Mahindra’s creative offshoot, Mumbai Mantra, recently collaborated with the Sundance Institute to initiate a screenwriting program that aims to uplift the quality of independent cinema.
This meeting of the east and west is unique in many respects and also brings about a collaboration between two of the largest, filmmaking countries of the globe.

Here we talk to Aparna Purohit, the Senior Manager Creative Initiatives, for Mumbai Mantra Media.

 Is the time right now for the emergence of Indian independent cinema, given the onslaught of Bollywood?
This is a fantastic phase for Indian cinema. The recent success of films like Peepli Live, Udaan have clearly shown that the audiences are ready to accept newer ideas. In fact, it’s interesting to see how mainstream commercial filmmakers  are ready to support this movement. At Mumbai Mantra, we do not believe in drawing lines between art and commercial cinema. We want to invest in good stories that will connect with the masses. And, if the content is strong, the film will not only work commercially but will also resonate internationally! Any film which is successful is commercial, whatever the genre.

What motivated you to enter into this partnership?
We, at Mumbai Mantra, are committed to support good, meaningful cinema. We want to make films which are culturally specific – completely entrenched in our soil but would be thematically universal. So, more than anything else, we wanted to invest in stories. Also, in keeping with the Mahindra Group’s values and commitment to supporting art and culture, we had been assessing  various creative initiatives which would not merely enable the company to revitalize its strategy in media and entertainment, but also help in giving back to the film industry. This is the motivation behind our collaboration with the Sundance Institute to organize an annual Screenwriters Lab in India. This is a completely non-profit endeavor of Mumbai Mantra to provide a platform to independent voices in cinema and the Sundance Institute is an acknowledged leader in this effort.
Besides this, we have also instituted the Sundance Institute  Mahindra Global Filmmaking Awards where, in conjunction with the Sundance Institute, we would be selecting four filmmakers from different parts of the world. From next year, one of them will be Indian. This initiative represents our commitment to supporting good cinema that cuts across all boundaries of nationality, culture, language or ethnicity.

 On the foray of one of India’s leading industrial houses into the creative business, is it because of Anand’s film undergraduate in Harvard?
Not at all. Mr. Mahindra’s undergraduate degree was decades ago while his interest in cinema has always remained constant. The Group forays into businesses are based upon relevant business cases for each investment. The Mahindra Group straddles multiple industries and naturally media and entertainment has always been a logical one for us to consider investments in, which is what the Group is doing now at the appropriate time.

What has been the progress of this initiative in India till date, as in any projects that are work in progress?
If you refer to the website (www.mumbaimantra.com)  you will see that the inaugural Mumbai Mantra | Sundance Institute Screenwriting Lab is slated for March 2012 and there is plenty of time to accept entries for this.

Celebrating the burgeoning movement of alternative Indian cinema, the second annual London INDIAN Film Festival will run from 30 June – 12 July, bringing to UK audiences a selection of cutting edge films from some of India’s hottest independent talents. Going way beyond Bollywood, these are films that challenge, shock, generate debate and present a more realistic view of India today in all its colour and diversity.

Following the Opening Night World Premiere screening of DELHI BELLY, produced by Aamir Khan Productions and UTV Motion Pictures, starring Imran Khan, the festival will go on to showcase the work of India’s new wave of independent filmmakers, including Anurag Kashyap and Rituparno Ghosh. The festival will stretch city wide, opening in the West End at the Cineworld Haymarket and continuing at V&A, BFI Southbank, Nehru Centre, Watermans, Cineworld Trocadero, Feltham, Wood Green and Ilford and The University of Westminster.

On the heels of three Glastonbury performances and a stellar appearance on Later… with Jools Holland, singer and film composer Raghu Dixit will perform before the closing night film AUTOGRAPH on July 12.

The Festival covers a wide range of themes and issues from family dramas, coming-of age tales to twisted, urban teen-romance. Uniting these films is a new more assured Indian cool, experimenting with cinematic styles, sexual liberality, new technology and influenced by themes both East and West, which has helped new Indian cinema win favour with the young in-crowd in super cities like Mumbai, as well as with connoisseurs of world cinema across the globe.

India is the largest film producing country in the world producing some 1,000 films a year, outstripping Hollywood. But apart from mainstream Bollywood, very few of these films are seen in the UK.

Cary Rajinder Sawhney, Festival Director comments, “In addition to showing great movies, we also aim to help get these films talked about and screened more broadly in cinemas in the UK, in the same way that Iranian cinema has been. London of course has a huge Asian audience for these movies, but many non-Asian Brits would also like to find out more about the 1.2 billion strong India of today, and cinema is a great way to do this”.

For more information and booking details please visit: www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk Tickets are currently on sale at the BFI and V&A and sales will commence at other venues on June 15.
Ends

Further Notes on the 2011 programme

The London INDIAN Film Festival opens at Cineworld, Haymarket on 30 June with the World Premiere of the bad-boy comedy DELHI BELLY, produced by the hit-maker and superstar Aamir Khan and directed by Abhinay Deo. The film stars teen heartthrob Imran Khan. With a nod to Brit-gangster flicks such as Snatch, it tells of a group of hapless mates who end up being hunted by the local mafia after one of them accidently mixes up a smuggler’s package with his stool sample (He ate some dodgy Tandoori chicken). The film reaches its climax in true heist style with a riot of mix-ups and high-speed chases, while unsuspecting English tourists duck for cover. DELHI BELLY will have its worldwide release the next day, 1 July.

