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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Payal Kapadia: ‘Neeraj Ghaywan's Masaan is a moment in Indian cinema'
When Neeraj Ghaywan-directed Masaan created a buzz by winning two awards — FIPRESCI award and the Promising Future prize in the Un Certain Regard section — at the Cannes Film Festival, 2015, director Payal Kapadia, then a student of Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, candidly recalls her initial reaction to the film's success, marked by what she termed 'film school arrogance' and skepticism. 'Is Masaan really that good? We wondered. However, after watching it, I was moved by the way Masaan talked about caste and gender. Masaan is a moment in Indian cinema,' she said. Kapadia, the writer-director of Cannes-winner All We Imagine As Light (2024), was in conversation with Ghaywan after a special screening organised by Versova Homage Screenings (VHS) on Thursday evening as Masaan turns 10. Talking about Masaan's significance in Indian cinema, she said: 'It is not often that you see characters in Hindi cinema that (give the impression) we might have met them at some point or capture feelings that we must have experienced at some point in our lives. That's why Masaan is both universal and specific to a particular place. There are so many themes in the film. As cinema students, we were inspired by how this film had used a unique cinematic language — long takes and off-screen sound — in the mainstream space.' A compelling exploration of themes of love, loss, caste, guilt, and ambition, Masaan parallelly follows the stories of its lead characters — Devi (essayed by Richa Chadha) and Deepak (Vicky Kaushal). Ghaywan's initial idea was to explore the story of a man who works at a ghat and can't muster enough courage to speak to a woman he is drawn to. 'Later on, I developed a couple of other tracks. The concept of two people, who were slowly navigating towards each other, completely oblivious of their journeys ending together, was always there.' says Ghaywan. The special screening of Masaan was organised by Versova Homage Screenings (VHS), a community viewing platform created by two brothers, writer-director Rohan K Mehta and actor Prayrak Mehta. They started VHS in April 2024 with the screening of Avinash Arun-directed Killa (2014) and this was their 25th screening. For Payal Kapadia, one of the powerful scenes of Masaan is the ending, when Devi and Deepak meet at a ghat in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) and go on a boat tour of Sangam, which is the confluence of rivers: the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati. 'The ending is powerful. It is about two people who don't know each other and have impacted each other. It goes so well with the metaphor of Sangam of the rivers,' she said. In response, Ghaywan said he always wants to end a story with hope. 'That was also the last shot that we took as the sun was about to set.' Masaan, which boasts of an impressive ensemble cast, features Shweta Tripathi, Sanjay Mishra and Pankaj Tripathi. When Kapadia mentioned how 'its characters are complex', Ghaywan said, 'I don't like unidimensional characters who are honest and sincere. As humans, we are flawed.' Ghaywan's second feature Homebound premiered at Cannes Film Festival's 'Un Certain Regard' section and will be screened at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September. Also Read | Vicky Kaushal was ridiculed after he was cast as lead in Masaan, says casting director Mukesh Chhabra: 'Kisko hero le liya' Even though a decade has passed since its release, Masaan still stands out for its magnificent use of music and Hindi poetry. 'For Masaan, I wanted a different kind of music. The inspiration was Udaan, which used rock music in a coming-of-age film so beautifully,' he said. The songs of Masaan were composed by Indian Ocean and the lyrics were written by Varun Grover, who also wrote its screenplay. The script deftly weaves references to Urdu & Hindi poets such as Akbar Allahabadi, Basheer Badr, Mirza Ghalib, Dushyant Kumar and Nida Fazli.
