They set up schools, theatres and universities for the arts. Maybe some decades back, we had a healthier ecosystem when NFDC was active.”
Talking about ‘Stolen’, Tejpal says their research reveals that child kidnapping is one of the highest-rising criminal enterprises in the country. And up to 50 to 60,000 kids go missing every year, which is like 150 children a day.
“The worst hit are the lower economic strata of the society, the extremely poor with no access to education, who do not know how to approach the Police and other social organisations. They are farm labourers or daily wage farmers, and these criminal gangs have figured out that they can very easily steal these children and get away with it. They are like goods to them because they are using them for slavery, prostitution, illegal adoption, illegal organ trade.”
An avid reader, Tejpal studied various research journals on child kidnapping, vigilantism and surrogacy.
“Once Gaurav came on board, we did extensive on-ground research where we met cops and journalists who have been following these stories for decades. Both of us visited villages where such incidents had taken place. We also met several perpetrators, who of course did not agree to their crimes,” says the director who has been an assistant director to Rajkumar Hirani, Prakash Mehra and Vinod Chopra.
He however adds that they were not able to meet any victims. “While in my film, I have taken the softer route where the child is finally found, in most cases, it does not work out that way.
Through their actor Mia, they accessed the surrogacy hostels where 40 women were living together as surrogates. Some of them had been surrogates two or three times in their lives.
“I am talking about pre-2021 before the government passed a law against it,” says the filmmaker who moved to Goa during the Pandemic.
Stressing that he is always deeply involved in the writing aspect and that is the only way he gets into a project, Tejpal says he has mostly learnt on the job, though for a year he moved to New York to do a course at the New York Film Academy in the US.
“More than learning the craft, which anyway, I believe that as a director, you can only hone and not really ‘learn’, the time spent there opened my eyes to World Cinema, something I did not know much about. Therein I started my education by watching and reading,” he remembers.
The director who looks up to the works of Iranian filmmaker Asghar Farhadi and Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda, feels everyone has their own personal style, voice and vision, thus there cannot be a set curriculum for teaching cinema.
All set to start his next directorial venture, titled ‘Nisar which is set in a small village in Haryana and revolves around honour killings, he says it is Romeo and Juliet turned on its head.
“I have carried this project for more than 10 years in my head. Shockingly, we live in a society where young, do not have the freedom to love, and things can go to the extent that they can get killed for doing that.
In his next, the star-crossed lovers, make several sacrifices and make life-altering choices. make life-altering choices.
“When they are faced with a choice to die or to kill to survive, unlike normal circumstances, here the couple end up murdering the boys’ brothers and escape. Everything happens in a ‘dark space’, a space I find very enigmatic.
Deeply believing in the power of genre filmmaking, where one can use the genre and the excitement, and ‘entertainment’ and hide within its folds what he wants to talk about, Tejpal says: “The moment I step out of my house, so many stories encounter me. How can I not tell them, but in my way,” stresses the director who writes screenplays for others whenever he needs a break from direction.
Believing that every film should be a ‘cinema of conscience,’ he concludes that he tells stories that affect him deeply.
–IANS
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Allu Arjun is poised to dominate the box office with his highly anticipated film, Pushpa 2: The Rule, set to release on December 6, 2024. The excitement surrounding this film is phenomenal, already making headlines with an impressive pre-release collection of RS 1,085 crores! This achievement is particularly notable, given that it reached this milestone well before the movie even debuts in theaters.
Fans are eagerly looking forward to Allu Arjun’s return as Pushparaj, the character that earned him a National Award for Best Actor in the first installment, Pushpa: The Rise. The buzz surrounding Pushpa 2 is unparalleled, and the film is expected to break even more records upon its release. The pre-release collection includes a record-setting deal for theatrical rights, sold for ₹640 crores, making it one of the most lucrative film deals in Indian cinema.
