Revisiting India’s history isn’t just about watching events unfold — it’s about pausing, cross-checking references, and asking if every detail holds up. That’s exactly how we watched Freedom At Midnight. For showrunner-director Nikkhil Advani, adapting Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins’s celebrated book Freedom At Midnight was no easy task — it demanded sensitivity, balance, and an uncompromising commitment to historical accuracy. Yet, it was also a journey he relished. In conversation with mid-day, Advani speaks about why the entire 14-episode series was shot in one go, the pressure of portraying real-life figures on screen, and why the scene following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination remains his favourite. Excerpts from the interview.

The response to the first season, I think was good. It was a tough show to make. Given that so many people had read the book [Freedom At Midnight], and it’s a favourite topic for so many, [people thought] we’d screw it up. To be able to overcome that and balance so many points of view was [not easy]. It’s a huge ensemble piece, the responsibility of getting it right is much higher than on a fiction show. The reviews were heartening. We got so many calls and tweets [saying] ‘they balanced it’ — be it in the pragmatism, [Pandit Jawaharlal] Nehru’s ideology when he torn between Gandhi’s stance and [politics of it]. I think we got a lot of things right and got some stuff wrong.

Anything that we felt that needed to be backed up [with facts], or when there was a different point of view on an incident or fact, we [referred] to our strong research team. The writing room basically followed three things. One, that every scene is to follow the logline. Then SonyLIV’s head Danish Khan said while we are watching a lesson in history, there should be a level of drama, that constant ticking clock, which is also there in the background music and you feel it when a bomb is going to blow up, or something is going to happen. The third big thing was the moment somebody in the writing room read [a fact] differently, we backed it up with outside sources and annotations.

As a filmmaker, you’re always dealing with polarized opinions. It’s just because of social media today that possibly it’s easier for me to understand what somebody very far away is thinking about what I’ve made. People always had dissenting opinions and polarized opinions, but we followed the book as our source material. It was a chaotic and confusing time, and nobody predicted it would blow up  the way it did.

For me, patriotism is a very personal. Whether it is Akshay Kumar trying to airlift over 170,000 Indians (in Airlift), or a film about a man discovering that the motherland is everything through a story of migration, even Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway [2023] is extremely patriotic. The subject is very interesting. As for Freedom At Midnight, I think that Nehru’s Tryst With Destiny speech is such a big moment in all our lives. If I’ve made people feel proud of being an Indian at the end of the seven episodes, then I’ve done my patriotic duty.

That’s the big advantage of the platform. Their whole thing was cast for the character and don’t bother about stars. So, whether it’s Chirag, Rajendra Chawla, or Sidhant, they are all incredible theatre actors. Most of them have worked with top directors who I hold in high regard. They were all good actors.

It did not surprise me, but one of my favourite performances Anurag Thakur who plays Madanlal Pawar. He will be the standout performance of season two. I think Anurag Thakur is a name that most cinephiles and lovers of great good storytelling and good cinema are going to be talking about for the next 15-20 years. There’s also a scene after the assassination that is my favourite. I remember when Chirag was made to lie down on the funeral pyre, the room had about 80 people, but there was pin drop silence. People felt they were in the same room as Gandhi’s body. I got goosebumps. The way Sardar and Nehru brokedown was too good. I never imagined the scene to come out so beautifully.

Nikkhil Advani shot ‘Freedom At Midnight’ Seasons 1 and 2 together. He says, “For ‘Rocket Boys’ also we shot both seasons together. When you make a period show of this scale, genre, and pilot, you have to make it together because it just makes production sense. It took a year to write the 14 episodes, and they were written together.”

On September 12, Imran Zahid, a Delhi-based theatre actor, filed a Right to Information (RTI) petition seeking clarity on whether the Indian government prevents Pakistani film and theatre artistes from working in India. For Zahid, the RTI was driven by two factors—at the time, the Punjab release of The Legend Of Maula Jatt had just been announced, a decision he welcomed. More importantly, he wanted clarity on the government’s stance as he is making the Indian adaptation of Pakistani show, Humsafar, which starred Fawad Khan and Mahira Khan.

Things have changed in the fortnight since he filed the petition—The Legend Of Maula Jatt’s Punjab release stands cancelled. Even more reason, Zahid says, for Indian artistes to have complete knowledge of the situation.

“When [the film’s release] was announced [to severe opposition], I filed an RTI with the Ministry of External Affairs and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to inquire about any official ban from the Indian government. Since we are working on a stage adaptation of Pakistani dramas, we’re also concerned whether our projects will see the light of day or face a potential ban,” he says. 

At a time when OTT platforms are streaming content from around the globe, Zahid states that cancelling a Pakistani movie’s release feels “contradictory”.

“It is disheartening to see Maula Jatt’s release stalled. We’ve seen Pakistani actors being reintroduced to Indian audiences [through digital platforms] despite earlier bans. If digital platforms can allow this, why can’t cinema halls extend the same openness? What’s even more concerning is the lack of clear information from the government regarding any collaboration with Pakistani artistes.”

