Section: Movies

Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Breathe Sigh of Relief as Halls to Reopen Before Diwali

BY Ananya Shankar On

The Tamil Nadu government’s decision, to allow cinema halls to reopen from November 10, has come as a big relief for theatre owners in the state. After an eight-month lull, they are hopeful that business will pick up soon.

“There is a long way to go but this is a good start,” said Ruban Mathivanan, managing partner, GK Cinemas, Chennai.

Despite many theatre owners welcoming the government’s decision, they note that the coming months will still pose a challenge.

“We are so happy about this decision. These last eight months have been difficult. We had to pay salaries and electricity bills from our pockets. For the next six months, we will not make profits but we will at least be able to break even,” said Tirupur Subramaniam, president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre and Multiplex Owners Association.

With the reopening date coinciding with the Diwali weekend, theatre owners are hopeful of producers deciding to release new films. “We may have some medium-budget films. The decision will be made by the producers and distributors. They are going to take a week’s time to decide,” said Ganesh, owner of Kamala Cinemas.

While there is a hope that big-budget films, like Vijay’s Master and Dhanush’s Jagame Thandhiram, might be released soon; theatre owners are expecting films, such as Irandam Kuththu and MGR Magan, to be released on Diwali weekend.

“New movies won’t be released on November 10. We have to screen old movies for that time period and on Diwali weekend, we can expect new films to release,” said Tirupur.

Since theatres have already reopened in other states, theatre owners in Tamil Nadu have taken note of the patterns that have emerged with respect to viewership.

“As we saw in other states, when they opened up the footfall was good initially but later it reduced because of no new content. People are expecting new content,” GK Cinema’s Mathivanan said.

However, theatre owners have decided to speak to producers and distributors to get a list of films that they can screen in the absence of new films. Films such as Kannum Kannum Kollaiyadithaal, Darbar may be re-released to attract the audience.

As theatres are looking to open their doors, they have adopted a slew of measures that were recommended by the Central government. Even while theatres were shut, they had protocols in place. “In the last eight months, we have been sanitising and cleaning every day. About 10% of the staff have been coming in every day to do that,” Ganesh said.

Wearing masks, availability of packaged food, and social distancing will be followed once theatres reopen. “Food will be packed and all of us will be wearing masks and gloves,” he added.

A Week Since Reopening, West Bengal’s Empty Standalone Halls Count Losses

BY Srishti Lakhotia On

Seven months ago, Arti Cinemas in Baguiati area of Kolkata would see a queue, albeit short, waiting to purchase tickets for the latest films. Today, there is nobody except staff members waiting around idly in corners. Dog-eared, torn posters of films, which released back in February and March, still flap gently. The halls that would once roar with laughter and applause, have now fallen silent, lament employees.

Covid-19 has been ruthless for professionals in various fields. Single-screen theatre owners say that they have been hit hard by the pandemic. At least 15 theatres across West Bengal have pulled down their shutters permanently due to Covid-19.

Some others, who chose to open shop after the West Bengal government permitted cinema halls to reopen in October, say that they might close their theatres again.

Drop in numbers

According to the Film Federation of India, there are 330 single screen theatres in West Bengal. Rubbishing the figures, owner of Behala’s Ajanta Cinema Satadeep Saha says that before the lockdown, there were around 200 single screen theatres in the state and most of them were already struggling to survive.

While Ajanta Cinemas and Priya Cinema, in Rashbehari Avenue, had decided to open in October, in time for the Pujo releases, Priya Cinema owner Arijit Dutta says that there has been no business.

A week after Durga Puja, Dutta decided to close down both his single screen theatre and another multiplex that he runs. He has 27 employees working at Priya Cinema. While he has been paying their salary, he says that it will be difficult to sustain it.

“We are paying all the expenses until our bank balances are empty. When we reopen, there’s an opening cost and we are unable to carry it,” says Dutta.

Calling this as a disastrous week, distributor for 12 single screens Ajoy Bakliwal says: “Shironaam’s (a Durga Puja release directed by Indranil Ghosh) total earning from the week was Rs 14,000. This was from the seven shows running at Priya Cinema. The total at Ajanta Cinema was Rs 25,000.”

Theatre owners who have chosen not to reopen cinema halls say that they are happy in retrospect. Sunit Bobby Singh, owner of Paradise Cinema hall at Esplanade, says that he chose not to reopen because there were no new Hindi releases.

“I am glad I did not open. Look at the theatres that opened up and are now closing down temporarily,” he says.

The only single screen theatre in Durgapur in West Burdwan district- Durgapur Cinema- has been closed for more than seven months now. Despite stiff competition from the multiplexes, Durgapur Cinema had earlier managed to stand strong with the cheapest ticket ranging between Rs 40 to Rs 60. The glory days, however, are gone, says staff member Biswajit Chattaraj. He adds that the staff are yet to get their salaries and most of them have found other jobs.

Gradual losses

When West Bengal fist welcomed multiplexes in the early 2000s, most single screen theatres had to reinvent themselves to survive and eventually had to close down. Many standalone theatres, without facilities like parking, could not survive.

Although many attempted to make structural changes to their theatres, the costs of renovation and maintenance were quite high. The minimum expenditure to convert a single screen to a multiplex is expected to cost Rs 4 crore, says Paradise Cinema’s Singh. Well known standalone theatres, like Orient, Metro and Globe and 10 others in Central Kolkata, have all shut shop, he adds.

“When multiplexes came in, there were only one or two (theatres closing down), by 2010, the number had tripled. Now even multiplexes are not doing well. Cinema has become more of a weekend affair unless there’s a big movie release. The multiplexes make up for the losses through their food sales. A ticket costs Rs 200, while a bucket of popcorn costs Rs 300 there. In a single screen theatre, selling such expensive popcorn is out of the question, no one will buy it,” he says.

Ajanta Cinema in 2002

Capacity

Paradise Cinema used to run with over 80% capacity having 1,200 seats. Now, most single screen theatre owners have reduced capacity to 280-350 seats.

It is nearly impossible to get large bookings too, say most owners.

“The drop in the number of single screens is not a special phenomenon in Bengal, it’s happening all over the country,” says Priya Cinema’s Dutta.

In cities like Patna, where there are not many multiplexes, standalone theatres have managed to survive. However, in Bengal, the number of multiplexes have multiplied. To keep up with them, many single screens have converted to dual screens.

