Arthur J Pais, who has covered the Toronto International Film Festival for Rediff.com for 13 years, glances at the buzz-worthy movies at TIFF 2014.
Ram V Sutar, 89, has already created more than 200 distinct statues, many of them massive. Now, he is a leading contender for the commission to produce the world's largest statue: A 597-foot tall rendering of Sardar Patel, an independence leader who played a crucial role in uniting India's fractious states.
Aseem Chhabra gives us the top films that enriched his year.
Kadvi Hawa has some very bad news for us all.
Godavari Dange, a school dropout who was widowed at the age of 19 is now changing the lives of farmers in her village and beyond.
Can you guess even one of them?
Raja Sen brings us all the action from the first day of the 16th Mumbai Film Festival.
The 'Shatrughan Sinha of the South' plunges into politics.
'It's a joy working there.' 'It's good work and when you come back it gives you pleasure.' 'On returning you take a shower and look at the day and say, "Ah! Nice scenes we did!"' 'Here sometimes you are doing nothing in the day, but you are there for the shoot.' 'You come home and it can be very frustrating, with that frustration the tiredness does not go, you know.' 'Good work gives you that strength and kick.'
While Pokemon Go prompted people to get out of their chairs and take a walk, Trakinvest became a potential hiring platform for brokerage firms. Anita Babu on gamification in 2017.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
'That night -- when Gandhi won Best Picture at the 1983 Oscars -- belonged to India and it meant a lot to a young student like me, who was trying to establish his Indian identity among the Americans around him.' Aseem Chhabra/Rediff.com, who worked as an extra on Richard Attenborough's acclaimed biopic, salutes the late legend.
Shakespeare Wallah had been out of circulation for a long time, but a restored version of the film opened in New York on November 10. It will travel after that to other cities in the US and hopefully, soon to India as well, says Aseem Chhabra, author of the bestseller Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star.
It was after many years that an Indian cricket team lived up to expectations outside the sub-continent.
Aseem Chhabra lists the elements that he loved and was pleasantly surprised by in the movies.
'Today, when Kailash Satyarthi is being honoured with the most prestigious global award, reports appear to the effect that many millions of Indian children are in 'slavery'. This is hardly the reputation that India should have when we are basking in the glory of 'Mangalyan',' says T P Sreenivasan.
'Bhuvi's injury (stiff back) is a real setback for India' 'If the pitches remain flat and dry like the ones during the limited overs leg, India are in with a very good chance. But if it's a green top, obviously, the England seamers will come into the play'
From Boyhood to The Grand Budapest Hotel, we've seen some brilliant cinema this year.
Virat Kohli? M C Mary Kom? Neeraj Chopra?
'Deepika has got a lot to do with whatever I have achieved in the last six years.' 'She has kept me grounded. Otherwise, who knows what I would have turned into?'
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field.
'This may seem like a lyrical lamenting of a writer, but it is the sad reality in and outside the industry. In films, nine out of 10 times the writer's name is not mentioned in posters, publicity or even reviews.' Screenwriter Anjum Rajabali and actress-writer Preeti Mamgain hope to make way for Bollywood's writers.
Despite the technological hype, it is still extremely tough to connect with the virtual characters, especially Rajinikanth, whose larger-than-life persona cannot be captured by any path-breaking technology
There's a lot happening in Bollywood, Hollywood and world cinema this year.
Parasite's razor-sharp characterisations ensure that the picture is thoroughly entertaining though it falls short of greatness, declares Sreehari Nair.
'The writer remains the most creative force in the process.' 'Producers need to be inventive in how they reward good writing.'
Long before Prem Ratan Dhan Payo, Rajshri made some beautiful movies.
Satyajit Ray. Films from Italy, Iceland and Albania feature on Aseem Chhabra's list.
Sukanya Verma salutes the legend and celebrates some of the finest soundtracks of his career.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Tuesday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
Sri Srinivasan, the first Indian-origin federal judge in the United States, is India Abroad Person of the Year 2013
A cow that speaks, a question on patriarchy and the story of a 17th-century poet - Sanskrit filmmakers are finding new ways to revive the 'dying' language.
'I have started getting a lot of messages from people, directors, photographers...and I realised the importance of being visible.'
Abhishek has been posting fond memories and interesting anecdotes on Instagram, recapping his #RoadTo20.
