3-28 August 2020, FTIIONLINE, Film and Television Institute of India, Course Coordinator- Prof. Rajula Shah, Associate Prof. Mukul Haloi My first step towards endorsing my passion for the movies in an attempt to equip myself through a formal training platform. Amidst the ferocity lashed out by the Pandemic, it did bring a nanoscopic goodness with … Read moreAlocana: Cinema and the Role of Critics By RAJULA SHAH
1966, Hindi, YouTube, 7.9/10 IMDB, Directed by Basu Bhattacharya A sincere depiction of the life of a female theater artist, who boldly demonstrates her passion for the art over her love for a naïve and honest man. A theatre artist Hirabai (Waheeda Rehman) falls for the innocence of the bullock cart driver Hiraman (Raj Kapoor), … Read moreTeesri Kasam
2018, Malayalam, Vimeo.com, Documentary, Directed by Jaya Jose Raj A simple documentation of an elderly responsible citizen, to protect her environment in the God’s own country, from the devilish clutches of the pollution mongering industries. The short documentary- Kumudini, which translates, ‘pond of water lilies’, has an apt tag line – ‘A water lily chronicle’. … Read moreKumudini
2019, HIndi, Voot.com, IMDB 6.3, Directed by Vikas Chandra https://www.voot.com/shows/shortcuts/1/100255/maya/753131 A fine take on the mother-daughter relationship that leaves you wishing well for them both. The film opens with Maya realizing that her mom is missing. The film scrolls to the happenings of a week ahead and reveals that Maya is dating a potential groom … Read moreMaya
2013, vimeo.com, Hindi, Directed by Kislay A tight slap on the affluent, who viciously entraps the full-time house helper’s families for generations, in a disguise of providing a livelihood for the under privileged. A 30 odd minute film, that firmly talks about the innate qualities of the middle income family’s mindset that exploits sub consciously … Read moreHamare Ghar
1979, YouTube, Malayalam, 7.6/10 IMDB, Directed by G. Aravindan A striking interpretation of Ramayana’s Uthara Kandam- endorsing the humanness of the mythological characters and disintegrating our conditioned imaginations of the epic that disturbingly leaves us contemplating. Director G. Aravindan’s adaptation of C.N. Sreekanthan Nair’ play, stands tall for its personification of ‘Nature’ as Sita, its … Read moreKanchana Sita
1956, French Short Film, 8.2/10, YouTube, Directed by Albert Lamorisse An endearing story of a little boy and a red balloon that leaves you in complete wonderment, of the technique and narrative in personifying the red balloon The film starting with the deep focus shot with sun shining through and a little boy (Pascal), it … Read moreThe Red Balloon
1979 Polish, 7.5/10 IMDB, Directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski A drama of an individual’s new found passion of motion camera that slowly consumes him, until it costs him his dear family and overrides his meaning of happiness. The film in turn consumes the viewers with its illustrative making as the character unearths his passion that he … Read moreCamera Buff
1948 Italian, 8.3 /10, YouTube, Directed by Vittorio De Sica Italian Neo-realism of unemployment and the hardships of the working class people after the world wars, catches your attention and leaves a void in the viewer’s mind, through realistic depictions of the mammoth ordeals of people after the man made wars. The film opens to … Read moreBicycle Thieves
1990 Persian, 8.3 /10 IMDB, YouTube, Directed by Abbas Kiarostami ‘Based on a true story or a true’- we are familiar with that title credit. Interestingly ‘Close-up’ features real people of a true story, playing their original parts and it stays close to your heart when Abbas Kiarostami distinctively captures the events in an investigative … Read moreClose-Up
1981, Hindi, Television Film, YouTube, IMBD 8/10, Directed By Satyajit Ray https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rRpaPV3QayY Categorical depiction of untouchability, distinct from the abstract versions we are familiar in the 21st century mediums, that ends with a tone of a sharp cynicism. Sadgati, meaning deliverance or salvation, based on a short story by Munshi Premchand, is a story of … Read moreSadgati
1959, Hindi, YouTube, 7.3/10 IMBD The cruelty of untouchability seen through a rare lens of an orphaned lower-class girl baby who is chanced to grow up in a Brahmin household. Based on a Bengali short story by Subodh Ghosh, its Bimal Roy’s directorial touch that brings the best in his artists, especially the female lead, … Read moreSujata
2020, Malayalam, Amazon Prime, 8.3/10 IMDB, Directed by Mahesh Narayanan A peek in to the virtual world of a handful of characters, resonating our own during the pandemic, that fortunately leaves us gratified, just when it was getting too tedious. The film opens to a Tinder chat of a random couple Jimmy (Roshan Mathew) and … Read morec u soon