Although the state government has offered financial help through schemes to theatre owners, Dutta feels betrayed.

“Adequate attention or sympathy has never been given to the theatre owners, who have been paying taxes for the last 60 years. We feel that more freedom and ease of doing business has been given to the new entrances (multiplex chains),” he says.

Arti Cinema, a single screen theatre, at Baguiati in Kolkata

What does the future hold?

“The future is multiplexes, which is in a good, proper mall. The screen size will go down and there will be a maximum of 220 seats. Single screens will not be able to survive in India for more than three years,” says Singh.

Raj Kumar Chhetri, co-owner of Asha Video Hall in Hasimara in Alipurduar district, says that the empty theatres remind him of a different time.

“People would gather in front of our pastel-coloured, massive halls. Theatre owners used to have an emergency alarm handy. If it was Shahrukh Khan or Salman Khan movie, then cops would be alerted in advance to keep the crowd in control. Those were the days,” he says.

Singh says that it seems unreal when fights would break out at the ticket counter. He wonders whether he will ever witness something similar again.

Bengali Film Switzerland to Release on Diwali

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Bengali film Switzerland will release on November 13, on the occasion of Diwali, the makers of the film announced on Twitter.

Grassroot Entertainment’s post read: “Friday the 13th, na na Bhoy paben na (Friday the 13th, no no don’t get scared). It’s time to break the stereotype. A Friday is the most exciting day of the week for all cine lovers, cine goers jara bhalo golpo dekhte bhalobashe (cine goers who love watching good stories). Asche amader cinema a slice of life and a complete family entertainer Switzerland.”

Directed by Sauvik Kundu, the film features Abir Chatterjee and Rukmini Maitra in lead roles. The story revolves around a middle-class family from Kolkata and their dream to vacation in Switzerland. While trying to achieve this dream, Shibu (played by Chatterjee) lands into trouble and the family go through a roller-coaster ride of emotions to ensure that their trip materialises.

Speaking to The Times of India, Chatterjee said: “The protagonist is a middle-class guy; has a happy family. He is sweet, cute and has an impish side to him also. He is a very regular guy. I was impressed by his values. That appealed to me. Shibu (short for Shibashish) and Rumi represent the archetypical middle-class family. They have the basic values intact. They are happy with whatever they have. Sometimes there are temptations but they come out of it. Sometimes there are misunderstandings and struggles. At the end of the day their bond is very tight. There is a Shibashish and a Shibu – and we get to see both sides. Shibashish has his aspirations. Shibu is the middle-class guy. He is a hero because he knows what is right, and he will fight for it. He will do anything to uphold the values. This guy is very sweetly romantic. It is a very sweet film, and may remind you of films like Yes Boss.”

The film is produced by Jeet under the banner Jeetz Filmworks, Gopal Madnani and Amit Jumrani.

Chatterjee was last seen in Asur, which released in January. His upcoming works include Agantuk and Maayakumari. Maitra was last seen in the 2019 film Password and her next release is Kishmish.

The trailer of the film released on October 23.

Pikchar With Rita: Hasrat Jaipuri and the Beauty of His Ghazals

BY On

Pikchar With Rita is a fortnightly column on cinema by Rita Kothari. She’s a Professor of English at Ashoka University. She does not “do” film studies. 

***

Is someone a Hindustani, or a Pakistani? There was a period in Indian history when such conundrums arose frequently.  They have not disappeared entirely; for we know of enough lives that have transborder dimensions. However, its less common to hear of them; like we would about Noorjehan or Manto, for instance. As a response to such questions, the lyricist Hasrat Jaipuri wrote the following :

Musafir hain hum to chale jaa rahein hain
Bada hi suhaana ghazal ka safar hai
Musafir hain hum to chale jaa rahein hain
Bada hi suhaana ghazal ka safar hai
Pata puchhate ho to itna pata hai
Hamara thikana gulaabi nagar hai
Musafir hain hum to…

We are mere travelers, we are simply on the move. The plural hum could have meant anyone or someone in particular.

But what does this moving or this elusive nationhood have to do with the ghazal? From the journey of the traveling body, we are introduced to the ghazal as a traveler. Or perhaps the ghazal itself as a journey. The mobility of the speaker, and that of the ghazal collapse suggesting as it were, the absurdity of asking the question of nationhood. And  yet in the next line, poet Jaipuri introduces his own location, his origin by saying, should you ask my address, this much I know, my home is in the pink city. Jaipuri was from Jaipur, although that’s a name he acquired after he became a lyricist for cinema, and left behind the name, Iqbal Hussain. The genre of the ghazal, or the song in general, has no nation, but the poet does have an address, a local name and habitation, written into and outside this poem. We are left with a fairly interesting question in this non-filmy ghazal, sung usually by Ahmed Hussain and Mohammed Hussain for their album Rahnuma.

Locale is not incidental to who we are; the Jaipur city lent to Jaipuri a specific texture of life; a memory; a childhood. But the category of ‘Hindustani’ and ‘Pakistani’ is less important than this locale, for it is abstraction of sorts; a totem produced through modernity, not actual day to day relation. While locations are important in themselves; they are not enough, they need to be expanded, and Jaipuri says in the next stanza, Ghazal hi hamara anokha jahaan hai. Only the ghazal creates a sense of the world, an amazing one. For this world has been created, enhanced, adorned by Wali, Meer, Momin, Jigar, Daag and Ghalib. To ask which nation these poets belonged to is to miss the point on several counts – genres, nations, villages, cities, homes and their interrelation with each other. How imperceptibly a complex point has been made; and escaped our notice.

In some sense, Jaipuri also escapes some attention from scholars and film historians. Figures like Sahir Ludhianvi and Majrooh Sultanpuri have drawn more attention, and perhaps deservedly so. However, we would do well to think of Jaipuri, a lyricist-poet who created one successful song after another; now playful, now poetic. There’s a particular kind of femininity forged through lines like, Baharon phool barsao, mera mehboob aaya hai or Tujhe main chaand kehta tha, magar usme bhi daag hai from the song Yeh mera prem patra padh kar.

 

Incidentally, the love letter was written by Jaipuri to a Hindu girl, where he tentatively expresses love but also says tum naaraz na hona. Raj Kapoor, upon hearing this story, made Jaipuri write it for the film Sangam (1964). Jaipuri wrote across Urdu, Persian and Braj, and has to his credit even songs like Jhanak jhanak mori baaje payaliya from Mere Huzoor (1968).

