Showing posts with label Manish Mundra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Manish Mundra. Show all posts
From Kanu Behl to Chaitanya Tamhane, filmmakers are challenging a system that decides what India can and cannot watch
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Jane Borges (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 23, 2025)
“It’s taken me over nine years, a large chunk of my life and a lot of blood, sweat, toil and tears to make Agra,” filmmaker Kanu Behl shares over a phone call, “I couldn’t have let this go.” Agra, which won Best Indie Film at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and premiered at the Cannes Directors’ Fortnight to critical acclaim, is a psychological drama, exploring sexuality and loneliness. Earlier this week, after being given severely limited screenings for his film—only 70 screens across the country—the filmmaker took to social media to call out the “long-standing systemic pattern affecting all independent films in India”: the denial of theatrical access.
His post immediately found support within the community, with 46 filmmakers, including Chaitanya Tamhane, Payal Kapadia, Shaunak Sen, Vasan Bala, co-signing a statement demanding fair access for independent films.
“The group is expanding as we speak,” Behl told Mirror, “We are now in the process of forming a body that will come together to talk about our collective rights.”
Reel dreams, real struggle
Directors Alankrita Shrivastava and Arati Kadav, co-signees to the statement, say their solidarity stems from having experienced similar helplessness. Shrivastava remembers the difficulty she faced in getting a theatrical release for her film Turning 30 (2011), a romantic comedy, starring Gul Panag, revolving around an ad executive who gets dumped and has her ideas stolen before her 30th birthday.
“We got screens in certain places where the film honestly did not have any resonance, whereas we needed more screens in places where the film was doing well,” she says.
For Kadav, who found OTT fame with Mrs (2023) — a remake of the Malayalam film, The Great Indian Kitchen — bootstrapping her career had been the norm for the longest time. Her sci-fi fantasy film Cargo (2019), starring Vikrant Massey and Shweta Tripathi, set aboard a spaceship where souls of the deceased arrive before they are prepared for reincarnation, went to over 25 festivals, including the Miami International Science Fiction Film Festival (MiSciFi).
“Though it was lapped up by everyone outside India, I struggled with distribution for about one-and-a-half years. I had put in a lot of money into this project, and felt quite dejected,” she says.
While the film didn’t get a theatrical release — Kadav says she understands “theatrical reservations for some festival films”, though the need of the hour is to find “incentives for them”—it was eventually picked up by Netflix where it had a decent five-year run. Having the backing of an industry powerhouse like Anurag Kashyap, who was among Cargo’s many co-producers helped. “I got lucky,” Kadav admits.
Showtime comes at a price
The fight at the ground level for independent films is getting harder with each passing year, says Kimaya Hemdev, director and head of acquisition at Star Entertainment Pvt Ltd. “Companies that were once only theatre owners have now also become distributors. So, you’re competing with a distributor who also has the bargaining power of a theatre,” she explains.
When producers, distributors and exhibitors are the same people, it creates a monopoly—one where, she says, “there’s a clear preference for the films they distribute, especially studio movies.”
Quality time slots and cinemas are carved out for the big studio films, which are also exonerated from paying a Virtual Print Fee —a charge producers pay to exhibitors to help cover the costs of converting to digital cinema projectors — which Hemdev says is anywhere between Rs 25,000-Rs 50,000 per screen, per show, and can be prohibitive for independent filmmakers. If a film had to run for a week with a single show daily, it would translate to Rs 3.5 lakh approx.
Audience is king
The long-held argument that there’s no audience for independent films, Behl says, is “fallacious”. “On Tuesday night, when I finally got a show [for Agra] at PVR Citi Mall in Andheri, there were 119 people who came to watch it,” he says.
According to Shrivastava, what’s happening right now is neither fair to independent films, nor the audience. “If the audience can’t access these films, how will they ever get a taste of another kind of cinema?”
Vishek Chauhan, CEO of Rupbani Cinemas, Purnia, Bihar, says that ultimately, “the programming power lies only with the audience.” He stresses that no exhibitor in their right mind would deliberately refuse a good film that promises viewership, because theatres operate as businesses and decisions depend on demand and viability. He finds it unfair to pin the blame solely on exhibitors.
Theatrical success, he says, is no longer the only metric of a film’s performance. The majority of the viewers consume films at home on OTT or television, with theatre earnings form only “12–20 per cent of a film’s overall pie.” Therefore, he says, forcing exhibitors to run films with low turnout “jeopardizes other films that could do better.”
Kerala files
Down South, in the Malayalam film industry, filmmakers working with novel scripts have tried to negotiate the system to reach the right kind of viewers. A case in point is the 2023 National Award-winning drama Aattam, written and directed by Anand Ekarshi, which turns the spotlight on a theatre group whose sole actress faces sexual assault by one of the men. According to him, “shooting and making the film is actually the easiest part; releasing the film is the toughest.”
As an early business strategy, Ekarshi raised funds to make a 10-minute pilot of his film to show producers. “The idea was to give them a glimpse of the script, understand the characters, and see what the actors could pull off.” Joy Movie Productions came on board soon after. Aattam, despite its experimental nature, turned into commercial project. It was made on a shoestring budget of Rs 3 crore, of which Rs 80 lakh was dedicated solely to marketing—the movie enjoyed a successful theatrical run and bagged a prime OTT release.
Meanwhile, the theatre run of Prasanth Vijay’s Ithiri Neram, a romantic drama starring Zarin Shihab and Roshan Mathew, earlier this month in Kerala has been hard-won. Vijay has made two critically acclaimed films before, Athisayangalude Venal and Daayam, funded by a school friend and his wife respectively, which didn’t make it to theatres. He tried to cut the risks with Ithiri Neram by getting a producer — Jomon Jacob of Mankind Cinemas and four others — who shared his sensibility. “Even after the film was made, it took a while to find the right distributor,” he says.
“But I waited, because I wanted the film to reach the last mile, even if it were fewer theatres.” The goal was also to be able to get a good OTT platform for wider reach. The film opened in 60 theatres in the first week of November and continues to reach newer audiences.
The fact that the Kerala state government has taken up initiatives to support the arts, has also come to the aid of filmmakers. Debutante filmmaker Sivaranjini J won a Rs 1.5 crore woman’s empowerment programme grant for her film, Victoria in 2022 — there is no such equivalent grant in Maharashtra for women. The production was taken care of by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation and the movie, when it releases next week, will be shown across eight government-run theatres in major cities. A government grant comes with its own set of challenges with filmmakers having to deal with red-tapeism and mounds of paperwork. “But it gives you a good start,” she admits.
Meenakshi Shedde, Senior Programming Advisor-South Asia at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and South Asia Delegate to the Berlin Film Festival for 27 years, says that in contrast with Bollywood, Kerala has a very strong grassroots film movement.
“Even the rice farmers know their cinema, and that’s unthinkable in most parts of the country,” she says, adding “that the International Film Festival of Kerala and film societies have played a huge role in shaping their taste”.
