The actor, 43, talks about irreverence, trying to look more awake, his love of music, and the pursuit of art
I have mixed feelings about being the first non-white actor to win a Bafta. I was very grateful, but it also raised questions. I remember watching The Buddha of Suburbia and Bhaji on the Beach as a kid. British-Asian culture didn’t start in 2017, when I won. It’s weird to think it wasn’t recognised until that point.
Working on Four Lions with Chris Morris was a great lesson in irreverence. Even if people insist you take things seriously, you don’t have to. Actually, it’s probably more important not to. Comedy can take the teeth out of even the most serious issues.
I only started acting because my mum wanted me to pronounce my “T”s properly. When I was seven, she took me to speech and drama lessons.
I have mixed feelings about being the first non-white actor to win a Bafta. I was very grateful, but it also raised questions. I remember watching The Buddha of Suburbia and Bhaji on the Beach as a kid. British-Asian culture didn’t start in 2017, when I won. It’s weird to think it wasn’t recognised until that point.
Working on Four Lions with Chris Morris was a great lesson in irreverence. Even if people insist you take things seriously, you don’t have to. Actually, it’s probably more important not to. Comedy can take the teeth out of even the most serious issues.
I only started acting because my mum wanted me to pronounce my “T”s properly. When I was seven, she took me to speech and drama lessons.
- 4/6/2024
- by Michael Hogan
- The Guardian - Film News
One of independent film’s key players, Ray Price, died July 16 at the age of 75 from heart failure after a long battle with cancer, his long-term partner Meg Madison confirmed.
Talking to Price about movies, past and present, was an exhilarating sport that could take a while. He knew his stuff — no one loved movies more — but more than anyone during the great indie decades of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, he was a respected innovator who thought outside the box. He began as an exhibitor in San Francisco and moved on to marketing, releasing, and distributing movies, leaning toward the outrageous in how he lured audiences to sample challenging fare.
“Ray, while being a defiantly singular individual, was also emblematic of a bygone age of independent film,” Magnolia Pictures co-ceo Eamonn Bowles wrote me in an email. “From theatre chain owner to distributor, exquisite marketer, and production exec, he...
Talking to Price about movies, past and present, was an exhilarating sport that could take a while. He knew his stuff — no one loved movies more — but more than anyone during the great indie decades of the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, he was a respected innovator who thought outside the box. He began as an exhibitor in San Francisco and moved on to marketing, releasing, and distributing movies, leaning toward the outrageous in how he lured audiences to sample challenging fare.
“Ray, while being a defiantly singular individual, was also emblematic of a bygone age of independent film,” Magnolia Pictures co-ceo Eamonn Bowles wrote me in an email. “From theatre chain owner to distributor, exquisite marketer, and production exec, he...
- 7/21/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Award-winning British-Indian playwright and actor Meera Syal will be presented with a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) fellowship, the highest accolade bestowed upon an individual in recognition of an outstanding and exceptional contribution to film, games or television.
Syal, who starred in hit BBC comedies, ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ and ‘The Kumars at No 42’, will be honoured at the BAFTA Television Awards, which will take place on May 14 at the Royal Festival Hall.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be the recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship. I am particularly delighted that this year’s award is twinned with opportunities to mentor and support participants in BAFTA’s learning programme — where I hope to engage with many talented practitioners and continue working to make BAFTA a truly representative and celebratory place for all our creatives,” Syal said.
As part of the fellowship, she will work directly with the...
Syal, who starred in hit BBC comedies, ‘Goodness Gracious Me’ and ‘The Kumars at No 42’, will be honoured at the BAFTA Television Awards, which will take place on May 14 at the Royal Festival Hall.
“I am thrilled and honoured to be the recipient of the BAFTA Fellowship. I am particularly delighted that this year’s award is twinned with opportunities to mentor and support participants in BAFTA’s learning programme — where I hope to engage with many talented practitioners and continue working to make BAFTA a truly representative and celebratory place for all our creatives,” Syal said.
As part of the fellowship, she will work directly with the...
- 5/1/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
In the face of numerous challenges, the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival delivered a hybrid event in London, with the sister Birmingham Indian Film Festival coming back to cinemas and the launch of the Manchester Indian Film Festival, which saw an all female programme.
Supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) using funds from the National Lottery, and the London title sponsor the Bagri Foundation, the festival successfully took place in some of the capital’s top cinemas including BFI Southbank, Barbican and Ciné Lumière, attracting a healthy number of audiences, in spite of strict social distancing controls, which also worked extremely well in cinemas like Mac in Birmingham and Everyman in Manchester.
Executive & Programming Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said: “It’s a testament to a strong team that we have been able to pull off a dynamic festival online and back in cinemas against considerable challenges and we...
Supported by the British Film Institute (BFI) using funds from the National Lottery, and the London title sponsor the Bagri Foundation, the festival successfully took place in some of the capital’s top cinemas including BFI Southbank, Barbican and Ciné Lumière, attracting a healthy number of audiences, in spite of strict social distancing controls, which also worked extremely well in cinemas like Mac in Birmingham and Everyman in Manchester.
Executive & Programming Director Cary Rajinder Sawhney said: “It’s a testament to a strong team that we have been able to pull off a dynamic festival online and back in cinemas against considerable challenges and we...
- 7/13/2021
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
‘Freaky’, ‘French Exit’ also in cinemas.
Studiocanal’s Another Round will finally make its UK-Ireland bow this weekend, as the box office looks to continue its strong performance since cinemas reopened in the territory.
Thomas Vinterberg’s drinking comedy-drama will play in 131 locations from today (July 2). It was originally scheduled for release on November 27, before being put on hold due to the second lockdown. Its date was set for June 25 in March, before being moved back a week to its final spot.
Another Round was selected for the Cannes 2020 label of titles that would have played at last year’s...
Studiocanal’s Another Round will finally make its UK-Ireland bow this weekend, as the box office looks to continue its strong performance since cinemas reopened in the territory.
Thomas Vinterberg’s drinking comedy-drama will play in 131 locations from today (July 2). It was originally scheduled for release on November 27, before being put on hold due to the second lockdown. Its date was set for June 25 in March, before being moved back a week to its final spot.
Another Round was selected for the Cannes 2020 label of titles that would have played at last year’s...
- 7/2/2021
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
More than half of invitees hail from 49 countries outside the US.
The UK’s Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman filmmaker Emerald Fennell and One Night In Miami star Kingsley Ben-Adir and Bulgarian Borat 2 breakout Maria Bakalova are among a new class of 395 talent and executives invited to join the Academy.
The new intake announced on Thursday (July 1) comprises 46% women, 39% from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and more than half (53%) of invitees hailing from 49 countries outside the US.