I had begun to hum the lyrics of this lyricist after listening to a radio program recently, and he has occupied this column today. He’s quite right in saying that you may find it difficult to forget words, for you will hum them when you hear them, tum muhje yun bhula na payoge, jab kabhi bhi sunoge geet mere, sung sung tum bhi gun gunaoge.

Karnataka Moviegoers May Have to Visit Multiplexes as Theatres to Remain Shut Until January

BY Anindita Banerjee On

The Karnataka Film Exhibitors’ Federation announced their decision not to reopen theatres in the state until January, next year, during a meeting held in Mysore, on Saturday.

“Under the present circumstances, we exhibitors of Karnataka, under the banner of Karnataka Film Exhibitors’ Federation, have decided not to open cinema theatres up to January. Exhibitors of Karnataka are facing problems with the license renewal fee which has been raised from Rs 5,000 to Rs. 1.2 lakh which works out to 2,250 times the original. And the Property Tax, power tariff, service charge, and our major issue is also with the producers whom we have been approaching to change the business model from the previous existing model to a win-win situation model on a percentage basis, with no advances, on the minimum guarantee (MG). And till now, they have stated that they are not going to release films till January,” Chairman of the federation RR Odugoudar told The New Indian Express.

However, this issue has left the film fraternity divided as the Karnataka Film Chamber Of Commerce (KFCC) said that while most single-screen theatres remain shut, multiplexes will continue to function.

Speaking to Silverscreen India, president of KFCC DR Jairaj said, “Some people have complaints that due to no content in the month of October, they have decided to keep the theatres closed. Multiplexes like PVR are still functioning. It has not been decided till when theatre owners want to keep it closed. Once content comes in, they will definitely open it. Some groups of people are saying that they may not open till January. It’s not a total opinion. Film Chamber hasn’t made any official decision. For whoever it is convenient, they can do screenings.  Theatres and multiplexes that choose to stay open can make a decision to screen re-runs.”

Another member of the KFCC, Venkatesh said, “Currently in all of Karnataka, single screens are closed with the exception of Bengaluru. Because of several protocols and conditions for producers and theatre owners, no new releases have happened.”

However, according to Jairaj, the situation with the single-screen theatres are likely to get better next month. “No big star movies are opening because of protocols like 50% occupancy. Once it becomes 100% or 75% occupancy, it will be fine. By end of this month or November, things should go back to normal.” said Jairaj.

Mirzapur 2 Makers to Change Controversial Scene Featuring Author Surender Mohan Pathak’s Book

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On

Production company Excel Entertainment issued a statement on Friday announcing that changes will be made to the scene in Mirzapur 2 that features author Surender Mohan Pathak’s book Dhabba.

The decision comes after the author wrote a letter complaining about the way his work was portrayed in the scene. 

Apologising to Pathak, creator and writer of Mirzapur 2 Puneet Krishna wrote, “It has been brought to my notice by you that there is a scene in the recently released series – Mirzapur Season 2 – which depicts a character named Satyanand Tripathi, reading a book named ‘Dhabba’ which as been written by you and this depiction is supplemented with an unrelated voiceover (VO) which has hurt your sentiments and the sentiments of your fans and well-wishers.

We sincerely apologize for the same and would like to convey to you that this was not done with any malicious intent or to tarnish/damage your reputation. We are aware that you are a writer of repute and your work is held in high regard in the world of Hindi crime fiction.

We would like to assure you that to rectify this situation, as discussed with you and as per your wishes, we will blur the book-cover in the scene or remove the VO within a reasonable time of 3 weeks.

Once again, please accept our sincerest apologies for inadvertently hurting your sentiments.”

Pathak responded to the statement and wrote, “We thank you for considering our letter and for your reply. We accept your apology and expect that the rectification will take place within the 3 weeks’ time as requested by you.”

The controversial scene shows actor Kulbhushan Kharbanda reading Pathak’s work with a voiceover that is unrelated to the book. On Tuesday, the author issued a statement against the makers of the show and claimed that the voiceover in the scene is ‘sheer porno’. He wrote, “The object appears to be an attempt to tarnish my image as a celebrated writer of Hindi crime fiction who is ruling the roost since last several decades. The sequence defames me as an author and puts me in bad light as a well-known mystery writer which I am since more than the last five decades.”

The author also threatened to take legal action against the makers of Mirzapur 2 if they did not change the scene within a week.

Footprints on Water: Adil Hussain, Antonio Aakeel to Star in the British Indian Feature

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Actors Adil Hussain, Antonio Aakeel, Nimisha Bindu Sajayan, and Lena Kumar are set to star in the British Indian feature film Footprints on Water, written by Neetha Syam and directed by Nathalia Syam, Variety reported. 

Sharing the report on Twitter, Adil Hussain wrote, “This is a role that I am eagerly waiting to breath life into. Wish us luck please. Shooting starts in Birmingham in December. Director @nathaliasyam thank you @namanrs Smiling face with smiling eyes Collision symbol @Variety” 

On Friday, Nimisha Bindu Sajayan posted the article on her Instagram handle and captioned it as, “Verified @nathalia_syam  @neethasyam  @vaishallipaatil  @_adilhussain  @antonioaakeel  @lenasmagazine  Just can’t believe that I’m blessed to be a part of this wonderful team. ❤️” 

The actor also posted the first poster of the film and wrote, “Unveiling the first look poster of FOOTPRINTS ON WATER. DIRECTED BY @nathalia_syam PENNED BY @neethasyam DOP @alagappan__cinematographer, The Production Headquaters’ @tphquk upcoming British-Indian feature produced by Mohaan Naadar. @_adilhussain @antonioaakeel @lenasmagazine. Can’t wait to work with this very talented crew.”

According to the report, the film narrates the story of an illegal immigrant father in the UK (played by Adil Hussain) who is in search of his missing daughter while trying to avoid the police. The film showcases the lives of immigrants who arrive in the UK with the hope of better lives.

Lena Kumar portrays the character of Adil’s wife, Anveshanam, and stepmother of the missing girl (portrayed by Sajayan). Antonio Aakeel plays an Afghani refugee in the film. 

Bankrolled by Mohaan Nadaar’s London-based The Production Headquarters, the film will be shot in and around England’s Birmingham. The shooting will begin in December. The production company also has several other UK-India feature films, including upcoming film Rat on a Highway, featuring Randeep Hooda.

