Showing posts with label Prithvi Cafe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Prithvi Cafe. Show all posts
Nandita Das's wish gets fulfilled as Saadat Hasan Manto’s daughters arrive in Mumbai
8:02 AM
From taking them to Prithvi theatre to visiting author’s favourite haunts, Rasika on how the biopic’s team hosted Nusrat and Nuzhat on their India trip
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 18, 2018)
Days after mid-day reported that Nandita Das was keen to have Saadat Hasan Manto’s daughters — Nighat Patel, Nuzhat Arshad and Nusrat Jalal — by her side at the India premiere of Manto, the director’s wish has been realised. Jalal and Arshad landed in Mumbai on Saturday, giving them enough time to bond with actors Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Rasika Dugal, who play Manto and wife Safia in the biopic.
Talking to mid-day, Dugal says that Das had a single objective for their Sunday outing — to familiarise the daughters with the city that Manto lived in and loved. “Nandita took them on a walk in town, showing them places that their parents used to visit often. Nusrat aapa and Shahid saab [her husband] were moved by the gesture,” says Dugal, adding that an evening at the city’s much-loved theatre, Prithvi, was only fitting, given that they have inherited their father’s love for art. “We sat in the cafe, talking about cinema, theatre, and of course, Manto and Safia! We even went to the bookstore and bought a collection of Manto’s essays.”
Dugal also hosted a dinner in their honour. “Nandita, Nawaz and I had dinner with the family where Saeed sahab [a common friend of the Manto family and Das] read out a beautiful fictional piece he had written about Nandita meeting Manto.”
After the Mumbai premiere last night, the daughters will attend the biopic’s Delhi premiere tomorrow.
Mumbai is the land of opportunities, there’s nothing that you cannot do here-Mukti Mohan, Shakti Mohan
8:20 AM
Pallabi Purkayastha (BOMBAY TIMES; July 8, 2018)
Their eyes twinkle bright with dreams of having made it big as dancers. Shakti and Mukti Mohan, who shifted base to Mumbai almost 13 years ago, believe that Maximum City has made everything happen for them.
No matter where her work takes her, it is Mumbai where Shakti likes to come back to at the end of the day. “I have so much admiration for this place. This gorgeous city has made my career and given me everything I ever imagined,” she says, adding that she loves the phrase ‘flirt with the city’.
“Dance and Mumbai go hand-in-hand,” she points out, and adds that it was the city that fuelled her desire to pursue dance as a career. Before I moved here, I had no desire to become a dancer. But when I saw the dance schools in the city and the massive opportunities, I decided to give it a shot. Mumbai being a land of unlimited possibilities gave me the confidence to go for it. Besides, my love for dance is an integral part of who I am,” explains Shakti, who also choreographs for films.
Adding to what her big sister has already said, dancer and actress Mukti asserts, “Zinda-Dilness! This is something that I understood and experienced in my first year of living here. I was stuck near St Xavier’s, my college, during the 2005 deluge, and a friend and her family took care of me. Later, I learnt it was just not me, but anyone who got stuck in the rains at the time, received help. One family gave shelter to my father, who was stuck in Santacruz. This says a lot about the humility of the city dwellers out here.”
FONDEST DANCE MEMORY IN THE CITY
This one’s easy for Shakti to answer, and she says, “My most memorable dance has been at the Andheri Sports Complex for the Dance India Dance finale, where I performed in front of my family, teachers and 25,000 people in the stadium. I won the show at the national level and that is my most unforgettable experience in Mumbai.”
Mukti, on the other hand, reminisces the day she got to be Madhuri Dixit. “I was 19, when I was informed about a dance audition at my college. I competed against 290 girls and won. This not only gave me an opportunity to dance like my idol Madhuri Dixit, but also get choreographed by Saroj Khan in a video. The song, Humko Aajkal Hai, was picturised on me; it was not only surreal, but the most alive I’ve ever felt on any set. A private phone call from Madhuri herself made it even more special. Such dreams only get fulfilled in Mumbai.”
