Express News Service
Hamisha Daryani Ahuja has donned many hats over the years–that of an entrepreneur, a motivational speaker, an author… But a decade ago, when she launched her restaurant Bistro 7 in Nigeria, might she even have dreamed that she would eventually make a Bollywood- style Nollywood film? Typically, filmmakers say no, but the dreamer that Hamisha always has been, she says yes. And now, this dream project, Namaste Wahala is streaming on Netflix.
Excerpts from a conversation…
Tell us about how you have turned filmmaker.
I have been an entrepreneur my whole life. We came to Nigeria and started a businesses here. After seven years of running my restaurant, Bistro 7, I decided it was time to do something new. I am a motivational speaker as well, and I spoke about ‘Dreaming Big’ sometime ago. When you speak about such topics, you begin embodying them. So, I decided to sell my stake in the restaurant and with the additional time I got, I decided it was time to g
Express News Service
Venkat Prabhu’s Live Telecast has an interesting idea that reminds you of films like Ghostbusters, Paranormal Activity, The Conjuring. I could go on.
The thing about horror films now is that all the stories seem to have been already told. Now, it’s about ‘possessing’ the qualities that define the good films in the genre, but Live Telecast seems more like a collection of moments from the average ones.
Notice how horror films usually have that one character who’s seen the ghost but is never believed? Venkat Prabhu’s Live Telecast attempts to provide the satisfaction of seeing such a person believed, with the events of this series. Jennifer (Kajal Aggarwal), the heroine, runs a ghost-hunting TV show called Dark Tales.
The Bigg boss house and the extrovert ideal
The Bigg Boss house, like the world itself, isn’t a great place for introverts. We dig into this idea while in conversation with actors and mental health professionals.
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It’s not exactly a kind world out there for introverts. Writer Susan Cain, in her book, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking, speaks of how extroverted character is held up as an ideal in our world, and how there is “the omnipresent belief that the ideal self is gregarious, alpha, and comfortable in spotlight.”
Express News Service
To live is to keep moving. Vir Das has lived by this Jerry Seinfeld quote on life and stagnation during the lockdown. When the world came to a stand-still due to COVID-19, Vir was pushing through it, one virtual comedy show after another. His latest Netflix special Outside In is a compilation of these Zoom shows.
Vir speaks with people from across the world, and he begins each segment with one standard question – “What will be the first thing you do after the lockdown?” People pitch in their answers, and Vir always manages to turn even the most despondent of answers into a brilliant quip.
Express News Service
Gautham Karthik is set to join hands with debutant director Dhakshinamoorthy Ramar for an investigative thriller. Dhakshinamoorthy says that the story will give a new, realistic, never-seen-before portrayal of Madurai . I don’t believe this side of Madurai was explored much onscreen, he adds.
On casting Gautham Karthik, he says, Gautham has a Madurai look that will be apt to this subject. Also, usually, people down south are portrayed as darkskinned, but I wanted a fair-skinned hero as the protagonist.
The team is also on the look-out for an actor to play a strong second male lead. It s a role, which is as important as that of Gautham s. We have approached a big 80s hero and we are awaiting his response, says the director.