Tashi Khan & the star cast of west is west in BFI
 |
| Aqib Khan son of George (Om Puri) in West is West |
Om Puri star of West is West
Tashi with Linda BassettWednesday, 24 October 2012
Preview of West is West in BFI
Om Puri star of West is WestTashi with Linda Bassett
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. Interview with Syed Rumman presidentPresident MET Univercity For Delhi Press
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Interviews
By Tashi Khan
Me and our Rendezvous
Q&A With Syed Ali (Rumman) by Tashi Khan
Help and assistance by Neeley Lara Gail Gul
Q_ How do you feel about the decision to revoke the sponsorship of foreign students at London Metropolitan University
It is utterly shocking that the Highly Trusted Sponsor status of the London Metropolitan University has been revoked by the UKBA (UK Borders Agency) on 29th August at 8pm.
HTS status allows the university to sponsor international students from outside the EU to study in the UK, and after much speculation, it has now been announced by UKBA that London Met's license has been revoked.
Q-Has this ever happened before?
No! The withdrawal of HTS status at London Met represents the first case of a publicly-funded university having its license revoked.
Q-How do you feel about this decision?
This reckless decision by UKBA has left over 2600 international students at London Metropolitan University in an incredibly vulnerable situation. They are now unable to renew their visas, unable to start or continue their studies past September, and are faced with the option of having 60 days to either find a place to study at another HE institution or having to forcibly leave the UK.
Q-How does this effect you?
As the Vice-President Education and Student Governor, I represent the whole student body and may have to leave the country within 60 days, leaving out representation of the home and EU students.
Q-How does this effect others?
Not only international students, but also representation of the Home students is at stake as out of 10 Students' Union Officers, 9 of us are international students who may have to leave the UK including all 5 sabbatical officers.
Q-What do you intend to do about this decision?
The removal of HTS status infers yet another tragic blow to London Metropolitan University, and this cannot be allowed to go unchallenged, for the sake of its students and staff, the institution as a whole and the future of public higher education.
-What do you think this decision says about coming to uk to study study?
This decision is catastrophic for the UK Higher Education, not just that, it is a threat to other UK HEIs. The whole world will lose faith in British Education.
The UK Government invites international students to come and study in the UK and gives the Universities licenses to recruit international students. The Government has a duty of care and a moral obligation towards these students, it cannot chuck the students life into the bin. The action is unethical, adhoc and morally wrong. It is outright deception by the authorities, and a violation of the human Rights Act. Innocent students must not suffer for no fault of their own. And we the LondonMet Students and the SU (Students Union) are standing in unity against this.
NUS (National Union Sudents) is in solidarity with us against the withdrawal of HTS, and has called on the Government to immediately reinstate London Metropolitan's HTS status, and stop jeopardizing the futures of thousands of international students who have chosen to study in the UK and are now instead faced with the prospect of deportation. This decision will violate our right to education and our human rights as students. We will, at best, be forced to choose an Institution against our will.
- By and large the british are very tolerant of forign immigrants, and students are welcome from all the world and the forign individuals coming here to settle down so there has to be a reason to evoke this decision?
No comment
Q-Where do you see yourself in the future if you are deported back?
I am here on bona fide grounds and shall not let the authoritieis deport me, I shall leave with dignity on my own.
Q-What are you thinking of doing when you will be deported back,have you structured a plan for the future if that happens?
If i have to go back home i will move to Canada to do my bar training course(BPTC) to become a barrister though I have an offer from the City University London but I will not feel secure in the UK to study any more.
Q- How is your family reacting to this situation? are they disappointed?
They are very disappointed, worried about my educational life. They do not want me to stay here,they just want me to get best experience from here and apply to my home country. They sent me to study but not to go through this type of stressful time.
.Q- Was it financially difficult or easy for you family to send you to he UK to study.
. It was certainly difficult financially but as I am the only son they wanted to see me a well educated person. They sacrificed so many things just to make sure I can study without any obstacles.
Q-Do you see yourself fighting for the rights of all the students and help them to get justice?
A- Yes, I will fight but the place is not safe to study. Because of this arbitrary and thoughtless
action, we have lost trust in this government.The UK Government invited me and thousands of other students here to study. We are thinking of taking legal action to see if the UK Government's decision to revoke the highly trusted status of the university is lawful. We may recourse to public demonstrations also, we are considering all options at the moment.
