By Allan Jacob

Let’s talk after 10pm, she tells me. Not tonight, maybe tomorrow, I say. The 11am slot I am granted the next morning is not working out — it’s rushed, I feel. So, I call her past 3pm, and she states that I am late, yet consents to speak in 15 minutes after she’s done with an interview. She sounds like a celebrity living the life while setting a scorching pace — the shift from actor to star activist has come at a price. Finally, I get through and her voice is confident, her candour setting the tone for an engaging conversation. She seems to have found new meaning in life, a reason to live and continue the fight for a cause she believes in. And the gloves are clearly off.

Continue reading How to take down abusers in a film industry →

By Sharmistha Khobragade

It’s only January, but I have the feeling that I’ve already seen the best film that I could have seen this year. Of course, I should have seen it last year since it was a 2017 release. But better late than never. In this case, much, much better.

Continue reading Why you need to go and watch the movie India sent to the Oscars →

By Anamika Chatterjee

In the UAE’s cultural calendar, December is no ordinary month — it’s the time when the region celebrates cinema — in all its forms, in all its glory. In its 14th year now, the Dubai International Film Festival (DIFF), which kickstarted this week, has been consistently showcasing some of the finest films from all over the world, besides offering a robust platform to Arab cinema. Raising the bar consistently is not easy. It requires a happy marriage of creative fulfilment with commercial ambition. A reason why Shivani Pandya’s job as the managing director of DIFF is as challenging as it is exciting.

Continue reading DIFF maps the cultural crossroads at 14 →