Banwari Ki Amma
Banwari Ki Amma
Category: My Films
Being Kasaravalli
Girish Kasaravalli is an internationally renowned Indian filmmaker, who has made highly acclaimed films like Ghatashraddha, Thai Saheba, Dweepa,Tabarana Kathe, Mane, Nayi Neralu, Kanasemba Kudureyaneri , Mane, Kurmavatara and Gulabi Talkies etc. All of his films are rooted in local culture and yet these films have travelled beyond the boundaries and have been hugely appreciated as “world cinema” . A no-frills down-to-earth approach to filmmaking has earned him the reputation of creating a unique language, of cinema which excels in “culturing realism” in Indian cinema.
What’s Your Story ?
Genre: Non-fiction : An Indie about Indie Cinema
Writer & Director: O P Srivastava
Editor: Aasif Pathan & O P Srivastava
Sound: Bandish Studios, Pune, Colorist: Anindya S Ray
Language: English, Hindi, Bengali, Malayalam, Marathi, Kannada, Maithili, Punjabi with English subtitle; Duration: 51 Minute
Producer: reelismfilms, Mumbai: Contact: reelismfilms@gmail.com; 9819812473
Backstory:
Independent films or Indie films are broadly defined as the low-budget films, which are made by filmmakers independently without the support of established studios or the production houses. These films are driven by individual filmmakers’ desire or passion to tell a story or to give way to their expressions or their point of view using the medium of cinema. In a democratic and civilized world order that we live in today, the Indie films allow independent voices to find an expression in the public domain.
Internationally, the establishment or the governments in the name of supporting Art & Culture extend support to such films and filmmakers.
In India, there is no organized ecosystem to support Independent cinema and, therefore, making independent films and sustaining such endeavors is a hugely difficult proposition.
Through this film I have tried to explore the ecosystem of Independent filmmaking in India seeking answers for the following questions:
1.What is an Indie film and how is it different from the Industry film?
2. What are the resources or avenues available for making an Indie film in India?
3.How challenging is to make and distribute an Indie film in India?
4. Is there a sustainable model for making Indie films in India?
Vultures of Lalitpur
Vultures are a natural scavenger.
If this animal becomes extinct, then we will see dead animals around with epidemics spreading all over.Of late, there has been a sudden decline in their numbers.In 1999 in India , a Vulture Alert was declared.Their decline is a biodiversity loss.The film explores the reasons for their decline, its consequences and the need for their conservation.There are very few places In the world, where vultures are living.
In India in Devgarh, District Lalitpur Vultures are breeding successfully.
If these animals do not survive, human existence will also be in jeopardy.Let us live and let live .We need to live. They need to live.
Vultures are great friends of humanity. It is a natural scavenger. If this animal becomes extinct, then we will see dead animals around with epidemics spreading all over. There were plenty of vultures about 20 years back, but today we can count their number on fingers. Of late, there has been a sudden decline in their numbers. In 1999 in India, a Vulture Alert was declared. Their decline is a biodiversity loss. The film explores the reasons for their decline, its consequences and the need for their conservation. There are very few places In the world, where vultures are living. In India in Devgarh, District Lalitpur Vultures are breeding successfully. Vultures like to stay at uninhabited places. But mankind has hardly left any such place today. Today, there is no place for Vultures to nest or to roost. If these animals do not survive, human existence will also be in jeopardy. Live and let live .We need to live. They need to live. Only then, the life cycle on the planet earth will be maintained. FILM: VULTURES OF LALITPUR; DURATION: 17:08 MINUTES LANGUAGE : HINDI SUBTITLES: ENGLISH SCRIPT & DIRECTION : O.P. SRIVASTAVA PRODUCER : REELISM FILMS, MUMBAI , 2015, WEBSITE : www.reelismfilms.in CONTACT : O P SRIVASTAVA EMAIL: reelismfilms@gmail.com PHONE: +919819812473
Courtyards,Jaalis and Pergolas
Documentary on organic architecture
Duration 10:33 min
English
Colour, Stereo
Cinematographer Pooja Sharma
Editor Aasif Pathan
Directed By OP Srivastava
Produced by Reelism films, Mumbai (+919819812473)
Synopsis
Courtyards, Jaalis & Pergolas
” The environment depending on how sensitively we manage its complement of resources, can either erode or strengthen our sanity and civility, and these are as essential to survival, in any meaningful and lasting sense, as clean air and water. A vitality-enhancing environment, providing a regenerative equilibrium between our surroundings and inner life must be (the architect’s) fundamental objective. Such vitality is far more basic than any number of stylistic premises and theoretical abstractions pertaining to more outward appearance. “Joseph Allen Stein.
