Dil Se

MEENAKSHI RAO  discusses why the Bahubali saga is such a big deal for Indian cinema I know it’s pretty unrelated but the frenzy for  The Game of Thrones  is just about gathering up, yet again — this time for the upcoming Season 7. We have all binged on it, feeling like rogues on a secret and shameless hunt, not wanting to, but sitting through the nights through Seasons 1 to 6, in bulk at that. We have vehemently derided it, we have curdled at the wanton violence, we have been ashamed at the portrayal of women and we have cringed every time the blood and gore splashed our eyes. But we have again started waiting for June because that’s when this biggest grossing TV series with worldwide appeal will hit you after a veritable gap. Director SS Rajamouli’s  Bahubali  created and sustained a similar kind of frenzy with much less at hand. No political, social or cultural pornography here, no disrobing women and parading them naked through the story, no callous playing to the galler

 Renowned British filmmaker MCaillister talks to MEENAKSHI RAO about his much acclaimed documentary A Syrian Love Story which documents the war with a unique perspective — showing Syria before, during and after the devastating war through the travails of a couple A Syrian Love Story is a moving and stunning documentary with international acclaim and award nominations. From 2009 to now, what are your views on the implosion in Syria? The story of Syria is tragic, many of those that rose feel abandoned by the West, millions of refugees displaced around the world and the country now split and still in the hands of the murderer Assad. After so much hope, people can’t comprehend the death toll of over half a million people. Are you working on any other stories from this region? No, but I’m working on a new film in my hometown — Hull in the UK. It is the city of culture for 2017 where I was also creative director for the opening event. Currently, I’m working on a feature document