Alternative script
Internationally, independent American production house A24 has been backing indie and artistically driven films in its attempt to push high-quality cinema. Closer home, Manish Mundra, filmmaker and founder-producer, Drishyam Films has emerged as an unlikely champion of independent films — Masaan (2015) and Newton (2017) are part of the success story.
“For things to change, everyone must play a part. Producers and distributors cannot do it alone. Audiences need to show up for these films, and the government needs to recognize that cinema is a cultural resource. We need more single screens, art-house theatres and community spaces across the country, and not just urban and expensive multiplexes focused on mainstream releases,” Mundra says.
Shedde believes that independent filmmakers should also tap into movements taking place within cities like Mumbai, that provide platforms to showcase good, quality cinema. “Film Heritage Foundation and VHS [Versova Homage Screenings], for instance, regularly screen indie productions and also get audiences for these screenings.” She stresses the need for filmmakers to think more about “how to help create an audience for their films as well.
Karan Talwar, filmmaker and co-founder of Harkat Studios, has for the last decade been building an alternative community-driven space for independent and experimental films. “Harkat now screens nine to 10 films a month under our independent calendar, with guest curators and rotating themes,” he says. They operate on a 50-50 box-office sharing model, to help filmmakers earn revenue.
“We are seeing a massive uptick of people who want to come in for these screenings,” he says, adding. He believes that the one way to fight this system is to make new inroads and find new friends.
After Siya, Manish Mundra to showcase India’s wildlife with his next, Real Jungle Book
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Hiren Kotwani (MID-DAY; June 29, 2023)
After dabbling in films for eight years as a producer, Manish Mundra turned director with Siya in 2022. “The response has motivated me to direct more in the future,” says the filmmaker, who has previously produced Masaan (2015), Dhanak (2016), and Newton (2017), among others.
Mundra’s banner, Drishyam Films, is already working on its next slate of movies. “We have wrapped up a documentary on tigers. We are shooting a social comedy with Ashwin Shetty as the director. Our first international film will roll out this October, and we had also commissioned a wildlife film that was shot over three years,” says the producer of the film, titled Real Jungle Book.
Mundra claims the idea of adapting popular characters like Mowgli, Bagheera, and Baloo, among others, from Rudyard Kipling’s collective works is to “bring India back on the wildlife tourism map of the world”.
“India is the only place in the world where we have all these animals. We shot across Indian forests. Our film is a different take on [The Jungle Book]. It is not animation. This is about real life in the forests.”
Directed by Jeremy Hogarth, the film will be narrated from Mowgli and Bagheera’s perspectives.
I already know that I won’t make money out of Siya-Manish Mundra
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Rishabh Suri (HINDUSTAN TIMES; September 14, 2022)
After backing 12 projects as a producer, including Masaan (2015) and Newton (2017), Manish Mundra is set to debut as a director with Siya. Starring actors Vineet Kumar Singh and Pooja Pandey, the film is about a rape survivor who fights for justice. With content-driven, hard-hitting films being lauded by audiences in the recent times, does he hope to find better number of screens for his film?
Mundra begs to differ, and says, “It’s still the same as pre-pandemic times. The number of screens, in general, is less in India; there are just about 5,000 screens for Hindi films here.”
He continues, “Entertainment is one of the biggest objectives of a film and people don’t go to theatres to see pain. So, films like Siya are started from the premise that they won’t perform well at the box office.”
The 49-year-old adds that it’s due to this uncertainty that making such films requires “a lot of courage”. Mundra says, “I make such films to spread awareness and this one is about the hypocrisy behind crimes against women. I already know that I won’t make money out of it.”
Given the wide reach of OTT, many filmmakers have taken the digital route for their projects. But, Mundra’s film will have a theatrical release: “All my films have always released in theatres first, before airing on TV or OTT platforms. We are following the same route for Siya too. Theatres give a different sense of satisfaction and a feeling of completeness. It will definitely release on OTT, too, for the masses to enjoy.”
How can box office be yardstick in such times?-Seema Pahwa
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After trade dubs Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi a “commercial disaster”, director Seema Pahwa notes how small films have hit the marquee despite 50 per cent occupancy order
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; January 12, 2021)
While big-ticket releases have shied away from theatres, it is the smaller films that have been placing their bets on cinemas. Soon after Seema Pahwa’s directorial debut Ramprasad Ki Tehrvi — featuring Naseeruddin Shah, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Vikrant Massey — hit the marquee on January 1, trade circles dubbed it a “commercial disaster”. The director is hurt that films continue to be judged by their box-office performance, especially at a time when movie halls are operating at 50 per cent capacity. Manoj Bajpayee, whose Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari hit screens post-pandemic, too questioned the practice.
“For a film to release in current times and survive is a challenge in itself. How can box-office be the yardstick of a film’s success when theatres are functioning at half the capacity? Samay ka dosh hai, meri film ka nahin,” asserts Pahwa, whose little gem about a joint family’s interpersonal dynamics has won glowing reviews. “When people ask me why shows like Hum Log aren’t made anymore, I tell them that these days, filmmakers make commodities for profits instead of making films that give a message. There’s such an atmosphere of fear that directors and writers have to compromise on their subjects.”
The director recounts her struggle to give shape to the drama as she had to battle expectations of casting well-known stars. “I had approached a different set of producers earlier, who asked me to bring in saleable faces. But I stuck to my guns. I laud my producers [Jio Studios and Manish Mundra] for releasing the film now. They knew it’s no Sooryavanshi nor does it have a Salman Khan, but they had faith in the content. Why do we never move beyond negative talk to appreciate a film that tries to put a smile on people’s faces?”
It’s ironic that we needed a superstar to promote a film about character actors-Hardik Mehta
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The Kaamyaab director on finding his niche and voice, and gaining acceptance in the Hindi film industry
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 22, 2020)
His directorial debut Kaamyaab was widely appreciated by critics, but Hardik Mehta, who’s presently adding final touches to his next, an untitled horror comedy starring Rajkummar Rao and Jhanvi Kapoor, says “life hasn’t changed much since”.
Born in Rajkot and raised in Baroda, Mehta first made it to the entertainment pages in 2016 when his documentary Amdavad Ma Famous won the National Award for Best Non-Feature Film. Set against the backdrop of the biggest kite flying festival in India, the film follows an 11-year-old boy who chases kites. The docu was screened at many international film festivals. When we quiz him on his earliest introduction to the medium, Mehta points to his formative years when he sat through whatever played on TV at home — from family dramas to pot-boilers. “My father was a huge fan of Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee, so I grew up watching all their films,” says the B-Tech in Dairy Technology from Anand.
A regular at theatre festivals during college, it took Mehta two years in a job with a dairy outfit in Surat to realise that he wasn’t “meant to be in the technical field”. He turned copywriter with a Baroda-based agency and decided to part with half his salary of Rs 6,000 to watch a new film every day. “I was a regular at this DVD library in Baroda, which had a surprisingly massive collection of world cinema,” says Mehta.
