Bollywood is ready with its line-up of theatre releases, but it remains to be seen whether we will get to watch these movies in theatres this year.
In a year of overwrought spectacles that slavishly sucked up to the audience, I found refuge in a bunch of 'mainstream' Indian films that espoused such old-fashioned values as dedication to craft, close observation and casual bravery, explains Sreehari Nair.
'There's this one scene in Gulmohar that belongs to Manojji and everyone was excited for him.' 'The evening before we were to shoot it, everyone, from Sharmilaji to the junior most actor, wished him luck.'
'He was suddenly nervous.'
'The next day, 14 actors, from Sharmilaji and Amol Palekar to Suraj Sharma, all watched him perform.' 'It was like being back in film school.'
'We have to do everything in our power to get as many Academy members to watch the film as possible.' 'After that, I am confident, my film will speak for itself.'
'Liger has been the hardest film for me physically, and mentally.' 'Performance-wise, it has been the most challenging film for me.'
'I was scared and sceptical because I was not brought up to raise my hand on a woman.' 'So I didn't think I would look convincing in a hand-to-hand combat with a woman.'
In a career spanning six decades, Chatterjee has acted in more than 300 films.
'The reason I have lasted so long is because I love my work very much.'
'The amount of warmth I received from Aamir Sir during the shooting of Laal Singh Chaddha is very difficult to describe in words.'
The state funeral on Monday will take the form of an elaborate ceremony that will see Her Majesty's coffin transported from Westminster Hall to Westminster Abbey and finally to Windsor Castle.
'I am as happy with Soha as I was before we got married because we were friends for a very long time.'
'Why does it happen that our films don't work there, their films work here?'
'I didn't expect much from him when he came on set.' 'But he was just jumping and flying around and I couldn't tell that this was his first action film!'
'Depicting the genocide of 3 lakh #KashmiriHindus cannot be called vulgar.'
'He was a very shy man of few words. Whenever we spoke about girls, he would run away.'
JugJugg Jeeyo is a David Dhawan comedy, not directed by David Dhawan, observes Sukanya Verma.
'These experiences were necessary for my journey.'
'No matter how big the name, no one lives forever; like medicines, we come with an expiry date.' 'But, in the short time that we have, we try to make something that will stay on long after we are gone.'
As Lord Ganesha arrives in our homes, Subhash K Jha brings you five devotional Ganpati songs.
Cinema halls have been ordered to shut down in many cities after the COVID-19 scare, so films are being screened only at a limited number of cinemas.
From getting candid about their partners to confessing their embarrassing stories and cringe performances, Sasha and Kiara -- and, of course, the host Karan Johar -- gave us an entertaining episode.
From family dinners to gymming, it's all in a day's work for film folk.
'There are only two religions in this country: Films and cricket.' 'These two religions will unite all religions.' 'And that only happens in a cinema hall.'
In a tweet, after watching the movie, Sitharaman praised the cast for their "brilliant performance" and said she was "recharged" by the energy in the cinema hall.
'While men are brought up to be more vocal, women are taught to be more silent, resilient and self sacrificing. We have tried to explore this.'
'I have been exceptionally lucky with my actors, whether it was Sushmita in Aarya or Kartik Aaryan in Dhamaka.'
'If we keep losing such institutions, we will soon become a city and culture of short-term memory.' 'Nothing to remind us of the years gone by and eventually with nothing to remember.'
If Netflix and the film's producers thought they would bring younger audiences to the master's works, many who might have aversion to decades-old black and white films, they have failed with the experiment, says Aseem Chhabra.
After a lifetime of showing us what it means to 'act at the top of one's bent and never hit a false note', Mammootty had the good sense, in the third act of his career, to pare down his style, become less mannered, draw directly from life. And getting a performer like that to play characters who seem 'completely dead inside', is, in my view, a betrayal of his legacy, his still-burning ambition, and his still-sharp feelers, observes Sreehari Nair.
Ponniyin Selvan has everything going for it, yet, there is something missing for a wholesome film experience, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
But why is everyone getting so het up over what, after all, is a mere film? If you don't like it, don't watch it. Why create a public spectacle over it? asks Virendra Kapoor.
Yuvraj Mehta remembers the time he, a first year college student, called on Soumitra Chatterjee at the legendary actor's home.
'Of all artists who openly support the current political dispensation, she is far and away the finest,' argues Sreehari Nair. 'With the exception of perhaps Tabu, no Indian actress has done more to extend the range of the feminine mystique in Hindi cinema.'
Zee is estimated to have paid around Rs 225 crore for the complete rights of Radhe. The total revenue that it may earn could be around Rs 135 crore, implying a shortfall of Rs 90 crore.
Yeh Kaali Kaali Ankhein is watchable for its able cast of reliable veterans and talented youngsters, notes Sukanya Verma.
'I don't look forward to seeing my films because this only sort of gives me a deep sense of dissatisfaction that I could have done better, and I lose my self-confidence.'
'We are thinking on something like the 'Irrfan Memorial Award' given to the most promising new actor.'
Dear Friend is for those who idealised Dil Chahta Hai all out of proportion, and then warmed up to the premise that friendship could be a lot more complicated, and transient, observes Sreehari Nair.
Irrfan never stopped being hopeful about the endless possibilities open to actors and film-makers in Indian cinema.
Aseem Chhabra lists his favourite Indian films of 2021.