Other highlights of the festival include a special screening of COLOURS OF PASSION at the V&A, an homage to the revolutionary painter Raja Ravi Varma whose paintings in the 1890s influenced modern Indian art and cinema. The film by Ketan Mehta pushes the envelope of eroticism as the painter seduces his gorgeous muse, leading to Bombay’s scandal of the century, it a great complement to the V&A’s Cult of Beauty season.

Maverick Mumbai director Anurag Kashyap who has worked with Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) is at the BFI Southbank with his shocking new film THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS which tells of a young girl of UK/Indian mixed parentage who goes in search of her Indian father in Mumbai but discovers a terrible secret in the squalid underbelly of the city of dreams.

One of Kolkata’s top directors Rituparno Ghosh changes sides of the camera to act in two new sophisticated films that reinforce Kolkata’s reputation as a major challenger to Bollywood.
MEMORIES IN MARCH connects us with the life of Aarti (played by Deepti Naval), a middle aged woman who goes to Kolkata to pick up her deceased son’s belongings, only to learn about his world and find that she didn’t really know him at all. Ghosh will also introduce JUST ANOTHER LOVE STORY, an awe-inspiringly brave tale about two generations of transsexuals in Bengal and the life and loves of a famous, female impersonator Chapal Bhaduri, as told through the eyes of a gay Delhi director.

A definite family favourite will be the warm-hearted WHITE ELEPHANT, about a ceremonial elephant who is worshipped by a village in Kerala. Each year the elephant chooses which villager will look after him. But elephants are high maintenance!  Much to everyone’s surprise the wily giant taps the local drunk on the shoulder with his trunk.  The drunk and his family are beside themselves but the elephant god must be obeyed.

Winner of an Indian National Award THE WAY HOME sensitively explores fears of terrorism and nationhood in the modern state of India. A young doctor (played by Kerala star Prithviraj) accedes to a dying woman’s request that he will agree to re-unite her son with his father. He agrees not realising that the father is in fact the leader of an Indian Jihadi terrorist group.

The Closing Night Film is the UK Premiere hit movie AUTOGRAPH, where a young filmmaker gets his big break, not only to remake the classic film Nayak by master filmmaker Satyajit Ray, but to also to direct the city’s greatest superstar. As the production proceeds new found power and the promise of fame go to his head, while he has to compromise all, including his girlfriend, to follow his dream.

London INDIAN Film Festival partners from across the industry are supporting the Festival. These include Film London, Arts Council of England, British Film Institute, Cineworld Cinemas, BAFTA, Skillset, The Nehru Centre, University of Westminster, Victoria & Albert Museum, Watermans Arts Centre, Asiana, Eastern Eye and Zee TV, amongst others.

The Satyajit Ray Foundation’s Short Film Competition has joined the Festival with the winning filmmaker receiving a £1,000 Award on 12 July at Cineworld, Haymarket.

For more information please contact:
Naman Ramachandran

T: +44 (0) 7941941745
E: naman@londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk

Images can be downloaded from:

http://www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk/press.htm

DELHI BELLY

English/Hindi | 103 mins

Dir. Abhinay Deo | with Imran Khan, Vijay Raaz, Kunaal Roy Kapur.

WORLD PREMIERE
Irreverent, crude and downright rude this fabulous new comedy caper from modern Mumbai cocks its hat at bad-boy cults like Snatch and The Hangover, with perhaps a little peppering of the Beatles. Led by Tashi (played by the puppy dog-eyed, teen-heart throb Imran Khan), a dopey bundle of mates find themselves in a whole lot of trouble when they accidentally mix up a bag containing a stool sample (one of them ate the wrong Tandoori Chicken), with another small bag which Tashi’s trolley-dolly girlfriend has been asked to carry, which is packed full of smuggled contraband. All sh*t breaks out when the smugglers, led by a particularly nasty villain Cow Boy (played by Vijay Raaz Monsoon Wedding), set off after them. It also gives Tashi a chance to consider whether he wants to settle down to a suburban marriage with his nice airhostess and Mummy and Daddy in-laws, or take a bite of the wild side. Expect rickshaw chases, upset stomachs and of course, a riot of mix-ups and chases, with unsuspecting English tourists ducking for cover.

Special guests expected. Ticket includes a specially commissioned contemporary dance performance by Akademi and exclusive entry to Opening Night Party at Piccadilly Institute.

OPENING NIGHT 30 JUNE | 19:00 | CINEWORLD, HAYMARKET

RANG RASIYA (COLOURS OF PASSION)

Hindi | 129 mins

Dir. Ketan Mehta | with Randeep Hooda, Nandana Sen, Paresh Rawal, Ferena Wazeir.

Both strikingly beautiful and audacious, Ketan Mehta’s film charts the life of the great Indian artist Raja Ravi Varma (played by Randeep Hooda), from his early days under the patronage of a King of Kerala, moving on to British Bombay in the late 1800s, where he makes his fortune. Here the genius gives birth to Indian modern art and helps inspire the independence movement and the dawning of Indian cinema with his depictions, which bring to life the Hindu gods and goddesses. He must first find his muse who comes in the lavish form of Sugandha (Nandana Sen). Varma’s fascination for his model turns into a torrid, paint-smeared, love affair, which is reflected in his art. The religious power brokers see his increasingly eroticised work as dangerous and Varma is dragged to the British courts to be tried for blasphemy. Mehta’s homage offers not only a spectacular insight into a turning point in Indian history, but also questions the freedom of the artist in contemporary society.
Not to be missed!
Followed by a Q&A with Director Ketan Mehta and actors at V&A and Watermans.
01 JULY | 19:00 | V&A
02 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA
06 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, WOODGREEN
10 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, FELTHAM
11 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, FELTHAM

THAT GIRL IN YELLOW BOOTS

Hindi | 107 mins

Dir. Anurag Kashyap | with Kalki Koechlin, Naseeruddin Shah, Gulshan Devaiya.

