News & Media

Director Onir talks about films, money and changing names He has changed his name five times. Not owning a house or car is matter of little concern for him and he loves living out of a suitcase. And whatever money he manages to have, he puts it for making a film. That’s talented young director Onir for you. In a country where not many would like to even think out of the box, Onir believes in living life with passion. ...

ONIR PENS A PERSONAL NOTE ON THE CITY THAT MADE HIM My earliest memory of Calcutta is as a child coming for my winter vacations from Thimphu in Bhutan. For me, coming to Calcutta meant sandesh made by my pishi, Chingri Machher Malai Curry by my dida, going to the zoo, Botanical Gardens, eating phuchka, the Book Fair, shopping with mom at Gariahat, tram ride…. Next, I remember the city landscape changing, the flyover at Sealdah station and the Metro ...

Mumbai: She competed with other “really pretty” girls for the best roles, songs and the maximum box office hits in her prime, but 43-year-old Juhi Chawla says she has long crossed the stage of insecurity and is not in the rat race. In fact, Juhi says she gelled well with her one-time rival, Manisha Koirala, who co-stars with her in the new film “I AM”. In so many years, this is the first time they are working together. “Manisha is ...

Sanjay Suri turns CJ to fight migrants’ cause

What’s the first thing that comes to your mind when I say: Nandita Das? That she does films that aren’t entertaining? That she does ‘off beat’ or ‘art house’ or ‘parallel’ cinema? That she does all controversial films? That she thinks she’s too much of a pseudo intellectual? If you all think that’s what describes Das, then stop reading further. Now to my next: Will there ever be an end to our obsession with Nandita Das? No, Never! There she ...

Film-maker Onir is known to be a stickler for intense performances by his actors on screen. He’s not happy till he thinks that the actor has given his or her their best shot. So, quiz him as to which of the actor’s he has worked with till date have left him spell bound and he instantly said, “Juhi Chawla.” The film-maker says that he is completely in awe of the acteress’s acting skills and wishes that there were more roles ...

BANGALORE: Costa Coffee India (Costa) has started promoting the Bolllywood film ‘I am’ in some of the 75 of its select outlets in India. The movie will be released on April 29. A part of the film’s crew – director Onir, actors Juhi Chawla and Sanjay Suri launched Costa’s ‘Ice Cold Costa’ range of 21 beverages to beat the summer heat. Onir’s directorial ventures includes the film ‘My brother Nikhil’. The coffee chain plans to double its outlets this year ...

Sanjay Suri came to Bollywood many moons ago, but the Kashmiri Pandit in him could never let go of his attachment to his childhood days in Jammu & Kashmir. And now that one of the stories in Sanjay’s next “I Am” focuses on the emotional turmoil of Kashmiri Pundits, the actor wants to hold a premiere in Kashmir for it. When Sanjay came for his friend Anita Dogre’s show at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashon Week (WFW), he shared these ...

This seems like the most accomplished Friday, after a long, long time. Certain stories that were considered blasphemous, even sacrilege, that lay buried in the dark, with film-makers not wanting to touch with a bargepole, are gradually finding their way on the Hindi screen. Onir, however, attempts to narrate four different stories in I AM. The topics range from artificial insemination, child sexual abuse and homosexuality. Oh yes, Onir had always chosen the path less travelled, but with I AM, ...

After giving scintillating hits like Emosanal Attyachar and Saali Khushi, National Award winner Amit Trivedi is back. And this time with another refreshing set of music for director Onir’s ‘I Am…’ In a tete-a-tete with Metrolife, the young music director shares his views about music and work. Being an out-of-the-box film, the music of ‘I Am…’ suits its independent theme. Says Amit, “The movie has four parts to it — ‘I Am Afia’, ‘I Am Megha’, ‘I Am Abhimanyu’ and ...

Some say being in the profession of acting, grabbing headlines/magazine covers, etc is as important as a hit film. But for actor, director Nandita Das, 41, who makes a return to the big screen with filmmaker Onir’s I Am, the limelight is just a hazard of the profession. “When I tell people that I don’t have a PR person or a manager, they’re a shocked, but I don’t see the need to tell the world everything about me. Your career ...

How and where does one begin to describe the infinite satisfaction of watching a film that emerges from the closet with some arresting and disturbing home-truths on what goes on when the lights are off? Tiptoeing through the darkest corridors of the human heart director Onir in I Am comes up with four stories on the question of individual, sexual and geo-political identity. There are no happy beginnings or endings for any of the four protagonists in I Am. Each ...