Pickle Berlinale EFM 2022 Edition

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from t he e d ito r T

he seven day European Film Market (February 10-17) began on a bright note. We have brought out India focused Pickle Berlinale/ EFM Edition and it is in the EFM Digital Newsstand. Like other film markets, this virtual EFM 2022 has user friendly, navigation platforms dominating business activities.

The EFM programme has been designed and curated to make it “digitally digestible”.

Over 100 new films are being streamed in the EFM online platform. In fact, the most important element of EFM is the anticipation among filmmakers and producers to plan and strategize films that would come out fresh to the market in the remaining part of 2022.

The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, in association with Confederation of Indian Industry, is participating in the European Film Market virtual stand, to project Indian cinema, facilitate syndication, market Indian films, shooting locales and film services in India. Film screenings at the India Pavilion includes Sardhar Udham (Hindi), Dollu (Kannada), Natyam (Telugu), Kalkokkho (Bengali), Alpha Beta Gamma (Hindi), Semkhor (Dimasa), Koozhangal (Tamil), Bittersweet (Marathi), and Godavari (Marathi).

Now that India has opened up film shoots to foreign crews (check last minute Covid protocols) filming in India is a great opportunity for international film producers.

Crews with Film Visa can get

to shoot in India and this Visa facilitation is available in over 120 Indian Embassies and Consulates across the world. The Ministry of Information & Broadcasting’s Film Facilitation Office (www.ffo.gov.in) is currently accepting applications for film shoots in India.

The Government of India under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has to be credited for opening FFO. This has been on talks for over four decades and the execution has happened in the last couple of years and foreign film shoots are being facilitated and streamlined to get the best out of India’s locales and media services.

With one billion mobile subscribers, 600 million plus smart phone users, 700 million Internet subscribers, 850 TV channels, 3,000 films produced annually, 100,000 newspapers and periodicals and over 50 OTT platforms, India’s vibrant M&E industry provides attractive growth opportunities for global and domestic corporations.

The government’s policies are geared towards realizing the full potential of this growing sector.

Feel free to email your thoughts and suggestions. We will be most happy to answer any of your questions and we are just a few clicks away to set up meetings (www.pickle.co.in) for collaborating with Indian media and entertainment companies.

n vidyasagar

pickle media nat@pickle.co.in, www.pickle.co.in

Pickle Volume XV 9th Edition Published by Pickle Media Private Limited Email: natvid@gmail.com l Mumbai l Chennai No.2, Habib Complex Dr Durgabhai Deshmukh Road RA Puram CHENNAI 600 028

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INSIDE

STORIES

STORIES

Biren Ghose, Country Head, Technicolor India and Vice Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment

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Dr S Raghunath, Professor of Strategy, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

Quantum Image Making Has Arrived

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Ten Not-to-be- Missed Films at Berlinale 2022

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Chalking The Growth Path For Digital Creative Industries

Lata Mangeshkar, India’s www.pickle.co.in India’s Only Media BIZ magazine for the world Singing Goddess

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10 Must Watch Indian Films in 2022

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The Wonder that is India

The Bridge Between Bombay and Berlin. Pickle chats with Katharina Suckale and Arfi Lamba of Bombay www.pickle.co.in India’s Only Media BIZFilm magazine for the world Berlin Productions

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Lata Mangeshkar

India’s Singing Goddess 1929-2022 The passing away of the legendry singer Lata Mangeskar has left a huge void in the hearts of her billions of fans spread across the world. Amit Khanna, the veteran lyricist, writer and filmmaker, reflects on what makes the iconic singer, who sung faultlessly for almost eight decades, unparalleled in the music world as he pays a rich tribute to the nightingale of India

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or nearly eight decades, Lata Mangeshkar defined Hindi film music. Diminutive, Indore-born Lata was literally nurtured in music.

Her father Dinanath Mangeshkar ran a theatre company and later did music concerts. So, a two-yearold Lata would sit by her father’s side while he did his daily riyaaz.

By the time she was 5, she would warble abhangs and other songs from her father’s repertory of classical and traditional songs. Lata was the eldest of the five Mangeshkar siblings—Asha, Meena, Usha and Hridaynath. Incidentally, all would grow up and make a name for themselves.

Unfortunately, after some professional disasters, Dinanath died leaving the family destitute in 1942. All the responsibility fell on 13-year-old Lata. She had appeared in bit roles in movies till then but now she needed more work. Family friend Master Vinayak (father of actress Nanda) 12

came forward to help. He helped the young Lata get her a break in friend Vasant Joglekar’s film Kittie Ha Saal in 1942. She started working in Master Vinayak’s company Navyug Chitrapat.

In 1945, this company moved to Mumbai and the young Lata too followed. While the initial days were of tremendous struggle, Lata started learning classical music under Ustad Aman Ali Khan of Bhindi Bazaar Gharana.

In 1946, she got her first Hindi film in Vasant Joglekar’s Aap ki Seva Mein (1945). She kept on doing an odd song or the other until Master Ghulam Haider (Better known as the composer of Kamal Amrohi’s Pakeezah) became her mentor and got her a job in Bombay Talkies, and her first hit was in Majboor in 1948 where Gulam Haider gave the music.

Haider also got her to improve her Urdu diction.

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In 1948, she got her big breakthrough in Ziddi. The breakthrough came in Bombay Talkies.

Her first big film as a singer was Ziddi starring Dev Anand and Kamini Kaushal with music by SD Burman (Kishore Kumar too got his break in this film), followed

by Buzdil in 1948 and 1949 respectively, and the super hit ‘Ayega Aanewala’ in the film Mahal.

This Kamal Amrohi film had music by Khemchand Prakash. Lata’s rise to the top thereafter was swift.

She soon became the default choice as the playback singer for most leading ladies and composers. Once Bade Ghulam Ali Khan said about her: “Kambakth kabhi sur nahin chhodti (damn, she never drops a note)”.

From the fifties to the eighties, Lata delivered hundreds of hit songs under various composers.

She was the first choice of filmmakers like Mehboob Khan, V Shantaram, Bimal Roy, Raj Kapoor, the Anand brothers, Chetan,

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Dev, and Vijay), Raj Khosla, Yash Chopra, Amiya Chakravarty, and LV Prasad.

Let us not forget this was the golden age of Hindi film music with composers like Anil Biswas, Naushad, SD Burman, Khemchand Prakash, C Ramchandra. Shanker Jaikishen, Roshan, Madan Mohan, Khayyam, Salil Chowdhury, Vasant Desai, Hemant Kumar, Ravi, Kalyanji Anandji Burman, Laxmikant-Pyarelal and later Rajesh Roshan, Bappi Lahiri, and Anu Malik.

Poets like Sahir, Shailendra, Majrooh, Shakeel, Kaifi, Indeevar, and Anand Bakshi were also among some of the most talkedabout individuals.

Among the singers, we had Suraiya, Geeta Dutt, Asha Bhosle, Shamshad Begum, and Suman Kalyanpur, among women and Mohamad Rafi, Kishore Kumar, Mukesh, Hemant Kumar, Talat Mehmood, and Manna Dey. Lata Mangeshkar was the voice most heard and liked in India.

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Lata Mangeshkar never married though there were whispers about her liaison with C Ramachandra, Raj Kapoor, Jaikishen, and an extended close friendship with cricketer-prince Raj Singh Dungarpur.

Such was her respect that such innuendo never impacted her image. She would come to the studio dressed in exquisite white sarees with a prominent bindi carrying a thermos of warm water. Rarely would she ask for a cup of tea.

She did not socialize much and spent most of her time with her family doting on her mother and nieces and nephews. Cricket and photography were her favourite hobbies, though she could whip up a mean dinner if required.

I got to know her in my early days in Navketan but came closer to her once I turned a lyricist in 1973. In fact, she sang the first song I wrote ‘Dur Dur tum rahe’ for which she got the West Bengal Film Journalists’ award.

Over time she got fond of me partly because I was the youngest lyric writer and partly because of the language which was a little 14

different from the conventional Hindi/Urdu used in film songs. It was only after a couple of years of working together that she opened up.

She would talk about her travels or indulge in some mild gossip about other film folks, but usually, she would come to rehearse the song and go to the mike and in a couple of takes the song would be okayed and she would leave.

One thing I noticed was that she would always exchange a few words with some of the senior musicians whom she knew for decades.

She was not political in an overt sense of the word but was a nationalist. She was proud to be an Indian and was not willing to accept needless criticism of the nation or its rulers.

A couple of times I spoke to her about it and found that she was aware of what was happening in the world. She was also familiar with global music trends.

While she respected classical performers and singers, she was not intimidated by anyone. She doted

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on her family special the kids of her siblings. There are several stories going around since the 1950s about how the Mangeshkar sisters obstructed the entry of newcomers. This is patently wrong.

They were loyal to some composers and felt betrayed if a song created for them was handed over to another singer on account of their unavailability on a particular day.