Zahid further explains, “For example, when Zee Studios announced the release of The Legend Of Maula Jatt a month prior, why is it now—so close to the release date—that we hear it has been stalled? In January 2023, during a press conference at the inauguration of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Film Festival, the then-Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Thakur, mentioned that Pakistan was among the invited nations. So, why this decision now? If there is any restriction, we should be made clearly aware of it, and we’ll naturally abide by it.”

In his RTI petition, a copy of which is in mid-day’s possession, Zahid wrote, “Are there any restrictions imposed by the Government of India on collaborating with Pakistani film and theatre artistes at present? Specifically, is there any ban on Pakistani artistes working in India? I raise this query because in November 2023, the Honourable Supreme Court of India dismissed a plea that sought a ban on Pakistani artistes working in India, advising against such narrow-mindedness. In October 2023, the Bombay High Court had also rejected a petition for a total ban on Pakistani artistes, noting that patriotism does not imply hostility toward foreigners.”

Zahid says he is expecting a response to his application by  by mid-October.

Close on the heels of R Madhavan’s directorial debut Rocketry: The Nambi Effect (2022) winning the Best Feature Film Award at the 69th National Film Awards, the actor-filmmaker has been appointed president of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII).

Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Anurag Singh Thakur took to X to make the announcement: “I’m sure that your vast experience & strong ethics will enrich this institute, bring positive changes, and take it to a higher level. My best wishes to you (sic).”

Madhavan replied, “Thank you so very much for the honour and kind wishes @ianuragthakur Ji. I will do my very best to live up to all the expectations (sic).”

The 53-year-old, who has been appointed as president and chairman of the governing council of FTII for a period of three years, takes over from filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, whose tenure ended two months ago.

On Monday, the Lok Sabha passed the Cinematograph (Amendment) Bill 2023, which cracks down on film piracy. Earlier, in his speech, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur in the Rajya Sabha said, “The film industry is facing a loss of Rs 20,000 crore annually because of piracy. Online piracy saw a 62% surge during the pandemic. Hence the Bill proposes a three-year jail term and a fine from Rs. 3 lakh to up to 5% of a movie’s production cost for those making pirated movies.”

Ameet Naik, founder and managing partner of a legal firm, explains “The current laws that address piracy are Copyright Act and Information Technology Act, which prescribe penal provisions for piracy. However, there was no such penal provision under the Cinematograph Act for piracy. With the new amendment introduced in the Cinematograph Bill, recording of a film or helping a person to record a film in a cinema theatre using audio-visual devices has been prohibited and punishment is proposed. The Act therefore harmonises with the Copyright Act and IT Act on piracy.”

Does the Amendment mean you can be arrested for posting movie clips on social media from the theatre? Last week in Rajya Sabha, Anurag Thakur said that he has been getting this question a lot and clarified, “(If) you record a shot for one minute and you are not posting (it), then you will not be punished. But if you record the entire movie and try to gain profit from it then you will be punished under 6A of the Cinematograph Act.”

Over the years, film piracy has changed its forms – from CDs and pendrives to websites, and now it is circulated through social media. In recent years, pirated versions of many Hollywood and Bollywood films were immediately available online post theatrical or digital release. In some cases, like Salman Khan-starrer Radhe (2021), pirates even announced the sale of the movie on Facebook after its release. In the last few years, makers of several films have approached the court to block websites streaming films illegally. Courts have also passed john doe orders, a pre-infringement injunction for when makers anticipate piracy of their films or shows.

The MAI (Multiplex Association of India) has made several representations and suggestions to the I&B ministry to curb piracy. Kamal Gianchandani, President, MAI, says, “Piracy happens through different sources, hence it is difficult to pinpoint a single source. Multiplexes have security measures in place to curb piracy. But having said that there are single screens and small multiplexes from where such leaks could happen too. Hence enforcement is crucial. The MAI is continuously in talks with the police departments of various states, as they play a major role in curbing piracy, and the states have been supportive.”

Cinemas take several measures, such as increasing security during the first weekend of a film’s release, deploying trained projectionists and staff to prevent any illegal activity inside a cinema hall, and taking immediate action if they come across any such case.

New Delhi: Union I&B minister Anurag Thakur is understood to have taken a stern view of a controversial scene featuring a copy of the Bhagavad Gita in ‘Oppenheimer’, deeming it the collective failure of the CBFC to “safeguard the interests of the public”.

He said the issue could not be overlooked and that stringent action would be taken against all CBFC members who were involved in approving the screening of the movie.

The scene shows J Robert Oppenheimer with his lover Jean Tatlock, played by Florence Pugh, in which she opens a copy of the Bhagavad Gita and asks him to read from it. Cillian Murphy, who plays the eponymous protagonist, reads the line, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds”, the quote which Oppenheimer reportedly recalled when the first nuclear bomb was detonated. The scene then segues to an intimate scene between the two.

The government’s sharp reaction comes in the wake of several efforts to rein in vulgarity in visual media in what it says is a response to “public sentiments”. The demand for accountability from CBFC also reflects what government sources described as its “commitment to maintaining a robust and responsible film certification process”.

“It’s (the scene) an insult to Bhagavad Gita, which is our holy book. It sends out powerful and meaningful messages to the entire world. How could someone demean it this way? The scene is an assault on our values and civilization. It’s an assault on the Hindu community. . . [Director Christopher] Nolan should remove this scene from the movie. It reeks of religious hatred. If he doesn’t take out the scene, we will act,” Central Information Commissioner (CIC) Uday Mahurkar said.

