DesiReflections

Life of Pi : VFX in Banglore Skyfall : Shot in UK but Visual effects in Banglore Tron 2 : Visual Delight Sky Fall, X-Man, Life of Pi, Godzilla, The Wizard of Oz, Gravity, Men in Black and Star War series are some of the movies appreciated in India for their marvellous visual effects but many among us do not know that these were created in in your own backyard i.e. Banglore, Mumbai, Chennai and Hyderabad by young talented Indian VFX technicians. The total world market of visual effects is around US $ 230 million and it is growing with 20% per year. Not long ago, it was Los Angles, which was capital of VFX and good news is India is going to become global hub of visual effect. Last night at FICCI Frames BAF Award function I could realise that some thing commendable happening in India on visual effects and animation front. BAF Award Night 2014 : Honoring talent in Animation and Visual Effect  History of special effect is almost as old as the films are...

From the sideline of FICCI FRAMES, I had occasion to speak to Andrew Lack, Chairman of Bloomberg. Andrew who fondly called Andy has also come with some business growth agenda in India. His company is largest supplier of financial supplier of financial information reaching the entire globe, he also owns Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Bloomberg TV. Bloomberg reaches around 30 million home in India, according to Andy, they have plans for further expansion in India. He says, ' So much is happening in India. I find entrepreneurship spirit here, it's power is right up against you making money, how to do it, what is the product, what is it's cost etc, that is the life at street level. I feel that in case some one is in business of business news, he can not miss India. I am happy with Bloomberg's India story. Bloomberg TV has greatest engagement wit it's audience among all the channels. India is also a great pool of talent for us. Harsha a is our star a...

FICCI FRAMES, is purely an industry initiative to bring all stakeholders on a common platform to discuss various issues relating to media and entertainment. over a period of last 15 years it has helped to resolve conflicts, trying to find out solutions, peeping into exciting new future shaping the business. This forum is very important in today's context as India's Media and entertainment industry touching life of million of people in a much deeper way, 161 million TV households, 94,000 newspapers including 12,511 dailies, close to 2000 multiplexes, 214 million Internet users out of which 130 million uses mobile devices to access net, all these platforms capable to drive change in a faster way and act as transformational catalysts. The FRAMES open today at Renaissance Hotel in Mumbai, Manish Tewari, I&B Minister was suppose to inaugurate the event but due to announcement of election and model code of conduct, he was represented by Shri Bimal...

I started working as cub reporter for few Delhi based magazines for their film columns around 1977. Till actual shootings were not witnessed, felt a lot of glamour. But once covering shootings on regular basis, the hard reality taken over the glamour. It was a kind of sadistic pleasure to see top stars fumbling their dialogues before the camera, on many occasion wrote about it in my column. There were very few artists I had noticed capable of delivering flawless dialogues in a single take. Yesterday the wheel turned around. It was a call from my friends Manohar and Manwani to join them at Lunch at later's bungalow. When I reached, I realised that it was an open ground for shooting. Manwani writes quick, witty and satirical skits most of the time about superstition and politicians. Some of these skits published in newspapers and magazines, some are still waiting to see light of print. An idea sparked and he realised it is a time to embrace new medium to bring his cre...

Sorry to write little late on Pakistani Movie Zinda Bhaag .  It is Pakistani Movie but it appeals as a story of our own. It is about dreaming better life of Western Countries by most of the young people of this Sub Continent, many such people resort to  illegal and risky route which may culminate into long detentions, deportations, sub human treatment. It is also true that the plot of this story is not original or new. In fact, Devenand's Des Pardes was on the same subject and was a instant hit. What attracts, is the treatment of subject. In many International Festivals the  movie received honors and special mentions as this problem touches to people right from Mexico, Cuba to Bangladesh. It is a tale of three friends from city of Lahore Khaldi, Chitta and Taambi struggling to escape their dead-end existence by getting a job – any job – abroad, could be the story of someone in Amritsar, Indore, Pune or Patna. Lahori mohallas, where shady deals are conducted und...

Some thing strange noticed by all of us in Sahara case. Sahara Shri as Mr Subrat Roy loved to be called was defended in Supreme Court by two stalwarts of Bhartiya Janta Party Sarva Shri Ram Jethmalani and Ravi Shankar Prasad. Can a political party which boasts bringing Ramrajya in India justify their leaders to save a person who has been accused for extremely serious financial irregularities.   The wise people who drafted our Constitution had already envisaged such situation and made a clear separation of Powers between the Legislature, the Executive and the Judiciary. The reason was quite obvious, if a person is a part of any of the two, no matter how honest and impartial he is, he would  find it extremely difficult to battle with the perception of a perceived Conflict Of  Interest . There will always be dicy situations, borderline cases, tempting offers which may impediment in discharging responsibilities in a free and fair way. It is also true that ...

Come election time, dividing line between news and paid news becomes blurred. It is really sad that an ordinary reader/ viewer feels anguished, confused and cheated. No body seriously talks about it. It is only the Election Commission who has shown little concern and recently demanded that paid news should be made electoral offence. But the issue of paid news is not so simple. Take an example of film journalism. The moment a film is slated to get released suddenly all film magazines, mainline newspapers and TV channels are flooded with news items, interviews of actors, director, producer of that movie. Even the stars of slated release integrate with all the popular reality shows. Now a days you may hardly get some serious discussion on films any media. I should not say all but most of the film reviews are also looked liked paid reviews, that is the grim situation. Then there is a serious issue on quality of discussions, debates on television which is appalling ill infor...