At the annual San Diego Comic-Con, Vyjayanthi Movies revealed the first look teaser for Kalki 2898-AD, originally titled Project K,the sci-fi epic film billed as India’s most ambitious cinematic universe yet with the captivating storytelling, futuristic setting, and “Spice Punk” aesthetic inspired by the film..
Filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli (Baahubali 1 & 2, Eega)’s epic action drama, RRR (Rise, Roar, Revolt), will get a “last chance” theatrical re-release in select theaters across the US for one night only on Wednesday, June 1st.
Indian actor Rishi Kapoor, best known for playing romantic leading roles in Bollywood movies died on Thursday after a two-year battle with leukemia, his family said. He was 67.
The theatrical trailer premiered for the new Bollywood film Mission Mangal which is based on the incredible true story of the women and men behind India’s space mission to Mars. It opens in theaters in top markets all across North America on India’s Independence Day – August 15.
“5 Weddings,” by Indian female director Namrata Singh Gujral follows an American journalist who travels to “heartland India” to cover the five main ceremonies at Indian weddings, only to end up fascinated with the transgender dancers (Hijras) who typically dance at these colorful celebrations. Complications arise when she falls in love with her shadow cop whose instructions are to keep her story censored.
The film will open theatrically around the globe on October 26th, 2018 beginning in the USA with Los Angeles, CA, New York, NY, Chicago, IL and Cambridge, MA, among others in the U.S., and internationally (in 15 countries and multiple languages) including: Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Russia, Poland, Indie, Pakistan,Singapore, China, Australia, New Zealand, Fiki, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and the Ivory Coast, with many more locations to follow after this worldwide launch date.
“5 Weddings” is described as an enthralling narrative of cultural clashes, transgender tangles and lost love along the heartfelt journey of life, symbolized by the universal ups and downs of a wedding celebration. “5 Weddings” is a feature film with comedy, drama and romance that showcases the vibrant ceremonies at India’s weddings, with a very important sub plot that features Hijras, a sect of transgender dancers who have been an integral part of Indian wedding tradition for centuries. Gujral, long ahead of the trans-casting debate that now features prominently in Hollywood, always knew she wanted to cast authentically for a community that has so often been swept aside and underserved in every culture —casting trans actors as trans characters in India.
In the vein of “The 100 Foot Journey,” “Monsoon Wedding” and “Bride and Prejudice,” this film is helmed by Namrata Singh Gujral (“1 a Minute”), an Indian American filmmaker with a penchant for cause projects. Boasting a universally acclaimed cast with Rajkummar Rao (India’s official entry to Academy Awards 2018 “Newton”), Nargis Fakhri (Bollywood blockbuster “Rockstar”), Oscar nominee Candy Clark (“American Graffiti”) and Golden Globe nominee Bo Derek (“10″), “5 Weddings” opens in cinemas worldwide on September 21st, 2018. Other Hollywood star cast includes Broadway star Anneliese van der Pol (“Beauty and The Beast”), Mariana Paola Vicente (“The Lucky Man,” “Miss Universe 2010”), Robert Palmer Watkins (“General Hospital”), Dawn Richard (“Danity Kane”) and Rupak Ginn (“Royal Pains”). Also starring from India are Suvinder Vicky (“Chauthi Koot” Un Certain Regard Cannes 2015), Shiwani Saini (“Sarbjit”), Saru Maini (“Dangerous Husn”) and Diljott (“Teshan”).
This film marks second Hollywood projects for both Fakhri and Rao. Fakhri was earlier seen in the Melissa McCarthy film “Spy” and Rao will be seen in the Freida Pinto film “Love Sonia.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gN7AeJ-mEIA
After directing two of the highest grossing Bollywood movies of all-time (3 Idiots and P.K.), award-winning filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani returns with the epic biopic SANJU staring Ranbir Kapoor as cinema legend Sanjay Dutt (nicknamed “Sanju” by his legions of fans). The theatrical trailer has made its world premiere and has already been viewed nearly 30 million times on YouTube and Facebook after only one day. SANJU opens day and date worldwide on June 29.
