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Best Writing on Cinema (Day 1090)

By Event

There were 33 books and 18 critiques as eligible entries for Best Writing on Cinema 2016. Out of these only 50 were in English and the rest in regional languages comprised biographies, chronicles, conversations, musical journeys and reflections on topics related to the business of entertainment.

10.5.17 dThe essays on cinema featured film reviews, analytical stories, a comprehensive listing and serious studies on changing perceptions of cinema.

It was a daunting task to compartmentalize all the writings but the directorate office helped us to take one step at a time and initiate system into the process.

We began with first evenly distributing the various books/ articles amongst us, the jury members and defined a deadline by which time we must finish our readings.

10.3.17 cMost of the regional books/ articles were submitted with an English synopsis and for those missing; the directorate office had a team of translators outlining the merit/ demerit of every book and essay.

The deliberation meeting was an enriching experience as the members shared what they had observed. All of us had shortlisted our choices and needed to arrive at a consensus collectively.

10.5.17 bThe emphasis was on original content, insightful writing, and meticulous research.

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10 May, 2017
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Four Juries, Four Sections (Day 1089)

By Uncategorized

The awards are divided into four distinctive sections namely Feature Film Central Jury which includes films from all regions and which was this year headed by eminent filmmaker Priyadarshan. The Non-Feature which includes short films and documentaries from all state was chaired by Raju Misra. Third, Writing on Cinema which includes critiques and books by me and finally a new category called Film Friendly State which was given to Uttar Pradesh this year and headed by Madhur Bhandarkar. While the jury members had a lot of time to interact with each other, the chairpersons of the respective juries only met on the final day.

9.5.17 bI got to spend some time with Raju Misra post the press conference announcing the awardees, Priyadarshan and I bonded over dinner at the hotel sharing films we must watch and had breakfast with Madhur Bhandarkar on the morning of the event. Come evening and we were dressed formally to read a citation each on what propelled us to make our choices and the guidelines we followed.

9.5.17 cFollow me on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram  @bhawanasomaayawa

9 May, 2017
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National Film Awards (Day 1088)

By Event

A fortnight ago I was at The Ashoka in Delhi for my Padma Shri felicitation and in less than a month I was back in the city and same hotel for 64th National Film Awards. As the Chairperson Jury of Writing on Cinema, I was invited to be on the dais with dignitaries and read an overview of the selection.

8.5.17 bLast time the ceremony was at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. This time it is at the Vigyan Bhavan, a premier Centre of Government of India in New Delhi. Built in 1956, it has been the venue of conferences of national and international stature, seminars and award ceremonies attended by distinguished world leaders and dignitaries.

8.5.17 aThere is excitement in the hotel lobby as the awardees assemble to travel together at the venue. At Vigyan Bhavan, the security guards are over cautious in checking the invites and ID proofs of the guests. There was a long queue but nobody complains and use the waiting time to click pictures with fellow awardees and fans.

WhatsApp Image 2017-05-06 at 12.32.38 PM

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8 May, 2017
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Lyricists Win (Day 1087)

By Music

The IPRS conflict has been going on for some years now, ever since music companies seized control of the governance of the organization, leaving lyricists and music composers out in the cold.

After the Copyright Act was amended in 2012, it gave lyricists, writers, and composers clear safeguards to secure and protect their rights, still, some issues remained unresolved. Now, finally, the entire conflict has come to a resolution. An official letter from IPRS confirms the following:

One, IPRS’ full compliance with Indian Copyright Law by instituting changes in the Articles of Association (AoA) and MoA to ensure that lyricists and composers get an equal say in the running of the organization, and in framing its rules. Two, withdrawal of all court cases aimed at keeping lyricists and composers out of the governing bodies of the IPRS.  Three, the payment of an equal share of royalty as per Copyright Rules to lyricists and composers and importantly, all outstanding royalties to be cleared forthwith. Four, administering of all rights that belong to lyricists and composers…

The changes have been incorporated in the Articles and in the MoA have been approved by the EGM held for this purpose in February this year and the Script Writers Association ( SWA) is hopeful that with its new constitution, IPRS is now ready to function like a genuine copyright society of lyricists and composers, to administer all their rights and ensure that due royalties are paid to them.

SWA is happy with the reform and applauded all members who fought tirelessly to reform IPRS. Owing to the very unfortunate developments of the past few years, IPRS was seen as a society of questionable motives, but not anymore.

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5 May, 2017
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Triple Talaq (Day 1086)

By Food for thought

As the debate on triple talaq continues, we invite actor, activist Shabana Azmi who is currently shooting for an International teleserial in UK, to share her thoughts.

The fight against triple talaq has been waged by very brave Muslim women – largely Bhartiya Muslim Mahila Andolan. They have single handedly brought the issue center stage. Triple talaq in one go does not have sanction in the Quran and is anti-women. More than 20 Muslim countries have banned it and it must go from India too.

