As his latest release Chippa drops online, Lion discovery Sunny Pawar discusses juggling thriving film career and studies
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; June 12, 2020)

The most striking memory we have of Sunny Pawar is his endearing recreation of the Lion King scene at the 2017 Academy Awards with host Jimmy Kimmel. The child actor, now 11, is grabbing eyeballs again with his performance in Chippa, which dropped on Netflix.

"The best part about Lion [2016] and Chippa was that I could travel to the international film festivals and meet renowned celebrities. Shooting for Chippa in Kolkata was a novel experience, even though it was my second time in the city. It is pulsating with tradition and rich culture," marvels Pawar, who gorged on Kolkata's famous street food.

Pawar's life has witnessed a turnaround post the Oscar-nominated film. With his father who doubles up as his manager, he sifts through the offers carefully, and has so far been part of Sacred Games, the Marathi film Aa Bb Kk and the short film, To Remember Me By. Even though he considers himself "blessed" to have got such exposure at an early age, juggling films and school is not easy. "Most shoots were scheduled during my vacations. On the rare occasion that I would be required to shoot during the semester, the director used to provide a letter to the school for permission. My friends used to send the notes over WhatsApp. When I would resume school, I used to work doubly hard to catch up on my studies."

Four years since Lion, he rues that he has lost touch with co-stars Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman. "Dev and Nicole were nice to me during every interaction. After Lion, I haven't been able to connect with them regularly. I look forward to working with them again in the near future."

Renuka Vyavahare (BOMBAY TIMES; October 27, 2019)

Actor-turned-director Tannishtha Chatterjee is now the mother of a little girl. She always wanted to adopt a child, and she turned her dream into reality a few months ago. Given the sensitivity of the issue, the actress took her time to speak about it, also hoping that others, who harbour dreams of adopting a child, will be encouraged by her story. In a chat with BT, during which her three-year-old daughter accompanied her, Tannishtha opened up on various issues. She spoke candidly about motherhood as a single woman and why she was clear about bypassing marriage. Excerpts:

Our society often believes that the institution of marriage offers ‘stability and security’ to a woman. While that is subjective, as a single woman, how tough was it to overlook that, follow your heart and dive straight into motherhood?
I am not married, but I have a child now. I tell a lot of my male friends and exes that instead of adopting a guy, I preferred to adopt a child. I have been thinking about adopting since the time I was 16. I was clear from a very young age that I wanted to adopt. When you say these things as a teenager, people tend to dismiss it, saying, ‘Yeh toh sirf aisa bol rahi hai’. At that point, even I thought that I am being very uptight, and it’s about a social cause given that there are so many abandoned kids in our country. As I grew older, the thought of adoption not only stayed with me, but only became firmer. There’s this brilliant Japanese film called Like Father, Like Son (2013). It revolves around a couple who learns that their biological son was switched with another boy at birth. The parents are then faced with the difficult decision of choosing their biological son or the one they raised as their own. While watching the film, I realised that this ‘our child carries our genes’ thing is a very patriarchal idea. You don’t have to give birth to a child to be a mother. Even when you look at our culture, Krishna was raised by Yashoda and not his biological mother, Devaki. Over the years, this thought got affirmed in my head.

How easy or tough was the adoption process as a single woman?
She (daughter) came to me eight months ago. You don’t choose. Central Adoption Resource Authority (CARA) is a government organisation, and in the last few years, they have streamlined the process. It is not like getting a baby at a shopping mall. You can’t choose. This whole designer baby thing is not fair. Even when you have a biological child, you don’t know how the child is going to turn out. The only thing that you can suggest during adoption is the age bracket and gender of the child that you wish to adopt. I wanted to adopt a child of this age because older children often get left out. Most people prefer babies who are three-six months old as they want a clean slate. I chose that age bracket for a reason. I know so many single moms who have adopted children and CARA is, in fact, supportive of single women. Especially for the girl child, they prefer single women as they feel they are safer with women. I think my process was faster because of that. I jumped the queue and the entire process took about a year.

Is it true that being a part of the film Lion (2017), in which you played a cameo, helped you understand the process of adoption better?
When I was doing that film, I was nowhere close to realistically doing this thing. Director Garth Davis and Deepti Naval were doing research on this subject for her role in the film, and she shared many things related to it with me. We went to an orphanage in Kolkata during that film. I realised foreigners adopted a lot of older kids. Indian couples prefer adopting very young children. When I was shooting for Parched (2015), I went to an orphanage in Bhuj and I started sponsoring two kids there. All these things happened. That’s when I got to know the process and how one needs to go about it.

What was your parents’ reaction to this decision of yours?
Obviously, they had a few questions. Marriage was one; also, they told me that having a child is not a child’s play. They told me to think it over as it’s a lifelong commitment. My mother warned me and told me that I have always lived a teenager’s life and I haven’t taken responsibilities of raising a family, so this should not be something that I was temporarily excited about. They were apprehensive, but when I was sure about wanting to do this, they were supportive. It’s been eight months now, and it’s been a beautiful journey. Whoever is thinking of doing this, should just do it. I wasn’t sure if I should talk about it or not. On the one hand, it’s a very personal decision, so I didn’t want to make news out of it. I didn’t post anything about it on social media either. On the other hand, I want to reach out to those who want to do this and are privileged enough to take care of a child. I read a report in The Times of India a while ago, about couples who are opting not to have children owing to rising population and other crisis. I want to tell them, just adopt. A lot of them don’t want kids at all. Of course, that’s their choice and they are entitled to it, but I want them to just think once about adoption. Surrogacy, IVF —people do so many things to have their biological children. Give adoption a thought, too.

Your daughter is a little over three years. Do you think of talking to her about where she has come from, how you brought her home…and things like that?
She understands Bengali now and is really sharp. Now that she goes to an English school, she understands English as well, so I avoid using certain words in front of her. I spell the word adopt in front of her instead of saying it. Some orphanages believe that the children should know, so she knows that she has come from another place. That’s all she knows. She thinks I am the new mom as I picked her from the place where her biological parents dropped her off. Slowly that memory has faded. Now, she believes that I am the one who dropped her at that place, and I am the one who picked her up as well. As she grows older, she will start making sense of it on her own. It will never be a shock or a surprise for her. Another beautiful thing is that she has never asked me about her Dad. In the park one day, a little boy asked her why she doesn’t have a dad. She told him, “But you don’t have daadi and dada. I have them and mom.” These days, kids are so mature and adaptable. Their emotional maturity is amazing. As adults, we underestimate them.

The world is getting cynical. This step that you have taken makes it hopeful, isn’t it? To give a better life to someone…
A lot of people thought that I was being pessimistic for not wanting to give birth to children in this world. Environmentally, we are a disaster. Be it war or climate crisis, look at what we have done to our planet. Greta Thunberg (16-year-old Swedish teenage environmental activist) is speaking for all of us. Food is adulterated, oxygen is depleting. What are we leaving for our future generation? Why not help those who already exist? All of these things posed many questions. We are destroying the planet and there is no value for human life. Survival is the biggest challenge. A child brings so much love and beauty to your life. You can give the child a nice home. My child has adopted me and not the other way around; it was so organic.