SYNOPSIS: Few lives in our times are as dramatic and enigmatic as the saga of Sanjay Dutt. Coming from a family of cinema legends, he himself became a film star, and then saw dizzying heights and darkest depths: adulation of diehard fans, unending battles with various addictions, brushes with the underworld, prison terms, loss of loved ones, and the haunting speculation that he might or might not be a terrorist. Sanju is in turns a hilarious and heartbreaking exploration of one man’s battle against his own wild self and the formidable external forces trying to crush him. It depicts the journey of a man through everything that life can throw at him. Some true stories leave you thinking “did this really happen?” This is one such unbelievable story that happens to be true.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1J76wN0TPI4
“King of Bollywood” Shah Rukh Khan[/caption]
“King of Bollywood” Shah Rukh Khan will be honored at the 60th San Francisco International Film Festival with a special onstage tribute and screening of “My Name Is Khan”.
An intimate conversation with the actor, producer, and humanitarian exploring his unique balance between commercially-minded cinema and artistic values will be moderated by famed director and producer Brett Ratner. The onstage tribute will take place Friday, April 14, 8:30 pm at the Castro Theatre, and will be followed by a screening of Karan Johar’s 2013 film My Name is Khan in which Khan offers an unforgettable performance.
Often referred to as the “King of Bollywood,” Shah Rukh Khan is an internationally renowned actor and producer. In a career spanning over 30 years, Khan has acted in over 70 Hindi films and won 14 Filmfare Awards—for excellence in cinematic achievements in the Hindi language film industry—from 30 nominations. In 2005 he was the recipient of India’s second highest civilian award, the Padma Shri, in recognition of his distinguished contributions to Indian cinema, and in 2014 he was the recipient of France’s highest civilian award, the Knight of the Legion of Honour, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to cultural diversity across the world.
One of India’s most successful movie stars, Khan’s cultural influence extends far beyond his home country. Eleven of the films he has starred in have accumulated worldwide gross earnings of over one billion dollars. His 2013 Bollywood-English-language crossover film, My Name Is Khan, earned enough in its opening weekend to become the highest-grossing Bollywood film in North America, a record previously set in 2007 by the film Om Shanti Om—which also featured Khan in the leading role.
In 2011, Khan was the first Indian citizen to be honored by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization with a special award—the Pyramide con Marni—for his charitable and social commitment towards providing education for children. Later that same year, Khan was appointed by the United Nations Office for Project Services as the first global ambassador to the Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council, which advocates for improved sanitation and hygiene for the most vulnerable and marginalized people around the world.
In 2008, Newsweek named Khan one of the 50 most powerful people in the world.
Brett Ratner, moderating the onstage conversation, is one of Hollywood’s most successful filmmakers and producers, whose films have grossed over $2 billion at the global box office. Ratner made his feature directorial debut with the action comedy hit Money Talks (1997) followed by the blockbuster hit Rush Hour (1998) and its successful sequels. Additional film directing credits include The Family Man (2000), Red Dragon (2002), After the Sunset (2004), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Tower Heist (2011), and Hercules (2014). In 2013, Ratner co-founded RatPac Entertainment—a film finance, production, and media company—which has co-financed over 75 films, including Gravity (2013), The Lego Movie (2014), American Sniper (2014), Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016), The Revenant (2015), and Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014). RatPac’s co-financed films have been nominated for 51 Academy Awards®, 20 Golden Globes® and 39 BAFTAs® and have won 21 Academy Awards®, 7 Golden Globes®, and 17 BAFTAs®.