THINGS THEY MISS DOING NOW
Before fame came knocking at her door, Mukti liked to dance her heart out on the streets, during Ganpati visarjan; a yearly ritual she now misses thoroughly. “Honestly, I miss doing the Ganpati dance on the road. When I was in college, I used to go to my friend’s house and dance on the road during visarjan. Come what may — rain, wind, traffic — we used to dance till we bid Bappa goodbye for the final time. I truly miss that now.”
Being in the limelight has its own downsides and Shakti knows it all too well. There are certain things that the dancer misses doing freely now — like enjoying roadside bhel puri, a ride in auto rickshaws and those crazy days of catching the local train and fighting for a spot to sit in the overcrowded ladies compartment.
THEIR FAVOURITE SPOTS
When asked to name her favourite places in the city, Shakti says, “I love to spend time in my studio. In fact, anyone who visits the studio finds it hard to believe that there can be a serene and peaceful space like that right in the middle of the city. Another place I like to visit is Bandra, it has amazing places to eat and hang out. Whenever I have outstation visitors outside, I take them to Bandstand and the Carter Road Promenade for a walk.”
A ‘pakki Mumbaikar’ at heart, Mukti likes to spend hours in places where street food and art are available in abundance. “My favourite places are Prithvi Cafe in Juhu and The Cuckoo Club in Bandra. Being active in the theatre circle for the last three years, I discovered some amazing interactive and self-learning spaces, that also offer great food. I have not only hogged and watched performances at these places, but have also performed there as well. There is so much to do at these places — from learning dance and rehearsing for a new theatrical piece to watching stand-up acts and eating tasty street food. I love that kind of energy exchange,” she signs off.
I also enjoy strolling on the Versova beach as it reminds me of my early days-Swara Bhasker
8:03 AM
Swara Bhasker on the things she finds charming about Mumbai city
Tanvi Trivedi (BOMBAY TIMES; June 21, 2018)
Delhi girl, Swara Bhasker considers Mumbai her home now. Wracked by home-sickness initially, the uber talented actress has grown to understand that there is no other city like Mumbai in the last decade.
Recalling her initial days of flirting with the city, Swara says that she loved walking around the city. She says, “I loved walking around the GPO Fort area in SoBo (South Mumbai). I also participated in community processions on religious occasions like the visarjan. It is a beautiful to be part of the visarjan journey during Ganesh festival and experience the spirit of Mumbai around that time.”
The actress also enjoys a ride in the local trains of Mumbai, when she has friends visiting from abroad. She says, “The local train reminds me of my early days of struggle here. And I also believe that every tourist should experience a ride in local trains to understand what the city is all about. My friends, who come to visit me from abroad, have enjoyed the experience too.”Swara finds the cafes in the city to be extremely vibrant and young in spirit. “There are beautiful themed cafes, where you find youngsters having a good time or engrossed in different kinds of work. Some of the cafés near my house have pets and books. I also enjoy strolling on the Versova beach as it reminds me of my early days, when I would go for an early morning walk with friends on the beach, after fooling around all night at home. I also feel the Prithvi café at Juhu is one of the iconic places of Mumbai; it makes me feel like I am in Delhi,” says the actress, who’s known to speak fearlessly on issues.
Mumbai is every bit the city of dreams that it is famous for, she says. “When you think Mumbai, you think of hard work, professionalism and responsibility at work. Even the bais who come home to work are very professional, somehow I never found that in my home city. The city works hard, gives you an opportunity to work hard and help achieve your dreams. That’s why I feel Mumbai is the city of dreams.”
My favourite spots in Mumbai are connected with culture and the performing arts-Aditi Rao Hydari
7:51 AM
Lasyapriya Sundaram (BOMBAY TIMES; June 14, 2018)
Hyderabad-born, Delhi-bred, girl Aditi Rao Hydari came to Mumbai when the world of movies beckoned. Ask her about some of her favourite spots in the city and she says, “I love Town, walking around the Kala Ghoda area is especially a lot of fun. Walking on the cobbled paths and visiting the cafes is something that I enjoy. Every time I have gone there, I have explored a new café or store. One of the cafes there offers the best carrot cake I have ever tasted. I also love Nariman Point and the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA). I have been trained in dance since childhood and so, I have had the opportunity to perform there. My favourite spots in Mumbai are connected with culture and the performing arts.”
