DIMPLE GOING TO HOLLYWOOD!

Graceful Indian actress Dimple Kapadia & Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan!

Good news that veteran graceful actress of our Indian cinema..Dimple Kapadia will feature in renowned Hollywood filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s next film 'Tenet'!

Rishi Kapoor & Pretty Dimple Kapadia in 'RK's romantic film 'Bobby' (1973).

Dimple Kapadia created sensation with Rishi Kapoor in 'RK's teenage romantic film 'Bobby' (1973). Then she married to first superstar.. Rajesh Khanna! After a decade with same glamour she returned to cinema in Ramesh Sippy's triangular love film 'Saagar' (1985) with two super heroes from Bollywood & Kollywood..again Rishi and Kamal Hasan! Then she acted in both the genre..popular romantic & offbeat social..like 'Kaash' (1987), 'Drishti' (1990), 'Lekin' (1991), 'Rudaali' (1993) & 'Leela' (2002). And She won Best Actress awards of filmfare and national too!

Dimple Kapadia in film 'Drishti' (1990).

Christopher Nolan is an English filmmaker who got critical acclaim with his 'The Dark Knight Trilogy' (2005-2012). His films are typically rooted in epistemological & metaphysical themes with exploring human morality; but distinctive within Hollywood mainstream!..He won many awards for his films with huge commercial success!

My Best Wishes to..
Ms.Dimple Kapadia & Mr.Nolan for their film!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']

FIRST INDO-IRANIAN FILM..85 YEARS!

Poster of first Iranian talkie 'Lor Girl' (1933).

'Imperial Film Co.'s producer Ardeshir Irani!

Today we admire Iranian cinema and watching the masterpieces of its renowned filmmakers like Kiarostami, Makhmalbaf and Majidi! But do you know that first Iranian Sound film made in our India? Yes, it was Indo-Iranian project..'Lor Girl!

Pioneer of our first Indian talkie ('Alam Ara'/1931)..Ardeshir Irani produced this Iranian first sound film 'Lor Girl' under his 'Imperial Film Company' Bombay in 1932. Iranian writer-director Abdolhossein Sepanta collaborated with him for the production of this film..Persia ntitle 'Dokhtar-E-Lor'!

Iranian first talkie 'Lor Girl's writer-director Abdolhossein Sepanta!

This film focused on the comparison between state of security in Iran at the end of Qatar dynasty and during Reza Shah period! On this backdrop it tells the story of young girl Golnar who was kidnapped as child and taken to Lorestan with clan bandits living among Lors!

Shooting of this film was happen in our India. It took seven months to complete. Cinematographer Rostam Irani did great job for it! Abdolhossein Sepanta also acted in it..with Hadi Shirazi, Sohrab Puri and Roohangiz Saminejad who got the status of first female star of Iranian cinema!

Scene of first Iranian talkie 'Lor Girl' (1933).

This first talkie 'Lor Girl'..then arrived in Iran in October, 1933 and released in two theatres of Tehran..'Mayak' 
and 'Sepah'! 
Latter filmmaker Sepanta directed landmark movies there..includes 'Ferdowsi' the life story of celebrated epic of Iran!

Tribute to this first Iranian talkie and it's pioneers!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
   ['Chitrasrushti']

SCI-FI MAKERS ON TOP OF 'CANNES'!

Renowned South Korea filmmaker 
Bong Joon-ho with 'Palme d'Or!

'Best Actress' award winner..

English actress Emily Beecham!

Famous for his science-fiction action movies in South Korea.. Bong Joon-ho's 'Parasite' won 'Palme d'Or' in recently over '72nd Cannes Film Festival'! And Best Actress award bagged by English actress Emily Beecham for her role as scientist in film 'Little Joe'! That means Sci-Fi got admiration in this 'Cannes Film Festival'. May be this is because film 'Birdman' maker Alejandro Inarritu was the jury president in it!

Poster of Bong Joon-ho made 

South Korea film 'Parasite'!

Anyway, Bong Joon-ho became the first Korean filmmaker to win this prestigious award. His movie 'Parasite' is a black comedy! With that Mati Diop's Senegalese film 'Atlantics' won 'Grand Prix' prize!

Celine Sciamma's 'Best Screenplay' 

winner 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'!

In this French writer-director Celine Sciamma got 'Best Screen- play' for a lesbian themed period film 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'! And Antonio Banderas (portraying Almodovar) got 'Best Actor' award for Spanish 'Pain and Glory'!

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's 

'Best Directors' winner 'Young Ahmed'!

Palestinian director-actor Elia Suleiman

in Canadian film 'It must be Heaven'!

Winners of 'Palme d'Or' twice before.. Jean-Pierre & Luc Dardenne took the 'Best Directors' prize for their film..'Young Ahmed' with contemporary social realism in Belgium! Besides, Palestinian director & actor Elia Suleiman's optimistic comic Canadian film 'It must be Heaven' got 'Special- Mention'!
Congratulations all!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']

PRETTY CHINESE ACTRESS ZHANG ZIYI AT CANNES!