His passion for films further crystallised when he got through Jamia Millia Islamia for a post-graduation degree in film production. Mehta’s final year project impressed filmmaker Dev Benegal so much that he roped him in as a script continuity supervisor for Road, Movie, his 2010 film starring Abhay Deol. He later bagged a similar role with filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane, whom he assisted on Lootera (2013), worked as the production assistant on Queen (2014) and co-wrote the screenplay for Trapped (2017).
Mehta had written the first draft of Kaamyaab, which revolves around a veteran supporting actor returning to films for his 500th turn, back in 2014 — coincidentally around the time when Alejandro Iñárritu’s Birdman released. “The thematics of the films were very similar,” he says. “But Vikramaditya [Motwane] assured me that my story was more culturally appropriate for Indian cinema.”
The writer-director, who hopes to adopt the cinematic sensibilities of German filmmaker Werner Herzog and considers A Guide for the Perplexed: Conversations with Paul Cronin to be his bible, was certain about translating his story on the big screen. But many, including those he had worked with, felt he had to prove himself before helming a project. “That’s when I stumbled upon this boy in Ahmedabad who risked his life and limb to nab kites and felt it could turn into an interesting observation on film,” he says, alluding to his self-funded documentary which met wide acclaim at festivals. Looking back, he feels it “lacks finesse” and is visibly “a first-timer’s job”, but “that’s what makes it unique”.
Mehta also directed a short film called The Affair, inspired by couples who make out along the shores of Mumbai because they can’t afford privacy at home. Manish Mundra’s Drishyam Films included it in their catalogue, and even agreed to back Mehta’s feature proposal, Kaamyaab, with Sanjay Mishra in the lead role.
Today, Mehta is humbled by the critical response to his debut and feels that the only way to gain acceptance in an industry known to be singularly insular, is by “upping one’s game”. “If you have to learn swimming, you have to jump into the pool. If you have to be a writer, you have to stare at a blank page,” he says.
Despite the acclaim, however, Kaamyaab had a modest release over only 250 screens, thanks perhaps to the release of a massive action-thriller in the same week. But Mehta is certain that his film wouldn’t have made it to the screens at all if it hadn’t been backed by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. “It’s ironic that we needed a superstar to promote a film about character actors too, but that’s the world we live in,” he says.
Film bodies call for total shutdown till March 31 in light of Coronavirus outbreak
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Makers instructed to put film, television, OTT shoots on hold till March 31; ration, medical facilities being arranged for workers
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 16, 2020)
Mirror had recently reported (March 13) that the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) and the Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association (IFTDA) were among film bodies that instructed filmmakers to maintain hygiene and safety guidelines on sets to combat the coronavirus outbreak.
On Sunday, representatives from the two film bodies, along with Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), Association of Advertising Producers (ASAP) and Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), held a joint meeting at which it was decided to bring a halt to all ongoing film, TV and OTT shoots from March 19-31. “We have given everyone three days to wrap up pending work. The entire entertainment industry, including post-production work, will be on hold till March 31. Those shooting outside of India will have to return home,” said Birendra Nath Tiwari, President, FWICE.
When asked about the move’s impact on daily wage workers, Tiwari said, “The Federation is taking that into consideration. It’s a matter of just 11 days and health is the paramount concern. That said, we will try to arrange for ration and provide facilities for them. We already have an ambulance in place, along with free medicines and a doctor in case any worker needs emergency help.”
Ashoke Pandit, President, IFTDA, reiterated that lives are more important than monetary impact. “It’s an emergency situation with the entire nation fighting the virus. Lakhs of people are involved in shoots and it is our responsibility to take care of them,” he added.
Soon after the advisory, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra reached out to Pandit, along with Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta, Sushant Singh, Sameer Nair and Nikkhil Advani on Twitter, with a question: “Shouldn’t we set up a fund for the junior technicians, our light boys, set workers, sound assistants etc?” His industry friends, along with others like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap and Manish Mundra, offered support to the initiative.
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; March 16, 2020)
On Sunday, representatives from the two film bodies, along with Indian Film and TV Producers Council (IFTPC), Western India Film Producers’ Association (WIFPA), Association of Advertising Producers (ASAP) and Indian Motion Picture Producers’ Association (IMPPA), held a joint meeting at which it was decided to bring a halt to all ongoing film, TV and OTT shoots from March 19-31. “We have given everyone three days to wrap up pending work. The entire entertainment industry, including post-production work, will be on hold till March 31. Those shooting outside of India will have to return home,” said Birendra Nath Tiwari, President, FWICE.
When asked about the move’s impact on daily wage workers, Tiwari said, “The Federation is taking that into consideration. It’s a matter of just 11 days and health is the paramount concern. That said, we will try to arrange for ration and provide facilities for them. We already have an ambulance in place, along with free medicines and a doctor in case any worker needs emergency help.”
Ashoke Pandit, President, IFTDA, reiterated that lives are more important than monetary impact. “It’s an emergency situation with the entire nation fighting the virus. Lakhs of people are involved in shoots and it is our responsibility to take care of them,” he added.
Soon after the advisory, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra reached out to Pandit, along with Anubhav Sinha, Hansal Mehta, Sushant Singh, Sameer Nair and Nikkhil Advani on Twitter, with a question: “Shouldn’t we set up a fund for the junior technicians, our light boys, set workers, sound assistants etc?” His industry friends, along with others like Vikramaditya Motwane, Anurag Kashyap and Manish Mundra, offered support to the initiative.
Shah Rukh Khan lives in people’s hearts-Sanjay Mishra
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Sanjay Mishra outlines the importance of having an A-lister attached to a small film and looks back at his acting journey
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2020)
Mirror was the first to report (January 31) that Shah Rukh Khan has come on-board Hardik Mehta’s Kaamyaab as one of the producers. The film chronicles the struggles of actors who play supporting roles in the Hindi film industry. Sanjay Mishra, the film’s leading man, says it’s a big deal that someone like Shah Rukh is supporting a small film.“Neither I nor Manish Mundra (producer) had dreamt of having someone like him on board. A lot of other actors should step in to support small films. The budget of Kaamyaab is lower than the cost of vanity vans parked on the sets of big budget films,” Sanjay points out, adding, “Shah Rukh lives in people’s hearts and the level of energy he brings to the table is unrivaled.”
The actor goes on to point out that the role resonated with him as he, too, has spent a better part of his acting career playing supporting roles. “The character is a very bad actor, but I am not that bad in real life,” he clarifies with a laugh, explaining that the film is a comical take on the clichés pertaining to character artists.
Reminiscing about his early days in the industry, Sanjay says that he took baby steps to prove himself as an actor. “A lot more still remains to be done. But I have lived with honesty and the aim to ensure quality education for my kids,” he asserts, adding that, in Mumbai, he transformed from Sanjay to ‘sir’. “It has been a journey worth witnessing.”
Incidentally, Sanjay had made his acting debut with the Shah Rukh-starrer Oh Darling Yeh Hai India in 1995. However, he was recognised for his work only three years later, with Ram Gopal Varma’s critically acclaimed gangster-drama Satya. Sanjay begs to differ. “I believe the game-changing film is yet to happen for me.”