Hussain, known for his performance in Parched, last appeared in the series Star Trek: Discovery. His upcoming release is Ram in 2021. 

Meanwhile, actor Sajayan made her acting debut in the Malayalam family drama Thondimuthalum Driksakshiyum (2017). Her other projects in the pipeline are One, Thuramukham, Malik, and Jinn. 

Actor Siddharth Announces Four Tamil Releases Next Year

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actor Siddharth announced that he has four new Tamil films lined up for release next year, on Twitter, on Friday.

Sharing the news, the actor said that it has been a tough year for the world but his fans will get to see him in films soon.

Siddharth’s four Tamil releases include Kamal Haasan‘s Indian 2, which also features Kajal Aggarwal, Rakul Preet Singh, Priya Bhavani Shankar, and Bobby Simha, in prominent roles and Takkar, directed by Karthik G Krish.

Apart from his Tamil releases, the actor also updated his current shooting schedule. In a tweet, Siddharth said that the shooting of his Hindi web series Escaype Live, with Siddharth Kumar Tewary, is ongoing. Reportedly, the series will follow the lives of five Indians who use a popular live-streaming app to achieve fame and fortune overnight.

The Rang De Basanti actor also said that he will start shooting for his upcoming Telugu film Maha Samudram from next month. Directed by Ajay Bhupathi, Maha Samudram will feature Sharwanand and Siddharth in the lead roles alongside Aditi Rao Hydari.

Maha Samudram will mark Siddharth’s comeback to Telugu films after eight years. His last Telugu appearance was in Gruham in 2017. It is speculated that Siddharth will play the antagonist in Maha Samudram.

Tipped to be an intense love and action drama, Maha Samudram will also feature Anu Emmanuel in a lead role. The film will also be made in Tamil.

Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy Teaser Trailer and Poster Released

BY Namrata Ganguly On

ARRAY Releasing released the first teaser trailer and poster of Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy on Twitter on Friday.

The trailer gives glimpses into the life of an eight-year-old Arjie (portrayed by Arush Nand and Brandon Ingram) who slowly discovers his sexuality as he grows up. The story focuses on Arjie’s struggle to draw a balance between self-love and adapting to a society that does not accept changes outside of its norms. It is set against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war which was a result of political tensions between the Sinhalese and Tamils.

The film is an adaptation of Sri Lankan-Canadian author Shyam Selvadurai’s 1994 best-selling novel by the same name. The book won the Lambda Literary Award for gay fiction.  The film also features Nimmi Harasgama, Ali Kazmi, Agam Darshi, Seema Biswas, and Shivantha Wijesinha in pivotal roles. The screenplay is co-written by Mehta along with Selvadurai. The film has also been announced as Canada’s entry to the 2021 Oscars under the international feature film category. 

Nand was seen in Hindi films like Parmanu: The Story Of Pokhran (2018) that starred John Abraham in the lead and Tanha Ji: The Unsung Warrier (2020) that featured Ajay Devgn.

Mehta’s last film was the 2016 Canadian drama Anatomy of Violence. Her 2005 film Water, the third feature film in her Element trilogy, was also Canada’s Oscar entry that year.

Earlier this month, filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing decided to distribute the film. When the American filmmaker acquired the project, she wrote on Twitter, “When you get to distribute the latest feature film from one of your cinematic heroes, it is a good day. @ARRAYNow will release FUNNY BOY directed by the indomitable  @IamDeepaMehta on @Netflix and with select theaters on December 10. Wow. An honor. A dream.”

Funny Boy will release in selected theatres in a few cities in Canada and will be released worldwide on Netflix on December 10.

Irul: Fahadh Faasil Unveils Title Poster

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On

Actor Fahadh Faasil unveiled the title poster of his upcoming Malayalam film Irul co-starring Darshana Rajendran on Saturday.

Helmed by debutant director Naseef Yusuf Izuddin, the film will release in December, this year. The poster features a painting of a house in the middle of a lush green forest. It also shows a silhouette of a couple standing under an umbrella as a person from the house watches them.

Reportedly, Fahadh Faasil wrapped up shooting for Irul last week. The film was wrapped up in over a month after the shooting began on September 16, this year. Major parts of the film were shot in the Idukki district of Kerala.

In September, the producer of the film Anto Joseph shared the crew’s picture and announced the commencement of the shooting. He wrote, “#Irul Shooting Started at Kuttikkanam.”

#Irul Shooting Started at Kuttikkanam 🙂

#AntoJosephFilmCompany #PlanJStudio #FahadhFaasil #SoubinShahir #DarshanaRajendran #NaseefYouseph #JomonTJohn #Badusha

Posted by Anto Joseph on Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Bankrolled under Anto Joseph’s banner Anto Joseph Film Company, and Plan J Studios, the film also stars Soubin Shahir in an important role. The film’s technical crew consists of Jomon T John as cameraman and Shameer Muhammed as editor. While Sreerag Saji has composed the music, Sunil Yadav has written the screenplay and dialogues. 

Before Irul, Fahadh Faasil worked in the experimental film C U Soon which released on Amazon Prime Video on September 1, this year. The film was entirely shot during the Covid-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown. The actor is also currently working in Joji with director Dileesh Pothan. The film is said to have drawn inspiration from William Shakespeare’s Macbeth. The actor is also expecting the release of Malik (directed by Mahesh Narayanan) which was planned to hit the theatres in April, this year.

Meanwhile, director Izuddin has earlier worked in Bollywood films, including Kai Po Che, Happy New Year, Raees, Newton, and Tumbbad.

9 Films to Watch on World Thrift Day to Help You Spend Wisely

BY Ananya Shankar On

World Thrift Day is observed on October 30. This day serves as a reminder for people to invest their money prudently. Silverscreen India draws up a list of nine films, revolving around finance, that will educate and inspire you to save and spend wisely.

  1. Margin Call (2011)
Credits: Rotten Tomatoes

Set in 2008, this film takes place in a span of 24 hours where a firm is on the brink of a major crisis. Analyst (Zachary Quinto), working at an investment bank, is given a flash drive that has damaging information. As head of sales, Sam Rogers (Kevin Spacey) sets out to make things right, the film is a take on the 2008 financial crisis. It delves into the ruthless and reckless world of risk-taking and its consequences.

