BRINDA BHATT – PROUDLY REPRESENTING THE INDIAN AMERICAN WOMAN IN HOLLYWOOD
The fact that Brinda Bhatt is a former sportsperson is very indicative in here straight shooting style. One of the only Indian American Woman, who is also a top notch talent Manager in Hollywood, Brinda represents the perspective of both the agent, which she was, and, the manager, which is what she currently is. Wading through personalities on both sides of the table, the creative and the business,...
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Meet Sundeep Kishan: The silent man of the film SHOR IN THE CITY.
Sundeep was the most impressive actor in the film. His was a very difficult track. The vocal skills and the hand movements, the general shortcoming of Bollywood, were kept in curb by the directors and the histrionics and the numerous conflicts going on in the head of the actor, had to be ably communicated to the audience. This was where the actor arose and Sundeep showed what classically good acting...
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Meiyang Chаng- The Chinese Indian Dentist Who Can Act, Sing & Dance
Life is indeed an act, but when the story changes we never know. He grew up thinking that he would follow the family tradition of dentistry, but life had other plans. He is an Indian Idol 3, finalist, recently won Jhalak Dikhlaa Jaa and has along the way come in a Yashraj film. Chinese Indian and a Bollywood film hero role, may not now be unimaginable for Meiyang Chang, cause he has stopped imagining,...
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Surekha Paruchuri – Marketing Both IFFLA and Independent Indian Cinema
About as difficult as making a Non Bollywood Indian film or an event around it, such as IFFLA, is marketing and publicizing it to the world. Surekha Paruchuri, the head of Marketing and PR for IFFLA actually relishes and thrives on that challenge. She has been pushing IFFLA to new frontiers and new sets of audiences, year after year and along with it also revealing the fact that there is way more...
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GOING LONG ON SHORTS
Why are we using words used in Stock and Options trading in a film context? “Going Long,” means to believe in the value of something and holding on to it as something you will own. We believe in the talent in these short filmmakers, each of whom had their films selected, in the shorts category, of the recently concluded IFFLA. Abhkay Kumar, showcased his film, JUST THAT SORT OF A DAY, Rakesh Chaudhary...
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REBECCA YEE- PUSHING FOR DIVERSITY IN HOLLYWOOD
We caught up with Rebecca Yee, during the recently concluded IFFLA. Rebecca is the National Director/Senior Equal Employment Opportunities Counsel of Screen Actors Guild Affirmative Action & Diversity. Rebecca advances SAG’s policy and advocacy of diversity and equal employment in the entertainment industry. She oversees EEO/ADA compliance, negotiation, enforcement and education of all SAG non-discrimination...
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GEETA MALIK – GENERATION NEXT ARRIVES IN INDIAN AMERICAN CINEMA
I distinctly remember the first meeting with Geeta Malik. She was the designated photographer for a TV channel, at an event we were doing with filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor, at Redondo Beach in California. There was a certain energy and a self deprecating humor about her. Later on I was not surprised when she started to make some of the finest and funniest short films, through her company Shetani Films....
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NISHA GANATRA – THAT BUNDLE OF TALENT ABOUT TO EXPLODE
Right when American Desi hit the Indian American scene, another film and filmmaker also exploded on the Indian American film movement. Nisha Ganatra’s debut film, CHUTNEY POPCORN, had a little bit of both Chutney and Popcorn and a whole lot of class. She chose the path to mainstream America and more power to her for that. COSMOPOLITON proved that she was here to stay, but if you thought that was...
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VIKRAMADITYA MOTWANE- FLYING HIGH WITH UDAAN
Udaan won a lot of accolades at the recently concluded IFFLA. Here we talk to the director, Vikramaditya Motwane, who comes across as a straight shooting and self critical, but grounded human. Udaan and Vikram were also the toast of the Indian audience last year and for a good reason. He took no stars, but made a cash crunching hit film. Here is more with Vikram. Congratulations on UDAAN. The fact...
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CHRISTINA MAROUDA CREATOR OF IFFLA
A festival is not about one person, but by the same token it is about one person’s vision and perseverance against all odds. It is about that one single minded passion which overrides everything that they do. The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (IFFLA), is the co mingling of Indian cinema with Hollywood and it is also the result of a vision initiated by Christina Marouda. But having a vision...
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