Aseem Chhabra picks his favourite films from the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival.
In between meditating in the Himalayas and attending prayer sessions, Khyentse Norbu finds time to make films that satisfy his creativity.
'I just love the man. Not only he's a fantastic actor with a presence in whatever he does, but he's also a very soulful, gregarious, generous man with the biggest heart in the business.' Director Lasse Hallstrom tells Aseem Chhabra/Rediff.com about the joys of working with Om Puri on The Hundred-Foot Journey.
Seated in a Manhattan gallery, photographer Gauri Gill takes Aseem Chhabra through the decade-long journey behind Balika Mela and Jannat
Avinash Arun, winner of the Crystal Bear at Berlinale for his directorial debut, Killa, shares a fascinating life story with Aseem Chhabra.
NaMo supporters in New York and New Jersey step out to celebrate the BJP's election victory, reports Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra explains why didn't like The Wolf Of Wall Street.
'When I wrote the book, people asked me why I was writing it. Ek Duuje Ke Liye was made many years ago. Hema Malini and Dharmendra got married and there is a dialogue in the film also.' Chetan Bhagat tells Aseem Chhabra about his reasons for writing 2 States.
'One take may be completely different than the one before. That's why he keeps you on your toes... Every time I was with him I was learning something,' Indian-American actor Manish Dayal tells Aseem Chhabra/Rediff.com
'He killed so many people, doing the kind of horrible things he did, and yet, he believed he was making the right choices.'
Aseem Chhabra travels to China, where he is delighted to find, that there is a little bit of India, almost everywhere he goes
India is shining, although I will argue that it is a temporary acceptance until India once again makes a mega-successful film like RRR or another beautiful, moving, documentary like The Elephant Whisperers, notes Aseem Chhabra.
Filmmaker Karan Bali shares the fascinating story of Ellis Roderick Dungan with Aseem Chhabra.
'Once I left my photographs at Ram Gopal Varma's office.' 'I told a friend I was concerned no one had contacted me. My friend said, "Itni jaldi nahin hota idhar. Time lagega".'
Shubhashish Bhutiani shares the incredible journey of his debut film - from the imagination of a freshly minted graduate to the Oscars shortlist.
Aseem Chhabra hails possibly the best Indian film in recent times.
Life Of Pi composer Mychael Danna talks about his life's journey so far.
Director Anand Gandhi discusses his brilliant film, Ship Of Theseus.
'It is near impossible to get taxis in Hong Kong during rush hour. Suddenly a Sikh gentleman walked up to Satish Kaushik. He had recognised the actor and, speaking in Punjabi, offered to get us a taxi. Within minutes, the Sardar had hailed a taxi and then, in what was the biggest surprise for me, he gave directions to the driver in Chinese.' Aseem Chhabra cooks some desi filmi flavours from his travels abroad.
Join Sukanya Verma, Sonil Dedhia and Aseem Chhabra as they discuss the film live.
'I have no regrets. I came to Bombay with some intentions, but I just could not do what I actually wanted to do. But this was fine too. I became satisfied too early,' Alok Nath says, of his long and successful innings in the film industry.
Aseem Chhabra remembers writer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, who together with filmmakers Ismail Merchant and James Ivory, brought many a quiet, gentle tale to life.
Rediff star reviewers tells us who they are rooting for.
New Yorker Aseem Chhabra is entranced by two Dilli restaurants, one a landmark, the other a new eatery in town.
Bollywood biggie Akshay Kumar tells Aseem Chhabra about his new co-star, explains his 70:30 equation of luck and hard work and why his next project may feature the first Gulf War
Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan's concert -- held over the weekend in New York -- was quite disappointing.
Aseem Chhabra feels Matru Ki Bijlee Ka Mandola starts off on a promising note but falters towards the end.
The Renkoji Temple is a lot smaller than other grand Buddhist shrines in Japan. In front of the gate, in a very serene setting, is the bust of Netaji. Aseem Chhabra reports from Tokyo.
After five years of hard work, and many months of film festival touring, Mira Nair is finally getting ready for the theatrical release of The Reluctant Fundamentalist in India.
"No producer or director wants to cast me in love stories," says Irrfan Khan
People move on, get attached to other people, ending a close bond. But we rarely see that on screen, observes Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra savours Woody Allen's latest film, Raghu Dixit's show in New York and MoMA's Rain Room.
Aseem Chhabra, a Bollywood lover who has lived in New York for over 30 years, narrates how he overcame his summer woes to watch Nikhil Advani's gangster flick D-Day in a theatre across the Hudson river in New Jersey.
Mikey McCleary is the man behind the O Lal Meri song in David and Khoya Khoya Chand in Shaitan. His initial film work is bringing him additional projects including some A-list projects.
Sexual motifs take centrestage at the ongoing 63rd Berlin Film Festival as several films replete with nudity, orgies, pornstars and influential men premiere at the film festival, Aseem Chhabra reports.
Director Steven Hoover tells Aseem Chhabra about his award-winning film, Blood Brother, a documentary on Rocky Braat and his extraordinary relationship with HIV-positive children in a Tamil Nadu orphanage.
Aseem Chhabra glances at the week gone by in New York
On Friday afternoon, as he sat in a freezing cold New Jersey theater watching Kamal Haasan's latest film Vishwaroopam, a two and a half hour long international terrorism thriller and an expensive production for Indian standards, Aseem Chhabra kept trying to figure out one thing. Why did the film offend some Muslim organisations and why has it been banned in Tamil Nadu?
'I come from a country of colours. India is one of the most colourful countries in the world and that was true long before the Incredible India campaigns designed to entice Western tourists to India,' says Aseem Chhabra.
'He spent his lifetime writing about Africa, supporting the continent's desires to stand up against injustice. Watching him work, I learned to be tolerant, secular and liberal, values that now define who I have become.' Aseem Chhabra pays tribute to his father Hari Sharan Chhabra, one of India's foremost experts on Africa.
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