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Projects Produced by Alia Bhatt, Payal Kapadia & Kani Kusruti In Busan's APM 2025 Line-up
Busan International Film Festival (BIFF) has annouced the 30 projects selected for this year's Asian Project Market, including two projects produced by high-profile Indian actresses. The line-up includes Difficult Daughters, directed by Soni Razdan, which is being produced by Alia Bhatt and her sister Shaheen Bhatt, along with veteran Indian indie producer Alan McAlex (Santosh). More from Deadline Busan International Film Festival Launches Competition Section; Overhauls Programming Team Busan Film Festival Confirms Jung Hanseok As Festival Director 'Kingdom Of The Insomniacs' Wins Busan Award At Asian Project Market Kani Kusruti, who starred in Cannes Palme d'Or winning film All We Imagine As Light, is teaming with the director of that film, Payal Kapadia, to produce The Last Of Them Plagues, directed by Kunjila Mascillamani. Kusruti attended BIFF last year as a jury member for the New Currents competition. Elsewhere, the line-up includes several other filmmakers with ties to BIFF, including Indian director Pradip Kurbah, recipient of the 2019 Jiseok Award, with new project Moon; Bangladeshi filmmaker Biplob Sarkar, previously invited to BIFF New Currents and returning with LGBTQ+-themed The Magical Men; and Malaysia's Lau Kok Rui from the BIFF 2022 Asian Film Academy, who is presenting Wake Me up When the Mourning Ends, with Soi Cheang, Stefano Centini and Wong Kew Soon on board as producers. The line-up also features five Chinese-language projects, with three from Taiwan focusing on female protagonists. Japan is represented by three projects from established directors Shiraishi Kazuya, Fujita Naoya and Zhang Yaoyuan, with stories revolving around the realities of foreign laborers, a reclusive woman's struggle for identity, and a multifaceted view of what Japanese youth face today. Seven Korean projects have also been selected from both emerging and mid-career directors, including Gilddong from Park Riwoong, who won the New Currents Award at BIFF 2024 for The Land Of Morning Calm; Arrival Of Water from Jo Heeyoung; Dance Dance Revolution by director Choi Hana (More Than Family); and The Descent by director Kim Hyoeun following her BIFF 2024 invitation for Tango At Dawn. Asian Project Market (APM) will be held for four days from September 20-23 during the 20th edition of the Asian Contents & Film Market at BEXCO. ASIAN PROJECT MARKET 2025: *Supported by ACF Script Development Fund Arrival Of Water (Korea, Japan)Dir: Jo HeeyoungProd: Park Sejin Black Star Angel* (Armenia, US)Dir: Christine HaroutounianProd: Maxwell Schwartz, Christine Haroutounian Bodoi (Japan)Dir: Shiraishi KazuyaProd: Kii Muneyuki Buy My Car (Japan, China)Dir: Zhang YaoyuanProd: Ichiyama Shozo, Kunizane Mizue, Mo Zhulin Churching Of Women (Jordan)Dir: Darin SallamProd: Deema Azar, Ayah Jardaneh Dance Dance Revolution (Korea)Dir: Choi HanaProd: An Boyoung The Daughter (Hong Kong, China)Dir: Guan TianProd: Vivian Bao, Ding Ningyuan The Descent (Korea)Dir: Kim HyoeunProd: Park Hyunsuk Difficult Daughters (India)Dir: Soni RazdanProd: Alia Bhatt, Shaheen Bhatt, Alan Mcalex, Grishma Shah Disorder (Iraq, Germany)Dir: Shawkat Amin KorkiProd: Mehmet Aktas, Shohreh Golparian, Shawkat Amin Korki Flying Cows (Vietnam)Dir: Nguyen Pham Thanh DatProd: Nguyen Huu Thi Tuong Vi The Funeral March (Japan, China)Dir: Fujita NaoyaProd: Fujita Kanako, Shiina Yasushi, Zou Aiken, Zou Lin Gilddong (Korea, China)Dir: Park RiwoongProd: Yoon Minyoung Gochi (Korea)Dir: Yoon EunkyoungProd: Stanley Kwak Heaven Help Us!