 

  1. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
Credits: Rotten Tomatoes

Directed by veteran filmmaker Martin Scorsese, this biopic is based on real-life stockbroker and salesman Jordan Belfort. Belfort was accused of running pump and dump schemes behind his well-established firm Stratton Oakmont. A highly entertaining film filled with lavish lifestyles and fraudulent schemes, this film is apt for those who are beginning to learn about finance. Coincidentally, the film’s producer Riza Aziz was involved in a massive financial scandal in Malaysia. He faced criminal charges for laundering over $248 million. The charges were dropped after he returned assets worth $107 million.

 

  1. Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year (2009)

Starring Ranbir Kapoor, this film revolves around Harpreet Singh Bedi who wishes to become a successful salesman in an ethical manner. Working in a big corporate company called AYS, he soon becomes disillusioned with the corrupt and cut-throat nature of the company. Later, he starts his firm ‘Rocket Sales’ within AYS. Rocket Singh is a light-hearted and comedic take on the ruthlessness of the corporate world, coupled with promoting values like honesty and ethical business practices.

 

  1. Confessions of a Shopaholic (2009)

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This rom-com explores the life of Rebeccaa, a broke shopaholic, who accidentally ends up working for a financial magazine despite having no knowledge about the field. The film focuses on issues such as the importance of saving money, credit card debt, and over-consumption.  This film is for those who want to pick up on a few important savings and financial tips in a fun and subtle manner.

 

  1. The Big Short (2015)

The-Big-Short-2015

Helmed as one of the finest films ever made on stock markets, this film stars Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt, Christian Bale, and Steve Carell. Based on the US housing bubble of 2007, this film depicts how a bunch of people predicted the crisis and began to investigate the corrupt market. The film is known for its comical and unconventional explanations of financial terms and instruments. It also stars Selena Gomez, Margot Robbie, and Anthony Bourdain in cameo roles.

 

  1. Budget Padmanabhan (2000)

budget padmanabhan

Though the film does not directly touch upon finance, the central theme revolves around saving money. The film’s central character, Padmanabhan (Prabhu), has a reputation of being a miser. Due to an unpleasant experience in his childhood, he is very careful with money and is always looking for ways to save. However, things get complicated as he encounters numerous obstacles that threaten to hamper his goal of buying back his ancestral property. The Tamil film also sheds light on human relationships and how emotions take precedence over money and finances.

 

  1. Gafla (2006)

Gafla

This film is loosely based on the 1992 financial scam involving late stockbroker Harshad Mehta. It revolves around Subodh Mehta who goes onto to become a key player in Mumbai’s Dalal Street. The narrative captures Mehta’s journey of becoming a successful stock market operator and eventually getting involved in a Rs 4,000-crore scam that leads to the Indian stock market to crash.

 

  1. Wall Street (1987)
Credits: Rotten Tomatoes

A young, aspiring stockbroker Bud (Charlie Sheen) is mentored by a corrupt and wealthy corporate raider Gordon Gekko (Michael Douglas). The latter introduces Bud to the world of insider trading and unlimited greed and ambition. Known for the iconic line, “Greed is good”, this film served as a cautionary tale for those who want to indulge in insider trading.

 

  1. Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006)

This film inadvertently educates the audience about important financial concepts. Kamal Kishore Khosla (Anupam Kher) invests all his savings to buy a plot, which is later usurped by a rich builder. Khosla then takes it upon himself to retrieve the property without paying a penny to the greedy builder. Touted as a heart-warming tale of the Indian middle class and their aspirations, this film manages to shed light on the importance of property holdings and diversifying one’s investments and savings.

Miss India Trailer Starring Keerthy Suresh

Cast & Crew:
Starring – Keerthy Suresh, Jagapathi Babu, Naveen Chandra, Rajendra Prasad, Naresh, Bhanushree Mehra, Sumanth S, Poojitha Ponnada, Kamal Kamaraju, Nadhiya
Music – Thaman S
Directed By – Narendra Nath
Produced By – Mahesh S Koneru
DOP – Sujeeth Vasudev, Dani Sanchez-Lopez
Written By – Narendra Nath, Tharun
Art – Sahi Suresh
Editor – Tammiraju
PRO – Vamsi Kaka

Call Taxi Teaser Starring Santhosh Saravanan, Ashwini

Call Taxi Movie Cast & Crew :-
Movie : Call Taxi
Cast : Santhosh Saravanan, Ashwini, Naan Kadavul Rajendran, Madhan Bob
Music & Lyrics : Paanan
Production : KT COMBINES
Producer : Kabila
Direction : Pa.Pandian
Cinematography:M.A.Rajadurai
Editor : David Ajai
Art : Babu
Stunt : S.R. HariMurugan
Production Manager: Sivakumar
Choreography:Erison
Stills ; Venky
PRO ; R.Kumareson
DI: IGENE
Publicity :Jsam ads
Designer : Vijay

Kajal Aggarwal Ties the Knot with Gautam Kitchlu

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On

Actor Kajal Aggarwal on Friday tied the knot with Gautam Kitchlu, a Mumbai-based entrepreneur, in an intimate ceremony held at the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai. 

Photos from the wedding were circulated on several of the actor’s fan pages on social media, in which Aggarwal was seen wearing a red and pink traditional lehenga. Kitchlu was spotted wearing an ivory and silver sherwani in the pictures. 

Aggarwal posted a few pictures of the pre-wedding festivities on social media. Hours before the wedding, she had posted a monochrome picture with her lehenga in the background along with the caption, “Calm before the storm.”

 

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The couple had a bunch of pre-wedding festivities including a mehendi, haldi and a sangeet ceremony. Aggarwal sported a yellow sharara set by designer Anita Dongre for most of her pre-wedding ceremonies. While she paired the kurta with floral jewellery during her haldi, she matched it with gold sunglasses and tassel earrings for the sangeet. Videos of Aggwaral and her sister Nisha Aggarwal dancing during the sangeet were widely circulated on social media. The actor opted for a mint green kurta set with floral prints for her mehendi ceremony.  

 

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🧿 #kajgautkitched 🧿

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The couple is expected to move into a new house in Mumbai, post their wedding. While Aggarwal had posted stories on Instagram with pictures of the house asking her fans for tips to decorate it, Kitchlu shared the before and after images of their new home.

 

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The actor had announced her wedding three weeks ago.

“It gives me immense joy to share that I am getting married to Gautam Kitchlu, on October 30, 2020 in Mumbai, in a small, private ceremony surrounded by our immediate families’. ‘This pandemic has certainly shed a sobering light on our joy, but we are thrilled to start our lives together and know that all of you will be cheering us on in spirit,” she had said in a statement.

