Nominations for APSA

Four Indian films have been nominated in different categories for Asia Pacific Screen Awards to be held on 26 November at Australia's Gold Coast. The four films are Dev D, A Wednesday, Tahaan and Mumbai Meri Jaan.



Director of movie Dev D, Anurag Kashyap has been nominated in the best director category for his take on Sharat Chandra Chattopadhyay's novel Devdas. For the screenplay of Mumbai Meri Jaan, Yogesh Vinayak Joshi and Upendra Sidhaye have been nominated. Tahaan is nominated in the Best Children's Film: Shripal Morakhia and Mubina Rattonsey category. The actor Naseeruddin Shah is nominated for the best actor award for his film A Wednesday.

APSA is collaboration between CNN International, UNESCO and FIAPF International Federation of Film Producers Associations. It has announced nominees in nine award categories with 37 films from 16 countries - Australia, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Palestine, China, South Korea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey.

National Film Awards for 2007

55th National Film Awards for 2007 were held on October 21, 2009 and the awards were presented by President Pratibha Patil. Biggest names from the Indian cinema presented the trophies for their renowned works.




This year Dada Saheb Phalke Award was conferred upon eminent play back singer Manna Dey. Also veteran director Adoor Gopalakrishnan and actress Uma Shree collected their trophies as National Award winners for 2007.

According to an official release Best Feature Film award was presented to Tamil film 'Kanchivaram' and 'Chak De India' received the award in Wholesome Entertainment Category.

These awards aimed to appreciate excellence and promote unity of the nation. The awards were given in feature film as well as non feature film section. In the feature film section, the awards were given in 31 categories, which included Award for Best Feature Film, Indira Gandhi Award for Best First Film of a director, Award For Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment, Award For Best Direction, Actor, Actress, Editing, Lyrics and Choreography. In the non-feature film section, awards were given in 22 categories like Best Non-Feature Film, Best Biographical/Historical Reconstruction/Compilation Film, Special Jury Award and Best Audiography.

11th Osian Cinefan Film Fest

Indian movie 'Khargosh' won three awards at the grande finale of 11th Osian Cinefan Film Fest held in the capital of New Delhi. The movie directed by Paresh Kamdar won awards in category of Special Mention, Audience Award and for combining the real and the imaginary world and its lyrical beauty of images.




The Best Film Award was won by Syrian movie 'The Long Night', which also won the award for combining the real and the imaginary world and its lyrical beauty of images. In the short film category, the Iranian movie, 'The First Film', directed by Panah Panahi, won the best award. Indian movie, 'Vitthal', directed by Vinoo Choliparambil also won the Special Mention award in the short film category.

Behnam Behzadi's 'Before the Burial' won the best actor and actress awards for Alireza Aqakhani and Negar Javaherian respectively.

This year the festival screened about 100 feature-length and short from Asian and Arab countries.

Madhur Bhandarkar wins International Award

Madhur Bhandarkar, National Award winning Indian filmmaker and script writer is anticipating another International Award. His films Chandni Bar, Page 3 and Traffic Signal made good impact in Russia and for his contribution to the Indian Cinema, he will be honored by SOVEX PORT FILM, Ministry of Culture of Russia, in Moscow.




Madhur revealed, both the countries also have quite a lot of similarities when it comes to cultural background.

Meanwhile, his Mugdha and Neil Nitin Mukesh-starrer, Jail, is set for release on November 6.

Madhur Bhandarkar's most recent film, 'Fashion' starring Mugdha Godse, Priyanka Chopra, Kangna Ranaut, Arbaaz Khan, Manish Malhotra and Arjan also won many awards this year in many categories like his earlier films.

Many more to come ...Madhur!

Farhan wanted an IIFA after Rock On after Filmfare

Rock On! grabbed seven trophies at the recently held Filmfare Awards, director-actor Farhan Akhtar wants to walk away with more awards at the forthcoming International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards.




Arjun Rampal, who played an important role in in the film, feels it is a very credible way of involving members of the film industry to nominate the deserving candidates for the awards.

