India's Hindi-language film industry has traditionally been a tight-knit affair, with generations of actors, producers and directors forging careers in what was effectively a family business.
But a number of 'new wave' directors are now breaking the mould, making their mark on audiences despite not having the benefit of an established 'name' behind them.
Among them is Imtiaz Ali, who was an unknown when he came to India's entertainment capital, Mumbai, from northern Bihar state to study film directing in 1995.
Others include R. Balakrishnan, a former advertising executive known as 'Balki", and Anurag Kashyap, the son of a state electricity worker.
Balki is working on his second film, 'Pa", with Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan, while fellow newcomer Anurag Basu, famous for the dark 'Life... in a Metro", is directing 'Kites' starring Hrithik Roshan and Barbara Moi.
Ali's third film, 'Love Aaj Kal' (Love Today), hits screens on Friday, with expectations that it will eclipse the success of his 'Jab We Met' (When We Met), which came out two years ago.
The 38-year-old has broken through, despite the continued dominance of powerful Bollywood clans like the Bachchans, the Dutts, the Khans and the Kapoors. Yet he denies the industry is a closed shop.
'Our film industry has always been open to outsiders. You are welcome and it does not matter who you are if you have the talent,' he said.
'After all, many of the big directors of today were outsiders in the industry when they began their career.'
Directors like himself who have shunned the traditional song and dance 'masala' movie format for more experimental, lower-budget movies, are not doing anything radically different from others in previous generations, he added.
'If you look at the history of our film industry, you will find that every decade a group of new directors came and shook the industry with their new kind of films,' he said.
'In the 1970s, it was Ramesh Sippy with 'Sholay' then in the 1990s it was Aditya Chopra with 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge' making a love story.'
He added: 'You can say we are following that trend. The most important point is that you need to be convincing enough. Producers need to be convinced that when they put their money in they will get it back from your film.'
Kashyap landed in Mumbai in 1993, starting his career as a scriptwriter before moving into directing, fulfilling an ambition that began when he saw the classic Italian film 'The Bicycle Thieves' as a child.
The 37-year-old's first film in 2004, 'Black Friday", was about the 1993 serial bomb attacks in Mumbai. It was one of a number at the time to shun romance, music and fantasy to tackle more contemporary issues.
His follow-up, 'No Smoking", flopped but 'Dev D", his remake of the classic Indian novel and film 'Devdas", about an obsessive lover, stormed to the top of the box office rankings earlier this year.
With Bollywood suffering the fall-out of the global economic downturn and recovering from a damaging producers' boycott of multiplex cinemas, Kashyap is optimistic that there will be a raft of more innovative movies.
'I firmly believe that this year will be the golden year of Bollywood. The new wave cinema will go mainstream and you will see the change for sure,' he said.link
Wednesday 29 July 2009
Govt gears up to promote Bihari food products
Chief minister Nitish Kumar has a dream that Bihari food products should find place on every dinning table of the country. This was stated by principal secretary of industry A K Sinha at the `International Summit-cum-Exhibition on Food Processing and Agribusiness' being held at New Delhi.
While interacting with the participants, Sinha said that the government has geared up to achieve that. He said that the industry department has so far undertaken five road shows in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Begusarai and Kolkata for highlighting the strong areas of food processing to different investors.
Sinha mentioned the new schemes launched by the Bihar government and stressed that the National Commission for Farmers has dubbed Bihar the `sleeping giant' of Indian agriculture. He said that Bihar produces 50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy and 20 lakh metric tonnes of maize. He also pointed out that Bihar was the third largest producer of vegetables and seventh largest producer of fruits. He said that 75 per cent of the litchi is produced in Bihar and there are 10 lakh metric tonnes of banana and 20 lakh metric tonnes of `makhana' produced in the state.
Sinha said that Bihar has massive opportunities for rice-based industry like modern rice milling and husk-based power plants and it is the largest market for milled rice. He also pointed towards the potentiality of maize-based industry such as starch, poultry feed, corn oil and flakes and flour units. He said that the state has decided to develop two integrated food zones and food parks and would set up 100 rural agribusiness centres.
He also spoke about the enabling factors -- Bihar is the first state in the country to prepare a vision document and has come out with a very attractive policy package. He said that the state has launched two major schemes for investment in food processing sector. The first provides capital grant up to 40 per cent of the project cost, the maximum being Rs 10 crore. The second scheme for food parks provides a capital grant up to 20 per cent, maximum Rs 15 crore.link
While interacting with the participants, Sinha said that the government has geared up to achieve that. He said that the industry department has so far undertaken five road shows in Patna, Muzaffarpur, Bhagalpur, Begusarai and Kolkata for highlighting the strong areas of food processing to different investors.