In fact, there are many young singers who were encouraged by Lata and Asha. She was willing to take a stand when required. She was the first singer after KL Saigal who insisted on a share of royalty for each of her songs.

When Rafi compromised, she stopped singing duets with him for a number of years. Similarly, she took offence to a comment made by OP Nayyar about her voice quality. She never sang a single song of the talented composer. Similarly, once she had some creative differences with SD Burman and they did not work together for about five years.

What is it that makes Lata Mangeshkar stand amongst not only her contemporaries but also singers from earlier and later periods? One is her voice which is a natural gift-soft, dulcet, and very malleable. The second is her ability to feel the words she sang.

She could sing a romantic song with as much ease as she sang a ghazal, bhajan, or lullaby. In fact, I can say with confidence that she was the only singer who would improve upon the original composition of the music director.

She could embellish the song with the right murki, harkat or a mere emphasis on a particular word.

Her enunciation was impeccable.

It’s a wrong notion that she re-

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I am often asked about Lata’s best songs. When an artiste’s repertoire runs into thousands, it is very difficult to pick a handful of her songs. A few of my favourites (not exclusively) at random are: Ayega Aanewala, Na Jaane Kahan Kho gaye, Ai ri main toh prem diwaniya, Zindagi usi ki hai, Phaili hui hain sapnon ki bahen, Bekas pe karam kijeye, Ajeeb Dastan hai yeh, O basanti pawan pagal, Allah tero naam, Kahin deep jale kahin dil, Mere Mehboob tujhe, Jogi Re jao re, Naina Barse, Lag ja gale, Bindiya chamkegi, Aaj phir jeene ki, Phool tumhe bheja hai, Chalo Sajna, Kaise rahoon chup, Baharon mera aanchal bhi sanwaro, Bahon mein chale aao, Rangila Re, Ye galiyan ye chaubara, Ehsan Tera hoga mujh par, Yashomati Maiyya se, Didi Tera devar deewana, Tujhe dekha toh, Kabhi Khushi Kabhi gham and two of my lyrics - Pal bhar me ye kya ho gaya and Suman Sudha Rajni chanda.

(Amit Khanna is a Lyricist, Writer and Film Maker)

hearsed a lot. In the 50s it was a tradition for the singers to go to a music director’s music room for rehearsal. Somehow this practice faded away by the 70s.

Lata Didi could give a perfect take after a mere 15 minutes rehearsal.

When she really liked a particular composition, she would call the composer and asked him to come home for a rehearsal.

To sing faultlessly for almost eight decades is an unparalleled achievement. There were perhaps a dozen composers and half a dozen lyricists and, a few filmmakers with whom Lata had a special relationship, but her professionalism was there for every singer, writer, composer, arranger, or orchestra with whom she worked.

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INDIA

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TV Internet Films Produced Channels Connections

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OPPORTUNITY

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THE

PICKS

BERLINALE INTRNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

Ten Not-to-beMissed Films at

Berlinale 2022

By Saibal Chatterjee

With a line-up of films as diverse and deep as the one it has assembled, the 72nd Berlin International Film Festival clearly has the cinematic riches to whet our appetite. Alongside newer directors, the festival includes such world cinema favourites as Claire Denis, Hong Sangsoo and Ulrich Seidl, Bertrand Bonello, Lucrecia Martel, Paolo Taviani and RithyPanh. Drawing up a list of films to watch in Berlin is, therefore, a tough ask.

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What one can be absolutely certain of is that a treat awaits us in the form of performances by seven seasoned actresseswe love – Isabelle Huppert, Isabelle Adjani, Hanna Schygulla, Sigourney Weaver, Emma Thompson, Sophie Rois and Juliette Binoche. These incredible screen performers feature in half a dozen highly anticipated titles in the 2022 Berlin official selection. It is noteworthy that four of these films have been directed by women, led by the redoubtable Claire Denis:

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Berlinale PICKS

PETER VON KANT Written and Directed by

François Ozon, adapted from Rainer Werner Fassbinder Cinematography Manu Dacosse Casting David Bertrand Producer François Ozon Produced by FOZ Country France 2021

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rancois Ozon’s Peter von Kant is the opening film of the 72nd Berlin Film Festival. The French director’s sixth film in the Berlin Competition has Isabelle Adjani, 66, and Hanna Schygulla, 78, in the cast. Schygulla’s presence in the film is no coincidence: Peter von Kant is a freewheeling take on German maverick Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant, which was released exactly 50 years ago. Ozon turns the protagonist into a male filmmaker played by Denis Menochet, making way for not only a self-portrait but also a commentary on the contemporary culture of cultivated fame. Another Ozon film, 8 Women, which won a Silver Bear at the Berlinale 20 years ago, is screening as part of a tribute to French actress Isabelle Huppert, who, too, has a new film playing in the Berlinale Special Galas this year.

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Berlinale PICKS

ABOUT JOAN Director

Laurent Larivière Producers Xavier Rigault, Marc-Antoine Robert Cinematography Céline Bozon Casting Maguy Aimé, Amy Rowan 247 Films Country France / Germany / Ireland 2021

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he new Isabelle Huppert starrer in Berlin this year is About Joan, French director Laurent Lariviere’s sophomore effort. Cast alongside German actor Lars Eidinger and SwannArlaud (who was in Ozon’s 2019 film By the Grace of God), the iconic French actress plays a successful publisher whose life is thrown into turmoil when a man she loved many years ago returns. She leaves Paris and heads out to the countryside along with her son, who, too, has just made his way back to France from Montreal. Lariviere, whose first film, I Am a Soldier, was in the Cannes Un Certain Regard in 2015, presents the story (filmed in France, Ireland and Germany) in the form of “one liberated woman’s nostalgic, fragmented and dreamlike”reminiscences. Who better to play that woman than Huppert, the 2022 Berlinale Honorary Golden Bear winner?

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CALL JANE Director

Phyllis Nagy Cinematography Greta Zozula Casting Sheila Jaffe, Bryan Riley Producers Robbie Brenner, David Wulf, Kevin McKeon Robbie Brenner Productions Country USA 2022

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all Jane, directed by playwright and Oscar-nominated Carol screenwriter Phyllis Nagy from a script by Hayley Schore and Indian-origin doctor and film/ TVwriter Roshan Sethi, is headlined

by Elizabeth Banks and Sigourney Weaver.Banks plays a 1960s American suburban housewife and motherwho is stonewalled by an all-male, antiabortion hospital board despite her plea that her pregnancy could be a threat to her life. Pushed to the wall, she stumbles upon the “Janes”, an underground outfitthat helps women denied reproductive freedom. The film, which premiered in Sundance last month, has the 72-year-old Sigourney Weaver in the role of the head of an ‘illegal’ abortion facilitation service.

The Alien and Gorillas in the Mist actress has earned glowing reviews for her performance as the feisty and charismatic rebel.

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GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE Director

Sophie Hyde Cinematography Bryan Mason Casting Amy Hubbard Producers Debbie Gray, Adrian Politowski Genesius Pictures Country United Kingdom 2022

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he British film by Australian director Sophie Hyde has the 62-year-old two-time Academy Award-winning Emma Thompson, one of the finest actresses of her generation, as a retired teacher who has had a routine, loveless marriage.

Her husband is now dead and she decides to discover the real pleasures of physical desire. She hires the services of a young sex worker named Leo Grande. The film, written by English comedienne Katy Brand,also features Daryl McCormack. Good Luck to You, Leo Grande premiered at the Sundance Film Festival before making the Berlinale Special Gala cut.

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A E I O U – A QUICK ALPHABET OF LOVE Written and Directed by

Nicolette Krebitz Cinematography Reinhold Vorschneider Casting Nina Haun Producers Janine Jackowski, Jonas Dornbach, Maren Ade Komplizen Film Countries Germany / France 2022

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he Austrian Sophie Rois, 60, one of the most feted screen performers of the Germanspeaking region, plays the female lead role in German actress-directormusician Nicolette Krebitz’s second directorial venture, A E I O U – A Quick Alphabet of Love. The veteran star of theatre, film and television plays a past-her-prime actress who is exactly her real-life age – 60. With her career floundering, she reluctantly takes up a job as a language coach for a 17-year-old social misfit with a speech impediment. But she recognizes the boy as the thief who recently snatched her bag in the street. A E I O U competes for the Golden Bear. Rois’ acting credits include Jean-Jacques Annaud’s Enemy at the Gates, Tom Tykwer’s Threeand Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life.

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BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE Director

Claire Denis Cinematography Eric Gautier Casting Michaël Laguens Producer Olivier Delbosc Curiosa Films Country France 2021

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oth Sides of the Blade (original French title: Avec Amour et Acharnement, which literally translates to “With love and fury”) reunites director Claire Denis with star Juliette Binoche after their critically lauded collaboration on the 2017 film Let the Sunshine In. The story of a passionate love triangle, the film has the 57-year-old actress playing a woman caught between two men. Sarah has been in a long and loving relationship with Jean (Vincent Lindon). One morning she runs into Francois, the boyfriend she dumped years ago for Jean. Life begins to unravel as the past intrudes into the cosy world of Sarah and Jean, whose love has stood firm all these years. The last time Denis and Binoche, two luminaries of French cinema, teamed up they created magic.

