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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Discussing dichotomy in Mumbai and All We Imagine As Light at SCREEN Film Club screening at NCPA
Payal Kapadia's Grand Prix winner All We Imagine As Light succinctly captures the dichotomy that populates Mumbai. That dichotomy also cropped up in the post-screening discussion with the audience at the National Centre of Performing Arts where SCREEN Film Club held a screening of the film on Monday evening. The debate primarily revolved around the use of linearity and light — or lack of these thereof — employed in the film. 'The way light is used in this film, every frame has its own meter. Light in the title isn't just physical, it's also metaphorical — the darkness we're living in and the light we're all seeking,' said Shubhra Gupta, The Indian Express film critic, while hosting the discussion. 'The cinematography by Payal's partner Ranabir Das is also a character in the film,' she added. However, an audience member disagreed with the stance and said, 'I felt the cinematography was so unnecessarily dark. I've worked a lot in slums, so I can say there's not so much darkness even inside slums. This is the Mumbai of today,' she said. Other audience members responded to this observation through their reading of the use of the titular 'light' in All We Imagine As Light. 'I think the darkness is very deliberate. These two nurses commute for two hours to work. The only time they live is at night. One of them says that this city comes to life at night. It's so liberating to see the life through them. Otherwise we just see it like we or people like us know it,' pointed out another lady. Another grouse that the lady had with All We Imagine As Light was the lack of linearity. She said, 'The entire film was very disjointed. It wasn't storytelling at its best, I'm sorry to say. Why do the two nurses trail Parvati? Where does the husband come up on the shore?' 'The script doesn't need to follow a linear structure. It's following the emotional health and movement of the protagonist towards acceptance,' countered a fellow audience member. Shubhra also underlined the context by explaining the background of the filmmaker which reflects in the film. 'Payal comes from a documentary background. So her screenplay is very observational. We can't see the cuts and edits like we can do in other feature films. There's just a flow which is very lifelike,' she argued. From her discussion with Payal over the last year, Shubhra lauded the crystal-clear approach that the filmmaker has towards her craft. 'She knows exactly what she wants. Every frame is brass tagged. When you wonder if the husband is real or surreal, she wants it to be exactly like that,' said Shubhra. Also Read — All We Imagine As Light movie review: Payal Kapadia's lyrical ode to working-class Mumbai and female friendship 'If you have a reaction, you'll feel like 'Ye kya hai.' But if you have a response, you'll know what this film is trying to do. We're so distracted now that we can't spend even a minute without looking at our phones,' said Shubhra, adding, 'Instead of saying my way or highway, we learn about different POVs. This film takes us back to what cinema was always supposed to be: to look at life through someone else's eyes.'
Hindustan Times
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Hindustan Times
Rana Daggubati opens up about nepotism in film industries, says 'ultimately you have to stand in front of camera, act'
Actor Rana Daggubati, known for his roles in Baahubali and Rana Naidu, shared his thoughts about nepotism in the film industry, a point of debate abuzz in the entertainment domains for decades now. Hailing from a prestigious film family, Rana is the son of film producer D Suresh Babu and Lakshmi. He shares a close bond with his uncle-actor Venkatesh Daggubati and is also the cousin of Naga Chaitanya. (Also Read | Rana Daggubati slams paparazzi culture in Bollywood as he reacts to video of him getting angry at paps: 'It's annoying') In an interview with ANI on Monday, Rana emphasised that having a film family background opens up more opportunities and provides a deeper understanding of the industry. He said, "Any industry that your family is from, you understand it more than somebody who's not. How does it help an actor? Ultimately, you have to stand in front of the camera and act. There'll be a lot more opportunities for you. There will be an ecosystem that you understand. It's like if your family is from chemical industries or sugar factories, you'll understand how a sugar factory works and all the byproducts of sugar like that." The actor's mother worked in a film laboratory and his father in a film studio. Rana admitted that her mother's and father's professions helped him become familiar with the basic functions of film studios and laboratories. "My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood what a film laboratory looks like and how it functions. My father worked in a studio, so I understood its function, and my uncle was an actor," said Rana. Ranamentioned that the "pressure" to continue his family's legacy motivated him to do something unique, including starting his own production house, Spirit Media, in 2005. "Pressure, in that sense, it was self-inflicted in some manner. You want to do something that is unique, new, and stands out and should stand for a long period of time. Whether it was visual effects, whether it's acting, or producing," said Rana. He is a vocal advocate for contemporary and art house films. Through his production house, he has supported films such as All We Imagine As Light, directed by Payal Kapadia. He believes that his popularity has given him a platform to promote these types of films. "Cinema is one, language never mattered to me when I was watching it as a child. So growing up and working, it didn't matter which language it was, and I feel there's a voice to all kinds of stories. The first film we made at Spirit Media was an art house film. Art house didn't have any other way to release, and I feel like now, since I got a little bit more popular, I can advocate for some cinema," said Rana. Rana will be next seen in the second season of Rana Naidu. It is directed by Karan Anshuman. Apart from the lead actor, the series also stars Surveen Chawla, Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda in prominent roles. The series is slated to release on Netflix on June 13.