Joseph Stein (10 April1912 -6 October 2001) was an American architect and a major figure in the establishment of a regional modern architecture in the San Francisco Bay Area in the 1940’s and 1950’s during the early days of the environment design movement .In 1952, he moved to India and in 1955 he was commissioned to facilitate the establishment of Durgapur Steel Plant followed by the setting up of Durgapur Steel City and Township in 1959. He also designed several important buildings in India, including India International Centre and Habitat Centre, mostly in Lodhi Estate in Central Delhi nicknamed ‘Steinabad’ after him, where today the ‘Joseph Stein lane’ is the only road in Delhi named after an architect. He was awarded Padma Shri in 1992. His work is more relevant in the modern context as need for sustainable and humane architecture is felt more acutely across the world.
YKT Mumbai
The film tries to explore the world of Yakshagana performers in the Metropolis of Mumbai.
Documentary / Duration: 48 minutes / English/Hindi/Kannada / Subtitles in English / Colour / Stereo / Direction OP Srivastava
Yakshagana is an ancient theatre form that combines dance, music, dialogues, costumes, make –up and stage techniques with a unique narrative style. It is mainly practised in the coastal districts and Malanadu region of Karnataka, India. The satge performances of Yakshagana, which generally run from dusk to dawn , are mostly based on the stories derived from Indian mythological scriptures like Ramayana, Mahabharatha , Purana etc.
In the wake of the the rapid urbanisation and the socio-cultural decomposition in India, Yakshagana is today facing serious challenges for its survival .
YKT Mumbai explores the life behind these stage performances and takes the audience into the world of one such group of passionate Yakshagana performers with an urge to understand what drives them to keep this ancient performing art alive and vibrating in an urban concrete jungle like Mumbai.
The film follows the narrative structure of a popular Yakshagana performance ( prasanga) and intercuts in between to reveal the backstage activities and the life beyond. It makes an attempt to bring to the fore the ground realities of the lives of the ‘people’ behind these colourful characters and tries to seek insights into their personal journeys and the reasons for their love for Yakshagana. The film also tries to explore the dynamics of doing Yakshagana shows in a mechanised Metropolis like Mumbai , where perofrming art forms are gradually being pushed to the sidelines due to the onslaught of electronic mass media.
Written & Directed by O.P Srivastava ; Produced by Reelism Films, Mumbai (www.reelismfilms.in ); Mob 91-9819812473; e mail: reelismfilms@gmail.com; Duration: 48 minutes, colour , Stero Non-fiction/documentary in English & Kannada with English subtitles; Blu ray,DVD with english subtitles.
My Mentor, My Hero
‘My Mentor, My Hero’ is the story of a daughter, who fought a battle for more than 10 years , succeeded at times, but eventually failed to save her father from a monster disease called Alzheimer’s. As a specialist in Medicine & Geriatrics, Dr Prabha Adhikari, did everything which was medically and humanly possible to save her father from the deadly disease. The film is the story of her personal journey as a daughter and a medical specialist.
The film tries to demystify the complexities of Alzheimer’s disease of Alzheimer’s juxtaposed with the missing neurons , misplaced orientation, fading memories, diminishing cognition, and deteriorating vascular functioning of the human body.
The film also tries to educate the audience in understanding the serious challenges that lie ahead of us as the number of people being affected by this disease is steadily growing with the increasing percentage of elderly in our population.
