Pickle August 17-24 Issue

www.pickle.co.in AUG 17-23 | 2020

INDIA’S ONLY MEDIA BIZ MAGAZINE FOR THE WORLD Janhvi Kapoor

in and as Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl

A DAZZLING DOZEN

Twelve Hindi films that shone amid the Covid-19 gloom

INSIDE

STORIES

Prakash Javdekar Information and Broadcasting Minister

12 IFFI 2020 Adopts Hybrid Online-Physical Edition

10 Netflix Espionage Thriller Gray Man Gets $20 Million Tax Credit To Film In California

16 Toronto To Honor Anthony Hopkins, 2 www.pickle.co.in India’s Only Media BIZ magazine the world Nair Chloe Zhao, AndforMira

Fidji Simo Vice President Head of Facebook App

8 20

Facebook Launches Paid Online Events

Ishaan Khatter Looking ‘Beyond Clouds’ With Promising Upcoming Projects

28

3

A Dazzling Dozen India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

fro m t he editor

T

his week’s cover feature on Best 2020 Hindi Films (as of today) gives a clear indication of the changing narrative of Bollywood. SaibalChatterjee’s A Dazzling Dozen highlights this new change to the usual mainstream Bollywood. In the words of Saibal: “A parallel universe has taken concrete shape in mainstream Bollywood.”

We will continue to list our Best Picks from various Indian languages in the coming weeks.

It’s good to know that the 51st International Film Festival of India will be a hybrid edition this year.

The Directorate of Film Festival has initiated the process for receiving entries from producers for Indian Panorama Section of the 51st International Film Festival of India to be held from November 20-28, 2020 in Goa, with some changes in the regulations. (log on to www. dff.nic.in for entry forms and IFFI 2020 Regulations). Producers who have streamed Indian language films directly to OTT can apply for the Panorama Section by giving requisite affidavits.

We are also witnessing a new battle between Fortnite maker Epic Games versus Apple and Google.

This has sent shockwaves in the tech industry. Developers across the world are watching this battle curiously as it has the potential to bring changes to overhaul the

App Store business module. Or will current status quo continue?

This week also saw the launch of Facebook Online Paid Events. From now on small businesses, creators, artists, educators and media publishers can generate revenue through online events on the Facebook platform. Facebook Pages can host events on Facebook Live to reach broad audiences, and the platform is testing paid events with Messenger Rooms for more personal and interactive gatherings.

We are also trying to create an interface (weekly newsletters and buyers guide) for content buys from India to buyers and distributors in the international markets. We are working on catalogues for completed film and animation content for wide reach in the global markets. We will keep you informed.

The Indian Media and Entertainment Sector today ismore active than ever before. As we cope with uncertainties and new challenges during COVID-19 pandemic there is a growing optimism and fresh thinking among media executives. We will capture the changing media space in the coming weeks.

Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions.

n vidyasagar

pickle media nat@pickle.co.in, www.pickle.co.in

Pickle Volume XIV 7th Edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com l Mumbai l Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

Editorial Coordinators : M Sai Design: Sunil, Kitcha, Jose, Julie Photo Editor : K K Laskar Email: natvid@gmail.com

For advertising: natvid@gmail.com / pickle@pickle.co.in

C

4

Pickle Business Guide 2020 Copyright 2020 by Pickle Media Pvt Ltd. All Rights Reserved.

Pickle is an ad supported business guide tracking the filmed entertainment business in India.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

TIFF.NET/INDUSTRY

Register now TIFF.NET/INDUSTRY

SEPTEMBER 10–19

#TIFF20

Join the biggest names and brightest minds online.

5

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

The world this week Business US-based AMC Theatres will be charging ‘1920 prices’ of 15 cents per ticket on opening day on August 20 in about 100 US locations to get public back to cinema screens.

The cinema screen capacity will be at 30 per cent or less, based on local municipal rules. “We are thrilled to once again open our doors to American moviegoers who are looking for an opportunity to get out of their houses and apartments and escape into the magic of the movies,” Adam Aron, CEO and president of AMC Theatres. The opening day lineup includes old films such as “Black Panther,” “Grease,” “Back to the Future” and “Ghostbusters.”

The 2021 Game Developers Conference will go physical in San Francisco and will be held July 19-21 in addition to robust virtual offerings. GDC 2021 will include live-streams of panels, keynote speeches, game play demonstrations, and new launches.

6

Aamir Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starring Laal Singh Chaddha has a new theatrical release date and now slotted for a Christmas 2021 release. This was confirmed

by Viacom 18 studio and Aamir Khan productions.

The world’s largest consumer-electronics exhibition, Consumer Electronics Show will be online only in January 2021. The Consumer Technology Association (CTA), the trade group that organises the tech show have cancelled the Las Vegas physical event.

This announcement makes it clear that COVID-19 will continue to pose health risks beyond 2020.

Salmaan Khan-hosted Big Boss will return to COLORS TV with Season 14. The show will also premiere on VoD service ‘Voot Select”. Voot Select will offer unlimited access with 24-hour LIVE feeds from the Big Boss house on weekdays and stream the episode before TV and ad-free at ₹99/month and a special introductory price of ₹499/ year. “Bigg Boss has grown to become a phenomenon in the country. The following and viewership the show receives continues to grow each year and it is truly the fans that make it happen. While this year has been tough on everyone, we believe that it is only fair to the shows fan’s and our viewers that we return with a brand-new season 14 that will heighten spirits and delivers on an unmatched and thrilling entertainment experience,” says Nina Elavia Jaipuria, Head- Hindi Mass Entertainment and Kids TV Network, Viacom18.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

The world this week Business FIRST WEEKEND BOX OFFICE NUMBERS IN CANADA SINCE THE PANDEMIC FORCED THEATRES TO CLOSE IN MARCH

300 Screens; $910,000

Paramount’s The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run (Released August 14)

284 Screens; $580,000

Russel Crowe-road rage thriller Unhinged (Released August 14)

7

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

FACEBOOK MONETIZATION

FACEBOOK

LAUNCHES PAID ONLINE EVENTS Now event organizers and Facebook Page owners in 20 countries around the world including India that meet the platforms partner monetization policies can start charging for online events enabling millions of small business to make money on Facebook

iOS purchase on left, Android purchase on right. Image Credits: Facebook

F

acebook has created a new events feature that would enable businesses to launch online events on their Facebook pages free of cost except for payments made via Apple’s IoS App. Facebook has mentioned that it doens’t take a fee from purchase made via Android version of the App.