Additionally, Pushpa 2 has secured a significant digital distribution agreement with Netflix, which acquired the rights for ₹275 crores, highlighting the high demand for the film. The overall pre-release earnings have been impressive across various regions, with ₹220 crores collected in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, ₹200 crores in the North, ₹50 crores in Tamil Nadu, ₹30 crores in Karnataka, ₹20 crores in Kerala, and ₹40 crores from overseas markets. The music rights were sold for ₹65 crores, while the satellite rights fetched ₹85 crores, contributing a total of ₹425 crores from non-theatrical rights.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, Pushpa 2: The Rule features a talented cast, including Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil alongside Allu Arjun. The film’s music will be released by T Series, further adding to the anticipation.
With Allu Arjun’s National Award win and the remarkable pre-release collections, it’s clear that Pushpa 2 is set to be a blockbuster. As the release date approaches, fans are excited to see how this film will perform at the box office. If the pre-release collections are any indication, Pushpa 2 is bound to shatter records and become a massive success!
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Anu Aggarwal, who rose to fame with “Aashiqui”, and “King Uncle”, recalled the time when filmmakers would come to her with money for signing a film and would not have a script ready.
In a conversation with Lehren shared on Instagram, the actress could be seen talking about it.
“I was shocked to see that people who don’t have their scripts are not ready when they would come to sign me up for a film. They would have the money ready and I would say I don’t want to sign with the money. I would like to hear the script.”
“They would say the script will be made so you can sign,” she added.
“This was the way and because I am an actor I would like to see what my role, story is. Everything is important. Nobody would have a script… 98 per cent of people would not have the script,” she said.
Anu Aggarwal gained immense popularity in the 1990s after featuring in the musical romantic drama “Aashiqui” directed by Mahesh Bhatt.
She starred alongside Rahul Roy and Deepak Tijori.
The film was known for its music, by composer duo Nadeem–Shravan establishing their careers.
The soundtrack album has been rated fourth by Planet Bollywood on their “100 Greatest Bollywood Soundtracks”.
It was the best-selling Bollywood album at the time of its release.
The film was remade in Kannada as “Roja” in 2002.
A sequel to the film, “Aashiqui 2”, with a completely new theme, directed by Mohit Suri, with Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor, was released in 2013.
–IANS
dc/khz
Entertainment
Ram Charan's daughter Klin achieves this milestone on grandfather Chiranjeevi's birthday
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) On the 69th birthday of actor and politician Chiranjeevi, his son Ram Charan has shared a peek into their family vacation to Paris, France, which is also the first trip of his daughter Klin Kaara with her grandparents.
Ram took to his Instagram account, where he has 23.9 million followers, and shared a family picture from Paris.
The snap shows his parents– father Chiranjeevi, mother Surekha, his wife Upasana Kamineni, and their furry friend–pet dog. We can see Chiranjeevi holding his granddaughter Klin adorably in his arms.
Ram looked dapper in a black shirt, matching trousers and an olive green jacket.
They are posing against the backdrop of Eiffel Tower.
The post is captioned as: “Klin Kaara’s first trip with her grandparents!!! Memorable”.
In another post, Ram dropped a photograph with his father, wearing matching South Indian ethnic outfits.
He wrote in caption: “Happpiest birthday, Appa!!”
Meanwhile, on the occasion of Chiranjeevi’s birthday, UV Creations and director Vashistaa Mallidi have unveiled the highly anticipated first look poster for ‘Vishwambhara’, a fantasy adventure film.
Sharing the poster on social media, the makers wrote: “When darkness and evil take over the world, a Magnanimous Star shall shine bright to fight, Happy birthday, MEGASTAR @KChiruTweets, Let the world witness your aura with #Vishwambhara, Get ready for a MEGA MASS BEYOND UNIVERSE, In cinemas from January 10th, 2025.”
The movie promises to be a cinematic spectacle, featuring Chiranjeevi in a lead role. The film also stars Trisha Krishnan, Ashika Ranganath and Kunal Kapoor.
The film will be released on January 10, 2025.
Chiranjeevi was last seen in Telugu action drama ‘Bhola Shankar’ directed by Meher Ramesh. It also featured Tamannaah Bhatia, Keerthy Suresh and Sushanth.
