Rituparno Ghosh, Deepti Naval and Raima Sen play the three central characters in the Hindi film ‘Memories in March’ directed by Sanjoy Nag.

The three characters revolve around one man - Sid alias Babu - who has just passed away. The mother and two of his intimate friends share the grief, as together they reveal more of Sid, to the audience as well as to each other.





One knows him through the letters he writes to his mother, through the memories his friends share. There are some facts about Sid the mother learns and finds upsetting. Ornab (Ghosh) keeps asking her ‘Which is more unacceptable to you? His death or this revelation?’ The movie takes one through the life of a man who enjoyed his life and loved his mother very much. He could be any man. Except that he is no more. The lines, the language and the speed of the story go on in comfortable terms. The feminine gestures by Ghosh, at times a little overdone, seem to have its effect on the role he plays. Deepti Naval is splendid as the character seems slightly disoriented, and very mature in dealing with the worst tragedy in her life. Raima Sen does not have a lot to emote or express, but manages to pull a pretty face and do some decent acting.
http://www.yentha.com/news/view/4/2116

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Debasree Roy has added more dimensions to her life than when she was number one in Bengali cinema. She has worked in more than 100 films and has won around 40 state and national awards. She looks back with pride on her latest release, Shukno Lanka opposite Mithun Chakraborty and on the Debasree Roy Foundation she set up some time ago.
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You have worked with Mithun Chakraborty in many films before this. What is your experience in Shukno Lanka?

I have worked with Mithun-da in other hit films but I hardly had any opportunity to interact with him in Shukno Lanka. I played Jhilik, the wife of an internationally celebrated filmmaker Joy Sundar Sen played by Sabyasachi Chakraborty. In terms of footage, it was not a very long role. But in terms of significance, it was very important and heavily layered. She loves her husband like crazy but he has no time for her. She expresses the desperation of wanting to belong, the desire to be share time and space with her husband and finally, to break down.breaks down one day.

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Iti Mrinalini (English: Yours Mrinalini , English title : An Unfinished Letter) is an upcoming India drama film directed by acclaimed Bengali filmmaker Aparna Sen, co-written by Sen and debutant screenwriter Ranjan Ghosh, and produced by Shrikant Mohta and Mahendra Soni of Shree Venkatesh Films Pvt Ltd.

Aparna Sen returns to make a Bengali film after a decade. Her last was Paromitar Ek Din, in 2000. Incidentally, Sen uses popular songs for the first time in any of her films.

Sen directs her daughter Konkona Sen Sharma and acts with her in the same film and for the first time the mother-daughter duo plays the same character. The film features Sen and her daughter in the lead role. It also stars Rajat Kapoor, Priyanshu Chatterjee, Koushik Sen, Locket Chatterjee and German actor Suzanne Bernert in supporting roles. The entire cast, except Konkona, work in an Aparna Sen film for the first time.

The film revolves around the life of an actress who looks back at her life, where Aparna Sen plays the older Mrinalini while her daughter Konkona Sen Sharma portrays the younger version.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iti_Mrinalini

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British Indian director Sangeeta Dutta's new film Life Goes On exploring the relations between a grief stricken father and his three daughters is being released in North America Friday, even before its release in India.

Set in London, the film about an Indian-origin family features veteran Indian actor Sharmila Tagore and her daughter Soha Ali Khan together for the first time. It's being released by Databazaar Media Ventures, an exclusive gateway for Bengali films to North America.

The movie won the Best Feature Film award at the Pravasi International Festival, Delhi and the Best Feature Film, Audience Appreciation Award at the London Asian Film Festival.

"I had been wanting to share filmography with my mother and there had been several offers but none convinced us. Sangeeta's script was very convincing and it seemed almost organic for me to play daughter to my mother in the film," Soha said.

"'Life Goes On' is an original film, it is non-formulaic, and I am so happy that it is getting released now and Databazaar Media Ventures is taking it to the large market in North America even before its release in India.

"It was my first British film and in many ways I am the British-Asian girl Dia. I have been educated in Oxford and the LSE (London School of Economics) and I have also worked in London," said Soha.

"Working with my mother, who is a living legend, was daunting to say the least! For many reasons the film is very personal to me and the work I will always want to own and view whenever I want to," Soha, 32, said.

The cast of the film also includes Girish Karnad and Om Puri.

"This is my first British film and I very much liked the process of working with a British crew, with Om Puri and my daughter Soha for the first time," Sharmila Tagore said.

Oney Seal, chairman of the Databazaar group of companies, said: "'Life Goes On' is our first English language film which is slated for mainstream release all over North America. The Indian diaspora living here will be able to immediately identify with this film."
http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?ID=ENTEN20100161996&keyword=bollywood&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA

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Bengali filmmaker Gautam Ghose's film Moner Manush (The Quest), an Indo-Bangladesh joint production, bagged the coveted Golden Peacock Award for the Best Film at the 41st International Film Festival of India (IFFI) 2010.

The film is a saga of the life and times of Lalan Faquir and his liberal sect whose message of tolerance and secularism is becoming most relevant in today's world.

The 11-day festival concluded on Thursday with the screening of the French film The Princess of Montpensier, directed by Bertrand Tavernier, premier French director and screenplay writer.

The Silver Peacock Award for the Best Director went to Susanne Bier of Denmark for her film In a Better World. Just Another Love Story from India and The Boy from New Zealand were the joint winners of the Special Jury Award.

Mr. Ghose received the Golden Peacock in the presence of Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Choudhury Mohan Jatua, Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat and National Award Winner Saif Ali Khan who was the chief guest.