India Gazette
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- India Gazette
"My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood...": Rana Daggubati on nepotism in cinema
By Palash Srivastava New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Actor Rana Daggubati, known for his roles in 'Baahubali' and 'Rana Naidu', shared his thoughts about nepotism in the film industry, a point of debate abuzz in the entertainment domains for decades now. Hailing from a prestigious film family, Rana Daggubati is the son of film producer D Suresh Babu and Lakshmi. He shares a close bond with his uncle, superstar Venkatesh Daggubati and is also the cousin of star Naga Chaitanya. In an interview with ANI on Monday, Daggubati emphasised that having a film family background opens up more opportunities and provides a deeper understanding of the industry. He said, 'Any industry that your family is from, you understand it more than somebody who's not. How does it help an actor? Ultimately, you have to stand in front of the camera and act. There'll be a lot more opportunities for you. There will be an ecosystem that you understand. It's like if your family is from chemical industries or sugar factories, you'll understand how a sugar factory works and all the byproducts of sugar like that.' The 'Rana Naidu' actor's mother worked in a film laboratory and his father in a film studio. Daggubati admitted that her mother's and father's professions helped him become familiar with the basic functions of film studios and laboratories. 'My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood what a film laboratory looks like and how it functions. My father worked in a studio, so I understood its function, and my uncle was an actor,' said Rana. Daggubati mentioned that the 'pressure' to continue his family's legacy motivated him to do something unique, including starting his own production house, Spirit Media, in 2005. 'Pressure, in that sense, it was self-inflicted in some manner. You want to do something that is unique, new, and stands out and should stand for a long period of time. Whether it was visual effects, whether it's acting, or producing,' said Rana Daggubati. Daggubati is a vocal advocate for contemporary and art house films. Through his production house, he has supported films like 'All We Imagine As Light' directed by Payal Kapadia. He believes that his popularity has given him a platform to promote these types of films. 'Cinema is one, language never mattered to me when I was watching it as a child. So growing up and working, it didn't matter which language it was, and I feel there's a voice to all kinds of stories. The first film we made at Spirit Media was an art house film. Art house didn't have any other way to release, and I feel like now, since I got a little bit more popular, I can advocate for some cinema,' said Rana Dagubatti. Rana Dagubatti will be next seen in the second season of 'Rana Naidu'. It is directed by Karan Anshuman. Apart from the lead actor, the series also stars Surveen Chawla, Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda in prominent roles. The series is slated to release on Netflix on June 13. (ANI)
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood...": Rana Daggubati on nepotism in cinema
Actor , known for his roles in 'Baahubali' and 'Rana Naidu', shared his thoughts about nepotism in the film industry, a point of debate abuzz in the entertainment domains for decades now. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Hailing from a prestigious film family, Rana Daggubati is the son of film producer D and Lakshmi. He shares a close bond with his uncle, superstar Venkatesh Daggubati and is also the cousin of star Naga Chaitanya. In an interview with on Monday, Daggubati emphasised that having a film family background opens up more opportunities and provides a deeper understanding of the industry. He said, "Any industry that your family is from, you understand it more than somebody who's not. How does it help an actor? Ultimately, you have to stand in front of the camera and act. There'll be a lot more opportunities for you. There will be an ecosystem that you understand. It's like if your family is from chemical industries or sugar factories, you'll understand how a sugar factory works and all the byproducts of sugar like that. " The 'Rana Naidu' actor's mother worked in a film laboratory and his father in a film studio. Daggubati admitted that her mother's and father's professions helped him become familiar with the basic functions of film studios and laboratories. "My mother worked in a film laboratory, so I understood what a film laboratory looks like and how it functions. My father worked in a studio, so I understood its function, and my uncle was an actor," said Rana. Daggubati mentioned that the "pressure" to continue his family's legacy motivated him to do something unique, including starting his own production house, Spirit Media, in 2005. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now "Pressure, in that sense, it was self-inflicted in some manner. You want to do something that is unique, new, and stands out and should stand for a long period of time. Whether it was visual effects, whether it's acting, or producing," said Rana Daggubati. Daggubati is a vocal advocate for contemporary and art house films. Through his production house, he has supported films like 'All We Imagine As Light' directed by Payal Kapadia. He believes that his popularity has given him a platform to promote these types of films. "Cinema is one, language never mattered to me when I was watching it as a child. So growing up and working, it didn't matter which language it was, and I feel there's a voice to all kinds of stories. The first film we made at Spirit Media was an art house film. Art house didn't have any other way to release, and I feel like now, since I got a little bit more popular, I can advocate for some cinema," said Rana Dagubatti. Rana Dagubatti will be next seen in the second season of 'Rana Naidu'. It is directed by Karan Anshuman. Apart from the lead actor, the series also stars , Arjun Rampal and Kriti Kharbanda in prominent roles. The series is slated to release on Netflix on June 13.