* (Philippines)Dir: Eve BaswelProd: John Torres, Jules Katanyag Lanka (The Fire) (India)Dir: Saurav RaiProd: Sudeepta Sadhukhan, Viraj Selot, Ankita Purkayastha The Last Of Them Plagues (India)Dir: Kunjila MascillamaniProd: Payal Kapadia, Jeo Baby, Kani Kusruti Lost And Cow (Thailand)Dir: Thapanee LoosuwanProd: Chonlasit Upanigkit, Somprasong Srikrajang The Magical Men (Bangladesh, Singapore, France, India)Dir: Biplob SarkarProd: Biplob Sarkar, Fran Borgia, Francois d'Artemare, Sankhajit Biswas Moon (India)Dir: Pradip KurbahProd: Pradip Kurbah New Life* (China)Dir: Li YingtongProd: Annie Song No Country For Old Men (Taiwan)Dir: An BonProd: Chen Pao-Ying Paradis Karaoke (Korea)Dir: Byun SungbinProd: Bong Suji Sama (Canada, Afghanistan)Dir: Brishkay AhmedProd: Brishkay Ahmed, Bonnie Do Silence Of The Looms (Bangladesh)Dir: Mirza Shabnam FerdousiProd: Rajib Mohajan Silent Cry (Korea)Dir: Jero YunProd: Jero Yun The Skull Oracle (Taiwan)Dir: Laha MebowProd: Eric Liang Zara Lin, Chen Yi Chen Snake In The Dreamscapes (Taiwan)Dir: Lou Yi-AnProd: Chen Wen Wen, Kao Chun Ting, Hsu Guo-Lun Stuck Like Babies (Kyrgyzstan)Dir: Dastan Zhapar RyskeldiProd: Veronica Rhyme, Aktan Ryskeldiev, Fernanda Renno Wake Me Up When The Mourning Ends (Malaysia, Hong Kong, Italy, Taiwan)Dir: Lau Kok RuiProd: Soi Cheang, Stefano Centini, Wong Kew Soon Best of Deadline Streamer Subscription Prices And Tiers – Everything To Know As Costs Rise And Ads Abound (Hello, Peacock) - Update 'Stick' Release Guide: When Do New Episodes Come Out? 'Stick' Soundtrack: All The Songs You'll Hear In The Apple TV+ Golf Series
Broadcast Pro
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Broadcast Pro
CineMart calls for project submissions for 43rd edition
The upcoming edition will mark the introduction of CineMart x HBF, a new official strand spotlighting Hubert Bals Fund-supported projects. CineMart, the co-production market of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), has opened project submissions for its 43rd edition, which will be held during the 55th IFFR from January 29 to February 8, 2026. The upcoming edition will debut a new strand titled CineMart x HBF, designed to highlight projects supported by the Hubert Bals Fund (HBF), further reinforcing the festival's commitment to fostering original storytelling and nurturing emerging talent. As CineMart continues to evolve and expand, applicants are encouraged to note changes to the submission process. This includes a tiered fee structure aimed at accommodating the growing volume of entries and the resources required to evaluate them. The standard and late submission deadlines are set for August 21 and August 27, respectively. Priority will be given to projects making their first market presentation at Rotterdam, emphasising the market's role as a launchpad for bold new voices in cinema. The CineMart x HBF initiative seeks to strengthen the relationship between IFFR's funding and market activities, offering an integrated path for previously supported HBF projects. Recent successes such as Gabriel Mascaro's The Blue Trail and Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine as Light underscore the potential impact of this synergy, both having benefited from HBF support and CineMart exposure en route to international acclaim. CineMart 2026 will also continue to embrace immersive media storytelling, inviting submissions from projects in development that seek funding or co-production partners. Recent immersive works presented at CineMart have gone on to receive international recognition, including Duchampiana by Lilian Hess and The World Came Flooding In by Isobel Knowles and Van Sowerwine. Project teams that have previously received Hubert Bals Fund support are encouraged to contact CineMart directly for tailored guidance on how to apply. The 2026 edition aims to deliver a tightly curated selection of standout projects, offering a platform for artistic innovation and global collaboration at a critical stage of development.