UK PREMIERE
Mumbai’s leading independent filmmaker Anurag Kashyap pushes the envelope in narrating the tale of Ruth, of mixed British/Indian parentage, who comes to Mumbai in search of her absent father. Ruth is soon caught up in the seamier side of Mumbai, where a potent mix of gangsters, massage parlours providing ‘happy endings’, drug dealers and ashram dwellers collide. Kashyap captures the authentic Mumbai, shooting solely at real locations, eschewing the ersatz sets Bollywood is known for and crafts a cutting edge exploration of Mumbai’s underbelly.
Kalki Koechlin delivers the performance of her life as the bruised, vulnerable, yet mentally strong Ruth and is ably supported by revered veteran Naseeruddin Shah.
Followed by Q&A with Director Anurag Kashyap at BFI Southbank.
07 JULY | 18:30 | BFI SOUTHBANK
09 JULY | 20:30 | CINEWORLD, TROCADERO

MEMORIES IN MARCH

Hindi/English/Bengali | 104 mins

Dir. Sanjoy Nag | with Deepti Naval, Rituparno Ghosh, Raima Sen.

UK PREMIERE
Intimate and riveting, debutant director Sanjoy Nag presents a delicate tale of unlikely friendship forged through tragedy. Award-winning Actor Deepti Naval plays Arati, a grieving woman who travels to Kolkata on hearing the news of her advertising executive son Siddharth’s fatal car accident. She is let into his flat by his friend and work colleague Sahana (Raima Sen), who she suspects to be his girlfriend but, sorting through her son’s things and hearing fragments of half spoken conversations, bring Arati to the realisation that she didn’t really know her son at all. The constant presence of her son’s boss Arnob (Rituparno Ghosh) and his reluctance to part with Siddharth’s personal belongings makes Arati wonder. Soon, she reaches the shocking revelation that Arnob was Siddharth’s lover. Awkwardly the two must, for their own salvation, move forward together. With a wonderfully written script by Ghosh and charged character performances by a great cast this is a must see.
Followed by a Q&A by with Director/ Actor Rituparno Ghosh.
05 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, TROCADERO
07 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA

AAREKTI PREMER GOLPO
(JUST ANOTHER LOVE STORY)

Bengali | 128 mins | Dir. Kaushik Ganguly | with Rituparno Ghosh,

UK PREMIERE
Acclaimed Bengali director Rituparno Ghosh switches sides of the camera to act in Kaushik Ganguly’s film, which un-ashamedly shakes the foundations of contemporary Indian sexuality. Abhiroop (Ghosh) is an openly gay filmmaker from Delhi intrigued by the story of 70 plus Bengali performer Chapal Bhaduri, famous for playing roles as a woman. Abhiroop lures him with money to reveal his tragic true-life story. As film shooting starts, we are taken on an extraordinary journey between past and present, where transgender Bhadhuri’s tortured love for a bisexual man is echoed by Abhiroop’s own affair with his handsome cameraman Basu. As word gets out about the filmmaker’s disregard for social taboos, the media start to bite with homopho- bic vengeance, divided loyalties emerge and Basu must also decide between Abhiroop and his suffering wife. Ganguly deftly plays out a rainbow of emotional nuances, while Ghosh gives a mesmerising and emotionally charged performance.
Followed by a Q&A by Award-winning Director / Actor Rituparno Ghosh in conversation with Sangeeta Datta at Cineworld Haymarket.
06 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, FELTHAM
08 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, FELTHAM
09 JULY | 20:30 | CINEWORLD, HAYMARKET

SHUKNO LANKA (DRY RED CHILLIES) Hindi | 110 mins Dir. Gaurav Pandey | with Mithun Chakraborty, Sabyasachi Chakraborty.

UK PREMIERE
It may be a surprise to some that actor Mithun Chakraborty, Bollywood’s original Disco Dancer, is also a fine performer with some serious acting chops, having won the coveted Best Actor gong at India’s National Film Awards twice and Best Supporting Actor once. Here, he plays a veteran, bit-part actor Chinu Nandy, in the commercial Bengali film industry (aka Tollywood). Nandy has resigned himself to lesser roles in the shadows of younger and less talented heroes, but gets the shock of his life when an award-winning director Joy Sundar Sen (Sabyasachi) decides to cast him as the lead in his next big film. Nandy feels distinctly uncomfortable with his return to the spotlight, but supported by his wife, musters his energy for his greatest performance. This well scripted tale manages the triple feats of humorously skewering Tollywood practices, lampooning pretentious art-house filmmakers, but above all celebrating the pleasures of a happy marriage and growing old with your partner. This is a film that will leave you with a tear in your eye and a smile on your lips.
03 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, ILFORD
08 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA

LADLI LAILA (VIRGIN GOAT) Hindi | 87 mins, Dir. Murali Nair | with Raghubir Yadav, Shiela Naidu, Saurab Gharipurikar, Purnima Maudgil.