Credits :
Title : my mentor, my hero
Language : English/Hindi/Kannada
Subtitle :English
Duration : 44 :10 min; Colour; Sound : Stereo
Script & Direction : OP Srivastava
Editor: Irene Dhar Malik, Aasif Pathan;Cinematography: BR Viswanath; Sound Recording: Krishna Murthy, Sound Design: Piyush Shah, Bandish StudiosSound Mixing: Keerthana Studios, Mumbai, Colour & DI : Anindya S Ray,Background Music : Devraj Bhaumik, Producer; Usha Srivastava, Reeelism Films, MumbaiContact : reelismfilms@gmail.com; +919819812473
Missed Call
English,Hindi / 95 minutes / 35mm / colour
“Missed Call “ is a poignant tribute to the passionate young men and women who dream of putting their stories on celluloid.
Set against an urban backdrop, the film deals with a young man’s obsession with camera and his dream of making a film.
Gaurav Sengupta, in his early twenties is passionate about capturing life as it happens…raw. For him, every moment , rather every situation is worth capturing on celluloid. He shares a special bond with his camera, which he is addicted to , for capturing real life into reel life. The film is seen through the handycam of the protagonist, as he journeys from joy to despair, from hope to frustration and from love to lust & loss.
Producer : Usha Srivastava, Realism films Pvt ltd, Mumbai
Written & Directed by : Mridul Toolsidass, Vinay Subramanian,
Editng : Bardroy Burretto ,Aditya Warrior
Cinematography: Sejal Shah, Nitin Sagar
Music : Daniel B George
Cast : Ankur Vikal, Heeba Manara Shah, Ram Kapoor, Tinu Anand, Om Katare, Seema Rahmani,
Contact : Usha Srivastava, B1001, Jagat Vidya , Kalanagar, Bandra East, Mumbai 400051, reelismfilms@gmail.com; 981981247
Website : http://www.missedcallfilm.com
List of Awards / Screenings
- MAMI (International Film Festival Mumbai),Closing film,2005
- Opening film, Indian Panorama at 37th International Film Festival of India 2006
- Bollywood & Beyond, Stuttgart Film Festival, Germany 2006
- Indian Film Festival of Los Angles , USA, 2007
- Tous Les Cinemas du Monde, Cannes 2007
- Best International Film , 6th Red International Film Festival, Israel 2008
- Hyderabad International Film Festival 2007
- Kochi International Film Festival 2007
- Ahmedabad Film Festival 2010
- New Jersey Independent South Asian Cine ,Festival,New York 2008
- Best of Indian Cinema, Prasar Bharti , DD National 2014
- Award winning films, DD Lok Sabha , 2012
REVIEWS:
“The film is about a filmmaker, his fight, his defeat, his eccentricities, his creativity and a burning passion for the medium. The directors sure deserve kudos because its a story that needs to be told” – Times of India Hyderabad
An immensely honest film. With no preconceived notions or expectations at all, you may actually enjoy it, I did.” – Mayank Shekhar (Mumbai Mirror)
“Like its plot, its appeal lies in the fact that it negates all convention and tries to break free. The humour is fresh and intelligent. Don’t we know of so many youngsters who are dying to break free. Here’s to them and their soaring spirit” – Nikhat Kazmi (Times of India Delhi)
“An Indie at last.” – Udita Jhunjunwalla (Hindustan Times)
“First films are like first f**ks. Messy and abortive” – Subhash K. Jha (Mid Day)
“Missed Call is a modern film crafted with such elan, flair and style. The team effort of the performers and the technicians shines through. I would hail it as the best film in the Indian Panorama this year” – Saeed Mirza (Jury Member- IFFI)
“Missed Call is a commendable first film, a result of sweat, tears and precious capital ” – Priyanka Haldipur (Deccan Herald)
“I had seen Missed Call and immediately knew that this is a different type of movie which needs wider exposure.I am glad that the jury unanimously decided upon making it the inaugural film of the Panorama section.Now MISSED CALL is achieving higher and higher positions in the international festival circle. Well done Mridul and Subramanian. Congratulations ” – George Matthew (Jury Member, IFFI)
“The most satisfaction comes from the fact that the movie reaffirms your belief that there ARE intelligent, mature and immensely creative story writers, directors and actors out there who can make a good movie. And they have done it in Missed Call. Shot on a shoe string budget but with a largeness of heart and ably supported with strong performances, Missed Call has many moments picked from what you and I have lived through. There is honesty. There is sincerity. But the brilliance of the writer/director duo comes in pulling out the finer nuances and the scenes that show their amazing sense of sensitivity. Add this to your Must Watch list.” – passionforcinema.com