New Delhi: Over The Top (OTT) platforms operating in India must “reflect the collective conscience of the country” and provide a “healthy viewing experience to people of all age groups”, Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said on Tuesday at a meeting with representatives of major OTT platforms, including Netflix, Amazon, Discovery, Disney+ Hotstar, Amazon and Alt Balaji, among others.

The meeting, convened by the government to arrive at a better “understanding” of the rapidly-growing streaming industry, also discussed at length content on the streaming platforms that “demeans Indian culture” or is “increasingly vulgar”.

Sources said representatives of OTT platforms, who have been votaries of “creative freedom”, told the minister that several systems to filter and classify content in accordance with the government’s guidelines are already in place, and considerable improvement has been seen in the past three years. 

Since 2021, OTT platforms have been providing age-related classifications as a part of mandatory Code of Ethics for online curated content. Content classification also identifies content on the basis of the themes, violence, nudity, substance abuse and horror, along with an advisory for viewers’ discretion. 

Though the rules also require consideration of India’s multi-racial and multi-religious context and exercising of “due caution and discretion” when featuring the beliefs and practices of any racial or religious group, streaming platforms have often run foul of one or the other mandates.

In this regard, Thakur told OTT players that the government will not allow “demeaning of Indian culture and society in the name of creative freedom” and that they should not use their platforms as tools of “vicious propaganda and ideological biases”.

He also announced institution of the ‘best web series award’ at IFFI from this year.

Kolkata: A day after theatres in Tamil Nadu stopped screening ‘The Kerala Story’ as a “precautionary measure”, the Bengal government on Monday banned the controversial film in a bid to maintain “peace and harmony”. Chief minister Mamata Banerjee dubbed it a “distorted story” and accused the BJP of “defaming the people of Kerala with their narrative”.

Union I&B minister Anurag Thakur said Mamata was doing “injustice to the sisters and daughters of Bengal by banning the film”. The film’s producer, Vipul Amrutlal Shah, said he will “explore legal avenues if the state government doesn’t listen to us”.

The clampdown came even as the film was running across 94 halls in the state—some to packed houses—and the theatre-owners said there had been no trouble so far.

“The scenes depicted in this movie can be dangerous to the law and order and apprehending this, screening of this movie is banned in Kolkata and all districts. The state took this decision to maintain law and order,” a Bengal government release said.

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Kolkata : Even as West Bengal banned the screening of ‘The Kerala Story’ in the state, CM Mamata Banerjee slammed the film and said, “A few days ago, (some) stars, funded by BJP, came to Bengal. They came with some distorted stories, concocted stories, (and) they are preparing a film, Bengal Files.”

The CM further added: “Earlier they had prepared The Kashmir Files to condemn Kashmiris. What is the fault of the people? Now they defame the people in Kerala and the state.”

The Trinamool chief insinuated that Kerala’s governing CPM was not doing enough against the film. “I am talking about people in Kerala. I am not talking about CPM because they are working with BJP. And that BJP is showing The Kerala Story. Instead of me, it was their (CPM’s) duty to criticize it.”

“She should say whether she is standing with those who promote terrorist ideology or is against it,” Union I&B minister Anurag Thakur said about the Sudipto Sen-directed film centred on so-called “love jihad”. (With Agency inputs)

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BJP on Monday slammed West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s decision to ban “The Kerala Story” as “unfortunate” and said it raised serious questions on civil liberties and freedom of expression. The party said the movie is a “real account of victims, who have endured the horrors of demographic invasion and have been used as cannon fodder” for the Islamic State.

Nagpur: Union I&B minister Anurag Thakur warned OTT platforms against dishing out objectionable content like graphic nudity and expletive-laden dialogues by taking advantage of the creative freedom granted to shows. “We will not accept if someone crosses the limit,” he said in Nagpur on Sunday.

Thakur said the government has come across a flurry of complaints lately against OTT platforms and a process is now in place to deal with them. “Since complaints have risen in recent times, our department is taking it very seriously. If changes need to be made (to the process) then it will be dwelt upon with the full attention it deserves,” he said.

The three-level process begins with the producer(s) resolving the issues. “Almost 90% of the complaints are addressed by them at this stage,” Thakur said.

If a complaint still remains unresolved, it goes to the OTT associations. “They take care of the maximum number of issues and resolution is found for the majority of the complaints,” the minister said.

Some complaints still pass through the process and land in the ministry. “When it comes before the government, before our department’s committee, strict action is taken,” Thakur said.

Mumbai: Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur on Friday deplored the “boycott culture” targeting certain films and said such instances vitiate the atmosphere at a time when India is keen to enhance its influence as a soft power.

In case someone has a problem with a movie, he should talk to the government department concerned, which can then take up the issue with the filmmaker, he said.

“But sometimes, just to vitiate the atmosphere, some people comment on something even before knowing about it fully. That causes problems. This should not happen,” he said.

“At a time when India is keen to enhance its influence as a soft power, at a time when Indian films are making waves in every corner of the world, such talk vitiates the atmosphere,” Thakur told reporters here responding to questions on boycott of films by various interest groups.