Q-What triggered this off?
A- We have not been told officially but according to the media there were errors in the university records when they were checked by the UK Borders Agency staff.
Q-What were the errors?
A-The university did not have attendence records for the students and did not have details of their level of comprehension of the English language. Some student visas had not been updated.
Q-Were other universities checked too?
Yes, the records for foreign students in other UK universities were also checked.
Q-Were the students working rather than studying at the university?
A-I believe that some students may have worked up to 20 hours per week to support themselves because London is an expensive place to live. Anyway they should be allowed to try to support themselves instead of asking their parents to send money to London. As far as I know the students were studying.
Q-Will the students get refund for the fees?
For instance if someone has paid the whole tuition fees and only studied one semester, they will get the refund for the semester(s) he/she did not attend?
Q.Most students rent, if the students have to move, will they get refund of the deposit back from the landlords?
.I am not sure about the answer. We will ask the students' union to look into this, we will also ask the university if they have thought of this
Q- What do you think is the extent of the loss that the students will face?
Depends on individual cases. According to 2011-12 academic year students paid £10080 for tuition fees on top of it around another £10000-11000 for living cost
Q- Do you think that the students will be forced to go back?
They might be forced to return home but we will fight to the end.
Students' Union
London Metropolitan University
==================================
.jpg)
.jpg)
Syed Rumman
Vice-President Education
(ENGLISH,HINDI,KANNADA,MALAYALAM,MARATHI,GUJARATI,TAMIL,TELUGU) GRIHSHOBHA(HIN,MAR,GUJ,TAM,KAN,MAL,TEL,BEN) SARAS_SALIL(HIN,MAR,GUJ,TAM,TEL) WOMAN'S_ERA SUMAN_SAURABH MANOHAR_KAHANIYAN SATYAKATHA
. Interview with Syed Rumman presidentPresident MET Univercity For Delhi Press
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Interviews
By Tashi Khan
Me and our Rendezvous
Q&A With Syed Ali (Rumman) by Tashi Khan
Help and assistance by Neeley Lara Gail Gul
Q_ How do you feel about the decision to revoke the sponsorship of foreign students at London Metropolitan University
It is utterly shocking that the Highly Trusted Sponsor status of the London Metropolitan University has been revoked by the UKBA (UK Borders Agency) on 29th August at 8pm.
HTS status allows the university to sponsor international students from outside the EU to study in the UK, and after much speculation, it has now been announced by UKBA that London Met's license has been revoked.
Q-Has this ever happened before?
No! The withdrawal of HTS status at London Met represents the first case of a publicly-funded university having its license revoked.
Q-How do you feel about this decision?
This reckless decision by UKBA has left over 2600 international students at London Metropolitan University in an incredibly vulnerable situation. They are now unable to renew their visas, unable to start or continue their studies past September, and are faced with the option of having 60 days to either find a place to study at another HE institution or having to forcibly leave the UK.
Q-How does this effect you?
As the Vice-President Education and Student Governor, I represent the whole student body and may have to leave the country within 60 days, leaving out representation of the home and EU students.
Q-How does this effect others?
Not only international students, but also representation of the Home students is at stake as out of 10 Students' Union Officers, 9 of us are international students who may have to leave the UK including all 5 sabbatical officers.
Q-What do you intend to do about this decision?
The removal of HTS status infers yet another tragic blow to London Metropolitan University, and this cannot be allowed to go unchallenged, for the sake of its students and staff, the institution as a whole and the future of public higher education.
-What do you think this decision says about coming to uk to study study?
This decision is catastrophic for the UK Higher Education, not just that, it is a threat to other UK HEIs. The whole world will lose faith in British Education.
The UK Government invites international students to come and study in the UK and gives the Universities licenses to recruit international students. The Government has a duty of care and a moral obligation towards these students, it cannot chuck the students life into the bin. The action is unethical, adhoc and morally wrong. It is outright deception by the authorities, and a violation of the human Rights Act. Innocent students must not suffer for no fault of their own. And we the LondonMet Students and the SU (Students Union) are standing in unity against this.
NUS (National Union Sudents) is in solidarity with us against the withdrawal of HTS, and has called on the Government to immediately reinstate London Metropolitan's HTS status, and stop jeopardizing the futures of thousands of international students who have chosen to study in the UK and are now instead faced with the prospect of deportation. This decision will violate our right to education and our human rights as students. We will, at best, be forced to choose an Institution against our will.