8

From now on small businesses, creators, artists, educators and media publishers can generate revenue from holding online events on the Facebook platform. Facebook Pages can host events on Facebook Live to reach broad audiences, and the platform is testing paid events with Messenger Rooms for more personal and interactive gatherings.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

We asked Apple to reduce its 30 per cent App Store tax or allow us to offer Facebook Pay so we could absorb all costs for businesses struggling during COVID-19.

Unfortunately, they dismissed both our requests and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) will only be paid 70% of their hard-earned revenue. While Facebook is waiving fees for paid online events, we will make other fees clear in the product “Today we’re launching the ability for businesses, creators, educators and media publishers to earn money from online events on Facebook. Now Page owners can create an online event, set a price, promote the event, collect payment and host the event, all in one place,’’ said Fidji Simo, Vice President, head of Facebook App in a blog post.

Simo said Facebook requested Apple to reduce App Store’s 30 per cent commision but they refused.

“We asked Apple to reduce its 30% App Store tax or allow us to offer Facebook Pay so we could absorb all costs for businesses struggling during COVID-19. Unfortunately, they dismissed both our requests and SMBs (Small and Medium Businesses) will only be paid 70% of their hard-earned revenue. While Facebook is waiving fees for paid online events we will make other fees clear in the product.”

Simo’s post stated that Facebook saw live broadcasts from pages double in June 2020 compared to the previous year. “In our most recent State of Small Business Report with OECD and World Bank, we found that access to cash continues to be the most common ongoing challenge for SMBs. Only 19% of surveyed businesses were getting any financial help (down from earlier in pandemic).

Many businesses are struggling and every cent matters. Shifting in-person events to online is costly enough that businesses shouldn’t have to worry about fees charged by platforms.”

9

Fidji Simo Vice President Head of Facebook App

Facebook said a one-time access charge is collected when guests register to attend. “Enabling an admission fee is done through the event set-up process and requires you to sign our terms of service and have a payment account on file”.

Simo said to support small businesses and creators, Facebook will not collect any fees from paid online events for at least the next year. “For transactions on the web, and on Android in countries where we have rolled out Facebook Pay, small businesses will keep 100% of the revenue they generate from paid online events.”

Once your Facebook page has cleared monetization review, Page owners can move forward with creating their event. For the time being, online events can only be created on a computer.

Event organisers can select one price per event. Once an event is published, the event organisers will not be able to change the price.

Paid online events are currently available to eligible Facebook Pages in the following countries: Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Ukraine, the U.K. and the U.S. You can join Fidji Simo for a Facebook Live with entrepreneur, fitness business coach, and mentor, Rachel Holmes on Tuesday, August 18 at 9:00 AM PT. (India time August 18, Tuesday 9.30 PM).

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

CALIFORNIA TAX INCENTIVES

NETFLIX ESPIONAGE THRILLER

GRAY MAN GETS

$20 MILLION TAX CREDIT TO FILM IN

CALIFORNIA

The California Film Commission selected nine film projects and they will receive $50 million collectively

N

etflix’s “Gray Man” is the latest big-budget feature film win for California’s tax credit program. The action-thriller starring Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans will bring an estimated $102 million in below-the line wages and other qualified expenditures to the state, behind only “Captain Marvel” on the list of big budget tax credit film projects As with all of the state’s film and TV tax credit projects, overall spending for “Gray Man” will be significantly greater than its “qualified” spending with the inclusion of above-the-line wages and other expenditures that do not qualify for incentives under California’s very targeted tax credit program.

The Gray Man got tax credits with $20 million. An untitled Jordan Peele project received $8.4 million, Invasion starring Octavia Spencer received $2.5 million, Losing

10

Clementine received $2.3 million and Sweetwater received $1.4 million, among other films.

“After announcing two relocating TV series earlier this month, our new tax credit program continues to get off to a great start with today’s list of film projects,” said California Film Commission Executive Director Colleen Bell. “Production activity is ramping back up in California amid COVID-19 with safety remaining a top priority, and Program 3.0 is attracting the kind of big budget films that generate a considerable amount of jobs and instate spending.”

Based on data provided with each tax credit application, the nine film projects (five independent, four non-independent) announced today are on track to generate a total of nearly $284 million in qualified in-state expenditures. They will employ an estimated 1,340 crew, 342 cast and 14,397 background actors/ stand ins (the latter measured in “man days”) over a combined 374 filming days in California. They will also generate significant postproduction jobs and revenue for California VFX artists, sound editors, sound mixers, musicians and other workers/vendors.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

After announcing two relocating TV series earlier this month, our new tax credit program continues to get off to a great start with today’s list of film projects. Production activity is ramping back up in California amid COVID-19 with safety remaining a top priority, and Program 3.0 is attracting the kind of big budget films that generate a considerable amount of jobs and in-state spending Three of the five independent projects (the Jessica Chastain drama “Losing Clementine,” “Nightfall” and the sports drama “Sweetwater” about the first African American player in the NBA) were accepted into Program 3.0’s new $10 million-and-under qualified spending category, which reserves funds specifically for lowerbudget independent films.

“We are thrilled to be part of the new Program 3.0 and to be able to base ‘Losing Clementine’ production in California,” said Renée Tab, the film’s producer. “We searched other locations, but thanks to the tax credit we can film here at home where the story is set.”

“Losing Clementine” and five other projects (the Octavia Spencer scifi thriller “Invasion,” “Nightfall,” “Sweetwater,” “Untitled Jimmy Warden Project” and “Untitled Jordan Peele Project”) plan a significant amount of production outside the Los Angeles 30-Mile Studio Zone. Nearly 40 percent (142 out of 374) of the filming days planned by the nine projects announced will occur in Inyo, Kern, Mono, Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as other out-of-zone locations yet to be determined.