Pretty Chinese Actress Zhang Ziyi at this '72nd Cannes Film Festival'.

Glad to see my favourite beautiful Chinese Actress Zhang Ziyi at this '72nd Cannes Film Festival'. She is the first Mentor from Asia..who is invited to talk in this 'Cannes Masterclass'!

Pretty Chinese Actress Zhang Ziyi & Zheng Hao 

in romantic scene of film 'The Road Home' (1999).

When I first saw Zhang Ziyi in renowned filmmaker Zhang Yimou directed film 'The Road Home' (1999)..I was moved by her sensitive performance! 
On the backdrop of socio-economical-political history & changing cultural scenario of China..that film showed great love story. It was her screen debut in which she played innocent country girl sensibly!

Nice pose of Beautiful Chinese Actress Zhang Ziyi!

That film won many awards 
in several international film festivals like Berlin & Chicago! Then Zhang Ziyi gained international fame with renowned Taiwanese filmmaker Ang Lee's film 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2002) which won 'Oscar's 'Best Foreign Language Film' award. 
Latter her performance in film 'Memoirs of a Geisha' (2005) got critical acclaim & for role in 'The Grandmaster' (2013) she won 12 Best Actress awards!

Zhang Ziyi was awarded for her 'Outstanding Contribution to Chinese- Cinema' at '11th Shanghai International Film Festival'..And 'TIME' named her 'China's Gift to Hollywood'!

Congratulation Ms. Ziyi!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']

AND 'CANNES' BECAME EMOTIONAL!

Renowned French filmmaker Claude Lelouch with artists of his film 

'Les Plus Belles Années D'une Vie' ('The Best Years of A Life') 

at this '72nd Cannes Film Festival'.

Beautiful Anouk Aimee and Jean-Louis Trintignant young in 

Claude Lelouch's classic 'Un Homme Et Une Femme' (1966).

"Chabada bada..bada ba.."

When audience at this.. '72nd Cannes Film Festival' heard this famous love song from almost five decades old classic French Film 'Un Homme Et Une Femme'..in the presence of it's filmmaker and artists.. atmosphere became emotional!

Poster of Claude Lelouch's 'A Man and a Woman' (1966)

When I saw filmclip of that occasion here..I too became emotional because that is my most favourite romantic French film on which I wrote a lot!

Actually in that ceremony it's renowned French filmmaker Claude Lelouch unveiled the trailer of his latest film 'Les Plus Belles Années D'une Vie' ('The Best Years of A Life') It's like going down memory lane with artists who acted in that film 'Un Homme Et Une Femme' (A Man and a Woman'/1966) which that time won 'Palme d'Or' at 'Cannes Film Festival'! In this programme it's veteran actress Anouk Aimee & actor Jean-Louis Trintignant were present with other cast of new film!

Poster of Claude Lelouch's sequel film..

'A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later' (1986)

Film 'Un Homme Et Une Femme' was about a young widow and widower who meet by chance at their children's boarding school & whose budding relationship is complicated by the memories of their spouses! Lelouch himself nicely cinematographed it on the screenplay which he written with Pierre Uytterhoeven..And edited with Claude Barrois! Beautiful Anouk Aimee and Jean-Louis Trintignant played the romantic lead in it with Pierre Barouch. This film also won 'Oscar's 'Best Foreign Language Film' award!

Then, after two decades of that film..Claude Lelouch made a sequel of it..'A Man and a Woman: 20 Years Later' (Un Homme et une Femme, 20 Ans Déjà) which was released in 1986!..So now we can say it's trilogy completed with this year releasing 'The Best Years of A Life'!

Jean-Louis Trintignant & Anouk Aimee now 
in Claude Lelouch's 'The Best Years of A Life'

I remember nice meeting with it's renowned filmmaker Claude Lelouch at 'International Film Festival of India' in 1997 at Trivandrum!!

[Bollywood's hit film 'Andaz' (with stars Rajesh Khanna, Hema Malini & Shammi Kapoor) made by Ramesh Sippy in 1971..
had a similar plot! I mentioned this while interacting with Mr. Sippy in our 'IFFI' at 
Goa few years back!]

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']

PRETTY PENELOPE & ALMODOVAR AT CANNES!

Beautiful Spanish Actress Penelope Cruz with renowned..

Spanish Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar & Actor Antonio Banderas!

My most favourite Spanish Actress Beautiful Penelope Cruz is at Cannes with renowned Spanish Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar & Actor Antonio Banderas. Their film 'Pain and Glory' is in the competition of this '72nd Cannes Film Festival'!

Penelope Cruz in Pedro Almodovar's 'All About My Mother' (1999)

Filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and Actress Penelope Cruz is the best combination of contemporary Spanish Cinema! This started in 1997 with romantic thriller film 'Live Flesh'. Then came 'All About My Mother' (1999) with complex issues. This won 'Oscar's 'Best Foreign Language Film' award. And Penelope won 'BAFTA's 'Best Actress' award!