Veering from the topic of South Mumbai to the suburbs, Aditi also reveals her love for theatre and why Prithvi theatre holds a special place in her heart. “Prithvi theatre is yet another favourite haunt of mine. I love watching plays and also the café. That place has lovely energy and is teeming with people who have a creative bent of mind. I especially love the Irish coffee at the café.”
If I knew this would happen, I would have cried earlier-Shweta Tripathi
8:08 AM
From casting to editing to acting, this fashion grad defines reinvention
Kunal Guha (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 18, 2016)
From a Disney star to breaking good on the indie circuit with last year’s arthouse hit Masaan, Shweta Tripathi is cherrypicking her roles. Her latest web series The Trip, also starring Lisa Haydon, Malika Dua and Sapna Pabbi, has her play a chirpy bride-to-be who embarks on a road trip for her bachelorette. Her long-awaited controversial release Haraamkhor, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, about an illicit relationship between a school teacher and his student, is also slated to release early next year. Having recently completed work on Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, Tripathi is happy that “everything is happening together” for her when we meet her at a Bandra café. “For a year, I went through a phase when little was happening,” she says, adding, “There were days of self-doubt. I would wake up and there would be nothing to do. A short film here and a commercial there but none of the big roles I auditioned for were coming through.” The 31-year-old remembers the day when she actually broke down in tears “and the very next day, things started happening”. “If I knew this would happen, I would have cried earlier,” she grins.
The Delhi born-and-bred NIFT graduate first came to Mumbai as photo editor for Femina. “I would call up celebrities to ask them the colour of the season. For me, it was such an important job,” says Tripathi, who initially wanted to pursue law and “make a difference”. Following a trailer editing stint with Pixion, and three failed and one successful attempt at Thespo (a theatre group youth festival), she got her first acting break via one of those big Mumbai clichés: she was spotted having Irish coffee at Prithvi theatre. “Somebody saw me there and asked me to come and audition for a TV show. And I did.” Before she knew it, she was cast as the lead in Kya Mast Hai Life, a role that demanded “hyper wali, excited wali acting”. A year-and-a-half and 130 episodes later, Tripathi was “done with GEC shows”. Unable to crack her dream role, she began assisting casting director Mukesh Chhabra, the man who is responsible for the mofussil funk that Anurag Kashyap’s cinema is known for. “I thought, so what if I’m not getting work, I could at least help my friends get work.” It was a job that got her to work with, among others, Michael Winterbottom, whom she assisted in Trishna (2011). “I learnt a lot from that experience. Riz Ahmed is a fabulous actor and it had the production designer of The Hurt Locker too,” she says with fond nostalgia.
Even though she debuted in Masaan, her first film was Haraamkhor — a role she pounced on, only to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. “I was blown by his performance in Kahaani and wanted to work with him. So, when Shlok (Sharma) offered me the role, I couldn’t refuse.” The film is been presently being reviewed by the CBFC, but Tripathi is a tad upset about the delay in its release. “Shlok says, every film has its journey. Besides, if this was my first film, people would say, it has Nawazuddin and that girl. Masaan has given me an identity,” she says of the film which was selected for Cannes.
Given that her upcoming release is about a 15-year-old girl falling in love with his married teacher, Tripathi isn’t worried. “My parents have watched it and have no issues, so how does it matter? Haraamkhor is bold because the subject is something people don’t talk about. For me, it was about telling a story, not showing a mirror to society,” says Tripathi, who was nervous during the screening of Masaan. “All our parents had come to watch it, and Vicky (Kaushal), Richa (Chadha) and I were holding hands throughout the screening,” says the actress, who had informed her parents about her kissing scene in the film prior to the screening. “My parents have always been very supportive. If I had to send money home and survive in Mumbai, I would never be able to do films like Masaan, Haraamkhor or Zoo,” she says.
Acting is not the only passion that this fashion communications graduate is pursuing. She is at present working on a photo series: her take on the navrasa or the nine emotions. “For disgust, I will paint my face white since it conveys how I feel about fairness creams,” she signs off.
