'A progressive judgment could have moved India forward, given hope to millions of young homosexual men and women, by telling them that there is nothing wrong with them, their feelings and emotions are fine, that it is natural and alright for them to be attracted to people of their own gender and to express love as they wish to. 'But instead, the Wednesday ruling does not protect the rights of a large minority. And that is indeed shameful and hugely disappointing,' writes Aseem Chhabra. 'Instead the Supreme Court judges did not step in to protect the rights of a large minority. And that is indeed shameful and hugely disappointing,' writes Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra highlights 10 films that moved him, films that may show up in theatres near you.
'Sri Lanka has a large military presence in the north and east, where it is very difficult for the war-affected civilian population to move forward.' 'Right now the military is doing jobs that should be for the civilians. I would like to see Sirisena consider demilitarisation.'
There was no drama, no applause, no tears, no laughter. The 79th Golden Globes had indeed lost its lustre, says Aseem Chhabra.
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.
To be able to bid farewell to Daniel Craig is an emotion all fans of the Bond franchise must experience, feels Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra presents his list of 10 international films that mattered to him, stories that he connected with and characters that gave him a better understanding of the human condition.
In Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star, Aseem Chahbra gives us glimpses of one of Bollywood's best loved actors.
'The Iranians are very resilient people. So even when they are throttled, they try their best to survive.'
'I believe FFI has made a mistake,' notes Aseem Chhabra.
Twelve days of movie madness and 36 films later, Aseem Chhabra lists his top 10 favourite films from this year's Cannes Film Festival.
'Once Attenborough had locked the shot, Jaffrey turned to Amitabh and told him in a very controlled but stern voice that he should never talk to an actor in between takes.'
When the filmmaker took Rediff.com on a tour of his lavish New York estate.
Aseem Chhabra introduces you to the Irrfan you never knew.
'Rakesh's life is hard, but he knows how to find joy.' 'He doesn't think his life's value comes from money. He sees no shame in his poverty.'
Vihir is a balm for our troubled souls, says Aseem Chhabra. It is a like a book on life lessons -- joy, laughter and tragedy are all part of our existence.
Remembering the Eternal Charmer. Remembering an Awesome Human Being. Remembering an actor and film-maker, the likes of whom we will not see again.
Vanessa Kirby is sure to be nominated for the Best Actress Oscar award, and Frances McDormand of Nomadland will give her a healthy competition, feels Aseem Chhabra.
The Disciple is an ode to music and a salute to Mumbai. The city can be harsh, but it also lets the voices of struggling classical musicians exist, although often they live on the edge of society, observes Aseem Chhabra.
'As some of the marchers shouted, "Hum apna adhikar mangte, nahin kisi se bheekh mangte, (we are fighting for our rights; we are not beggars)," the message of the parade was clear.'
'It will take me a while to process the meaning of the loss of a man who meant so much to me through my entire life,' says Aseem Chhabra.
We are all blessed that Irrfan Khan has left us a treasure trove of his remarkable films. The characters he played were real, believable. We recognised them and they have stayed with us. And so a fan I like to believe Irrfan Khan did not die, says Aseem Chhabra, the actor's biographer on Irrfan's first death anniversary.
Despite the smaller scale of the event, the mood at the ceremony was cheerful, notes Aseem Chhabra.
Varun Gautam, Irrfan's friend from his Jaipur days, learned about Irrfan's illness when he received a phone call from Sutapa. This was sometime before Irrfan officially announced his illness. He assured her, 'Even if the doctors are concerned, he will still stay alive.'
'Karenge aur kaam, sir. Zindagi bahut choti hai, ideas bahut sare hain.'
'I always felt that Basu Chatterjee was a kind, gentle, man who truly believed that in directing films like Chhoti Si Baat, he was impacting our lives,' remembers Aseem Chhabra. 'He seemed to be on a mission to make us believe that the world could be a better place.'
Aseem Chhabra picks Indian and other South Asian gems at the Toronto International Film Festival.
Woody Allen, I salute you for taking a position against the anti-smoking messages in theatres, writes Aseem Chhabra.
'How is it to live in a place that does not have electricity or a telephone connection, where people do not have any concept of what the world is beyond the mountains?'
In A Suitable Boy, Mira Nair holds our hands and takes us through the magical journey, introducing us to so many fascinating characters from another era, observes Aseem Chhabra.
Aligarh is a milestone in the history of Indian cinema that should start the much needed conversation about how India treats gays and lesbians, feels Aseem Chhabra.
Aseem Chhabra picks 10 fascinating films he watched in Macao -- a blend of Asian, independent, Hollywood projects and even a 66-years-old classic Japanese film that still stands the test of time.
The Naz Foundation is trying to sensitise workplaces towards the LGBT community, reports Geetanjali Krishna.
Fifteen years after 9/11, the Sikh Coalition, a non-profit organisation, turns to art to open American hearts and minds to the community.
Island City should not be missed, raves Aseem Chhabra.
'We don't have that support system.' 'The last six years has gone into making Manto and raising Vihaan and it has been tough.'
Politics, favouritism and poor taste in cinema have contributed to embarrassing choices for the Oscar race in the past. This little gem from India needs the love, emotional and financial support from the government as well as the Indian film industry, argues Aseem Chhabra.
A workshop on the LGBTQ+ community throws light on challenges they face. Meghna Chadha reports.
'I never thought the European audience will love this film, but we had over 2,000 people at the screening.'
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