Bringing production activity beyond the 30-Mile Zone is a key objective for California’s tax credit program. With the projects announced today, more than 45 out-of-zone film and television tax credit projects account for an estimated total of $140 million in qualified out-of-zone spending across the state. “Program 3.0 is working

11

Colleen Bell Executive Director California Film Commission

as intended to ensure that we can continue to bring significant filming to regions across the state,” added Bell.

A total of 81 projects applied during the July 13 – 15 application period for Program 3.0’s inaugural round of feature film tax credits. The California Film Commission has reserved just over $50 million in tax credit allocation for the nine conditionally approved projects The next and final application period this fiscal year for feature film tax credits will be held January 25-27, 2021. The next application period for TV projects will be held September 28 - 30 (for relocating projects) and October 5 - 7 (for recurring projects).

How Projects are Selected and Awarded Tax Credits Under Program 3.0 Projects approved for California tax credits are selected based on their jobs ratio score, which ranks each project by wages to below-theline workers, qualified spending for vendors, equipment, etc., and other criteria. The top 200 per cent ranked projects in each round (i.e., those that would qualify if double the amount of funding was available for the current allocation round) are evaluated, and those with the highestranked jobs ratio scores receive a tax credit reservation. Those not selected are placed on the waiting list. The tax credit program allocates funding in “buckets” for different production categories, including non-independent films, independent films, TV projects and relocating TV series.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

IFFI 2020

International Film Festival of India 2020

Adopts Hybrid

OnlinePhysical

Edition

Directorate of Film Festival has initiated the process for receiving entries from producers and sales agents for Indian Panorama Section and International Competition Section for the 51st International Film Festival of India to be held from November 20-28, 2020 in Goa 12

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Prakash Javdekar Information and Broadcasting Minister

The preparations for the prestigious extravaganza have already begun in full swing. IFFI is on the lookout for International Jury members for the 2020 edition, and some big names are expected to be part of it

A

s COVID-19 continues to reshape film festival calendar across the world, the International Film Festival of India is adopting a hybrid online-physical model for its 51st edition to be held from November 20-28, 2020 in Goa. IFFI 2020 will take place with socially distanced screenings (limited physical), digital screenings, and the entire knowledge series, open forum and masterclasses in virtual format.

The Directorate of Film Festival has initiated the process for receiving entries from producers and sales agents for Indian Panorama Section and International Competition Section of the 51st edition of IFFI, with some changes in the regulations. (log on to www.dff.nic.in for entry forms and IFFI 2020 Regulations).

IFFI is organised by the Directorate of Film Festival under the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, in collaboration with the State Government of Goa (Entertainment Society of Goa) and the Indian film industry.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has confirmed that IFFI 2020 will take place as scheduled. The Opening and Closing Ceremony of the festival is likely to take place at Kala Academy with limited invitees following all social distancing norms and protocols.

IFFI 2020 would screen the films on its official digital platform along with the theatrical screenings during the festival in Goa, subject to prevailing conditions.

The preparations for the prestigious extravaganza have already begun in full swing. IFFI is on the lookout for International Jury members for the 2020 edition, and some big names are expected to be part of it.

Asia’s oldest event of its kind, IFFI still holds on to its pre-eminent position as a showcase of cinematic excellence. It has over the years witnessed numerous alterations in character, nomenclature, location, dates and duration. Through it all, it has remained steadfast in its emphasis on showcasing the diversity of Indian cinema as well as in its commitment to the celebration of excellence across moviemaking genres.

13

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

The Indian Panorama, a section that is made up of both features and non-features, opens global avenues for films made by veterans and newcomers alike Over the past two and a half decades, several other international film festivals have sprung up across India, notably in Kolkata, Kerala and Mumbai, and they all contribute meaningfully to the collective task of taking quality cinema to people weaned principally on a staple diet of star-driven, song and dance extravaganzas. But IFFI continues to retain its preeminent position owingto its size, scope and vintage.

Not just in the Indian context but also in relation to the other major Asian film festivals, IFFI matters. And this is despite all the inevitable ups and downs that it has seen over the years.

All the other major Asian festivals – Tokyo, Busan and Shanghai – are of far more recent origin and therefore lack the history that is associated with IFFI. IFFI hands out prize money to the tune of US$ 200,000. The winner of the Golden Peacock for the best film takes home $80,000. That apart, the best director and the Special Jury Prize winner bag $30,000 each, while the two acting prizes come with a cash component of $20,000 each.

IFFI also confers two Lifetime Achievement Awards – one to an international film personality, the other to an Indian great. The moves to push IFFI up a few notches have unfolded since the coastal state of Goa became its permanent venue in 2004. IFFI now has a far more settled feel than ever before, with each improvement in terms of infrastructure and programming initiatives addingvalue to both the event and the location.

On the programming side, IFFI not only unveils the best films from around the multilingual country with the aim of providing a glimpse of the sheer range and dynamism of Indian cinema, it also puts together a remarkable slate of brand new world cinema titles.

IFFI also hosts many retrospectives, tributes, master classes and special sections, which enhance the variety and depth of the event. The master classes have emerged as a highlight of the festival, especially for film school students who converge in Goa during the ten-day event.

India’s first international film festival was organized within five years of the nation attaining Independence. It was a non-competitive event held in 1952 in Bombay (Now Mumbai). A special feature of the inaugural function was the screening of the first film screened in India in 1896 by the Lumiere brothers. Frank Capra was part of the American delegation that attended the festival.

After a fortnight-long run in Bombay, the festival travelled to Calcutta (now Kolkata), Madras (now Chennai) and Delhi. The first international film festival of India is rightfully credited with triggering a burst of creativity in Indian cinema by exposing young Indian filmmakers to the best from around the world, especially to Italian neo-realism.

14

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

15

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020

Toronto to Honor

Anthony Hopkins, Chloe Zhao, and Mira Nair The Awards honour the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements, recognizing leading industry members, acting talent, directorial expertise, new talent, and a below-the-line artist and creator talent, directorial expertise, new talent, and a below-the-line artist and creator.