The minister’s remarks come at a time when Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Pathaan, which released on Wednesday, is facing boycott callsover one of its songs.

In the past, Akshay Kumar’s Samrat Prithviraj, Aamir Khan’s Laal Singh Chaddha and Deepika Padukone’s Padmaavat had faced boycott calls.

Thakur is in Mumbai to inaugurate the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) film festival that will showcase 58 movies.

The minister also made a strong pitch for creative autonomy and said there were adequate safeguards in place for monitoring content on over-the-top (OTT) platforms. “There should be no restrictions on creativity,” Thakur said.

He said the ministry of information and broadcasting does receive complaints about content on OTT platforms, but almost 95 per cent of grievances are settled at the level of producers and the some get resolved at the second stage of the association of publishers of content.

The minister said only one per cent of complaints reach the inter-departmental committee and it is ensured that strict action is taken in such cases.

Panaji: Telugu superstar Chiranjeevi was declared the Indian Film Personality of the Year at the 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India that opened to audiences in Goa on Sunday.

Announcing Chiranjeevi’s name at the government’s marquee film festival, Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said the award is an acknowledgment of the actor’s multi-decade contribution as an actor, dancer and producer in Indian cinema. The 67-year-old former Rajya Sabha MP who was conferred the Padma Bhushan in 2006, forayed into politics with the Praja Rajyam Party in 2008, which he later merged with the Indian National Congress.

Regarded as one of the most influential Telugu artists, Chiranjeevi also served as the Union minister of tourism from 2012 and 2014. Opening to star-studded performances by Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan and Sara Ali Khan, among others, in its 53rd edition, IFFI will have several firsts.

The IFFI Film Bazaar, a platform that facilitates meetings between film writers and producers will take a leaf out of the Marche Du Cannes, where India was the Country in Focus, and will include 40 pavilions from countries like Russia, France and Dubai, apart from Indian states like Bihar, Punjab, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

“India is a country full of stories. No other country can offer such stories and also the manpower, which is skilled and less expensive. . . The festival also serves as a major platform for regional filmmakers to showcase their work. ‘RRR’, a regional film, has become an international film. The movie has not only done business but has also showcased the power of Indian storytelling,”

Thakur said, narrating an instance where Tim Watts, assistant minister for foreign affairs of Australia, said he watched ‘RRR’ with English subtitles. Thakur said 40% of films showcased at the festival are either directed or fronted by women.

The opening ceremony of the 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa on November 20 will see several celebrities not just walk the red carpet, but also perform on stage. As per festival officials, this year, Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan and Mrunal Thakur are among the actors who will be performing at IFFI, while Ajay Devgn will be attending the opening ceremony of the festival.

This year, the National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) has introduced a new segment – Gala Premieres and Special Screenings. As part of the initiative, several other cine stars will be present to introduce their films and interact with fans. Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Anurag Thakur, who will inaugurate the opening ceremony and also the Film Bazaar on November 21, says,

“This year, we have laid out the whole canvas of the festival such that multiple languages spoken in the country find representation in film programming. Masterclasses and in-conversation sessions with eminent personalities are lined up along with lively musical evenings and star-studded performances at the opening and closing ceremonies, with the massive support of the mainstream Indian film industry. To promote ease of business in films, the Film Bazaar has planned and curated pavilions meticulously to showcase the diversity and depth of India’s film industry. The 53rd IFFI is all set to captivate audiences worldwide.”

Ravinder Bhakar, MD, NFDC says, “IFFI celebrates the cinematic diversity of the country as well as the exceptional talent that our industry has. And this is what attracts celebrities to the festival. We are showcasing their talent and recognising their contribution to India’s rapidly growing content economy.”

Every year, IFFI invites prominent film personalities and cinema experts to conduct masterclasses and be a part of in-conversation sessions on various aspects of filmmaking. This year, filmmakers Shekhar Kapur, Mani Ratnam, Shoojit Sircar, R Balki, Gauri Shinde, Kabir Khan, Aanand L Rai and Luv Ranjan, besides actors such as Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Pankaj Tripathi and Anupam Kher will be present during the various sessions to talk about their work and journey, and give film buffs an insight into the process of filmmaking.

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The 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) is set to commence in Goa on a grand note. The inaugural day (November 20) will see a slew of stars, including Varun Dhawan, Kartik Aaryan, Sara Ali Khan, Mrunal Thakur, Amruta Khanvilkar, Catherine Tresa and Ritabhari Chakraborty, walk the red carpet and perform, too.

A source tells us, “They all have separate performances on songs from their films. The theme of IFFI this year is 100 years of cinema, and the performances of these artistes are choreographed on the same lines.”

A French presentation of five performances as well as a Spanish Flamenco performance are also planned.

Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports, says the film industry has supported IFFI wholeheartedly this time.

“This year, we have laid out the whole canvas of the festival such that multiple languages spoken in the country find representation. Film programming, myriad masterclasses and conversations with eminent personalities are lined up, along with lively musical evenings, star-studded performances at the opening and closing ceremonies, with the massive support of the mainstream Indian film industry for the festival. To promote ease of business in films, Film Bazaar has planned and curated pavilions meticulously to showcase the diversity and depth of India’s Film Industry. The 53rd International Film Festival of India is all set to captivate audiences worldwide!” says Thakur.