Besides Promising Young Woman writer-director Fennell and Ben-Adir, UK talent includes the upcoming star of The Batman, Robert Pattinson, as well as Borat 2...
The UK’s Oscar-winning Promising Young Woman filmmaker Emerald Fennell and One Night In Miami star Kingsley Ben-Adir and Bulgarian Borat 2 breakout Maria Bakalova are among a new class of 395 talent and executives invited to join the Academy.
The new intake announced on Thursday (July 1) comprises 46% women, 39% from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and more than half (53%) of invitees hailing from 49 countries outside the US.
Besides Promising Young Woman writer-director Fennell and Ben-Adir, UK talent includes the upcoming star of The Batman, Robert Pattinson, as well as Borat 2...
- 7/1/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Film4 is partnering with film distributor Park Circus on a campaign to entice Brits back to the cinema. Under the deal, the duo will offer UK cinemas a season of six classic features from the Film4 library, including Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting and Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast.
The films will initially screen in Picturehouse, Everyman, Odeon, Vue, and Showcase theaters across the country from the start of July, with other venues joining the initiative in the coming weeks. It follows cinemas reopening in the UK on May 17 after the most recent coronavirus lockdown.
The four other films in the Film4 season are Mark Herman’s Brassed Off, Stephen Frears’ rom-com My Beautiful Launderette, Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero, and Bhaji on the Beach, from director Gurinder Chadha.
Film4’s parent Channel 4 will support the season with an advertising campaign across its TV channels, as well as online.
The films will initially screen in Picturehouse, Everyman, Odeon, Vue, and Showcase theaters across the country from the start of July, with other venues joining the initiative in the coming weeks. It follows cinemas reopening in the UK on May 17 after the most recent coronavirus lockdown.
The four other films in the Film4 season are Mark Herman’s Brassed Off, Stephen Frears’ rom-com My Beautiful Launderette, Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero, and Bhaji on the Beach, from director Gurinder Chadha.
Film4’s parent Channel 4 will support the season with an advertising campaign across its TV channels, as well as online.
- 6/11/2021
- by Jake Kanter
- Deadline Film + TV
Screen Star of Tomorrow Viveik Kalra leads Gurinder Chadha’s latest.
Gurinder Chadha’s Bruce Springsteen-themed coming-of-age tale Blinded By The Light is hoping to emulate recent successful music-inspired titles when it opens through eOne at the UK box office this weekend.
Set in 1987 in Luton, Screen Star of Tomorrow 2019 Viveik Kalra leads the cast as aspiring writer Javed, who finds an escape from a disapproving father and a town overrun by skinheads through the music of Springsteen. It is inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings From Bury Park.
The film is Chadha’s eighth feature; she...
Gurinder Chadha’s Bruce Springsteen-themed coming-of-age tale Blinded By The Light is hoping to emulate recent successful music-inspired titles when it opens through eOne at the UK box office this weekend.
Set in 1987 in Luton, Screen Star of Tomorrow 2019 Viveik Kalra leads the cast as aspiring writer Javed, who finds an escape from a disapproving father and a town overrun by skinheads through the music of Springsteen. It is inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings From Bury Park.
The film is Chadha’s eighth feature; she...
- 8/9/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Screen Star of Tomorrow Viveik Kalra leads Gurinder Chadha’s latest.
Gurinder Chadha’s Bruce Springsteen-themed coming-of-age tale Blinded By The Light will look to emulate recent successful music-inspired titles when opening through eOne at the UK box office this weekend.
Set in 1987 in Luton, Screen Star of Tomorrow 2019 Viveik Kalra leads the cast as aspiring writer Javed, who finds an escape from a disapproving father and a town overrun by skinheads through the music of Springsteen. It is inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings From Bury Park.
The film is Chadha’s eighth feature; she began...
Gurinder Chadha’s Bruce Springsteen-themed coming-of-age tale Blinded By The Light will look to emulate recent successful music-inspired titles when opening through eOne at the UK box office this weekend.
Set in 1987 in Luton, Screen Star of Tomorrow 2019 Viveik Kalra leads the cast as aspiring writer Javed, who finds an escape from a disapproving father and a town overrun by skinheads through the music of Springsteen. It is inspired by journalist Sarfraz Manzoor’s memoir Greetings From Bury Park.
The film is Chadha’s eighth feature; she began...
- 8/9/2019
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
England, 1987. The UK has its first female Prime Minister at the helm in Margaret Thatcher who is battling economic troubles and the rise of the neo-Nazi National Front. In the borough of Luton, the Khan family is trying to get by and make ends meet amid the chaos. The patriarch (Kulvinder Ghir) has lost his job, the matriarch (Meera Ganatra) is forced to make ends meet by working late into the night for what might as well be nothing, and main lead Javed Khan (Viveik Kalra), wants to become a writer despite the expectations of his parents.
When Roops (Aaron Phagura), the only Sikh boy at school, introduces Khan to the music of Bruce Springsteen Khan is inspired. Javed finds his voice giving him the courage to follow his dreams, find love, and assert himself against family traditions that he believes are getting in the way of his dreams. But Javed learns soon enough,...
When Roops (Aaron Phagura), the only Sikh boy at school, introduces Khan to the music of Bruce Springsteen Khan is inspired. Javed finds his voice giving him the courage to follow his dreams, find love, and assert himself against family traditions that he believes are getting in the way of his dreams. But Javed learns soon enough,...
- 8/1/2019
- by Rima Bhatia
- Bollyspice
Chai with Gurinder Chadha at the Bagri Foundation London Indian Film Festival 2019 on Saturday 22nd June, 2019 at Picture House Central, London England
Darren Brade Photography
Continuing its memorable events, the London Indian Film Festival hosted another incredible conversation with a very special guest. In an event called Chai with Chadha, the noted director Gurinder Chadha was on stage for an in-depth discussion with Mike McCahill about her outstanding films.
Chadha’s career began with the noted 1993 hit Bhaji On The Beach, which became an instant classic. Her mainstream mega hit was of course the unforgettable Bend It Like Beckham, which like many of her films reference a uniquely British Asian experience. Other incredible films are Bride and Prejudice, which for this writer and many non-Indian film fans was the movie that led us to Bollywood. Also of note is Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, It’s a Wonderful Afterlife and Viceroy’s House.
Darren Brade Photography
Continuing its memorable events, the London Indian Film Festival hosted another incredible conversation with a very special guest. In an event called Chai with Chadha, the noted director Gurinder Chadha was on stage for an in-depth discussion with Mike McCahill about her outstanding films.