“In what has been a challenging year for our global filmmaking community, we’re delighted to partner with Bell Media to unite cinemagoers across Canada, and around the world, to share in our love of film and celebrate the industry’s leading talent,” said Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head, TIFF.

T

IFF and Bell Media unveiled that television audiences can tune in to the 2020 TIFF Tribute Awards, to be broadcast on Tuesday, September 15 during the 45th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival. Produced by Bell Media Studios, the first-ever onehour broadcast will feature special messages from the honourees. The broadcast will be streamed to a global audience by Variety.

The TIFF Tribute Awards ceremony is an annual fundraiser to support both TIFF’s year-round programming and the organization’s core mission to transform the way people see the world through film. The Awards honour the film industry’s outstanding contributors and their achievements, recognizing leading industry members, acting

16

Featuring incredible career retrospectives along with appearances by extraordinary talent, we’re thrilled to be working with the TIFF team to create the inaugural broadcast of the 2020 TIFF Tribute Awards for viewers in Canada and around the world,” said Randy Lennox, President, Bell Media.

In making the announcement, TIFF revealed that Academy Awardwinning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins will receive a TIFF Tribute Actor Award; director Chloé Zhao will receive the TIFF Ebert Director Award; and Academy Awardnominated filmmaker Mira Nair will be honoured with the Jeff Skoll Award in Impact Media. TIFF previously announced Academy Award-winning actress Kate Winslet will receive a TIFF Tribute Actor Award.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Sir Anthony Hopkins

Chloé Zhao

Sir Anthony Hopkins Vicente said Hopkins’ onscreen presence continues to captivate, entertain, and inspire audiences and actors alike: “Sir Anthony’s brilliant and compelling performance in Florian Zeller’s The Father affirms his position as a true acting legend.”

With a career spanning over 60 years, Hopkins has starred in films including The Bounty, Howards End, Hitchcock, and the Thor series. He won an Academy Award for his role as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs, and was nominated for four other Academy Awards for his roles in The Remains of the Day, Nixon, Amistad, and The Two Popes. In addition, he has won three BAFTAs and two Emmys, has been nominated for seven Golden Globe awards, and was honoured with the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2006. Hopkins stars alongside Olivia Colman in Zeller’s The Father, about a man struggling with aging, which will screen at TIFF and be released by Sony Pictures Classics on November 20, 2020.

Chloé Zhao Vicente said Zhao’s upcoming film Nomadland reminds us, particularly right now, that cinema has the power to connect us all no matter how far apart we might feel: “Chloé’s work consistently exemplifies her signature flair for authentic, humane, and emotionally intimate storytelling.”

Zhao was born in Beijing, China. She was raised there and also in Brighton, England.

After moving to the US, she studied political Science at Mount Holyoke College and film production at NYU. Songs My Brothers Taught Me, her debut feature film as a writer, director, and producer, premiered at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival and screened in the Directors’ Fortnight section at the Cannes Film Festival, receiving a nomination for the Caméra d’Or Award for best first feature. Her sophomore feature, The Rider, an impressionistic drama about a South Dakota cowboy, premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2017 and won the Art Cinema Award. The film went on to receive critical acclaim, with Zhao nominated for Best Director at the INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS and won Best Feature at the IFP Gotham

17

Mira Nair

Awards. Zhao’s upcoming film Nomadland, which explores the vast landscape of the American West, stars Frances McDormand, David Strathairn, Linda May, and Charlene Swankie. The film will screen at TIFF and will be released by Searchlight Pictures this fall. Zhao’s other upcoming feature is The Eternals from Marvel Studios.

Mira Nair Vicente said Nair’s brilliant adaptation of A Suitable Boy acts as a testament to her extraordinary talent for authentic storytelling. “Mira’s passion for creating impact through film and storytelling, coupled with her masterful cinematic style, extends far beyond the screen; and resonates through her deep commitment for talent development in the US, East Africa, and India.”

Nair is an Academy Award- and BAFTAnominated filmmaker who has directed numerous films, including Mississippi Masala, the Venice Golden Lion-winning Monsoon Wedding, The Namesake, and Queen of Katwe. Her first film, Salaam Bombay!, won the Caméra d’Or at Cannes in 1988, was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, and won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English Language. She was awarded the Laura Ziskin Lifetime Achievement Award at the Athena Film Festival, a Tribute at the IFP Gotham Awards, and a Muse Award from NYWIFT. Nair’s production company, Mirabai Films, specializes in creating films about the world, for the world. In 1998, Nair used the profits from Salaam Bombay! to create Salaam Baalak Trust, which works with street children in India, and in 2005, she established Maisha Film Lab in Kampala, Uganda, a non-profit training initiative for emerging East African filmmakers. In 2012, Nair was awarded the Padma Bhushan - India’s second-highest civilian honour - by the president of India.

Nair’s six-part miniseries A Suitable Boy will screen at TIFF. Last year the inaugural TIFF Tribute Gala celebrated the remarkable talents and contributions of Meryl Streep, Taika Waititi, Mati Diop, and Joaquin Phoenix, among others.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

For the Future of Films

Locarno Film Festival 2020

ended on a postive note Locarno Film Festival managed a positive performance in terms of both audience participation – online and in theaters – and international attention from professionals across the sector and worldwide

T

he Locarno 2020 hybrid edition was planned as a concrete response to the difficulties facing the film industry as a result of the pandemic. An edition born out of the global crisis which forced the Locarno Film Festival to reinvent itself for 2020.

Locarno Film Festival is one of the world’s longest-running annual film festivals and focuses on auteur cinema.

Two female gazes, stretching from Switzerland to Argentina, have won the Pardi 2020 awards – each worth 70,000 Swiss francs – for productions halted by the COVID-19 crisis. The international jury for The Films After Tomorrow – made up of Nadav Lapid, Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese and Kelly Reichardt – picked out Chocobar, by acclaimed Argentinian filmmaker Lucrecia Martel, a political documentary that takes its

18

cue from the murder in 2009 of land rights activist Javier Chocobar to investigate aspects of colonization and native culture.

