'I don't want a government to tell me that I can't be there for my sister's wedding.'
'The way the winners react and the speeches they deliver.' 'That is where the fun happens, when the actors and other winners let down their guard, challenge the system, talk about issues that should matter to us,' says Aseem Chhabra.
The dates of the forthcoming assembly polls in Rajasthan are yet to be announced by the Election Commission, but on the ground, the battle has already begun between the Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party.
How many of the 319 films Aseem Chhabra watched in 2018 have you seen?
'So what if the enemies take us as prisoners of war? So what of they kill us? I would feel proud that I could sacrifice my life for the country,' say these proud lady officers of the Indian Navy.
Director Matt Brown tells Aseem Chhabra/Rediff.com what it was about The Man Who Knew Infinity that made him persevere for a decade to turn the book into a film.
Aseem Chhabra picks the scenes that left him impressed this year.
'The Maoists want the tribals to boycott the election while the police think the election is a farce and do not want to risk going deeper in the conflict zone.' 'Newton (played with sincerity and deep felt passion by Rajkummar Rao) wants to make sure that the locals cast their vote, a right given to them by the Constitution.'
Satyajit Ray. Films from Italy, Iceland and Albania feature on Aseem Chhabra's list.
The element of curiosity and chill is doubled when it's inspired from real-life manslaughter.
'It was a spectacular crime, wasn't it? Sepp is on the same scale. He's up there with Lance.' Director Stephen Frears, in an exclusive interview with Rediff.com
There is a group of La La Land haters -- especially jazz aficionados who feel the film gives too much importance to a white man who sets out to save the musical genre associated with the African American community, points out Aseem Chhabra.
'Good luck, Chaitanya Tamhane. May the jury system prove better for you than the bench trial did for your protagonist.'
'The news that the once dashing, absolutely handsome, utterly charming Shashi Kapoor is no more makes me feel terribly sad.' Aseem Chhabra, author of Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, the Star, pays rich tribute to the iconic actor.
In Danny Boyle's biopic, reports Aseem Chhabra from the Telluride Film Festival, 'we are left with Jobs -- the man, a genius as well as (what Steve Wozniak calls him in the film), an asshole!'
'I swayed my arms in the air with strangers when George Michael sang Careless Whispers' 'I was in heaven.'
Woody Allen, I salute you for taking a position against the anti-smoking messages in theatres, writes Aseem Chhabra.
'Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts were tables away, seated next to each other, at the SAG awards. I was shamelessly staring,' Nimrat Kaur tells Aseem Chhabra/ Rediff.com
Bombay Velvet was Bollywood's biggest flop this year.