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Cannes 2025: India's appearances on the red carpet and beyond, in pictures
From jury seats to global premieres to red carpet statements, India's footprint on the Croisette in 2025 at the 78th Cannes Film Festival has been one of its more visible ones in recent memory. ALSO READ:The politics of the Cannes red carpet One of the headline moments was filmmaker Payal Kapadia's return to the festival, this time not with a film, but as a jury member. Just a year after her historic Grand Prix win for All We Imagine As Light, Kapadia joined an international panel led by Juliette Binoche. In Un Certain Regard, Neeraj Ghaywan premiered Homebound, exactly a decade after Masaan screened at Cannes. The film, co-produced by Dharma Productions and featuring performances by Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa, and Janhvi Kapoor, drew significant attention — bolstered by the late addition of Martin Scorsese as executive producer. Though Homebounddid not win in its category, its emotional reception and prominent backing mark it as one of India's most notable international launches this year. ALSO READ:The true story behind Neeraj Ghaywan's 'Homebound', inspired by a pandemic-era New York Times essay Cannes also served as a platform for Indian cinema's rich legacy, with the 4K restoration of Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri screening as part of the Cannes Classics section. The event was attended by original cast members Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal, alongside filmmaker Wes Anderson, a known admirer of Ray's work. Offscreen, social media buzzed when Anupam Kher reunited with Robert De Niro at the screening of Kher's musical drama Tanvi the Great. Meanwhile, red carpet moments sparked conversation — most notably model Ruchi Gujjar's bridal look featuring a necklace with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's portrait, and Aishwarya Rai's look that many read as a nationalist statement. Here's a look at the most prominent appearances from India at the Cannes Film Festival this year: With the festival coming to a close today, Alia Bhatt finally made a much-awaited debut at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, decked up in a Schiaparelli cream gown that stole everyone's attention. Just a year after her historic Grand Prix win for All We Imagine As Light, Payal Kapadia joined an international panel led by Juliette Binoche. Janhvi Kapoor joined the cast and crew of Homebound to walk the red carpet at the 78th Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday evening ahead of the film's official screening in the Un Certain Regard section. Veteran actors Sharmila Tagore and Simi Garewal attended the screening of Satyajit Ray's Aranyer Din Ratri at the Cannes Film Festival, where a newly restored 4K version of the film was showcased under the Cannes Classics section. Renowned filmmaker Wes Anderson, a longtime admirer of Ray's work, introduced the screening and played a central role in the film's six-year-long restoration. Indian model and actress Ruchi Gujjar caused a stir and a collective double-take by showing up in full bridal regalia, complete with a necklace flaunting none other than Prime Minister Modi's face as the centrepiece accessory Aishwarya Rai arrived sporting an ivory sari, with a streak of vermillion sindoor down the part of her hair read as a not-so-subtle nationalist salute to India's recent eponymous military action in Pakistan. Urvashi Rautela attended the opening ceremony and the screening of Patir un jour (Leave One Day), wearing a multicoloured strapless gown and carrying a parrot-shaped crystal clutch that drew significant attention on social media. First-time attendee Nitanshi Goel, who starred in Lapataa Ladies, made her Cannes debut this year. While her red carpet gown attracted notice, it was her second outfit — a lehenga saree paired with a pearl-embellished hairpiece featuring miniature portraits of Indian cinema legends — that received particular attention for its tribute to the history of Indian film. Veteran actor Anupam Kher was in Cannes for the premiere of his new film Tanvi the Great, scheduled for May 17. During his visit, Kher reunited with Robert De Niro, with whom he co-starred in Silver Linings Playbook. Indian actor-director Boman Irani made his red carpet debut at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, looking sharp in a patterned black tuxedo and shades. Irani, 65, is part of Anupam Kher's forthcoming directorial Tanvi The Great, which was screened at the Cannes film market Marché du Film. Masoom Minawala was one of the many Indian influencers spotted this year at the Cannes Film Festival red carpet Nancy Tyagi also debuted her looks on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival 2025
