Indian and Pakistani movies, now in New York theatres!New York's ongoing South Asian Film Festival has got quite a good taste of India.
It all started with the film X, made by 10 Indian directors, most of them up and coming, with a “disparate style of filmmaking.” They include Sudhish Kamath, Abhinav Shiv Tiwari, Anu Menon, Hemant Gaba, Nalan Kumarasamy, Pratim D Gupta, Q, Raja Sen, Rajshree Ojha, and Sandeep Mohan.
SAIFF, now in its 11th year, is the brain child of Shilen Amin, a cineaste and real estate star.
“We have been reaching out to younger film makers and audience,” he said before the festival opening. “And a passionate set of volunteers. We joke -- but God forbid -- if some one falls sick during our screenings or events, help is at hand. Because there are so many doctors volunteering.”
Directors Krishna D K and Raj Nidimoru, who began their film journey with the micro mini budget Flavors in America over a decade ago and went on to make Shor In The City and 99, are offering Happy Ending on November 20.
It tells the story of Yudi (Saif Ali Khan), a writer, in a dilemma over finding inspiration and finding love. He meets Armaan (Govinda), a fading movie star who thinks getting a Hollywood script written Bollywood style could save his career.
Yudi seems to be the answer, but then can there be a movie without complications? Enter Yudi’s ex-flame (Kalki Koechlin), who is convinced she is still in a relationship with him.
While the SAIFF center piece is Happy Ending, the others are a testimony to the determination and courage from mainly emerging filmmakers.
Here's looking at the other films that will be screened at the festival:
November 21
In Rajesh S Jala’s film 23 Winters, we see a refugee from Kashmir who is schizophrenic, and glimpses of his traumatic past which haunt his present. Nonetheless, the filmmaker shows his hopes are unvanquished.
In Titli, the youngest member of a violent car-jacking brotherhood, plots a desperate bid to escape the ‘family’
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business. His schemes are thwarted by his unruly brothers, who marry him off against his will.
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