Chadha’s career began with the noted 1993 hit Bhaji On The Beach, which became an instant classic. Her mainstream mega hit was of course the unforgettable Bend It Like Beckham, which like many of her films reference a uniquely British Asian experience. Other incredible films are Bride and Prejudice, which for this writer and many non-Indian film fans was the movie that led us to Bollywood. Also of note is Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging, It’s a Wonderful Afterlife and Viceroy’s House.
- 6/25/2019
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
Less than two years after she explored the bloody end of British rule in India with the Berlinale-bowing Viceroy’s House, Gurinder Chadha — best known for films such as Bend It Like Beckham and Bhaji on the Beach — turns the clock back 150 years to the cusp of the 19th century and its chaotic beginnings.
Beecham House may once again be set within a magnificent Indian mansion, but this time Chadha has taken her story to TV in a drama following a wealthy British businessman (played by Tom Bateman) — a former soldier and ex-employee of the all-powerful East India Company —...
Beecham House may once again be set within a magnificent Indian mansion, but this time Chadha has taken her story to TV in a drama following a wealthy British businessman (played by Tom Bateman) — a former soldier and ex-employee of the all-powerful East India Company —...
- 10/17/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend Cannes with Mrs Lowry & Son.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
- 5/5/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Fixture of independent film world had been planning to attend Cannes.
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Little...
Robbie Little, the British producer, co-president of The Little Film Company and stalwart of the independent world, has died unexpectedly in London en route to Cannes.
Little, who served alongside his wife Ellen, was a widely admired, deeply experienced and beloved figure in the film industry. At the time of his death he was working with producer Debbie Gray on the Timothy Spall and Vanessa Redgrave drama Mrs Lowry & Son and The More You Ignore Me, and was planning to continue talks with international buyers on the Croisette.
Little...
- 5/5/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Entertainment One has taken U.K. and Australian rights on Gurinder Chadha’s new film, “Blinded by the Light,” a comedy drama inspired by rock legend Bruce Springsteen. Cornerstone Films has released a first-look image from the film (pictured), which began production last week, and will introduce it to international buyers at the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The film, described as a “hybrid musical” that weaves Springsteen’s music and lyrics into its narrative, stars newcomers Viveik Kalra and Nell Williams as its romantic leads, alongside Hayley Atwell and Rob Brydon in supporting roles. The movie grew out of a shared passion for Springsteen by Chadha, the director of “Bend It Like Beckham,” and British journalist Sarfraz Manzoor.
“Blinded by the Light” is based on Manzoor’s 2008 memoir, “Greetings From Bury Park,” which chronicles his experience as a British Muslim boy growing up in 1980s Luton, outside London, and...
The film, described as a “hybrid musical” that weaves Springsteen’s music and lyrics into its narrative, stars newcomers Viveik Kalra and Nell Williams as its romantic leads, alongside Hayley Atwell and Rob Brydon in supporting roles. The movie grew out of a shared passion for Springsteen by Chadha, the director of “Bend It Like Beckham,” and British journalist Sarfraz Manzoor.
“Blinded by the Light” is based on Manzoor’s 2008 memoir, “Greetings From Bury Park,” which chronicles his experience as a British Muslim boy growing up in 1980s Luton, outside London, and...
- 4/11/2018
- by Robert Mitchell
- Variety Film + TV
Simon Brew Aug 18, 2017
Looking for a film to watch, that you might not have considered before? Try some of these...
Sometimes, we figure, you come to a site like this just to find out about a film you didn’t know about. That you want recommendations of movies that you might not otherwise have uncovered. This list, then, has no theme, save that the films on it are really good, and didn’t get much of an audience first time around. That, or they seem to have been forgotten. It’s a real mix, but hopefully, there’s something on here that appeals..
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch films never really seemed to do much business in the UK, and that’s a real pity. No foreknowledge of the series is required, and the first movie takes the Brady film and transplants them into 1990s America, with no...
Looking for a film to watch, that you might not have considered before? Try some of these...
Sometimes, we figure, you come to a site like this just to find out about a film you didn’t know about. That you want recommendations of movies that you might not otherwise have uncovered. This list, then, has no theme, save that the films on it are really good, and didn’t get much of an audience first time around. That, or they seem to have been forgotten. It’s a real mix, but hopefully, there’s something on here that appeals..
The Brady Bunch Movie
The Brady Bunch films never really seemed to do much business in the UK, and that’s a real pity. No foreknowledge of the series is required, and the first movie takes the Brady film and transplants them into 1990s America, with no...
- 8/15/2017
- Den of Geek
Just weeks after her latest film, Viceroy's House, had its world premiere in Berlin, Gurinder Chadha has donated her entire working archive to the British Film Institute's National Archive.
The BFI helped produced the Punjabi-British filmmaker's breakthrough, the 1989 documentary I'm British but.... Since then, Chadha has directed features such as 1993's BAFTA-nominated Bhaji on the Beach and Bend It Like Beckham, which smashed box-office records for a British film in 2002, alongside titles such as Bride and Prejudice (2004), Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008) and It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010).
She was awarded an Order of the British Empire award in 2006 for...
The BFI helped produced the Punjabi-British filmmaker's breakthrough, the 1989 documentary I'm British but.... Since then, Chadha has directed features such as 1993's BAFTA-nominated Bhaji on the Beach and Bend It Like Beckham, which smashed box-office records for a British film in 2002, alongside titles such as Bride and Prejudice (2004), Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging (2008) and It's a Wonderful Afterlife (2010).
She was awarded an Order of the British Empire award in 2006 for...
- 3/6/2017
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Twenty-four years after she burst on the scene with Bhaji on the Beach and 15 years after she introduced the world to Keira Knightley with Bend it Like Beckham, Gurinder Chadha heads to Berlin to showcase her latest film, Viceroy's House.
Set in the final days of British colonial rule in India, the historical drama focuses on Lord Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville, of course) as he prepares for the deadly partition in 1947 that would see a country divided and a new nation, Pakistan, created.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Chadha discussed offering a different viewpoint on Mountbatten's legacy, working with the late, great...
Set in the final days of British colonial rule in India, the historical drama focuses on Lord Mountbatten (Hugh Bonneville, of course) as he prepares for the deadly partition in 1947 that would see a country divided and a new nation, Pakistan, created.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Chadha discussed offering a different viewpoint on Mountbatten's legacy, working with the late, great...
- 2/12/2017
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ealing Studios has acquired a significant stake in TV and film company GreenAcre Films and forged a new creative partnership with the company that will see Ealing Studios expand its TV division.
Having already announced earlier this year the ITV commission of Maigret for two stand-alone films starring Rowan Atkinson, Ealing Studios’ stake in GreenAcre will see them develop a TV slate for both UK and international broadcasters.