Deepa Mehta’s Funny Boy to be Canada’s Entry for Oscars 2021

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Filmmaker Deepa Mehta‘s Funny Boy will represent Canada in the Best International Feature Film category at the Oscars 2021, a report by Variety said.

The film is based on Shyam Selvadurai’s 1994 novel by the same name. Set in Sri Lanka, against the backdrop of the Sri Lankan civil war, the story revolves around the sexual awakening of a young boy. The film will feature Arush Nand, Brandon Ingram, Nimmi Harasgama, Ali Kazmi, Agam Darshi, Seema Biswas, and Shivantha Wijesinha in pivotal roles.

Earlier this month, filmmaker Ava DuVernay’s ARRAY Releasing decided to distribute the film. Funny Boy will release in selected theatres in a few cities in Canada and will be released worldwide on Netflix on December 10.

Speaking to Variety, Mehta said, “It is Brecht who said ‘Art is not a mirror held up to reality but a hammer with which to shape it.’ We live in a world with borders, with divisions and differences. But now more than ever, we need each other, we need love and compassion and togetherness. ‘Funny Boy’ to me is about humanity and hope. It’s about holding up a flag of inclusion, in a world tethering towards an abyss of the great divide. David Hamilton and myself thank the jurors across Canada who saw fit to support our film ‘Funny Boy.'”

Christina Dickinson of Telefilm Canada told Variety, “Eleven outstanding films were submitted this year, and we are confident that Deepa Mehta’s ‘Funny Boy’ will appeal to Academy members just as her powerful film ‘Water’ did in 2007, when it was nominated in this prestigious category.” Telefilm coordinates and chairs the 20-member pan Canadian selection committee that decides the Canadian entry for the Oscars.

The report also stated that 23 countries have submitted their nominations for the international feature film category.

Meanwhile, Mehta’s last film was the 2016 Canadian drama Anatomy of Violence. Her 2005 film Water from the Element trilogy, was also the country’s Oscar entry that year.

On Thursday, Japan announced Naomi Kawase’s True Mothers as its official entry to the Oscars. Other entries include And Tomorrow the Entire World (Germany), Charlatan (Czech Republic), and The Man Standing Next (South Korea). Even though India has not yet announced its official entry yet, three Indian filmmakers have been invited to the Oscars 2021 jury, namely, Nishtha Jain, Shirley Abraham, and Amit Madhesiya.

In April, the awards announced that films that were intended to have a theatrical release but made available on commercial streaming platforms are eligible for entry.

Meanwhile, David Fincher‘s biographical drama Mank, which will have a limited theatrical release on November 13, and a release on Netflix on December 4, will be the first film distributed by Netflix to contend for the Oscars.

 

 

Maha: Hansika Motwani Wraps up Shooting of Her 50th Film

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Hansika Motwani wrapped up the shooting of her 50th film Maha, the actor announced on Twitter on Friday.

Talking about the film, Motwani said in a statement, “I am elated happy to see that my ambitious project ‘Maha’ has finally wrapped up with the shooting. Despite the long stretched hiatus, the entire crew retained the high spirits it had during the commencement of the project. I thank everyone in the team for being supportive, especially during these crucial times. We resumed the shooting works by following the strict rules of social distancing and hygiene factors as insisted by the Government. I thank director UR Jameel for his inmost dedication that remained the same from beginning till the end of this project. Our producers Mathiyalagan sir, Dato Abdul Malik sir, Mohamed Zubair sir, and Razik Ahamed sir have been the pillars in letting this project as envisaged by director Jameel. We as a team are so happy with the completion and are looking forward to releasing the film in summer 2021.  I am thankful to Simbhu for his gesture of accepting to be a part of this film and I am sure that his episodes will be appreciated by universal crowds.”

Directed by debutant filmmaker UR Jameel, the film will feature actor Simbu in an extended cameo role. The film also stars Srikanth, Thambi Ramaiah, Karunakaran, Nasser, Jayaprakash, and Chaya Singh in important roles.

The film is produced by Etcetera Entertainment and Malik Streams Production & Distribution. The music is composed by Ghibran and J Laxman is the cinematographer. The editor of the film is JR John Abraham.

Motwani was last seen in the Telugu film Tenali Ramakrishna BA BL, which starred Sundeep Kishan in the lead role.

Dracula Sir to Release in Hindi on Diwali

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Bengali film Dracula Sir will release in Hindi on November 13 on the occasion of Diwali, makers of the film announced on Twitter on Friday.

The film is bankrolled by Shrikant Mohta and Mahendra Soni under the banner Shri Venkatesh Films (SVF). It released on October 21 in cinemas across Kolkata on the occasion of Durga Puja.
“The film has been in demand that we had to consider releasing it in another language all together! I hope Dracula Sir in Hindi will hint to an amazing start to the Diwali for the Hindi-speaking audience,” said Mahendra Soni, co-founder and director of SVF.
Written and directed by Debaloy Bhattacharya, Dracula Sir features Anirban Bhattacharya, Mimi Chakraborty, Bidipta Chakraborty, Rudranil Ghosh, Samiul Alam, Kanchan Mullick and Supriyo Dutta.
“Although the film Dracula Sir tells the tale of a Bengali Dracula, the story doesn’t show anything particular that would remain limited to the audience of Bengal. It is a story of a simple man who fights his own ego in the search of his true self. I feel the film delves into a common man’s different level of psychology- his fears, wanting or strength which somehow would make every single person in the audience irrespective of their language or culture, empathise the characters and their situation. Moreover, this experimental genre will be offered as something new to the Indian audience,” he added,
The thriller revolves around school teacher Raktim Chowdhury, played by Bhattacharya, who has a pair of sharp, protruding canines, thereby landing him the name ‘Dracula sir’. A portion of the film is set in the backdrop of the Naxalite movement in West Bengal in 1970s.
“Dracula Sir is the story of a Bengali who is an owner neither of a fortress nor of a legacy. He weaves his own story from scratch,” Bhattacharya told Bengali daily Anandabazaar Patrika.
Music was composed by Amit-Ishan, Saqi Banerjee and Durjoy.
The film was initially slated to release on May 1 but was delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown.
This film marks the second collaboration of Chakraborty and Bhattacharya after the 2017 film Dhananjay directed by Arindam Sil. Bhattacharya was last seen in Joydeep Mukherjee’s Detective (2019). Chakraborty’s film SOS Kolkata, directed by Anshuman Pratyush, was also a Durga Puja release like Dracula Sir. Her upcoming projects include Baazi, opposite Jeet, and Arindam Sil’s Khela Jokhon. The actor is also an MP from Kolkata’s Jadavpur constituency.