- By and large the british are very tolerant of forign immigrants, and students are welcome from all the world and the forign individuals coming here to settle down so there has to be a reason to evoke this decision?
No comment
Q-Where do you see yourself in the future if you are deported back?
I am here on bona fide grounds and shall not let the authoritieis deport me, I shall leave with dignity on my own.
Q-What are you thinking of doing when you will be deported back,have you structured a plan for the future if that happens?
If i have to go back home i will move to Canada to do my bar training course(BPTC) to become a barrister though I have an offer from the City University London but I will not feel secure in the UK to study any more.
Q- How is your family reacting to this situation? are they disappointed?
They are very disappointed, worried about my educational life. They do not want me to stay here,they just want me to get best experience from here and apply to my home country. They sent me to study but not to go through this type of stressful time.
.Q- Was it financially difficult or easy for you family to send you to he UK to study.
. It was certainly difficult financially but as I am the only son they wanted to see me a well educated person. They sacrificed so many things just to make sure I can study without any obstacles.
Q-Do you see yourself fighting for the rights of all the students and help them to get justice?
A- Yes, I will fight but the place is not safe to study. Because of this arbitrary and thoughtless
action, we have lost trust in this government.The UK Government invited me and thousands of other students here to study. We are thinking of taking legal action to see if the UK Government's decision to revoke the highly trusted status of the university is lawful. We may recourse to public demonstrations also, we are considering all options at the moment.
Q-What triggered this off?
A- We have not been told officially but according to the media there were errors in the university records when they were checked by the UK Borders Agency staff.
Q-What were the errors?
A-The university did not have attendence records for the students and did not have details of their level of comprehension of the English language. Some student visas had not been updated.
Q-Were other universities checked too?
Yes, the records for foreign students in other UK universities were also checked.
Q-Were the students working rather than studying at the university?
A-I believe that some students may have worked up to 20 hours per week to support themselves because London is an expensive place to live. Anyway they should be allowed to try to support themselves instead of asking their parents to send money to London. As far as I know the students were studying.
Q-Will the students get refund for the fees?
For instance if someone has paid the whole tuition fees and only studied one semester, they will get the refund for the semester(s) he/she did not attend?
Q.Most students rent, if the students have to move, will they get refund of the deposit back from the landlords?
.I am not sure about the answer. We will ask the students' union to look into this, we will also ask the university if they have thought of this
Q- What do you think is the extent of the loss that the students will face?
Depends on individual cases. According to 2011-12 academic year students paid £10080 for tuition fees on top of it around another £10000-11000 for living cost
Q- Do you think that the students will be forced to go back?
They might be forced to return home but we will fight to the end.
Students' Union
London Metropolitan University
==================================
.jpg)
.jpg)
Syed Rumman
Vice-President Education
DELHI PRESS MAGAZINES;
SARITA THE_CARAVAN MUKTA
DELHI PRESS MAGAZINES;
SARITA THE_CARAVAN MUKTA
Farm Food, ALIVE
Monday, 22 October 2012
Tashi Khan's Films, events, arts, music reviews
For Delhi Press India REVIEW of www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk
Concept and written by Tashi khan
Special Thanks to Ashanti Omkar who made it possibleHelp and assistance by Neeley Lara Gail
Contact-Tashi Khan fabtashi20@hotmail.com
ME & OUR RENDEZVOUS
www.londonindianfilmfestival.co.uk
Concept,coverage & written by Tashi Khan
Help and assistance by Neeley Gail Gul
Me & our Rendezvous
I’m going to start from the beginning, when I got married, which was in 1988, in India. After marriage I migrated to London in 1989. When I initially arrived in London I saw a lot of racism happening around me, to the extent that the British were referring to the Asians as ‘Pakis’. The Asians in general were finding it difficult to adjust and were having an identity crisis. I personally did not have any racial abuse directed towards me but this was probably due to the fact that not many people could figure out what nationality I was. I was very depressed, annoyed and frustrated with all the racial discrimination towards ‘my people’ though I was accepted.
My British friends were shocked to discover I was in fact Indian. They would say ‘but you speak fluent English and dress so modern’ as though it was completely absurd and unheard of for an Indian to do so. They were clearly unaware of the class system in India, they had not seen or could have imagined the standard of living and family I had come from.
