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Anupam Kher, Madhur Bhandarkar and others welcome Shyam Benegal-led new panel to revamp CBFC

[email protected] (Agencies)
January 3, 2016

Mumbai, Jan 3: "Good beginning to 2016", "Finally, HOPE", "The best decision" and "Welcome move" are some of the expressions that the members of the film fraternity like Madhur Bhandarkar, Anupam Kher, Kabir Bedi and Rahul Dholakia used to hail the decision by the government to form a committee headed by acclaimed filmmaker Shyam Benegal to revamp Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC).

ShyamBenegal was on Friday appointed to lead a committee to recommend a holistic framework for the country's film censor board and to suggest changes in the Cinematograph Act, so that artistic creativity and freedom are not curtailed.

The committee has been formed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention in the growing issue related to the CBFC.

Bhandarkar, who frames the truth of the society into his films like 'Page 3', 'Fashion' or 'Calendar Girls', tweeted: "Welcome move by @PMOIndia and @arunjaitley ji to appoint noted film maker #ShyamBenegal ji as head of Censor Board revamp panel.#CBFC".

Benegal is a Dadasaheb Phalke Award winner, and is credited with films like 'Ankur' (1973), 'Nishant' (1975), 'Manthan' (1976) and 'Bhumika' (1977).

Dholakia, who is caught up with work on 'Raees' starring Shah Rukh Khan and marks debut of Pakistani actress Mahira Khan in Bollywood, said that 2016 has started on a good note.

He shared: "The censor board to be manthanized by #ShyamBenegal! Good beginning to 2016".

Kabir welcomed the 'good news' by saying that with the appointment comes a ray of hope towards breaking out of the shackles of the censor board. Anupam Kher also called the move as 'the best decision'.

The country's censor board has often faced flak from the society for running its invisible scissors from issuing diktat of cutting short a kissing scene of James Bond film 'Spectre'.

The 'Tum Bin' director Anubhav Sinha wished Benegal luck for his new endevour. He posted: "My best wishes to Shyam Babu. I suspect he will eventually have to deal with Hindutva and Sanskar both."

Filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri thinks that the move should not be co-joined with politics, as it only aims to do good for showbiz. He said: "CensorRevamp panel is not a committee. It's to abolish censorship. Forget Modi, it's good for us".

Actress and BJP member Vani Tripathi Tikoo feels "Artistic creativity and freedom should not get curtailed, people tasked with the work of certification should understand these nuances #CBFC", while filmmaker Ashoke Pandit also lauded the decision.

'Wazir' director Bejoy Nambiar has also hailed the decision.

"I think that's a great decision. Benegal sir is someone we all look up to as a filmmaker, I know that having him revamp the board itself is a big step in the right way and the right direction," Nambiar said.

"I'm really looking forward to things changing because it's high time we take the censor board a bit more seriously than the way it's been handled in the last couple of months. I'm really forward to what will happen in the future," he added.

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News Network
May 30,2020

Mumbai, May 30: Actor Vaani Kapoor on Saturday said she will go on a virtual date with five people as part of an initiative to raise money for daily wage earners, who have been affected due to the nationwide lockdown implemented to rein in coronavirus.

Vaani has teamed up with actor Arjun Kapoor's sister Anshula Kapoor’s online fundraising platform, Fankind, to raise funds for daily wage workers.

Vaani and Fankind have come together to provide five of her fans a chance to go on a virtual date with her - by donating to provide food to daily wage workers.

“As human beings, we will need to come forward and support as many people as possible in need due to the coronavirus pandemic in our country. I’m doing my bit to support the daily wage earners of our country and their families who are in dire situations given the lockdown.

“My activity, in which five lucky winners can have a virtual date with me, will see us collect funds to help feed them and their families across the country," Vaani said in a statement.

Earlier, Arjun too supported the initiative to help daily wage earners.

According to the press release, the funds will go to GiveIndia, a non-profit organisation, which will provide hot cooked meals to wage earners and their families. Each meal costs Rs 30 and will be delivered in various areas of Maharashtra, Bangalore, and Chennai.

A.T.E. Chandra Foundation has also come on board and will be adding 25 percent of the total donation value collected as a matching amount, thereby multiplying the impact, the release said.

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Agencies
August 4,2020

New York, Aug 4: National Award-winning documentary "Son Rise" and Geetu Mohandas-directed "Moothon" were among the films that took home the big honours at the 20th New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF), which switched to a virtual edition this year amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

Over 45 feature-length narratives, shorts and documentaries from the Indian subcontinent were showcased at the festival’s virtual edition that ran for 10 days beginning July 24.