It marks the first partnership at the newly restructured Ealing Studios headed by Ben Latham-Jones.
Co-founded by Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks in 2010, GreenAcre Films became a division of Wall to Wall in 2012. It will continue to co-produce its current drama slate, which includes projects for HBO, BBC and ITV.
As well as developing new TV projects, GreenAcre will also expand its feature film roster which already has a number of titles in development with the BFI.
In a joint statement, GreenAcre co-founders Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks said:...
Having already announced earlier this year the ITV commission of Maigret for two stand-alone films starring Rowan Atkinson, Ealing Studios’ stake in GreenAcre will see them develop a TV slate for both UK and international broadcasters.
It marks the first partnership at the newly restructured Ealing Studios headed by Ben Latham-Jones.
Co-founded by Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks in 2010, GreenAcre Films became a division of Wall to Wall in 2012. It will continue to co-produce its current drama slate, which includes projects for HBO, BBC and ITV.
As well as developing new TV projects, GreenAcre will also expand its feature film roster which already has a number of titles in development with the BFI.
In a joint statement, GreenAcre co-founders Nadine Marsh-Edwards and Amanda Jenks said:...
- 5/21/2015
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Legendary Bollywood actress Zohra Sehgal has died at her home in New Delhi on Thursday at the age of 102. Born on 27 April 1912 in Uttar Pradesh, Sehgal began her career as a dancer before slowly progressing on to films. She made her film debut in K.A. Abbas’s Dharti Ke Lal (1946) and went on to work in Chetan Anand’s Neecha Nagar (1946), a film which acquired international attention and went on to win the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival that year.
Though Zohra Sehgal has had her presence felt over many decades within the Indian film industry; many from today’s generation will know her for her senior roles in films like Dil Se (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Veer-Zaara (2004). She has even played the role of Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in the acclaimed hit Cheeni Kum (2007). In addition, Sehgal has starred in international projects such...
Though Zohra Sehgal has had her presence felt over many decades within the Indian film industry; many from today’s generation will know her for her senior roles in films like Dil Se (1998), Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam (1999) and Veer-Zaara (2004). She has even played the role of Amitabh Bachchan’s mother in the acclaimed hit Cheeni Kum (2007). In addition, Sehgal has starred in international projects such...
- 7/10/2014
- by Bodrul Chaudhury
- Bollyspice
“The film was screened at Angelika [Film Center], or was it Lincoln Center? I don’t quite remember now,” quipped Gurinder Chadha while recalling her visit to New York from twenty years ago for the screening of her debut film, Bhaji on the Beach.
The British filmmaker is at Village East Cinema in downtown Manhattan, where the New York Indian Film Festival is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of her iconic film. “I hadn’t expected the response it got then. Janet Maslin from The New York Times reviewed it, though I didn’t understand that it was a big deal!” she said. Later, when the Los Angeles Times carried a full-page review of the film, Chadha gauged its popularity across cities in the United States.
Bhaji on the Beach is a day in the lives of three generations of British Indian women who travel together from their home in Birmingham to Blackpool,...
The British filmmaker is at Village East Cinema in downtown Manhattan, where the New York Indian Film Festival is celebrating the twentieth anniversary of her iconic film. “I hadn’t expected the response it got then. Janet Maslin from The New York Times reviewed it, though I didn’t understand that it was a big deal!” she said. Later, when the Los Angeles Times carried a full-page review of the film, Chadha gauged its popularity across cities in the United States.
Bhaji on the Beach is a day in the lives of three generations of British Indian women who travel together from their home in Birmingham to Blackpool,...
- 5/9/2014
- by Shelly Walia
- Bollyspice
Nagesh Kukunoor and Anurag Kashyap aren’t showing their films for the first time at the New York Indian Film Festival. But many young filmmakers are. Take a look at the opening night gala of the fourteenth edition of the festival as it kickstarts the weeklong celebration of the best of art house cinema from India. It opened on Monday, May 5 with the screening of Kashyap’s hard-hitting new film Ugly. Shelly Walia brings you the latest news and interviews from the red carpet at New York’s Skirball Center for the Performing Arts.
Festival director Aseem Chhabra smiles, but shies away from looking into the camera. Earlier in the day, he tweeted, “Are you guys ready for the… six-day movie tamasha?”
Aroon Shivdasani, executive director of Indo-American Arts Council, said the festival is an opportunity to screen films that tell a story about, say, real India. “Those films deserve to be watched.
Festival director Aseem Chhabra smiles, but shies away from looking into the camera. Earlier in the day, he tweeted, “Are you guys ready for the… six-day movie tamasha?”
Aroon Shivdasani, executive director of Indo-American Arts Council, said the festival is an opportunity to screen films that tell a story about, say, real India. “Those films deserve to be watched.
- 5/7/2014
- by Shelly Walia
- Bollyspice
This coming week the oldest and largest Indian film festival in North America will inundate the cultural fabric of New York City with award-winning, cutting-edge and entertaining films from the Indian subcontinent.
The New York Indian Film Festival, now in its fourteenth edition, is set to screen more than 40 films—features, short narratives and documentaries—from at least four South Asian countries. Organized by the Indo-American Arts Council, the week-long festival will mark the New York premiere screening of director-producer Anurag Kashyap’s widely admired thriller Ugly. It will be the second time for Kashyap at the festival, whose film Gangs of Wasseypur was the closing night film two years ago.
This time the closing film is acclaimed Bengali auteur Aparna Sen’s Goynar Baksho (The Jewelry Box), a film based on a novel of the same name. The centerpiece film is Malayalam director Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice – which...
The New York Indian Film Festival, now in its fourteenth edition, is set to screen more than 40 films—features, short narratives and documentaries—from at least four South Asian countries. Organized by the Indo-American Arts Council, the week-long festival will mark the New York premiere screening of director-producer Anurag Kashyap’s widely admired thriller Ugly. It will be the second time for Kashyap at the festival, whose film Gangs of Wasseypur was the closing night film two years ago.
This time the closing film is acclaimed Bengali auteur Aparna Sen’s Goynar Baksho (The Jewelry Box), a film based on a novel of the same name. The centerpiece film is Malayalam director Geethu Mohandas’ Liar’s Dice – which...
- 5/4/2014
- by Shelly Walia
- Bollyspice
On May 6th, British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham) will have her work showcased at the prestigious New York Indian Film Festival. They will be highlighting Bhaji on the Beach, which debuted 20 years ago, if you can believe it. Her debut feature film tells the tale of group of women of Indian descent who take a trip together from their home in Birmingham, England to the beach resort of Blackpool. As the trip progresses we learn more about these women and the issues in their lives. In case you haven’t seen it, I won’t spoil, but I will say it ends up being a life-changing trip. Not only that, Nyiff will also present a retrospective of Chadha’s first films – a series of documentaries for the BBC.