Will it be any less this time around?

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ALCARRAS Director

Carla Simón Cinematography Daniela Cajías Casting Mireia Juárez Producers María Zamora, Stefan Schmitz, Tono Folguera, Sergi Moreno Elastica Films Countries Spain / Italy 2022

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he young Spanish director Carla Simon earned critical plaudits with her self-reflexive debut feature Summer 1993 (2017).

Alcarras, her second film, has made it to the Berlinale Competition. Summer 1993 screened in Berlin as part of the festival’s Generation section.

Her return to the Potsdamer Platz is understandably piqued widespread interest. The film revolves around a family of peach farmers who work in an orchard in Alcarras, a small village in Catalonia. The owner of the estate dies and the inheritor decides to replace the peach trees with solar panels, a more lucrative business. The livelihood of the family is threatened.

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Berlinale PICKS

NANA Written and Directed by

Kamila Andini Cinematography Batara Goempar Casting Joan Ardiana Producers Ifa Isfansyah, Gita Fara Production Company Fourcolours Films Country Indonesia 2022

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nother young female director making waves is Indonesia’s Kamila Andini who earned critical acclaim for her debut, The Mirror Never Lies (2011). Last year, her third film Yuni (2021) won the Platform Prize at the Toronto International Film Festival. Andini makes her first appearance in the Berlinale Competition with Nana, set in 1960s Indonesia. The titular character who, after losing her family to the conflicts that rocked the country, has built a new life with a wealthy Sudanese man.

In spite of the love that has for her children, Nana increasingly feels out of place as memories of the past haunt her. Nana looks like another gem from the maker of the haunting Seen and Unseen.

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Berlinale PICKS

THE NOVELIST’S FILM Written and Directed by

Hong Sangsoo Cinematography Hong Sangsoo Producer Hong Sangsoo Jeonwonsa Film Co. Country Republic of Korea 2021

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f there is a film by the prolific Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo in any selection, is it even possible for it to not be on pre-festival mustwatch list. The 61-year-old director, for whom this is the third successive year in berlin, has toted up nearly 20 films in the past decade. He the Silver Bear for Best Director for his 2020 Berlinale Competition entry The Woman Who Ran. In 2021, his film Introduction bagged the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay. The characters in The Novelist’s Film relocate from Seoul to the periphery of the city to reconnect with themselves and others. The black and white film, reportedly shot in two weeks outside Seoul in March last year, celebrates the beauty of chance meetings and the importance of being honest and truthful when surrounded by perfidy.

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Berlinale PICKS

RIMINI Director

Ulrich Seidl Cinematography Wolfgang Thaler Casting Eva Roth, Henri Steinmetz, Klaus Pridnig Producer Ulrich Seidl Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion Countries Austria / France / Germany 2022

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lrich Seidl is another filmmaker who cannot but be on this list.

The Austrian director’s new film Rimini is in the Golden Bear Competition with a more than a fair chance of a shot at award glory. The synopsis of the film reads: Richie Bravo, once upon a time a successful pop star, chases after his faded fame in wintry Rimini. Trapped between permanent intoxication and concerts for busloads of tourists, his world starts to collapse when his adult daughter breaks into his life. She demands money from his that he doesn’t have.” The last part of Seidl’s Paradise trilogy, Paradise: Hope premiered in the Berlinale Competition in 2013. A film produced by Seidl, KurdwinAyub’sSonne, is in the Encounters section of Berlinale 2022.

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FOR GLOBAL APPEAL

Indian Films To Look Out For In 2 0 2 2

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PONNIYIN SELVAN Mani Ratnam

The first part of the mega-budget Tamil-language historical fiction epic, Ponniyin Selvan, directed and co-written by Mani Ratnam, is one of the most Indian anticipated films of the year. It is based on a 1955 novel by Kalki Krishnamurthy.

The story is set in the 9th century AD and revolves around the early years of the life of the Chola Prince who went to become Emperor Raja Raja Chola. Apart from Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in a dual role, Karthi, Jayam Ravi (as the titular character), Vikram, Trisha Krishnan, Sobhita Dhulipala and Aishwarya Lekshmi comprise the principal cast of Ponniyin Selvan 1.

PATHAN

Siddharth Anand The long in the making Pathan marks Shahrukh Khan’s return to the big screen after a four-year hiatus. The Bollywood superstar was last seen in 2018’s Zero, a film that underperformed at the box office. The upcoming SRK starrer is an out-and-out action thriller helmed

by Siddharth Anand and produced by Yash Raj Films’ Aditya Chopra. The Pathan cast includes Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. The film also has Salman Khan in a cameo. The film’s lead actor is known to have undergone a physical transformation for the character somewhat in the manner that he did for Farah Khan’s Om Shanti On 15 years ago.

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What to watch

DOBAARAA Anurag Kashyap

In Dobaaraa, Anurag Kashyap, working with a screenplay by Nihit Bhave (Choked), attempts an Indianised reworking of the 2018 Spanish psychological thriller Mirage. The film reunites him with Taapsee Pannu – the two worked together in Manmarziyaan.

The actress plays a woman who, in the course of an electric storm in which the space-time continuum snaps, finds herself able to communicate through an old television set with a 12-year-old boy whose life was cut short many years ago. She attempts to change the course of events that led to the youngster’s death. Interestingly, the maker of Mirage, Oriol Paulo, was also the director of The Invisible Guest, which was turned by Sujoy Ghosh into the 2019 Amitabh Bachchan-Taapsee Pannu mystery drama Badla.

VIKRAM

Lokesh Kanagaraj

Billed as Kamal Haasan’s 232nd movie, Vikram, written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj (whose Master released early last year), is backed by the Tamil megastar’s own production banner. The action thriller also features Vijay Sethupathi and Fahadh Faasil (in his third Tamil film) in stellar roles.

Scheduled for release on March 31, 2022, the buzz around the film centres as much on the star cast as the de-aging technology that has reportedly been used a aa Martin Scorsese’s The Irishman for flashback sequences involving Kamal Haasan. Details about the plot is under wraps, but it is speculated that Kamal Haasan plays a police officer in the film to Fahadh Faasil’s politician.

No matter what, Vikram promises to be a film worth waiting for.

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What to watch

DESPATCH Kanu Behl

Manoj Bajpayee’s fans are in for a treat. Despatch, Kanu Behl’s sophomore directorial venture.

Behl’s debut film Titli had its world premiere in Cannes in 2014. Set in Mumbai, Despatch revolves around a veteran crime journalist struggling to stay relevant in the age of digital news. Desperate for a scoop, he wades into a murky universe that he isn’t wholly unaware of. Written by the director in collaboration with Ishani Banerjee (co-writer of Aligarh), Despatch has Shahana Goswami, Rii Sen and Hansa Singh in key roles.

VIDUTHALAI

Vetrimaaran

A Tamil-language crime thriller written and directed by Vetrimaaran, Viduthalai has comedian Soori and the explosively talented Vijay Sethupathi teaming up on the screen in the roles of the protagonist and his mentor. Based on a story by Jayamohan, the film has been shot in the dense forests in and around the Sathyamangalam tiger reserve.

Viduthalai has Bhavani Sre, actor and music composer G.V. Prakash Kumar’s sister, as the female lead. From the looks of it, the film promises to be a hardhitting thriller made in Vetrimaaran’s take-no-prisoners style.

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What to watch

KASIMINTE KADAL Shyamaprasad

Adapted from adman-novelist Anees Salim’s book The SmallTown Sea by veteran writer-director Shyamaprasad, Kasiminte Kadal (Kasim’s Sea) is a disarmingly simple but achingly beautiful tale of an 11-year-old boy (played by Tashi Shamdat) growing up in a small beachside town in Kerala and learning to come to terms with loss. The Malayalam film tempers a melancholic tone with the lifeaffirming innocence of childhood.

The boy’s loneliness is a key element in the film, but it is his ability to find joy in the little things in life that gives the film its uplifting quality.

Kasiminte Kadal will probably bypass a theatrical release and land on a streaming platform. It is one film

ANEK

Anubhav Sinha Anek, an action thriller extensively filmed on location in Northeast India, is actor Ayushmann Khurrana’s second collaboration with director Anubhav Sinha. The two had delivered the critically acclaimed Article 15 in 2019. Not much is known about the plot of the film or the character that Khurrana plays in it. The actor, in a tweet to announce the end of the shoot, described the theme as “an untouched subject” and the film as “very important new age cinema”.

Anek is expected to hit the screen in the second half of 2o22.