British society did not understand because they had only seen the immigrant Asians coming to London to do the menial jobs. This possibly explained why there were gasps of despair and shocked expressions when realising that there was much more to Asians than they had initially assumed.
At this point in my life I was really starting to wonder why people would migrate to London, for me the standard of living was disappointing. I didn’t know how to cook, clean or even go out for shopping as growing up in India I didn’t have to do all that. I was depressed and cried for two years missing my comfortable lifestyle. As time passed I was learning to adapt to British lifestyle but still found it difficult to cope. When I went back to India my friends asked "how is it in London”? I retorted, “I don't like it and the standard of living, it’s is not nice” and they looked at me with disbelief.
However over the years, slowly I could see the progress and changes in British society. About 15 years ago, people started to enjoy eating Indian food and a new era of Bangra music began to play in clubs.
Indian culture was essentially creeping into British society. In today’s society I would have to say that Indian food is one of the most popular.
It is these reasons combined and the natural progression of the Asian British fusion that Indian cinema is becoming increasingly sought after, not only within the Asian population but also with a wider audience. As of yet it is only in its infancy stages because it has yet to establish fully, only starting three years ago. Though there were Indian films in the film festival.
I had been planning to attend the Indian film festival and the whole vibe was getting me excited. But due to personal reasons I was not able to attend the first few days. Eventually I mustered up my courage to hobble (literally) to my first screening (I had an accident in January and was in and out of hospital due to a severe leg injury) hence the unfortunate delay. I have been an enthusiast of the alternative cinema for more than 18 years I live and breathe the London Film Festival which takes place in October.
I started my rendezvous when my kids were young and would leave them with anyone if they showed the slightest inclination to look after them, my friend would comment/criticize me saying “you are a maniac on the go in October “but I didn't care as long as I escaped.
In the LFF my day would start with early morning press screenings then a frenzy of talks, interviews, Q&A's and of course most of all films, films and films would follow. I could hibernate for the whole year and emerge again in october where the London Film Festival is concerned!
So I was very excited about the London Indian Film festival when it returned to our city of London for the third time. The vibes are great and it is alternative cinema, exactly what I love.
Gattu
Director: Rajan Khosa
I strutted to Waterman’s cinema clutching on to my crutch, determined to watch my first film of the festival, Gattu.
I sat through the film with several questions rotating in my head. I felt as though the school was lacking something but I wasn’t able to put my finger on it at first. Additionally I questioned why there were so many kids not in school but roaming the streets, playing or just flying kites.
I personally have been away from India for 24 years but I was under the impression that India has progressed since. I had made assumptions that everyone is doing very well and all children are in education.
The camera follows Gattu who is working for his uncle, a scrap dealer. Gattu was bought by him when his father passed away. Though Gattu is anxious during the night and is inquisitive about his parents he is full of spirits as well as guts. He does not think twice about answering back especially when he feels he is not being treated well. He has a certain cheeky yet innocent aura about him. The scrap dealer was bossing these young workers around but as I got to know Gattu through each scene I admired his survival abilities and streetwise behaviour emanating through the hard life he is trying to deal with. Gattu had to learn to live on his wits because he has to deal with a drunk and abusive uncle and his gambling habits, but through all the adversity you can’t help warming to his lovable charms and admiring his endeavours to reach his goals.
The children have to work from young age or just be on the streets. Most of these kids don't want any restrictions and they like to feel free, they are happy surprisingly which relates immensely to my experience as well when I was in India. My family would bring some of these kids from the streets to give them food, shelter, clothes but in few days they would disappear never to be seen again.
The end most of all is so fulfilling that you want to reach out to not only Gattu but all of the street children and help them, wishing that they also have a chance, a future but most of all hope.
For the Q&A session the director Rajan Khosa managed to answer all the queries floating around in my mind. He stated that 80% of schools don't have enough money to display educational material on the walls. Therefore the film in its entirety displays that poverty is still present in small and big towns.
Queen's Destiny of Dance
Dir David Atkins
For my second film of the festival I was a bit apprehensive, the reason being I didn’t know what to expect. But I suppose that’s just me! When I go to watch a film for the first time I have butterflies in my stomach. Possibly the fear of the unexpected and unprepared is what causes these somewhat ridiculous feelings. I would rather prevent my venturous spirits from going through the shock, as it happened with Pulp Fiction. I came back with a headache but to my surprise the film won multiple awards. Pulp Fiction was almost a turning point in my life and I made a pact with myself, that I would not watch commercial cinema anymore.
