Ladybrille New Yorkers and those headed to New York, last month for us was all about African cinema. We are not quite over it, just yet. We prepare to usher a new month but have to tell you all about the New York Indian Film Festival. African filmmakers in the diaspora, this is a great chance to network, especially at the Industry panels, with the Indian film industry movers and shakers for future great collaborations. For all Ladybrille movie buffs, check out some of the exciting selections at the film festival below.

“Opening the 11th annual edition of the IAAC’s popular film festival will be the North American premiere of Disney’s critically acclaimed family comedy DO DOONI CHAAR starring the legendary husband-wife acting couple Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh. The Habib Faisal-directed film marks the Hollywood studio’s first live-action production in India and earned some of the best reviews of any Hindi film in recent years. It is a heart-warming comedy about the dreams and challenges of a middle-class family who take a chaotic journey to fulfill their dream of owning a car discovering the true meaning of family along the way. Special guests Kapoor, Singh, and Faisal will all be attending the red carpet premiere.

“Do Dooni Chaar is a charming and sweet indie film that reflects the realities of a middle-class family in modern day Delhi,” says NYIFF Director Aseem Chhabra. “Written and directed by first time filmmaker Habib Faisal, the film is a perfect blend of authentic dialogues, characters and situations, with a touch of Bollywood charm. It is a great example of India’s new emerging cinema that has an indie soul, but working within the framework of Bollywood.”

The Closing Night selection is Rituparno Ghosh’s NOUKADUBI, an adaptation of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s acclaimed novel, which stars sisters Riya and Raima Sen. Following the May 8 screening will be a special tribute to Tagore who was born 150 years ago on that day. Aparna Sen’s ITI MRINALINI will premiere as the Centerpiece selection. The Bengali film features Sen and her daughter, award-winning actress Konkona Sen Sharma, both playing the same title role at different ages.

“NYIFF energizes New York City’s diversity by presenting amazing independent and diaspora films from the Indian subcontinent while keeping a close watch on Bollywood’s foray into alternate cinema,” states Indo-American Arts Council Executive Director Aroon Shivdasani. “The three film highlights of our eleventh annual film festival represent a Hollywood studio’s Indian social cinema, independent cinema, as well as a tribute to Rabindranath Tagore.”

New York City’s prestigious Paris Theatre will be the home to the star-studded red carpet Opening Night premiere of DO DOONI CHAAR on Wednesday, May 4, followed by a gala benefit dinner at the Jumeirah Essex House. H.E. Meera Shankar, India’s Ambassador to the United States, will deliver the welcome address. The Centerpiece selection will screen at Tribeca Cinemas and will be followed by an afterparty at Tribeca Bar. The Closing Night of NYIFF and the Tagore tribute will take place at Asia Society on Sunday, May 8, along with the annual awards ceremony honoring the festival’s winners. Directors Sen and Ghosh will be attending the festival as well.

Shivdasani adds “Major American studios partnering with India have flirted with NYIFF in the past – Fox Searchlight, Sony, Miramax, and now Disney’s contribution to our 2011 Opening Night – Do Dooni Chaar. Clearly NYIFF is the best platform for these films to reach their ideal demographic market.”

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Press Contact:
Box Office Guru
Gitesh Pandya | gpandya@boxofficeguru.com

SAMPLE FILMS

THE WAY HOME
The plot for ‘The Way Home’ revolves around a doctor with a haunting past. He witnessed his wife and five year old son die in an explosion at a market in Delhi. Now working at a Prison Hospital, the Doctor is assigned the case of a woman in critical condition, a surviving member from a suicide squad of the Indian Jihadi the notorious terrorist group. Despite the doctor’s best efforts, the woman dies. But before dying she entrusts him to find her five-year-old son and unite him with his father. The father is revealed to be Abdul Zuban Tariq, head of the terrorist group. Finding the boy in Kerala, the Doctor and child set out on a journey to find his father. The journey is happening through the contemporary and mysterious path of the terrorist network in the vast country through various Indian states and with many unexpected incidents. ‘The Way Home’ is a film about survival, innocence and humanity, exploring a bloodstained facet of contemporary terrorism in India. The film is a travelogue through the most beautiful landscapes of India.

A Decent Arrangement
‘A Decent Arrangement’ is the story of Ashok Khosla, an Indian-American copywriter, who journeys to India seeking an arranged marriage. After he encounters an American woman traveling through India and is set up with an Indian woman who unexpectedly captivates him, Ashok must navigate the complexity of cultural traditions and the leanings of his own heart. With subtle comedy and true-to-life drama, ‘A Decent Arrangement’ shows us a side of India not commonly seen by western audiences and delivers an affecting story that resonates with those of us in search of our place in a changing world.

MY LAD
Abdul has been hiding out in his launderette for days, unable to deal with the world outside. Despite pleas from his brother to face his demons, Abdul is determined to run from the one thing he has to accept-fate.

BHOPALI
A story about the world’s worst chemical disaster

TOPI
A story about the Indian and Pakistan split