Dhanush Sings for Rahman for the First Time in Atrangi Re

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Actor Dhanush said that he has sung a song for AR Rahman for his upcoming Hindi film Atrangi Re and shared a picture with the music composer on Friday.

The song marks the actor’s first collaboration as a singer with Rahman.

Rahman had composed music for Raanjhanna (2013), Dhanush’s maiden Hindi film and his first collaboration with Aanand L Rai, the director of the film. Rahman has also composed music for Dhanush’s Tamil film Maryan in 2013.

The film will also features Akshay Kumar and Sara Ali Khan.

 

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Had a blast singing and chatting with our very own Isai puyal @arrahman sir. #atrangire @aanandlrai @saraalikhan95

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The film’s shooting was set to commence in March but was put on hold due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Last month, the shooting resumed in Madurai in Tamil Nadu. Written by National Award-winning writer Himanshu Sharma, camera is handled by cinematographer Pankaj Kumar and Irshad Kamil will pen lyrics.

The film will reportedly see the lead actors romancing Khan in different eras. Her character is believed to hail from Bihar while Dhanush hails from Madurai. The non-linear narrative will reportedly explore how love is perceived across India.

Initially, Atrangi Re was slated to release during Valentine’s Day, 2021 but due to the delay in the shoot, the release date is subject to change.

The film is bankrolled by Gulshan Kumar and Bhushan Kumar’s T Series, Aanand L Rai’s Colour Yellow Productions Pvt Ltd, and Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films.

Dhanush occasionally sings songs in some of his films. While he sang for the first time in 2004 for Tamil film Pudhukottaiyilirundhu Saravanan, his song Why This Kolaveri Di for Tamil film 3 in 2011 went viral and the music video received more than 3.5 million views within a week of its release on YouTube.

Dhanush has a slew of projects, including Jagame Thandhiram, (written and directed by Karthik Subbaraj and produced by Y NOT Studios) and Karnan (directed by Mari Selvaraj). He is reportedly teaming up with Karthick Naren for a crime action film. Earlier this month, on music composer Anirudh Ravichander‘s birthday, Dhanush announced that he will be teaming up with director Mithran Jawahar for a film produced by Sun Pictures.

Heropanti 2: Tiger Shroff to Reunite with Tara Sutaria

BY Namrata Ganguly On

Actor Tara Sutaria will play the lead role in Sajid Nadiadwala‘s upcoming film Heropanti 2. The film also stars Tiger Shroff, makers of the film announced on Twitter on Friday.

“Welcome Back Sparkles The beautiful & starlet @TaraSutaria to star in #SajidNadiadwala’s #Heropanti2 opposite @iTIGERSHROFF @khan_ahmedasas @WardaNadiadwala,” the tweet read. 

Sutaria also shared the news on Instagram with the caption: “SO amped for this one. A new journey begins with my #NGEFamily 💖❤️💖 #Heropanti2 ✨🎬 #SajidNadiadwala @tigerjackieshroff @khan_ahmedasas @wardakhannadiadwala @nadiadwalagrandson.”

The production house announced on Twitter that Shroff will star in Heropanti 2 and Baaghi 4, both of which will be directed by Ahmed Khan and bankrolled under the Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainments.

The film will mark the second collaboration between Sutaria and producer Nadiadwala. The duo is also working together on an upcoming romantic action Tadap, co-starring debutant Ahan Shetty, which is a remake of 2018 Telugu film RX 100.

Sutaria and Shroff will be reuniting after Punit Malhotra’s teen romantic drama Student Of The Year 2, co-starring Ananya Panday. Sutaria was last seen in a Hindi romantic action film Marjaavaan (2019), co-starring Sidharth Malhotra, Riteish Deshmukh and Rakul Preet Singh.

Heropanti 2 will be a sequel to the romantic action film Heropanti, which was directed by Sabbir Khan. The 2011 release was Shroff’s debut film. The actor-director duo have also worked together on the Baaghi franchise, starring Disha Patani in Shraddha Kapoor and Disha Patani.

Nadiadwala’s latest releases include Housefull 4 (2018) and Baaghi 3 (2019). Apart from this, his other projects include sports drama 83 (directed and co-produced by Kabir Khan and Vishnu Vardhan Induri), starring Ranveer Singh as cricketer Kapil Dev along with Deepika Padukone. The production house also has Bachchan Pandey (starring Akshay Kumar and Kriti Sanon) and Kick 2 (the sequel to Salman Khan’s Kick) lined up.

Kerala Actor Abduction Case: Victim Complains of Harassment in Court, Seeks Transfer of Trial

BY Ramya Ashok Kumar On

After filing a sexual assault case against Malayalam actor Dileep, the victim who was abducted in 2017 and the prosecutors of the case moved the Kerala High Court to transfer the trial to another court. After hearing the plea on Friday, the court said it would hear the matter again on November 2.

Earlier, the prosecutors had sought a halt in the trial at the Additional Special Sessions Court at Ernakulam in Kerala. They based their decision on the account of alleged derogatory comments against the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP), repeated adjournments, and bias. Reportedly, the SPP has not been attending the court sessions since seeking a transfer of the case.

The survivor, too, had moved the high court after complaining that she was treated with hostility during the trial court hearing of her case. She had alleged that the court remained mute when she was harassed in the name of examination by Dileep’s counsel. 

Giving an instance of the mistreatment at the high court on Friday, senior advocate S Sreekumar, who spoke for the survivor, said that although entry was restricted to the courtroom, there were around 20 lawyers present during a trial who were noting her demeanour and asking her to repeat her statements. Asked why the charges of harassment were not brought to the trial court’s attention, the survivor’s counsel said that oral submissions were made when such instances took place. However, the trial court took no action when the submissions were made. 