Honouring the best of 2020’s cinematic excellence, the 68th National Film Awards were announced on Friday in the Capital. The report related to the awards was submitted to the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Anurag Thakur, and 10 jury members, headed by filmmaker Vipul Shah, took the final call.

Ajay Devgn and Suriya shared the Best Actor award. Devgn won it for the period drama Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior and Suriya for Soorarai Pottru. His co-star in the movie, Aparna Balamurali, won the Best Actress award.

Devgn on receiving his third National Award said, “I’m elated to win the Best Actor Award along with Suriya. I thank everyone, most of all my creative team, the audience and my fans. I also express my gratitude to my parents and the Almighty for their blessings.”

Soorarai Pottru won the Best Feature Film, while Tanhaji... was declared the Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment. Nachiket Barve and Mahesh Sherla won the Best Costume Designer award for the same movie.

Child actor Varun Buddhadev got a special jury mention for the Sanjay Dutt and Rajiv Kapoor-starrer Toolsidas Junior, which also won the Best Feature Film, Hindi. It was also Kapoor’s last film before he died in Feb 2021.

Lyricist Manoj Muntashir won the National Award for Best Lyrics for Saina. Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj bagged the award for Best Music Direction (non-feature films section) for 1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar. HTC

Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for I&B, told ANI, “I want to congratulate all the jury members and all those people whose work was reviewed and would like to congratulate the recipients. A word of appreciation for everyone who has done an outstanding job.”

Best Feature Film: Soorarai Pottru; Tamil

Best Actress: Aparna Balamurali (Soorarai Pottru)

Best Actor: Suriya (Soorarai Pottru) & Ajay Devgn (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior; Hindi)

Best Lyrics: Manoj Muntashir (Saina; Hindi)

Best Costume Designer: Nachiket Barve & Mahesh Sherla (Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior)

Best Music Direction in Non-Feature Films: Vishal Bhardwaj (1232 Kms: Marenge Toh Wahin Jaakar; Hindi)

New Delhi: Foreign filmmakers who shoot in India or coproduce films with Indian partners will get incentives, Union information & broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur announced during his visit to the 75th Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday.

Thakur, who led the Indian delegation to the annual film gala where India is the Country of Honour, said for official co-productions, international film production companies can claim a reimbursement of up to 30% (up to Rs 2 crore) on qualifying expenditure in India.

Foreign films that are shot in India will also be permitted to claim an additional 5% bonus of up to Rs 50 lakh if they employ 15% or more manpower locally. The schemes, Thakur said, will incentivise global collaborations and attract foreign filmmakers to invest in India. Film projects that have been granted ‘co-production’ status by the I&B ministry and the country signatory to the bilateral co-production treaties will be eligible for the incentives.

Making a pitch for India as the go-to film destination, Thakur said the government aims to make India a favourite among filmmakers. He highlighted that India has begun the world’s largest film restoration project under National Film Heritage Mission, where 2,200 films across Indian languages and genres will be digitally remastered.

“We have a strong intellectual property regime, and the digital medium now complements the other more established modes of consumption and dissemination such as theatres and movies. This has brought about a democratization of consumer choice like never before, and our government is intent on preserving this via support to the creative industries,” Thakur said.

He also said Indian cinema is undergoing a paradigm shift with the streaming revolution taking the country by storm. “The popularity of digital and OTT platforms has changed how films are created, distributed and consumed. Consumers of global and Indian cinema have more choices than ever before.”

On Day 3 of the Cannes Film Festival, the India Forum panel session on ‘India: The Content Hub Of The World’, saw a discussion on increasing acceptance of Indian content among global audiences and a debate over how Indian stories should be positioned for the international audience. Should India give a more international flavour to content to gain wider acceptability, or be unapologetically Indian in the tonality of what it makes? The session is over, but the debate continues.

In his keynote address, Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting said that Indian content has been appreciated by the global audience, since as far back as 1946, when Chetan Anand’s film Neecha Nagar won the Palme d’Or (then known as Grand Prix of the International Film Festival). A decade later, in 1956, Satyajit Ray’s Pather Panchali won the Best Human Document award.

“India intends to give the global audience a flavour of the country’s cinematic excellence, technological prowess, rich culture and illustrious heritage of storytelling,” he said, while discussing how the country is set to manifest into the ‘content hub of the world’.

While talking about how India should approach the global market and audience, Prasoon Joshi, CBFC chairperson emphasized that India can follow the Korean approach of storytelling – in the sense that the content need not lose its local cultural connect.

He said, “How can I take India and what can be produced in India and make it palatable for the global market and reach out to that market? That’s what Korea did with K-pop or K-dramas. They reached out with a distinct Korean flavour catered to the world market. Every culture in the world has something to offer, I would hate a world which is standardized. Another thing that’s important is that India understands diversity. We are so used to diversity.”

Scott Roxborough, Europe Bureau Chief, The Hollywood Reporter, was not convinced on some nuances and pointed out the fact that though China has an incredibly strong domestic market and is now the second largest box office territory in the world, it has still not been able to really find global acceptance, even though it makes very distinct films about its culture and history.