This epic 2010 melodrama “My Name Is Khan” tackles the subject of post-9/11 prejudice in America, as seen through the eyes of Rizwan Khan (Shah Rukh Khan), a devout Muslim who ends up on a cross-country quest to meet the President after a devastating family tragedy. Adding a wrinkle to this story, which is told mostly in flashbacks, is the fact that Khan has Asperger’s syndrome, which means he has a unique way of looking at the world that colors his interactions with others. One person who’s able to see past his mannerisms is lovely single mother Mandira (Kajol), who happens to be Hindu, which causes some strife in Khan’s family. Nevertheless, they fall in love against the backdrop of a lovingly photographed San Francisco, complete with a sparkling wedding at the Palace of Fine Arts, although their road to happily-ever-after is a supremely bumpy one. My Name Is Khan’s bouncy musical numbers and underlying messages of tolerance, unconditional love, and truth-seeking are worth celebrating in these challenging times.
Angry Indian Goddesses “the first female Indian “buddy movie”” by Pan Nalin is the winner of the BNL People’s Choice Award at the 10th Rome Film Fest. Angry Indian Goddesses stars Sarah-Jane Dias, Rajshri Deshpande, Sandhya Mridul, Amrit Maghera, Pavleen Gujral, Anushka Manchanda, and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
In the film, Frieda, a fashion-commercial photographer trying to find her own art, gathers her closest girlfriends from all over India to travel to Goa for a surprise announcement: she is getting married! Thus begins an impromptu bachelorette celebration that lasts for a full week. A riotous roller-coaster ride of girl bonding; friendships, break ups, make ups, fuck ups, passion, devastation, hesitation, terrorization and self realization. Amidst the fun and frenzy, heartbreak and heartache, passion and obsession, youth and innocence, secrets tumble out, tensions emerge, bonds are formed and emotions run high. Soon events will take a more serious turn, but for the moment these women are determined to seize the day.
Director Pan Nalin states, “For years I longed to do a film with firebrand Indian women in lead roles, because shockingly 96% of female roles in Indian cinema portray the woman as an accessory, a decoration, or a lover, or playing a mother, or sister whose “izzat”(honour) the hero or “big bro” must protect. Alternatively, she is the ultimate ‘IT’ girl! Her male lead must have a gun and a female counterpart but the film caters to males: it must be a testosterone-driven film. Female roles are glamourized and there’s always a dance or ‘gaana’ (song). Of course, the glamour doesn’t dignify the woman and it’s still the guy’s movie!”
“Be it action, rom-com, thriller… the man must dominate more screen time, say the real lines and win the women over. Even the recent Bollywood buddy movies run high on male testosterone, as if women don’t “buddy” or connect with each other! As a filmmaker who loves women and everything feminine, I have been witnessing an outcry from Indian women for gender equality, respect and dignity. Thus, I was compelled to use their fury as my fuel to fire up the Angry Indian Goddesses!”
A self-taught filmmaker, Nalin was born in a remote village in Gujarat, India. He came into the global spotlight in 2001 with his debut feature film Samsara. The movie was a commercial and critical success worldwide and won over thirty awards. His multiple award-winning feature documentary Ayurveda: Art of Being was released in theatres worldwide and to date remains the highest grossing Indian documentary film. Nalin’s romantic epic Valley of Flowers, filmed in Japan and in the remote, high altitudes of the Himalayas, won Best Picture at IFFLA Los Angeles. His latest feature documentary, Faith Connections (2013) was an official selection at the Toronto International Film Festival (2013) and won the Audience Choice Award at the IFFLA Los Angeles. In 2014 Pan Nalin was included in The Better India’s prestigious list of “25 NRI Across The World Who Have Made India Proud”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=feRWnYXe0X4
Wedding planners and insomniacs come together for the outrageous new Bollywood comedy SHAANDAAR which opens in theaters worldwide today Thursday, October 22. Directed by Vikas Bahl (“Queen”), the quirky England-set film features A-listers Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt together for the first time and will release in over 130 theaters across North America including the AMC Empire in NYC.