I got the amazing chance to chat with Ms. Chadha about her career and we talked about Bhaji on the Beach,...
I got the amazing chance to chat with Ms. Chadha about her career and we talked about Bhaji on the Beach,...
- 4/21/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
The New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff) announced the full lineup last night for their 14th year of celebrating independent, art house, alternate, and Diaspora films from/about/connected to the Indian subcontinent (May 5 – 10) at the SoHo Tiffin Junction. Dedicated to bringing these films to a New York audience, the festival will feature 34 screenings (23 narrative, 11 documentary) –all seen for the first time in New York City.
The festival highlights various cinemas of India’s different regions – Marathi, Bengali and two films from the Northeast. In addition the festival covers cinemas from the neighboring South Asian countries – four films by Pakistani filmmakers, two from Sri Lanka – a feature and a documentary, and one from Nepal.
The festival’s Marathi films include Postcard and multiple-award winning films Astu and Fandry. Directed by Nagraj Manjule, Fandry received rave reviews in India, winning the grand jury prize at the Mumbai Film Festival in October...
The festival highlights various cinemas of India’s different regions – Marathi, Bengali and two films from the Northeast. In addition the festival covers cinemas from the neighboring South Asian countries – four films by Pakistani filmmakers, two from Sri Lanka – a feature and a documentary, and one from Nepal.
The festival’s Marathi films include Postcard and multiple-award winning films Astu and Fandry. Directed by Nagraj Manjule, Fandry received rave reviews in India, winning the grand jury prize at the Mumbai Film Festival in October...
- 4/10/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
New York, March 18: The 14th Annual New York Indian Film Festival will put the spotlight on British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha to celebrate the 20 year anniversary of her acclaimed film "Bhaji On The Beach".
The six-day festivities at the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America from May 5-10 will also include a retrospective of the filmmaker's documentaries, according to the Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac).
After a star-studded opening night red carpet premiere at the Skirball Centre for Performing Arts, festival screenings, centrepiece, retrospective and special events will take.
The six-day festivities at the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America from May 5-10 will also include a retrospective of the filmmaker's documentaries, according to the Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac).
After a star-studded opening night red carpet premiere at the Skirball Centre for Performing Arts, festival screenings, centrepiece, retrospective and special events will take.
- 3/18/2014
- by Meeta Kabra
- RealBollywood.com
The Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac) continues its annual tradition with its signature program of the year and announced that the 14th Annual New York Indian Film Festival, the oldest and most prestigious film festival for Indian cinema in North America, will be held May 5 – May 10, 2014 in New York City. Nyiff will kick off its six day long festivities with a star-studded Opening Night red carpet premiere, which will take place at the Skirball Center for Performing Arts. Festival screenings, centerpiece, retrospectives and special events will take place throughout the week at the Village East Cinemas (2nd Ave @12th St NYC), with the Closing Night selection to be followed by the annual awards ceremony and after-party at Skirball Center for Performing Arts. Final film selections will be announced by early April with tickets going on sale on April 15.
This year’s festival will feature a Spotlight on British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha...
This year’s festival will feature a Spotlight on British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha...
- 3/17/2014
- by Stacey Yount
- Bollyspice
A still from Bhaji on the Beach
The 14th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff) will spotlight British filmmaker of Indian descent Gurinder Chadha and hold a Retrospective of her documentaries.
Chadha will be in attendance at the screening of her acclaimed film Bhaji on the Beach on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The film is about a group of women of Indian descent who take a trip together from their home in Birmingham, England to the beach resort of Blackpool. The women vary in ages from mid-teens to old, and initially have little in common. But the events of the day lead them to better mutual understanding and solidarity.
Festival Director Aseem Chhabra said, “I have been a fan of Gurinder Chadha since I saw her “Bhaji on the Beach” 20 years ago in New York City. Soon after I discovered her four documentaries, made while she was a journalist.
The 14th edition of the New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff) will spotlight British filmmaker of Indian descent Gurinder Chadha and hold a Retrospective of her documentaries.
Chadha will be in attendance at the screening of her acclaimed film Bhaji on the Beach on the occasion of its 20th anniversary. The film is about a group of women of Indian descent who take a trip together from their home in Birmingham, England to the beach resort of Blackpool. The women vary in ages from mid-teens to old, and initially have little in common. But the events of the day lead them to better mutual understanding and solidarity.
Festival Director Aseem Chhabra said, “I have been a fan of Gurinder Chadha since I saw her “Bhaji on the Beach” 20 years ago in New York City. Soon after I discovered her four documentaries, made while she was a journalist.
- 3/14/2014
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
The British filmmaker will be the subject of a Spotlight retrospective at the 14th Annual New York Indian Film Festival, set to run from May 5-10 in New York.
The Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac) made the announcement as Chadha prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bhaji On The Beach.
Films in the Gurinder Chadha Documentary Retrospective co-presented by Third World Newsreel include Acting Our Age, I’m British But…, A Nice Arrangement and What Do You Call An Indian Woman Who Is Funny?
“Our 14th Annual Nyiff is very much a part of the Iaac’s 15th Anniversary Celebrations that were kicked off with a bang in November 2013,” said Iaac executive director Aroon Shivdasani.
“Nyiff is the Iaac’s flagship event and this year’s programming reflects the amazing range and quality of films screened at this festival. Gurinder Chadha is one of three ‘Bhanji Brigade’ (coined by Mira Nair) super star diaspora women filmmakers – the other...
The Indo-American Arts Council (Iaac) made the announcement as Chadha prepares to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Bhaji On The Beach.
Films in the Gurinder Chadha Documentary Retrospective co-presented by Third World Newsreel include Acting Our Age, I’m British But…, A Nice Arrangement and What Do You Call An Indian Woman Who Is Funny?
“Our 14th Annual Nyiff is very much a part of the Iaac’s 15th Anniversary Celebrations that were kicked off with a bang in November 2013,” said Iaac executive director Aroon Shivdasani.
“Nyiff is the Iaac’s flagship event and this year’s programming reflects the amazing range and quality of films screened at this festival. Gurinder Chadha is one of three ‘Bhanji Brigade’ (coined by Mira Nair) super star diaspora women filmmakers – the other...
- 3/12/2014
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
London’s Birds Eye View Film Festival will include 10 UK premieres and titles from Girls star Lena Dunham and Kelly Reichardt.
The Birds Eye View Film Festival (April 8-13), celebrating women’s work in film, has revealed details of its 2014 programme including works by British director Destiny Ekaragha and Laura Checkoway to films by Lena Dunham and Kelly Reichardt.