As the film Queen's Destiny of Dance unfolds in front of me I am transported into a world beyond me. I always wondered what goes on in a transgender world. The scene reveals this beautiful palace and Ammu a transsexual herself who lives in the palace provides shelter to the others like a mother hen. Ammu most definitely has her favourites.
Overall there isn’t much of a storyline but it is full of emotion, pain and most of all insecurity. The brave facade they portray to the world is sort of a superiority complex. Their loud behaviour could be perceived as inferiority complex and hidden insecurities.
The character Mukta has played the role of an aging transsexual very well, her insecurity and jealousy leads and full of emotional scenes and a painful end. The palace is grand and beautiful, the clothes are lavish, and the historical values take us to all different levels of sentiments. The relations between mother and son, brother and sister and their parents are ever so apparent and well depicted. All in all it was a unique, insightful and worthy cinematic experience.
aranya Kaandam
Director: T.Kumararaja
On this occasion I was not lucky enough to get a lift, so after numerous and arduous changes in the public transport which was also my first journey taking public transport since my accident. I found myself hobbling in and out of the various London underground stations, up and down the escalators and at my slow pace it was a daunting task but with the support of my daughter Neeley I finally arrived at Cineworld Shaftsbury Avenue.
The box office gestured towards this lady in purple who seemed to be having a serious conversation on the phone. So I waited and finally requested a guest ticket and she kindly pulled out a crushed ticket from her pocket and placed it into my palm, maybe I had deprived her of something? I felt guilty afterwards. Unfortunately all the shenanigans beforehand made me 45 minutes late for the film itself.
As I crouched in and eventually settled down in a seat, I felt a kind of tension watching this scene which almost took me by surprise. This aging gangster is sitting watching roosters fight and suddenly this feeling of hatred and disgust surged through my body and continued to do so until I heard someone shouting like a child in the audience “Kill him! Shoot him!” It shook me that the feeling was so real, I was so absorbed in the film and my feeling of repulsion and hatred (Oh my! What a brilliant actor Jackie Shroff is to make people actually feel disgust and animosity towards him). An excellent Tamil made film.
Necklace
Director: Shekhar Das
Oh my God, were the first words that came to mind whilst watching this film. Why did I travel two hours to go through these horrendously dubbed dialogues? As I was coming to grips with it all, suddenly the film just froze. Everyone in the cinema started to protest, but it was a defect that continuously occurred.
The poor quality print and poor sub titles added to the overall meagre acting and unfortunate storyline of this Bengali film to render it a less than average addition to this year's London Indian Film Festival.
The plot consisted of a staged accident which enabled the poor thief and his wife could claim as much as they could from their middle class young married victims. The film had a lot of potential to be either comedy or a thriller. However it did not succeed in either genre, instead attempted to incorporate comedy aspects but undoubtedly failed.
I say it should be back to the drawing board for the producers and director. It is said that Bengali cinema is now resurgent but not based on the standards of this disappointing showing.
Delhi in a Day
Director: Prashant Nair
This film was in the London Indian Film Festival and it tried to explore the relationship between rich, poor and foreigner visitors.
The noveau riche husband and wife were not held in high esteem by their poor servants. The husband drank too much and his domineering wife bullied the servants and took pleasure in being rude to those beneath her, as only those with new found wealth would do so.
Their lives are disrupted when a young Englishman, son of the head of the family's business associate, visits Delhi on his first trip to India and naturally he stays with them.
When his money disappears from his room in their house it allows us to view the reactions of both classes, the family themselves and the servants who are unsurprisingly blamed for the theft. The legendary Victor Banerjee has a supporting role and lifts the film immensely with his gentle performance.
Nevertheless the film is somewhat predictable and you will probably guess the ending. I know I did. This was a film with solid performances but the plot could have gone further and it should have explored one particular relationship in depth. It went half way in making you feel sorry for the fate of its main character.
These factors could have a made an average film one of greatness, it had all the right ingredients to do so but its predictability and lack of depth did not allow it to go all the way.
Gangs of Wassypur
Dir Anurag kashyapThis was the the opening film in this year’s London Indian Film Festival but i could'nt reach there due to me in the hospital, so i made my way to the 3rd screening and what an opener!
The film commences at the beginning of the 1940s up to the 1980s. It has all the ingredients of a great thriller, with the thread of revenge running through the film as it runs through three generations.