“They (China) have not really managed to cross over to the international market, and I would argue that India hasn’t either yet, despite having a very long history of cinema, and having great traditional storytelling. The type of Indian storytelling that is so appealing to the Indian market has not yet crossed over to the international market. ”

Scott also made the point that there should be a point beyond which governments should perhaps not get involved in the space of culture. CBFC member and actress-producer Vani Tripathi Tikoo, who was moderating the event, asked Apurva Chandra, Secretary, I&B, “Scott says the government should not be getting involved in culture, and we were discussing yesterday about education and creation of opportunities in cinema, in governance terms, what do you think should be happening? How much involvement should governance have in terms of creation of content? How does it interconnect with you and the consciousness around governance?”

Chandra said that he would like to respond to Scott as a film buff and not as a government officer. Sharing examples of Indian films that resonated with the global audience, he added, “NFDC (National Film Development Corporation of India) was the producer of The Lunchbox, a very very typical story of the Mumbai suburb, and Mr And Mrs Iyer, a film on Hindu Muslim unity. There have been a lot of stories which the world has been interested in, like Lion, Life Of Pi,and Slumdog Millionaire – that are all by foreign filmmakers but are typically Indian. And then apart from that, there are a lot of Indian films that are getting attention in other parts of the world – 3 Idiots or Dangal did very well in China. I met Ahmad Bolchin, who is a producer of RRR in Dubai, and he said that he is translating RRR into Persian, distributing it in Iran. In Dubai, they are interested in Indian serials, and would like to dub them in Arabic. That’s how Indian stories are travelling in the Middle East, in America and in other parts of the world.”

Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, Prasoon, and R Madhavan were all convinced that the flamboyance, the melodrama and the cultural rooting of content made in India, or by Indians, should not be something that is treated apologetically.

Underlining the social and emotional USPs of content rooted in India, Kapur said that human beings are melodramatic people and “we Indians perhaps even more so, and there is no need to be defensive about that. For us (Indians in particular, and Asians in general) everything is mythology”.

He added, “In the West, there is some kind of shyness when mythology comes up. I did a film called Elizabeth (1998), my first film outside India and I am thinking – how am I gonna do this? This is the most famous queen in the world and I am an Indian filmmaker! I was like, actually, I have a mythic idea and to me everything about Elizabeth is mythic. And when I was shooting it everybody said, ‘Shekhar, it is so melodramatic’, and I said, ‘No, it’s mythic’. Reviews also said that it is a very melodramatic film. I said, ‘Yes!’ They said it is a Bollywood film, and I said, ‘Yes!’ And then we got nominated for nine Oscars and Cate Blanchett became one of the biggest stars in the world.”

Kapur pointed out that there is this conflict between the West and the East and the reason Chinese films are not coming abroad yet is perhaps not because they lack a connect but because the film critics in the West have not yet learnt to celebrate the idea of living mythically.

Scott responded by making the point that succeeding in the international market comes from translation, like what Kapur did – take a very western story and telling it in a very Indian way. He said, “What you did with Elizabeth was a very compelling translation of Indian cinema – emotional, melodramatic and mythic cinema-making, with a western story. You were able to combine that and translate the language into something which was then understandable for the international audience.”

He said that it is not that Chinese cinema is not producing big distinct cinema, but that the international audience doesn’t understand that language and culture. He added, “I would argue that this is what Korea has done. They tell very Korean stories, but they have taken so much western influence to their storytelling that they are very easily translatable, and very easily understandable. Parasite, for me, could have been a Spielberg movie. It is told in a very Korean way with a very specific Korean setting, but they have managed to find a translation. And that’s what I think India needs to do ifit has to go international with storytelling, and that doesn’t mean to be untrue to the core or mythic, but you can’t expect audiences to just understand the culture.”

Madhavan also reiterated the point of being unabashed about not tailoring content to deliberately make it more globally palatable. “One of the ways that content becomes international and consumed is the fact that it becomes aspirational. Koreans have become successful because they are unabashed about how they don’t want to appease the rest of the world. They are very Korean in their nature – and that’s why my son wants to see it. I think if we are able to make those stories aspirational, of which we have many opportunities in India, we will be as much a global player as Hollywood is. ”

To ensure that Indian stories are not lost in translation and effectively reach foreign audiences, producer Philippe Avril advised to encourage co-production across countries.

Indian musician Ricky Kej – who has won two Grammys, in 2022 and 2015, both in the Best New Age Album category, and both in collaboration with international artistes – pointed out that some of the best films narrating Indian stories have either come from Indian filmmakers who lived abroad or foreign filmmakers who told an Indian story, and hence, collaboration is the way forward.

He added, “My first major collaboration (Winds Of Samsara) was with a South African musician (flautist Wouter Kellerman), for which I won a Grammy (in 2015). My second collaboration was this year with Stewart Copeland, a former drummer of The Police from America. I won my second Grammy for that. And both albums are very strongly Indian. It is just that I got a new perspective on how to dress up the songs. The same could apply to films. I think collaboration becomes very important to break cultural barriers. ”

Actors Akshay Kumar and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, music maestro A R Rahman, Grammy-winning composer Ricky Kej and actor R Madhavan are among those from the field of cinema and music who will walk the red carpet at the opening ceremony of the 2022 75th Cannes Film Festival, as part of the Indian delegation led by Anurag Thakur, Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting.