Manmohan Shetty, producer and IIFA advisory board member told that IIFA has grown into an event over the last nine years. Now as it's the 10th year of IIFA, the celebration will be surely bigger.

About IIFA Awards

The International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) is an award ceremony rather an effort to promote Indian Cinema popular as bollwood on a worldwide scale, thus reaching out to millions of its fans.



This pioneering effort is headed by Wizcraft International Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., India’s first and premier event management and entertainment agency.

As global cinema rapidly emerges, a prominent place for Indian Cinema is reserved. IIFA constantly endeavours to showcase to the world the wealth of talent Indian Cinema has to offer.

It takes hundreds of bollywood luminaries to the foreign destination for the purpose of honouring the best of Indian cinema. Fans of Indian cinema from all over the world converge to celebrate Indian cinema, whereas millions worldwide catch the telecast from the comforts of their home.

On its journey of celebrating Indian Cinema Cinema across the world, IIFA spreads the magic of Indian cinema to various exotic locales around the world. Starting with the Millennium Dome, London, IIFA has traveled through Sun City, Malaysia, Johannesburg, Singapore, Amsterdam & Dubai, & in 2007, comes to you from Yorkshire.

In 2009, the awards were held in Macau, China.

The business of Indian Cinema is provided an impetus by IIFA.

Jodha Akbar Sweeps all 2009 Film Awards

Jodha Akbar, a love story between one of the greatest Mughal Emperors that ruled Hindustan (India), Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar, and the fiery young Rajput Princess, Jodhaa Bai,is an epic drama that weaves together romance and communal harmony.




Set in the sixteenth century, the movie starts off with a narration by the legendary Indian film actor Amitabh Bachchan, telling the story of the young prince.

Director Ashutosh Gowariker has presented this historical love epic with all the grandeur of the Mughal era. There are majestic palaces, and imposing battle scenes, colorful costumes and imposing jewelry. The film gives audiences three and a half hours of regal extravaganza complete with romance and action, suspense and drama, music and dance.

Hence, Jodha Akbar stole all the awards in the year 2009.

Hrithik Roshan, star of Indian superhero movie Krishh and Dhoom, shows the strong character of Akbar with ease. His tone and commanding presence make him a natural, and the scenes where he fights topless really show his raw strength. He won the IIFA Best Actor Award for his performance.

As Jodhaa, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan clearly shows us why she was once chosen as the most beautiful woman in the world.

The most touching scenes of the movie are the developing relationship between Jodhaa and Akbar. Many a time, these scenes don't have much dialogue, but the eyes do so much of the talking. The on-screen chemistry between Aishwarya and Hrithik is very strong, and they seem like the perfect couple.

The music and songs are a very critical element of any Indian movie, and this is no exception. Double Oscar winner A. R. Rahman won IIFA for Best Background Score, while Javed Akhtar got Best Lyricist and Javed Ali received Best Male Playback Singer award for the song 'Jashn-e-Bahaara'.

The movie swept 10 awards at the recent 10th International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards in Macau, taking home trophies for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor.

Jodha Akbar also won awards for Best Costume Design (Neeta Lulla), Best Editing (Ballu Saluja), Best Art Direction (Nitin Chandrakant Desai) and Best Make Up (Madhav Kadam).

IIFA Awards most popular now

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Over the span of ten years, IIFA Awards, International Indian Film Academy Awards are hosted annually for excellence in Indian cinema at an exciting international venue. Over the last ten years, the IIFAs have become India’s most prestigious film awards in taking Indian cinema to a global audience.

This year 2009, they were held in Macau, China.

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the IIFA Awards and it’s also the year when Indian cinema and Indian film professionals have arrived on the world stage. Indians have won Oscar and British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) as numerous of global awards this year. Thanks to path breaking filmmakers like Danny Boyle and Megan Mylan.

The IIFA Awards are fast on their way to becoming the Oscar of Indian cinema.