The festival will also celebrate inspiring female filmmakers and actors of recent times including the late pioneering animator Joy Batchelor, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch and award-winning British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha.
The festival will comprise 19 features including 10 UK premieres such as German director Katrin Gebbe’s debut Nothing Bad Can Happen and the London premiere of Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky’s Watermark, the follow-up to their 2006 documentary hit Manufactured Landscapes.
The programme also includes an American Indie strand featuring Kelly Reichardt’s thriller Night Moves starring Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning; Chiemi Karasawa’s documentary Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me; and the...
The Birds Eye View Film Festival (April 8-13), celebrating women’s work in film, has revealed details of its 2014 programme including works by British director Destiny Ekaragha and Laura Checkoway to films by Lena Dunham and Kelly Reichardt.
The festival will also celebrate inspiring female filmmakers and actors of recent times including the late pioneering animator Joy Batchelor, Broadway legend Elaine Stritch and award-winning British filmmaker Gurinder Chadha.
The festival will comprise 19 features including 10 UK premieres such as German director Katrin Gebbe’s debut Nothing Bad Can Happen and the London premiere of Jennifer Baichwal and Edward Burtynsky’s Watermark, the follow-up to their 2006 documentary hit Manufactured Landscapes.
The programme also includes an American Indie strand featuring Kelly Reichardt’s thriller Night Moves starring Jesse Eisenberg and Dakota Fanning; Chiemi Karasawa’s documentary Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me; and the...
- 3/10/2014
- by michael.rosser@screendaily.com (Michael Rosser)
- ScreenDaily
Tongues on Fire, the annual Asian film festival celebrating women in film and Asian Circle, a network of professional women that work to support vulnerable Asian women in South Asia have come together to mark this year’s International Women’s Day with a special screening of Gurinder Chadha’s highly acclaimed debut film Bhaji on the Beach.
The event to be held at Soas on Monday 10th March will see the film’s writer Meera Syal mark the film’s 20th anniversary, with all proceeds from the event being donated to Oxfam Projects in India to help end violence against women. The event will be hosted by Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Culture and Cinema at Soas. It will be introduced by Pushpinder Chowdhry, Director of Tongues on Fire and Santosh Bhanot, Chair of Asian Circle. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Syal, actor Shaheen Khan...
The event to be held at Soas on Monday 10th March will see the film’s writer Meera Syal mark the film’s 20th anniversary, with all proceeds from the event being donated to Oxfam Projects in India to help end violence against women. The event will be hosted by Rachel Dwyer, Professor of Indian Culture and Cinema at Soas. It will be introduced by Pushpinder Chowdhry, Director of Tongues on Fire and Santosh Bhanot, Chair of Asian Circle. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Syal, actor Shaheen Khan...
- 2/26/2014
- by Press Releases
- Bollyspice
Nana Ekvtimishvili’s and Simon Groß’s award-winning feature to receive its UK premiere, as will Lola Bessis and Ruben Amar’s Swim Little Fish Swim as this year’s closing film.
In Bloom will receive its UK premiere as the opening film of the tenth Birds Eye View Film Festival.
Nana Ekvtimishvili & Simon Groß’s award-winning Georgian feature will open the festival on April 8, while Lola Bessis & Ruben Amar’s family drama Swim Little Fish Swim will also receive its UK premiere as the festival’s closing film on April 13.
With the full programme to be announced in February, this year’s edition will also feature a 20th anniversary screening of Gurinder Chadha’s Bhaji on the Beach on April 12, with Chadha in attendance.
The festival has also revealed that Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s Wonder Women!, a film which traces the birth, evolution and legacy of the Wonder Woman figure, will be its...
In Bloom will receive its UK premiere as the opening film of the tenth Birds Eye View Film Festival.
Nana Ekvtimishvili & Simon Groß’s award-winning Georgian feature will open the festival on April 8, while Lola Bessis & Ruben Amar’s family drama Swim Little Fish Swim will also receive its UK premiere as the festival’s closing film on April 13.
With the full programme to be announced in February, this year’s edition will also feature a 20th anniversary screening of Gurinder Chadha’s Bhaji on the Beach on April 12, with Chadha in attendance.
The festival has also revealed that Kristy Guevara-Flanagan’s Wonder Women!, a film which traces the birth, evolution and legacy of the Wonder Woman figure, will be its...
- 1/24/2014
- by ian.sandwell@screendaily.com (Ian Sandwell)
- ScreenDaily
Odd List Simon Brew 20 Sep 2013 - 07:14
They don't make funny movies any more, right? Wrong. If you're looking for a laugh, then here are some you may have missed...
For this list, blame The Hangover Part III. It was whilst walking out of that film that I got into a chat with someone, who was bemoaning the lack of genuinely funny movie comedies. Certainly, big budget Hollywood comedies have no end of problems right now - with the occasional exception - but I couldn't help thinking of the many neglected gems that had gone through my DVD player over the past decade or so.
As such, I started to put this list together. It's inevitably subjective, as one person's comedy is another person's snore fest. But I've tried to dig out a mix of comedies from the past three decades that have either flown under the radar completely, or...
They don't make funny movies any more, right? Wrong. If you're looking for a laugh, then here are some you may have missed...
For this list, blame The Hangover Part III. It was whilst walking out of that film that I got into a chat with someone, who was bemoaning the lack of genuinely funny movie comedies. Certainly, big budget Hollywood comedies have no end of problems right now - with the occasional exception - but I couldn't help thinking of the many neglected gems that had gone through my DVD player over the past decade or so.
As such, I started to put this list together. It's inevitably subjective, as one person's comedy is another person's snore fest. But I've tried to dig out a mix of comedies from the past three decades that have either flown under the radar completely, or...
- 9/19/2013
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Both aspiring and established screenwriters have three events lined up to look forward to: The Indian Screenwriters’ Conference, Nfdc’s Screenwriters’ Lab and a masterclass on screenwriting at Ficci Frames. The conference happens from February 25 to 27, the application deadline for the lab is March 1; and the master class will run from March 12-14.
Indian Screenwriters’ Conference:
The fast approaching 3rd Indian Screenwriters’ Conference is a three- day journey into the current trends of film and television writing organised by the Film Writers’ Association (Fwa), Mumbai. The conference will be held at St. Andrews Auditorium, Bandra.
With an estimated attendance of 850 screenwriters and writer-directors, the ‘soul searching’ conference will see some very prominent people from the industry: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar, Gulzar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Anurag Basu, Rakeysh Mehra, Govind Nihalani, Sriram Raghavan, Sudhir Mishra, Amit Khanna, Vipul Shah, Jabbar Patel, Vikramaditya Motwani, Bejoy Nambiar, Abbas Tyrewala, Amole Gupte, Habib Faisal, Navdeep Singh,...