Let’s not forget that it was Muslim women who have worked over the years mobilizing the community against triple talaq because it is unjust and anti-women. AIMPLB’s call for boycotting abusers of triple talaq is not even a fig leaf because triple talaq in itself is an abuse! What pray is ‘misuse’ of triple talaq? Same as ‘misuse’ of molestation! These are tactics being used to stall the issue.

Demands for a model nikahnama have been made over the years by the community because in Islam marriage is a contract and can be negotiated between husband and wife. AIMPLB resisted it initially and then said let it be an optional one…Again that cannot possibly be feasible because a poor father in a village can hardly dare to ask his son in law for a model nikahnama if it’s not mandatory.

So let us collectively put our strength behind the demand to ban triple talaq.

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4 May, 2017
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Are you listening? (Day 1085)

By Food for thought

This is an interesting story about Ram Dass expressed in his own words. A friend sent it to me and I am sharing the same with you. Read it carefully and if you have understood what Ram Dass and his guru are trying to say, listen and follow it in your personal life.

‘Karma is the unfolding of the laws of cause and effect that have made you into what you are, and that are still affecting you. When you think something, you’re not thinking within a vacuum, you’re thinking it as a result of how you’ve learned to think things in the past, and how your parents thought, and what your chemistry is inside your brain, and all sorts of things are affecting what you think at this moment. That’s your karma.

‘Your Dharma is that which brings you home. It brings you to truth, it brings you to God, it brings you to Oneness, to unity, it brings you out of the illusion of separateness. The Dharma is the Way or the path. It’s the appropriate action. So what you’re doing, as you listen more quietly, as you pull back more inside in a meditative space, you hear the way your Dharma is unfolding.

‘You intuitively hear and feel your route home and you keep feeling these things together.

‘At one point, my guru Neem Karoli Baba said to me after I asked, “How do I know God?” He said to me, “Ram Dass, feed people.” And I figured he didn’t understand or the translation was weird because I expected him to give me a mantra or something. I said, “How can I get enlightened?” and he said, “Serve people.” And that’s in me somewhere. That is my Karma. It’s also my Dharma. I’ve tried to resist it all the way and one day said to self, “What does he know? He’s an old fat man, I’ll go meditate and find out”… But every time I’d meditate, the quieter I’d get, the more I’d feel that I should be out serving people. So here I am. Can you hear that?

‘I resisted but when I listened I could sense the inevitability of it all. When your Karma and your Dharma come together, you get that feeling of rightness.’

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3 May, 2017
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Farewell Friend (Day 1084)

By Films

It was a regular morning and I was writing my column for The Quint on Feroze Khan for his death anniversary when came the news of Vinod Khanna passing away. Suddenly my mind was crowded with images from his previous films Mere Apne, Achanak, Meera, Amar Akbar Anthony, Parvarish, Haath Ki Safai , Shaque and I wondered which out of all these characters was the real Vinod Khanna. Probably none and probably a part of him were inhabited by all of them on the screen.

As a budding journalist, I have met him so many different occasions on so many different sets and we have chatted over various topics. He was always spiritual and talked about his journey as a soul. Then one day, he gave up everything – his stardom, films, money, family and followed Osho to America to become a gardner and spent a couple of peaceful years with his guru.

Then one day he came back to live life normally, he signed films, became an actor again. Stardom gave him another chance, and Vinod gave life another chance when he proposed to Kavita and got married to a woman years his junior. They had two children and Vinod was ready for bigger challenges. He joined BJP and fought elections from Gurdaspur, his hometown and won the constituency again and again.

The last time I bumped into Vinod Khanna was at a music concert a few years ago, he looked peaceful and told me he was enjoying his retired life and added that everybody must so that there are no regrets. That is how I would like to remember Vinod Khanna. Healthy, happy and without regrets.

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2 May, 2017
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Labour Day (Day 1083)

By Event, Films

There is excitement in the office because we are celebrating both Labour and Maharashtra Day. The office is done up in marigold flowers team has invited Nagraj Manjule, director of Sairrat to be felicitated as the Icon of Maharashtra. When he enters the studio, the band goes hysterical and starts playing the celebratory music. Manjule is both embarrassed and flattered. He shares that despite all the accolades the film has been receiving he wonders if the credit is for him or somebody else. “Life in Sholapur was simple but there was no dearth of adventure.  We friends would get together and play films – that is enact hits of Amitabh Bachchan stories and dialogues. At that time I did not know that my passion will lead me to the film studios one day. My friends tell me I was forever recounting stories, sometimes retelling films I had watched, sometimes, my own stories but they loved to hear me and sat in rapt attention. I thank them all, they were my first audience and I hope they will be with me even after Sairrat.”

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1 May, 2017
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