Shah Rukh Khan comes on board as producer of Sanjay Mishra-starrer Kaamyaab
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The actor’s new production, fronted by Sanjay Mishra, chronicles struggles of artistes forever relegated to supporting roles
Himesh Mankad (MUMBAI MIRROR; January 31, 2020)
Amid intensifying chatter around his first acting gig after the December 2018 release, Zero —he is said to be in talks with filmmakers like Rajkumar Hirani, Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Siddharth Anand and Atlee—Shah Rukh Khan has found his next film as a producer.Mirror has learnt that, along with Manish Mundra, the 54-year-old actor has come on board for Kaamyaab, which features veteran character actor Sanjay Mishra in the lead. Deepak Dobriyal and Sarika Singh play pivotal roles in Hardik Mehta’s directorial debut. Hardik is also helming Dinesh Vijan’s Roohi Afzana this year, with Janhvi Kapoor in a double role. In 2013, he had won a National Award for his short film, Skin Deep.
According to a source close to the development, Sanjay plays an actor in the film. “The makers felt he was the best fit for the role as his career graph in Bollywood mirrors that of his character, who starts out as an extra and goes on to be acknowledged as an extraordinary actor,” revealed the source.
Kaamyaab has been making rounds of film festivals in India and abroad and has received acclaim at the Busan International Film Festival, New York City South Asian Film Festival, Indian Film Festival of Melbourne and Shanghai International Film Festival. The film’s storyline, which outlines the struggle of character artistes in Bollywood, something that hasn’t been attempted before, struck a chord with SRK, who decided to back it after watching it recently. The film also features several contemporary character actors and pays tribute to late veterans like Johnny Walker, Birbal, Manmauji and Viju Khote.
Newton, Masaan producer Manish Mundra to make his directorial debut with a social drama
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BOMBAY TIMES (August 13, 2019)
After backing award-winning films like Newton and Masaan, producer Manish Mundra is gearing up to make his directorial debut in Bollywood, with an untitled social drama inspired by true events.Manish, the founder-producer of Drishyam Films, is also an author and photographer. Talking about his foray into direction , he says, “Deep down in my heart, there was always a desire to make my own film. However, because of other engagements and priorities, I started with producing films, which I will continue to do. I believe that this is the right time to take the next step in my creative journey.”
The film, whose screenplay will be penned by Dedh Ishqiya writer Darab Farooqui, will be co-directed by writer-director Supreet K Singh. It has been inspired by a woman, whose ordeal left a deep impact on Manish. Manish shares, “For some time now, I have been following the story of this Indian woman, and her battle against the corrupt confluence of politics, police and judiciary. It had such an impact on me that I decided to bring this important tale to the world.”
To be shot extensively in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, by renowned cinematographer Avinash Arun, the film will go on floors in January 2020.
Since setting up his banner in 2015, Manish has been nurturing high-quality independent cinema, which has not only won acclaim at international film festivals, but has also been appreciated by the audience. Drishyam Films has four movies on its slate this year, three of which are co-produced with Jio Studios. Their upcoming releases include National Award-winning Bengali director Suman Ghosh’s Hindi debut, Adhar; veteran actor Seema Pahwa’s directorial debut Ram Prasad Ki Tehrvi (starring Konkona Sensharma and Vikrant Massey among others), and Umrika director Prashant Nair’s anthology feature, Tryst With Destiny. Along with these, they have also produced their first regional feature, a Marathi film titled Ghaath, which has been directed by Chhatrapal Ninawe and stars actor Jitendra Joshi.
I value every penny people have extended for Village Rockstars-Rima Das
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Rima Das, the National Award winning filmmaker, whose film has been chosen as India’s official entry to the Oscars this year, charts the journey ahead
Rachana Dubey (BOMBAY TIMES; November 2, 2018)
Filmmaker Rima Das is relieved that the government of her home state, Assam, has contributed Rs 1 crore to help her promote Village Rockstars in the US. The National Award-winning film was unanimously chosen as India’s official entry to the Oscars, 2019. It beat 27 films, including contenders from Hindi cinema and other languages, to bag the honour two months ago. Back then, Rima, in her interview to BT, had said, “As an individual, it will be very difficult for me to gather so much money on my own. My journey with Village Rockstars began five years ago. I have made it with my own money and travelled with it all over the world. Now that it’s gearing up to represent India, the country needs to step forth and help it get there.”
Her plea was heard and the government of Assam, where the film was also shot, has contributed Rs 1 crore for her impending Oscar journey. More contributions, big and small, have also been made by individuals. Rima can’t thank the state government enough for their contribution. Manish Mundra, the producer of Newton, which was India’s entry to the Oscars last year, has also helped Rima with a handsome amount, though no one from mainstream Bollywood has stepped in to help her.Rima says, “Promotions for the Oscar run is a very big deal and I am still figuring my way forward. Thankfully, I didn’t have to work too hard for the CM of Assam to grant the money. I value every penny and whatever little help that people have extended so far. My state was celebrating Village Rockstars’ selection for the Oscars. I met our CM and a couple of other ministers. Everyone has seen the film and they willingly came forth to help me.”
For Rima, the Oscar chase is unlike anything she has experienced in her journey across international festivals. With the money granted to her, she has hired a publicist and is seeking advice from some of her friends, who she met at international film fests. “We have hired a publicist. I have been travelling to festivals for three years now. I’ve found some genuine people who are guiding me for putting together a team that will help me publicise the film and cover some ground in the Oscar run. We are now looking at exploring other avenues for visibility in America. I’m paying everyone in instalments. Crowdfunding is not a cakewalk. People are chipping in. I am talking to corporates, too, but all this takes a while,” says the filmmaker.
Rima will head to Los Angeles on November 5 and spend two months there, promoting her film and screening it for the Oscar lobbyists. “People across the world have responded well to my film. So, I am hopeful that it will impress people at the Oscars, too,” she says. Rima had applied for visas for her child actors, Bhanita and Mallika, who headline the cast of her film. However, their applications were rejected. “I want them to travel to America and promote the film there. Their application was rejected for the lack of documents, but I will try again and hopefully, I will be able to fly them to the US, which will be great for the film’s visibility,” she explains.
The director, in the last two months, has not had time to breathe. She believes that every work of art has its own destiny, and though she panics sometimes, it always helps to be calm in every scenario. “I just hope we do our best,” she sums up.
Vineet Kumar Singh bags Manish Mundra's next
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Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 1, 2018)
After featuring in Anurag Kashyap’s sports-drama, Mukkabaaz, which received a standing ovation during its premier in Mumbai, Vineet Kumar Singh has now signed National Award-winning Newton filmmaker Manish Mundra’s next production. Titled Adhar, it will be directed by another National Award winner, Bengali filmmaker Suman Ghosh, whose 2006 film Podokkhep featuring Nandita Das and Soumitra Chatterjee had won in the Best Feature Film in Bengali category.