Neither the corrupt miner owners, their lackey politicians or the gangsters at the bottom of society have any regard for the natural resources of India, such as coal, and each of them in turn exploit the resource for their own corrupt ends. This is social climbing at its most venal and corrupt!
Revenge is a dish best served cold and the grandson of the founder of the Wassypur gang inadvertently kills the assassin who murdered his grandfather, not from any impulse to right a family wrong (he does not know the assassin killed his grandfather) but because the assassin sets him up, a police trap.
This is a fabulous plot of twists and betrayals. It is said to be the Indian ‘Kill Bill Vol 1’ and on this showing I cannot wait to see the second part.
Baishey Srabon
Dir Srijit Mukherji
I was in a frenzy to get there on time but the Olympic traffic was a killer,cars, bikes Boris bikes people jostling and moving in a trance, blank expressions, glazed eyes,seemed to have no destination.
This film was the closing night film at this year’s London Indian Film Festival. It was a Bengali thriller with a serial killer on the streets of Calcutta.
The plot is well thought out and the acting from an ensemble cast enables the viewer to engage thoroughly with each of the main characters. It was a vibrant thriller and the film creates a tense atmosphere as the killer goes on the rampage whilst the police try to catch him.I sat and watched holding on to the armrest but half way through the film my grip started to lapse i knew.Not fair! i hate it but my sixth sense let's me down.
The ending was guessed by some although there was one twist that was not as predictable. However this does not detract from what was a good example of a resurgent Bengali cinematic film appealing to a wider audience.
I’m going to start from the beginning, when I got married, which was in 1988, in India. After marriage I migrated to London in 1989. When I initially arrived in London I saw a lot of racism happening around me, to the extent that the British were referring to the Asians as ‘Pakis’. The Asians in general were finding it difficult to adjust and were having an identity crisis. I personally did not have any racial abuse directed towards me but this was probably due to the fact that not many people could figure out what nationality I was. I was very depressed, annoyed and frustrated with all the racial discrimination towards ‘my people’ though I was accepted.
My British friends were shocked to discover I was in fact Indian. They would say ‘but you speak fluent English and dress so modern’ as though it was completely absurd and unheard of for an Indian to do so. They were clearly unaware of the class system in India, they had not seen or could have imagined the standard of living and family I had come from.
British society did not understand because they had only seen the immigrant Asians coming to London to do the menial jobs. This possibly explained why there were gasps of despair and shocked expressions when realising that there was much more to Asians than they had initially assumed.
At this point in my life I was really starting to wonder why people would migrate to London, for me the standard of living was disappointing. I didn’t know how to cook, clean or even go out for shopping as growing up in India I didn’t have to do all that. I was depressed and cried for two years missing my comfortable lifestyle. As time passed I was learning to adapt to British lifestyle but still found it difficult to cope. When I went back to India my friends asked "how is it in London”? I retorted, “I don't like it and the standard of living, it’s is not nice” and they looked at me with disbelief.
However over the years, slowly I could see the progress and changes in British society. About 15 years ago, people started to enjoy eating Indian food and a new era of Bangra music began to play in clubs.
Indian culture was essentially creeping into British society. In today’s society I would have to say that Indian food is one of the most popular.
It is these reasons combined and the natural progression of the Asian British fusion that Indian cinema is becoming increasingly sought after, not only within the Asian population but also with a wider audience. As of yet it is only in its infancy stages because it has yet to establish fully, only starting three years ago. Though there were Indian films in the film festival.
I had been planning to attend the Indian film festival and the whole vibe was getting me excited. But due to personal reasons I was not able to attend the first few days. Eventually I mustered up my courage to hobble (literally) to my first screening (I had an accident in January and was in and out of hospital due to a severe leg injury) hence the unfortunate delay. I have been an enthusiast of the alternative cinema for more than 18 years I live and breathe the London Film Festival which takes place in October.
I started my rendezvous when my kids were young and would leave them with anyone if they showed the slightest inclination to look after them, my friend would comment/criticize me saying “you are a maniac on the go in October “but I didn't care as long as I escaped.
In the LFF my day would start with early morning press screenings then a frenzy of talks, interviews, Q&A's and of course most of all films, films and films would follow. I could hibernate for the whole year and emerge again in october where the London Film Festival is concerned!
