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Siraj Syed is the India Correspondent for FilmFestivals.com and a member of FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics. He is a Film Festival Correspondent since 1976, Film-critic since 1969 and a Feature-writer since 1970. He is also an acting and dialogue coach. @SirajHSyed
Sachin-The Ultimate Winner, Review: No option of a third umpire
Sometimes a film is made amateurishly, for home consumption. ‘Home’ here could mean captive audiences, like a chain of schools, some of whose students feature in the film. Sachin-The Ultimate Winner is one such film. It is probably close to what is called a zero-budget movie, has tacky values, a predictable plot, passable performances, and music that leaves much to be desired. It seems stuck in a time warp, and heavil...
Spy thriller G2 launched in Mumbai, with Telugu superstar Adivi Sesh
In a significant move, a Telugu unit has launched a film in Mumbai, on January 9, 2022, at the PVR Multiplex, Citi Mall, Andheri. It is a spy thriller, starring Adivi Sesh, in continuation of the first instalment of the highly successful G series, Goodhachari (2018, co-written by Sesh), produced by T.G. Vishwa Prasad and Abhishek Agarwal and directed by Vinay Kumar Sirigineedi, who were all present on the occasion. No more ...
Victoria-Ek Rahasya, Review: The Untold Tale of Victoria Hotel
Any film-maker venturing into the spirit world has the following things to keep in mind: 1. Is he going to endorse the existence of spirits/ghosts? 2. Is he going to give the audience genuine scares, or jump scares/hallucinations? 3. How convincingly is he going to explain the goings-on in the climax? Marathi-English film Victoria-Ek Rahasya (Victoria, A Secret) leaves the first clause vague, goes halfway down the jump scare/hallu...
New Year’s Special: Distributor Anil Thadani in an exclusive interview with Siraj Syed, Part II
Siraj Syed: Any films that you are currently releasing in partnership with producers?
Anil: I have done many films like this.
Siraj: Do you tie up with distributors to jointly release films?
Anil: No. I usually get solo world rights, which include both India and overseas rights.
Siraj: Have you been involved with some films right from the launch till the release?
Anil: Most of the Excel ...
In the mood for Mood Banaleya, with Amruta Fadnavis
Her instant intro on Instagram reads, “Banker, Singer, Social Worker, Unadulterated Free Spirit! What you have many can have...but what you are no one can be! Stay Unique!” Click on www.amrutafadnavis.in, and you can discover her biography, in her own words. “Amruta Fadnavis is a trained classical singer, a social activist and a banker. She is married to Deputy Chief Minister (and former Chief Minister) of Maharashtra, Deve...
Surya, Review: Twilight zone
Giving no clue about its content, Surya is an eponymous title, being the short form of the name of the protagonist. Symbolically, it also stands for the sun, as the dispeller of darkness. While there is no denying that the hero of the film does what all action heroes do, namely dispel darkness by annihilating the baddies, the way he is made to go about it is not only jaded but beaten to death, pun intended. Surya, made in Marathi language, with a generous dose of ...
Trailer launch of Lakadbaggha: Hyenas, dogs and animal vigilantes
For many, the meaning of the word lakadbaggha was discovered yesterday, when they attended the trailer launch of the eponymous film at Cinépolis, Fun Republic, Link Road, Andheri, Mumbai. It means hyena. And I bet no Indian film has been made with this title, before this. It is produced by First Ray Films, the production unit headed by actor Anshuman Jha. In an amazing co-incidence, a film called Kuttey (meaning ‘d...
New Year’s Special: Distributor Anil Thadani in an exclusive interview with Siraj Syed, Part I
Reclusive film distributor Anil Thadani, who is known to avoid the media, talks to Siraj Syed about himself, his business and issues facing the film industry. Anil distributed films some 30 films in 2022, including blockbusters like KGF Chapter 2, Bhool Bhulaiya 2 and Kantara.
Siraj: What do the letters ‘a a’ in your company’s name, ‘a a films’, stand for?
Anil:...