The Rs. 40 lakh cash prize was shared by Mr. Ghose and producers of the film: Gautam Kundo (India), Habiburahaman Khan and Faridureza Saqar (both from Bangladesh). Reacting to the award, Mr. Ghose said, “I thank the distinguished Jury for the endorsement of the message of tolerance in a very intolerant society.”
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/other-states/article927958.ece

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Laboratory is a story written by Rabindranath Tagore just before a year before his death.

This woman-centric film is essentially a tale of two women, especially Sohini - a rustic uneducated girl who is married to Nandakishore and then is left with a daughter and the lab at the end of the first year of her marriage due to her husband’s unfortunate death while carrying out an experiment in the lab. The story is all about how Sohini gets a hold of herself and makes an utmost effort to live upto her husband’s dream of maintaining the lab at any cost even if it means sacrificing the happiness of her daughter.
Here is an interview by Mr Raja Sen the acclaimed director of the movie Laboratory.

What was the most difficult part of adapting a short story of Tagore that has also been adapted on stage?
I always had a certain weakness for the story. I never saw it as difficulty when it came to making a cinematic adaptation. I was exploring the various layers and shades of the Tagore story. Since I had seen a stage adaptation, I knew the minus points. Hence, I was clear about what I should avoid in my movie.

So, what did you consciously do that wasn't there on stage?
Since Sohini is a girl from Punjab, I was conscious of casting a non-Bengali actor for this part. I didn't want any actor from Kolkata to play this role. That was one of the reasons for me casting Raveena in this role.

Did you ever want anyone else to dub for Raveena's portions, especially for the portions where she played a widow?
Frankly and honestly speaking, I did have the dilemma. But then, I decided to take a risk. A Punjabi lady will speak in a certain way even after she has lived in Bengal for sometime. I think, Raveena's voice justifies her presence in terms of the script.

Was budget any problem for you?
I know that I'm making a regional film and I had to return the producer's money. I made the film in `60 lakh. Even on the first day of the movie, my producer has already recovered the cost with the film's US release and the sale of satellite rights. The look that my film now can easily be passed on as that of a
`1 crore production. I got sponsorship for costumes and ornaments. I got the locations with my personal
connections. I did more rehearsals than takes. That saved the raw stock.

Have you done a post-mortem for your film?
Yes. Mine isn't a so-called popular film. It's been made for intelligent people. I'm very satisfied with my project. Compliments have come my way. A scientist sent me an e-mail from abroad saying how happy she was with my movie. I'm also very happy with Arpita's performance. She followed me like an obedient student and did a swell job with the characterisation. From "Damu" to " Laboratory", I've never wanted to remake any of my films. This is my ultimate standard. I'm open to be accepted or rejected for having made this movie. I knew my budget and chose my subject accordingly. I didn't choose a movie where I'd have to shoot in Italy or Switzerland.

Why did you have Raveena and Arpita paint semi-nude pictures?
There is an undercurrent of sexuality in both women. Sexuality isn't a taboo for either of them. They have no prejudice about painting a semi-nude picture.



http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/regional/news-interviews/Ill-make-a-comedy-movie-says-Raja-Sen/articleshow/6995593.cms

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Singing legend Asha Bhosle recorded a Kannada song for composer Veera Samarth, who says it is the biggest turning point in his musical career.

'This is the biggest turning point in my musical career. I have been trying to get Asha didi to sing a song for a Kannada film for months. I sent her a musical track five months ago. She must have liked the track as she asked me to meet her. Then she heard the track again and said that she consulted her friends who know about the quality of Kannada lyrics,' said Samarth.

Written by Raghavendra Kamath, the song was recorded on Feb 2 at Mumbai's Spectral Harmony studio.

'Didi took just two-and-a-half hour to sing the song. And the rehearsal of the song was done a day earlier. Asha didi wrote the lyrics in Hindi in her own handwriting and what a song it was. I was in tears when she completed the song. I am sure it would be one of the most brilliant songs in Kannada,' Samarth told IANS.

Produced by Basava Reddy, 'Mandahaasa' is Rajesh Nair's directorial debut. Nair worked with UTV as a chief executive in charge of production.

In the 1970s, Asha's elder sister, Lata Mangeshkar had sung a song for the historical Kannada film 'Sangolli Rayanna'. Titled 'Bellane Belagayithu', the song is still remembered despite the fact that the film wasn't a hit at the box office.

vpost : 07

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Bengali film 'Antaheen' was declared the best feature film at the 56th National Film Awards announced Saturday.

The film bagged two other honours for Shreya Ghosal and Avit Mukhopadhyay who got the best female playback singer award and the best cinematographer award respectively.

Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury, who directed the film, said: 'I am extremely happy. I never expected this. Its a big pat on my shoulder. Given such an honour it seems as if you are the best filmmaker of the country,' Aniruddha told IANS.

The film was awarded the Swarna Kamal and a cash prize of Rs 250,000. Ghosal and Mukhopadhyay were honoured with the Rajat Kamal and a cash prize of Rs 50,000 each.

The film revolves around Abhik Chowdhury (Rahul Bose), an IPS officer, who is honest and upright, but laidback. Having lost faith in the real relationships that he sees around him, Abhik seeks solace in the virtual world. While navigating through this virtual world, Abhik develops an online relationship with a young woman, Brinda (Radhika Apte), without knowing anything about her. Brinda is a young, dynamic television journalist.

The film also features actress Aparna Sen and Sharmila Tagore.

vpost : 04

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