“Missed Call’ is the most unaffected film about adulthood and the quest for motivated maturity since Dev Benegal’s ‘English, August’ Missed Call’ is a cutting example of niche cinema getting as close to the urban reality about the average bourgeois youngster as a camera can possibly take the audience.” – Subhash K. Jha. bollywoodcity.com
“Strikingly original and darkly humorous, MISSED CALL is told in a captivating, vérité style that makes this directorial debut a must see for independent film aficionados worldwide. It boasts delightfully realistic performances and witty writing that capture the passion, pain and promise of urban youth navigating the rocky road toward adulthood.” – IFFLA Los Angeles
Life in Metaphors: A Portrait of Girish Kasaravalli
Documentary (Biopic/Cinema/Culture/Socio-political)
Life in Metaphors journeys into the world of master filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli with an urge to understand the language, grammar and the very purpose of storytelling through the medium of cinema.
Girish Kasaravalli is an internationally renowned Indian filmmaker, who has made highly acclaimed films like Ghatashraddha, Thai Saheba, Dweepa,Tabarana Kathe and Gulabi Talkies etc.
All of his films are rooted in local culture and yet these films have travelled beyond the boundaries and have been hugely appreciated as “world cinema” .
A no-frills down-to-earth approach to filmmaking has earned him the reputation of creating a unique cinematic language that excels in “culturing realism” in Indian cinema.
Duration: 84 Minutes
Language: English/Kannada
Subtitle : English
Format : HD, Colour ; Sound : Dolby Digital (5.1) /Stereo
Director: O. P. Srivastava
Cinematographer : G S Bhaskar
Editor : Monisha R Baldawa
Location Sound : Suresh RajamaniSound Design: Monisha R Baldawa,Sound Mix : K Sethuraman,Research : O P Srivastava
Key cast : Girish Kasaravalli, UR Ananthamurthy, Arun Khopkar,Deepti Naval
Date of Completion : June 2015Director’s first feature film,Screener on Vimeo with password ;Produced by: Ms Usha Srivastava, ( www.reelismfilms.in); Mob +919819812473 reelismfilms@gmail.com.
Short Synopsis :
The film tires to explore “Cinema “ – the need, the art, the craft, the language, the grammar and its purpose through the eyes of Master filmmaker Girish Kasaravalli.
a few days MORE
In an engaging narrative story format, the film tries to explore the world of cancer to unravel the lesser known and more meaningful ways of dealing with life limiting diseases .
The film takes us through the story of a family which struggles to put up a spirited fight to save a loved one, who was suddenly diagnosed with a life-limiting illness. The narration throws light on various medical, social, psychological, emotional, financial and spiritual challenges faced by the family in dealing with a situation, in which they see a family member slowly succumbing to brain cancer.
The protagonist’s journey through various challenges and his eventual metamorphosis as a semi-medico- social worker is the backbone of the story. In the process, the film tries to show up the underbelly of modern day technology-overloaded cancer management system and explores the reasons for the step-motherly attitude of the medical fraternity towards the less glamorous and more humane treatment system like Palliative care, which aims at treating the person in a holistic manner rather than focusing on the high cost aggressive medical treatment of the disease.
The idea of the film started with the narration of a person story by a friend, who went through a life changing experience while fighting a battle to save his wife from brain cancer. The journey took us to explore the medical world and the current practices used in the treatment of cancer. In spite of the so claimed billions of dollars being spent on the advancement of technology and research in the area of cancer treatment, the reality at the ground level has not changed significantly for the common man. . On the contrary, the increasing number of cancer patients has provided a huge business opportunity for the medical fraternity to make more and more money from the sufferings and pain of the hapless millions across the world.The films tries to bring into focus the more economical and more humane treatment practices, which are not being allowed to become a part of mainstream treatment by the vested interests in the industry.
