11
Austin South Asian | May 2015
A Look Through The Lens Of Katiyabaaz
By Sonam Rehani
Thought provoking, honest and realistic are the attributes of the films selected by Indie Meme. Kudos to it for presenting such films that sharpen and enhance our regular movie watching taste.
to a compelling documentary, Katiyabaaz, presented by Indie Meme. The dropping temperatures her-
sue, the director duo of Deepti Kakkar and Fahad Mustafa built up a great drama with real life characters playing themselves.
According to one of Indie Meme’s supporters & audience member of Katiyabaaz, Sumit DasGupta, the film was “an excellent example of the fact that human beings will resort to any and all creative approaches, legal or illegal, to meet its basic needs…” .
Not just the movies but Indie Meme often dishes up something extra for their audience be it a special pre-screening evening with the director, or an intimate Q and A via skype.
It does seem that all sense of moral qualm is lost in the battle for gaining a few hours of “Bijlee”! The movie was followed by an introduction to the director in attendance, Fahad Mustafa.
This little film society in Austin is doing a tremendous job bringing some rare gems for screening. It has opened up a plethora of choices for the average movie loving adult. A magnitude of unknown directors, movie makers have suddenly been thrown in the limelight and have a chance to showcase their talent which is being enjoyed by the masses. The Marchesa theatre in Austin, in March, was once again host
the morning. The savior of the people is Loha Singh, a Robin Hood like character who brings power to the people by hooking up transmission lines.
alding an icy night in Austin did not deter the fans from showing up at a thought-provoking feature highlighting the power crisis in Kanpur, a metro of three million people. Taking up a realistic burning is-
With mercury rising and eleven to sixteen hours of power outages, a sense of right and wrong dissipates.
A volley of questions raised by the audience had the director take them behind the scenes to demystify the filming, the hurdles to cross and how it played out with no written script.
Illegal connections are made at night and magically disappear in
A fascinating yet thoroughly illuminating dialogue amongst the
attendees. A toast to the exciting times ahead for the movie lovers in Austin! Next up is the powerful, disturbing & haunting film, dealing with the issue of child trafficking in India, “Lakshmi” May 14th 7pm at the Southwest Theaters Lakecreek. Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor is in attendance at the screening and there will be a discussion post screening. Indie Meme is also organizing a social on May 13th for Indie Meme Members to meet with Nagesh. If you are not already consider becoming a member. “Lakshmi” has stellar performances by Monali Thakur, Shefali Shah and Nagesh himself For Tickets, Screening & Film Details, Upcoming Mixer with Nagesh Kukunoor & Indie Meme Membership please visit: indiememe.com.
5 Ways to Save Money When Buying a Car Play your cards right and you can save big when replacing your car. The key is knowing where there’s real money on the table. Here are five proven ways to maximize savings when purchasing a vehicle, according to the experts at Autotrader, the leading online marketplace for buying and selling cars.
Consider CPO Your heart may be set on a particular new car, but when did the current version of that car debut?
Target Mid-Level Models Before pulling the trigger on the fully loaded model of a car, compare its price to the model line’s base price. The loaded version could cost around 50 percent more than the stripped-down special. You could probably buy the base model of a considerably nicer car for the same money. Target a mid-level specification of your chosen vehicle with meaningful upgrades.
For example, the brand-new Honda Accord at your local Honda dealer will be 2015 model, but the same platform, features and styling have been in use since 2013. You’ll get essentially the same car if you buy a used 2013 or 2014 vehicle. Plus, like Honda, most manufac-
turers’ certified pre-owned (CPO) programs include full reconditioning by factory-trained technicians, along with a competitive warranty. Consider purchasing lightly used models for thousands less than new. With a few exceptions, the CPO warranty makes it almost like buying new. Many brands even offer extras, such as a free satellite radio trial and free maintenance and roadside assistance. If you’re looking into CPO programs, consider such brands as Honda, Chevrolet, Ford, Kia and Lexus. Buy from Dealer Stock Buying from dealer stock of-
ten requires flexibility, because you’re choosing from what the dealer ordered, as opposed to ordering exactly what you want. But on the flip side, dealers have a strong incentive to move existing inventory. For substantial savings, take a good look at available inventory among all the nearby dealerships, and distant dealerships that offer long-distance delivery, to see if there’s anything close to what you want. Sell-by-Owner Watch out for dealerships eager to take your trade-in, as they typically won’t offer retail value. While this transaction is easy, it may cost you hundreds, if not thousands when compared to selling your car on the open market. Of course, you’ll need to be willing to spend time waiting for the
right buyer. An Autotrader classified ad is a great place to start. Pay Attention to Finance & Insurance Finance & Insurance (F&I) is where dealers make a lot of their money. The key is to be a hardnosed, well-informed shopper. Listen to what the dealership has to offer, but be ready with a backup plan that includes your own financing options. Make sure you read all the fine print on any warranties offered. There are good deals to be had, but it’s also easy to be taken to the cleaners. Those with excellent credit may be offered factory rebates and 0 percent financing. Educated car shoppers can save themselves a lot of money if they know how the business works, stress experts. (State Point).