The South Asian Life & Times - SALT   
  April-June 2012           
   

 

Home

 Contents
  April - June 2012

 

 
Editor's Note

 

  Cover Story
  Painted Towns of
  Shekhawati

  Alsisar Mahal 

 
 
Sports
  Dr Narottam Puri on
  Indian Cricket

  Leander Paes


  Environment
  Organic Farming in
  India


  Feature
  RIMC turns 90


  Art
  Rabindranath

  Tagore's Art


 Events
 South Asian Literary

 Festivals - Galle,
  Jaipur & Karachi

 Dr Karan Singh's
 Maiden Recital

  59th National Film
  Awards Announced

  'Rang' Colors of
  Sufism - released

   Mike Pandey wins
  Shantaram Award

  SaMaPa Music
  Festival 2012, J & K

  Sharmeen wins
  Oscar

  Veer Munshi's
  'Shrapnel'


  Book Picks
 
I'll Follow the Sun

  The Delhi
  Coronation Durbars

 
 
 


 

Home

 Contents
  April - June 2012

 

 
Editor's Note

 

  Cover Story
  Painted Towns of
  Shekhawati

  Alsisar Mahal 

 
 
Sports
  Dr Narottam Puri on
  Indian Cricket

  Leander Paes


  Environment
  Organic Farming in
  India


  Feature
  RIMC turns 90


  Art
  Rabindranath

  Tagore's Art


 Events
 South Asian Literary

 Festivals - Galle,
  Jaipur & Karachi

 Dr Karan Singh's
 Maiden Recital

  59th National Film
  Awards Announced

  'Rang' Colors of
  Sufism - released

   Mike Pandey wins
  Shantaram Award

  SaMaPa Music
  Festival 2012, J & K

  Sharmeen wins
  Oscar

  Veer Munshi's
  'Shrapnel'


  Book Picks
 
I'll Follow the Sun

  The Delhi
  Coronation Durbars

 
 
 


 

 
 


 
 


 
 the print gallery

 the art gallery

 

 

   about us              back-issues           contact us         search             data bank

 

  craft shop

print gallery

59th National Film Awards 2012 Announced

Winners of the 59th National Film Awards were announced in early March at New Delhi. The award ceremony will be held on May 3, 2012.

The Golden Lotus for Best Feature Film - Deool (Marathi) and Byari (Byari) 

 Deool /The Temple


Director of Deool - Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni
In Marathi

Produced by Abhijeet Gholap; Directed by Umesh Vinayak Kulkarni,

Deool/A Temple, a witty and an intelligent film, revolves around the tiny fictitious village of Mangrool in Maharashtra, where years of bad weather and drought have left the villagers disheartened.  One lazy afternoon, Kesha, a herdsman, has a divine vision during his afternoon siesta (or so he believes) of Lord Guru Dutta emerging from a nearby fig tree. Bewildered, he runs through the village announcing the appearance of Lord Dutta to all and sundry. The news spreads like wildfire. To the opportunists in the village, it turns into a long-awaited moment to bring changes in Mangrool. Soon, politicians and media join the bandwagon – with their own agenda. A decision is taken to build a huge temple to Lord Dutta in the village.

The film deals with the impact of modernization on a village whose inhabitants are rooted in tradition. Kulkarni very effectively depicts the nuances of local village politics and how it tramples the hopes and aspirations of the village youth.

Cast includes cinematic giants – the likes of Mohan Agashe,   Nana Patekar, Naseeruddin Shah  ...  and other heavyweights from Marathi cinema.

An alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, Kulkarni has made acclaimed shorts - The Three of Us, The Wild Bull, The Spell, and Dissolution (2010). The Temple (2011) is his second feature. Kulkarni is considered one of the most exciting directors in India today.

  Byari


Still from the film 'Byari'
In Byari Language

Produced by T.H. Altaf Hussain; Directed by Suveeran

The film is about the misuse of the ‘Talaq’ or divorce law provision in Islam and its consequences on women. The aim of the movie is to urge our law makers to take some positive steps to avoid exploitation of innocent girls and women. Byari is a Muslim community that lives along the southwest coast of India, in South Kanara, in the state of Karnataka. It has its own unique traditions and distinct cultural identity.

This is director K P Suveeran’s debut feature film. According to him, “The movie is about the conditioning of women in the Byari Muslim community, based on sexuality.” It is the first-ever film made in 'Byari' language,

 “My biggest hope was that the film would win the award for the best regional film in Kannada. I didn't imagine it would fetch me the Golden Lotus award for the best film,” says Suveeran.

Golden Lotus for Best Direction


Gurvinder Singh - director of Anhe Ghorey Da Daan (Alms for a Blind Horse)
In Punjabi

Gurvinder Singh’s debut feature Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan (Alms of the Blind Horse) premiered in “Orizzonti” at the 68th Venice International Film Festival in September. The film, produced by National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) had the late filmmaker Mani Kaul as its Creative Producer.

Deepti DCunha, Indian Consultant for Venice International Film Festival puts it, “Gurvinder Singh has a very strong debut feature. What struck me first is his careful use of sound and silence which creates a strong and haunting atmosphere in his film. Gurvinder’s rigour and uncompromising attitude towards his craft makes him a filmmaker to be taken seriously. His film continues the legacy of his mentor Mani Kaul. ”

Adapted from Gurdial Singh’s novel of the same title, Gurvinder Singh’s debut feature film is a gripping story of a small village in Punjab.

In his own words, Gurvinder explains what the movie is about. “It is difficult to say what the film is about as it can mean different things to different people, which it should. At the surface, Anhey Ghorhey Da Daan speaks about the margins where the socially repressed and exploited have been conveniently cast away. It’s about a day in the lives of a family who are witnesses to the play of power equation unfolding around them. It’s about silent witnesses devoid of power to change or influence the course of destiny. It’s about invisible violence and desires, simmering discontent and angst that is reflected on people’s faces.”

The film also won the National Award for Best Cinematography

Silver Lotus for Best Actor: Girish Kulkarni for Deool (Marathi)

Silver Lotus for Best Actress: Vidya Balan for The Dirty Picture (Hindi)

 Read the entire article in the print edition of The South Asian Life & Times
subscribe@the-south-asian.com

 

 

Copyright © 2000 - 2012 [the-south-asian.com]. Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.

Home