The film makes an attempt to highlight the need and the advantages of a lesser known and less advertised medical science called Palliative care, which believes in treating the patient as well as the family at the emotional, social, psychological and spiritual level thereby providing a more meaningful and holistic treatment during the last journey of a patient, who is suffering from a life limiting disease like cancer. The message has been cinematically presented as an engaging story so as to hold the attention of a common viewer for sixty five minutes or so.
Outreach Program
We would like this film to be used for advocating the use of Palliative care as a part of the mainstream treatment for the life limiting diseases. The target domain to reach out is the medical fraternity, non-profits, Government agencies etc . Through this film we wish to raise the awareness of the common person with regard to the challenges being faced in dealing with a life limiting disease like cancer.
We would like to showcase the film at various medical institutes, research organizations, hospitals, medical seminars etc.
Director: O.P. SRIVASTAVA
This is my first film as a director. Earlier I had produced a feature film called Missed Call, which till date has been screened at 11 International Film Festivals, besides representing India in Cannes 2006 and being declared as the Best International Feature Film at Red Sea International Film Festival, Israel 2008.
Crew:
Editor : Khushboo Agarwal Cinematography : Riju Samanta and Neeraj MagooSound recording : Shishir Chousalkar
A reelism films presentation
This film would not have been possible without the consent, co-operation and assistance of Mr Satish Kaushik and his family. Thankyou Satish, Prachi, Anuj, Mayank, Maitreyi and Point One.
Sincere thanks
Prof (Dr.) V.S. Mehta, Neurosurgeon, Paras Hospitals, Gurgaon
Dr Naresh Trehan, CMD, Medanta Medicity, Gurgaon
Dr. Rakesh Jalali, Neuro Oncologist, Tata Memorial, Hospital, Mumbai
Dr Tejinder Kataria, Radiation Oncologist,Meadanta Medicity, Gurgaon
Dr Rajendra Badwe, Director, Tata Medical Hospital & Centre, Mumbai
Dr.M.R. Rajagopal, Chairman, Pallium India, Trivandrum
Dr Manjiri Dighe, Palliative Care Specialist, Tata Medical Hospital, Mumbai
Dr Keki E Turel, Neurosurgeon, Bombay Hospital, Mumbai
Dr Atul Goel, Neurosurgeon ,KEM Hospital, Mumbai
Dr Sona Pungavkar, Consultant, Dr Balabhai Nanavati Hospital, Mumbai
Mr Nihal Kaviratne, Founder, St Judes India ChildCare Centers, Mumbai
Ms Tyba Bilgrami, St Judes Childcare Centre, Navi Mumbai Ms Indira Bahadur, St Judes Childcare Centre,Navi Mumbai
Ms Mamta Aggarwal
Ms Snehlata Sodani
Mr Anirban Banerjee
Ms Neeru Saluja
Acknowledgements
Ms Jyotsna Govil, Indian Cancer Society, New Delhi
Brain Tumour Foundation of India ( www.braintumourindia.org)
Pallium India, Trivandrum ( www.palliumindia.org)
Ms Sue W.Thompson ( www.headhuggers.org)
Rajbala Foundation, Gurgaon ( www.rajbalafoundation.org)
Credits
Direction: O.P. Srivastava
Camera: Riju Samanta, Neeraj Magoo, Suman Sahu
Editing: Khushboo Agarwal
Sound: Shishir Chousalkar
Research: Dr Swati, Neha Kirpal
Background Music: Sarit Sekhar Chatterjee
Assistants – Direction: Mithilesh Suba, Shishir
Song: Arjun
Lyrics: Prachi
Publicity Design: Nitesh Mohanty
Animation Curtsey: Dr Rakesh Jalaji, Nina Bhatnagar
Finance: Santosh Jain, Usha
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