We are living in times where everything is news and the credit for manufacturing catchy headlines goes to professional PR teams. There is intelligence in the way every film/ play/ program/ channel/ product is promoted.  

The Angry Birds Movie in a unique campaign to promote the brilliant animation film has come up with the original idea to award celebrities who are angry, and for a good reason. After bestowing,,,Sonakshi Sinha and RJ Malishka with The Angries awards, The Angry Bird has found the next angry celebrity – Neha Dhupia who has never restricted herself from expressing her mind. Recently Dhupia tweeted about the potholes menace in the city and had to face with angry protestors outside her home but that does not stop Neha from being heself.

@bhawanasomaaya

In less than a month we will witness the power of three formidable performers namelyAmitabh Bachchan,

Nawazuddin Siddiqui, withVidya Balan in Ribhu Dasgupta’s TE3N. 

As we all know the film is a thriller shot in Kolkatta and Vidya Balan comes in a special appearance. Vidya has a special relationship with the film unit and if last time in Kahaani she had to learn to walk and breathe like a pregnant woman, this time she has to learn skill she is not good at, for instance driving.

Vidya Balan shares that she learnt driving very early when she was in college but was never a confident driver. For TE3N however I’m required to drive in a very important sequence in the film and I wanted to do it myself without a double, so took over the wheel and after a brief warning to all to look after themselves dashed around driving around the narrow streets of Kolkata. I don’t know about my companion Nawazudin in the adjoining seat but I felt safwe because Sujoy Ghosh was my driving instructor.”

@bhawanasomaaya

 In the olden days the actor’s job was over when the film shooting was completed. He was called to dub the film and was rarely involved in the post production of the film. The film was packaged, promoted, marketed and advertised by the producer. Sometimes the producer and the director had creative differences on how the film should be edited or ended but these differences never became public. Sometimes the director faced problems with the censors and the actor was taken as a mediator to express and influence the team but these details also never became public. While the production house hassled with release details, the stars came into action when it was time to participate in the premier of the film.

Today it is a reverse story, today the film is promoted from the day it is planned/ announced/ shot and released. The promotion gets more and more aggressive as the release date gets closer and the best example of this is Ajay Devgn’s ambitious project Shivaay.

@bhawanasomaaya

It was a magical night at NCPA for all classical and Parthiv Gohil lovers. The stage was set in an Indian style, all the musicians and the singers squatted on gaddas on the floor.  Flowers were strung in the background but only for fragrance not for show. Thye mood was subtle and the ambience nostalgic.

Parthiv Gohil does not follow the todden path and it is evident in the manner he arranges his music and structures the show. The theme of the fesatival was Bandish and how Gohil combined the ragas and nptes was extra-ordinary. 

To begin with there was no moderator, no anchor; Parthiv sang and paused when required to explain the changing ragaas and the moods. Combining three legendary film composers namely Shankar Jaikishan, Roshan and SD Burman, Parthiv took the audience on a nostalgic journey singing vintage numbers and the audience joined in the chorus.

It was as much of a musician evening as the performers (Parthiv and Jhaanvi) because all of them were granted their moment to shine and sparkle. There was not a dull moment in the two hour show and when the show ended the audience was out of excitement on the stage pleading an encore.

Parthiv bowed and thanked all and said there would be encore soon if NCPA invites him again.

@bhawanasomaaya

Pawan Kirpalani directed aur Viki Rajani likhiPhobia matlab ek prakar ka darr, kahani hai ek mashoor artist Mehak yaane Radhika Aapte ki jo Agrophobia naam ki bimari ki shikar hai. Medical bhasaha mein Agrophobia matlab ghar ke bahar public places aur logon ke beech mein rehne ka darr.

Agar aap kissi phobia ka shikar ho toh aap iss Phobia se door rahe, agar aap ko psychology aur thrillers mein dilchaspi hai tohPhobia aap ke liye hai.

aur sandalwood smuggler ki daastan hai.

Dukh mein kayi padhav aate hain aur dukh ko har insaan alag tarike se joojhata hai. 

 @bhawanasomaaya

Last year Bengali film directors Nandita Roy and Shiboprasad Mukherjee made Belasashe about an ageing couple and their family presented by Eros International. The film won accolades for the story and the message of the film. 

This year Nandita and Mukherjee are ready to showcase their new film Praktan once again presented by Eros International.

This time the story is about a couple that has parted ways and meet accidentally on a train journey. Sudipa a career woman and Malini, a homemaker accompanied by her four year old daughter are co-passengers from Pune to Kolkata. Malini befriend Sudipa with stories about her husband and family and in Nagpur they are joined by Malini’s husband who is infact Sudipa’s former husband.

Interestingly shot with a variety of characters and live music performed by a group of actual musicians sharing a coach the film has many moods of drama and emotion. Because the hero is a city guide he recaps kolkatta history with humour and charm. The film focuses on small family relationships and personal ambitions and how too many expectations ruins a quality relationship.

Praktan starring Rituparna Sengupta and Prosonjeet Chatterjee is a contemporary film about contemporary characters and important for wha is happening in urban life.

@bhawanasomaaya