Episodes
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On the season 2 finale of Anything but Bollywood Neha is in the studio with filmmaker, actor, and screenwriter Pushpendra Singh whose films have traveled to the Venice and Berlin international film festivals, and whose directorial venture 'Ashwathama' was screened at the19th Mumbai International film festival. Listen in as he talks about breaking the traditional 3 act structure of a story, how his acting process influenced his filmmaking, adapting folk tales for screen and much more.
00:34 Pushpendra intro
01:04 Starting in Filmmaking/Film screenings at hostel/Barry John & FTII
03:22 Dealing with parents
07:05 Working & assisting Amit Datta
09:33 Assisting Anup Singh
11:23 How acting experiences shape filmmaking
14:07 Lajwanti
17:22 Screenwriting
21:49 Ashwathama/ choosing the protagonist/growing up in a religious atmosphere/
25:21 Chambal
28:54 Portraying with authenticity
31:45 Adapting folk tales, equating art with classical music
34:34 Translating from page to screen
37:41 Working with non-actors
39:21 Creating the look of the film with the DOP
41:15 Approach to sound
42:25 Barometer for success
46:23 Life and filmmaking co-existing
47:22 Distribution/Crowdfunding
50:08 Shift to documentary
52:19 Learning from teaching acting
54:24 Acting exercises
56:04 Advice for actors and directors
57:03 Upcoming projects
59:15 RecommendationWatch the trailer for Lajwanti here: https://youtu.be/k0BDGVF1874
Watch the trailer for Ashwathama here: https://youtu.be/dvsiLhpaXcw
Recommendations:
Neha - Zama (2017, Dir. Lucrecia Martel): https://youtu.be/K8dW6YHINAA
Pushpendra - Nainsukh (2010, Dir. Amit Dutta): https://youtu.be/HueU_YnFwfg
Listen to the Anup Singh episode here: https://bit.ly/2I7iAB7
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak
You can listen to this show and other amazing shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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On this episode of Anything But Bollywood Neha is in the studio with actor Shahnawaz Bhat who starred in the film 'Half Widow' which was screened at the 19th Mumbai International Film Festival. Listen in as Shahnawaz talks about growing up in Kashmir, the lack of opportunities for artists there, and range of experiences working on indies like 'Harud' to a mainstream Bollywood film like 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'.
00:48 Shanawaaz Intro
01:24 How did acting happen?
02:43 Preparation for 'Harud'
05:10 Growing up in Kashmir
08:18 Learning from Aamir Bashir
09:49 Festival experience
11:39 Kashmiri language/audience
16:02 Experience on 'Half-widow'
18:32 Acting & relatability
19:50 Experience on 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan'
22:20 Biding time between roles
24:26 State of filmmaking in Kashmir
26:14 The story of 'disappeared men'
30:01 Has perspective changed?
34:32 Role of art & creativity in Kashmir
35:40 Dealing with fear in a conflict zone
38:40 Ideal roles
40:00 Pointers for directors & actors
42:46 RecommendationCheck out Shahnawaz's body of work here: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3919952/
Here's the trailer for 'Half Widow' : https://youtu.be/k_ITMZMsdwU
You can watch 'Harud' on Netflix: https://www.netflix.com/title/70153553
Shahnawaz's film recommedation: Underground (1995, Dir: Emir Kusturica) https://youtu.be/iKdl5r7_ZPc
(Note: This episode was recorded before the horrific incidents that took place in Kathua in J & K)
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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Missing episodes?
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This week Neha is in the studio with documentary film maker Surabhi Sharma whose film 'Phir Se Samm Pe Aana (Returning to the First Beat)' was screened at the 19th Mumbai film festival. Listen in as Surabhi breaks down how to pursue subjects and premises for a documentary, what are the pros and cons of documentary film vs a fictional film and how her last film 'Bidesiya in Bambai' about bhojpuri music and 'Phir se...' about classical musicians took shape.
00:44 Intro/ accolades for Surabhi's films
01:39 Parentage/pursuing cinema
03:34 Transition to documentary/Jari mari
06:41 Making the 1st film and learning
11:25 Development of "Phir Se Samm Pa Aana"
17:10 Film time vs Real time
21:14 Time to film & edit
22:29 Video art
25:39 How shoots are structured?
29:31 'Bideshiya in Bambai'/Bhojpuri music/finding musicians
38:45 Funding
42:26 Who is the audience?
