Women of my billion (WOMB): An unequivocal film made while walking the length of India to champion equality and end violence against women

Walking 3,800 kilometers might seem like a vast task in itself, but that was only scratching the surface of what Srishti Bakshi aimed to achieve. Her astounding story is told in a new documentary called Women of My Billion (WOMB). The film is a pragmatic, heart-warming documentary about the movement that Srishti Bakshi started. As the Founder of CrossBow...

Death

Oh death Is it always on time Is it not a resultant crime When dignity is denied When a system fails the time Oh soul Why do you go away I Am a patient Be patient and stay My body is young not fray Oh breath The pulse is beating quite fast It’s slowing do try and last The huff and puff I gasp The support...

KASHISH 2020: 52 films compete for a total cash award of Rs 1,80,000

The 11th edition of KASHISH Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, South Asia’s biggest LGBTQIA+ film festival, has decided to go online this year as KASHISH 2020 Virtual from July 22 to July 30. The festival will screen 157 films from 42 countries out of which 52 films compete in the 9 competition categories that includes Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best...

I Can’t Breathe

At a time of global pandemic, it is telling to see the large gatherings of protestors across America. Personal safety has been thrown aside in a quest for justice. The deep upset and anger caused by the death of George Floyd has been felt far and wide, and it's certainly not just African Americans that can sympathise with the systemic...

Swarnavel Eswaran’s first feature film Kattumaram (Catamaran) gets a standing ovation at BFI during LIFF 2019

Kattumaram (Catamaran), the coming-of-age tale of Tsunami-survivors in a small village where a conservative maternal uncle supports his orphaned niece and nephew while they struggle with their simple but complicated lives, has been very well received by London film-lovers. As a part of the London Indian Film Festival, LIFF 2019, Kattumaram had its European Premiere at the iconic BFI...

Oli Khan decimates Guinness World Record for largest onion bhaji

Food is just one of the aspects of Indian culture that has been taken to the hearts of the British people. At one point, the most popular dish in the UK was a curry. However, in recent years the number of curry houses has been dropping, due to a variety of reasons. So what does internationally-recognised master chef Oli Khan...

KASHISH 2021: Complexities of human relations viewed through ‘One-way Glass’

ONE-WAY GLASS Dir: Nauman Khalid 16 min | 2020 | UK | English, Panjabi Screening on September 4, Program 6 in Short Film Package - FAMILY MATTERS! "One-way Glass" is a subtle, yet hard-hitting short film about a hapless migrant Pakistani woman Farzana, trapped in a violent, sexless, loveless marriage. Every night she transforms from a repressed, dutiful wife into a visually...

Best of Bengal at London Indian Film Festival this year

The 10th London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) 2019 will be highlighting some of Bengal's unique cinematic contribution to Indian and world cinema through a showcase of movies in Bengal Tigers - a part of its Themed Section this year. Among the classic films and filmmakers, there will be a rare opportunity to indulge in a Q&A opportunity with one of...

An ode to coronavirus

Hey there! I'm Corona Well, Corona means 'a crown' I'm now crowned king of social media And have become talk of the town. In less than a month I shot to fame And haunted every dream And managed to go from person to person Faster than a viral meme But I'm not as scary as it seems My mortality rate is low But one simple sneeze could infect 10...

U Ushacha: back stories from the directors desk for LIFF

The London Indian Film Festival (LIFF) this year has a 21-minute short film in Marathi, the only one to be covered in two sections of the festival, including the famed Satyajit Ray Short Film Competition. What's interesting is that the Director, Rohan Kandwale has had no formal education in filmmaking. The film, U Ushacha, will be also be shown in the...