There are challenges of raising a child as a single mom, especially when you are working in an industry that is so demanding and fast-paced, right?
I don’t want to compete with men, and I don’t want to be a man. I want to celebrate my femininity. But equality also means that I don’t need to be taken care of. I am an adult and I make my choices and live my life according to what suits my interests. Also, yes, your life does change after a child comes into your life. I can have friends over after she goes to sleep, but I rarely go out now and it’s all worth it.

Niharika Lal (BOMBAY TIMES; October 16, 2019)

Capturing ‘the flavour of India’ has been one of the main agendas of most foreign films and TV shows shot in India. However, till around a couple of years back, delays in getting visas for foreign crews, the red tape stretching the permissions process to three-six months sometimes, and hassles in the temporary import of shooting equipment, among other issues, meant very few foreign projects were actually shot here. The India producers of international projects say that whenever the script has an India connect, foreign filmmakers want to shoot in India. However, when shooting here seemed impossible, the makers would either scrap the India portion of the shoot or recreate it in another country.

But now, with an easier permissions process, thanks to the Film Facilitation Office (FFO), and a special visa category for foreign crews filming in India, the number of projects being shot in the country has gone up. From three-four projects in a year, the number has gone up to over 10 projects in 2019 alone till now, including Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, which he shot in Mumbai last month.

Currently, five major foreign projects are being shot in different parts of the country. Line producers and India producers of foreign projects tell us what has changed in the permissions process and what more can be done to attract foreign filmmakers to India.


CHRISTOPHER NOLAN’S TENET GOT SHOOTING PERMISSIONS IN A WEEK
A foreign filmmaker, on an average, has to get over 31 licences to shoot a film in India. However, in the last four years, the I&B ministry, through FFO, has worked to reduce the time taken to procure permits for foreign crews.

Pravesh Sahni, India producer of films like Slumdog Millionaire, Lion, and Hotel Mumbai, says, “The FFO has smoothened the process for international projects and it has helped more international filmmakers shoot in India. After getting permits to shoot in India, we have to apply to local agencies for shooting at that particular location. The facilitators and infrastructure scenario is improving in India. These days, the permits are being issued faster. In the last couple of years, they’ve brought tremendous change in the filming for international films in India.”

Last month when Christopher Nolan came to shoot his upcoming film Tenet in Mumbai, he got the permission within a week. Dileep Singh Rathore, the India producer of Tenet, says, “I recently completed a seven-day schedule of Christopher Nolan’s Tenet in India, and it was only possible because we got the permissions in time. As someone who has faced a lot of trouble in getting permissions in the past, now, it feels like a red carpet has been rolled out for foreign projects in India. I have four other international projects in the pipeline to shoot in India, but I can’t disclose their names.”

As foreign filmmakers often want to capture aerial scenes, a separate department has been introduced to cater to these requests. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) provides permission for aerial shootings in the country. Dileep Singh Rathore adds, “A few years back, to get permission to shoot a helicopter scene for Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises (which had some scene shot in Jodhpur), I had applied five months in advance, but I never got permission. But for Tenet, we got the permission to use a helicopter very quickly.”


The crew shooting a scene of Garth Davis’ Lion , starring Dev Patel, in India

NO VISA ISSUES FOR FOREIGN CREWS NOW
In 2017, the I&B ministry consulted the MHA and the MEA, and introduced a special visa category for foreign filmmakers.

Alan McAlex, the India producer of two international projects, one being shot in UP and another film scheduled for shoot in Ahmedabad next month, says, “Quick visa clearances for the foreign crews is one of the reasons why more foreign filmmakers are coming to shoot in India. For shooting in India, foreign filmmakers have to get clearance from the I&B Ministry. The ministry officials coordinate with the Indian embassies abroad, and help in getting visa clearances faster.”

For foreign filmmakers, getting the permission to shoot in India used to take five-six months, which has now reduced to three-four weeks.

TEMPORARY IMPORT OF FILMING EQUIPMENT AT CUSTOMS USED TO BE A HUGE PAIN
For foreign filmmakers, the biggest hurdle to shooting in India is customs clearance because they have to import film shooting equipment temporarily. Dileep Singh Rathore says, “For Tenet, we had to bring IMAX cameras and other equipment as filmmaking process abroad is more advanced. When foreign filmmakers bring equipment to India they have to spend a lot of time in getting customs clearance. While this time the process was very smooth, the temporary import of filming equipment has been a big problem area for us.”

‘ASI, DGCA, RAILWAYS CAN FURTHER IMPROVE PERMISSION PROCESS’
When we asked India producers of foreign projects about the departments where the permissions process can be improved, the most common reply was the airports, the ASI and the railways. Pravesh, who has also worked on Homeland, and is currently working on two international shows, says, “We have been discussing the timelines of shoots with the ASI. The official time is from 6 am, but to capture the sunrise at 6 am, the crew needs to set up at 4 am. Similarly, for airport shoots, the permissions process takes weeks to months. Another problem that we face is that multiple permissions are needed from railways because it is divided into different zones — a centralised system will help filmmakers.”

To shoot at a railway station or on the railway tracks, permission is needed from the zone the station or the track falls in. For some areas, permission is needed from two zones which doubles the fee. During the shooting of Lion at Khandwa, the producers had to get permission from two zones. A security clearance from the Railway Board in Delhi is also needed.

Talking about incentives, Pravesh Sahni says, “Countries like Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Sri Lanka offer incentives, but we don’t have as many incentives in India. I have been discussing it with the I&B officials that if a filmmaker is spending over Rs 2 million in India, he/she should be offered some incentive to shoot here.” The production houses say that incentives also help in attracting a number of independent foreign filmmakers who submit their work to film festivals, and it can position India better on the map of shooting locations.