Indian Express
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Daily Briefing: Three issues, three more papers – SC to EC on Bihar roll revision
Good morning! Something remarkable is happening at Wular Lake in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora, and it's a sight to behold – a sea of pink lotuses, all in full bloom. The idyllic lake, surrounded by the misty Harmukh mountains, is once again home to the flowers, 30 years after a devastating flood completely wiped them out. The credit goes to the Wular Conservation and Management Authority, which had begun clearing silt deposits from the flood. We have some news for you: SCREEN Academy is now official! The Indian Express Group and SCREEN announced the launch of the not-for-profit initiative. The members on board so far include Cannes and Oscar winners, Guneet Monga, Payal Kapadia, and veteran screenwriter Anjum Rajabali, among others. Together with India's top film institutes, the Academy will set out to identify and empower the next generation of filmmakers. 'Give reasons': The Supreme Court declined to restrain the Election Commission of India from proceeding with the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, which has left people scrambling for documents. It suggested that the poll panel consider three other documents – Aadhaar, voter ID and ration cards – to update the rolls. 'If you have good reasons to discard it, discard it' but 'give reasons', said the vacation bench hearing pleas challenging the EC exercise ahead of the Assembly polls. The three papers: Our ongoing series from the ground in Bihar shows that the newly suggested documents are ones most families have, mainly because they are far more widely accessible. Of the three, Aadhaar and Election ID cards are nearly ubiquitous in the state, with ration cards available to two-thirds of the population. As of Thursday evening, the EC had not yet decided on the apex court's suggestion. The three issues: The SC bench also flagged three key issues to the poll panel. These include the EC's power to check voters' citizenship, the importance of due process and procedure during the revision, and the timing of the revision itself. 🎧To further understand the SC's response, tune in to today's episode of the 3 Things podcast. Agents on ground: Since the SIR began on June 25, all parties have shown a steep increase in workers enrolled as Booth Level Agents (BLAs) to carry out the enrolment exercise. But the rise is sharper among Opposition parties with the hope that the outreach will pay off in the coming polls. Remember Norman Borlaug? The legendary agricultural scientist who guided India's Green Revolution through his high-yielding, semi-dwarf wheat varieties. That was six decades ago, and today, his organisation – the Mexico-headquartered International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre or CIMMYT – is reaching out to the Indian government and the private sector. It is seeking financial support for its breeding research and development programme. The reason: A resource crunch brought about by various global factors, including the shutdown of its largest funder, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), by the Trump administration, officially from July 1. UK or France? Upon the government's request, the Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) must take a call to join hands either with Britain's Rolls-Royce or France's Safran to co-develop aircraft engines. This is India's attempt to acquire expertise on the 'constraining factor' for the defence forces. Now, an official in the know told The Indian Express that both the companies have offered to collaborate with DRDO's Bengaluru-based Gas Turbine Research Establishment lab. In focus: In the latest development on the global trade front, Trump slapped a 35 per cent tariff on Canada, effective August 1. In his letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, he said the tariff hike was a unilateral decision and warned of future increases if Ottawa retaliates. For India, the extended deadline remains a window for negotiations. The last round of talks on an interim trade agreement on goods was held on July 4. India's trade negotiators will likely leave for Washington next week to iron out pending issues, focusing on agriculture and auto sector tariffs. 1,340 cricket balls for Rs 1 crore — Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) president A Jagan Mohan Rao, in collusion with others, allegedly 'misappropriated' funds like this. The Telangana Crime Investigation Department's FIR further states a total of six heads, including air conditioners, sports apparel and plumbing, via which the 'scam' of at least Rs 2.32 crore was carried out. 'Rightful home': Tribal women from Sitatola in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli have come together to end the centuries-old practice of isolating themselves in menstruation huts or 'kurma ghars'. They now head to a collectively built space called mawa askan lon, which translates from the Madia dialect as 'our rightful home as women'. The structure, part of an initiative led by Sparsh, a Gadchiroli-based NGO, serves as a shelter and a community centre for support groups. 