Other names from the Indian delegation that will walk the red carpet include CBFC chief Prasoon Joshi, acclaimed director Shekhar Kapur, CBFC board member Vani Tripathi Tikoo, actresses Tamannaah Bhatia, Pooja Hegde, Nayanthara and folk artiste Mame Khan.

This year, Cannes’ Marche’ Du Film will celebrate India as its Official Country Of Honour. As part of these celebrations, the Palais des Festival premiere of R Madhavan’s Rocketry: The Nambi Effect will take place on May 19. The restored version of G Aravindan’s Thamp will also be screened at the film market.

This will be the first time that the market will have an official Country Of Honour and is expected to continue this tradition during its future editions. The India Forum will be the first event to open the conference program of the Marché Du Film on May 19, where the panel discussion, India: The Content Hub of the World, will feature Prasoon Joshi and Shekhar Kapur, among others.

The centenary celebrations of Satyajit Ray will continue at Cannes as a restored classic of the filmmaker — Pratidwandi— will be screened at the Cannes Classic section Cinéma de la plage.

India will be the official Country of Honour for the Cannes Marché du Film (Film Market), at the 75th Cannes Film Festival, which will be held from May 17 to 25 this year. This will be the first time that the market will have an official Country Of Honour and is expected to continue this tradition during its future editions.

Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur will be delivering a welcome address during a ceremony to kick off the market celebrations on May 18 at the Majestic Beach. The India Forum will be the first event to open the conference program of the Marché du Film on May 19, where the panel discussion, India: The Content Hub of the World, will feature Prasoon Joshi, CBFC chairperson and veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur, among others.

“We are delighted to have India as our Country of Honour this year at the Marché du Film; and even happier to be able to share the celebration of our anniversary that we have in common – 75 years of Indian independence coinciding with the 75th Festival de Cannes,” said Jérôme Paillard & Guillaume Esmiol, Executive Directors of the Marché du Film.

“It is a momentous occasion for India, the land of storytellers and a feat in our soft power as India is the first Country of Honour at the 75th Cannes Film Festival,” Anurag Thakur told us, adding, “This has come at a time when India is celebrating Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav and the year 2022 also marks 75 years of diplomatic relations between India and France. I am also proud that India is also a Country of Honour at Cannes Next where five startups will get to pitch to AV industry.”

As one of the highlights of India’s status as the Country of Honour, a special screening of the restored Satyajit Ray film Pratidwandi is planned in the Cannes Classics selection. Anurag Thakur added, “We are happy that the the legendary cinematic excellence of Satyajit Ray will be on display at Cannes through his classic Pratidwandi. Through Cannes, we will send out a message to the whole world that India is the content hub of the world. With tremendous improvement in ease of doing business and industry-friendly policies, India is open to contributing in all aspects of filmmaking.”

The festival’s official press release also quoted Apurva Chandra, Secretary, I&B ministry, as saying, “We are taking giant strides in making India the content hub of the world, and this collaboration will be crucial in making the world better acquainted with what India has to offer.”

The Cannes Film Festival will also feature world premieres of a selection of Indian films, which will be held at the Olympia Cinema. India will also be spotlighted in their various other programmes, including Goes to Cannes, Cannes XR and Animation Day, stated the official press release issued by the festival.

From the global impact of Indian cinema in countries across the world, to the challenges he’s faced in his career — Ranveer Singh spoke about a plethora of topics at Expo 2020 Dubai. The actor, who was representing the Indian entertainment industry at the expo, visited the India Pavilion, as part of the Media & Entertainment fortnight, where he joined Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, for a discussion on The Global Reach of Indian Media and Entertainment Industry. Excerpts:

While discussing his toughest roles, Ranveer said, “Every new role comes with a unique set of challenges. (In the film '83) Woh bowling action karte karte, mera paani nikal gaya.”

Imitating Kapil Dev’s voice, Ranveer continued – “‘We here to win, what else we here for?’ – woh lehza, language and everything aside, that bowling action was very difficult.”

The actor added that working with director Sanjay Leela Bhansali was particularly challenging. He said, “It is no secret that the films I have done with Mr Bhansali (Goliyon Ki Raasleela Ram-leela, Bajirao Mastani, and Padmaavat) constitute the pillars of my career. Stardom aside, he has been able to hone me as an artiste over the three films that I have done with him. The thing with Mr Bhansali is that he really pushes you. He pushes you beyond your boundaries, beyond your limits...and it is only beyond your comfort zone that growth actually happens. He revealed to me what I am capable of. While it is extremely challenging and testing, when you come out of it, it is as a much more evolved artiste.”

When Anurag Thakur wondered, “Ranveer ki itni energy aati kahan se hai? Woh andar se aati hai, ya public se?”

The actor responded, “Mujhe woh hero banna tha. Meri zindagi bhar ka sapna pura ho gaya. It’s so surreal. I am on this stage at this moment representing my country as the face of Indian entertainment, it is an honour for me. That gratitude is that dynamo inside me. Main jo bhi karta hoon, pure josh ke saath karta hoon. No half measures. All in.”