IS INDIA A DESTINATION FOR FOREIGN FILMMAKERS?
Alan McAlex says, “We can definitely say that more foreign filmmakers are interested in filming in India, but India is still not a shooting destination. One of the reasons is that international filmmakers won’t get extras here. They can easily go to East Europe and replicate New York there, and they will get a crowd of 2000 extras, but if they want to do it in India, they’ll have to bring those extras along with them.”
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MAKING SHOOTING IN INDIA AN EASIER PROCESS FOR INTERNATIONAL FILMMAKERS

Myriad clearances would often scare, confuse, or simply tire out international filmmakers looking to work in India. To remove the red tape involved in obtaining filming permits in India, the Film Facilitation Office (FFO), operated by the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), which is the single window clearance system for international film shoots in India, subsequently went online. In 2017, at the Cannes Film Festival, India specially focused on promoting film tourism and encouraging international studios to shoot in the country.
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PREVIOUS PROJECTS WHICH EARNED INDIA A BAD REPUTATION

In 2012, the Ministry of Railways did not give permission to shoot an action sequence on top of a moving train for the James Bond movie, Skyfall, because they felt that India would be shown in a poor light. The 2018 release, Mission: Impossible - Fallout, the sixth in the series, which opens with a scene in Kashmir and ends with it too, didn’t get the required permissions to shoot in the valley. So director Christopher McQuarrie created Kashmir in New Zealand. He was quoted as saying, “It was a pretty crazy sequence. People were very nervous about us coming there and doing that. So while we were shooting in New Zealand, we still had this (feel)... We liked the flavour of India, so (somehow) we managed to put it in (the film).” Line producers tell us that for every film which doesn’t get permission to shoot in India, or its shooting gets disrupted, it stops five other filmmakers from shooting in the country.
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PERMISSIONS PROCESS SMOOTHER BUT MORE CAN BE DONE, SAY INDIA PRODUCERS OF FOREIGN FILMS

From three-four projects a year to over 10 international projects being shot in India in 2019 alone, an easier permissions process has boosted India’s image as a shooting location. While the Film Facilitation Office is giving shooting permissions faster, a special visa category has been introduced for foreign crews filming here and customs clearance of filmmaking equipment is also a smoother process. From five-six months, the time frame of getting permissions has now reduced to three-four weeks. However, line producers say that the permissions process in departments like the Indian Railways and the ASI, and in airports could be further improved, along with offering incentives to foreign filmmakers.

Former child star Rubina Ali on life after leaving Mumbai streets ten years ago to attend the Oscars when the film went on to win eight awards
Daily Mirror (BOMBAY TIMES; February 20, 2019)

On Oscars night next weekend, all eyes will be on Olivia Colman, the 45-year-old British actress being tipped for Best Actress glory for her role as Queen Anne in The Favourite. It will be a remarkable night for Colman, but nothing compared to Rubina Ali’s experience on the Hollywood red carpet ten years ago.

Slumdog Millionaire star Rubina was ten, when she left India and her tiny shack of a home in the Mumbai slums, to go to the 81st Academy Awards in Hollywood, where all eyes were on her as Danny Boyle’s film won eight Oscars.

A decade on, instead of rubbing shoulders with the stars in LA next Sunday, Rubina, 20, will be watching it on TV in her one-bedroom flat in Bandra West, just across the railway line from the Bandra East slum where she was born.

Rubina says, “The Oscars was just unforgettable. It was one of the most amazing days. But sometimes it feels like a dream — I was so young. I was very happy to meet all the Hollywood stars and to experience the red carpet. I never imagined that would happen in my life.”

Wide-eyed Rubina played the young Latika, who falls in love with Jamal, played by Dev Patel. Recalling her trip to LA, Rubina, now a student and part-time office worker, says, “I remember I didn’t like the US food. Dev Patel used to feed me with his hand — pizza and burgers — but I like Indian spicy food, I didn’t like the continental food.”

‘SLUMDOG STOLE MY CHILDHOOD’

Rubina was living in a tiny brick-and-corrugated-iron hut in the slums with dad Rafiq, stepmum Munni, two brothers and two sisters, when a friend heard that US film producers were looking for slum children for a Hollywood film.

Rubina, whose biological mother, Khushi, had walked out of the family home when she was four, was paid an upfront fee equivalent to around £624 now, a huge figure compared to her father’s £110-a-month wage as a carpenter.

Danny Boyle later formed the Jai Ho Trust to help Rubina and Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail — the only other slum kid in the film — and pay for a good education and a flat for each of them.

She says, “Uncle Danny has been wonderful. He has supported me so much. He paid for my education and came to visit me every year. I’d go to visit him at his hotel and he’d ask me about my life. He has helped me a lot. He is very kind and loving to us. I love him too.”

The two children went to an English school in plush Bandra West, and when they turned 18, they received an undisclosed sum from the trust plus the deeds to their flats.

Speaking to the team as she revisits the slums where she once lived and where the movie was filmed, Rubina says, “I grew up much quicker because of Slumdog, though. The film stole my childhood. My mother and father didn’t know much, they’re not educated so they had no idea how to handle the fame and attention. It was too much for them.”

She says the film also brought her ‘fake friends’ as she found herself to be a target for opportunists, who tried to take advantage of her success. She and her family were offered free food and clothes, but when the interest in the film started to subside, so did the offers. Rubina says, “Everyone wanted to be my friend after the film. People would buy me gifts and clothes and feed me, but then they disappeared. Before Slumdog there was no one, then there were so many people and then, there was no one again. They wanted to be famous because I was famous.”

‘SOME PEOPLE STILL RECOGNISE ME, BUT NOT AS MUCH AS THEY USED TO’

Rubina’s 15-minutes of fame took a toll on her already-strained family. There were stories of her mum fighting with her stepmum, she fell out with her father and even moved in with her aunt and uncle for a while. Rubina says she saw a lot of ‘deceit’, but refuses to elaborate. Her brush with Hollywood fame has left her guarded, struggling to trust people.

She says, “Now I live a simple life. I don’t have many friends and I don’t drink alcohol. I saw a lot of fake people soon after Slumdog, so I am very wary of people. I don’t like being with a lot of people, I’m not very trusting. I’m alone quite a lot and I quite like that. I don’t want people to use me and harm me.

“Some people still recognise me, but not as much as they used to. Soon after the film, everyone used to call my name and sing Jai Ho at me, but not as much these days.”

It’s a sad statement for a young woman of 20. But Rubina has been on a rollercoaster few could imagine.

Her first home in the slums was destroyed to make way for a railway line the year the film came out and her second home was burned to the ground in 2011, the fire destroying all her Oscar memorabilia and the baby blue dress she wore on awards night.

She moved into the flat at the age of 13, where she now lives. Many of her family still live in the slums, and as she shows us the area where she once lived, she admits that, despite the atrocious conditions, she misses the community spirit she once shared.

Rubina says, “I often go back to the slum to see my uncle and family. It looks different now, so I don’t feel emotional when I go there, but it was once my home. I miss how it was, the home I had. I loved my neighbours and close family nearby. We were a close community —everyone was so nice, but it’s gone now.”

Of course, the film has given her plenty of opportunities, too. She now studies art and literature at Mumbai University and works parttime in an office.

‘I LIKE BOTH HOLLYWOOD AND BOLLYWOOD, BUT I DON’T WANT TO LIVE OVERSEAS’

Rubina, who was a runner on the 2013 movie Belle, still wants to be an actor and insists that, overall, the Slumdog experience was wonderful. She says, “It’s my dream to be an actor and I want to make it come true. I know my family is very proud of me.”

