All posts tagged: Bengaluru International Film Festival

‘Films against Hitler came only after he died’: Anurag Kashyap says making certain films is impossible in India today

‘Films against Hitler came only after he died’: Anurag Kashyap says making certain films is impossible in India today

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has admitted that making certain kinds of films is ‘impossible’ in the current political climate, where films face lots of controversies. Speaking at an event in Bengaluru, the filmmaker-actor talked about the responsibility filmmakers have to keep the flag of free speech flying high. Anurag Kashyap addressed the state of political films in India. Anurag Kashyap on Gangs of Waseypur and Black Friday Anurag was on stage at the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival on Saturday, where he spoke about cinema, politics, and technology in a session titled ‘Fearless Film Making’, moderated by film critic Baradwaj Rangan. During the session, Anurag reflected on his films and said, “In today’s times, making films like Gangs of Wasseypur or Black Friday is impossible. Some subjects have become politically sensitive and lead to controversies. Directors from countries like Iran or Russia are making films despite facing far greater restrictions than us. Indian directors should draw inspiration from them.” Black Friday was Anurag’s first released film. A retelling of Mumbai Police’s investigation into the 1993 Bombay …

Anurag Kashyap calls Dhurandhar ‘courageous mainstream film’, says calling it propaganda ‘is itself form of propaganda’

Anurag Kashyap calls Dhurandhar ‘courageous mainstream film’, says calling it propaganda ‘is itself form of propaganda’

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap has praised the recent blockbuster Dhurandhar as a ‘courageous’ mainstream film in today’s times. The filmmaker also dismissed those calling it ‘propaganda’ or ‘promotion’, but admitted that he did not agree with the film’s politics. Anurag Kashyap has praised Dhurandhar. Anurag Kashyap on Dhurandhar Anurag appeared at the 17th Bengaluru International Film Festival, where he spoke about cinema, politics, and technology in a session titled ‘Fearless Film Making’, moderated by film critic Baradwaj Rangan. There, the filmmaker spoke about the absence of political films in India and how several films from the past may not be made today. Talking about Dhurandhar, in particular, he said, “This is a good example of a courageous mainstream film. I liked the film, but I didn’t like some of the ideologies. The dialogue about ‘This is the new India’ and one long political monologue, among a total of three scenes, were unnecessary; even without them, the film’s impact would not have diminished.” Calling films propaganda is… In the same session, he dismissed those calling Dhurandhar propaganda. …

Samantha Ruth Prabhu first Indian star to ensure pay parity for artistes on her maiden production

Samantha Ruth Prabhu first Indian star to ensure pay parity for artistes on her maiden production

Telugu film director and writer Nandini Reddy is known for her lighthearted, feel-good, and family-oriented films with strong emotional depth. She has collaborated twice with top south star Samantha Ruth Prabhu and now is all set to join hands once again with the Oh! Baby actor. (Also read: Kannada star Ramya says Kangana Ranaut’s Emergency was a badly made film: ‘That is why the audience rejected it’) Samantha Ruth Prabhu is venturing into production. Nandini Reddy confirms working with Samantha During a panel discussion on women in cinema at the Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES) recently, the Ala Modalaindi director stated to the delight of the audience, “Yes, I am working with Samantha in my next film!” This will be her third collaboration with Samantha, with whom she shares a good friendship, after the successful Jabardasth and Oh! Baby. Interestingly, Samantha launched her production house called Tralala Moving Pictures in December 2023. At the time, the Mersal actor wrote on her Instagram, “Tralala Moving Pictures aims to produce content representative of new age expression and …

No south star wants to do a romance today, reveals Gautham Vasudev Menon

No south star wants to do a romance today, reveals Gautham Vasudev Menon

He is not just a director who can bring alive romance on screen like no other but he also speaks his mind. While at an interactive session at the Bengaluru International Film Festival on Wednesday, Gautham Vasudev Menon revealed how he wants to make a larger-than-life romance. “No star actor wants to do a romance these days. I approached stars in Tamil, Telugu and even Kannada but the minute I told them it was a romance, they either postponed our meeting or didn’t want to meet! You should ask them why,” smiled the ‘king of romance’. Gautham Vasudev Menon emphasizes his storytelling is rooted in personal experiences and addresses the challenges of attracting audiences to theaters amid the rise of OTT platforms. He counts among his influences Mani Ratnam, Kamal Haasan, Guru Dutt, Raj Kapoor and stresses that Kamal Haasan has possibly been the biggest of them all. (Also read: Gautham Vasudev Menon says ‘nobody’ in the film industry is supportive in time of need: ‘I sound cynical but it’s true’) The choices he makes …