From a Disney star to breaking good on the indie circuit with last year’s arthouse hit Masaan, Shweta Tripathi is cherrypicking her roles. Her latest web series The Trip, also starring Lisa Haydon, Malika Dua and Sapna Pabbi, has her play a chirpy bride-to-be who embarks on a road trip for her bachelorette. Her long-awaited controversial release Haraamkhor, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, about an illicit relationship between a school teacher and his student, is also slated to release early next year. Having recently completed work on Shlok Sharma’s Zoo, Tripathi is happy that “everything is happening together” for her when we meet her at a Bandra café. “For a year, I went through a phase when little was happening,” she says, adding, “There were days of self-doubt. I would wake up and there would be nothing to do. A short film here and a commercial there but none of the big roles I auditioned for were coming through.” The 31-year-old remembers the day when she actually broke down in tears “and the very next day, things started happening”. “If I knew this would happen, I would have cried earlier,” she grins.
The Delhi born-and-bred NIFT graduate first came to Mumbai as photo editor for Femina. “I would call up celebrities to ask them the colour of the season. For me, it was such an important job,” says Tripathi, who initially wanted to pursue law and “make a difference”. Following a trailer editing stint with Pixion, and three failed and one successful attempt at Thespo (a theatre group youth festival), she got her first acting break via one of those big Mumbai clichés: she was spotted having Irish coffee at Prithvi theatre. “Somebody saw me there and asked me to come and audition for a TV show. And I did.” Before she knew it, she was cast as the lead in Kya Mast Hai Life, a role that demanded “hyper wali, excited wali acting”. A year-and-a-half and 130 episodes later, Tripathi was “done with GEC shows”. Unable to crack her dream role, she began assisting casting director Mukesh Chhabra, the man who is responsible for the mofussil funk that Anurag Kashyap’s cinema is known for. “I thought, so what if I’m not getting work, I could at least help my friends get work.” It was a job that got her to work with, among others, Michael Winterbottom, whom she assisted in Trishna (2011). “I learnt a lot from that experience. Riz Ahmed is a fabulous actor and it had the production designer of The Hurt Locker too,” she says with fond nostalgia.
Even though she debuted in Masaan, her first film was Haraamkhor — a role she pounced on, only to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui. “I was blown by his performance in Kahaani and wanted to work with him. So, when Shlok (Sharma) offered me the role, I couldn’t refuse.” The film is been presently being reviewed by the CBFC, but Tripathi is a tad upset about the delay in its release. “Shlok says, every film has its journey. Besides, if this was my first film, people would say, it has Nawazuddin and that girl. Masaan has given me an identity,” she says of the film which was selected for Cannes.
Given that her upcoming release is about a 15-year-old girl falling in love with his married teacher, Tripathi isn’t worried. “My parents have watched it and have no issues, so how does it matter? Haraamkhor is bold because the subject is something people don’t talk about. For me, it was about telling a story, not showing a mirror to society,” says Tripathi, who was nervous during the screening of Masaan. “All our parents had come to watch it, and Vicky (Kaushal), Richa (Chadha) and I were holding hands throughout the screening,” says the actress, who had informed her parents about her kissing scene in the film prior to the screening. “My parents have always been very supportive. If I had to send money home and survive in Mumbai, I would never be able to do films like Masaan, Haraamkhor or Zoo,” she says.
Acting is not the only passion that this fashion communications graduate is pursuing. She is at present working on a photo series: her take on the navrasa or the nine emotions. “For disgust, I will paint my face white since it conveys how I feel about fairness creams,” she signs off.
I don't wish to politicise the issue-Resul Pookutty on FTII-Gajendra Chauhan row
7:45 AM
Resul Pookutty on explainiing his absence from a meeting of FTII alumni at
Prithvi Cafe on Monday; no big names turned up, but students to send an
open letter to the I&B Ministry suggesting more ideal choices for
post of chairperson
Avinash Lohana & Shyam Benegal (MUMBAI MIRROR; June 16, 2015)
The appointment of actor turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has led to students going on strike and alumni, who are prominent members of the film industry, siding with them against the Centre's decision. They insist that the fight is not against one person in particular but about the lack of transparency in the appointment process.