On February 17, 2017, the survivor was abducted while she was on her way from Kochi to Thrissur in Kerala. After being sexually assaulted for nearly two hours, she was dropped off near the residence of director Lal. Soon after the incident, the first accused in the abduction case, Pulsar Suni, who was found to have driven the car, was arrested. In June, Pulsar Suni confessed that actor Dileep conspired the assault.
On July 20, 2017, Dileep was arrested as the eighth accused in the case. Reportedly, the prosecution counsel alleged that the trial proceedings were constantly being delayed ever since he was let out on bail.
Dileep, who was suspended from the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA), was reinstated to the organisation in 2018. In retaliation, the survivor, Rima Kallingal, Ramya Nambeesan, and Geetu Mohandas resigned from AMMA. The Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) slammed AMMA’s decision and called it ‘reeking with misogyny’.

Gatham: Amazon Prime Video Releases Trailer of Telugu Thriller

BY Shrija Ganguly On

Amazon Prime Video released the trailer of the upcoming Telugu film Gatham on Twitter on Friday. The film will stream on the streaming platform from November 6.

The trailer opening is set against the backdrop of a case regarding a missing girl.

Set against the backdrop of Lake Tahoe, Gatham centres around a person who forgets his past after he wakes up from coma. The story follows his struggles to know about himself which leads him to unravel several unexpected and horrifying adventures.

Jointly produced by Offbeat Films and S Originals in association with Mango Mass Media, the psychological thriller is made by a group of young US-based students and IT professionals. The film is directed by Kiran Reddy and features Bhargava Poludasu, Rakesh Galebhe, Lakshmi Bharadwaj, and Poojitha Kuraparthi in lead roles.

As reported by The Hindu, the film is based on Reddy’s award-winning short film. Reddy has also won awards for his other short films-  A Winter to Remember and Where is Ayush?

Speaking about the film, the director said: “Filmmaking has always been my passion and I am keen to experiment and explore various formats. With Gatham, I wanted to take India’s art of storytelling to the next level and introduce something unique for audiences. Gatham revolves around a very interesting plot questioning ‘what if life restarts?”

The self-taught director had earlier told The Hindu: “Directors Harish Shankar and Merlapaka Gandhi who were in the US saw the film and said the content had scope and we could develop it into a full length film and that’s how Gatham took shape. It’s a psychological thriller. A person who forgot his past wakes up from coma and struggles to know about himself. His girlfriend is the only one who has information about him. He wants to meet his parents and they set out on a journey. The car breaks down and this is when a third person offers help. What happens there after is a spine chilling journey, with twists and turns.”

The film’s music is scored by Sri Charan Pakala, who also composed music for Evaru and Goodachari. The cinematography is handled by Manojh Reddy who previously worked in Aswathama.

Actor Adivi Sesh released the film’s trailer on February 24.

Tathagata Ghosh Interview: Streaming Platforms a Boon for Independent Films

BY Anindita Banerjee On

Filmmaker Tathagata Ghosh is on cloud nine as his short film Doitto‘s streaming rights have just been bagged by OTT giant Disney+ Hotstar. He, however, fears that an independent film may get lost in a crowd of titles on such a big streaming platform.

A “handpicked OTT platform” could be the solution, says Ghosh, in a conversation with Silverscreen India.

Doitto, meaning demon in Bengali, explores human flaws, the constant struggles of good versus bad and a dark social issue.

“The entire credit for Doitto being picked up by Disney+ Hotstar goes to my distributor Kunal Jhaveri from IndieFilamnt. Going on such a big OTT platform is definitely a plus for an independent film as it helps in increasing viewership,” says Ghosh.

Doitto has received acclaim from film festivals like the 12th International Documentary and Short Film Festival of Kerala (Panorama), the 24th Kolkata International Film Festival, 19th Independent Days International Film Festival of Germany, eighth Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival, seventh Toulouse Indian Film Festival of France (Special Jury Mention), and more.

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Talking about the importance of film festivals, Ghosh says: “I think international recognition is very important because it not only helps the film and the makers but also the country where it has been made. Once a film gets that recognition in international film festivals, people come to realise that there are good and talented people outside of Bollywood as well.”

The haunting street art on the walls of Kolkata depicting a small girl, with the word ‘missing’ written next to the drawing, inspired the director to write Doitto.

“It really stuck with me, those paintings, as more and more children went missing every day. Along with that, as I was reading up about serial killers and their psyche, I wanted to do a story regarding that,” he says.

Ghosh recently wrote, directed, and produced Miss Man, which explores the life of a transgender woman, the struggles of a queer individual, and what it’s like to be a queer person in the suburbs of India.

“The film is extremely personal to me,” says Ghosh. “Miss Man came to my mind a few years back when a friend of mine got married. I found out that he came out to his parents only to be forcefully married off after that. This was at a time when Section 377 was still there in our country. I was very disturbed by this event because the marriage broke apart and he went through a lot. A couple of years back I started writing the story, saved money for the shoot, and funded the film myself,” he says.

There is an undeniable problem in the film industry – the absence of queer people in films as well as on sets, feels Ghosh.

“There is a great documentary on Netflix called Disclosure which showcases that when a transgender character is played by a cis-male or cis-female, the focus strips from the larger subject to just the actor portraying the character. The struggles of a transgender person get diluted. Sometimes the portrayal also gets very caricaturist. Which is why it is important for transgender people to portray themselves on screen. Many people often tell me does that mean a murderer should play a murderer? I think it is a wrong excuse. Because it is certainly not the same. We have a long way to go when it comes to representation in cinema. It is essential to not only cast people from the community in the story but also behind the camera to have their perspective,” he says.

Elaborating about the representation of the transgender community, he says: “Movies have a long history of being extremely unkind to transgenders. Even a recently released trailer, which has a big star playing a trans character, shows the trans woman as someone who everyone should be afraid of, instead of having a conversation around trans life. Movies have really tarnished the sensitive aspect of understanding a trans person.”

Miss Man has been showcased in several film festivals, including the 34th BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, the 32nd Vancouver Queer Film Festival, 11th KASHISH: Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, 33rd Out on Film: Atlanta’s LGBTQ Film Festival, 24th LesGaiCineMad (Madrid International LGBTI Film Festival).

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Talking about how OTT platforms have become as a boon, Ghosh says: “OTT is definitely a more democratic platform, though nothing can match the experience of watching a film on a big screen. The thing with streaming platforms is that it gives big as well as small films an equal place, unlike a film theatre where you have to be in the good books of the distributors to get a proper show timing. Another great thing is that OTT doesn’t censor your films, thankfully. In our country censoring means butchering films.”

Even though censoring hasn’t entered the OTT arena yet, Ghosh says he won’t be surprised if it creeps there either.