Kishore Kumar, The Ultimate Biography: The Penultimate Review
Anirudha Bhattacharjee and Parthiv Dhar have been both adventurous and courageous in calling their Biography of that eccentric genius, Kishore Kumar, ‘The Ultimate’. Some biographies about one of India’s greatest ever playback singers-actors, also a music director and film producer, have already been written, and others will be written. And so, Ultimate is an indulgent word. Not given to such extravagance, I shall...
Ved, review: The craze phase
To those who do not know Marathi, and maybe a few of those who do, the word Ved, with its present spelling, could mean the ancient scripture of Hindus, part of the Vedas. But that is not what it means here. It could also mean ‘time’, which has a similar pronunciation. Negative again. Ved is an approximation of the sound that means madness or craze in Marathi. Ved, the film, is about craze, no doubt. In fact, many a craze. The protagonist confesses that...
Connect, Review: ConnectShun
Many a film, both Indian and foreign, has exploited the theme of an evil spirit possessing an innocent victim, usually a teenage girl, the havoc it causes in the victim’s skeletal family and the exorcism that has to be performed to get rid of the evil spirit. Some have been of a high quality, while the others have been mere pot-boilers. Connect, made with scarce resources, as it would appear, has nothing new to offer, except some special effects. A supernatu...
Marathi film Saath Sobat’s trailer launched
The trailer of the upcoming Marathi film Saath Sobat, which follows the release of its popular teaser, was released today at the Famous Cine Laboratories’ mini-theatre, at Mahalaxmi, Mumbai. This trailer gives an indication of what the audience will actually get to see and explains the true meaning of the words, Saath Sobat. Saath Sobat will be released on January 13, 2023.
The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including art...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 06: Recapitulating the films I saw at the Asian Film Festival
Starting screenings before the inauguration is the norm at the Third Eye Asian Film Festival (TEAFF). Having attended numerous TEAFFs, I should have known about this practice. But it just slipped my mind. As a result, I missed all the films shown between 10 a.m. and 6.45 p.m. The inaugural film was from Srilanka, called The Newspaper, directed by Sarath Kothalawala and Kumara Thirimadura. But before this featur...
Behno aor bhaiyo, let us celebrate, Ameen Sayani has just turned 90!
Today is his 90th birthday.
When you are 90, you have seen it all, been there, done that.
But the spark is still present, and he has been recording advertisements and content well into his 80s.
As can be expected, health is an issue, and assignments have gradually come down to a trickle in the last decade. Not many wanted a man in his 80s as the voice of a product, service or film. But it is amazing that the assignments h...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 05: Iranian film Open Season bags the Best Short Film award at Asian Film Festival
The week-long Third Eye Asian Film Festival was held at the P.L. Deshpande Maharashtra Kala Academy, Prabhadevi, Mumbai, from December 12 to 18.
Deputy Secretary in the Tourism and Culture Department of the Maharashtra Government, Mrs. Vidya Waghmare was present at the closing ceremony of the festival.
Mrs. Vidya Waghmare, Kiran Shantaram (Chairman, Asian Film Foundation and Third Eye A...
International Institute of Solutions, USA, launches India chapter, honours film personalities
Led by Arun Gandhi, International Institute of Solutions (IIS), USA, has now come to India, to source organic and health food supplies, supplements and nutritional products, among many other projects. To mark the occasion, a dinner reception was held at the Classique Club, Link Road, Andheri, Mumbai. A host of personalities were honoured on the occasion, with singer Padma Shri (civilian honour) Soma...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 04: Asian Film Festival screens five Gujarati Films, including Hellaro
In a specially curated package, the Thirst Eye Asian Film Festival has screened five Gujarati films. Film archiver and film culture activist Subhash Chheda, a friend of mine, has curated the package. For those who missed it at other festivals, the primary attraction would have been the Award wiNational nning Hellaro, directed by Abhishek Shah. The other films are Dhad (Paresh Naik), Reva (Rahul Bh...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 03: Asian Film Foundation awards Sudhir Nandgaonkar the Satyajit Ray prize
Sudhir Nandgaonkar worked tirelessly, all his life, for the cultural heritage of cinema. He reached out far and wide, propagating this culture, and played a key role in getting the local Marathi-speaking cinegoers of Mumbai and its suburbs to watch and appreciate world cinema, and discuss and debate it too. Towards this end, his Prabhat Chitra Mandal Film Society served the cause extremely well, by...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 02: Asian Film Festival takes off in Mumbai
“Third Eye Asian Film Festival is a platform for creative feature films and short films. This festival should continue without a break,” these were the words of DadaSaheb Phalke Award winner, actress Ms. Asha Parekh, at the inauguration of the festival on the 12th of December. On the occasion, Asha Parekh and Dr. Mohan Agashe were felicitated.