“Manish sir praised my performance in Mukkabaaz and said that I reminded him of a young Naseer saab (Naseeruddin Shah) in one of my interviews. It’s a huge compliment for me and I love the films he has produced, right from Ankhon Dekhi to Newton. One day I got a call from his office saying that they wanted to narrate a story to me, after which I met director Suman Ghosh and immediately fell in love with the script,” Vineet says, adding that Suman is also a professor of Economics in Florida.
Prod him on the film and he says, “Taking a cue from the film’s title Adhar, there are two aspects to it — one: it means base and the other is the Aadhar card and we are exploring both these aspects among many other things that are happening in our society. Manish sir’s films are rooted, which is also the case with this one, but it will also appeal to the masses. After Mukkabaaz, I was looking for the right film and after being offered nearly 100 scripts I finally zeroed down on this one.”
Vineet reveals that he has never played a character like this before. “It’s the story of a common man left behind in the society’s race to development. We will start shooting in December or January at the Bengal-Bihar border and in Jharkhand. I will start prepping closer to the shooting date,” he informs.
Speaking of his life in the post-Mukkabaaz era, the actor-writer says that things have changed a lot and for the better. “I have never experienced all this — being identified on the streets and suchlike. I still ride a cycle as I had to sell my car and a few other things for my training in Mukkabaaz in which I had played a boxer,” smiles Vineet.
Is there another collaboration with Anurag on the cards too? “We are discussing something and hopefully it should work out,” he signs off.
I was a bit skeptical about how Newton would fare without much publicity-Amit Masurkar
8:02 AM
Kusumita Das (MID-DAY; December 31, 2017)
Having tasted sweet success with his first film Sulemaani Keeda (2014), most people were expecting Amit Masurkar to continue making films in a similar humorous vein. “I would get offers to direct fun and breezy films, (like Sulemaani Keeda).”
But, the idea of Newton was lodged in his brain and wouldn’t go away. The film tells the story of the struggles that an election clerk goes through while trying to run a free and fair election in a conflict- ridden jungle of Central India. Along with co-writer Mayank Tewari, Masurkar spent six months working on the script. “During that process, we traveled to Chhattisgarh several times, interacted with lawyers, human rights activists, adivasi voters, politicians, police, administrators, surrendered Maoists — and their lived experiences became a part of the story. We met some wonderful people who helped us and their feedback enriched the screenplay,” says the 36-year-old.
As unconventional as the story and script may have been, fortunately, for Masurkar, it was not an uphill task to take it on the floors. “I met producer Manish Mundra early on, so there was no struggle in finding someone to back the project. And it was Manish who suggested Rajkummar Rao’s name for the lead. Rao read the script and came on board immediately.”
The team was confident of the product they had created. “The Indian audience is watching the best films and shows from all over the world. We have as many fans here for the Marvel universe and Game of Thrones as anywhere else. This audience is tired of the same old stories, which is why a film like Dangal or Hindi Medium does well. Newton is a unique story with a fiery young protagonist, and we were confident that it would do well too.”
When the year kicked off, the film was ready for a festival premiere in Berlin. The buzz here was low-key and even close to its September 22 release, it was not anticipated to be a box-office success, no matter how much critical acclaim it had earned already, across 60 international festivals worldwide.
Masurkar admits that he was not sure how the film would do in small towns, transcending multiplex boundaries. “Aanand L Rai and Eros International came on board to present the film. It was Aanand ji’s idea to release Newton in 450 theaters, including small towns. Until then, we were thinking of 120 screens; so, his confidence in the film was a big deal. I was a bit skeptical about how it would fare without much publicity, but he was always confident and was proven right. The film did exceptionally well in small towns.”
As far as the film’s role in the race for Oscars is concerned, it was announced as India’s official entry for the 90th Academy Awards, the day it released, on September 22. “The Film Federation of India selects India’s official entry to the Academy Awards. The voting members are representatives from film unions from all industries — Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, Telugu etc.”
Is he a tad disappointed that it did not make it to the final list? “When we set out to make Newton, we had no aim but to make an honest film. In LA, we got an excellent reception from the press and members of the Academy. We were competing with the best films in the world, and the ones that made it to the shortlist are also very good.”
The lesson I learnt
The only way to enjoy work is to continue making films that I believe in
Gulzar records a poem on climate change for Kadvi Hawa
7:54 AM
His straight-from-the-heart gesture is the ‘added attraction’ of a film on environmental issues
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 2, 2017)
Padma Bhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke awardee Gulzar was so moved after he watched Nila Madhab Panda’s National Award winning film Kadvi Hawa that he wrote a poem on climate change, which is the underlying theme of the film, on the request of the makers. “It all happened in just six days. Manish (producer Manish Mundra) approached Gulzar saab with the idea and after he watched the film, he wrote the poem and recorded it on Wednesday,” a source told Mirror.
Set in parched Mahua in Rajasthan, the film follows locals who have forgotten the scent of rainfall. Burdened by debts, they are unable to grow grain, and many commit suicide. It features Ranvir Shorey as a bank loan recovery agent and Sanjay Mishra as an old blind farmer, along with Tillotama Shome (Hindi Medium) and Bhupesh Singh (Masaan).
The film on environemtal issues, has toured the international festival circuit and now has the added attraction of a Gulzar poem recited by him. Manish told Mirror, “With his beautifully evocative poem we are now hopeful that the message will reach a wider audience.”
Oscar beckons: Rajkummar Rao to station himself in Los Angeles
7:42 AM
Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 26, 2017)
Amit Masurkar’s Newton, India’s official entry to the Oscars, has been granted Rs 1 crore by the Government..
‘It was most unexpected’
Newton’s much-feted lead Rajkummar Rao agrees this is an unusual largesse from the powers-that-be. “It was unexpected. But certainly needed. I spoke to the relevant official and he assured me of all possible support and cooperation in our journey to the Oscars. We, my director and I, had no idea as to how to proceed to the Oscars. The Government’s fund has opened up doors. Now we just need to walk through those doors.”
Let’s plan
The question is, how? “Well,” dwells Raj, “We need to sit down and chalk out a plan. My producers Manish Mundra and Aanand L Rai will be meeting up with people who have experience in taking our cinema to the Oscars.” Aamir Khan and Anil Kapoor should expect a call.
Chalo America
The actor, who has wrapped up yet another challenging role as Subhas Chandra Bose, admits, he will have to take time off to be in the US for the very serious process of lobbying that preludes the Oscar nominations in the US. “I understand, I have to be in America for a while and I am prepared to take time off. It is pointless to expect Newton to make the cut without our effort. We need to push our film to the furthest point possible.”
“The plagiarism charge changes nothing for Newton,” says Film Federation Chief
After the announcement of Newton as official Indian entry to the Oscars, a sudden plagiarism charge and a debate on its eligibility has blown up.
Supran Sen, the Secretary-General of the Film Federation Of India, which selects the film to go to the Oscars, says, “The Iranian film has been around for 16 years. Newton was premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February. If at all there were similarities between Newton and the other film, why didn’t anyone notice it? Why did this question suddenly come up after the film was selected by us to go to the Oscars?”