UK PREMIERE
Murali Nair is one of India’s most celebrated young directors, having won the prestigious Camera D’Or at Cannes for his first feature Marana Simhasanam (Throne of Death ), a surreal and hysterically funny commentary on local Indian politics. His latest feature continues in the same vein. Raghubir Yadav, the doyen of Indian indie actors, plays Kalyan Singh, a farmer who is trying to eke out a living. Singh loves his pet she-goat Laila even more than he does his own family. Singh’s ambition is that his pet will have a kid. The search is on for a Billy Goat that needs to be found whilst Laila is still in heat. The announcement that a local bigwig is to visit town throws a spoke into Singh’s mating plans for his beloved goat. Nair’s satire takes numerous snipes at corruption in its myriad forms but in a hilarious and warm-hearted manner.
05 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, WOODGREEN
10 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA

KANASEMBA KUDUREYANERI (RIDING THE STALLION OF A DREAM) Hindi | 110 mins | Dir. Girish Kasaravalli | with Vyjanath Biradar, Umashri, Sadashiv Brahmavar. UK PREMIERE
The latest feature from Girish Kasaravalli, one of the founding fathers of India’s parallel cinema movement, is also his most unconventional, employing for the first time in his long and distinguished career a non-linear, fragmented narrative. This delightful evocation of pastoral life in the southern Indian state of Karnataka follows a couple, Irya and Rudri, who are desperately poor but extremely happy. Irya is the butt of village jokes, as he is a professional gravedigger, and sits around waiting for people to die while the hardworking Rudri barely makes ends meet by working on a farm. Their lives are thrown into turmoil when Irya dreams of the village headman’s death and the appearance of nomad Siddha, who will ensure the passage of souls direct to heaven if his arrival coincides with the time of death. Kasaravalli masterfully weaves together a jigsaw of a narrative that is deeply satisfying. The film won India’s National Film Awards for Best Screenplay and Best Film Feature Film in Kannada.
02 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, WOODGREEN
06 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA

VEETTILEKKULLA VAZHI (THE WAY HOME) Malayalam | 95 mins | Dir. Dr. Biju Kumar | with Prtithviraj, Indrajith, Govardhan.

UK PREMIERE
Malayalam cinema’s young heartthrob Prithviraj plays a Delhi-based prison doctor who accedes to the dying wish of his patient, a member of a terrorist squad. Her wish is that he unites her five-year-old son with his father whom he has never seen. The trouble is that the father is the leader of the dreaded Indian Jihadi terrorist group. The doctor collects the boy from the southern state of Kerala and begins an arduous pan-Indian journey to track down the elusive terrorist. The doctor’s quest is all the more poignant and noble because his own wife and child were killed in a terrorist attack. Alongside breathtaking imagery showcasing India’s natural beauty from the lush backwaters of Kerala to the arid zones of Rajasthan and the stunning grandeur of the Himalayas, the film is also a sensitive look at the touchy issue of terrorism and its impact.
The film won India’s National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Malayalam.
03 JULY | 18:30 | WATERMANS CINEMA
06 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, ILFORD
08 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, WOODGREEN

THE WHITE ELEPHANT
Hindi | 115 mins Dir: Aijaz Khan | with Prashant Narayanan, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Neena Gupta UK PREMIERE
AA delightful and warm-hearted family film, The White Elephant takes us to traditional rural Kerala where elephants are still very much part of religious custom. It is time for the holiest of ceremonial elephants to choose which one of the local villagers will feed and look after him for the coming year. This is a great honour, but also a heavy financial burden as elephants have big appetites. The local priest is sure he will end up in the care of the local landlord, but the wily Haathi has other plans and with his trunk taps the local drunk on the shoulder. The villagers are shocked, the drunk and his family are beside themselves, but custom and the elephant god must be obeyed.
03 JULY | 16:00 | WATERMANS CINEMA
08 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD FELTHAM
12 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD FELTHAM

AUTOGRAPH
Bengali | 132 mins Dir. Srijit Mukherji | with Prasenjit Chatterjee, Nandana Sen, Indraneil Sengupta. ENGLISH PREMIERE
A hit film in Bengal, this is a tale of ambition and the corruptive nature of fame in the film industry. Shubho- broto (Sengupta) is a young writer/director with a vision to re-make the master filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s classic film Nayak. He approaches the reigning superstar Arun Chatterjee (played by real-life super-hero Prasenjit Chatterjee) with the proposal. Much to his surprise the movie-god agrees to fund the film and be its lead. Shubhobroto celebrates with his live-in girlfriend and budding actress Srinandita (Sen) and he drafts her in to play the film’s female lead. As the production develops, the promise of fame makes Shubho increasingly arrogant as he slips into his own world. Meanwhile Arun focuses his affections, on and off screen, on Srinandita and confides in her about his troubled past. The trio find themselves spiralling into a strange and yet poignant love triangle. With a talented ensemble cast and a compelling narrative, the film provides an insightful view into contemporary Kolkata society and a window into the inner workings of the Bengali film industry.

The evening includes a special live performance by singer Raghu Dixit and the Satyajit Ray Foundation Short Film Award presentation.
CLOSING NIGHT
12 JULY | 18:30 | CINEWORLD, HAYMARKET

Events

THE SATYAJIT RAY FOUNDATION’S SHORT FILM COMPETITION
The London Indian Film Festival has once again teamed up with the Satyajit Ray Foundation to present its prestigious annual short film competition. A programme of shortlisted films will be screened in a special free event at the Nehru Centre.
The judges are director Menhaj Huda (Kidulthood, Everywhere and Nowhere), film critic Mark Adams (Screen International), filmmaker Billy Dosanjh (winner of the 2010 competition for his graduation documentary ‘A Miracle in West Brom’) and head of the Jury Satwant Gill (London Indian Film Festival).
The winner of the £1,000 award will be announced, and the film screened, on Tuesday 12th July at the Cineworld Haymarket during the closing night ceremony of the London Indian Film Festival. Tickets for this are available for purchase directly from the cinema.
04 JULY | 18:30 | NEHRU CENTRE

INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
What’s New? The Changing Face of Indian Cinema: Contemporary and Historical Contexts
The University of Westminster’s India Media Centre, in association with LIFF, will be hosting a special conference on the challenges that the burgeoning new Indian cinema poses to mainstream filmmaking. Filmmakers that toy with, or eschew, the conventions of the familiar multi-genre, song and dance extravaganzas are appearing across Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and beyond. What do their films mean for the future of Indian cinema and the global aspirations of India’s urban ‘multiplex’ generation? Conference includes international keynote speakers, over forty papers from scholars around the world, and masterclasses with Rituparno Ghosh and Anurag Kashyap.
Advance registration essential. For further details of programme and registration see:

http://westminster.ac.uk/whats-new_080711

Further enquiries: Email Daisy or Helen:- D.Hasan@westminster.ac.uk.
08 JULY | 09:00 to 09 JULY | 18:00 | UNIVERSITY OF WESTMINSTER

FURTHER EVENTS
A range of audience and film industry events are also being organised as part of the festival. These include Club Nights in collaboration with Voodoo Entertainment and the Guru Lounge Industry Events at BAFTA.

Beverly Hills, CA — Thursday, October 1, is the deadline to submit entries in the Live Action Short Film, Animated Short Film and Foreign Language Film categories to be considered for the 82nd Academy Awards®. Complete entries must arrive at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences by 5 p.m. PT that day.In the short film categories, filmmakers must submit an entry form, one film print or copy in an approved digital format, and all other required materials by the deadline.

In the Foreign Language Film category, filmmakers must submit entry forms, one English-subtitled film print or copy in an approved digital format, and all other required materials by the deadline. Only one motion picture will be accepted from each country.

Complete 82nd Academy Awards rules are available at http://www.oscars.org/rules. Additional information may be obtained by contacting Awards Coordinator Torene Svitil via phone at (310) 247-3000, ext. 190, by fax at (310) 247-2600, or by e-mail at tsvitil@oscars.org.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

ABOUT THE ACADEMY

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

Generalizations about professions are “generally” highly exaggerated. To the black and white world, all “suits” are out to ruin creativity, all “arthouse artists” are just a step below Mother Theresa in humanity, etc, etc. Agents of Hollywood, are also in that “suit” category. However, as we all know, nothing could be further from the truth. Most of these folks are hardworking people doing whatever it is that their profession demands and striving to do it very well. Also while the South Asian American is making their presence felt in front of the camera, in Hollywood, the behind the scenes area of agents, managers, executives, is also beginning to get their South Asian representation.

One of the most respected and professional talent agent and manager, in Hollywood, is Jai Khanna. Jai has been a manager for 8 years at Brillstein Entertainment Partners
(BEP). BEP is one of the leading management and production companies, which represents A-list clients such as Brad Pitt, Jennifer Aniston, Natalie Portman, Adam Sandler and Orlando Bloom. They have produced hit shows including Just Shoot Me, News Radio, Bill Maher and The Sopranos. Their film producing credits include Troy, The Departed, Time Travelers Wife and the upcoming Julia Robert’s film Eat, Pray, Love. But like our webzine, it is not only about A-list and the film world. Some of the non A- list folks that Jai represents, in television and film, are the following (credit listed):

Larenz Tate – on RESCUE ME (FX)
Tiffani Thiessen – on WHITE COLLAR (USA)
Esai Morales – on CAPRICA (SyFy)
Sean Astin – on LORD OF THE RINGS (New Line Trilogy)- Film
Christina Cox – on DEFYVING GRAVITY (ABC)
Navi Rawat – on NUMBERS (CBS)
Stephen Root – on TRUE BLOOD (HBO)
Josh Holloway – on LOST (ABC)

Over and above, being a manager, Jai is also a credited executive producer.

Jai came across as a straight shooter, who gave some very thoughtful insights into Hollywood and how it impacts the South Asians. Read on:

What got you into the Entertainment industry?
I’ve always had a passion for Film and TV. I’m intrigued with these mediums as a creative form of communication. It translates and reaches all over the world. I wanted to be involved with cultural influence. I started in an entry level position at a talent agency and worked my way up the ranks.

How does it feel to be one of the flag bearers as a South Asian American, in Hollywood, in the corporate side of the Entertainment Industry?
I’m very proud to be in Indian. I was raised with strong ties to my culture and that has played a major influence in all facets of my life and career. In regards to the Hollywood industry, I’m fortunate to be working during a time that a number of talented Indians are excelling and their commercial appeal cannot be ignored. Some executives and artists have paved the way to make my path a little easier. I’ve always been treated with respect and been given every opportunity available to succeed. That’s all I can expect. In addition, I’ll always be a champion of fellow Indians making their way thru this business, all the while remembering and reminding those that this is still a business, and decisions are formed in that manner.

What are the opportunities and challenges for South Asian talent in Hollywood, both the film and television world?
Opportunities and challenges for Indian talent are the same as others. People of Indian ethnicity are excelling, in all facets, and, now even in Entertainment. If that was not the case, then one might focus on the cultural or ethnic aspect of being Indian and South Asian, but this is not an excuse any more. I can point to a number of individuals who are leading by example. As with anyone, the main challenge is the ongoing level of high competition. Talent, with perseverance, rises to the top.