She says, “I like both Hollywood and Bollywood, but I don’t want to live overseas. I want to stay in Mumbai, so I guess Bollywood will be my future. If I become a successful actress as an adult, I now know to be careful with people. I’m prepared for the fame now. Once you get attention, people appear out of nowhere.”

She wants to share the same advice with other young stars, like Sunny Pawar, who was 11 when he went to the Oscars after starring with her old friend Dev Patel in Lion (2016). Rubina says, “I’d tell Sunny to make sure his family have guidance to make the right decisions and make the most of the opportunities. All the fame, that world, it’s very different from our normal lives.”

Rubina had a lot of that support from Danny, a lifeline she will always be grateful for. But while she still looks forward to his visits, she admits she hasn’t seen Slumdog in a while. Speaking of the film that changed her life, Rubina says, “I don’t watch it, it’s embarrassing. I play the role of a beggar, so it’s quite embarrassing to watch. I laugh when I see myself.”

As told to Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 8, 2018)

I was born and brought up in Australia where my parents, who are both IIT alumni and have PhDs in science and engineering, migrated before I entered the world. Both my parents, Dr Hema Sharda and Dr Nalin Kant Sharda, are professors in Australia. I knew I wanted to be an actress as a young girl, but perhaps because of the academic environment at home, I chose to pursue Law, Media and Communications and a Diploma in French at the University of Melbourne.

As a child, I had dreamt of being an independent working woman. When I was 15 years old, I started my first job at a bookstore in Melbourne. I would sell books, stock shelves and handle the check-out counter. My father loves books and our house in Melbourne is like a library — so the bookstore felt like a natural place to start my working life.

In my second year at the University, I worked as an RJ on a community radio channel and would do a broadcast once a week. I also sold 3G phones in a phone store in Melbourne.

In the third year, I started working part-time at a management consultancy firm. I was a part of a team which set the curriculum on how to teach new software to the employees of our clients. We were called the ‘Human Performance Team’.

While I was working at the consultancy firm, I splurged on my first ‘adult’ Christmas presents for my family. I bought my brother a signed copy of Steve Waugh’s autobiography, a beautiful stainless-steel kettle for mama and socks and ties for my father (he always drew the short straw!). I remember putting up our tree and carefully wrapping all the presents. It was rare for all of us to be under one roof on Christmas Day as my mother used to travel a lot. But that year, we were all there and I wanted it to be a real Christmas.

My friends called me, the ‘WEG’ — the ‘Work Experience Girl,’ because every time we met, I was doing something new. Some of these jobs only paid me a few dollars an hour but I enjoyed the joy of buying my own coffee, clothes and paying for my own expenses.

I wanted to understand what I really wanted to do before I actually embarked on my future, so I tried my hands at as many jobs as possible. I even worked at a law film, doing a clerkship in my final year at the University.

But while I was doing all this, I still clung on to my acting dream. The first step was to enrol in drama school part-time while I was studying.

I then started teaching Indian dance at the University. A Bharatanatyam dancer, I was passionate about Indian folk and classical dance, I wanted people in Melbourne to know that our country is more than just Bollywood and introduced dance forms from around India within the course. On Saturdays, I would also teach Bharatanatyam to young students at our dance school. Throughout this period, my father would joke that he had to take an appointment to meet his busy-busy daughter.

I was still studying at University when I first came to India in 2010 to follow my childhood dream. Mumbai and the film industry was a whole new world for me. I auditioned every day and one of my first major assignments was a cameo in Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan with Shah Rukh (Khan) and Kajol in the lead.

The same year, I played a leading role opposite Manoj Bajpayee in Ajoy Varma’s comedy drama Dus Tola, a remake of the Malayalam film, Ponmuttayidunna Tharavu. I played a classical dance teacher and my experience came in handy. I would go back and forth to Melbourne to finish my degrees and ultimately graduated with honours.

During my time in India, I’ve worked in the theatre in Mumbai and gone on to do films including Besharam, Hawaizaada with Ayushmann Khurrana, Dev Patel’s Lion and the period-drama Begum Jaan. I’ve loved the last two-three years in which I’ve had the opportunity to work in so many territories, diversify my craft and expand my horizons as an Indian-Australian actress.

Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 8, 2017)

It’s not every day that you find Russell Crowe raving about and recommending an Indian film. As President of the grand jury of the inaugural Asian Film Award at the 7th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA) that concluded in Sydney on Wednesday, the Academy Award-winning Australian actor was floored by Aamir Khan’s wrestling-drama, Dangal, and announced that it was an honour to be on stage and announce it as the winner. “A beautiful & empowering film, See it,” he urged as he handed the award to cast member Sakshi Tanwar who requested a hug and got it. Anupam says, “Russell Crowe is a warm, affectionate man, who speaks well and even retweeted my posts.”

Short-listed from among 200 entries, the lineup of nine nominees at AACTA showcasing the calibre, range and diversity of Asian cinema, included Wolf Warrior, the highest-grossing Chinese film ever and the first and only non-Hollywood film in the list of all-time 100 top grossers and the critically-acclaimed Japanese animated film, Your Name. There was also Hong Kong filmmaker Ann Hui’s war epic Our Time Will Come, South Korean zombie horror film, Train To Busan, Filipino Oscar entry, Birdshot, as also two other Indian films, Shoojit Sircar’s Hindi film Pink and the Marathi film Kaasav, both National Award winners. “I was happy and proud to see three Indian films in the list of nine of the best from Asia. Everyone unanimously voted for Dangal,” Anupam says.

Anupam who has to his credit over 500 films, the most recent being the widely-acclaimed Hollywood romcom, The Big Sick, which recently bagged six nominations at the Critics’ Choice Awards, as also biggies like the Golden Globe nominated Bend It Like Beckham, Ang Lee’s 2007 Golden Lion winner Lust, Caution, and David O Russell’s 2012 Oscar-winning Silver Linings Playbook, had the honour of presenting the Best Actor trophy in the main category. Sunny Pawar was the surprise winner who plays the lost boy Saroo Brierley in Garth Davis’ inspiring drama Lion, and became the youngest best actor winner, beating Simon Burke who was 15 when he won an Australian Film Institute Award for The Devil’s Playground in 1976. The charismatic nine-year-old thanked everyone from Kolkata where he’s shooting for a new film while his delighted director admitted that he had been praying Sunny would win.

Lion claimed 12 awards from 12 nominations, including best film, best direction and best supporting actor awards for Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel, after seven craft prizes. “It was a great feeling to see Indian actors and Indian cinema being recognized in that part of the world too,” says Anupam.

