'Everything I know about acting and direction I learnt from him.'
After Satyajit Ray died and Mrinal Sen retired, Bengali cinema was no longer what it used to be - until Rituparno Ghosh triggered its revival.
Bhumi Pednekar and Konkona Sen Sharma's ode to sisterhood, Robert Pattinson's amusing accent, Satyajit Ray's many masterpieces, Steven Soderbergh's breakout indie, Mark Ruffalo's good fight -- all this and more on Sukanya Verma's recommendation list on OTT this week.
'In Raktobeej, I had a lot of physical action to do, so that was a new challenge.' 'We didn't want the action scenes to be over-the-top.' 'We wanted to make the action raw and real.'
'If there is an artiste somewhere in India or in the world who wants to express her art, I hoped that this award would inspire them, and add meaning to their journey.'
The suave actor of the world, sometimes called the last of the Mohicans and familiar to students of cinema anywhere in the globe, acted in 14 Ray films and over 300 others, gracefully transitioning into commercial cinema in a variety of roles.
We re-visit the location of Satyajit Ray's first masterpiece.
Actor and Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said she was happy that the House was discussing the most important ambassadors of the country, the film fraternity.
As we celebrate Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar's birthday on April 14, Subhash K Jha picks 5 fine films based on inequality and the caste system.
'There's no point making grand plans all our lives when life itself is so fragile.'
Why history doesn't always make for box-office success.
The 68th National Film Awards saw actors from across India get together for the prestigious ceremony in New Delhi.
The passing of Satyajit Ray's renaissance man feels like the snapping of the last connection with a generation that built a nation and defined grace while facing everything life had to throw at them, says Sumit Bhattacharya.
In the last three years, 20 gardens have changed hands, and 90 per cent of the buyers are from non-tea background.
The concluding part of the A to Z guide to a year that will soon become history.
'I somehow felt that Muzaffar Ali was in Aligarh to feel the pulse of the Muslim youth, especially in the darker and harsher times that India is passing through,' notes Mohammad Sajjad.
'He never went to the Bombay industry.'
A look at the top tweets from your favourite Bollywood celebrities.
During the lunch or tea breaks, Maharajji, Manikda, Amjad Khan and I often sat together as Maharajji sang old compositions or recited some bols. Amjad Khan had a great music sense and sang very well.
Senior Communist Party of India-Marxist leader and former Kerala health minister K K Shailaja has declined to receive the Ramon Magsaysay Award as it was instituted in the name of late President of the Philippines, who was known allegedly for his brutality against the Communists.
Middle Earth comes to OTT as does a spate of other offerings. Sukanya Verma gives you your OTT menu.
Ganguly was also asked some light-hearted questions which ranged from his favourite film to his favourite actor.
'Rapists do have families. I wanted to see how a father or mother would deal with it.' 'They go through shame as well and get discriminated from the rest of the village.' 'Why don't we show it that way?'
Subhash K Jha picks five unforgettable Hindi films that capture the inequality of the caste system.
Mithun Chakraborthy on Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and working in his Tahader Katha, for which he won his second National Award.
Soumitra Chatterjee -- one of the finest Indian actors of our time -- meant so much to Aseem Chhabra.
Detectives, superheroes, biopics, documentaries, it's all there on OTT this week. Sukanya Verma offers some suggestions.
''I don't revisit any of my work once it's complete because I'm very self-critical.' 'I will probably exclaim, "Oh God, such bad acting!"'
A four-day festival to pay homage to filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh has been organised in Kolkata.
'Where Pratidwandi is concerned, there are very few men standing.'
'I don't look forward to seeing my films because this only sort of gives me a deep sense of dissatisfaction that I could have done better, and I lose my self-confidence.'
'My film will not only be a reminder for all of us who have gone through these hellish two years, but also a reference point for future generations and for the four-five year olds who would have forgotten everything by the time they grow up.'
'Agra is about sexuality and sexual repression, and the relationship of sexuality to the physical spaces that we are in.'
Sukanya Verma offers you interesting choices from Ray to Godzilla on OTT this week.
In a free-wheeling conversation with rediff.com, Barun Chanda spoke about his experience of shooting for Lootera, Ray's brilliance, and Mumbai's very different film schedule, among other things