With Globalization and Slum Dog Millionaire upon us, what initiatives are you undertaking from an Indian film industry perspective, specifically with regard to talent from India to the US and vice versa?
I work with a number of actors from India. The process is still very unclear and the motivation is lacking from the India side. However, I completely understand it. Assuming we are talking about A-list stars from India, their motivation is limited to work here and engage in our process. They are big stars in India and treated like royalty. Hollywood doesn’t work the same way. It’s a longer and humbling process to get the roles you want. Indians actors won’t get treated in a special way, and I don’t blame them. They work in their industry and have earned a level of respect. I have yet to see it, but it will take a special person, either someone somewhat aging, or one with a limited ego, to work in our system. In the meantime, there is no rush. Both industries are thriving and a need to globalize may be a bit premature.

What are the challenges that you feel when dealing with the Bollywood film industry and where do you see the future of collaboration between the two “woods” Hollywood and Bollywood?
The infrastructure of both industries is vastly different. Just because some films have crossed over, and a few actors are experimenting, the mentality and work ethic is much different. Motivation for an American to work in India, either a script writer or actor, is challenging because the pay will be a lot less than one earns in the US, and there is no union jurisdiction that protects them from any wrong doings. Having negotiated with Indian producers, the process is frustrating due to their rigidness and lack of compromise. The long drawn out process is discouraging enough for us to pass on these opportunities. Most dealings have to be based of good faith, which is a difficult philosophy for us to comprehend, especially when we are very contract oriented.

You have also worn the cap of an executive producer (“EP”), how did that come about?
Our company has a number of resources, which include representing financiers, producers, writers, directors and actors. When we develop a script, we are able to package it with strong elements, thus playing the role of an EP. Our track record is extensive and our name alone in the EP capacity gives productions much needed credibility. It’s a fun process as well, and one that exercises my creative juices. I’ll continue down this path, since I’ve built strong relationships in town to help package exciting projects.

Beverly Hills, CA — Oscar fans will soon have a chance to be a part of the “Biggest Movie Event of the Year.”

Beginning on Monday, September 14, at noon ET/9 a.m. PT, and continuing for only one week, fans from throughout the world may apply on www.oscars.org/bleachers to take part in a random drawing for seats on the 82nd Academy Awards® red carpet.

There are only 700 seats available along the 500-foot-long walkway that leads into the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®. Those who are selected will watch and cheer Oscar nominees, presenters and other ceremony guests as they arrive at the 82nd Academy Awards on Sunday, March 7, 2010. Following the red carpet arrivals, everyone seated in the bleachers will be invited to watch the Academy Awards telecast at a nearby location.

The application form will be available at

www.oscars.org/bleachers. The online-only application process will close on Sunday, September 20, at midnight ET/9 p.m. PT.

To be eligible for the random drawing, an individual must complete the application form in its entirety. Applications may only be submitted online. Forms may not be returned via U.S. mail, fax or private delivery service such as UPS or FedEx.

Applicants may register up to four persons; however, only one form will be accepted per person or group.

Those whose names are selected in the random drawing will be notified in early October. They will then be required to submit additional information for security purposes prior to final approval. Eligible attendees will receive a confirmation letter in early December with information pertinent to the event.

Only those individuals who have been pre-approved by the Academy will have access to the bleachers. Those who wait overnight to attempt admittance will not be granted entry.

The Academy will not be responsible for securing travel and/or hotel accommodations for bleacher fans.

In previous years, as many as 20,000 fans have applied online for the limited number of red carpet seats.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide

Beverly Hills, CA — Tuesday, September 1, is the deadline for documentary filmmakers to submit their short subject and feature documentaries to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration for the 82nd Academy Awards®.

Each completed entry form must be accompanied by supporting materials, including an English-language synopsis of the film, a list of film credits, filmographies of the director(s) and/or producer(s), 30 DVD copies of the film, and proof of seven-day qualifying exhibitions.

A documentary feature must complete a seven-day commercial run in both Los Angeles County and in the Borough of Manhattan in New York, between September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009. An extension of the eligibility period to September 30, 2009, may be granted only if the film has legal contracts with exhibitors guaranteeing that it will complete both qualifying commercial runs before the extension deadline. In those instances, all other required materials must still meet the September 1 deadline.

To be eligible in the Documentary Short Subject category, a film must complete a seven-day commercial run in a theater in either Los Angeles County or in the Borough of Manhattan in New York, between September 1, 2008, and August 31, 2009.

At the 81st Academy Awards this past February, “Smile Pinki” and “Man on Wire” won in the Documentary Short Subject and Documentary Feature categories, respectively.
Additional information about the documentary awards categories may be obtained by contacting assistant awards coordinator:
Michelle Ayala at (310) 247-3000, ext. 117
via e-mail at mayala@oscars.org, or
by visiting http://www.oscars.org/awards/academyawards/rules/rule12.html

The 82nd Academy Awards nominations will be announced on Tuesday, February 2, 2010, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar® presentation also will be televised live in more than 200 countries worldwide.

-Interviewed By Vivek Kumar

An Interview With CEO Uday Singh

PVR was one of the first off the block when the Multiplex revolution hit India. Their chain in Saket, New Delhi, became not only about going to the movies but also about making it a lifestyle choice. The pundits who had predicted that the cinema would die, were proved very wrong. Suddenly all of India were rsuhing to Multiplexes and certainly PVR was one of the tops amongst those.

Now PVR looks to take the same thought process of offerring to it’s viewers, under it’s umbrella company, PVR Pictures, film products that will take movie production to a different level. Here is what the CEO of PVR Pictures, Uday Singh, has to say:

PVR has changed for the better, the kind of cinema being made via it’s multiplex audience, more independent and different kinds of films are being made, will this thought process also reflect in it’s production?
Over the years, we have witnessed a growing trend in the cinema viewing patterns of our audience and as a result of which today movies are embracing this change. Our content both on the production & distribution front, will offer a wide variety of new genres of movies to the cinema lovers worldwide.

