Kaagaz Ki Kashti traces the life journey of a down-to- earth, small-town boy, who made it big by breaking through the norms and revolutionizing the Ghazal scenario, by texturing traditional Ghazal singing with western instrumentation and making it simple and hummable, enticing new listeners into becoming Ghazal fans. Tracing three converging tracks – the struggle and stardom in his musical career, the love and loss in his personal life and the scope and limitations in the music scenario of the times. The film covers not just Jagjit Singh’s life, but also of the monumental legacy he has left behind. Through in-depth conversations with friends, family, colleagues and through archival footage, the film becomes an intimate portrait of the iconic Ghazal maestro, Padma Bhushan Jagjit Singh. The film explores the artistry and pioneering positioning of the larger-than- life yet man-next-door icon, with depth, insight, humor of the most admired and loved musicians of the century.
Tag Archives: documentary
Beyond All Boundaries
As India, host of the 2011 World Cup of Cricket, begins its campaign to win the Cup after a 28-year drought, three ordinary Indians seek their salvation/escape from a difficult life through their passion for cricket – Sudhir, a penniless superfan who cycles across India to cheer the team; Prithvi, a 12-year old boy wonder who is a cricket prodigy; and Akshaya, a girl cricketer from Mumbai’s slums. We follow Sudhir to see what drives the man who has renounced so much, including marriage, for his dream of cheering Team India forever; Akshaya as she competes in the trials for selection to the Mumbai Women’s Team, and Prithvi as he copes with the unique pressures of being a cricket phenom in a cricket-crazy nation.
Placebo
At one of the most prestigious medical schools in India, applicants have less than 0.1 percent chance of getting accepted. Compare that with Harvard, which has an admission rate of 7 percent. So you can safely assume, as the introductory voice-over explains, that the institute is home to some of the most brilliant thinkers in the country. After witnessing an act of severe aggression among several students, filmmaker Abhay Kumar decides to investigate the increasing number of violent incidents on the university campus. For two years, he closely follows four students. He’s no fly on the wall, that’s for sure. On the contrary, the students are clearly aware of the camera, and Kumar mentions it when he realizes that his presence is undeniably influencing the microcosm he is filming. From the many hours of material, he has edited together a documentary that leaps back and forth in time, providing insight into a remarkable place where the pressure to achieve is unprecedented. Extremely high intelligence is sometimes more of a burden than a blessing, and students are often heartbreakingly lonely.
Iris
IRIS pairs the 87-year-old Maysles with Iris Apfel, the quick-witted, flamboyantly dressed 93-year-old style maven who has had an outsized presence on the New York fashion scene for decades. More than a fashion film, the documentary is a story about creativity and how, even at Iris’ advanced age, a soaring free spirit continues to inspire. IRIS portrays a singular woman whose enthusiasm for fashion, art and people are life’s sustenance and reminds us that dressing, and indeed life, is nothing but an experiment. Despite the abundance of glamour in her current life, she continues to embrace the values and work ethic established during a middle-class Queens upbringing during the Great Depression. I feel lucky to be working. If you’re lucky enough to do something you love, everything else follows.
Jab Tak Hai Jaan
Samar (Shahrukh Khan) meets Meera (Katrina Kaif) in London & they fall in love. Samar however meets with a serious accident & Meera vows to God to leave Samar, if He allowed him to live. Samar angered with God, becomes a bomb disposal chief in the Indian Army. Here he meets Akira (Anushka Sharma). Is Akira able to unravel the mysteries, does Samar win the battle, or does God surrender to his love?