In the international selection the Campari Award, a special jury prize worth 50,000 Swiss francs, went to the film Selvajaria (Savagery) by Miguel Gomes, freely adapted from the novel Rebellion in the Backlands

by Euclides da Cunha, an account of the late 19th century military campaign of the newly-formed Brazilian Republic against the tiny settlement of Canudos. The Swatch Award for the most innovative project (30,000 Swiss francs) was won by De Humani Corporis Fabrica (The Fabric of the Human Body) by Verena Paravel and Lucien-Castaing Taylor, a political and philosophical documentary on the delicate issues of bioethics raised by new technologies in medicine.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

President Marco Solari said: “Our main objectives have been achieved.

Thanks to the projects developed by the Artistic Director, the Chief Operating Officer and their teams, we have managed to send out a clear message of solidarity with the film industry. Putting our programming online has been a huge incentive for digitalization of the Festival.

Lastly, with the re-opening of three movie theaters, we have consolidated our rapport with the local public.”

Artistic Director Lili Hinstin, who in this second year of her mandate developed the basic concept of Locarno 2020 – For the Future of Films, commented: “It has also made us reflect about the future of the cinema, because it showed that screenings in theaters and VOD or streaming are not necessarily in conflict, but can co-exist together, with both experiences encouraging viewers to discover films away from the usual mainstream track.”

Chief operating officer Raphael Brunschwig said the COVID-19 crisis had sped up the move towards going online and Locarno hopes to become “the model of a film festival that looks to the future”. During the August 5-15 festival, some 5,950 people saw films in Locarno indoor cinemas reopened after the coronavirus lockdown.

But 320,000 visits were made to the festival’s digital platform, where full-length movies, short films, masterclasses, panel discussions and talks were made available online. This included 80,000 views of films screened and original festival content.

The 74th Locarno Film Festival will take place from 4 to 14 August 2021.

The complete list of award winners is as follows: The Films After Tomorrow – International selection The jury for the international selection, made up of Nadav Lapid, Lemohang

19

Jeremiah Mosese and Kelly Reichardt, awarded the following prizes: Pardo 2020: for the production of the film, to the best international project (70,000 Swiss francs) CHOCOBAR by Lucrecia Martel, Argentina/USA/Denmark/Mexico Campari Award: special jury prize (50,000 Swiss francs) SELVAJARIA (Savagery) by Miguel Gomes, Portugal/France/Brazil/ Chine/Greece Swatch Award: for the most innovative project (30,000 Swiss francs) and the opportunity to design a limited-edition Swatch which will be the official watch of Locarno74 DE HUMANI CORPORIS FABRICA (The Fabric of the Human Body) by Verena Paravel and Lucien CastaingTaylor The Films After Tomorrow – Swiss selection The jury for the Swiss selection, made up of Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Alina Marazzi and Matías Piñeiro, awarded the following prizes: Pardo 2020: for the production of the film, to the best Swiss project (70,000 Swiss francs) ZAHORÍ by Marí Alessandrini, Switzerland/Argentina/Chile/France SRG SSR Award: promotional television campaign worth 100,000 Swiss francs for a Swiss project, guaranteeing publicity on national networks to accompany theatrical release in Switzerland LUX by Raphaël Dubach and Mateo Ybarra, Switzerland Pardi di domani The Pardi di domani jury, made up of Kiri Dalena, Mamadou Dia and Claudette Godfrey, awarded the following prizes: (For complete list of award winners go to www.pickle.co.in)

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Ishaan as Brigadier Balaram Singh Mehta in War Film Pippa

Ishaan Khatter looking ‘beyond clouds’

with promising upcoming projects Suitable Boy’ has been an enriching experience and I’m ever so excited for people to see it. Maan is one of the most interesting characters I’ve read and portraying him on screen has been a delight,” Ishaan said in a statement.

Described as a panoramic tale charting the fortunes of four large families, the story is set in the North India of 1951, the same time the country was carving out its own identity as an independent nation and was about to go to the polls for its first democratic general election.

A Suitable Boy is among the 17 new films and series teased by Netlfix in their latest sizzle reel.

Other than A Suitable Boy, Khatter has romantic action thriller KhaaliPeeli with Ananya Pandey.

After debuting with Majid Majidi’s Beyond The Clouds, Ishaan made a mainstream foray with Dhadak. He has got another film in the pipeline, PhoneBhoot with Katrina Kaif and Siddhant Chaturvedi.

L

eaving his fans asking for more after his last film ‘Dhadak’, actor Ishaan Khatter is now gearing up for his next release ‘A Suitable Boy’, this time on the OTT platform. Directed by Mira Nair and based on Vikram Seth’s sweeping tale of four families set in the post-Partition era, the film will be streamed on Netflix.

Ishaan plays playsMaan, a politician’s son (Kapoor), smitten by a courtesan Saeeda Bai (Tabu). “‘A

20

Besides, Ishaan is excited about another biggie in the kitty. Khatter is all set to play Brigadier Balaram Singh Mehta, who played an important part in the 1971 war against Pakistan that eventually led to the creation of Bangladesh.

Titled Pippa, the upcoming movie is being produced by Ronnie Screwvala and Sidharth Roy Kapur while Raja Krishna Menon will don the director’s hat for the film based on Brigadier Mehta’s book, The Burning Chaffees.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Still from A Suitable Boy

Talking about the project, Ishaan tweeted, “I’m exhilarated to be a part of a film of such magnitude and importance, and getting a chance to play the role of the suave and spirited tank commander, Brig Mehta is a true privilege. I’m honoured by the faith shown in me by Ronnie sir, Siddharth sir and Raja sir and I’m looking forward to the exciting experience of Pippa.”

The two-film-old actor recently talked about being labelled as Shahid’s brother despite making a place for himself in the audience’s hearts. In an interview, he said that he understands the entire discourse but he doesn’t mind ‘being recognised as his (Shahid’s) brother.’

