Latest news with #MarineLines
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Daniel Craig's Queer to open Kashish film festival's 16th edition tomorrow
Powered by actor Daniel Craig, Luca Guadagnino-directed Queer will open the 16th edition of Kashish Pride Film Festival, Mumbai's annual LGBTQ+ film festival, on June 4. The festival, which boasts of being 'diverse and inclusive with representation of the complete LGBTQ+ spectrum', will roll out an impressive line-up of 152 films from 48 countries. 'Earlier, we used to have lesbian, gay or transgender movies. Now, the other members of the spectrum, including non-binary and intersex people are making movies. So, the festival is more inclusive now,' says Sridhar Rangayan, the festival's founder director. Its closing film, 'Close To You', features transgender actor Elliot Page in the lead. The festival's opening ceremony will be held at Bandra's St Andrews Auditorium while the screenings will be held at Cinepolis, Andheri West, from June 4-8. It will also hold screenings at Alliance Francaise, Marine Lines, from June 5 to 8. Some of the major films selected for the festival include Shyam Benegal's 'Mandi', Onir's 'We Are Faheem & Karun', Dutch film 'Out' and 'Odd Fish', which is set in an Icelandic township. Director Deborah Alice Craig's 'Sally!', Mikko Mäkelä's 'Sebastian', Emanuel Parvu's 'Three Kilometers to the End of the World', Patricia Ryczko's 'Reset', and Marcelo Caetano's Baby are the other top picks. 'As the festival turns 16, the programming has become more dynamic. A number of films talk about queer parents and parenting challenges. We also have South Asian countries, such as Myanmar and Bhutan, participating this year,' says Saagar Gupta, the festival's artistic director. While holding the festival for 16 years has been a fulfilling experience, the team has also been dealing with several challenges. 'Across the world, it has become financially challenging to hold a film festival. Donald Trump's anti-LGBTQ+ stand and the UK's trans-phobic policies have made it even more difficult for us. We are supported by the diversity and inclusion budget of corporate companies in India. It's becoming tough to access that,' says Rangayan. Recounting the journey of Kashish, Rangayan shares that in April 2010, its inaugural edition was held at PVR, Juhu, with the aim of creating a 'mainstream space' where the members of queer community as well as their allies could mingle. 'During the pre-Kashish period, we had held screenings of queer films at National College, Bandra, and British Council or Alliance Française. The 2009 Delhi High Court verdict (which decriminalised homosexual acts), gave us the impetus to organise a festival that's more mainstream in nature,' he recalls and adds that it is the first Indian LGBTQ+ festival to be held with approval by the Information & Broadcasting Ministry. Apart from creating a mainstream feel, the festival's aim has been to provide a big-screen experience to delegates as well as make sure they enjoy watching queer movies with their partners, friends and family without 'a sense of shame or guilt', says Rangayan. The festival moved Liberty Cinema in 2014 to accommodate a large number of delegates. This year, the first phase of the festival is being held at Cinepolis and Rangayan hopes it will draw youngsters to the screenings there. The festival schedule and other details can be found at
Hindustan Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Sunny Singh: For me, chai is a stress buster, a conversation starter
For actor Sunny Singh, chai is more than just a beverage — it's a "comfort drink". On International Tea Day today, the 39-year-old tells us about his love for chai, calling it a 'stress buster' and a 'conversation starter'. 'Chai makes you feel relaxed. Whether you're working, talking to your friends at a get-together, or on a staycation somewhere in the hills, chai can be a conversation starter kyuki chai pe charcha hoti hi hai. It's amazing how people come together, even those who don't know each other sometimes end up becoming friends over a cup of chai,' he says. Sunny's first memory of having chai goes back to his teenage years, during a family wedding in Punjab. He recalls, 'The first time I had chai was when I was around 16. I was in Jalandhar, attending a cousin's wedding. We were all staying together in a house — multiple families. I remember having gud wali chai (jaggery tea), and I loved it so much I had some four cups, maybe even more, in a day. It became almost like an addiction. Even now, while shooting, after lunch I always have tea with gud.' Ask him about his perfect cup of tea and he shares, "Masala chai is my favourite — milk, elaichi, adrak with some gud. I love it even more if it is served in a kulhar (earthenware cup)," adding, "Also, whenever I go on long drives, I always stop and have cutting chai. There's nothing like the dhaba wali chai.' Reflecting on one of his most cherished memories, Sunny shares: 'In 2003, my friends and I were selected for a photoshoot. I got ₹2000 for that modelling assignment. It was my first pay check. With that, we went to Marine Lines (in Mumbai), had tea, bun and snacks. I saved whatever was left from the money. That's a memory I still hold on to.' Recalling his experience during the shoot of Wild Wild Punjab (2024), Sunny shares how the entire team bonded over chai: 'We were in Chandigarh, and it was winter. All of us — me, (actors) Patralekhaa, Varun Sharma, Jassie Gill, Manjot Singh, Ishita Raj, and the director (Simarpreet Singh) — we used to shoot at night. After wrapping up, we'd all sit together, have chai, each demanding chai with a variation of their own, around a bonfire. We'd chat, joke, laugh — it became a ritual. Then we'd go back to shooting. It was such a beautiful experience. Those moments — sharing laughs, stories, and chai — were beautiful.'