Sen says this controversy doesn’t change anything for the film. “No rule for the Best Foreign Film category at the Oscars states that any likeness to any other film in any form is a disqualification. We’ve full faith in the team behind the film and we stand by the film, as of now.”
Rajkummar Rao-starrer Newton selected as India’s official entry for the Oscars
7:53 AM
Rajkummar Rao’s black comedy drama, the Amit Masurkar-directed Newton, has been selected as India’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 23, 2017)
Amit Masurkar’s black comedy drama Newton, featuring Rajkummar Rao, Pankaj Tripathy and Anjali Patil, set against the backdrop of elections in the world’s largest democracy, was announced as India’s official entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards scheduled for March 4, 2018. The film was picked from among 26 titles from different languages by a 14-member jury appointed by the Film Federation of India (FFI). It was selected over entries like Dangal and Mukti Bhavan.
Interestingly, in an interview to Mirror (May 20), producer Manish Mundra had said, “I want to bring home an Oscar for India in the Best Foreign Language category. Newton, after winning awards at the Berlinale and the Hong Kong Film Festival, has been invited to 40 film fests across the world. It stands a good chance if it is selected as India’s official entry.”
So far, Mother India, Salaam Bombay! and Lagaan are the only three Indian films that have made it to the Oscar nominations.
Aanand L Rai, the other producer, along with Manish and Sunil Lulla,admitted that he didn’t believe his company CEO when he informed him about the news and rang up three others to confirm it. “I’m still dizzy, it will take another 48 hours to find my balance and start planning. I’m proud of Amit and Rajkummar for making Newton with so much sincerity,” he said, delighted to be taking the baton from close friend and National Award-winning actor-producer Dhanush whose hard-hitting Tamil film, Visaranai, was in the Oscar race last year. “I’m going to ring up Dhanush and tell him that I’m happy to be continuing his journey.”
His leading man, Raj, is equally excited and ecstatic. “It’s a double celebration for us. The film has opened to amazing reviews and now this! It’s all because of my mother’s blessings and the team’s hard work. I hope we make the country proud.”
When asked how he plans to lobby at the Oscars, Aanand says that the exercise will be taken up professionally by every studio involved and will be a great learning experience. “We will be doing everything that is expected of us,” he states.
Bollywood rallies behind cancer-stricken actor Sitaram Panchal
7:37 AM
Sitaram
Panchal, who has featured in Paan Singh Tomar and Peepli Live, has been
struggling to pay for his treatment; Anusha Rizvi, Manish Mundra, among
others, rush to his aid
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 18, 2017)
Seventy-two hours after posts about actor Sitaram Panchal’s financial plight and deteriorating physical condition — he suffers from lung and kidney cancer — went viral, several members from the film fraternity have extended support to the 54-year-old National School of Drama graduate, fondly known as Situ bhai. The actor, who was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, has featured in critically acclaimed films like Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar. Even after the diagnosis, he filmed Shyam Benegal’s TV series, Samvidhan, while undergoing treatment in the far off Mumbai suburb of Mumbra.
“He stopped eating completely last year as his stomach would hurt all the time. He was constantly vomiting and is extremely weak. He now weighs only 30 kg,” Sitaram’s wife Uma Panchal told Mirror, adding that he had to give up on the TV serial, Ek Ghar Banaunga, which he was shooting for. “Since acting was his only source of income, he worked between September-October last year when he was slightly better with medication, and shot for small roles in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Raag Desh and Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2. But the treatment has aggravated his diabetes, which led to him losing his voice,” Uma rues, pointing out that Sitaram was also administered wrong medicines in two different hospitals earlier, which worsened his condition. “At one point, he was asked to go completely off allopathy, which led to breathing troubles.”
Among the industry friends who have rushed to the ailing actor’s aid is filmmaker Krishan Hooda, who had directed him in the yet-to-be-released Rebellious Flower, along with co-star Mukesh Bhatt. “The cancer is now spreading to his bones. If he’s back on his feet, he’ll have work again but he is too unwell right now,” Mukesh says.
Anil Mange, who worked with Sitaram in the Haryana-based film Ischool has also reached out. Meanwhile, on Monday, a charity drive was initiated on the online platform, Ketto, to raise funds. The Cine and TV Artistes Association has shared a letter addressed to the film fraternity with Sitaram’s account details seeking financial aid.
Masaan and Dhanak producer, Manish Mundra has also made a considerable donation to the family and has promised to bear the medical expenses. “In a developed world, where population is miniscule, a proper healthcare plan and insurance policies are devised to take care of individual well-being. Since we are not well-equipped in this regard, we should contribute to society in our own way. Thanks to social media, we can now reach out to those in need and vice versa,” the filmmaker asserts.
Anusha Rizvi was told that Sitaram’s 20-year-old son, a budding classical singer, would have to quit studies to support the family as his father, the sole bread-winner, is bedridden. “Actors don’t have a pension fund or any kind of a scheme for emergencies. I got the Peepli Live team to come together for Sitaram and tried to find out if there was a scheme by the Haryana or Central Government to help actors in a crisis with a substantial amount but didn’t come across anything,” Anusha says, pointing out that since she knew Sitaram personally, his condition came to light, but there are other small-time actors and technicians living in slums in abysmal situations whose stories often go unheard because there is no authority to take care of them in old age. “It is time for the Maharashtra Government and Bollywood celebrities to come together to start a need-based emergency fund for the families of actors and technicians,” she asserts.
Meanwhile, Uma says that while several film personalities have come forward in support, it is Sitaram’s NSD batch mates who have relentlessly been by his side through the ordeal and continue to visit him even today. “He has started eating and is optimistic that he will be back on the set soon. Everyone is praying for us,” she signs off.
Seventy-two hours after posts about actor Sitaram Panchal’s financial plight and deteriorating physical condition — he suffers from lung and kidney cancer — went viral, several members from the film fraternity have extended support to the 54-year-old National School of Drama graduate, fondly known as Situ bhai. The actor, who was diagnosed with cancer in January 2014, has featured in critically acclaimed films like Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire, Anusha Rizvi’s Peepli Live and Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Paan Singh Tomar. Even after the diagnosis, he filmed Shyam Benegal’s TV series, Samvidhan, while undergoing treatment in the far off Mumbai suburb of Mumbra.
“He stopped eating completely last year as his stomach would hurt all the time. He was constantly vomiting and is extremely weak. He now weighs only 30 kg,” Sitaram’s wife Uma Panchal told Mirror, adding that he had to give up on the TV serial, Ek Ghar Banaunga, which he was shooting for. “Since acting was his only source of income, he worked between September-October last year when he was slightly better with medication, and shot for small roles in Tigmanshu Dhulia’s Raag Desh and Subhash Kapoor’s Jolly LLB 2. But the treatment has aggravated his diabetes, which led to him losing his voice,” Uma rues, pointing out that Sitaram was also administered wrong medicines in two different hospitals earlier, which worsened his condition. “At one point, he was asked to go completely off allopathy, which led to breathing troubles.”