Shabana Azmi (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 8, 2017)

It was about 11 years ago that the formidable Des Power invited me to chair the first APSA (Asia Pacific Screen Awards) in the Gold Coast of Australia. He felt very strongly that if the Asia Pacific Film Industries got together there was much more that could be offered to world cinema. It was certainly an idea whose time had come. I accepted the invitation with alacrity and was delighted to have the amazing Iranian director Jafar Panahi amongst other notable luminaries on the jury. It was an interesting mix of films that we watched over the next few days. The stories these films told were sometimes different, sometimes the same… about human relationships, about the human spirit rising against all odds, stories of mystery and adventure. What was remarkably different though was the gaze... And I was so thankful to Des Power for giving visibility to a gaze whose inclusion is crucial in world cinema, given that the world is becoming a global village and we need to understand cultures by their own paradigms rather than yardsticks imposed by the West.

Over the years, APSA gained in strength and when Asghar Farhadi’s A Separation became the toast of the world, it was a matter of pride that the seed money for developing the script had come from APSA.

This year, the Indian film Newton won two awards, including the richly deserved Best Actor for Rajkummar Rao. Indian cinema is coming into its own. This was followed by Nitesh Tiwari’s Dangal winning the first Best Asian Film Award at Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA). What was heartening was that it won unanimously. The deliberations were held over the phone, the most interesting being a concall with Anupam Kher in Chandigarh, Margaret Pomeranz in Sydney, Adam Torel in Tokyo, Kim Ki Duk in Seol, Lu Chan in Beijing, me in Italy and Russell Crowe, chairman of the jury, in Philadelphia. It has cured me of the terror of technology! There was only one objection that the father seemed cruel to force his will on the girls which was such a patriarchal thing to do. It took some explaining that this was a cultural thing and be that as it may, it was a true story and in a repressed Haryanvi society for the girls to chop off their braids and slip into shorts was a strong stride against convention.

Russell Crowe was very democratic, hearing us out carefully and then said what is important is that it’s a human story that carries across cultures and the cinematic language of the film is contemporary. Sakshi Tanwar who received the award was given a huge applause. She even asked for a hug from Russell Crowe and got it! Diversity and inclusion were being celebrated in earnest.

When I asked Russell Crowe if I could persuade him to come to India, he said his friends have been there and are full of exciting tales about their trips. He would be happy to come if there is something for him to do. I’m sure we can find something worth his while!

Meanwhile, (Garth Davis’s) Lion got all the 12 awards for which it was nominated, including Best Sound for our very talented Nakul Kamte. Saroo Brierley whose real life story it is, went up on stage with moist eyes. He is both Australian and Indian and both his identities were being applauded on that stage.

Backstage in the green room, Rachel Griffiths, one of Australia’s leading female actors, remembered Om Puri with great affection. She had enjoyed working with him in My Son The Fanatic and surprised me by saying that she has watched Dangal a few times over because she is about to direct a film about a father and his 10 children..

At the award ceremony, Anupam was asked to present the Best Actor trophy to Sunny Pawar for his outstanding performance in Lion and my heart filled with pride that one of us was up there on stage amongst the presenters representing India.

Our time has come. We need to tell our stories with confidence in the way we know best. We need to draw from our rich folklore and cultural roots, resist from mining derivative material from the West, rise above our colonial past and tell human stories that cut across cultures in a voice that is Asian. If it needs song and dance... so be it.

Soumya Vajpayee Tiwari (MID-DAY; September 30, 2017)

Sunny Pawar had no dearth of fans, be it at the Oscars this year where host Jimmy Kimmel recreated a scene from The Lion King with him, or back home. The eight-year-old star, who won everyone’s hearts with his act in Lion (2016), has bagged another project. Pawar will star in a two-hour-long film, which has been initiated by the Anti-Corruption and Crime Control Committee. Titled ABC, the film is inspired by the government’s Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao campaign.

Baahubali star Tamannaah Bhatia will also be seen in the drama, directed by Ramkumar Shendge. The movie will revolve around the importance of education for the girl child.

About associating with the film, Bhatia says, “The power vested in being a media figure should be used to inspire others. I am proud to be associated with this cause.”

A source close to the project reveals, “Kiran Bedi and actors Amitabh Bachchan, Chiranjeevi and Suniel Shetty will have special appearances in the film. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’ wife, Amruta Fadnavis, will contribute to the film’s musical score. The voice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also be used in the movie.”

The source adds that after premiering at Cannes Film Festival next year, the film will be made a compulsory watch in all schools across India. “It will be dubbed in 14 languages.”

Abhay Deol on Bollywood’s affinity for slapstick, the supernatural love story he has signed on, and why the term ‘smaller films’ is offensive
Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 23, 2017)

You’ve described Faraz Haider’s Nanu Ki Jaanu, which you just started shooting for, as a dark comedy. Given how selective you are, what got the nod from you?
Nanu Ki Jaanu is a supernatural love story as well as a dark comedy. Dark comedy is rare in Bollywood because for too long, we have been fed a formula of slapstick and stereotypes. I enjoy them because it’s one of the toughest things to bring humour into a dramatic situation. I enjoy walking on the edge.

Any favourites in the genre?
There are many directors I admire who work primarily in this genre— Stanley Kubrick, Terry Gilliam, Coen Bros and Tim Burton to name a few.

You are working with Patralekhaa for the first time. Have you seen any of her earlier films, including Citylights and Love Games?
I haven’t seen either of them, but I am looking forward to work with her. She has a great look and has received a lot of critical acclaim for her performances. We haven’t shot together yet, but I’m eagerly waiting for our first day together. We will be shooting the film in Noida and Delhi. It will be completed by the end of October.

What’s happening with Shailender Vyas’ JL-50 and Rohit Batra’s The Field?
Both are in post-production at the moment. What’s interesting about these two films is that while one is a Canadian production and the other American, they are both in Hindi. The Field is partly in English as it also has international actors. JL-50 is a sci-fi film, while The Field is a drama, but neither conform to the Bollywood formula. I guess that’s because they have been made by those outside the Indian film industry.

What was the experience of shooting The Field like?
Every film goes into your memory bank, some memories are good and some are bad. The Field is a good memory. It has an ensemble cast drawn from different parts of the world and some very talented actors. The director was inspired by Brian De Palma and that approach in our cinema has turned out to be unique.

Will you be seen in the sequel to Mudassar Aziz’s romcom Happy Bhag Jayegi, titled Happy Phirr Bhag Jayegi, which opened last year? Producer Aanand L Rai has announced that he will be taking the franchise forward.
Your guess is as good as mine! I’ve read reports of me doing a cameo in it, but the makers have not told me anything yet. But it’s Aanand Rai and Mudassar and for them, I’d be happy to do it if they ask.

Have you seen Aanand L Rai’s recently released Ayushmann Khurrana, Bhoomi Pednekar starrer Shubh Mangal Savdhan, which focuses on the problem of erectile dysfunction? Would you be open to doing a sex comedy like that?
I would do a sex comedy if I liked the script. Honestly, I’m happy doing all genres, my next four films are all from different genres. I’m having fun going from one set to another, from one approach to another. Variety is the spice of life.