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What to watch

SAM BAHADUR Meghna Gulzar

Meghna Gulzar’s upcoming film is a Sam Manekshaw biopic with Vicky Kaushal playing the role of the Indian Army chief who led India to victory in the 1971 war. The military triumph led to the creation of Bangladesh 50 years ago. Titled Sam Bahadur, the film has been scripted by the director and Bhavani Iyer. The venture is bankrolled

by Ronnie Screwvala’s RSVP. It is expected to be as much a war film as a character study of a legendary general whose heroism is part of Indian military folklore. Besides Kaushal, the cast of Sam Bahadur has Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh.

KAAPA

Venu

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Seasoned cinematographer-director Venu has assembled an impressive cast – Prithviraj Sukumuran, Manju Warrier, Asif Ali and Anna Ben – for the upcoming thriller set in the capital city of Kerala.

Adapted from a story by journalist-novelist-filmmaker GR Indugopan (Shankhumukhi), Kaapa is about gangs engaged in violent clashes for the control of the Thiruvananthapuram underworld. The screenplay has been authored by Indugopan himself. Kaapa represents the first time that Prithviraj Sukumuran and Manju Warriet will be seen together in a full-length film.

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The that 36

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he Wonder that is India 37

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India offers a unique opportu to filmmakers to shoot snow, Storm, and rain, all in one go

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he Indian subcontinent’s topography is unique. On one side you have mighty Himalayas in the lot from Hindu Kush, and in the south-west the subcontinent stretches to Malabar coast, Western and Eastern ghats—the two long coastlines in this peninsula along the Arabian Sea and also Bay of Bengal which seamlessly mingle with Indian Ocean.

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India has lush green Gangetic plain and many hill tracks and meandering valleys in between.

The country’s river system with rivers like Ganga, Brahmaputra, Krishna and Kaveri is the hotspot of all kinds of cultural activities. Then the country has the largest mangrove forest in the world shared both by India and Bangladesh. When you go to Rajasthan, you find desert, which

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unity w, Desert o mingles with the Rann of Kutch, a large area of salt marshes that span the border between India and Pakistan. India’s natural beauty is absolutely unbelievable.

When you look at the climate, you have sub-zero temperatures and somewhere in between you find very warm country and also Monsoon. It gives a unique opportunity to filmmakers to

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shoot snow, Desert Storm, and rain, all in one go. This huge landmass is also inhabited by a vast population from different faiths, caste and creed. It is truly multilingual and multiethnic country that offers a great landscape to a filmmaker and the scriptwriter to paint their stories with different hues and colours.

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Now, Shoot at Sight in

India!

As India emerges out of global pandemic, the red carpet has been rolled out for the global filmmaking community while ensuring that all safety protocols are in place, and the processes of permissions further eased under the Ease of Doing Business policy to make filmmaking a beautiful experience in the world’s largest filmmaking country

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India is a land of story-tellers, breathtaking landscapes and rich in filmic resources. Our Film in India initiative leverages this in creating an environment that will make India a content subcontinent of the world. Come shoot in India, collaborate with our content creators and take advantage of our skilled Anurag Singh Thakur manpower, cost efficiency and worldUnion Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs class post-production facilities. & Sports

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s India readies itself to take on the challenges of a post-Covid world, the largest filmmaking country in the world is once again rolling out the red carpet to the global filmmaking community to explore the beauty of filming in India.

To make filming in India a memorable experience, the Government of India has put in place all safety protocols for COVID, while also ensuring to provide a seamless process to facilitate fimmakers.

The FFO functions as a partner through the filmmaker’s journey from script to screen. Using FFO’s online ecosystem www.ffo.gov.in for filming has gained traction in the post-Covid era.

“India is a land of story-tellers, breath-taking landscapes and rich in filmic resources. Our Film in India initiative leverages this in creating an environment that will make India a content sub-continent of the world.

Come shoot in India, collaborate with our content creators and take advantage of our skilled manpower, cost efficiency and world-class postproduction facilities,” says Anurag Singh Thakur, Union Minister for Information & Broadcasting and Youth Affairs & Sports.

As a result of some serious efforts put in by the Film Facilitation Office (FFO), more than 120 international filming projects have come to India from different parts of the world.

Many projects were taken up on co-

production basis not only in the film sector, but also in the broadcasting and television sector. India has coproduction and bilateral agreements with around 30 countries across the world.

“Under the Government’s ease of doing business initiative, the FFO is the single window which assists in obtaining filming permissions. In this Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav we invite filmmakers to shoot in this beautiful landscape of our country, from the mighty Himalayas in the North to the scenic temples and beaches of Mahabalipuram,” says Dr L Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.

“The Film Facilitation Office has emerged as the one-stop solution for filming needs of producers in India and abroad. It has helped almost 127 film production companies to shoot in India from abroad. So I will urge all the film producers from abroad and within the country to reach out to the Film Facilitation Office of NFDC to come and shoot in the beautiful locations of India,” says Apurva Chandra, Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

Welcoming the global filmmaking community to explore “the beauty of filming in India”, Neerja Sekhar, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, says, “We

“As many as 18 international projects were given permission during these pandemic times thus showing the support given to filmmakers.”

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Under the Government’s ease of doing business initiative, the FFO is the single window which assists in obtaining filming permissions. In this Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav we invite filmmakers to shoot in this beautiful landscape of our country, from the mighty Himalayas in the North to the scenic temples and beaches of Mahabalipuram.

would like to reach out to the world community to showcase how ready we are to welcome you all. The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has taken the lead in creating opportunities for international filmmakers to come and create content in India and take advantage of its ecosphere of filmic resources and its fast growing Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics (AVGC) sector. The International Film Festival of India and the Film Bazaar have enabled the increasing acceptance of Indian content among global audiences.

There is an enabling environment for the international film industry to unlock its narrative in India!”

India is blessed with scenic locations, incredible cultural diversity, trained film crews and low production costs, which is coupled with film friendly policies. Owing to these

Dr L Murugan Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying

advantages many overseas studios are increasingly entering into arrangements with producers in India to jointly produce films and television series. India also allows Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) upto 100 percent for film and TV productions under the automatic route.

“We are committed towards the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s initiative of Filming in India under the Government of India’s Ease of Doing Business.

NFDC through the FFO is constantly engaging with various Central Government Ministries/Departments and the State Governments to not only ease the filming process but also setting up a mechanism that will enable the FFO to address grievances pertaining to filming and track receipt of incentives on behalf of filmmakers,” says Ravinder Bhakar

We welcome the global filmmaking community to explore the beauty of filming in India. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has taken the lead in creating opportunities for international filmmakers to come and create content in India and take advantage of its ecosphere of filmic resources and its fast growing AVGC sector. The International Film Festival of India and the Film Bazaar have enabled the increasing acceptance of Indian content Neerja Sekhar among global audiences. There is an Additional Secretary, Ministry of enabling environment for the international Information & Broadcasting film industry to unlock its narrative in India!

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The Film Facilitation Office has emerged as the one stop solution for filming needs of producers in India and abroad. It has helped almost 127 film production companies to shoot in India from abroad. So I will urge all the film producers from abroad and within the country to reach out to the Film Facilitation Office of NFDC to come and shoot in the beautiful locations of India.

MD, National Film Development Corporation and CEO, Central Board of FIlm Certification.

He adds that filmmakers can apply for permits for location recce, shooting in monuments under the jurisdiction of Archaeological Survey of India and locations under the Ministry of Railways at ease through the FFO. “We look forward to welcoming producers and production companies from across the world to shoot their Feature Films, TV and Web shows and series in India,” he says.

“As many as 18 international projects were given permission during these pandemic times thus showing the support given to filmmakers. The shoot of the official Indo-Bangladesh co-production Bangabandhu was successfully completed and currently crew members from France, US,

UK, Nigeria, Canada etc. are in the process of obtaining Film Visa to travel to India for shooting various projects,” says Vikramjit Roy, HeadFilm Facilitation Office (FFO).

As the government has become an important stakeholder in the film ecosystem in India, the establishment of FFO in 2016 has ensured that the processes of permissions and other support services become much faster and streamlined in India.

FFO has an online system in place to receive and process all applications of international as well as domestic producers. FFO has also set up its own network of nodal officers in various state governments, besides integrating its system with quite a few states and central ministries to facilitate clearances.

Filmmakers can apply for permits for location recce, shooting in monuments under the jurisdiction of Archeological Survey of India and locations under the Ministry of Railways at ease through the FFO. We look forward to welcoming producers and production companies from across the world to shoot their Feature Films, TV and Web shows and series in India.

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Apurva Chandra Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting

Ravinder Bhakar MD, National Film Development Corporation and CEO, Central Board of FIlm Certification

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www.ffo.gov.in

EASE OF DOING BUSINESS Online Permission Ecosystem International filmmakers can register and apply through the FFO portal, www.ffo.gov.in, to obtain all Central and State Government permissions.

