The 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival is extra special for India.
'He was a true actor, not in this for fame or money, but just for the sake of being in front of the camera.'
'They are clueless about the man on the currency notes.' 'They have been fed with WhatsApp forwards, so either Gandhi is vilified or deified. There's nothing in between.'
'The way the anticipation is built up for Gabbar Singh's introduction scene with sound, image and details of his personality, like the combat boots he wears.' 'The camera comes so close -- not a tele lens shot, but a wide-angle close-up -- that you can almost smell Gabbar's breath.'
Aseem Chhabra picks his top 10 Indian films of 2024, which includes films that have had theatrical releases or are streaming on OTT.
'When India opened its doors to the world, moving away from an agrarian to a market economy, everything, whether life or love, was commodified.'
The lead pair looks good on screen. But each time they look lovingly into each other's eyes, the viewer's eye wanders over to the gorgeous landscape, observes Deepa Gahlot.
These six male megastars have formed popular pairs with two starkly different leading ladies. Dinesh Raheja compares and contrasts the chemistry between the onscreen couples, and asks you, dear reader, to vote for your favourite jodi.
'They were born stars the day they were selected for this film.'
'Bappi Lahiri was looking for a break so he and his father would meet me.' 'I told Director Bhisham Kohli about this promising young boy from Kolkata, and Bappi came over with his harmonium.' 'Bappi played this composition and Bhisham liked it immediately.' 'As we were discussing, I said I would give the words, and that's how I wrote this song.'
Though Zanjeer is credited as Amitabh's breakthrough film, it didn't immediately enthrone him. Rajesh Khanna countered with a huge hit in Daag that year. But Deewar upended audience's cinematic taste and filmland hierarchies at the very start of 1975. Bachchan emerged as a one man industry, the angry young man who could regulate the thermostat of the entire film industry, recalls Dinesh Raheja.
Stephen Graham won two awards at the Emmys, including Best Actor for his role in Netflix's hit drama Adolescence as well as Best Writing alongside co-creator Jack Thorne.
After a long time, here's a film that does justice to the people whose stories are never heard or written about, notes Divya Nair.
Even after 50 years, Sholay remains a lasting reminder of unity, shared memories and the joy of cinema, notes Mohammad Asim Siddiqui.
'It's there in everyone's heart. That's the beauty of masterpieces.'
'I am fascinated by the lurking presence of the tiger.'
The world is celebrating Raj Kapoor's birth centenary, but when was the last time you watched an RK film?
'When the show was releasing, I think all the actors were under the impression that this is a limited series.' 'After seeing the response, I feel we should have a season two.'
After comedies like Bhool Chuk Maaf and Stree, National Award-winning actor Rajkummar Rao tries hard core action in the gangster film, Maalik.
'Even if I had the backing of a big corporate house, which I don't, in today's market, I wouldn't want the responsibility of making a Rs 300 crore-Rs 400 crore film.'
'His understanding of human nature and emotions can never be matched by me.'
Aseem Chhabra lists his favourite 2024 films that he watched at film festivals held in Berlin, Cannes, Toronto and India.
'If you watch songs like Acha Ji Main Haari Chalo Maan Jao Na, Lag Ja Gale or Jhumka Gira Re, you'll notice they're not just a distraction. There's a story unfolding within them.'
'Editor M S Shinde deserves full credit because, I'm told, Ramesh Sippy had shot 300,000 feet of footage, which was brought down to 18,000. 'He died in 2012, in a 126 square foot flat in Dharavi, penniless, a forgotten hero.'
The veteran actor passed into the ages in the early hours of Friday, April 4, 2025. Sukanya Verma looks back at his most memorable performances.
'Your family doesn't want you to come to this field because there's no direction, no formula.' 'It's not as if your career is settled and you will get work consistently.'
Indian content studio Applause Entertainment has acquired the exclusive screen rights to six of Jeffrey Archer's best-sellers, The Clifton Chronicles, Fourth Estate, First Among Equals, The Eleventh Commandment, Sons of Fortune, and Heads You Win.
Aseem Chhabra lists his favorite 2023 films -- a healthy blend of Bollywood, Hindi indies and some of the best work that is being done in Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Bengali cinema.
Like the dinosaurs, vultures face extinction. From 40 million 33 years ago, only 35,000 to 45,000 vultures remain in India.
'It's a tremendous accomplishment to have a father like Amitabh Bachchan and still be so sorted, to not taste the kind of success that he should have and yet be so balanced.'
'I had not even realised I had done almost 100 films.'
'Casting the Bachchans NOT as father and son was the toughest and the easiest part.'
The Karur tragedy has exposed the huge gaps in Vijay's understanding of realpolitik, elections and political administration, asserts N Sathiya Moorthy.
The Mumbai-born film-maker is currently working on two films set in her city, which will form a trilogy along with All We Imagine As Light.
'Naseer does not have the sense of humour that Om Puri has. 'Also Om has a great deal of compassion as a human being. Naseer was too focused on his own self.' A fascinating excerpt from Sangeeta Datta's book, Shyam Benegal.
'Vijay should have stayed there for the night and in the morning he should have met the people.'
Karan Johar had an extra special Friendship Day. His friends Shah Rukh Khan and Rani Mukerji won their first ever National Awards (Jawan and Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway respectively).
His latest film Saiyaara is a blockbuster and has propelled him way into the big league.
'When you try to do something that's not been tried before, nobody likes that.'
'Everybody goes through tumultuous times. I've been lucky and my journey has been excellent.' 'I can't complain because I've had everything and God has been kind.'
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