Any recent films you have watched and enjoyed?
I haven’t had the time to watch anything in the last six months. The last film I saw was Lion, which I thoroughly enjoyed, particularly Dev Patel’s work.

What’s been keeping you busy?
My Tamil film IVSK (Idhu Vedhalam Sollum Kathai), which I have produced and done a cameo in is in post-production. IVSK is the second film I have produced after One By Two and I have enjoyed the experience both times. I don’t have any plans to direct yet, but I’m busy reading scripts and getting distribution for non-formula films on the OTT platforms.

This year, a number of small, off-beat films like Shubh Mangal Saavdhan, Bareilly Ki Barfi, Hindi Medium and Badrinath Ki Dulhaniya have fared well at the boxoffice. Must be heart-warming for you since you have always promoted smaller films?
I don’t promote “smaller films”. The industry and the media label them “small” because they define “big” and “small” according to the budget. Most of those films have been much bigger than most formula films in their ambition and ideas. This year has shown us “big” films with a “small” vision, and “small” films that have been “big” on vision.

Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2017)

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; March 25, 2017)

Three weeks after Kanchi Karve was buzzing with people queuing up to meet Sunny Pawar, life is back to normal for the family, after their brief encounter with fame. Neighbours say the Pawars regularly meet people who come enquiring about the eight-year-old, who attended the Oscar awards last month as part of the cast of Garth Davis’ film, Lion. At the glittering evening, Sunny was the cynosure of all eyes as host Jimmy Kimmel recreated the Lion King birth scene by lifting him in the air.

The newfound stardom, we notice, hasn’t quite changed this young boy’s demeanour since we last met him in January. “I am back to the routine. Teachers and friends are proud of me. I have to catch up on studies as well, so I have to work twice as hard,” he says, adding that he is currently prepping for his annual exams next month.

Despite the uninterrupted adulation, a Bollywood outing would have brought more fame, he argues. “My social circle isn’t well-acquainted with Hollywood. Most of them haven’t watched the film [Lion] yet. More people would have known me here had I done a Bollywood film.”

Even as Sunny seems oblivious to his achievements, the family continues to find itself entertaining guests who arrive at their doorstep every other day. A well-meaning aunt says they are selective while deciding who he interacts with. “It [meeting everybody] could be too much for the child to handle,” she reasons. Mother Vasu does her best to keep stardom from affecting her child. “He is a simple kid. That’s his biggest quality,” she says, as she puts together a meal of dal, rice and curd. “I take pride in being strict with him when needed. I don’t want him to become snooty.”

At Hollywood’s coveted awards night, Sunny excitedly posed alongside Dwayne Johnson and Jackie Chan, among others. But back home, little has changed. “I play cricket and watch TV with my siblings. At school, I play and study. But when journalists visit me, they pamper me a lot."

Enjoying his first taste of global fame, Sunny Pawar returns from the Oscars to his Kalina home, recalls hug from “tall uncle” Samuel Jackson and dream meeting with The Rock
Mohar Basu and Rupsa Chakraborty (MID-DAY; March 2, 2017)

Kunchi Kurve Nagar, a slum in Kalina, hadn’t seen this kind of media attention. Their most famous resident, Sunny Pawar, returned this morning from Los Angeles after being at the centre of much attention at the 89th Academy Awards. Garth Davis’ Lion, a film about an Indian boy adopted by Australian parents, saw stellar performances by the eight-year-old apart from Nicole Kidman and Dev Patel.

His neighbourhood was buzzing with journalists, keen to catch Sunny’s eye. Workers of a political outfit that his father, Dilip, is affiliated to, waited to give him a hero’s welcome. His neck strung with garlands, mouth stuffed with sweets, Sunny was lifted into the air to cheers, much the same way Oscar host Jimmy Kimmel had done, making the iconic moment a favourite with international paparazzi.



His mother, Vasu, who in an exclusive interview to mid-day had expressed concern that her little boy was homesick, was overwhelmed to see him after long. “It feels wonderful. I am glad to be back with my mother. I can finally go to school and play with my siblings,” Sunny said.

About the Oscar moment, he said he felt like a star when Kimmel lifted him. “I didn't understand much of what he [Kimmel] was saying, but everyone’s reaction gave me confidence. I saw my father looking happy and Dev bhaiya [Dev Patel] was smiling. I knew this was huge,” he added, suddenly asking, “How many people across the world saw me, you think?”



It’s not just the awards night that made Sunny’s time in the US special. He met dignitaries like Barack Obama, movie superstars, including Jackie Chan, and “a tall uncle” [presumably Samuel Jackson], who gave him a hug and said he will go far. But his favourite moment was when he met his idol, WWF star The Rock. “Meeting Rock [Dwayne Johnson] was a dream come true. I watched a live wrestling match too,” he said.

Vasu thinks her son is fortunate to have met international names despite his humble roots. “He would always imitate Bollywood actors and participate in school plays, but we didn’t think he would go this far,” she said. His father and Pranav Sahni, production manager at Take One Productions, helped Sunny with translations on tour. That he was always given Indian food made him feel at home. “I would eat rice, dal, dosa and sambhar, but it reminded me of my mother’s cooking,” Sunny recalled.

His grandfather Bhima Pawar, 64, says his chawl has become famous because of Sunny. “We have strangers coming to ask us about his whereabouts. Though Lion is an English movie, everyone from the neighbourhood has gone and watched it for Sunny,” he said.

Celebdom has its perks, even for those surrounding the star. Aena Pawar, Sunny’s cousin, told mid-day that friends who would once bully her have suddenly grown kind after realising that Sunny has made it to Hollywood.


Sunny Pawar with Triple H


Sunny Pawar with Jackie Chan


Sunny Pawar with Dev Patel


Sunny Pawar with idol, WWF star The Rock

Lion director Garth Davis on Oscar pressure, desi love and rumours of link-up with Nicole
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; February 3, 2017)

It was a coincidence that Australian filmmaker Garth Davis found inspiration to make Lion from a newspaper article. It brought him to India, a country, he says, “feels like home”. “I wish I could be more of a tourist, but I have explored India like a local. Of course, the story of Lion connected me with the place, but prior to that too, I was connected to Indian literature,” Garth Davis tells hitlist.

The director of the Oscar-nominated film, Lion, which tells the story of an Indian orphan, is currently in Mumbai to promote the project. He says, “Arundhati Roy’s God Of Small Things is my favourite novel. Once I land in India, I feel a sense of kinship.”

The filmmaker, who has struck gold with his maiden feature, says that a newspaper article about Saroo Brierley (Indian-born Australian businessman, who was separated from his birth mother and adopted by an Australian couple) finding his mother two decades after separation was his inspiration. “The story was magical. It traversed two different worlds. Its matriarchal quality was the foremost reason we made the film.”