So I was very excited about the London Indian Film festival when it returned to our city of London for the third time. The vibes are great and it is alternative cinema, exactly what I love.
Gattu
Director: Rajan Khosa
I strutted to Waterman’s cinema clutching on to my crutch, determined to watch my first film of the festival, Gattu.
I sat through the film with several questions rotating in my head. I felt as though the school was lacking something but I wasn’t able to put my finger on it at first. Additionally I questioned why there were so many kids not in school but roaming the streets, playing or just flying kites.
I personally have been away from India for 24 years but I was under the impression that India has progressed since. I had made assumptions that everyone is doing very well and all children are in education.
The camera follows Gattu who is working for his uncle, a scrap dealer. Gattu was bought by him when his father passed away. Though Gattu is anxious during the night and is inquisitive about his parents he is full of spirits as well as guts. He does not think twice about answering back especially when he feels he is not being treated well. He has a certain cheeky yet innocent aura about him. The scrap dealer was bossing these young workers around but as I got to know Gattu through each scene I admired his survival abilities and streetwise behaviour emanating through the hard life he is trying to deal with. Gattu had to learn to live on his wits because he has to deal with a drunk and abusive uncle and his gambling habits, but through all the adversity you can’t help warming to his lovable charms and admiring his endeavours to reach his goals.The children have to work from young age or just be on the streets. Most of these kids don't want any restrictions and they like to feel free, they are happy surprisingly which relates immensely to my experience as well when I was in India. My family would bring some of these kids from the streets to give them food, shelter, clothes but in few days they would disappear never to be seen again.
The end most of all is so fulfilling that you want to reach out to not only Gattu but all of the street children and help them, wishing that they also have a chance, a future but most of all hope.
For the Q&A session the director Rajan Khosa managed to answer all the queries floating around in my mind. He stated that 80% of schools don't have enough money to display educational material on the walls. Therefore the film in its entirety displays that poverty is still present in small and big towns.
Queen's Destiny of Dance
Dir David Atkins
For my second film of the festival I was a bit apprehensive, the reason being I didn’t know what to expect. But I suppose that’s just me! When I go to watch a film for the first time I have butterflies in my stomach. Possibly the fear of the unexpected and unprepared is what causes these somewhat ridiculous feelings. I would rather prevent my venturous spirits from going through the shock, as it happened with Pulp Fiction. I came back with a headache but to my surprise the film won multiple awards. Pulp Fiction was almost a turning point in my life and I made a pact with myself, that I would not watch commercial cinema anymore.
As the film Queen's Destiny of Dance unfolds in front of me I am transported into a world beyond me. I always wondered what goes on in a transgender world. The scene reveals this beautiful palace and Ammu a transsexual herself who lives in the palace provides shelter to the others like a mother hen. Ammu most definitely has her favourites.
Overall there isn’t much of a storyline but it is full of emotion, pain and most of all insecurity. The brave facade they portray to the world is sort of a superiority complex. Their loud behaviour could be perceived as inferiority complex and hidden insecurities.
The character Mukta has played the role of an aging transsexual very well, her insecurity and jealousy leads and full of emotional scenes and a painful end. The palace is grand and beautiful, the clothes are lavish, and the historical values take us to all different levels of sentiments. The relations between mother and son, brother and sister and their parents are ever so apparent and well depicted. All in all it was a unique, insightful and worthy cinematic experience.
aranya Kaandam
Director: T.Kumararaja
On this occasion I was not lucky enough to get a lift, so after numerous and arduous changes in the public transport which was also my first journey taking public transport since my accident. I found myself hobbling in and out of the various London underground stations, up and down the escalators and at my slow pace it was a daunting task but with the support of my daughter Neeley I finally arrived at Cineworld Shaftsbury Avenue.
The box office gestured towards this lady in purple who seemed to be having a serious conversation on the phone. So I waited and finally requested a guest ticket and she kindly pulled out a crushed ticket from her pocket and placed it into my palm, maybe I had deprived her of something? I felt guilty afterwards. Unfortunately all the shenanigans beforehand made me 45 minutes late for the film itself.