45:57 Spaces and platforms for documentaries
50:47 Learning about audiences
53:16 Identity as a feminist flmmaker
55:40 Negotiating with a privileged background
56:47 Deciding on an idea
57:49 Looking back at earlier work
59:24 Frustrations as a documentary filmmaker
1:01:25 Learning from students
1:02:22 Advice for filmmmakers
1:03:47 Next film
1:05:07 Relationship with collaborators
1:06:51 RecommendationsRead more about 'Phir Se Samm Pe Aana' here:https://www.mumbaifilmfestival.com/programmeDetail/248
Surabhi's film recommendations:
A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings (2017, Dir: Prateek Vats)https://vimeo.com/208656271
Kho ki pa lü / Up Down and Sideways (2017): https://youtu.be/zJsCbJfICoY
Also listen to the episode with the filmmakers of this film Anushka Meenakshi and Ashwin Srikumar here: https://bit.ly/2Hx7Ewm
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In this episode Neha talks to filmmaker Anup Singh, whose film 'Song of Scorpions' starring Irrfan Khan and Golshifteh Farahani was screened at the 19th Mumbai Film Festival. Listen in as he talks about his inspirations to make film, his method of working with actors, his childhood as a refugee, and his previous film, the much acclaimed 'Qissa'.
01:17 Intro
02:06 Life as a refugee/Watching film at sea
06:28 Cinema as an art form
08:27 Experiences from first film 'Ekti Nadir Naam'
12:37 The crux of 'Qissa'
14:55 Personal history that inspired 'Qissa'
19:32 Making the film in Punjabi/Producer demands/Getting the project off the ground
23:40 Authenticity vs. Experience in fiction
26:18 The importance of being an outsider
29:58 Writing routine
34:09 Preparation for a shoot
35:35 Working with actors/Workshopping
40:29 Collaborations and ego conflicts
41:56 Seeking feedback
42:50 Dealing with failure
43:43 Learning from students
46:36 Next project
47:53 Relationship with Irrfan Khan
49:48 Approach to casting
54:55 Role of music
57:24 RecommendationWatch the trailer for 'Qissa' here: https://youtu.be/ORO6Zp0oHDU
Watch the trailer for 'The Song of Scorpions' here: https://youtu.be/nBNRAiUcxco
Anup's film recommendation - Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011, Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan): https://youtu.be/4jKgHqU1jrs
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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This week on Anything But Bollywood, Neha talks to the Ektara Collective, which is an independent, autonomous, non-funded group. They open up about how they collaborate with trained and untrained people to make films that are content-wise and aesthetically located in people’s subjective, contextual realities and experiences. They also discuss why art needs to be political, especially with the growing right wing fascism in the country.
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak(https://twitter.com/neharthak)
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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Neha talks to filmmaker Karma Takapa from Sikkim, who is creating waves with his film Ralang Road. He talks about how the film's setting played a key role in the plot and how he strives for authenticity.
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak(https://twitter.com/neharthak)
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In this episode Neha talks to documentary filmmakers Anushka Meenakshi and Ashwin Srikumar about their film 'Kho ki pa lü' or 'Up Down and Sideways' which was shot in Phek, Nagaland and explores the musical tradition of the Müle community. It was screened at the 19th Mumbai festival in the 'India Gold' section.
00:25 - Intro: Up, Down and Sideways
01:41 - Starting out in film making
04:17 - Root of the film/House hunting/The gift
08:34 - Learning from travelling
10:50 - Overview of the Müle community
12:31 - Meaning of songs/Translations
16:25 - The 10 minute shot
19:56 - Research process/Anushka's MA in music
22:28 - Ethics
24:18 - Politics of the film & Nagaland
28:36 - Sound design process
31:52 - Finding context in everyday working
34:17 - Larger context of the film
37:04 - Maintaining traditions
39:21 - Dealing with uncertainty
41:48 - Personal challenges
46:41 - Nature of collaboration
48:35 - Choice to be independent filmmakers
50:14 - Archive/Pad.ma
53:47 - Next project
54:10 - Advice for creators
55:30 - RecommendationsWatch the trailer for Kho ki pa lü / Up Down and Sideways here:https://youtu.be/zJsCbJfICoY
Anushka and Ishwar's film recommendation: Rubber Coated Steelhttps://vimeo.com/157655639
Find out about and watch the Padma archives here: https://pad.ma/grid/title
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak(https://twitter.com/neharthak)
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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On the first episode of the second season of Anything but Bollywood, Neha talks to filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan whose film 'Sexy Durga' got rave reviews at festivals but ran into controversy when it's title was changed to 'S Durga' in India.