Dev Patel (Saroo), who is nominated for Best Actor, had told hitlist last week that he barged into Garth’s office to audition for Lion. “I never thought he could be Saroo. I just saw him share the passion for the story.” But, some say, what added value to Lion was casting Nicole Kidman. “When I was spending time with Saroo’s foster mother, Sue, I couldn’t think of anyone better than Nicole. She understood Sue with such depth,” he says.

Nicole is also someone Davis has been linked with. Reports suggest her husband (Keith Urban) is upset with the filmmaker. Davis slams gossip, saying, “It’s stupid that when we were shooting, tabloids wrote about Nicole being pregnant. I’d meet her on set and wonder, where’s the bump? There isn’t an ounce of truth.
It was upsetting because my children had a talk with me about the reports.”

With Oscar nominations in six categories, is Garth nervous? “I don’t let pressure get to me. I take pride in the film we’ve made. Now it’s in the lap of the Gods to decide what it deserves. When we didn’t win at the Golden Globes, there was a little disappointment. Awards make you too concerned about winning and losing. At the Oscars, the odds are against us. If we win, I’ll be surprised.”

Saroo Brierley, who inspired Garth Davis' 'Lion', talks about his life that's now the subject of six Academy Award nominations
Benita Fernando (MID-DAY; January 30, 2017)

Dev Patel-starrer 'Lion' may have lost out on the Golden Globes earlier this month, but six Oscar nominations have brought the film back into the spotlight. And India born, Tasmania-based Saroo Brierley couldn't be happier. After all, he is the man whose true story, with all trappings of a perfect potboiler, inspired the film. Saroo was five when he was separated from his family in a Madhya Pradesh village as he fell asleep on a train that took him to Kolkata and other places before he was adopted by an Aussie couple. It was 25 years later that he reunited with his biological mother, thanks to technology. In a chat with hitlist, Saroo shares his excitement over the Oscar nominations. Edited excerpts:

You must be thrilled that your story and memoir (A Long Way Home) have found a cinematic avatar, with Dev getting an Oscar nomination. How does it feel?
I am super excited that there has been great recognition from industry critics. Receiving a nomination is fantastic as it will propel Lion even longer in the cinemas for people to watch and for those who have just got wind of the fantastic story.

Did you work closely with Garth Davis (director) and Dev during the making? Did you advise them on locations and the narrative?
My mother and I helped realign and shape the Lion script, and act as consultants. I showed Garth and Luke (Davies, screenwriter) the route I walked as a lost child in India and the clothes I wore. I think Luke and Garth had extra information, which wasn't in the book, to look over and maybe, use. I have taken a massive gap year to be part of the film's marketing campaign, which has taken a lot of my time and was extremely fun, if I might add.

Does the film stay faithful to your novel? If not, what changes were incorporated?
The film stays pretty true to the real story — about 90 per cent. Of course, for a motion picture, there has to be creative license. My family and I are happy with the final cut.

What has the reaction of your families — in India and Australia — been to the film?
My adoptive family has been amazed at how accurately the actors have portrayed them. They found the film endearing as well as sad since it touches every single emotion.

Can you share some anecdotes/ instances of your life before and immediately after the ordeal of getting lost on the train? It must have been a nightmarish time. Can you recall the many challenges you had to face before being adopted?
There were many instances during my time in Kolkata when I thought I was going to die — from being abducted to almost drowning twice in the Hooghly river to being thrown into prison. I didn't think of it much after the events had happened since I was living on raw nerve and off my wits. I wouldn't wish for any five-year-old to go through what I did.

You were able to locate your Indian family using Google Earth. Was it a tough search?
Google Earth was the catalyst to finding my family. If I used images from my memory, I would still be looking [for my family]. Without Google Earth, it wouldn't have ever been possible.

Can you recount what it was like to meet your mother, Fatima Munshi, after 25 years?
It was the most pivotal time in my life. I couldn't believe I defied what people once thought impossible. There were tears, hugs and a massive feeling of being reunited. I was extremely emotional.

Hope played a major part...
It was one of the ingredients of success. Chance, determination, love and an unorthodox mind are the recipe to absolute success.

What are your thoughts on adoption and the laws surrounding it, both in India and abroad? Do you think children, who have experienced similar circumstances, are in dire need of a better future?
I believe adoption should be available for [people of] every country and not blocked by the government. Having the option of adoption allows one freedom to have a child if one is not in favour of IVF or having biological kids. Many children need homes, and I hope this movie makes people consider adoption way more than they do now.

‘Desi’ Dev on his third Oscar nomination
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 26, 2017)

After Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman-starrer Lion picked up six Academy Awards nominations yesterday, Best Supporting Actor nominee Dev Patel was overwhelmed. Speaking to hitlist on the phone from Los Angeles, the English actor of Indian origin (his parents, both Gujaratis, hail from Nairobi), said, “Okay, so I just received a call and learnt that I’ve been nominated for an Academy Award. To be honest, the news hasn’t made its way into my brain just yet, but I’m looking at these beautiful smiling faces around me... faces of the ones I love. And I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude.”

Lion is the real story of Saroo Brierley, an Indian boy adopted by an Aussie couple, who decides to search for his biological parents when he grows up. The actor said what made this occasion all the more poignant was the he has just wrapped up shooting for yet another film in India. “This enthralling country holds such a deep place in my heart, and it is where Saroo’s (the character he plays in Lion) journey was born. Lion would be nothing without Garth Davis (director). Without his love, commitment and vision, this ‘Lion’ wouldn’t have been able to roar.”

Dev says the film is special for the message it conveys. “It reaffirms that love is not dictated by the colour of your skin, race, gender, sexuality, social status or origin. I feel proud of spreading this message during these uncertain times. This will forever be one of the most memorable experiences of my life.” It has been reported that Dev spent eight months perfect an Australian accent, and changing his looks to look like his character, Saroo Brierley.

Lion, written by Luke Davies, is based on A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, and stars Nicole Kidman, Dipti Naval, Priyanka Bose, Tannishthaa Chatterjee and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The book and film are inspired by the real-life search for his family by an underprivileged boy from India adopted by an Australian couple, aided by Google Earth search. Early this month, Dev was also nominated for the film at the Golden Globes but didn’t make the cut.

Top Indian-origin star Dev Patel ready to brave new American Presidency, says there’s ‘undeniable numbness’ in the air
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 9, 2017)

A decade ago, he shot to fame as the scrawny teenager in the Oscar-winning Slumdog Millionaire. “I came from nowhere and pretty much made it on my own. I wasn’t the finest actor then — many would even label me terrible. I didn’t have the privilege of going to a big drama school. But I have been very lucky, although it is immense hard work which has kept luck from running out,” he says, speaking over the phone from LA. Dev, who has been nominated in the Best Supporting Actor category for Lion at the Golden Globes (to take place today), says he was familiar with the film’s plot and was determined to get the role. It chronicles the real-life journey of a young boy who loses his way home, gets adopted by an Australian couple and finds his birth parents 20 years later with the aid of technology.

