Indian Cinema Now

Arena – Aadukalam

Arena

Aadukalam

India/2010/35mm/Colour/120’/Tamil

Direction, Screenplay: Vetri Maaran

When Petaikkaran, the emperor of the murky underworld of rooster fight in southern Indian territory of Tamilnadu for 40 years, is challenged and proved wrong by his disciple Black he decides to avenge the insult. Black’s small world is shattered. When he comes to know about the betrayal and confronts Petaikkaran, he decides to do the unthinkable.

Azhagarsamy's Horse - Azhagar Samiyin Kuthirai

Azhagarsamy’s Horse

Azhagar Samiyin Kuthirai

India/2011/35mm/Colour/99’/Tamil

Direction: Susindran N

In a lively Tamil village in the eighties, a ceremonial statue of a horse goes missing, throwing the villagers into comic chaos. Suseendran’s new feature opens like a tragedy, then goes on to surprise and delight with its warm but pointed satire. Rain hasn’t come to the village of Mallayapuram for three years, and people are desperate for relief. On the advice of their priest, the village council decides to rekindle the annual Azhagarsamy festival to appease their god, Azhagar. As one of the festival’s rituals, Azhagar’s effigy is taken to the river on a wooden horse. After painstakingly collecting funds and making plans, the residents journey to a tiny temple on the village outskirts and open its doors to find — to their shock — that the holy statue of Azhagarsamy’s horse has disappeared.

Baboo Band Party - Baboo Band Baaja

Baboo Band Party

Baboo Band Baaja

India/2010/Colour/127’/Marathi

Direction: Rajesh Pinjani

Synopsis

Baboo Band Baja is a tug-of-war between fate and hope. It shows the irrepressible surge to soar in life, pitted against the vicious grip of circumstances. Baboo is the son of a band player living in dire poverty. His father has resigned to the idea that his son would have to carry on their family tradition of playing the band at the functions in the village. By contrast, his mother is doing everything possible to get him educated. Though all his music instruments are mortgaged, the father helplessly dreams to restart his band one day – Baboo Band Party.

Handover

Handover

India/2010/HD/Colour/73’/Hindi-Magadhi

Direction, Screenplay: Saurabh Kumar

Synopsis

An impoverished Dalit couple from rural India hits the headlines when it is exposed that they have sold their child. The couple acquires national infamy. An embarrassed minister deputes a local government officer to investigate the case. Despite a painful truth, the child is restored to her mother, and the accused is jailed for illegal trafficking. But that is not really the solution. The aftermath is the failure of humanity. The movie is based on an article “Selling one’s child” by Harsh Mander, published in the newspaper, The Hindu.

Chaplin

Chaplin

India/2011/35mm/Colour/137’/Bengali

Direction: Anindo Bandopadhyay

Synopsis

Banshi and his eight year old son Nimua have not been bowed down by the struggle around them. Instead, every passing day is a moment of mirth and laughter for them, a relentless persistence to dig out happiness from misery. Banshi’s brilliant performance in birthday parties and marriage ceremonies are hardly applauded. Fate smiles on him when Reena , a dynamic young lady running an N.G.O. notices Banshi and gives her best effort to help this man. A rare chance and coincidence take place when Rina’s fiancé gives Banshi a chance to participate in a comedy show in his channel. Banshi mesmerizes the judges with his performance and soon he gets selected for the final round. All hell broke loose when he discovers that Nimua is all on a sudden attacked by a peculiar ailment that has no medicine. The father struggles hard to make his son happy but will Banshi’s indomitable spirit, his never say die attitude be able to achieve his desired goal and make his son return from the jaws of death?

I Want to be a Mother - Mala AaiI Vhhaychy!

I Want to be a Mother   

Mala AaiI Vhhaychy!

India/2010/Colour/35mm/115’/Marathi

Direction, Production, Screenplay: Samruoddhi Porey

SYNOPSIS 

Surrogation has become a large scale business in India now days. This film is based on a true incident. Mary a model from a foreign country comes to India with a dream of becoming a mother and selects a poor Yashoda as surrogate mother. But the destiny has some different plans. After five and half months of pregnancy, doctor fears that the child could be born a handicapped. Mary’s dream shatters .She denies accepting a handicapped child .Yashoda cries and struggles a lot for child’s rights but Mary returns. Will a mother within Mary come back in search of her child? Now whom the child belongs to?

Nouka Dubi – Kashmakash

Nouka Dubi

Kashmakash

India/2011/Colour/135’/Bengali 

Direction, Screenplay: Rituparno Ghosh

Rameshchandra Chaudhry, a lawyer by profession, is in love with Hemnalini, and is displeased when he finds that his father wants him to marry Sushilla, the daughter of a widow. He initially refuses despite of his father disowning him, but changes his mind when the bride’s mother pleads with him, and gets married without even seeing, leave alone getting to know his bride. After the marriage, they board a boat which overturns after a storm, and they end up being the only survivors. Unable to get Hemnalini out of his mind, he refuses to be intimate with his bride. On talking with her gradually over the next few months, it slowly sinks in that she is not Sushilla but Kamla - the bride of another male!