Sinha mentioned the new schemes launched by the Bihar government and stressed that the National Commission for Farmers has dubbed Bihar the `sleeping giant' of Indian agriculture. He said that Bihar produces 50 lakh metric tonnes of paddy and 20 lakh metric tonnes of maize. He also pointed out that Bihar was the third largest producer of vegetables and seventh largest producer of fruits. He said that 75 per cent of the litchi is produced in Bihar and there are 10 lakh metric tonnes of banana and 20 lakh metric tonnes of `makhana' produced in the state.
Sinha said that Bihar has massive opportunities for rice-based industry like modern rice milling and husk-based power plants and it is the largest market for milled rice. He also pointed towards the potentiality of maize-based industry such as starch, poultry feed, corn oil and flakes and flour units. He said that the state has decided to develop two integrated food zones and food parks and would set up 100 rural agribusiness centres.
He also spoke about the enabling factors -- Bihar is the first state in the country to prepare a vision document and has come out with a very attractive policy package. He said that the state has launched two major schemes for investment in food processing sector. The first provides capital grant up to 40 per cent of the project cost, the maximum being Rs 10 crore. The second scheme for food parks provides a capital grant up to 20 per cent, maximum Rs 15 crore.link
Police Academy to come up at Rajgir
The Bihar government on Tuesday decided to transfer 136 acres of land acquired in Rajgir to police department for construction of Bihar Police Academy for imparting training to police official appointed in junior grade, sources said.
In another decision, the state cabinet which met here under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar last evening, raised the diesel subsidy to Rs 450 per hectare from Rs 350 per hectare as announced earlier in the wake of drought-like situation.
The cabinet also earmarked Rs 50 crore for seeds subsidy in view of the drought situation.
The government also decided to impose four per cent vat on Makhana and one per cent on Rajma.link
Radiologists in Bihar Govt. Hospitals Go Hi-tech
Radiologists in government hospitals in Bihar will now be able to access patient reports online.
As a part of its e-government initiative, the Bihar government has asked Pune based Sadhna Group and Medsynaptic to connect diagnostic imaging centers and government hospitals to a central server. The project is expected to go live in six months.
Once completed, the project will allow both patients and radiologists to view reports online. The system will transfer images to a central server. Once the server gets the images, radiologists can interpret scans and revert immediately with reports.
Medsynaptic,which has been chosen as the Teleradiology/PACS solution provider for the same, has already commenced implementation and connected two sites, according to a press release. A software will provide advanced tools to radiologists to interpret scans and provide accurate diagnosis in a speedy manner. The system will also allow second opinion from radiologists in any part of the world, thus enabling best health care to the poor and needy people of the state.
The Healthcare division, Sadhna Healthline, bagged the tender to set up 15 ultra-modern diagnostic centres. All facilities including CT scanners, digital X-ray, MRI, ECG, ultrasound and pathology services will be installed.link
As a part of its e-government initiative, the Bihar government has asked Pune based Sadhna Group and Medsynaptic to connect diagnostic imaging centers and government hospitals to a central server. The project is expected to go live in six months.
Once completed, the project will allow both patients and radiologists to view reports online. The system will transfer images to a central server. Once the server gets the images, radiologists can interpret scans and revert immediately with reports.
Medsynaptic,which has been chosen as the Teleradiology/PACS solution provider for the same, has already commenced implementation and connected two sites, according to a press release. A software will provide advanced tools to radiologists to interpret scans and provide accurate diagnosis in a speedy manner. The system will also allow second opinion from radiologists in any part of the world, thus enabling best health care to the poor and needy people of the state.
The Healthcare division, Sadhna Healthline, bagged the tender to set up 15 ultra-modern diagnostic centres. All facilities including CT scanners, digital X-ray, MRI, ECG, ultrasound and pathology services will be installed.link
Tuesday 28 July 2009
Prasan Sinha's movie makes it to Cannes
Bihari filmmaker Prasan Sinha's first Hindi digital feature film, `Kismet Ek Anokha Mor', was well received at the 62nd Cannes
Film Festival.
Sinha, who hails from Muzaffarpur in Bihar and shifted to Delhi a decade ago, shot the movie
in digital format in Tikli village in Aravali hills in Haryana in 14 days. The medium-budget film was premiered in the India Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival- 2009 on May 16.
Film celebrities like Sharmila Tagore, Subhash Ghai, Rakesh Roshan and Jugmohan Mundra were present during the show. He said the movie would also be screened at Dubai Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. It would be the opening film in the digital section of International Film Festival of India in Goa.
Having over 25 years of working experience in filmmaking with eminent filmmakers like Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Sinha has so far directed 45 documentary films, 25 corporate films, 10 ad films and more than 365 episodes of various TV serials. Sinha's directorial venture was `Sab Golmaal Hai' for DD metro.
"We have made an attempt to introduce a new concept in filmmaking which is of low budget and does away with the menace of piracy," Sinha said.
The film, produced by Abhay Yadav, is based in rural India and gives the message of self-employment. All the actors of the film have worked in rural theatre.