“When I heard they were making a film on that story, I knew I had to be in it. A staggering number of children go missing every year in India and though, this is a story about one of the lucky ones, I knew this was a life changing role. I can safely say Lion changed my life,” he adds.

Shooting the first scene was the most challenging bit. “It was the climax where the boy reunites with his mother. It was exhausting. Later, with Nicole (Kidman, co-star) around, it got better. She herself has adopted children and was able to bring in more authenticity to the intimate performance space we shared. I was nervous when we started off, but she is such a magnetic actor that the tense vibe normalized early on.”

Being an Indian in Trump’s America is perceived tricky and when we ask Dev, he plays it safe by saying he feels empowered as a human being. “But at the same time, I am extremely curious about the time to come. I am lucky because I had the opportunity to grow up in London, which has played a key part in shaping my outlook. I have always felt connected to India, thanks to my parents and grandparents. Then I had the good fortune of shooting my films there, especially Lion. There is an undeniable numbness in the air (in US) and at such a time, the theme of this film — love — will put out an important message,” he says.


Dev Patel with Lion co-stars Nicole Kidman and Sunny Pawar at an awards show

MUMBAI MIRROR (January 2, 2017)

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman who played Dev Patel's adoptive mother in Lion, says she could really relate to him as a maternal figure on the film's sets. “I would go up to him and stroke his hair and touch his face and hold his hand. He gave permission for that, which was terrific,“ she gushed, adding, “I also think now you'll see Dev as a leading man, not as an Indian man or anything other than a leading man. I look forward to his journey into all of that now.“

The movie directed by Garth Davis is creating a major Oscar buzz, thanks to its successful run in the Hollywood award season. It is based on the true story of Saroo Brierley, a young Indian boy who gets separated from his brother and mother when he ends up 1,000 miles away from his home, lost at a train station in Kolkata. He is adopted by an Australian family but eventually tracks down his lost family in India via Google maps.

Patel is already nominated in the best supporting actor category at the Golden Globe Awards.

Dev Patel, Sunny Pawar, Priyanka Bose and Nicole Kidman at Lion’s premiere; (inset) Tannishtha Chaterjee, who also stars in the film

Lion, with a full-on desi cast, picks up four Golden Globe nominations ahead of the Oscars; actors ecstatic
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; December 14, 2016)

On Monday, the list of contenders for the 74th Golden Globe Awards was announced. The big surprise for Indians was the Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman-starrer, Lion, with a prominent line-up of Bollywood actors, bagging four nominations in top categories — Best Film, Best Score, Best Supporting Actor (Dev) and Best Supporting Actress (Nicole). Based on the memoir, A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, the film is directed by Garth Davis and traces the story of a five-year-old boy, Saroo, who gets lost on a train. He survives alone in Kolkata, before being adopted by an Australian couple. He sets out to find his lost family 25 years later.

Dev, who plays the older Saroo, said, “I am humbled to be acknowledged in a category alongside these incredible gentlemen. I feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for my real family back in London and in India, and for my ‘Lion’ family. My mom is going to be really happy.”

Many have attributed the film’s innocence to child-actor Sunny Pawar, who plays younger Saroo. Speaking from the US, he said, “I am elated that this was my first film and it got nominated.” Priyanka Bose, who plays Saroo’s mother, said, “It is truly deserved. Dev has delivered a stirring performance and proves how much he’s grown since Slumdog Millionaire (2008).”

Ask her if the vibe around the film is similar to that of the Oscar winner, and she adds, “Slumdog… and Lion take unique trajectories. But, I remember the excitement around it back then. We are all global actors and diversity is of utmost importance, more now than ever before. I feel fiercely patriotic.”

Tannishtha Chatterjee was surprised when we informed her about the nominations. “Unfortunately, I haven’t seen the film yet. The makers had invited me to the screening at the Toronto and London Film Festivals, but I couldn’t go. At the risk of sounding ambitious, the film may be nominated in the same categories at the Oscars too. When I read the script, I knew we were making something special. Garth is able to extract fine performances from his actors. I hope we bag all awards.”

Deepti Naval, who features as an orphanage caretaker, says, “It has created a buzz in the festival and awards circuit. The film leaves you choked.”

MUMBAI MIRROR (November 10, 2016)

Aashta Atray Banan (MID-DAY; September 11, 2016)

"Maybe you need to tell me why there is this distinction between Indie and mainstream cinema. I can’t understand it. One gets slotted in one particular image and then that’s that. I am aching, to break out of this mould,” says actress Priyanka Bose, who meets us just before jetting off for the Toronto International Film Festival, where her latest movie, Lion, is going to be screened. We are eating salads on a cool evening at Versova’s popular hangout for the filmi type, Leaping Windows. And Bose seems excited as she talks about Lion, which has her playing Dev Patel’s mom. “Dev has just grown up so much since Slumdog,” says the actress in her early thirties, from Delhi. Lion, which is based on the book A Long Way Home by Saroo Brierley, tells the story of Saroo who was lost from his family at the age of five and adopted by an Australian family, and who finds his parents at the age of 25 using Google Earth. “I had read an article on this film a few years ago, and I had been like, someone should make a movie on this. I guess I put it out there in the universe and then, I auditioned and they loved it. It’s strange playing mother to Dev, but the story is told in flashbacks and dream sequences,” she says, adding, “When the character is so great, and the arc so fabulous, it doesn’t matter whose mother I have to play.”

It could be that attitude that has led to her doing some interesting roles in the past, marking her out to be an actress of note. She shot to fame with her role as a tribal woman in 2010’s Gangor, which was directed by Italian director Italo Spinelli. She toured the world with Nirbhaya, Yael Farber’s play based on the 2012 Delhi rape case, and film festival friendly movies like 2014’s Sold (about a brothel in Nepal), 2012’s Oass (about child prostitution) and 2013’s Oonga (about an adivasi boy’s obsession with becoming Rama). But the indie darling now wants to focus on doing all kinds of movies, even though her next two are also independent ones. “I don’t want to do movies where the characters are clichéd,” she says, adding, “Actually, I want more women directors and writers to make movies about women. Only then can we stop being wife, daughter, cook and could play the girl next door, who has a dark side.”

Priyanka also says that she grew up on Chitrahar and was a big fan of Sridevi. “I think I must be the only filmy person in my family. My parents are very simple people who wanted me to become a doctor. But now they have seen what I do, and are happy. I always wanted to be an actor.” Right now, along with waiting for Lion to hit screens in November and working on two other indie projects — “one is a psycho thriller, and another one is a really explicit one” — she wants to be as open to possibilities as she can. “I want to do as diverse roles as I can. I want to do mainstream movies… maybe comedy? I know I can do this. I have faith in me,” she signs off.