Penelope Cruz in Almodovar's 'Volver' (2006).

Then, I remember their film 'Volver' (2006) was in our '37th International Film Festival of India' at Goa. That drama revolved around an eccentric family of women. This film was also in the competition of '59th Cannes Film Festival'. In that Almodovar won 'Best Screenplay' award and Penelope won 'Best Actress'!

Pretty Spanish Actress Penelope Cruz at '72nd Cannes Film Festival'!

After that Penelope & Almodovar this combination's 'Broken Embraces' (2009) showed how blind screenwriter recalls his tragic love..And 'Im So Excited' (2013) was a comedy of 'the fleeting lovers'!



Now their new film 'Pain and Glory' is like an autobiographical roundup of this Spanish auteur's personal & filmic life..in which past & present come crashing down around him! In this Antonio- Banderas played the role of (similar to) Pedro. And Penelope Cruz did her offbeat role naturally! Almodovar intensely handled this film with experimental directorial touch!

Penelope Cruz in Almodovar's new film 'Pain and Glory'!

I hope this film will won awards in this 'Cannes Film Festival'!

All the best to Mr. Almodovar & Ms. Penelope!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
   ['Chitrasrushti']

LEGENDARY KANNADA ARTIST GIRISH KARNAD..81.

Veteran Kannada actor, playwright & film director Girish Karnad.

Veteran Kannada actor, playwright & film director Girish Karnad's 81st birthday just happened!

Girish Karnad in Kannada film 'Samskara' (1970).

At the young age he started writing plays with the new approach towards history & mythology which he used to tackle contemporary themes. Then his first 'Tughlaq' (1964) was staged by 'National School of Drama' under the direction of Ebrahim Alkazi! After gaining national fame with that drama, years latter his 'Hayavadana' (1971) got international recognition when Vijaya Mehta directed German version of it!

Girish Karnad in Shyam Benegal's Hindi film 'Manthan' (1976).

Meanwhile Girish Karnad also started acting in cinema with Pattabhirama Reddy's Kannada film 'Samskara' (1970) which was based on the novel of same name by U. R. Ananthmurthy. In this anti-cast film his role was path-breaking. That was a beginning of Parallel cinema movement in Kannada! 

Shabana Azmi & Girish Karnad in Basu Chatterjee's 'Swami' (1977)

After that national award winning film immediately..

Karnad turned to direction with 'Vamsha Vriksha' (1972) which he co-directed with B.V. Karanth..and this film won Best Direction National award! Then they co-directed Hindi movie 'Godhuli' (1977) which showed the clash of modernity with tradition!

Smita Patil & Girish Karnad in Dr. Jabbar Patel's 

Marathi movie 'Umbaratha' (1982).

After that Karnad independently made several films in Kannada.. like 'Kaadu' (1973), 'Tabbalivu Neenade Magane' (1977) and 'Ondanondu Kaladalli' (1978). 

Meanwhile he also acted in Hindi films like renowned filmmaker Shyam Benegal's 'Nishant' (1975), 'Manthan' (1976) and Basu Chatterjee's 'Swami' (1977)..
And in Dr. Jabbar Patel's Marathi movie 'Umbaratha' (1982) too! 
In all such films he acted with main actresses of parallel cinema ..Shabana Azmi & Smita Patil!

Pretty Rekha in Shashi Kapoor produced 

& Girish Karnad directed 'Utsav' (1984).

Girish Karnad directing Sonali Kulkarni for film 'Cheluvi' (1992).

In 1984 Karnad directed Hindi art film 'Utsav' which was produced by famous actor Shashi Kapoor! Based  on Sanskrit play 'Mrichakatika'.. in this erotic film beautiful Rekha portrayed Vasantsena nicely. In this rare duet "Man kyun behka.." sung by Asha Bhosale and Lata Mangeshkar! Then in he made film 'Cheluvi' (1992) Sonali Kulkarni appeared on screen!

In 1986 he turned to small scree and acted in famous TV serial 'Malgudi Days' which was based on R. K. Narayan's novel. Then in 1990 he hosted science programme 'Turning Point' on Doordarshan. Meanwhile he also made documentaries like 'Kanak-Purandara' (1988).


Karnad also served as Director of 'Film Institute of India' during 1974-75. He won many state & national awards for his films. In addition to this for his contribution to drama & literature he received 'Sangeet Natak Akademi Award' (1972) and 'Jnanpith Award' (1998). Apart from that 
he was honoured with 'Padmashri' in 1974 and 'Padmabhushan' in 1992 by Government of India. 

I remember nicely interacting with Karnad after watching his Kannada film 'Kanooru Heggaditi' (1999) in festival!

All the best Mr. Karnad!!

- Manoj Kulkarni
  ['Chitrasrushti']