A big fat “Shaandaar” Indian wedding, which is actually a business merger between two of the biggest business families of India, is happening at an exotic castle in Europe. Mrs. Kamla Arora, the grandmother of the Arora family, the sole owner of the billion-dollar business and the property, has planned their wedding. Kamla Arora treats everyone like her servants including her three sons, Bipin (the eldest), Vipul and Vinay. Mr. Fandwani, the groom’s father, is a loud Sindhi businessman who is the counter to Kamla Arora: The Fandwanis dress in gold, accessorize in gold and if possible they drink and eat gold.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3__UBLHHhs
Based against the backdrop of the Shaandaar wedding is a love triangle between the protagonists – Alia and Jagjinder Joginder and Bipin (Alia’s father). Bipin believes there’s no guy that will be good enough for his daughter while Alia is a dreamer but her dreams are whacked out and Jagjinder Joginder is a doer, he can make anything happen! And for obvious reasons, Bipin hates Jagjinder Joginder. The journey of Alia, Jagjinder Joginder and Bipin in the chaotic and lavish wedding is the story of Shaandaar. It’s a fairy tale love story that everyone has always dreamt of.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIvVcW2_CIs
Following its well-received World Premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, the new crime thriller TALVAR starring Irrfan Khan (Jurassic World, The Lunchbox, Life of Pi) will be released in U.S. theaters next week on October 2. Co-starring Konkona Sen Sharma, the film takes a thrilling new look at the real Aarushi Talvar murder investigation which rocked Delhi in 2008.
Talvar is a fictional dramatization of true life events revolving around the Aarushi Talvar murder case investigation. Known as the ‘Noida Double Murder Case’, it happened in the city adjoining India’s capital, Delhi, in 2008. The incident still resonates in the minds of the public, as there is no sense of closure in the case in spite of a guilty verdict – the parents of the murdered girl have been sentenced to life for killing her. Boasting of power packed performances by Irrfan Khan (The Lunchbox, Life of Pi), Konkona Sen Sharma and Neeraj Kabi, it also has Tabu (The Namesake) in a special appearance. With Gulzar’s lyrics, Vishal Bharwaj’s music and cinematography by Pankaj Kumar (Haider, Ship Of Theseus), the thriller is a work of fiction which is based on one if the most intriguing and talked about murder cases in recent Indian history
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FquLnfzLjs
Bollywood superstar Akshay Kumar returns with his latest film BROTHERS…BLOOD AGAINST BLOOD which opens in theaters worldwide on August 14 in time for India’s Independence Day holiday weekend. The Mixed Martial Arts saga will release in over 100 theaters across the U.S. including the AMC Empire in NYC.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQO8LZ1Vh74
Gary Fernandes (Jackie Shroff), a former alcoholic and street-fighter, returns home after serving a prison sentence of 10 long years to find that the wounds of the past still haunt his family. His two sons, David (Akshay Kumar) and Monty (Siddharth Malhotra), who had parted ways as kids, are grown men now, but are still bitterly estranged. Gary himself carries the burden of his guilt. His elder son, David is an ex-fighter turned school teacher. He and his wife Jenny work hard to make ends meet and to provide the best they can for their ailing daughter Poopoo. Troubled financial circumstances drive a desperate David to return to the world of street fighting.
Meanwhile, Monty struggles with his lonely complex existence. An alcoholic, he is active in the world of street fighting, but lacks focus and determination. He strongly yearns for the acceptance, love and respect of his family. As the story unfolds, we see the journey of these three men, as they seek to find redemption and healing. Meanwhile, the arrival of ‘Right to Fight’ is announced in India — the biggest international event in mixed martial arts history. Both brothers, at the crossroads of their lives, end up enlisting to fight in this ‘Winner-takes-all’ event. And it is here after an age of estrangement, unknown to the two siblings, they finally stand to face off with each other and against their personal demons, in the ultimate final battle. It is said, that when a deep injury is done to us, we can never recover until we forgive. With twists and turns, pouring emotions and edge-of-the-seat action, will this final battle between the two brothers repair old wounds?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obHPQU0C1oo