01:33 - Intro
02:35 - Getting into filmmaking/Law school/Short films
10:24 - Kazcha film society
13:53 - Shooting without a script
18:15 - Casting process
19:38 - Narrative choices
20:38 - Time to shoot/Shot selection
23:01 - "Looped" narrative structure
24:42 - Shoot preparation
25:48 - Power equation
29:24 - Story vs. Film
31:12 - Title censorship
34:11 - Dealing with pressure
35:57 - Re-shoots
37:12 - Role of artists
38:45 - Film recommendationWatch the trailer for 'Sexy Durga' here - https://youtu.be/gTLnpit1VcA
Get more details about the Kazcha film society here: http://www.kazhcha.in/index.html
Sanal's film recommendation: Western (2017, Dir: Valeska Grisebach) - https://youtu.be/p8f8zHDwv_c
For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak
You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the Final episode of the first season of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to director Ashim Ahluwalia, popular for his films "John and Jane", "Miss Lovely" and the upcoming gangster biopic "Daddy".
01:45 - Early Days
07:55 - On "John and Jane"
13:41 - On Form and "Miss Lovely"
20:49 - On Improvising
33:03 - Making "Miss Lovely"
38:14 - Shooting On Film
42:31 - On "Daddy"
56:10 - On being a filmmaker
1:06:03 - Film RecommendationsTrailers
- Daddy
- Miss Lovely
- John and JaneFilm Recommendations
- "Faces" (1968, Dir. John Cassavetes)
- "Drawing Restraint 9" (2005, Dir. Matthew Barney)For any questions or comments find me on twitter
- @neharthakYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the ninth episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to film programmer Deepti D'Cunha, who has programmed and consulted for festivals such as MAMI, Venice International Film Festival and Locarno International Film Festival to name a few.
01:46 - Intro
02:29 - Early Days
11:28 - Osian's Cinefan Film Festival + Mani Kaul
20:32 - On being a Film Programmer
24:34 - On Mentors
29:02 - On selecting an Indian film for Venice International Film Festival
38:51 - On Form vs Narrative
48:44 - On Negotiating with Filmmakers
56:00 - On Distribution
1:07:05 - 'Haider' at Rome
1:12:38 - Advice for Filmmakers
1:17:27 - Final RecommendationFilm Recommendations
- The Battle For Banaras (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXu3XcTwkDM)For any questions or comments find me on twitter
- @neharthak (https://twitter.com/neharthak)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the Eighth episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to producer Guneet Monga, who's brought out the films "Gangs Of Wasseypur", "Shaitan", "The Lunchbox" and "Once UponA Time In Mumbai" to name a few.
01:04 - Intro
01:32 - Early Days
07:12 - "Say Salaam India"
11:50 - Working With Anurag Kashyap
17:27 - Film Festivals
20:02 - "The Lunchbox"
25:05 - Marketing
37:46 - "Trishna" + Cost Cutting
41:31 - "Kavi"
47:59 - On her Parents
55:10 - Film RecommendationsFilm Recommendations
- Mukti Bhawan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A1Sp6-GcmI)
- Captain Fantastic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1kH4OMIOMc)For any questions or comments find me on twitter
- @neharthak (https://twitter.com/neharthak)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the Seventh episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to filmmaker Kamal Swaroop, the director behind the cult classic "Om Dar-Ba-Dar" as well as the documentaries "Rangbhoomi" and "The Battle of Banaras'.
01:19 - Intro
02:07 - Early Influences
08:10 - Working On 'Gandhi'
12:19 - 'Om Dar-b-dar'
22:59 - Sound for 'Om Dar-b-dar'
29:26 - Being a Cult Hit
35:16 - 'Tracing Phalke'
42:33 - 'The Battle of Banaras' and Documentary Filmmaking
56:27 - Film RecommendationsLINKS
- Crowds and PowerFilm Recommendations
- Nazarin (1958)
- Ran (1985)
- Le Quattro Volte (2010)For any questions or comments find me on twitter
- @neharthakYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the Sixth episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to experimental documentary filmmaker Shaina Anand, whose works have been exhibited at the Tate and the Sharjah Biennale (to name a few). She is a founding member of the collaborative artist studio CAMP and the founder of the ongoing pad.ma and indiancine.ma film archives.
01:31 - Intro
01:57 - Early Days
08:10 - Assisting Saeed Mirza
13:34 - "KhirkeeYaan"
22:44 - "The Neighbour Before The House"
31:54 - On Film Distribution
37:18 - On Funding
39:08 - The Pad.ma and Indiancine.ma Film Archives
41:41 - On the Rules of Cinema vs. Measuring Success
52:11 - The Gulf Labor Artist Coalition
59:00 - On the Future of Film and TechnologyLINKS
Public access digital media archive IndianCine.ma Film Archive CAMP website Gulf Labor Artist Coalition "From Gulf to Gulf to gulf" trailerFilm Recommendations
Lipstick Under my BurkaFor any questions or comments find me on twitter
- @neharthak -
In the Fifth episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to actor Kalki Koechlin popular for her roles in films such as “Dev D’, “Shanghai”, “Margarita With A Straw”.and most recently in Konkana Sen Sharma’s “A Death in the Gunj”.