Among the industry friends who have rushed to the ailing actor’s aid is filmmaker Krishan Hooda, who had directed him in the yet-to-be-released Rebellious Flower, along with co-star Mukesh Bhatt. “The cancer is now spreading to his bones. If he’s back on his feet, he’ll have work again but he is too unwell right now,” Mukesh says.
Anil Mange, who worked with Sitaram in the Haryana-based film Ischool has also reached out. Meanwhile, on Monday, a charity drive was initiated on the online platform, Ketto, to raise funds. The Cine and TV Artistes Association has shared a letter addressed to the film fraternity with Sitaram’s account details seeking financial aid.
Masaan and Dhanak producer, Manish Mundra has also made a considerable donation to the family and has promised to bear the medical expenses. “In a developed world, where population is miniscule, a proper healthcare plan and insurance policies are devised to take care of individual well-being. Since we are not well-equipped in this regard, we should contribute to society in our own way. Thanks to social media, we can now reach out to those in need and vice versa,” the filmmaker asserts.
Anusha Rizvi was told that Sitaram’s 20-year-old son, a budding classical singer, would have to quit studies to support the family as his father, the sole bread-winner, is bedridden. “Actors don’t have a pension fund or any kind of a scheme for emergencies. I got the Peepli Live team to come together for Sitaram and tried to find out if there was a scheme by the Haryana or Central Government to help actors in a crisis with a substantial amount but didn’t come across anything,” Anusha says, pointing out that since she knew Sitaram personally, his condition came to light, but there are other small-time actors and technicians living in slums in abysmal situations whose stories often go unheard because there is no authority to take care of them in old age. “It is time for the Maharashtra Government and Bollywood celebrities to come together to start a need-based emergency fund for the families of actors and technicians,” she asserts.
Meanwhile, Uma says that while several film personalities have come forward in support, it is Sitaram’s NSD batch mates who have relentlessly been by his side through the ordeal and continue to visit him even today. “He has started eating and is optimistic that he will be back on the set soon. Everyone is praying for us,” she signs off.
I want to bring home an Oscar for India-Manish Mundra
7:39 AM
Manish Mundra, one of the top 10 producers to watch out for globally, who ventured into film production at 40, has reshaped indie cinema in India in less than four years
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 20, 2017)
A chance encounter with Rajat Kapoor on Twitter in 2013 resulted in Manish Mundra producing his first film, Ankhon Dekhi, which bagged three Filmfare Awards. He has since produced half-a-dozen films, including Masaan, X: Past Is Present,Waiting, Dhanak and Umrika which is yet to be released. He has three more films — Newton, Rukh and Kadvi Hawa — waiting to be unveiled. And now, Manish is the only Indian filmmaker to make it to Variety magazine’s list of ‘10 Producers To Watch Out For In 2017’, each of whom will be honoured in person at the 70th Cannes Film Festival.
Speaking to Mirror, Manish acknowledged that he is excited and happy. “It was a surprise but it will motivate me to carry this momentum forward over the next three-four years and prove that the privilege was worth it,” he asserted, admitting that while none of the celebs had called to congratulate him, many from the Indian film industry are delighted for him.
He has his life carefully charted out with five-year plans that have kept him on course. When he was between 25-30 he had the option of getting into films and starting at the bottom of the ladder or establish himself as a professional and pursue his passion at a later stage. He took the second route and entered the industry when he was 40, and in less than four years, has made a name for himself internationally. “I didn’t have the money to invest in big films, so I chose to nurture parallel cinema instead, making films within a tight budget and schedule to ensure that the investment paid off. Now, the effort is towards building brand Drishyam with quality products, so a certain audience which loves good cinema will come to the theatres to see a film from my company and we can cut down on the money for promotions,” he informs. “Also, once a film picks up awards and acclaim at fests abroad, the digital platform, along with theatrical and satellite, is available to us for exploiting.”
Quiz him on whether the A-listers want to work with him now, given that his films have found an audience not just at home but even abroad, and he says, “The smaller stars are coming to us but the bigger names are still interested in the big-budget, song-and-dance fantasy films which will continue to be made as they work with the Indian diaspora. For us content is the star and we’re constantly on the lookout for subjects that will appeal to an international, non-Indian audience that is looking for new and genuinely Indian, honest, real and heart-warming stories. We have a team to go through scripts. At Cannes I’m planning to connect with festival directors and their teams to figure out what kind of films they are looking for from India.”
What is his next objective? “To bag an Oscar for India in the Foreign Language category. Newton, which after winning awards at the Berlinale and the Hong Kong Film Festival, has been invited to 40 film fests across the world, stands a good chance if it is selected as India’s official entry. Else, we will come up with another movie,” he says confidently, whose favourite productions so far have been the critically acclaimed Masaan and the upcoming Rukh and Kadvi Hawa. Rukh is an emotional father-son story, an international level film featuring Manoj Bajpayee, and Kadvi Hawa, helmed by Padma Shri Nila Madhab Panda, is about global warming and climate change, based on the true stories from the drought-prone Bundelkhand region and the vanishing villages of coastal Odisha. “Kadvi Hawa has a brilliant performance by Sanjay Mishra and has bagged us the second National Award this year along with Dhanak, making it our third if you count Masaan. It’s been a short but fulfilling journey,” he exults.
And is directing a film on the cards? “Of course, but not till I have made another six-seven films as a producer. Direction needs time and knowledge of techniques. It’ll happen when the time is right. Till then I’ll keep nurturing talent and making good cinema,” says India’s Indie guru.
X: Past Is Present producers take on producer Manish Mundra
2:20 PM
Shiladitya Bora, CEO, Drishyam Films, (middle) Sudhish Kamath, director and Manish Mundra, promoter, Drishyam Films
Eleven co-directors of X: Past Is Present claim not paid by Drishyam Films, producer mulls legal action instead
Shaheen Parkar (MID-DAY; August 14, 2016)
The collaborative feature film, X: Past Is Present, with 11 directors on board, has been billed as a singularly unique experiment in filmmaking. However, it has now run into troubled waters.
The filmmakers — Abhinav Shiv Tiwari, Anu Menon, Nalan Kumarasamy, Hemant Gaba, Pratim D Gupta, Q, Raja Sen, Rajshree Ojha, Sandeep Mohan, Sudhish Kamath and Suparn Verma — claim they are still awaiting their dues from producer Manish Mundra of Drishyam Films. The banner's projects include the recent award-winning Punjabi film Chauthi Koot as well as Neeraj Ghaywan’s Masaan (2015).
Kamath argued, “It is a betrayal on many levels. We have given them adequate time. We were operating on good faith, but realised that they [the producers] are not making any efforts to sell the film or censor it for TV. They just wanted to get rid of it. We are all co-producers and we were experimenting with a different kind of cinema being made by people from different parts of the country. I recently mailed Manish Mundra saying that it’s okay not to pay me, but he should at least pay the others. To which he replied, ‘You are a real pain in the a***!’ After that he disappeared. What is so shameless when directors and writers ask for money? The master and slave mentality of the producers need to change.”