On Monday afternoon, at a meeting held at the Prithvi Cafe, a few FTII graduates met to discuss the plan of action. Actress Sayani Gupta, who was seen as Kalki Koechlin's friend in Margarita with a Straw, was present at the meeting and told Mirror that the real problem is that there is no clarity in the selection process. "The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and governing council of the FTII are refusing to share the appointment process with us, we don't even know who were the other candidates in consideration along with Gajendra Chauhan," she said.
Sayani, who is spearheading a team of 30 alumni to bring the protest to Mumbai, added, "We need the full backing of the film industry which is why we are mobilising support in Mumbai. We are writing an open letter to the I&B Ministry. The first draft has been finalised. We are suggesting the names of U R Ananthamurthy, Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, Rajkumar Hirani and one more person yet to be decided upon in a list of five as a more ideal choice for chairperson."
The students emphasize that the appointed leader should have a body of work that has influenced cinema and a long-standing association with the institute. "We will put our demands across through a mass rally or silently. Give us a day or two to spread the word," asserted Nihar, an ex-student, who goes by only one name.
Many popular faces and big names, including Shabana Azmi, Resul Pookutty, Anand Patwardhan and Kundan Shah, were expected to join this discussion but they didn't show up.
When Mirror contacted Shabana, she said, "I am with my mother in the ICU at Breach Candy."
Academy Award-winning sound designer Pookutty, when contacted said, "I don't wish to politicise the issue. I'm looking at the larger cause. This protest is not about one person but is far more deep-rooted. I believe the entire procedure and attitude towards the institute has to change."
He further added that even in the past, chairpersons appointed by the government haven't really done much for the institute. "This is possibly the last time when everyone together can demand a change," he reasoned.
Meanwhile, politician Yogendra Yadav who was in Pune for a press conference, heard about the protests at FTII and decided to drive down to Mumbai and take up the issue. He said, "I will speak, write and join any petition. But letters are never meant for the addressee. At the end of the day, it's the public that you're addressing, and that is what I plan to do."
The appointment of actor turned-politician Gajendra Chauhan as the new chairperson of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has led to students going on strike and alumni, who are prominent members of the film industry, siding with them against the Centre's decision. They insist that the fight is not against one person in particular but about the lack of transparency in the appointment process.
On Monday afternoon, at a meeting held at the Prithvi Cafe, a few FTII graduates met to discuss the plan of action. Actress Sayani Gupta, who was seen as Kalki Koechlin's friend in Margarita with a Straw, was present at the meeting and told Mirror that the real problem is that there is no clarity in the selection process. "The Information & Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry and governing council of the FTII are refusing to share the appointment process with us, we don't even know who were the other candidates in consideration along with Gajendra Chauhan," she said.
Sayani, who is spearheading a team of 30 alumni to bring the protest to Mumbai, added, "We need the full backing of the film industry which is why we are mobilising support in Mumbai. We are writing an open letter to the I&B Ministry. The first draft has been finalised. We are suggesting the names of U R Ananthamurthy, Shyam Benegal, Gulzar, Rajkumar Hirani and one more person yet to be decided upon in a list of five as a more ideal choice for chairperson."
The students emphasize that the appointed leader should have a body of work that has influenced cinema and a long-standing association with the institute. "We will put our demands across through a mass rally or silently. Give us a day or two to spread the word," asserted Nihar, an ex-student, who goes by only one name.
Many popular faces and big names, including Shabana Azmi, Resul Pookutty, Anand Patwardhan and Kundan Shah, were expected to join this discussion but they didn't show up.
When Mirror contacted Shabana, she said, "I am with my mother in the ICU at Breach Candy."
Academy Award-winning sound designer Pookutty, when contacted said, "I don't wish to politicise the issue. I'm looking at the larger cause. This protest is not about one person but is far more deep-rooted. I believe the entire procedure and attitude towards the institute has to change."
He further added that even in the past, chairpersons appointed by the government haven't really done much for the institute. "This is possibly the last time when everyone together can demand a change," he reasoned.
Meanwhile, politician Yogendra Yadav who was in Pune for a press conference, heard about the protests at FTII and decided to drive down to Mumbai and take up the issue. He said, "I will speak, write and join any petition. But letters are never meant for the addressee. At the end of the day, it's the public that you're addressing, and that is what I plan to do."
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