00:32 - Intro, How to Pronounce "Koechlin"
02:18 - Early days, Landing "Dev D"
07:11 - On Theatre, On Identity
09:53 - After Dev D
12:18 - Working on Margarita With A Straw
16:33 - Working with Directors
29:48 - Commercial vs Independent Cinema
32:31 - Being an actor
39:10 - On Success and Growth
46:27 - Future Projects & Film RecommendationsTrailers
A Death In the Gunj Margarita With A Straw Shanghai Dev DFilm Recommendations
Manchester By The Sea A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on ExistenceYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the Fourth episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to Ad filmmaker and entrepreneur Prahlad Kakkar founder of Genesis Film Production Pvt Ltd and popular for his ad campaigns for Maggi sauce (It's Different) and Pepsi (Yehi hai right choice baby).
01:52 - Early Days
08:31 - Maggi Sauce Campaign
22:35 - Pepsi Campaign
28:16 - Working with A-List actors
31:49 - On Advertising
36:58 - On Being an Entrepreneur
45:29 - Film RecommendationsCheck out Prahlad Kakkar's work and Influences....
Pepsi Commercial Maggi Commercial Bombay Dyeing Ad
-The Art Of War by Sun Tzu Murphy's LawFilm Recommendations (trailers)
The Salesman Blade Runner The DuellistsYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the third episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to indie filmmaker and activist Shonali Bose popular for her films "Amu", "Chittagong" and "Margarita with a Straw".
01:30 - "Amu"
08:45 - "Margarita With A Straw"
21:26 - On Censorship
33:51 - On Film Distribution and Test Screenings
47:41 - On Grief
58:16 - On Politics and Art
1:01:58 - Film RecommendationsFilm Recommendations (trailers)
- Mukti Bhawan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1A1Sp6-GcmI)
- Beast Of No Nation (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2xb9Ty-1frw)You can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In the second episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to indie documentary filmmaker and founder of Parodevi Pictures, Paromita Vohra. She is the force behind Agents of Ishq, and has directed films "Unlimited Girls", "Q2P" "Partners In Crime' and "Cosmopolis' to name a few.
02:47 - Early Days + Influences
08:25 - Working with Anand Patwardhan
12:24 - Working in Bombay, Channel V, Soaps, Different Forms
14:09 - "Annapurna"
16:45 - On interviewing for documentary
22:41 - On Feminism, "Unlimited Girls"
39:25 - "Morality TV and The Loving Jihad"
46:43 - On Copyright, "Partners In crime", On Love
53:02 - "Q2P"
1:02:16 - "Cosmopolis", "Forgotten City"
1:05:58 - Funding
1:12:08 - "Connected Hum Tum"
1:21:47 - Moments of Failure
1:28:58 - "Agents Of Ishq"
1:49:21 - Future Projects, Film RecommendationsLINKS
- Follow Paromita Vohra on TWITTER!
- Check out Paromita's FILMS!
- Check out AGENST OF ISHQ!Film Recommendations (trailers)
- Something Like A War by Deepa Dhanraj
- In The Mood For Love by Wong Kar Wai
- Chronicle Of A Summer by Jean Rouche
- Titli by Yash Raj FilmsYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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In this first episode of Anything But Bollywood, Neha RT will be talking to indie director and producer Q, renowned for his films "Gandu", "Tasher Desh" and "Brahman Naman".
01.25 - Early days / Major influences
12.37 - Pitching / "Le Pocha" + "Love In India"
16.24 - "Gandu"
25.54 - "Tasher Desh"
31.58 - Artist and Identity / CBFC
42.06 - Distribution / Technology and Art / Shock in Art
56.24 - "Ludo" / Horror films
1.02.55 - "Brahman Naman"
1.11.34 - Financial Risks / CollaboratorsYou can listen to this show and other awesome shows on the IVM Podcast App on Android: https://goo.gl/tGYdU1 or iOS: https://goo.gl/sZSTU5
You can check out our website at http://www.ivmpodcasts.com/
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Every week, Neha RT sits down to talk to some of India’s best creators and filmmakers about art, cinema, inspiration and pretty much anything but Bollywood!
