Note:

New Delhi Film Society is an e-society. We are not conducting any ground activity with this name. contact: filmashish@gmail.com


Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Thus spake the Big B...


Amitabh Bachchan has expressed pleasure on 'Slumdog Millionaire' winning 8 Oscars. He has shared his pleasure with New Delhi Film Society. He feels its a turning point for Indian Cinema and a matter of pride for Indian creativity & talent. In an sms sent to us on 23rd Feb afternoon he wrote- "GREAT DAY FOR INDIAN CINEMA AND TALENT ".

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Perhaps It Is Written!


- by Prabuddha
So would the ceasefire be declared between the Slumdog Millionaire(SM) lovers and those who say it sucks...now when the Oscars are all smiling on this rags to riches story of a slumdog. 8 awards out of 10 nominations is no joke. And don't forget that, of those 8 beautiful, coveted trophies 3 are coming home. Or am I too joyous and foolish to imagine of a truce as the awards might actually begin the war of words afresh....there is no dearth of wordmongers who you will be finding spread on all your 2 newspapers and 20 channels. Frothing with anger that the West only recognizes films which portray India in bad light or Hollywood is smitten with poverty porn.
My point is....just ignore the crap. And think how we can get the maximum mileage out of this British film with 3 Oscars won by Indian artists. How is it gonna get us that 'something' which will help us have a bigger share of the Global Film Industry which stands at an abysmally low of less than 4% worldwide, as of now. Amitabh Bachchan school of thought would be infuriated with me when I say that yes, we need a certificate from West in the form of Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscars if we want to make better films for a global audience. By the way the term 'global audience' for Indian films has largely been restricted to Indian Diaspora and some African and Middle-East nations. India sells one billion more tickets worldwide than Hollywood, produces double the films and to bring home the point, consider these facts- Bollywood made $1.75 billion in 2006 which happens to be half of revenues generated by Studio Walt Disney; the year Titanic released, Bollywood's earnings stood at $1.2 bn and Titanic's at a whopping $ 1.9 bn....weren't we comparing Hollywood?! SM has given Indian filmmakers an opportunity which should fill them with vigor and enthusiasm to churn out products that can appeal to international audiences and thus taking the industry to its rightful position. And there is already some activity happening in projects taking mammoth shapes, big directors reinventing themselves, new barriers being broken by the young filmmakers (Jihad, Wake up Sid, Kaminay, Kites, Dhobi Ghaat, Falling, Ishqian, Delhi Belly, Three Idiots, Gulaal, My Name is Khan, Rang Rasiya, New York, 8*10 Tasveer, Aladin, Siddharth- the Prisoner... the list goes on) 2009 has the caliber of being 'the year' for the industry. Hope that SM gives sleepless nights to the industrywallahs as to why didn’t they think of such a film…it was all out there…Hope that they take their babies to such platforms and show the world that Danny is no genius. After the success of SM, the world audience has some questions for the industry and it should emerge victorious in the SM fashion proving that: IT IS WRITTEN.
(Prabuddha is a tv journalist by profession and a cinema lover by default)

Saturday, February 14, 2009

The Nihilist Lover: From Devdas to Dev D



-by Amitaabh
Had he been alive, Sarat babu would have probably been shocked like a typical Indian middle class elder at Devendra Singh Dillon alias Dev D`s escapism, debauchery & non conformism, even though Dev D has inherited all this from his aristocratic foster father Devdas only.
After all, Sarat Chandra`s Devdas would never dare to ask a demure Paro to bare and send him a nude photograph for purely sensual purposes .Even Sanjay Leela Bhansali`s loud & outlandish Shahrukh as Devdas could not be bold enough to openly express his love for a very coquettish Paro played by Aishwarya Roy. But in reinterpreting Devdas`s nihilism, Anurag Kashyap & Abhay Deol have courageously broken some established barriers. Interestingly, of all the interpretations of Devdas, this is the only film where the Bengali bhdralok hero has been transported into a loud Punjabi socio-cultural milieu. In depicting audacious morality, remorse, regret & revenge of today's youth, Dev D should indeed be lauded as a remarkable deviation from the typical bollywood hero's characterization. Even though the Hindi cinema hero has always been an alcoholic nihilist (who can forget Dilip Kumar in Devdas, Daag & Deedar, Gurudutt in Pyasa, Amitabh Bachchan in Muqaddar ka Sikandar & later on Shahrukh khan as an obsessive lover in Darr & Anjaam) courtesy Sarat Chandra Chatterjee`s 1917 classic, Anurag Kashayp's Dev D has completely transformed the immortal character in a very wacky & ruthless manner that smacks of impertinence in every frame . Abhay Deol as Dev D would be remembered for a fantastic rendition of post modern Devdas who suffers "imosanal atyachar" because of his own insecurity & inferiority. If Bimal Roy`s Devdas was a drunkard, Anurag Kashyap`s Dev D goes miles ahead, takes refuge in cocaine & ecstacy pills to get over his love, lust & lament. Abhay Deol has very effectively conveyed through hollowness in his eyes the vacuum of Dev D's soul & his purposeless life. Both Anuran Kashyap & Abhay Deol deserve kudos for reinterpreting the nihilist hero with a very contemporary boldness.

Friday, February 13, 2009

Dev D: Any comment?

Did u watch Anurag Kashyap's Dev D? A post modern Devdas...a reality of our times or just a film breaking a new ground for apun ka hero...
Plesae comment. Incidently it also has a little more meaning for Dilliwalas...
Please send posts in hindi/ english as per your convenience to desk@newdelhifilmsociety.com

Monday, February 9, 2009

Who are we


Dear friends,
There is a little bit of cinema in all of us, in all of our lives. New Delhi Film Society is a forum to have more meaningful slices, to explore more meanings and to add more life to it.
Lets start a sincere effort together....we will surely have an interesting, interactive and creative space.
cheers!

desk@newdelhifilmsociety.com