Parekh was a top star during the 60s and 70s and continued to work till...
Trahimam, Review: This MLA stands for MLA Murderer of Loyal Associates
In Hindu mythology, when human’s faced insurmountable tragedies, they invoked the Gods by crying out, “Trahimam” (spelt Traheemam in the Hindi title of the film). In this film, only one couple is shown undergoing untold misery, at the hands of the local legislator and the mafia. In particular, the woman is the victim of multiple rape, over a period of time. The makers were inspired by what they said was a...
Two-day Bollywood International Film Festival kicks off on the 17th in Mumbai
“A film festival needs to be ethical and impartial, and that is exactly what Bollywood International Film Festival strives to be,” said Bollywood International Film Festival (BIFF) founder-chairperson Pratibha Sharma, and actor-director Yashpal Sharma at the media meet of the film festival, held at the Harmony Hall of Carnival Cinema, Oshiwara, Mumbai
Of the 200 plus entries received by the festival, th...
Ajay Wardhan, Review: Toothache
What do you get when a film about a dentist gives you an ache? Toothache, right? Not headache.
Ajay Wardhan is inspired by true events, which only goes to prove that truth is worse than fiction. While receiving an award, B.D.S. (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) Dr. Ajay Wardhan faces TV reporters, and their leading questions lead him to narrate a 96-minute flashback, more or less in sequence. Probably due to drinking and smoking scenes and one scene of a battered f...
Vikram Gokhale starrer Sur Lagu De marks Marathi debut of Meghna Naidu
Teaser launch of the Marathi language film Sur Lagu De on 12 December witnessed a few tears and many moist eyes, as everyone lamented the loss of the central character in the film, Vikram Gokhale, who passed away recently, after completing this film. Although he was seriously ill, he gave as many as 14 hours a day to the shooting of Sur Lagu De, to help complete the movie that was started pre-Covid. In the film, he is pair...
Shadow Assassins, Review: If ULFA cannot get you, SULFA will
India’s north-eastern state of Assam has always been a hotbed of militancy. Here is an excerpt from a 27 January 2022 report published in Outlook, by Nitin A. Gokhale
“In a major fratricidal attack, militants of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) killed 14 of their former comrades, known collectively as SULFA (for surrendered ULFA) in upper Assam's Dibrugarh district, on Thursday morning. Ten other SU...
Third Eye, 2022, 19, 01: Asian Film Festival resurfaces after Covid break
The 19th edition of the Third Eye Asian Film Festival, organised by the Asian Film Foundation, will begin from December 12, 2022. Started in 2002, under the stewardship of Mr. Sudhir Nandgaonkar, the festival is a one-of-its-kind experience for film buffs from Mumbai. It allows them to watch parallel cinema from various Asian countries. Supported by Government of Maharashtra, the Festival has received special assistance...
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About Siraj Syed
 Syed Siraj
(Siraj Associates)
Siraj Syed is a film-critic since 1970 and a Former President of the Freelance Film Journalists' Combine of India.
He is the India Correspondent of FilmFestivals.com and a member of FIPRESCI, the international Federation of Film Critics, Munich, Germany
Siraj Syed has contributed over 1,015 articles on cinema, international film festivals, conventions, exhibitions, etc., most recently, at IFFI (Goa), MIFF (Mumbai), MFF/MAMI (Mumbai) and CommunicAsia (Singapore). He often edits film festival daily bulletins.
He is also an actor and a dubbing artiste. Further, he has been teaching media, acting and dubbing at over 30 institutes in India and Singapore, since 1984.
Bandra West, Mumbai India View my profileSend me a message
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