However, Shiladitya Bora, CEO, Drishyam Films, argued, “Kamath had signed a contract with us which clearly states everything. All the allegations are baseless. We are planning legal action. We have provided the contracts to our lawyers. They are working on it and we will get a clearer picture next week. We do not want to comment about the tweets because then there will be no end [to this mud-slinging]. We have done more than what was needed; there was no default. We can provide all documents.”
Earlier this week, Kamath took to Twitter to vent ire over the non-payment of fee. He posted a series of telling tweets which read: “Drishyam Films has infringed upon the copyright of the original authors & does not have the authorisation from us to distribute the film. All channels and networks distributing XPast isPresent are infringing upon the copyright of 11 writer directors who haven’t yet been paid. We did put in money as coproducers but the terms kept changing because Mr Manish Mundra wanted solo producer credit.”
Rajat Kapoor, Anshuman Jha, Radhika Apte and Swara Bhaskar feature in the film.
How the drama unfolded
X: Past Is Present released in November 2015 after doing the rounds of various film festivals. The idea to make the film took shape in 2013. Sudhish Kamath approached the other 10 filmmakers and got the project got rolling. Early this week, he claimed that the directors were not paid by Drishyam Films and anyone dealing with the project on any platform amounted to copyright infringement.
Dhanak is a reminder that there is still goodness left in the world-Nagesh Kukunoor
7:51 AM
BOMBAY TIMES (June 12, 2016)
Acclaimed filmmaker Nagesh
Kukunoor talks about Dhanak, which is written and directed by him, and
on finding innocence, hope and joy in a cynical world.
What was your inspiration behind making this film?
When I started writing it, I wanted to remind myself and the audience that there is still goodness left in the world. I wanted to go back to the India I grew up in, where people trusted each other. Dhanak reinforces the belief that in a world full of cynicism, life can have a happy ending.
How did the collaboration with Drishyam Films happen?
When I met Manish Mundra, (the founder of Drishyam Films) in 2014, I had pitched another film to him. I learnt that he's from Rajasthan, so I told him I had a script about two kids who embark on a magical journey across the desert. Manish was convinced that he wanted to make this film with me.
What was your biggest challenge?
Whenever you shoot in Rajasthan, you realise the landscape is as lethal as it is beautiful. It's dry, hot and sandy - your skin literally sizzles when temperatures soar over 50 degrees. And I had two kids as my lead actors. But they were beyond adorable and a million times better than any adults.
How integral are the songs to the story?
We had a great opportunity to explore the folk sound since we were shooting in Rajasthan. Composer Tapas Relia recorded with real Manganiyars in Barmer and this has lent the movie a lot of authenticity.
What kind of cinema do you admire?
Hrishikesh Mukherjee is one of my favourite filmmakers. His films spoke about every day India, his characters were real, everybody had shades of grey, but nobody was a villain. His movies are true family entertainers. Family values, relationships and friendships are all essential to the fabric of a Hrishida film and I have tried to embody the same qualities in Dhanak as well.
Dhanak releases this Friday.
What was your inspiration behind making this film?
When I started writing it, I wanted to remind myself and the audience that there is still goodness left in the world. I wanted to go back to the India I grew up in, where people trusted each other. Dhanak reinforces the belief that in a world full of cynicism, life can have a happy ending.
How did the collaboration with Drishyam Films happen?
When I met Manish Mundra, (the founder of Drishyam Films) in 2014, I had pitched another film to him. I learnt that he's from Rajasthan, so I told him I had a script about two kids who embark on a magical journey across the desert. Manish was convinced that he wanted to make this film with me.
What was your biggest challenge?
Whenever you shoot in Rajasthan, you realise the landscape is as lethal as it is beautiful. It's dry, hot and sandy - your skin literally sizzles when temperatures soar over 50 degrees. And I had two kids as my lead actors. But they were beyond adorable and a million times better than any adults.
How integral are the songs to the story?
We had a great opportunity to explore the folk sound since we were shooting in Rajasthan. Composer Tapas Relia recorded with real Manganiyars in Barmer and this has lent the movie a lot of authenticity.
What kind of cinema do you admire?
Hrishikesh Mukherjee is one of my favourite filmmakers. His films spoke about every day India, his characters were real, everybody had shades of grey, but nobody was a villain. His movies are true family entertainers. Family values, relationships and friendships are all essential to the fabric of a Hrishida film and I have tried to embody the same qualities in Dhanak as well.
Dhanak releases this Friday.
Manish Mundra's timely cheque of Rs 2 lakh stops desperate squash player from selling his kidney
8:41 AM
Roshmila Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 13, 2016)
On Wednesday, India beat
Pakistan to win the squash gold at the South Asian Games in Guwahati.
Ravi Dixit who was part of the winning squad had a big “thank you“ for
benefactor, filmmaker Manish Mundra, whose cheque of Rs 2 lakh which
arrived on February 6 will help the player continue with his training
for the next four months.
On February 3, Ravi had told the producer of Aankhon Dekhi and Masaan
about a four-week training trip to Malaysia where
the weekly fee is $750. Airfare, accommodation, food and coach expenses
would add up to Rs 2 lakh. A subsequent four-week trip to the US would
cost him another Rs 2-3 lakh. Manish promised him Rs 2 lakh the next day.
On February 5, he transferred the initial funding to his account. The
next day, when Ravi thanked Manish he was told to write to the world
that he was no longer selling his kidneys, that there's still hope and
we should help each other.The 20 year old who's been playing squash for a decade, winning gold in the 2010 Asian Junior Championships, had in desperation posted on Facebook: “Dhampur Sugar Mill has supported me but how long will they continue to support me? Next month, the Games are starting in Guwahati and I am representing India. To prepare for the tournament I am training in Chennai but I have not been able to arrange enough money to fund my campaign for the Games. I have lost my determination. I am ready to sell my kidney. If anyone needs a kidney, they can contact. The price of my kidney is Rs 8 lakh.“
A crowdfunding initiative, #supportRaviDixit, was started on the social media to help him. But the campaign could only raise Rs 5,500. On January 12, director Suparn Verma reached out to Manish Mundra and Anand Mahindra. Manish who loves playing squash, asked to be connected. After his timely help, Ravi has apologised for his “emotional outburst“ which was “blown out of proportion“. And Manish is happy to have helped a sportsman. “India is a developing country and like we are channelising energies in other areas, we need to identify sport as a vertical that needs organised planning. Kids need to be spotted early and investment on their training made,“ he says.
Adding that private sector partnership can help the government achieve this he points out that this has already happened in cricket, badminton and kabaddi. “Tax breaks and incentives to the private sector can help develop a sport like squash too. I'm willing to fund Ravi for a year so he doesn't lose out on opportunities. By that time I hope he'll be a recognised champion and attract corporate sponsors,“ he informs.
Ravi said emotionally, “I am grateful to Manish sir for helping me. I wish more people come forward and support me. Two days ago, I won a gold medal at the South Asian Games. Squash is my life. I want to play squash and only squash.“
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