Bhoga Khirikee’s release is pushed to explore a wider audience: Producer Shahnaab Alam

The audience is eagerly waiting for the release of National award-winning filmmaker Jahnu Barua’s ‘Bhoga Khirikee’, especially after its screening as the Opening film of the Guwahati International Film Festival. The movie’s team issued a statement on their Facebook page announcing that the release date will be announced soon.

Reason behind the indefinite push was unknown until Shahnaab Alam, one of the Producers of the film, came on front to talk about it. “The primary reason to push ahead the release of the film is to explore a wider footprint for the film,” Shahnaab stated.

Shahnaab as a producer is quite sure that the film will be attracting the involvement of a major player to further add to their national and international distribution plans.

“Both Priyanka Chopra's Purple Pebble team and we in Easterly Entertainment believe that every film should realise its full potential, and especially a film as beautiful and sensitive as 'Bhoga Khirikee',” he further added.

‘Bhoga Khirikee’ (Broken Window) is one of those beautiful stories lurking in the corners of Assam that are worth telling. The film received a phenomenal response at the recent screening in Guwahati.

Happy about the way this film has been received by audience at the Guwahati International Film Festival, Shahnaab said, “We are more hopeful than ever with the wonderful way this film has finally shaped up. And the overwhelming response the film recieved after its screening as the Opening Film at the Festival has only increased our confidence.”

“When we take all the time to meticulously plan the making of the film, then it's only proper that we also give enough time, thought and space to plan the release of the film, so that it reaches out to its entire potential audience, not just in the country but even worldwide,” Shahnaab concluded.

Varun Dhawan to attend the screening of 'October' at IFFI 2018

The International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to start in Goa from November 20th. Like always, this year too various Indian and International film will be screened at the film festival.

Actor Varun Dhawan-starrer October will be showcased as part of the Panorama Section. The actor will fly down to Goa on November 23rd to attend it.

The actor is elated about this and says, "It was my dad who informed me that October was chosen to be part of the Panorama Section at IFFI. To be honest, since the time it released, I have had many people come up to me and tell me how it has touched them or how they couldn’t believe that a film like this was made in India. It’s great that it is being showcased with the best movies this year.”

The actor has received great appreciation for his performance in Soorjit Sircar directorial adds, "I am happy that today people can watch the film online. A lot of aspiring actors have told me that their teachers show them scenes from this movie. All this is really touching but I really didn’t do much acting (in October). Shoojitda just made me live the film.”

Tanushree Dutta's #MeToo takes Nana Patekar international

The world's leading pirate site YIFY aka YTS normally only uploads Hollywood movie torrents. But seemingly because of all the uproar caused by motor-mouth Tanushree Dutta's spin on Nana Patekar, the latter's epic Marathi-language film Natsamrat seems to have found a coveted place on the international YIFY Hollywood-centric website this week.

"When Hollywood looks at the Indian film industry, it only pays attention to Bollywood's Hindi films. It almost ignores regional cinema and the huge and tech-savvy South film industry too," points out Bollywood's only PR guru Dale Bhagwagar. "So inspite of this being a matter involving piracy, it's interesting that a Marathi film has been put along with Hollywood films," he remarks.

For the record, Femina Miss India and actress Tanushree Dutta who had fallen into near obscurity, returned to India from the United States of America last month, and dragged acclaimed actor Nana Patekar in almost a decade-old matter; alleging that he had looked at her with bad intentions, and wanted to touch and feel her on the sets of a film she was to perform an item number in. 

The controversy-hungry media promptly fell for Tanushree's words and labelled it a #MeToo episode, crediting her as the spearleader of the international #MeToo movement in India's Bollywood, which earlier began in Hollywood with dozens of women accusing American film producer Harvey Weinstein of rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse over a period of at least 30 years.

The Nana Patekar starrer Natsamrat (roughly translated as king of the theater) was directed by Mahesh Manjrekar and officially released in India in 2016, receiving tremendous word-of-mouth publicity. It portrayed the tragic life of a stage actor, who retires from acting, but is unable to forget his fond memories of theatre, drama and stage. Considered a classic, it emerged as the highest-grossing Marathi film of all time, until Sairat occupied that place later the same year.

Producers Guild of India amends by-laws

Makes it mandatory for members to implement ‘The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace’ (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 (PoSH)

Producers Guild of India at its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM)

on 14th November, 2018 in Mumbai unanimously passed a resolution to amend its by-laws thereby making it mandatory for all those members who fall under the purview of the The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013 (PoSH), to implement the requisite laws including constitution of Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) and accordingly submit a declaration to the Producers Guild of India confirming enforceability of

necessary PoSH guidelines within their organisation.

Prior to the EGM, Producers Guild of India also conducted a workshop through a specialized external agency which made a comprehensive presentation highlighting various facets and provisions required to be statutorily executed under the PoSH Act 2013. The objective of the EGM along with the workshop was not only to educate members on the legal provisions of the PoSH Act 2013 but also sensitize them about the growing need and urgency to institute and implement robust processes at their workplaces.

President of the Producers Guild of India, Siddharth Roy Kapur stated that “It is incredibly heartening to see the unanimous support that our members have extended towards the initiatives taken by the Guild to help make workplaces in our industry safe spaces for women. We are committed to working closely with our members to ensure complete compliance with PoSH guidelines across the industry.”

Namah Pictures To Bring To Life The Biopic of Revolutionary Leader Birsa Munda

Post the release of their critically acclaimed film Beyond the Clouds, directed by Oscar nominated filmmaker Majid Majidi, producer duo Shareen Mantri Kedia and Kishor Arora are now set to collaborate with another popular filmmaker Pa.Ranjith for an inspiring biopic on the life of revolutionary leader Birsa Munda, a real life hero, who single handedly raised an army of tribals and fought against the British for their rights to ownership of land.

On the occasion of Birsa Munda's 143rd birth anniversary, the makers feel privileged to announce a story based on his life. Interestingly, the film makers have also acquired the rights of Padma Vibhushan and Sahitya Akademi Awardee Mahasweta Devi's book Jangal Ke Davedar based on the life of Birsa Munda.

Having directed blockbusters like Madras, Kaala and Kabali, Pa. Ranjith will helm the project for Namah pictures- one of the fastest growing production houses that strives to deliver films and web content with entertaining narratives connecting audiences world over.

The company has recently forayed into the digital world with the sensational show Karenjit Kaur- The Untold Story of Sunny Leone, which has gone onto become a huge success.

Creating a diverse content portfolio, the company is also producing a Marathi film on India’s first female doctor- Anandibai Joshi which is set to release early next year while also taking forward their association with Majid Majidi for another project which is in the scripting stages.    

Shareen Mantri Kedia informs, "The life and times of Birsa Munda are an inspiration and it’s a remarkable story that needs to be told. There are very few parallels in history of so much being achieved at such a young age. We at Namah Pictures feel privileged to bring this story to screen and are excited to collaborate with Pa Ranjith to direct the film."

Director Pa Ranjith's says"

When I first read about Birsa seven years back, in Mahaswetha Devi's Aaranyer Adhikar (Jangal Ke Davedar in Hindi), I knew that one day I will narrate this story.

When Namah Picture’s Shareen and Kishore and I met to discuss Birsa early this year, we realized that we shared the same passion to narrate this inspiring story that will make a brilliant feature film, which will appeal to the Indian audience as well as the International  audience. I am happy to be working with Namah and excited by the commitment that they have expressed towards telling Birsa’s story.

Birsa’s Life transcends time and I am sure it will inspire the audience, as it has all of us."