Indian Screenwriters’ Conference:
The fast approaching 3rd Indian Screenwriters’ Conference is a three- day journey into the current trends of film and television writing organised by the Film Writers’ Association (Fwa), Mumbai. The conference will be held at St. Andrews Auditorium, Bandra.
With an estimated attendance of 850 screenwriters and writer-directors, the ‘soul searching’ conference will see some very prominent people from the industry: Salim Khan, Javed Akhtar, Gulzar, Ashutosh Gowariker, Anurag Basu, Rakeysh Mehra, Govind Nihalani, Sriram Raghavan, Sudhir Mishra, Amit Khanna, Vipul Shah, Jabbar Patel, Vikramaditya Motwani, Bejoy Nambiar, Abbas Tyrewala, Amole Gupte, Habib Faisal, Navdeep Singh,...
- 2/18/2013
- by Editorial Team
- DearCinema.com
It is Zohra Sehgal's inspiring journey as a theatre, film and TV artiste, that makes her birth centenary so special There are not many who have the privilege of Amitabh Bachchan pulling a chair for them. Zohra Sehgal is one of those few," filmmaker R Balki says with a laugh. "Each time Zohraji came on the sets of 'Cheeni Kum', Mr Bachchan would stand up, first greet her and then pull a chair for her to sit," says the adman-turned-director and adds that Sehgal's mesmerising inner beauty makes her his most favourite woman. This grand old lady - famous for her vivaciousness and enthusiasm - will turn 100 on April 27. Sehgal currently resides in Delhi with her daughter, Kiran Sehgal, and, as her friends say, the sprightly actor's zest for life is still intact. Though the present generation is familiar with Sehgal, mainly through her sporadic movie appearances,...
- 4/30/2012
- by Screen Weekly
- BollywoodHungama
Philip French speaks to Ridley Scott, Ken Russell, Gurinder Chadha, Shane Meadows and Stephen Frears about their debut pictures and detects the styles of the then-fledgling auteurs
Do artists discover a personal style and develop their themes gradually or are these to be found in embryonic form in their earliest works? There's no easy answer to this dual question. Take, for example, Ken Russell's Amelia and the Angel (1957), Ridley Scott's Boy and Bicycle (1965), Stephen Frears's The Burning (1967), Gurinder Chadha's I'm British But… (1989) and Shane Meadows's Where's the Money, Ronnie? (1995). All were made on shoestring budgets and each lasts less than half an hour.
First, presented with the directors' names and the credits concealed, would you be able to match up film and film-maker? I think most moviegoers could, which suggests there is something in these first movies that we would now recognise as characteristic. Second,...
Do artists discover a personal style and develop their themes gradually or are these to be found in embryonic form in their earliest works? There's no easy answer to this dual question. Take, for example, Ken Russell's Amelia and the Angel (1957), Ridley Scott's Boy and Bicycle (1965), Stephen Frears's The Burning (1967), Gurinder Chadha's I'm British But… (1989) and Shane Meadows's Where's the Money, Ronnie? (1995). All were made on shoestring budgets and each lasts less than half an hour.
First, presented with the directors' names and the credits concealed, would you be able to match up film and film-maker? I think most moviegoers could, which suggests there is something in these first movies that we would now recognise as characteristic. Second,...
- 9/25/2010
- by Philip French
- The Guardian - Film News
Looks like we might be jammin' soon, mon. According to Deadline, another Bob Marley biopic is in the works. I've never been a huge fan of Marley but I am curious about his life. Although it sounds like a good idea there's one hiccup that could ground this plane before it ever takes off.Deadline has more:Ash’s feature will concentrate on the year Marley spent living in London in 1977. This was a crucial year for Marley. He’d fled Jamaica after an attempt was made on his life; the year ended with him sustaining a soccer injury which eventually triggered full-blown cancer. It was the year of punk rock; in London Marley hung out with the Sex Pistols. It was also the year of his legendary Rainbow Theatre gig. Crucially, he also started an affair with Jamaican beauty queen Cindy Breakspeare, who had just been crowned Miss World. Ash...
- 8/21/2010
- LRMonline.com
Exclusive: Jenny Ash, the UK director who has been nominated for an Emmy for America – The Story of Us, is developing a biopic of reggae legend Bob Marley. Ash’s feature will concentrate on the year Marley spent living in London in 1977. This was a crucial year for Marley. He’d fled Jamaica after an attempt was made on his life; the year ended with him sustaining a soccer injury which eventually triggered full-blown cancer. It was the year of punk rock; in London Marley hung out with the Sex Pistols. It was also the year of his legendary Rainbow Theatre gig. Crucially, he also started an affair with Jamaican beauty queen Cindy Breakspeare, who had just been crowned Miss World. Ash tells me she sees the biopic as a love triangle between Marley, his wife Rita and Breakspeare, whom Ash has spent time with in Jamaica. “There’s never...
- 8/18/2010
- by TIM ADLER
- Deadline London
Ian Hart is outstanding in A Boy Called Dad, but the darkly comic Perrier's Bounty is hamstrung by its awful title, writes Mark Kermode
Nine years ago, writer Julie Rutterford and director Brian Percival made the affecting short film About a Girl (think Fish Tank meets The Fast Show with a tragic sting in the tale), which went on to win several prestigious awards including a best short Bafta. Having featured on the excellent Cinema 16 collection, About a Girl now resurfaces as one of the DVD extras accompanying Percival and Rutterford's long-awaited first feature, A Boy Called Dad (2009, Kaleidoscope, 15). Talented and confident newcomer Kyle Ward stars as the eponymous baby-father Robbie, an untrammelled 14-year-old whose own errant father Joe has yet to learn the true responsibilities of adulthood. As Joe, Ian Hart brings an effortless sense of conviction to the screen; few actors can convey such conflicted character traits (strength and weakness,...
Nine years ago, writer Julie Rutterford and director Brian Percival made the affecting short film About a Girl (think Fish Tank meets The Fast Show with a tragic sting in the tale), which went on to win several prestigious awards including a best short Bafta. Having featured on the excellent Cinema 16 collection, About a Girl now resurfaces as one of the DVD extras accompanying Percival and Rutterford's long-awaited first feature, A Boy Called Dad (2009, Kaleidoscope, 15). Talented and confident newcomer Kyle Ward stars as the eponymous baby-father Robbie, an untrammelled 14-year-old whose own errant father Joe has yet to learn the true responsibilities of adulthood. As Joe, Ian Hart brings an effortless sense of conviction to the screen; few actors can convey such conflicted character traits (strength and weakness,...