Here is the easy eight-step guide for International Filmmakers Seeking A National Permit To Film In India

1 Register on the FFO web portal as an International Production

2 3

Fill up National Permission form

Pay fees of INR equivalent to USD 225

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Upload synopsis & script, details of shooting locations in India, period of shooting, cast /crew details with passport, list of equipment to be temporarily imported for filming, agreement between Indian and foreign party in case of a co-production, NOC in case of portrayal of a living personality in the film

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Application received by FFO and script sent for evaluation

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Post the script evaluator’s clearance of the script, application processed for permission

7 Producer may apply for Film (F) Visa with Indian Missions/posts abroad

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Once approved, permission can be downloaded from the portal

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Filming Destinations of INDIAN States

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Filming in India

Karnataka Home to excellent shooting locales such as Bangalore, Coorg, Gangavathi, Udupi, Badami Caves and BalmuriFalls,among others, the state has been promoting filmmaking through organisation of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFESl)

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his state has the Silicon City of India and a whole array of health spas. A range of architecture depicted through its palaces, temples, mausoleums, monuments and ruins.

Sanctuaries, national parks and waterfalls, along with endless beaches, scenic hills and modern cityscapes are abundant here.

The state has come up with the Karnataka Animation Visual Effects, Gaming and Comics Policy (KAVGC) 2017-2022 that addresses skill development, infrastructure growth, ecosystem expansion, marketing support as well as financial concessions and incentives.

AVGC fully equipped with a postproduction lab (comprising an incubator, game testing facilities, render farm, etc.) and state-ofthe-art equipment.

Home to excellent shooting locales such as Bangalore, Coorg, Gangavathi, Udupi, Badami Caves and BalmuriFalls,among others, the state has been promoting filmmaking through organisation of Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFESl), Innovative International Film Festival, Abstract Synergies International Short Film Festival and Karnataka State Film Awards.

The policy has been promoting exports by attracting global production, while at the same time providing impetus to indigenous productions in terms of original IP and short films and start-ups in areas such as game development, virtual reality, augmented reality and educational technology.

In terms of infrastructure, the state is committed to set up a world-class AVGC infrastructure.

Karnataka has launched India’s first centre of excellence for 46

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Filming in India

Tamil Nadu Committed to provide world-class film production infrastructure, the state government has upgraded infrastructure at the MGR. Film City by setting up an animation and visual effects studio and renovating dubbing theatres

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amil Nadu has a lot on its platter to offer. While the green fields of Pollachi, heavenly falls of Hogenakkal or the misty magic of Ooty and Kodaikanal offer a visual treat to the eyes, the temples of Madurai, or the beaches of Rameshwaram and Kanyakumari take one to a different world altogether.

Committed to provide world-class film production infrastructure, the state government has upgraded infrastructure at the M.G.R. Film City by setting up an animation and visual effects studio, renovating dubbing theatres, constructing hostels, etc.

The incentives offered by Tamil Nadu include grant of subsidy of Rs. 7 lakhs to quality lowbudget Tamil films with social commitment; film awards to the best Tamil feature films, best actors, best actresses and technicians to encourage the Tamil Film Industry; another special prize of Rs. 1.25 lakh, along with a memento and a certificate is awarded to a Tamil film which portrays the dignity of women; a five sovereign gold pendant, a memento and a certificate are 47

presented to the best actors, actresses and technicians.

Awards are also given to Best Dubbing Artistes (both male and female), Best Character Artistes (both male and female), Best Comedy Artistes (both male and female). The artistes appearing in television programmes are also honoured. Small Screen Awards are presented every year to Best Tele Serial, actors, actresses and technicians too.

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Filming in India

MADHYA PRADESH The state has made considerable efforts towards easing filming in the state by creating a well-structured website, film friendly infrastructure, offering incentives, maintaining databases, undertaking marketing and promotional initiatives.

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inner of Indian government’s national award for the Most Film Friendly State in 2017, the ‘heart of India’, Madhya Pradesh, offers a wide variety of locales, eliminating the role of a set designer. From famous forts, marble rocks of Bheraghat, to the green hills of Pachmarhi, the options are rich and many.

The temples of Khajuraho are UNESCO world heritage sites.

The State has made considerable efforts towards easing filming in the State by creating a well-structured web site, film friendly infrastructure, offering incentives, maintaining

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databases, undertaking marketing and promotional initiatives. Initiatives taken by State for simplification of film production include appointment of Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (Tourism Department) as the nodal Agency for film shooting clearance, incentives and subsidies in the State. The Tourism Department also coordinates with other Departments to obtain legal mandatory permissions needed for producers. Tourism Department offers discounts at State Government owned hotels and free of charge shooting at selected locations.

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Filming in India

Sikkim The small Himalayan state with its mesmerizing natural splendors coupled with an investor-friendly policy to make the work of filmmakers easy is extremely alluring

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djudged the ‘Most Film Friendly State’ of India in 2019 at the recentlyconcluded 67th National Film Awards, Sikkim offers picturesque locations like Yumthang Valley, Lachung, Gnathang Valley, numerous Buddhist monasteries and pristine glacial lakes that make for a perfect place to shoot a film. The small Himalayan state with its mesmerizing natural splendors coupled with an investor-friendly policy to make the work of filmmakers easy is extremely alluring.

With its own brief history of cinema, attracting prominent filmmakers like Satyajit Ray and Dev Anand, Sikkim has made

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several attractive provisions to have a friendly film shooting environment for the producers and directors and also for the local filmmakers. The state is also working towards setting up a film city. Over the past few years, the state, especially the picturesque northern district, has served as the perfect backdrop of several Bollywood films and many regional films.

On the policy front, Sikkim offers all permits/permissions and paperwork through a single window system. The state government has also identified, catalogued and developed promising potential shooting locations, which have aesthetic and cinematic appeal.

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Filming in India

JAMMU & KASHMIR The initiatives taken by the state also include Single window clearance system for granting permission for shooting films within seven days in Kashmir; promoting filming location through a Film Tourism Promotion Committee

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ammu and Kashmir has been a paradise for film shooting for its mesmerizing natural beauty and unparalleled scenic landscapes. The entertainment industry in Jammu and Kashmir took a beating in the past couple of decades despite having a great potential to become a world class film shooting destination, but all that is changing now with government focusing on

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the revival of cinema halls and developing infrastructure for multiple kinds of entertainment.

Besides security, which the government is taking care of, common pre and post production facilities like small studios are also being planned in the state so that low budget films can also be shot in Jammu and Kashmir.

The initiatives taken by the state also include Single window clearance system for granting permission for shooting films within seven days in Kashmir; promoting filming location through a Film Tourism Promotion Committee; waiver of taxes for films shot in the state; and organising film events and festivals like Kashmir World Film Festival, Kashmir International Film Festival, Jammu and Kashmir Festival.

Since M&E sector has a natural potential for the state, the government is planning a mini film city that would have world-class film production infrastructure, and would actually anchor filmmakers and provide them a single touch point from where all their issues will be resolved.

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Filming in India

Himachal Pradesh Incentives offered by Himachal Pradesh include 100% tax exemption to films shot in the state; Rs. 10 lakhs provided to interested film makers who can work in the folk dialects of Himachal and Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and English languages

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rom hills to mountains, capped by snowy peaks; punctuated by passes and glaciers, Himachal Pradesh has an abundance of parks, rich with flora and fauna and regions that experience temperature extremes. Himachal Pradesh had always been a popular destination for film industry and had been attracting film makers for the last six decades. Himachal has several scenic locations which are ideal to the film makers especially in the remote belts and the government is making allout efforts to develop these sites to facilitate the tourists and film makers.

Incentives offered by Himachal Pradesh include100% tax exemption to films shot in the state; Rs. 10 lakhs provided to interested film makers who can work in the folk dialects of Himachal and Hindi, Sanskrit, Urdu and English languages. This includes documentaries of more than 26 minutes and animation films of more than 10 minutes; complimentary facilities and rebates extended to film makers availing government facilities like accommodation, transportation and equipment.

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Familiarization (FAM) tours for foreign filmmakers is also be facilitated by the support of the state government.

To promote Himachal Pradesh as a major destination for promoting film making, a film tourism policy is on the anvil. The government is also exploring possibilities of setting up of film studio in the state for promoting film tourism.

Organising Film events and festivals like International Film Festival of Shimla, Free Spirit Film Festival – Dharamshala and Dharamshala International Film Festival.

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LEADERS SPEAK

Quantum

Image

Making

Has

Arrived Biren Ghose has been playing a crucial role for over two decades in transforming the India’s digital creative industries. Prominently featuring in all global media markets and events across the globe. Biren’s amazing professional journey and experiences give us useful insights into his incredible mind and vision for the India’s Animation, VFX, and Gaming [AVGC] industries.

Pickle chats with Biren Ghose, Country Head, Technicolor India and Vice Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment.

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Biren Ghose, Country Head, Technicolor India and Vice Chairman, CII National Committee on Media & Entertainment

India has rapidly risen to eminence as the “digital engine room” for the world India is participating at Berlinale’s European Film Market. India’s spotlight is its digital creative industries…

Berlinale and European Film Market is an established global platform for germinating and exposing the latest in audio visual content and filmmaking. In addition to critical acclaim, our films, talent and locales have achieved a premium status in the global film firmament. Even more significant is India’srapid rise to eminenceas the “digital engine room” for the world, when it comes to production of movies, episodic and short film content. That’s the emerging India edge. It is with this growing confidence and pride that we are positioning India as the “wind in the sails’ of content creators through technology enablement. As technology has democratized consumption so also has it helped to consolidate production.