The films programmed were in various languages including Assamese, Bengali, Haryanvi, Hindi, English, Ladakhi, Maithili, Malayalam, Marathi, Nepali and Tamil.

The award ceremony for the festival was held virtually Sunday, with the filmmakers, cast, award winners and festival officials joining from across India and the US.

The award for the Best Documentary (Short) went to Saurav Vishnu-directed "Tailing Pond", which highlights the "horrifying effects of uranium extraction on the health of the indigenous population" of Jadugoda, Jharkhand.

"Son Rise" by Vibha Bakshi won the award for Best Documentary (Feature).

The documentary had won the National Award for the Best non-feature film in 2019 and was among the two centrepieces hosted by the festival this year. NYIFF called "Son Rise" “a powerful documentary about patriarchy in Haryana and efforts by a few good men to bring meaningful change in the society.”

The award for Best Short (Narrative) went to Sanat Ganu's "Arabian Nights". The narrative focuses on a child, his imaginary friend and a family that attends a conference where the attendees believe the earth is flat.

Director and scriptwriter Sudhanshu Saria accepted the award for Best Screenplay for "Knock Knock Knock". Saria’s screenplay “explores the lonely life of a man, an unlikely friendship that may or may not be real.”

Sanjana Dipu won the award for Best Child Actor for "Moothon" for her performance of a teenager in search of a brother.

Garggi Ananthan won the Best Actress award for her role as Kalyani in the film "Run Kalyani" and the Best Actor award went to Malayalam star Nivin Pauly for "Moothon". The award for the Best Director went to 23-year old Achal Mishra for "Gamak Ghar".

"Moothon" won the award for Best Film and its director Mohandas accepted the award for the film, which is "about love and loss that travels from the quiet, lush beaches of Lakshadweep to the mad hustle-bustle of the streets of Mumbai."

Produced by award-winning Indian film director and writer Anurag Kashyap, "Moothon" had premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival.

NYIFF festival director Aseem Chhabra said that the process of searching for films for the festival began last fall and they were ready to showcase them to audiences in New York in April but had to change plans for the festival due to the pandemic.

"I know the best way to enjoy films is in a theatre with the audience and have live interactions, conversations. But the virtual festival is the next best option and in the process, we have been able to reach out to a much larger audience in the US, North America as well in several other countries.”

NYIFF said that a virtual edition expanded the reach of the festival and audiences from 95 countries were able to access and view the films.

Dr Nirmal Mattoo, Chairman of the Indo-American Arts Council, co-founder and owner of Atlantic Dialysis Management services, the largest private dialysis provider in New York State, said NYIFF works with an independent jury - filmmakers, film professors, writers and critics.

Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC), the leading cultural organisation, presents the festival.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has forced the closure of theatres but we believe that in such trying times arts, including films are even more important for the community’s well-being. So, this year we have decided to bring the films directly into your living rooms.” IAAC Vice-Chairman Rakesh Kaul had said.

The New York Indian Film Festival is the oldest Indian film event in North America. Over the years, the festival has held New York premieres of a wide range of films, many of them critically acclaimed, including "Monsoon Wedding", "The Namesake", "Slumdog Millionaire", "Shahid", "Dum Laga Ke Haisha" and "Gangs of Wasseypur". 

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News Network
February 24,2020

New Delhi, Feb 24: Indian Idol 11 winner is Bhatinda's Sunny Hindustani. Sunny, who mostly sang Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan's songs on the show, won the coveted trophy. The Bhatinda boy took home the Indian Idol 11 trophy along with the prize money of Rs 25 lakh, a car and a singing contract with T-Series.

Sunny's entry on the show was much-talked-about. His soul-soothing voice had mesmerised the judges on the audition day itself as he sang Afreen Afreen. He got a standing ovation and former Indian Idol 11 judge Anu Malik even said that he felt as if Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan himself was performing on the Indian Idol stage. His audition video had gone viral after Anand Mahindra shared it on social media.

On the finale night, Sunny sang a medley of songs, which included Mere Rashke Qamar and Halka Halka Suroor. Ayushmann got emotional seeing Sunny's journey on screen. He said, "Hum na actor bade self-obsessed hote hain. Humein lagta hai hamari struggle sabse achchi hai, sabse badi hai. Inke saamne toh kuch hai he nahi. Jahaan se aye hai, jitna hunar inke paas hai...mujhe lagta hai inki maa sabse ameer hain."

The first and second runner-up of the show Rohit Raut and Ankona Mukherjee got Rs 5 lakh each, while Ridham Kalyan and Adriz Ghosh who were fourth and fifth on the show, took Rs 3 lakh home. Every finalist also received Rs 1 lakh cheque from Lotus Herbals and gift hampers from the sponsors.

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