- 8/14/2010
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
British-Indian filmmaker Gurinder Chadha is known to challenge the stereotypes in cinema with her unusual portrayals of characters in films such as "Bhaji on the Beach" and "Bend it like Beckham." She does it with élan and a lot of commercial success. Therefore, not many eyebrows are being raised at her next offering, "It's A Wonderful Afterlife," which opens in theatres across India on Friday.
It is evident from the promos that have been doing the rounds on television that the movie is about an overweight British girl of Indian origin, whose mother just wants to see her get married. At the heart of this film is the Indian obsession with marriage but Gurinder has dealt with it in a light-hearted manner, somewhat like the "Ealing" comedies, those lightly satirical movies from the post-World War II era that depicted the British society of those times. Then there are ghosts too,...
It is evident from the promos that have been doing the rounds on television that the movie is about an overweight British girl of Indian origin, whose mother just wants to see her get married. At the heart of this film is the Indian obsession with marriage but Gurinder has dealt with it in a light-hearted manner, somewhat like the "Ealing" comedies, those lightly satirical movies from the post-World War II era that depicted the British society of those times. Then there are ghosts too,...
- 5/6/2010
- icelebz.com
Up the Junction by Peter Collinson (1968)
I could say Tokyo Story, or It's a Wonderful Life, or Bicycle Thieves, all films that I rate, but which I have learned to rate as an adult. The one film that absolutely changed and informed me as a child, though, was Up the Junction, directed by Peter Collinson and based on an earlier TV version by Ken Loach. I saw it on telly on a Saturday afternoon when I was about nine. At the time, I didn't know it was going to be an important film but it has stayed with me for 40 years.
It's about a rich girl from the Chelsea set of the 60s, who decides to give that up and live in Battersea, a poorer part of London, where Dennis Waterman becomes her boyfriend. She cuts her Lulu-style hair and starts looking like the working-class girls.
I remember being fascinated by the class differences.
I could say Tokyo Story, or It's a Wonderful Life, or Bicycle Thieves, all films that I rate, but which I have learned to rate as an adult. The one film that absolutely changed and informed me as a child, though, was Up the Junction, directed by Peter Collinson and based on an earlier TV version by Ken Loach. I saw it on telly on a Saturday afternoon when I was about nine. At the time, I didn't know it was going to be an important film but it has stayed with me for 40 years.
It's about a rich girl from the Chelsea set of the 60s, who decides to give that up and live in Battersea, a poorer part of London, where Dennis Waterman becomes her boyfriend. She cuts her Lulu-style hair and starts looking like the working-class girls.
I remember being fascinated by the class differences.
- 5/1/2010
- The Guardian - Film News
Gurinder Chadha’s films are rich and exuberant slices of life; from the trials of Jules et Jess in Bend it Like Beckham and her early collaboration with Meera Syal in Bhaji on the Beach to the recent Bollywoodisation of Austen in Bride and Prejudice she has a vibrant quality which is an essential part of her work on the big screen.
Her new film takes the ebullience that is her trademark and injects a poisonous streak of serial murder in It’s a Wonderful Afterlife. Premiering at Sundance next year the tale of a marriage obsessed mother and her daughter pulls in some great talent in Shabana Azmi, Sally Hawkins, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Jimi Mistri.
The trailer is below, enjoy it in the post Christmas haze. The film is out in the UK on the 2nd of April 2010.
Her new film takes the ebullience that is her trademark and injects a poisonous streak of serial murder in It’s a Wonderful Afterlife. Premiering at Sundance next year the tale of a marriage obsessed mother and her daughter pulls in some great talent in Shabana Azmi, Sally Hawkins, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Jimi Mistri.
The trailer is below, enjoy it in the post Christmas haze. The film is out in the UK on the 2nd of April 2010.
- 12/26/2009
- by Jon Lyus
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Gurinder Chadha arrived in India to visit Goa this week, but she wasn't there just for the scenery. "Yeah, it's lovely here in Goa, and it feels nice. But I am more interested in how Indian audiences view what I do and how I do it." The perfect means for getting that feedback, the International Film Festival of India, is hosting a retrospective of Gurinder's Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice, and Bhaji on the Beach.
Gurinder has long been known as a Hindi film fan - her Bride and Prejudice was an affectionate ode to the movies she grew up watching. However, the Punjabi-descended director once again proved Bollywood's universal appeal when she admitted she is not fluent in Hindi.
Fans of all linguistic persuasions will be happy to hear the writer-director has no intention of resting on her laurels. Her next film, It's A Wonderful Afterlife -...
Gurinder has long been known as a Hindi film fan - her Bride and Prejudice was an affectionate ode to the movies she grew up watching. However, the Punjabi-descended director once again proved Bollywood's universal appeal when she admitted she is not fluent in Hindi.
Fans of all linguistic persuasions will be happy to hear the writer-director has no intention of resting on her laurels. Her next film, It's A Wonderful Afterlife -...
- 11/27/2009
- Bollyspice
The Indian Film Company (Tifc) and Bend It Films have entered into a strategic partnership to produce Gurinder Chadha's next feature, It's A Wonderful Afterlife. The shoot of the film will taking off on 28th March, 2009 in London. The co-producers will enjoy global revenues in perpetuity. It's A Wonderful Afterlife is a Tifc and Bend It Films presentation in association with Studio 18, and is slated for a worldwide release in early 2010. The announcement was made today by CEO - Tifc, Sandeep Bhargava, and Director - Bend It Films, Gurinder Chadha. With this announcement, Tifc becomes the only Indian company to have forged a partnership with both the top cross-cultural directors - Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay of Afterlife is written by Gurinder and her husband Paul Mayeda Berges. London-based world sales outfit, Hanway Films, is handling overseas sales for the movie, while Tifc is releasing it...
- 3/2/2009
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
The Indian Film Company (Tifc) and Bend It Films have entered into a strategic partnership to produce Gurinder Chadha's next feature, It's A Wonderful Afterlife. The shoot of the film will taking off on 28th March, 2009 in London. The co-producers will enjoy global revenues in perpetuity. It's A Wonderful Afterlife is a Tifc and Bend It Films presentation in association with Studio 18, and is slated for a worldwide release in early 2010. The announcement was made today by CEO - Tifc, Sandeep Bhargava, and Director - Bend It Films, Gurinder Chadha. With this announcement, Tifc becomes the only Indian company to have forged a partnership with both the top cross-cultural directors - Mira Nair and Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay of Afterlife is written by Gurinder and her husband Paul Mayeda Berges. London-based world sales outfit, Hanway Films, is handling overseas sales for the movie, while Tifc is releasing it...
- 3/2/2009
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
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