Meanwhile, Ram Charan last appeared in action drama ‘Acharya’, directed by Koratala Siva. The film starred Chiranjeevi, alongside Pooja Hegde, Sonu Sood and Jisshu Sengupta.
He next has ‘Game Changer’, and ‘RC16’ in the pipeline.
–IANS
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Entertainment
Rani Mukerji: Shivani Shivaji Roy shows how a woman can lead from front in a male-dominated field
Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Actress Rani Mukerji has talked about why she loves her character Shivani Shivaji Roy from “Mardaani,” which has completed 10 years in Hindi cinema on Thursday.
She said: “Shivani Shivaji Roy is my most favourite on-screen character. She is a defiant, fierce force of nature who will stand up for what is right no matter what. She is someone who subverts gender norms in cinema and shows how a woman can also lead from the front in a male-dominated field.”
As the film celebrates its 10th anniversary, Rani is grateful for all the love and acclaim that she has received.
She said: “I’m truly proud of my ‘Mardaani’ franchise. It is a franchise that keeps on giving. The love, adulation, and the respect that I have received from Mardaani is truly humbling.”
On Thursday morning, the makers of the film teased fans about the next chapter of the franchise.
Production Yash Raj Films banner took to YouTube, where they dropped a teaser of sorts, which begins from the first installment, which first released in 2014.
The production company captioned it: “10 years of #Mardaani and the next chapter awaits… Celebrating the feisty, daredevil cop #ShivaniShivajiRoy and the spirit of #Mardaani today. Thank you for a decade of love and appreciation for our beloved franchise. We are inspired… again… thanks to you. #RaniMukerji #10YearsOfMardaani.”
Rani is too excited to reprise the role and don the cop uniform once again.
She said: “I’m looking forward to bringing back Shivani Shivaji Roy on the big screen soon. It’s been a while since I have donned the cop uniform and paid tribute to the women police force of our country.”
“Each (woman cop) one of them relentlessly works hard to keep our families safe and I have always loved to salute these fearless women. Shivani will be back and I hope you will give as much love to her as you have always showered for 10 years now!” added the actress.
–IANS
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Mumbai, Aug 22 (IANS) Bollywood actress and fashionista Sonam Kapoor brought out her A-game in fashion, where she flaunted “minimal, bold and effortlessly on point” look.
The actress took to Instagram, where she shared a string of pictures. In the pictures, she is seen wearing a powder pink shirt, paired with a blazer and long skirt. She completed her look with sunglasses.
“Celebrating @perniaq season 2 podcast drop with that sleek @phoebephilo energy—minimal, bold, and effortlessly on point. Shoutout to the squad for keeping the vibe,” she wrote and also mentioned that she is styled by her sister Rhea Kapoor.
Recently, Sonam shared several glimpses from her son Vayu’s vintage car themed cake as he turned two on August 20.
Sonam took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of the two-tier toddler friendly, refined sugar free chocolate cake. It featured a vintage ice blue car atop of the cake with the number 2 written on it.
The actress had also penned a heart-felt note for her son Vayu.
“My baby turns two today!!! Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet, precious Vayu! W Being your mom is the greatest gift I could ever receive. You’ve filled our lives with so much joy, laughter, and wonder,” Sonam said.
The actress shared that with her son, everyday is an adventure filled with “your boundless curiosity, your infectious laughter, and your sweet, loving nature.”
“You’ve brought so much light and happiness into our world, making every moment more beautiful and every relationship stronger. You’ve deepened the love between your dadaa and me in ways we never imagined, and you’ve brought pure, unfiltered joy to everyone who loves you-your nani and nana, dadi and baba, kaaa masa, Masi and chachu,” she said.
“Your sweet spirit and playful energy make our family complete, and we are so blessed to have you in our lives.”
She tagged Vayu as her sunshine, music, little genius, and their endless “source of happiness”.
“We love you more than words can say, and we can’t wait to see all the amazing things you will continue to bring into our lives,” Sonam said.
–IANS
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