'I guess my best chances maybe are Wimbledon, you know, to win another slam' – This is what Novak Djokovic said a little over a month ago, following a straight-sets loss to World No. 1, Jannik Sinner, at the French Open. He will have the opportunity to confirm his telling this week. The Serb is in the semifinals of Wimbledon again and up against him will be Sinner once more, in a highly anticipated encounter on Centre Court on Friday. Until tomorrow, Vibha Vibha B Madhava is a sub-editor at the news desk for She is interested in writing about gender, culture and politics of ableism. Having specialised in digital journalism, she is keen to explore various forms of interactive, multimedia storytelling. Apart from that, she also likes to experiment with social media. Qualification, Degrees/other achievements: Bachelor's degree in Media and Communication from Manipal Institute of Communication, Manipal Academy of Higher Education. PG Diploma in Integrated Multimedia Journalism from Asian College of Journalism, Chennai. With The Indian Express, this is Vibha's first stint in pursuing journalism in a full-time capacity. Previous internship experience: Deccan Herald, Bengaluru; The News Minute, Bengaluru; The Mojo Story; Radio Indigo 91.9 and Fever FM 94.3 (Hyderabad) You can find her on Twitter as @VibhaBMadhava , on LinkedIn (Vibha B Madhava), or write to her at ... Read More
Geek Vibes Nation
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
'All We Imagine As Light' Criterion Presents Blu-Ray Review - Payal Kapadia Brings Universal Emotion To Her Narrative Debut
Payal Kapadia's acclaimed fiction-feature debut is a radiant ode to hope-giving connections forged amid big-city anonymity. Set against the hypnotic luminescence of Mumbai, All We Imagine as Light follows three very different women working at the same hospital—Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvathy (Chhaya Kadam)—each contending with personal and material struggles amid a modernizing India riven by gentrification and rising Hindu nationalism. When Parvathy is evicted and forced to move back to her childhood village, Prabha and Anu travel with her to the seaside, where they shake loose their remaining secrets and—in one otherworldly sequence—a lingering ghost. Winner of the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, All We Imagine as Light is a deep-rooted study of the fortifying power of friendship, propelled by moving performances and the director's compassionate eye. For in-depth thoughts on All We Imagine as Light, please see my colleague Liselotte Vanophem's review from its original theatrical release here. Video Quality All We Imagine as Light comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer in 1.66:1 courtesy of Criterion Presents, which provides a first-rate presentation that deftly captures the natural aesthetic. This gorgeous presentation delivers a consistent image quality throughout without any obvious deficiencies. This digital production does not exhibit any signs of noise or compression as the sumptuous imagery delights in high definition. Colors are exceptional when it comes to the outfits, certain lighting flourishes, and lush vegetation outside of the city. Skin tones look natural throughout the runtime with exquisite detail on display. This transfer represents everything you want from a Blu-Ray release. Audio Quality The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original mixture of languages which offers an enjoyable listening experience. The natural soundscape of the city is filled with tons of discrete nuances that do a noble job of transporting you into this story. Activity in the low end is subtle yet helps provide additional texture to the world. The emotional score and other tunes are showcased accurately here with an enveloping use of the surround speakers that maintain precise fidelity. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being clipped by the environmental elements. The sound design is not overly aggressive, but it serves its purpose very well. The track springs to life with the sounds of both urban bustle and serene nature. This is a terrific audio presentation that brings the movie to life without a hitch. Optional English subtitles are provided. Special Features The Criterion Presents Blu-Ray of All We Imagine as Light includes a leaflet featuring the essay 'All We Imagine as Light: Luminous Hopes' by Michael Joshua Rowin in which he provides some good insight into and analysis of the film that helps highlight the deeper themes on display. The on-disc special features are as follows: Meet The Filmmakers: A great 18-minute conversation with director Payal Kapadia in which she discusses her journey into film as an art form, her early work in the documentary space, the development of this story, the personal elements woven into the narrative, working with the performers on the language of the film, and much more that you will not want to miss. Trailer (1:58) Final Thoughts All We Imagine as Light is at first an unassuming narrative that simply follows the minor dramas experienced by a small group of women in an Indian metropolis. The characters are quite different from one another, yet each of them lives a life of longing for different reasons. Through the thoughtful direction of Payal Kapadia, each story becomes universal to the viewer as emotions burst forth and pain is wrestled with. Each performance feels authentic and quite powerful in its raw vulnerability. Even with its critical acclaim, it deserves to have more people seeking it out. Criterion Presents has released a new Blu-Ray with a sterling A/V presentation and a valuable interview. Highly Recommended The Criterion Presents edition of All We Imagine as Light will be available to purchase on July 22, 2025, on Blu-Ray and DVD. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Criterion Presents has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