Ishaan added that he has got to learn a lot from his brother and he feels that he’s fortunate he could always have someone to share his experiences with and guide him in the industry. “I do not feel irked by the fact that I am often recognised as his brother. I came into the public eye at a young age of 15 and have been associated with him since then.

That image has lived longer than the independent actor that I am now,” he said.

Talking about the film, Siddharth Roy Kapur said: “While the IndoPakistan war of 1971 is widely documented, one of its less-known chapters is the covert operation

21

I’m exhilarated to be a part of a film of such magnitude and importance, and getting a chance to play the role of the suave and spirited tank commander, Brig Mehta is a true privilege

that became the Battle of Garibpur, which played a significant part in India’s eventual victory. This is the war that is often heralded as the only ‘just war’ in history because it was fought to save human lives and free a nation.”

To this, Ronnie Screwvala added: “The story of the 45th Squadron led

by Captain Balram Mehta is one that needs to be told to this generation.

This film is a visual celebration of not only India’s valour but also the sharp strategy shown by us in 1971 along with our alliance with Bangladesh, all seen through the eyes of the Mehta family and their stirring internal and external conflicts.”

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Striking the

right

chord Janhvi Kapoor in and as Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl in Netflix biopic is the talk of the town today

By Poornima Bajwa Sharma 22

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

the Janhvi Kapoor plays the part of Gunjan Saxena, who is one of the first female pilots to fly in a combat situation, and played an important role in rescuing injured soldiers during the Kargil War of 1999

23

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

I

n the aftermath of the Coronavirus pandemic, people across the world have been left with no other choice but to adapt to the ‘new normal’.Like many other sectors,the film industry too is trying to findnew avenuesto survive and flourish by showcasing engaging stories and new talent, and keeping the masses entertained and spirited in these uncertain times.

So, while watching movies on big screens seems to be a distant dream for cine lovers for now, the rise of OTT platforms has saved the day. All the biggies, which were slated to hit the cinemas this year, are now being streamed on digital platforms. One such flick is Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl, starring Janhvi Kapoor. The film was released on Netflix on August 12.

The movie has opened to rave reviews with fans and industry people going gaga over the film’s plot, acting and strong direction.

Janhvi plays the part of Gunjan Saxena, who is one of the first female

24

pilots to fly in a combat situation, and played an important role in rescuing injured soldiers during the Kargil War of 1999. She was awarded the gallantry Shaurya Vir Award for displaying courage during the war.

The actress is being lauded for her acting prowess and doing justice to the strong character that she played.

While Anurag Kashyap hailed debutant director Sharan Sharma movie for not adhering to “fake patriotism and jingoism”, Tahira Kashyap shed “tears of pride” on watching the film.

Anurag Kashyap took to Twitter to praise the film, especially Sharan.

“It’s so amazing and refreshing to see a “coming of age of the Indian armed forces” disguised as a war movie. No fake patriotism, no unnecessary jingoism ... well done team #GunjanSaxenaTheKargilGirl.

Super performances, writing but what a brilliant new director #SharanSharma,” he tweeted.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

My playlist on my phone is just music from the South. It’s a dream of mine to star in a Mani Ratnam film with no make-up, donning a white choli and dancing in the waterfall to an AR Rahman track

Another notable filmmaker and writer Tahira Kashyap watched the film on the day of its release and wrote on Twitter: “What a beautiful film.Tears of pride. #GunjanSaxena #JanhviKapoor is so endearing @Imangadbedichhagaye @TripathiiPankajkamaal ho aap! Such lovely performances!

Congratulations #SharanSharma loved every bit of the film especially Janhvi.”

with the film Dhadak in 2018.

Directed by Shashank Khaitan and produced by Dharma Productions, the film was a remake of Marathi blockbuster Sairat and also starred Ishan Khattar. Janhvi grabbed eyeballs and bagged Zee Cine Award for Best Female Debut.

By setting the cash registers ringing, Dhadak set the stage right for Janhvi with directors taking notice of her talent.

Emerging Victorious in Testing Times

What does the future hold?

At a time when there has been a nationwide debate simmering over nepotism in Bollywood and ‘starkids’ getting priority over ‘outsiders’ who dreamto make it big in the industry, Janhvi and her film had a huge battle to win before they could win the hearts of viewers. And the film has managed to do so by riding on the back of quality content and Janhvi’s excellent acting skills.

This is Janhvi’s second project since she made her debut in Bollywood

25

After Gunjan Saxena, Janhvi will next be seen in projects like Roohi Afzana, Dostana 2 and Takhat.

The actress has already started the shooting of Dostana 2in Amritsar, where she will be working opposite Kartik Aryan.

Besides promising Hindi films in hand, Janhvi is also making her mark in the ad world and fashion magazines. The actress is also upbeat about regional cinema and is looking forward to do some great work down south too.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

“I feel that a lot of regional work in general, that is not necessarily mainstream, is churning out so much amazing work and performances because I don’t think they have the pressure of commercials as much (as Bollywood),” she says.

However, Janhvi is all praises for the girls and feels no competition from them.”I think all these girls are really beautiful and they all have their own individuality. They must be having lots of positives which other people might not have so, we should celebrate that,” she says.

She also said that it’s her dream to work in a South film. “My playlist on my phone is just music from the South. It’s a dream of mine to star in a Mani Ratnam film with no make-up, donning a white choli and dancing in the waterfall to an AR Rahman track.”

In fact, she wants every girl to chase their dreams and believe in oneself.

“I think they should do exactly that.

Every woman has a different journey and they should be proud of their own journey. They don’t need to follow anyone because no two things can ever be the same,” she says.

Dealing with competition and contemporaries Janhvi, who is very close to her actor-cousin Arjun Kapoor, entered the industry at a time when there was a very strong competition from starkids and young girls like Saara Ali Khan, Ananya Pandey, Suhana Khan and Tara Sutaria.

