KATE HONOURED AT 'TIFF'!

Beautiful actress..Kate Winslet.

Leonardo DiCaprio & Kate Winslet in famous pose of film 'Titanic' (1997).

Glad that one of my favourite actresses..Kate Winslet got the 'Tribute Award' in this '45th Toronto International Film Festival'!

Pretty gorgeous Kate first appeared on small screen at teen age in 1991. Then her film debut was happened with 'Heavenly Creatures' (1994) and for her role in 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995) she received 'BAFTA' award! 

 

Pretty Kate Winslet in film 'Sense and Sensibility' (1995)

Kate became sensation with her character 'Rose' in James Cameron's.. epic romantic 'Titanic' (1997). This highest-grossing film won 11 'Oscar' awards. Soon she achieved worldwide stardom with it's handsome hero 'Jack' Leonardo DiCaprio! 

They again appeared as romantic pair in film.. 'The Revolutionary Road' (2008) made by Sam Mendes!

Then her roles in films 'Quills' (2000), 'Iris' (2001), 'Eternal Sunshine of the spotless mind' (2004), 'Little Children' (2006) and 'Steve Jobs' (2015) were critically acclaimed. 

Kate Winslet with co-actor in film 'The Reader' (2008).

She won 'Best Actress Oscar' for her performance in film 'The Reader' (2008).

Her performances on television are also notable. In this includes her role of single mother in serial 'Mildred Pierce' (2011).

She received various awards during her last more than 25 years of small & big screen work!

  Congratulation to her!!

 - Manoj Kulkarni

CONTEMPORARY MAHANAYAK OF BENGALI CINEMA!

Bengali Cinema's Mahanayak..Uttam Kumar!

Four decades over..Bengali Cinema's legendary actor best known as Mahanayak Uttam Kumar left this world!

Uttam Kumar & Sharmila Tagore in Ray's film 'Nayak' (1966).

 

Uttam Kumar was different from the traditional Bengali babu image in which actors like Soumitra Chatterjee &  Anil Chatterjee were appeared as hero on screen! He was always in urban attire..shirt-pant or mostly in suit and tie! So that way, he was contemporary!

He made his debut in 1948 with film 'Drishtidan', but he got prominent role in 'M P Studio's 'Basu Paribar'! Then in 1954 he became hero of beautiful Suchitra Sen in film 'Agni Pariksha' which got big success.

Uttam Kumar & Suchitra Sen in film 'Saptapadi's(1961) song "Ai path."

 

And Uttam-Suchitra became the hit romantic pair of Bengali cinema. They did more than 20 films together in which includes 'Shilpi', 'Pathe holo deri', 'Harano sur', 'Jiban Trishna', 'Sabar 'Upare', 'Ekti raat', 'Bipasha' & 'Alo amar alo'.

Pretty Vyjayanthimala & Uttam Kumar in Hindi 'Chhoti si Mulaqat' (1967).

I still remember their romantic song on riding scooter from film 'Saptapadi' (1961) "Ai path jodi shes na hoi.." On that its music director & singer Hemant Kumar made Hindi film song also "Ek baar zara phir keh do.."

But we still remember Uttam Kumar from renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray's 'Nayak' (1966) which film gave him international fame! In this he acted famous star (like himself) who reveals his success, insecurities & regrets in train journey with journalist acted by pretty Sharmila Tagore. After this Uttam Kumar also acted with Sharmila in Shakti Samanta's Hindi films 'Amanush' (1975) & 'Anand Ashram' (1977). But his roles were different from typical bollywood heros!

Sharmila Tagore & Uttam Kumar in 'Amanush' (1975)

In 1980, while shooting Bengali film 'Ogo bodhu shundori'..Uttam Kumar had heart attack and died only at the age of 53! Bengali cinegoers were shocked by this and they gathered in large numbers for the last journey of their beloved actor!

Homage to this Mahanayak!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

CONTEMPORARY 'BAGH BAHADUR'!

Pavan Malhotra in Buddhadeb Dasgupta's film 'Bagh Bahadur' (1989)

On this so called 'Tiger Day', remembered 30 years old film 'Bagh Bahadur' made by renowned Bengali filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta!

Buddhdeb Dasgupta and I at our 'IFFI' in Goa!

Pavan Malhotra played the role of an artist who entertain people in attire of Tiger in this film! It was tragedy of such artists & used as metaphor too! This won National Award!

That was Pavan's entry in parallel cinema. In that same year 1989, he did title role in Saeed Mirza's film 'Salim langde pe mat ro'! Now he completed his 30 years in cinema!

Buddhdeb Dasgupta is now 75+! I have been meeting him in our 'International Film Festival of India' since 1995 and watching his films like 'Charachar', 'Lal Darja' in its 'Indian Panorama'!

Regards to both of them!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

FELLINI'S '8 &1/2' = RAY'S 'NAYAK'!?

Marcello Mastroianni in Federico Fellini's Italian film 'Eight & Half' (1963)

I just found two similar imaginary scenes from the films of two masters of world cinema! And these are..Italian Federico Fellini's film 'Eight & Half' (1963) and our Indian Satyajit Ray's 'Nayak' (1966). Both the films are related to the film world with imaginary scenes of protagonists walking from clouds and notes!