From what I recall PVR started in Saket in Delhi, whereas the film production business is more Mumbai centric, so does that mean PVR might start to do something viewers have always wanted, Delhi centric locals in their films?
Though PVR Ltd is based out of Delhi, the operations of PVR Pictures is managed out of Mumbai. We believe in being a platform to provide entertainment to our audience not bound by any geographical boundaries but purely governed by quality story concepts. If casting Delhi centric locals falls into our story requirements, we will surely look into it.

What prompted PVR to get into the production of films?
India in the past few years has seen entertainment companies like Viacom vertically extend its business in the country to widen its scope of work. After carving a niche with its pioneering efforts through PVR Cinemas in the movie exhibition business, it was only natural that through PVR Pictures which is the movie production & distribution arm of PVR Ltd, we extend our movie business further.

Will the production/distribution be a combined offering for their portfolio of films, or will it be piece meal?
We are currently working on building up a slate of Hindi releases on the production front and once we have a concrete line-up, we shall announce the same shortly. While our distribution is going strong with the increasing quality slate of English and Hindi films,we would like to be known as a quality movie production and distribution house in the country.

What kind of films can we expect from the PVR production team? What are the films that are coming out from the PVR production roster, big budget, star laden, independent, pushing the envelope, or a mix and match?
It is too early for us to confirm any news on this front. Since the past 5-6 months, we have set up a new senior management team at PVR Pictures which is currently busy putting together a slate of films in new genres. We shall announce this slate as soon as we are ready.

What got you into the entertainment business?

I’ve been in this business for more than a decade, so for you to say what got me into the business, is now history. From Sales and Marketing in a traditional corporate set up in 1996 I moved to HMV and was heading that unit for a while and eventually made it here.

So your company Moser Baer, is spearheading the home video and cable movement in India. This has been around in the West, but why the decision to implement this model in India now?

See this is rather simple, we are the second largest blank disc maker in the world, so the economies of scale are always there and a disc can be made by us at a price that not too many people in the world can match. Therefore it has the capacity on one hand and the economies of scale on the other hand. Hence it was a forward integration for us, in a rather obvious way. And forward integration for a product like this in India, there is nothing like Bollywood. We entered the entertainment market a couple of years ago and so far the journey has been quite exciting.

What has been the impact of the global meltdown ?

The problem with the film industry in India, has less to do with the global meltdown or recession, it is more to do with a cost structure that has gone haywire in the last one and a half years. So while the global meltdown and recession have been a contributing factor, it is not the main factor, in the correction that is actually happening in the industry. The other problem is piracy, when you have a product available on Friday morning or Sat morning of the theatrical release then you are losing out on a lot of legitimate revenue. This large scale piracy is also enhancing the suffering of the industry. Hence we need strong enforcement and also we need to explore if the window between a film release and it’s DVD/Cable availability can be shortened. Currently due to the 6 to 8 week window of legitimate disc release, the pirates make use of the window and almost all the revenue is lost. It would be a lot better from a revenue perspective if the legitimate dvd is released within a shorter window of time.

Do you see enforcement increase in the near future against piracy?

The industry has to come together and understand and realize that too much of the revenue is being lost. Revenue upward of Rs 2000 crores is being lost to piracy, currently in the industry. If that revenue is captured you will find this whole business becoming extremely viable.

So let’s talk about your production business. Shaurya was a film which was a “content” film as opposed to a star laden film, is that going to be the future of films coming out of your production house?

I don’t know if I ‘m going to put everything in a compartment. The way I see the business I will make a film in the cost structure that the film deserves. And therefore whether it is small, medium or big is something that is irrelevant. If a big film has a certain capital potential and can get a captive consumer, then we will accept that as our business model and accept that the film will be made in that cost structure. But if the big film is at an unacceptable cost structure then I’d rather not go that route.

Is RoI more important to you than gross revenue?

We are in the business of making money, and if it makes no money for us we have no business being in this business. The cost structure is important, whether a film is small, medium or big, if the cost structure gets me a return, then I will make it. A small film can also loose money like a big film and contrary also earn money, more than a big film, hence I will not compartmentalize my film making process but will be driven by effective cost structures and then it can be any size of film.

Can you talk about the upcoming films from the Moser Baer banner?

We have a film which is releasing in two weeks time, it is called Sankat City, it is the complete opposite of what Shaurya was, which was more content driven and sensible, this one is full of nonsical humor and full of fun and we are not apologetic about it at all. Again going with our philosophy of all kinds of films coming from our company. Another film that is coming out is a political satire and also a humor laden is called Rajdhani Express, followed by a horror genre called Hide N Seek, which will be releasing probably in Dec and in between two more films in Hindi are going to be launched, one is going to be directed by Priyadarshan and the other is going to be directed by Samad Khan, who directed Shaurya. Then we have four film in Tamil, two in Malyalam amongst others.

Any plans for Moser Baer to enter the television industry?

Operationally we are just a 24 month old company, but an entertainment one, so we will look in the future at all the various forms of the entertainment business. Although we would like to stabilize one business and then look at the other one’s.

Moser Baer is already a fairly well known name in Silicon Valley, are there plans for any collaboration between Hollywood and your company?

Of course I would love to. One the one hand we are India’s largest home video company and we would love to collaborate with all the Hollywood studios to have their videos released in India under the Moser Baer label. Then we also have the production business and if any studio wants to have a foothold in India, we would be only to willing to collaborate with them.

