Senior Rediff.com Contributor Aseem Chhabra is director of the New York Indian Film Festival, an entertainment writer and author of Irrfan Khan: The Man, The Dreamer, The Star. You can e-mail the author at aseem.chhabra@gmail.com
Aseem Chhabra salutes the late Italian Master and his cinema.
'When we make these action machismo films, the stupidest thing is to show that the hero sails through a thousand people. It's a tradition we have grown up with.' 'We don't have the basis of creating a Bruce Lee or a Jackie Chan.'
'Rishi Kapoor was shocked and said, 'Woh sare log jinko main janta hoon, unki filmein main nahin kar raha. Aapko to main janta bhi nahin hoon.'
'People were apprehensive when I cast Nawaz. Especially after Sacred Games, people told me you are diminishing Manto.' 'But he is an actor and actors don't diminish.'
'We don't have that support system.' 'The last six years has gone into making Manto and raising Vihaan and it has been tough.'
Politics, favouritism and poor taste in cinema have contributed to embarrassing choices for the Oscar race in the past. This little gem from India needs the love, emotional and financial support from the government as well as the Indian film industry, argues Aseem Chhabra.
'Despite its noble attempts, tight editing, terrific sound design, good performances and a compelling story, Hotel Mumbai tells a big lie.'
Aseem Chhabra lists the movies that taught him about the Idea of India.
'You can't take your eyes off him.'
What was life like for the confident Priyanka Chopra of today when she was a gawky teenager?
'The way the winners react and the speeches they deliver.' 'That is where the fun happens, when the actors and other winners let down their guard, challenge the system, talk about issues that should matter to us,' says Aseem Chhabra.
How many of the 354 films Aseem Chhabra watched in 2017 have you seen?
'To me,' says Aseem Chhabra, 'the Golden Globes hold the most meaning as one gets to see stars celebrating, getting emotional, letting their guard down and showing us their regular human side.'
If anyone thinks that the Golden Globes are insignificant, the Hollywood studios are out to prove them wrong.
Aseem Chhabra gives us the top films that enriched his year.
The death of his beloved wife was a blow Shashi Kapoor never recovered from, reveals Aseem Chhabra.
'The news that the once dashing, absolutely handsome, utterly charming Shashi Kapoor is no more makes me feel terribly sad.' Aseem Chhabra, author of Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, the Star, pays rich tribute to the iconic actor.
In Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star, Aseem Chahbra gives us glimpses of one of Bollywood's best loved actors.
Shakespeare Wallah had been out of circulation for a long time, but a restored version of the film opened in New York on November 10. It will travel after that to other cities in the US and hopefully, soon to India as well, says Aseem Chhabra, author of the bestseller Shashi Kapoor: The Householder, The Star.
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