Uttam Kumar in Satyajit Ray's Bengali film 'Nayak' (1966).

In Federico Fellini's 'Eight & Half' (1963) famous film maker retrospects his memories while struggling for creativity. Biggest Italian star Marcello Mastroianni played this role superbly! Whereas in Satyajit Ray's 'Nayak' (1966) famous film star reevaluates his success while remembering his fame. Mahanayak of Bengali cinema..Uttam Kumar portrayed this role greatly!

We know Satyajit Ray had impact of Italian neo-realism and his landmark film 'Pather Panchali' was close to De Sica kind film work! But his 'Nayak' shows the Fellini style neo-realism (surrealist) in some way!

- Manoj Kulkarni

BOLLYWOOD COPIED MORRICONE'S TUNE!

Clint Eastwood in film 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' (1966).

Italian music maestro Ennio Morricone!

Bollywood has been copying hollywood is not new! Now I recollected one such copy after the death of Italian music maestro Ennio Morricone!

 

This was done by bollywood music director Anu Malik for popular filmmaker N. Chandra's film 'Beqabu'!

Mamta Kulkarni & Sanjay Kapoor in Hindi movie 'Beqabu' (1996).

This is about great Morricone composed famous theme tune for renowned Italian filmmaker Sergio Leone's hit Western 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' (1966). Anu Malik composed (!) the song "Tu woh tu hai.." wrote by Sameer on that same tune for N. Chandra's movie 'Beqabu' (1996)..which Udit Narayan & Alaka Yagnik sung!

Bollywood filmmaker N. Chandra

Bollywood music director Anu Malik.

Leone used that Morricone's hit tune specifically on the background of Clint Eastwood's encounter with others in 'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly'.

And N. Chandra used that Anu Malik composed song on Sanjay Kapoor's action to impress Mamta Kulkarni in 'Beqabu'. Sanjay appeared on horse in that same style of Clint as 'Good'!

'The Good, the Bad and the Ugly' became one of the greatest and most influential Western films; while 'Beqabu' average! And Clint Eastwood is considered as legendary actor; whereas Sanjay Kapoor did not impress the screen!

- Manoj Kulkarni

PASSION FOR CINEMA!

Salvatore Cascio in 'Cinema Paradiso' (1988).

How many of you can relate with this film?
I can relate, because in childhood I had so much fascination for Film and was curios about moving images!

French Philippe Noiret & Italian Salvatore Cascio in 'Cinema Paradiso' (1988)

I can not judge, that was right or wrong at such age; but that developed my passion for cinema!..I grew up watching best of world cinema..And became Film Critic!

These are the pictures from one of my most favourite films..'CINEMA PARADISO' (1988/Italian 'Nuovo Cinema Paradiso'). Giuseppe Tornatore wrote & directed this film focused the plot mentioned!

The boy in this film..an Italian actor Salvatore Cascio is now 40+.
So I remembered this film!

'Cinema Paradiso' won prestigious awards 'Oscar' & 'Golden Globe' for 'Best Foreign Language Film'! And Salvatore won 'BAFTA'!!

It's a Tribute!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

'HATARI' & RHINO!

On 'World Rhinoceros Day'..I remembered Hollywood adventure film 'Hatari' (1962) made by great Howard Hawks!

This film shows professional catchers in African forest. In their chasing activities of various animals most exciting is struggle to catch Rhino! 

Film starts with that fight & ends with capturing it!

'Western' films fame legendary actor John Wayne superbly played head of the catchers in this film.

This wildlife adventure film is unforgettable!

- Manoj Kulkarni

 

TWO MASTERS OF TWO GENRE OF CINEMA!

Here is a rare picture in which two masters of two genre of cinema are together..

This was..when titan of German Expressionism'..Fritz Lang appeared himself in 'Le Mepris' (1963) film by an icon of 'French New Wave'..Jean-Luc Godard.

Depicting conflict between an art and business, this film (English title - 'Contempt') was based on the Italian novel 'Disprezzo' by Alberto Moravia. And this was filmed by new wave great cinematographer Raoul Coutard in 'Cinecitta Studios' at Rome!

In this picture..artists Michel Piccoli and Jack Palance are seen with master filmmakers Lang & Godard!

Only Godard is alive from these and others are no more!

Tribute to this historical picture from world cinema!!

- Manoj Kulkarni

 

WONDERFUL FILMMAKER MENZEL..NO MORE!

Shaken by death news of Czech new wave cinema genius Jiri Menzel.

 Menzel's film 'Larks on a string' (1969).

 Tough his age was 82, he was such a tension free unique filmmaker who enjoyed every moment of life!

Through provocative cinematography, he always created sarcasm in his films; but there was his humanistic view also!

I met him in 'International Film Festival of India' at Goa. We had informal interaction. He made it joyous with funny behaviour!

Jiri Menzel & I at our 'IFFI' Goa.

Now memories are lingering & images of his cinema..like title of his film..
'Those Wonderful Movie Cranks'.

Bye Mr. Menzel.

Homage!

- Manoj Kulkarni