The Minister also pointed out how Indian films have a stronghold over countries across the world. He said, “They ask, ‘Mera Naam Joker dekhi?’ Kab Raj Kapoor ji thay, aur kab Mera Naam Joker thi. Unn logon pe humne (our films) kya impact — kya impression — chhora hoga. Yeh Indian film industry ki bahut badi dein hai Bharat ke liye.”

Ranveer added, “I am astonished when I travel across the world – the kind of (impact) our entertainment has had in far-flung places like Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan... just about anywhere I go. It is not just the Indian diaspora who loves and watches our films, but so many people from across the world. It has themes that people can relate to.”

While discussing how OTT has given the Indian entertainment industry an opportunity to produce stories that can travel the world so easily, Ranveer said, “We want to tell those stories that are universal, that transcend culture and translate across boundaries. Ultimately, you tell human stories that everyone can relate to. Our films are such an important connect with the Indian diaspora too. They feel connected with their homeland through our films, and that’s a great responsibility. The pandemic affected every industry across the world — and the entertainment industry is no exception — but the way we bounced back, shows our resilience. I am very very proud of our entertainment fraternity.”

Ranveer Singh, Anurag Thakur shake legs on 'Malhari'

Ranveer Singh will visit the India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai on Sunday as part of the Media & Entertainment fortnight. Sources say the actor will be representing the Indian entertainment industry and will join Anurag Thakur, Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting, for important meetings, including an in-depth conversation about the media industry.

A source informs, “Ranveer has taken a day off from his hectic schedule to fly to Dubai as India’s representative. Apart from meetings, he will also join Anurag Thakur for a fun conversation.”

Ranveer, who has starred in commercially successful and critically-acclaimed films like Band Baaja Baaraat, Lootera, Padmaavat, and 83, is expected to discuss his films, his acting process and how he gets into the skin of these characters. The actor will attend a dinner hosted by Aman Puri, Consul General of India, Dubai, where eminent personalities from Dubai and Abu Dhabi are expected to be present. He will also be felicitated by the I&B Minister for his contribution to the Indian film industry.

Last week, S S Rajamouli, NTR Jr, and Ram Charan discussed their film at the India Pavilion, while in another session, Shekhar Kapur discussed how technology has changed cinema viewing patterns.

The I&B Minister is on a three-day visit to Dubai till March 28, as part of the Media & Entertainment fortnight at the India Pavilion, where he will attend the CEO roundtable with cinema and TV industry chiefs and meet with his counterparts from other countries.

Goa: At the star-studded inaugural of the 52nd International Film Festival in Goa, Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said India should become the preferred destination for world cinema and a global hub for content and post-production of films.

“India can captivate the world by narrating its story. The story of a rising, powerful, vibrant billion ready to lead the world the Indian way. Further, the film and entertainment industry has huge employment opportunities as we leapfrog into the digital era of content filmmaking and not forget about film archiving for the future generations,” he said.

The IFFI also conferred the first ‘Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement’ award on filmmakers Martin Scorsese and Istvan Szabo, and the ‘Film Personality of the Year’ award on actor and Lok Sabha MP Hema Malini.

In a video message, Scorsese said, “He is one of the filmmakers whose work I’ve returned to over and over again over the years throughout my life. Every time I see his films again, like ‘Apu Trilogy’ or ‘Charulata’, it is a whole new experience for me. They are the same films but somehow they deepen, become enriched within the feelings over the years.”

New Delhi: The media and entertainment industry, and over the top (OTT) platforms in particular, will fuel economic and job growth in the next few years and government encourages this trend by allowing OTT platforms to self-regulate, information and broadcasting and sports minister Anurag Thakur said at the Times Now Summit on Thursday.

Acknowledging the exponential growth of OTT platforms, which picked up pace during the coronavirus pandemic, Thakur said the media and entertainment industry is projected to be worth Rs 4 lakh crore by 2025 and that OTT platforms alone have the potential to employ 80 lakh persons.

With expected investments worth Rs 30,000 crore in the next three years, of which 45% is likely to be through FDI, Thakur said India is also the world’s sixth largest OTT market, despite still being in its nascent stages of growth.

He did not agree with claims of “over censorship” by the government and said OTT platforms have been allowed to self-regulate and take responsibility for the content they produce. “There is a three-tier mechanism for complaint redressal and 95% of the complaints they received are settled at their own level,” he said.

Congratulating Times Now Navbharat for its proposed launch on the Standard Definition platform, effective January 1 next year, Thakur said, “We all want Navbharat to be prosperous and powerful. In this, the role of Times Now Navbharat is also significant; for delivering accurate news to the masses. For this I congratulate you all.”

In his capacity as sports minister, he said the government has taken several steps to step up training facilities for elite and upcoming athletes through initiatives like Mission Olympic Cell and Khelo India, and that the ministry will, in the coming months, launch app-based training modules for coaches and athletes to ensure that international best practices reach the maximum number of aspiring sportspersons.

Thakur also said social media platforms are powerful tools to inform people, but condemned recent instances of Indian cricket players being targeted on social media for their performances.

“Everyone must understand social media is for you to state your point of view, but not to make objectionable statements about anyone or run someone down. Those who represent India put in every effort for the country and it is absolutely condemnable when someone is targeted over their religion or poor performance,” he said.