26

Besides films, Janhvi has always hogged the limelight for her fashion sense and style statements. The young lady has been the favourite of paparazzi, and has been clicked flaunting stylish gym, airport and casual avatars. The actress has also made heads turn with stunning party looks as well.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Madhu and Parthavi fall in love but face opposition from their families due to their differing social status. In a bid to unite, they elope but Parthavi’s father and brother stay on their tail.

WATCH

NOW

The winning team of LUST STORIES unite to tell some spine - chilling tales.

Ghost Stories is an upcoming 2020 Indian anthology horror film, consisting of four short film segments.

Streaming ON Netflix Director: Karan Johar, Dibakar Banerjee, Zoya Akhtar, Anurag Kashyap Starring: Sobhita Dhulipala, Mrunal Thakur, Avinash Tiwary, Janhvi apoor, Surekha Sikri, Raghuvir Yadav, Gulshan Devaiah

Ghost Stories

An unassuming mithai shop owner and single father is set to fulfil his daughter’s dream to study in London. However, certain misadventures lead him and his family on a new quest, which renews their relationships and bonds.

Streaming ON Disney+hotstar

Angrezi Medium

Director: Homi Adajania Starring: Irrfan Khan, Radhika Madan, Deepak Dobriyal

The life of Air Force pilot, Gunjan Saxena, the first Indian female pilot in combat.

Streaming ON Netflix Director: Sharan Sharma Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi

Janhvi

Dhadak

Director: Shashank Khaitan Starring: Ishaan Khatter, Janhvi Kapoor, Ashutosh Rana

CATALOGUE

Streaming ON Amazon Prime, ZEE5

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl 27

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

BEST OF 2020 SO FAR

A DAZZLING

DOZEN Twelve Hindi films that shone amid the Covid-19 gloom

by Saibal Chatterjee

W

hen Irrfan Khan’s final film, Angrezi Medium, hit the screens a month and a half before the much-loved actor’s death, the Covid-19 shadows had already begun to lengthen. It turned out to be the last Bollywood film that Indian audiences saw in a theatre before all screening facilities went into a limbo in the country. Not surprisingly, eight of the 12 films mentioned here went straight to streaming platforms although at least one of them, Yeh Ballet, a Netflix original, dropped when movie halls were still open.

This list has several other salient features. Five of these films are by first-time directors, a like number of these titles have been directed by women, and at least 75 per cent of them have strong female characters dealing with – and usually tiding over – the repercussions of patriarchy and toxic masculinity.

In the midst of a raging debate over nepotism in the industry sparked by Sushant Singh Rajput’s tragic death, something else happened, and it was a whole paradigm shift. Big banners, boxoffice, opening weekends, collection figures, star power and media hoopla went out of the equation, allowing us to sit back and watch cinematic works without letting extraneous factors impact our consumption patterns or our critical judgment, except in the case of Dil Bechara, Rajput’s posthumous release on a streaming platform.

Eight-and-a-half months into what has been a terrible, terrible year, these 12 Hindi films did their bit to dispel some of the gloom.

28

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Manoj Bajpayee, Santosh Juvekar

Streaming ON Sonyliv

Director: Devashish Makhija

Bhonsle

1 29

Director Devashish Makhija’s third film, which premiered in Busan in 2018 and was released on SonyLIV this year, achieves the cinematic equivalent of sharp, painful pin pricks. It employs what might look like standard revenge drama elements to deliver a powerful statement on the sons of the soil-versusoutsiders debate that has been a central theme of Maharashtra politics for decades. A considerable part of the film’s frisson is delivered by lead actor (and co-producer) Manoj Bajpayee. He is astoundingly good as the titular character – a frail, terminally ill, superannuated policeman who finds the strength for one final act of heroism.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Taapsee Pannu

Streaming ON Amazon Prime

Director: Anubhav Sinha

Thappad

2 30

Anubhav Sinha’s Thappad, as topical as the director’s previous two films (Mulk and Article 15) but appreciably less dramatic, is more than just a slap on the face of patriarchy. It is the film that starts an instant conversation. No matter on which side of the divide you are on – you cannot ignore the point that the film makes. A dutiful woman jettisons her own ambitions so that her husband can pursue his. She files for divorce when the man slaps her in the middle of a house party. Her rebellion, accidental but essential, becomes a clarion call whose urgency is accentuated by the film’s mellow but intense tone. TaapseePannu shines as the woman who decides to seek redressal.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Radhika Apte, Shweta Tripathi,

Aditya rivastava, Tigmanshu Dhulia, Gyanendra Tripathi

Streaming ON Netflix Director: Honey Trehan

Raat Akeli Hai

3 31

Raat Akeli Hai, an understated and compelling neo-noir thriller, is a smartly mounted whodunnit directed by first-timer Honey Trehan. Hitchcock meets Chabrol in a Polanski-inspired universe where moral depravity clashes with conflicted ideals. It is a genre film about a policeman determined to nail a killer but it keeps well clear of conventional tropes.

At one level, Raat Akeli Hai is febrile, at another marvelously measured. Sacred Games co-writer Smita Singh’s screenplay yields a riveting murder mystery that probes the ghastly face of patriarchy in a dysfunctional family. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is terrific, so is Radhika Apte.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Julian Sands, Achintya Bose, Manish Chauhan

Streaming ON Netflix

Director: Sooni Taraporevala

Yeh Ballet

4

32

Scripted and helmed by Sooni Taraporevala, Yeh Ballet, a Netflix original film that premiered before the Covid-19 pandemic brought conventional film distribution to a halt, is smartly written and technically solid. The true story-inspired dance movie is bolstered by its two young lead actors – ballet dancer Manish Chauhan and newcomer Achintya Bose. Taraporevala’s first narrative feature since her 2008 directorial debut (Little Zizou) pivots around two Mumbai working-class lads who eye a new life when a crabby ballet master spots them and proceeds to help hone their talent. Deftly orchestrated, the film balances its formal sobriety with the boyish vitality of the two protagonists. The understated Yeh Ballet is a moving rags-to-riches tale that does not miss a step.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, Pankaj Tripathi, Angad Bedi

Streaming ON Netflix

Director: Sharan Sharma

Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl

5

33

Gunjan Saxena – The Kargil Girl, another Netflix original, is scripted by Dangal co-writer Nikhil Mehrotra and directed by debutant Sharan Sharma. Real-life war stories emerging from Bollywood often end up as screechy hyper-nationalistic bilge. This one doesn’t because its emphasis is firmly on a story of a young woman’s struggle to ward off both self-doubt and deeply entrenched male bias as she breaks into the Indian Air Force and becomes the first-ever female combat pilot.