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What’s trending and something we bring to Berlin – is this new breed of creativity - a potent and youthful combination of talent, technology, and tenacity. These 3Ts are becoming a key force through the digital transformationof our film industries leveraging Animation, VFX, & Immersive Media.

The digital world has made content a transcendental phenomenon and today’s audio-visual sciences have elevated the art of content creation to image making beyond the constraints of the camera

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The Government of India has identified the audio-visual services as a champion sector. This is a recognition given to industries where 3-4 X growth is a strong potential given its potential to catapult jobs and exports. With the right impetus the services sector for Animation, VFX and Games [labelled the AVGC sector] can double its growth rate and make it a Rs. 1 trillion sector by 2025-26.

The technologies and toolsets to create stories are exploding. I see this paradigm shift as we enter the ‘age of immersion’— a surreal paradigm in which people are their own heroes and participate in their own adventures! The digital world has made content a transcendental phenomenon and today’s audio-visual sciences have elevated the art of content creation to image making beyond the constraints of the camera. The chimeric possibilities in digital content creation now enables the storyteller

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to overcomethe stresses and travails of live action and avoid multilocation, large crews, inclement weather and other production imponderables and instead use new tools and methodologies leveraging computer graphics.

The digital world has made content a transcendental phenomenon and today’s audiovisual sciences have elevated the art of content creation to image making beyond the constraints of the camera

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How has India transformed in the visual effects space..

Definitely it is not just the backroom or back office stuff that happens out of India…?

I’ll give you an analogy. As a big fan of the sport, in the Formula 1 race, you experience the pinnacle of global automotive technologies that make massive performance strides annually.The top teams includeMercedes, Renault,Ferrari, Aston Martin. Besides the skill of the driver – engineering the car from drawing board to split second pit stops are unbelievable feats. India’s Tata Consultancy Services for over a decade have been involved in elements of what Ferrari F1 does in that domain. This demonstrates the importance of what goes “under the hood” and that’s what animation and VFX are doing to games and movies and streamers. Companies like MPC and The Mill are in the world of films, dedicated to that same purpose – to work with the creatives in the world’s biggest studios – to design, develop and deployment a technology stack to ensure that the digital augmentation needed in those productions are like the F1 to the film world. Hence this emerging India prowess is a game changer akin to the analytics, the real time simula-

The technologies and toolsets to create stories are exploding. I see this paradigm shift as we enter the ‘age of immersion’— a surreal paradigm in which people are their own heroes and participate in their own adventures

tion and the digital assets needed to take split second decisions in a F1 race. AVGC entities demonstrate that same dynamicof making creative and technology choices that need to be managed in real time!

India has built momentum and scale and it’s not just the simple work roto work that gets sent here, the studios have been able to rise to global

In the digital world today, filmmakers think globally.

What AR Rahman did for music was to contemporize it. His awesome compositions fused elements of Indian classical,Western classical, Jazz, Soul and made a new popular music that has won global acclaim 55

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I am calling filmmaking as image making! Its future has already been disrupted because of new technologies, tsunami of data and a billion pieces of content that we are all surrounded by it’s a tough task for sure standards to deliverend-to-end work across full shots and sequences for the most complex productions.

As the world looks at geographical hubs for all kinds of technology facilitation to scale their businesses –India has become that hub in aerospace, automotive, retail, healthcare, finance, biotech, etc and similarly “image making”now aspires to join that group by harnessing Indian know how tobecome the #1 service provider for the global M&E industry.

India is currently deploying economic diplomacy as a strategy to reach out to the world...How do we do this in the media world...

Ultimately this question is about value creation and value addition. What is economic diplomacy as a strategy?

How do we align the expectations and balance strengths across geographies for a win-win solution? We are a global participantin storytelling. Our Indian embassies in every country are constantly presenting India to the world. A lot of cultural representation of India is showcased in a very traditional manner. Contemporary storytelling is not just about what we create just for a broadcast channel.

Indian storytelling must leverage every interface that takes place globally and our trade consuls can play a large role in this outreach effort.

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AVGC content can help demonstrate and enhance the understanding of the New Indiain a manner that captures the global psyche.

In the digital world today, film makersthink globally. What AR Rahman did for musicwas to contemporize it.

His awesome compositions fused elements of Indian classical,Western classical, Jazz, Soul and made a new popular music that has won global acclaim. That’s the magic of expanding our reach through this amalgam of a wide variety of influencesthat could make the Indian Film industry a more powerful global force.

What do we do in festivals and markets like Berlin? We are coming to demonstrate how Indian content is a perfect test bed for the world. We have 400 million youth in India. Additionally, in our country, our national releases must cut across languages; religions; state rules; etc.There is no bigger test bed for content effectiveness! We are millions of people who speak different languages, have different traditions, different religions, different likes and dislikes and we tell different stories!We are the best case study on how to create content that has a universal appeal! We need to ensure we take those insights and mount fresh content on an international scale!

Recently, Government of India, in the Union Budget has announced formation of AVGC Taskforce…

In the same way that big movie ideas are all about the execution, similarly, making a national policy, is all about making development plans that can be translated into tangible and lasting outcomes. We are delighted that the government of India [in the Union Budget 2022] has announced a task force for AVGC. I am hopeful that the recruits to this task forcewill think about this as a missionand make it a national priority. This shall look at an industry wish list and work to achieve it in a partnership between academia, industry and government.

Where are we heading in the digital creative industries...

I am calling filmmaking as image

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game-enginelike tech willbecome popular across all forms of content creation. India is adept at embracing such technological pivotsand can aggressively lead the pack going forward.Venture monies, the spirit of innovation entrepreneurship and the experience of India’sfilmmakers for decades are all potent ingredients that will help catapult the growth of this sector.

making! Its future has already been disrupted -- because of new technologies, tsunami of data and a billion pieces of content that we are all surrounded by it’s a tough task for sure.

However, just like quantum physics, came in when the classical physics failed, I’m saying that “Quantum Image Making” will turn ageold practices and art forms on its head.

Look at what’s already trending in our industry! Production become “virtual production” – this means that real time technologies with

Organize

your meetings

The Indian AVGC sector shall become about 25-28% of the total Indian Media & Entertainment industry by 2025

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outstanding films

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LEADERS SPEAK

Chalking the growth path for

Digital Creative Industries

With the setting up Animation, VFX, Games, Comics (AVGC) Taskforce the Government of India has taken a significant step to develop strategic planning, says Dr S Raghunath, Professor of Strategy, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore

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Dr S Raghunath, Professor of Strategy, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore Digital Creative Industries, together known as the AVGC sector (Animation, VFX, Gaming, Comics, XR) has many small firms that produce higher quality content at lower cost.

Strategic planning With the setting up of the AVGC taskforce the Government has taken a significant step to develop strategic planning that captures talent in emerging technologies to guarantee that India is at the leading edge of the next technology frontier disrupting the media and entertainment industry. India must demonstrate that it is a fast-mover and the Indian government is keen to offer substantial support to the AVGC sector.

Given that VR production costs can be pretty steep, forward-looking policy can promote the sector through subsidies to attract VR talent from around the world. The diffusion of knowledge and talent through coworking arrangements can protect and develop India’s AVGC industry.

For example, the government can subsidize companies to further de-

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velop the AVGC output and position India as the next global technological hub. Grants can be offered to support content development and investment. Thereby the government can also take an active role in investing in AR/VR immersive content.

Govt & Grants A government backed fund can provide funding for AR and VR producers to co-produce content with local teams, offering grants that cover both development and production.

In France for example such a fund supports around 40 percent of the

Given that VR production costs can be pretty steep, forward-looking policy can promote the sector through subsidies to attract VR talent from around the world

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costs required to produce a VR film.

They also offer a tax rebate of up to 30 percent of qualifying expenditures to projects wholly or partly made in France and initiated by non-French companies. According to reports, the policy appears to have been effective in supporting filmmaking in France.

hubs might emerge from continuous interaction between start up founders, AVGC hub managers and mentors and could turn out to be much more than just a co-location space for people to work.

The AVGC policy can give a strong incentive to develop AVGC Hubs.

Co-located AVGC hubs offer distinct benefits to startups and, as a result, talent and capital might target those locations.

Studies have emphasized the importance of social capital to technopreneurs. Social capital includes individual and collective social networks that help these AVCG entrepreneurs to gain access to information and know-how. Knowledge exchange can be expected in these AVCG hubs that could promote cooperation amongst companies and linkages between companies and academic institutions.

Anywhere, anytime We are however aware that the advancement of digital media technology presents opportunities wherein digital tools can be deployed by professionals working anywhere in creating, sharing and collaborating on work and not necessarily in formal office workspaces .