As I crouched in and eventually settled down in a seat, I felt a kind of tension watching this scene which almost took me by surprise. This aging gangster is sitting watching roosters fight and suddenly this feeling of hatred and disgust surged through my body and continued to do so until I heard someone shouting like a child in the audience “Kill him! Shoot him!” It shook me that the feeling was so real, I was so absorbed in the film and my feeling of repulsion and hatred (Oh my! What a brilliant actor Jackie Shroff is to make people actually feel disgust and animosity towards him). An excellent Tamil made film. Necklace
Director: Shekhar Das
Oh my God, were the first words that came to mind whilst watching this film. Why did I travel two hours to go through these horrendously dubbed dialogues? As I was coming to grips with it all, suddenly the film just froze. Everyone in the cinema started to protest, but it was a defect that continuously occurred.
The poor quality print and poor sub titles added to the overall meagre acting and unfortunate storyline of this Bengali film to render it a less than average addition to this year's London Indian Film Festival.
The plot consisted of a staged accident which enabled the poor thief and his wife could claim as much as they could from their middle class young married victims. The film had a lot of potential to be either comedy or a thriller. However it did not succeed in either genre, instead attempted to incorporate comedy aspects but undoubtedly failed.I say it should be back to the drawing board for the producers and director. It is said that Bengali cinema is now resurgent but not based on the standards of this disappointing showing.
Delhi in a Day
Director: Prashant Nair
This film was in the London Indian Film Festival and it tried to explore the relationship between rich, poor and foreigner visitors.
The noveau riche husband and wife were not held in high esteem by their poor servants. The husband drank too much and his domineering wife bullied the servants and took pleasure in being rude to those beneath her, as only those with new found wealth would do so.
When his money disappears from his room in their house it allows us to view the reactions of both classes, the family themselves and the servants who are unsurprisingly blamed for the theft. The legendary Victor Banerjee has a supporting role and lifts the film immensely with his gentle performance.Nevertheless the film is somewhat predictable and you will probably guess the ending. I know I did. This was a film with solid performances but the plot could have gone further and it should have explored one particular relationship in depth. It went half way in making you feel sorry for the fate of its main character.
These factors could have a made an average film one of greatness, it had all the right ingredients to do so but its predictability and lack of depth did not allow it to go all the way.
Gangs of Wassypur
Dir Anurag kashyapThis was the the opening film in this year’s London Indian Film Festival but i could'nt reach there due to me in the hospital, so i made my way to the 3rd screening and what an opener!
The film commences at the beginning of the 1940s up to the 1980s. It has all the ingredients of a great thriller, with the thread of revenge running through the film as it runs through three generations.Neither the corrupt miner owners, their lackey politicians or the gangsters at the bottom of society have any regard for the natural resources of India, such as coal, and each of them in turn exploit the resource for their own corrupt ends. This is social climbing at its most venal and corrupt!
Revenge is a dish best served cold and the grandson of the founder of the Wassypur gang inadvertently kills the assassin who murdered his grandfather, not from any impulse to right a family wrong (he does not know the assassin killed his grandfather) but because the assassin sets him up, a police trap.
This is a fabulous plot of twists and betrayals. It is said to be the Indian ‘Kill Bill Vol 1’ and on this showing I cannot wait to see the second part.
Baishey Srabon
Dir Srijit Mukherji
I was in a frenzy to get there on time but the Olympic traffic was a killer,cars, bikes Boris bikes people jostling and moving in a trance, blank expressions, glazed eyes,seemed to have no destination.
This film was the closing night film at this year’s London Indian Film Festival. It was a Bengali thriller with a serial killer on the streets of Calcutta. The plot is well thought out and the acting from an ensemble cast enables the viewer to engage thoroughly with each of the main characters. It was a vibrant thriller and the film creates a tense atmosphere as the killer goes on the rampage whilst the police try to catch him.I sat and watched holding on to the armrest but half way through the film my grip started to lapse i knew.Not fair! i hate it but my sixth sense let's me down.
The ending was guessed by some although there was one twist that was not as predictable. However this does not detract from what was a good example of a resurgent Bengali cinematic film appealing to a wider audience.
DELHI PRESS MAGAZINES;
SARITA THE_CARAVAN MUKTA
CHAMPAK(ENGLISH,HINDI,KANNADA,MALAYALAM,MARATHI,GUJARATI,TAMIL,TELUGU) GRIHSHOBHA(HIN,MAR,GUJ,TAM,KAN,MAL,TEL,BEN) SARAS_SALIL(HIN,MAR,GUJ,TAM,TEL) WOMAN'S_ERA SUMAN_SAURABH MANOHAR_KAHANIYAN SATYAKATHA
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