Both on the home front and in her chosen workplace, she is up against challenges that the film presents in a simplified form, which aids it in boosting its emotional quotient. Janhvi Kapoor, at the receiving end of spiteful trolling in the run-up to the film’s OTT premiere, does well enough not to be completely overshadowed by a brilliant-as-ever Pankaj Tripathi.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Tripti Dimri, Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam

Streaming ON Netflix

Director: Anvita Dutt

Bulbbul

6

34

A feminist fable set in dark times and a forbidding space, Bulbbul, produced by Anushka Sharma for Netflix, adroitly breaks away from the norms of the genre. One may quibble about the period and cultural detailing, but the film works because debutante director Anvita Dutt presses the horror genre into the service of a universal story of women wronged in an aristocratic family in 19th century Bengal. Bulbbul, enlivened by superb performances from the principal cast, uses painterly means – the colours vary from the muted to the riotous – to conjure up an evocative palette.It creates a perfect ambience for the unfolding of a story that necessitates instant and willing suspension of disbelief.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Abhay Deol, Yashaswini Dayama, Karanvir Malhotra, Priyanka Bose

Streaming ON Netflix

Director: Megha Ramaswamy

What Are the Odds?

7

35

A quaint take on the highs and lows of growing up, What Are the Odds? is first-time director Megha Ramaswamy’s ode to a city and the joys of youth.

The film takes the audience on a trippy outing into a world where magic seeps into the realms of the real and opens up avenues for innocence (on the wings of its liberating flights of fancy) to express itself in surprising ways. The unique rhythms of the film (enhanced by an apt score by Sagar Desai) and the charm of its young leads, Yashaswini Dayama and Karanvir Malhotra, work wonders. What are the Odds? is an unpretentious little gem that is both upliftingly warm in its celebration of life and refreshingly cleareyed in spotting – and coming to terms with – the thorns strewn on the path to adulthood.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Adil Hussain, Priyanka Bose, Sanjay Suri

Streaming ON ZEE5

Director: Prakash Jha

Pareeksha

8 36

Veteran director Prakash Jha employssteady, to-thepoint methods to highlight the class divide in India’s education sector in a film that benefits enormously from a rock-solid performance from Adil Hussain.

Playing a Ranchi rickshaw-puller determined to give his teenage son the best available education no matter what the odds are, the actor, known to be a purveyor of subtle emotions, changes gears to hit the higher notes of his craft. Scripted by the director himself, Pareeksha renders a familiar narrative in the form of a straightforward melodrama with a clear social message. It attempts a blend of emotionally engaging storytelling with a defined ideational aim. It succeeds.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Deepika Padukone

Streaming ON Disney+hotstar

Director: Meghna Gulzar

Chhapaak

9 37

A landmark film that surmounted obstacles put up naysayers ahead of its release, Chhapaak made quite a splashand deservedly so. Its urgent theme and a strong central performance by Deepika Padukone propel the film well above the ordinary. Director Meghna Gulzar, co-writer writer Atika Chohan and the lead actress work in unison to bring a horrific true story to the big screen. It may not quite be the last word on the subject, but Chhapaak is an undeniably effective portrayal of a woman scarred for life by an acid attack. It is an impressively attentive probe into the masculinity gone awry, a society devoid of empathy and a legal system riddled with inadequacies.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Alaya Furniturewala

Streaming ON Amazon Prime

Director: Nitin Kakkar

10

Jawaani Jaaneman

38

The only film in this “best of the year so far” list that might be described as out-and-out commercial Bollywood fare, Jawaani Jaaneman, directed by Nitin Kakkar, thrives on defiant quirks that help it carve out its own niche. A delightfully cockeyed romp that is both comic and dramatic, it puts a vigorous spin on a father-daughter relationship and navigates it into a space that brims with surprises. Even when it teeters on the edge of self-conscious affectations, the film does not lose its lightness of touch and humorous strain.

Saif Ali Khan, debutante Alaya F and Tabuare in their elements, which ensures that the dramedy, even when it is at its lowest ebb, is never less than intriguing.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Amitabh Bachchan, Ayushmann Khurrana

Streaming ON Amazon Prime

Director: Shoojit Sircar

11

Gulabo Sitabo

39

The narrative is laced with unbridled zaniness, with Amitabh Bachchan rising to the occasion in the role of an avaricious old man out to outwit a young intransigent tenant of his. Gulabo Sitabo, written by Juhi Chaturvedi,is laced with wit and keen sense of place. Director Shoojit Sircar never dilutes the grungy essence of the off-kilter drama, an attribute that keeps the audience guessing until the very end how it will all end for the two bickering men whose sights are set on Lucknow’s century-old Fatima Mahal. The screenplay, which makes no song and dance about its feminist core and lets the male duo have an apparently free run, factors in a trio of women – two young girls and one nonagenarian – who always seem to have the measure of men around them. It is they who hold the strings of the puppets.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

Starring: Kangana Ranaut, Jassi Gill, Richa Chadda, Neena Gupta

Streaming ON Disney+hotstar

Director: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

12

Panga

40

Pangaha’s Kangana Ranaut in the role of a retired kabaddi player who returns to the sport after a longish hiatus. The comeback isn’t obviously a cakewalk. Director Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari tackles the film’s central premise in a sure-footed manner. The intelligently scripted and well-acted sports drama is rooted in the real world and the characters are easy to relate to. Bollywood’s sporting sagas often suffer from lack of authenticity. Panga does not strain credulity. At times Panga might seem a tad sluggish, but, in the ultimate analysis, the film’s deliberate pace does more good than harm to its uncomplicated arc.

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in

41

India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world

www.pickle.co.in