What’s your take as far as the Indian audience is concerned, on Video on Demand?

Video on Demand at this stage is relatively small as far as the revenue size is concerned. A lot of the content is available free and no matter where you live, if content is available free, you will not pay to download it. Then we also have the same piracy issue. Why would anyone pay a dollar for a Video on Demand, when the same pirated DVD can be obtained for forty cents, so piracy is hurting everyone.

Interviewed by Arjun Shekri

A little bit about yourself and what got you into UTV and the film business?

Grew up in Mumbai, got my B.Com from Sydenham college, went to Jamnalal Bajaj for my MBA, did a stint with Proctor and Gamble in Brand Management. Moved to Star TV at an interesting time when they were moving from a half Hindi, half English to a full Hindi channel. Worked in Kaun Banega Carorepati at that time, which was the show that really turned the fortunes of Star Plus. Moved to Hong Kong, then Dubai where I looked after the sales and marketing for Star, moved back to Hong Kong, looking after the marketing for Southeast Asia, including China, Taiwan, India. Around 2005 began talking with Ronnie of UTV, was looking to come back to India since I had been out of the country for five years, since I really wanted to be where the action is, also at that time UTV was setting up a central marketing division to look after the movies, television, the entire gamut. I figured that would be a great opportunity with UTV, also having done a summer training stint in UTV I really believed in the vision of UTV. So I figured it would be great to return to India with an organization such as this, came back in 2005 and since then have been with UTV, started off working as a central Marketing Head across the various divisions, moved to the Movies division where I was looking after the revenue as well as the marketing and two years ago came in this position of the CEO for Motion Pictures in UTV.

Having seen some of the earlier films of UTV, at least the one’s that released in the US, like Parineeta and Swades, one got that very positive perception that here was a company that was looking to build a brand for the long term, as opposed to the “let’s get that big hit right now,” approach?

For a new player to come into the market and create some sort of a mark, it was essential to pick the right products, projects and scripts, to ensure that the branding was right, of course with commercial considerations too. Hence it was a joint call between the pedigree of the filmmaker and the commercial aspect.

Long before foreign tie up’s became a norm, UTV had already made the leap of faith with Hollywood. Talk to us about the thought process that brought this about and also how are you coping with the current global economic meltdown?

Yes that is true that we were the first to get into Hollywood. We had a good relationship with Fox and Fox Searchlight and when it came to the Namesake, which was our first co production, Mira Nair and Ronnie Screwalla had a great personal equation and they had wanted to work together for a long time. When we learned that she was going to be making a film out of Namesake, which is a fabulous book, that’s something we went after from the get go before she approached the studio and then we sort of approached the studio together , that is Searchlight since they fitted the profile of the film, so really it started from the filmmaker as opposed to the studio. Once the relationship was established with Searchlight with films like The Namesake and I love My Wife, then in the case of Happening again, it was the relationship with the filmmaker, M. Night, that got the project going, we had wanted to work with him for a long time, went with him to the studios and that is how that project took off. So it has been a combination of the strong relationship we have with the studios and the strong relationship we have established with the filmmaker. At this time, though, we are really focusing on the local language slate, the Hindi language that is, of course while looking from time to time, with movies from the West.

As far as the global meltdown is concerned, sure, liquidity has been hit. In the last couple of the years of the industry, India was going through a bit of a bubble phase. The global meltdown as you are calling it, actually has resulted in things getting a little more sane now. The industry has been forced to get it’s act together, become more lean, bring down the costs and become more discerning about the number of movies that come out in the industry

What’s upcoming from UTV?

A whole lot of films, different genres, established directors, rank newcomers. The movies include, Kaminey, Main Aur Mrs Khanna, Agyaat, Aage Se Right, Yahoo, Paan Singh Tomar, Hook Ya Crook, Season’s Greeting, What’s Your Raashee, Peter Gaya Kaam Se, Alibaba Aur 41 Chor, Film City, Shoebite, Delhi Belly, Arjun the Warrior Prince amongst others.

UTV Spotboy has been like a breadth of fresh air with movies like Aamir, which were more R o I driven as opposed to Gross Revenue, and they did commercially very well too. It was almost like a Fox Searchlight for the Indian cinema?

As far as the UTV Spotboy brand is concerned we have been considering it for a long time. We want to focus on movies that are on the cutting edge. Movies that might not have been screened in the past, but today you have an audience for them and therefore deserved to be made and also deserved to be marketed and distributed in the right manner, as well. In UTV Spotboy that really is the formula that we are working towards and with which we have found some success with, in the last year. To focus on new directors, new scripts, new ways of telling stories and also be able to promote those movies in such a way as to get a mass audience to come and watch them and therefore make it a commercially viable proposition.

In India we have had the studio model, with Mehboob, etc, then we went independent, now the studios seem to be back. What’s your take on where the future is headed, more studio, more independent, or somewhere in between?

I feel as far as production is concerned, you are always going to have independents out there. Studios will be into production, but will also depend on the creative individuals, who have a track record and a pulse of the audience and there are a lot of individual producers in that category, who I don’t think are going anywhere. As far as the distribution is concerned I do believe, there will be a consolidation that will happen, actually has already occurred. The larger distributors are going to be the one’s with the global releases and the bulk of the revenue is going to be coming out of them. Already you have Eros, Yashraj, Studio 18, UTV, and these four studios account for quite a large percentage of the revenue. So you will still have a lot of individual producers making movies, who will probably go to one of the larger distributors, to distribute their movies.