"Digital format shoot brings down the production cost by 40-50%," Sinha said and added some parts of Slumdog Millionaire were also shot in the digital format.
Talking about his upcoming movie `My Dear Brother-in-Law', Sinha said it's a comedy depicting a middle class family of a village and their old value system.link
Film Festival.
Sinha, who hails from Muzaffarpur in Bihar and shifted to Delhi a decade ago, shot the movie
in digital format in Tikli village in Aravali hills in Haryana in 14 days. The medium-budget film was premiered in the India Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival- 2009 on May 16.
Film celebrities like Sharmila Tagore, Subhash Ghai, Rakesh Roshan and Jugmohan Mundra were present during the show. He said the movie would also be screened at Dubai Film Festival and Venice Film Festival. It would be the opening film in the digital section of International Film Festival of India in Goa.
Having over 25 years of working experience in filmmaking with eminent filmmakers like Saeed Akhtar Mirza, Sinha has so far directed 45 documentary films, 25 corporate films, 10 ad films and more than 365 episodes of various TV serials. Sinha's directorial venture was `Sab Golmaal Hai' for DD metro.
"We have made an attempt to introduce a new concept in filmmaking which is of low budget and does away with the menace of piracy," Sinha said.
The film, produced by Abhay Yadav, is based in rural India and gives the message of self-employment. All the actors of the film have worked in rural theatre.
"Digital format shoot brings down the production cost by 40-50%," Sinha said and added some parts of Slumdog Millionaire were also shot in the digital format.
Talking about his upcoming movie `My Dear Brother-in-Law', Sinha said it's a comedy depicting a middle class family of a village and their old value system.link
mother threw her newborn daughter
In a shocking incident, a 22-year-old mother threw her newborn daughter out of the first floor window of a residential building in the Watgunge police station area on Tuesday, allegedly thinking it to be stillborn.
The police said the woman was working as a domestic help and gave birth to the child at her employer’s toilet.
Sabnam, who is from Samastipur in Bihar, began working for a businessman, Md Zahid, two months ago. The police said, as per her employer’s statement she had not informed him or his family members about her pregnancy. Sabnam was ill and very thin and as she wore a burqa all the times, they did not realise she was pregnant, Zahid’s statement said.
Local residents who noticed a newborn lying on the street in front of Zahid’s house informed the police. During preliminary investigation it was revealed that Sabnam gave birth to the child inside a toilet. She panicked after the baby was born and hurled the baby out of the toilet window, the police said.
During questioning, Sabnam claimed that she had given birth to a still-born baby. As she was apprehensive that she might lose her job if the matter came to light, she threw the baby. A senior officer said the woman was so ill that she had to be admitted to Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. The baby’s body has been sent for postmortem to verify if it was stillborn.During questioning, Sabnam claimed that she had given birth to a still-born baby. As she was apprehensive that she might lose her job if the matter came to light, she threw the baby. A senior officer said the woman was so ill that she had to be admitted to Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. The baby’s body has been sent for postmortem to verify if it was stillborn.link
The police said the woman was working as a domestic help and gave birth to the child at her employer’s toilet.
Sabnam, who is from Samastipur in Bihar, began working for a businessman, Md Zahid, two months ago. The police said, as per her employer’s statement she had not informed him or his family members about her pregnancy. Sabnam was ill and very thin and as she wore a burqa all the times, they did not realise she was pregnant, Zahid’s statement said.
Local residents who noticed a newborn lying on the street in front of Zahid’s house informed the police. During preliminary investigation it was revealed that Sabnam gave birth to the child inside a toilet. She panicked after the baby was born and hurled the baby out of the toilet window, the police said.
During questioning, Sabnam claimed that she had given birth to a still-born baby. As she was apprehensive that she might lose her job if the matter came to light, she threw the baby. A senior officer said the woman was so ill that she had to be admitted to Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. The baby’s body has been sent for postmortem to verify if it was stillborn.During questioning, Sabnam claimed that she had given birth to a still-born baby. As she was apprehensive that she might lose her job if the matter came to light, she threw the baby. A senior officer said the woman was so ill that she had to be admitted to Sambhunath Pandit Hospital. The baby’s body has been sent for postmortem to verify if it was stillborn.link
Monday 27 July 2009
Former Bihar minister Madan Prasad Singh died
Former Bihar minister and senior Congress leader Madan Prasad Singh died after a protracted illness at a hospital in Bhagalpur town today. He was 76.
Expressing profound shock and grief at the demise of Singh, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said his mortal remains would be consigned to flames with a full state honour at Naugachhia in Bhagalpur district tomorrow.
Several state ministers condoled his death.link
Expressing profound shock and grief at the demise of Singh, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said his mortal remains would be consigned to flames with a full state honour at Naugachhia in Bhagalpur district tomorrow.
Several state ministers condoled his death.link
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