While the development of virtual AVGC hubs might sound like a great idea, the relational elements of the experience of working within an AVGC hub that will be most likely lost when going virtual.

Social capital

Studies have emphasized the importance of social capital to technopreneurs

Creativity and innovation in AVCG

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Another major contribution from such AVCG hubs is about promoting incubation, nurturing and developing emerging AVCG companies.

The presence of angel investors and venture capitalists in these hubs can play important roles in financing, selection, collective learning and creating an innovation network.

Digital relationships The AVCG hubs’ digital infrastructure can help maintain relationships among the members of the hub who might not be co located and would help to expand the AVCG hub’s activity. The website and social media of the AVCG hubs can offer a space to showcase the management and hub members’ activities and to extend market reach.

As story telling and visualization are the strengths of the AVGC sector, government can utilise the technological advancements, particularly using AR/VR for image building, creating an awareness about India as an investment destination. Digital tools exist for planning, design and presentation of information but AR/VR solutions can further enrich image-building activities by giving more accurate and in-depth information about specific areas in an easily accessible and cost effective way.

Through the AVGC hubs, government can gather, store, and share a wide range of data with potential investors, including information about the economic, social, and human capital of the local economy and the business environment. Webbased immersive visualizations can be created for more engaging, understandable, data-driven stories for both foreign investors and domestic stakeholders.

Big possibilities Using AR/VR technology, it is possible for the government to showcase locations for attracting investments, such as industrial areas, and cultural sites. Government departments could develop virtual experiences that enable investors to explore potential investment sites from wherever they are located. The benefit

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Using AR/VR technology, it is possible for the government to showcase locations for attracting investments, such as industrial areas, and cultural sites

of such an approach is the ability to meet the potential investors without traveling and give them as realistic an experience as possible from a distance.

Although the talent and technology in the AVGC can offer promising solutions to advance government policy and also attract foreign direct investment as well as domestic investment in multiple spheres of economic activity, there has to be commensurate awareness and understanding among government functionaries in order to take advantage of this potential.

Will & way Government functionaries in various ministries often need fundamental appreciation of how to utilise the potential of the AVGC talent and technology to advance the goals and objectives of various government projects. The level of understanding across government departments about what these technologies are and what they can offer might differ even between individual government officers .

In order to utilise emerging technologies in the AVGC sector, the senior administrators in the government need the awareness, will, and budgets to champion and sustain AVGC enabled programmes for future growth.

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THE WORLD’S FIRST NON LINEAR SINGLE SHOT FILM

Parthiban

Bets Big on

‘Iravin Nizhal’ Having won National Award for his recent film ‘Otha Seruppu’, actor-filmmaker Radhakrishnan Parthiban is now aiming to grab global attention with his next venture ‘Iravin Nizhal ‘ (Shadow of The Night) , which he says is the world’s first single shot nonlinear film. The movie has music by Oscar-Grammy winner A R Rahman. Excerpts from an interview with Parthiban.

Before Covid-19 erupted, you had completed the film ‘Otha Seruppu’. It got raving reviews and appreciation.

(It’s a film with multiple characters, but only one (the protagonist) shown on screen)... How satisfied are you with the newness you had brought to the film?

We are in mid-pandemic enviorns. As an actorfilmmaker, how has your life transformed during the last 18-months?

Uncertainty. Though it is already there in life, it is more so now. We are in this world on a transit, for 73 years, 93 years, or 91 years like Lata Mangeshkar. But, as if we are going to live for 500 years, we do harm to others. The pandemic has reiterated the fact that life is temporary.

Covid has created an awareness of uncertainty and made people realise to lead life happily. So I see the pandemic as a positive thing.

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Before I made ‘Otha Seruppu’, I made so many different attempts for more than three decades, right from my first film Puthiya Paathai. My movies like ‘Housefull’ won National Award and other honours, while my other films did not. I had faced huge losses too. It is a journey of winning and losing, but I am determined to make novel attempts as I am confident only such ventures would last long in the history. ‘Otha Seruppu’ is the outcome of that confidence.

Has it travelled around the movie making centres of the world?

No, it reached less than 5 per cent of the movie making centres of the world.

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Seems your thirst for innovation in filmmaking has not ended with ‘Otha Seruppu’. You have made a film recently ‘Iravin Nizhal’ (Shadows of the Night) -which was shot in one-go?

Tell us briefly about the film...

My thirst (for different movies) never ends. Everyone should have a fire within till death. For a filmmaker, the fire means not about just making money, but about innovating and reinventing. A magazine like ‘Pickle’ asking this question to me itself gives me happiness and pride. ‘Iravin Nizhal’ is a first-of-its-kind attempt in world cinema. Because, all single shot films so far were of linear type. But ‘Iravin Nizhal’ is non-linear. Ten years of script making, two years of production designing, 90 days of rehearsals were behind this. Around 340 crew members have contributed to this project. Mr A R Rahman’s music will be a highlight of this movie. I always prioritise recognition over money. I carefully collect each and every clap. My journey is towards getting global recognition for ‘Iravin Nizhal’. I believe the reach of ‘Iravin Nizhal’ will be 10 times more than that of ‘Otha Seruppu’.

Your passion for cinema has no bounds? where do you get influenced.. Who are your influencers?

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Yes, I have 75 bound scripts in different genres, written in the past 20 years. But when I think about the next, I want to set aside these 75 scripts and do something different.

Because, I don’t want my scripts to be different from others’ movies alone, but from my own scripts too. My box is full of scripts (for the attention of producers across the world who are looking for novel scripts).

The passion for novelty and never ending imagination drive me. I get influenced by my audience. Because, they expect something different from me. It impacts me. People are very intelligent and creative, one can see this on social media. So filmmaking should cater to them and movies should be talked about even after some ten years.

What is good cinema...

Cinema is not about making the audience clap. Filmmaking is all about making the audience freeze on their seats even after the movie is over. This is cinema according to me. I am not talking about either experimental or commercial films, but good cinema.

Finally, as a filmmakers, what are the buried things in your mind, that have not taken wings...

I have buried so many scripts in my mind. I feel that urgency to make them as movies, but they are yet to get wings.

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STRAIGHT ANSWERS FROM Parthiban

A no-nonsense actor, National Award winning filmmaker-actor R Parthiban is known for his sharp acumen and quick wit.

Here are sure-shot answers from him for our rapid fire questions What is your idea of perfect happiness?

Indepth peace, happiness of inner mind.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I read only index cover not outside cover.

What is your motto?

No one here is an orphan till another man is there. I want to be that another man.

Which living person do you most despise?

The people who are not loving and living their life.

What is your greatest fear?

Fearlessness.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Humanity.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself ?

Trusting others without any doubt.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Viewing even trust with doubt.

Which living person do you most admire?

Shadow of mine.

What is your extravagance?

Filmmaking.

greatest

What is your current state of mind?

The current in my mind is not DC. it is AC. Alternative Current.it keeps changing within moments.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Chastity of people.

On what occasion do you lie?

When I am not talking truth.

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What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Dignity.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

You are the only truth, everything else is your illusions, imaginations.

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

Cinema.

When and where were you happiest?

In between the hands when clapping.

Which talent would you most like to have?

Jealous of musicians.

What do you consider greatest achievement?

Mentally in 23 and a half.

your

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

Physically also 23 and a half.

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If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what would it be?

Charlie Chaplin the great.

Where would you most like to live?

Where there is creativity. With that creator. i.e., beautiful nature What is your most treasured possession?

Simplicity.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?

Children begging at traffic signals.

What is your favorite occupation?

Though I complete my tasks, I never get satisfied.

What is your most marked characteristic?

Not just markings. I used to underline my presence. Giving others a surprise always. This time my movie Shadow of Night.

What do you most value in your friends?

There should be a give and take in every health and growth of friendship. To make it easier I will take the first part i.e., giving. The other person should take it.

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Who is your hero of fiction?

My imaginations - A man without an image doing unimaginable miracles.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Pyramids. All time mystery. A life inside without a life.

What are your most favourite films?

Sixteen mm and 8 mm films screened in the school halls, the sound of the projector and scratches on the screen, with Mahatma walking and jumping.

What are your favorite names?

Mr. K Bhagyaraj (my guru). Mr.A. Sundaram my first film producer.

What is it that you most dislike?

I keep all my likes in ascending order and dislikes in descending order.

What is your greatest regret?

It took very long time to get the answer…….

How would you like to die?

In a huge stage with flooding lights in sounding claps when I am performing.

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The bridge between

Bombay &

Berlin

The creative teams from writers, directors, cast, crew to post-production will have to acknowledge too that the spectators and their habits have changed over the past years, say Katharina Suckale and Arfi Lamba of Bombay Berlin Film Productions.

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Katharina Suckale - Bombay Berlin Film Production We met last at Berlinale 2020.

Twenty-four months have passed?

We are in mid-pandemic environs now… How has been last two years for you?

Actually, the last two years have been very intense and exciting.

Due to the pandemic, our business and company started following the work from home with the support of digital communication tools. We developed a series with Disney+ Hotstar and produced a short film too, that should premiere at a big festival soon.

Meanwhile, Bombay-Berlin had one of its films on one of the streaming sites...

Yes, our feature film “LOEV” is available on Netflix in 180 countries and we got a lot of feedback over social media. It is inspiring to get so much love and appreciation over Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook.

We were happy to see the enthusiasm of the spectators and also how these social media tools have brought the audience closer to the makers.

Besides, our short film “The Idiot” got sold to Amazon UK and USA, Disney+ Hotstar and the prestigious and curated US short film platform, Argo.

What projects are you currently working on? What is the progress?

We continued the festival tour of our Marathi feature film “Trijya”

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(Radius) by Akshay Indikar, which tells the journey of a young man in his 20s who is as confused as one can be. We were honoured that the film won the National Award of Best Sound Design in 2021. With the opening of the movie halls, we plan a release in the cinemas and VOD platforms.

Besides, we bought the rights to an Indian biopic. The screenplay is in its writing process in cooperation with Olivia Stewart. At the same time, we have series concepts submitted to Indian platforms and German channels.

Going forward, what are the challenges you foresee as a producer?

Once the pandemic is over, it will be the question of whether arthouse cinema in all its variety will survive.

The habits of spectators have further

We would need that support from India.

Indian filmmakers and producers need to have a big co-production fund to make content and have it released in the international market

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Arfi Lamba - Bombay Berlin Film Production changed that they mainly come to the cinemas for blockbusters. As we all know the situation of film distributors in Germany and Europe became difficult due to the lockdowns the last two years. Will the variety of films and film art worldwide sustain?

The creative teams from writers, directors, cast, crew to postproduction will have to acknowledge too that the spectators and their habits have changed over the past years. The demands on the quality of stories have risen. What stories will be successful in the vast diversity of content, tastes, platforms, and markets? It became even less predictable than 10-15 years ago.

Post pandemic, what has changed in the business (as a producer) and what will never come back?

In the last years, the business has shifted towards the production of series and short formats such as Tiktok, YouTube, etc... The release of feature films apart from big blockbusters became a challenge.

In Germany, cinemas were closed during 7-8 months a year and opened with an occupancy of 35% due to Covid regulations, similar to India.

This is neither easy for distributors, exhibitors, sales companies, investors, producers and filmmakers.

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Due to the high concept series available on HBO, Amazon, Netflix, ZDF, ARD, Disney, etc., spectators became even more demanding than before. They got used to top quality on all levels. This requests high budgets and well-trained writers, directors, and crew members. Another bigger challenge will be the availability of crew. While every studio/producer is rushing to finish the pending shoot due to Covid, new series are being greenlit and crew is becoming a huge issue for shoots.

How has the various film markets -- most of them online -- worked for you?

Once the pandemic is finished, it will be the question of whether arthouse cinema in all its variety will survive? The habits of spectators have further changed that they mainly come to the cinemas for blockbusters

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It was interesting to attend Cannes, Chicago, Tallinn, Les Arcs, Rotterdam etc. digitally. You stayed connected to basic information on the transformation of the business and new technologies. The panels gave you the newest market tendencies and the latest films and series released. Even the enormity of bigger events was reduced to be somewhat like a Zoom call. Not being able to see people in person, to network and lock deals, was a huge bummer, only replaced by a small screen in your home office. It is a very one-sided communication.

What are the negatives of an online market? Why do you prefer the physical market?

During these digital markets and events, you experience also a lot of “Ghost Chatting”, where people appear and disappear, projects appear and disappear. There is less reliability and you do not have many networking possibilities to expand your business and artistic connections. All our business along the two years of Covid was based on the connections we had established over the last 10-15 years, build over our productions and onsite markets.

Maybe, online markets were at a nascent stage and born out of necessity and that’s why they lacked the productivity of a physical market by a huge margin.

Are you optimistic that things will get better to have a physical market and full-fledged festival during Cannes in May?

We are optimistic that business will start moving even better because people will find their life back, hopefully going out, meeting people, wanting to hear and exchange new stories We are very hopeful. Business continued during the pandemic, while films and series got shot, pushing to the film markets respectively the spectator. We are optimistic that business will start moving even better because people will find their life back, hopefully going out, meeting people, wanting to hear and exchange new stories. Though there will be some irreversible changes.

Digital meetings and events are here to stay forever. But they will never be able to replace physical meetings.

You had created Bombay-Berlin Productions with a vision to bring filmmakers from both countries, make films that will bring two cultures together?

We are very happy that Europe and India as well as Germany and India continued to approach each other exchanging stories. We have

A Still from Trijya

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A Still from Trijya discovered the possibility to get to know more about the other continent due to new media and globalization.

The feedback of German channels on Indian content in 2003/2006 was still that “German spectators are not interested in India.” Nobody would say something like this in 2022. In today’s times, you can watch Indian films and series over Netflix and Amazon all over the world. LOEV is streamed in 180 countries. Who would have imagined these developments in 2011 when we founded Bombay Berlin Film Productions?

Where do we stand in the Indo-German audio-visual collaboration going forward?

There is a long-distance to be covered.

Germany has a robust funding system, supported by Creative Europe and Eurimages, while India has one fund, NFDC (National Film Development Corporation of India), that also promises to fund Regional Indian films only. Also, there is still a resistance to see the stories that can take place in these two countries with their own language and culture clashes. Language stays a big negotiating factor for the audiences in India, and for traditional German audiences.

People in Germany and India have been in different lockdowns under changing regulations. This influenced and changed human relationships. We have been talking to German channels who would be interested to work in India as well as Indian platforms to collaborate with Germany and Europe. We have

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to find the stories which interest the spectators on both continents.

At one point of time Shah Rukh Khan could bring Berlin traffic to a standstill... Can this happen now?

After the lockdown, we were happy to meet young people in their 20s who love watching Bollywood films with Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, and other Indian stars. They sit together with their parents in front of the television, loving and crying with these stories. They want to dream again, feeling happiness and joy, because life became more difficult than 10-20 years ago.

Lockdowns and social media brought the fans closer to their stars in this time. And one thing is sure, fans always find out where their favorite star is. When Shah Rukh Khan would

To get more collaboration, we need to support the core of filmmaking, which means the writers, creators and producers. There are pan-European writers/directors and producers Labs. This doesn’t exist between Europe and India

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come to Berlin, some people would know and with the word of mouth spreading fast more people would find out, because with his films he still represents love and hope which people are even more looking for today.

How do we make India and Germany to collaborate? We don’t see co-productions similar to Don2 and The Lunch Box? Why? Don2 and Lunchbox were exceptions to the rule and this is the magic of cinema. Germany produced on average 200-300 feature films per year, most of these films are neither known in Germany as well as outside the country. They don’t get a release, similar to some films in France and India. There have always been exceptions where the word of mouth spread.

To get more collaboration, we need to support the core of filmmaking, which means the writers, creators and producers. There are panEuropean writers/directors and producers Labs. This doesn’t exist between Europe and India.

While the whole world is collaborating, producing films and series based out of different world regions, India is still a selfsufficient market, generating huge content and revenue for the domestic market. There is a big potential in international collaborations and that has to be exploited sooner than later.

They should get already the financial support to develop content that would fit German/European spectators as well as Indian spectators.

Then for the production, films and series projects need support from institutions over tax credits and public funding in India to make it interesting for private investors to join the financing. Then also German and European funding institutions will be interested and vice versa.

Do you see scope for India and German collaboration in streaming space? Are there any OTT platforms beyond Netflix and Amazon in the German market?

Apart from Netflix and Amazon, there is Sky/Comcast releasing series also from HBO, TNT-Warner

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A Still from Trijya Media, Telecom/Magenta TV, and Disney+. ZDF and ARD have their own digital platforms. There are smaller platforms too but not as successful in terms of spectators and revenues. In general, the philosophy of streamers in Germany is to create “local content”, which means in each case something different. And you never know what they are planning now for the future?

Channels like ARD and ZDF are partly more open to coproductions.

For example, ZDF, France Télévisions and RAI Italy are cooperating on international series.

They need to do co-productions with several countries in order to raise the finances the streamers have available, opening to larger markets, too. We would need that support from India. Indian filmmakers and producers need to have a big coproduction fund to make content and have it released in the international market.

Lastly, what are your prescriptions for Indian people to watch subtitled or dubbed German content in India...

Over the last 2-3 years, a lot of spectators in India, as well as Germany, started to appreciate original versions with subtitles, if it is a thriller, drama, sci-fi, or comedy genre.

Have a look on Netflix or Amazon you can watch interesting films and series from “Dark” to “Oh Boy”, “Goodby Lenin” or series like “Parfum”, “Bad Banks”, “Ku’damm 56” (ZDF co-productions) or “Charité”, “Weissensse” (ARD productions), “Dreamwomen” and many more.

And by the way, don’t forget that the series “Queen Gambit” was mostly shot in Berlin-Brandenburg because of the local support.

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