Germany's Indian Film Festival Has Fewer Participants

Germany's only Indian film festival has been scaled down since numerous sponsors had pulled out due to economic recession. The number of entries has dropped to 47 from 56 last year and will be shown at a venue on the outskirts of Stuttgart instead of in the city centre as in previous years.

The 6 day festival opens Tuesday with the German premiere of Zoya Akhtar's comedy Luck By Chance, which takes a peek behind the scenes of the glamourous world of Bollywood.

Feature films, shorts and documentaries from all over India will be shown at the event, organised by the Film Bureau of the southern German state of Baden-Wuerttemberg. In addition to Delhi 6 and Billu Barber. Dance performances, concerts and lectures are also part of the festival. Some of the films just show the wide spectrum of Indian Cinema.

A series of prizes will be awarded, among them the German Star of India, which will be worth 4,000 euros.

The Grand IIFA 2009 in Macau

In an attempt to take Bollywood in the booming Chinese market and the rest of eastern Asia, an annual road show to China's coastal casino enclave of Macau is being taken up. Bollywood's first family,the Bachchan clan, led by millenium star Amitabh Bachchan, his son Abhishek, and daughter-in-law, former Miss World Aishwarya Rai, will walk the red carpet as the International Indian Film Academy hosts its 10th annual weekend conference from Thursday to Saturday.

The world's most prolific film industry is hoping to translate its large output into bigger revenue by widening its viewership beyond native Indians.

Overseas income is already contributing more to the $2.3 billion Indian movie industry, with foreign box office revenues jumping from 5.3 percent of total revenue in 2005 to 9.8 percent in 2008, according to a report commissioned by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry. With their large ethnic Indian populations, the U.S. and Britain are now Bollywood's two biggest foreign markets.

"The success and popularity of 'Slumdog Millionaire,' with its Indian locales, artists and music, underscores the growing influence of Indian cinema and augurs well for Bollywood movie markets targeting global audiences," the FICCI report said.

Amitabh Bachchan told a recent media briefing promoting the International Indian Film Academy weekend that the Indian film industry needs to do a better job of selling itself. Indian films typically devote 10 percent to 15 percent of their budget to marketing, compared to 30 percent in Hollywood, according to the FICCI report.

"Hollywood has greater marketing skills. We don't know how to market our product because we don't have the funds," the 66-year-old actor said, adding that, "we are trying."

The film academy has held previous overseas events in London, Dubai, Johannesburg, Amsterdam and Bangkok.

In addition to showcasing several new Indian films, this year's event in Macau will include a conference of business executives from India and China on Friday that will focus on collaboration between the two countries, with Indian Ambassador to China Nirupama Rao making the
pitch for her home country.

Famed Bollywood composer A.R. Rahman, an Oscar winner for his "Slumdog Millionaire" score, will hold a workshop on Friday. Heartthrob Hrithik Roshan and wife Suzanne will model for Indian designers at a fashion show Thursday night.

The three-day program culminates Saturday night, 13 June, with the annual IIFA Awards, where Abhishek Bachchan, his wife Aishwarya Rai, Roshan and fellow stars Aamir Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra and Katrina Kaif will compete for top acting honors.

Amitabh discloses nominations for IIFA awards

The countdown for the much awaited, fun-filled and exciting tenth IIFA Weekend at The Venetian Macau has begun.

Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan revealed the names of films nominated in the Best Film category for IIFA awards 2009 while addressing a press conference here on Tuesday.

Amitabh Bachchan was here to promote International Indian Film Awards which will be organized at the Venetian, Macau (China).

Big B told that amongst the films released in the year 2008, ‘A Wednesday', ‘Dostana', ‘Ghajini', 'Race', ‘Jodha Akbar' and ‘Rock On' have been nominated for the Best Film award.
Amitabh Bachchan, the brand ambassador of IIFA confirmed that his daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will perform at the event. Sonam Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Riteish Deshmukh, Lara Dutta, Sushmita Sen, Bipasha Basu and Boman Irani will be the other star attractions performing in the event.
Amitabh Bachchan said, ‘My conscience does not permit me to accept the award under the present circumstances when the citizens ofour country are subjected to such acts of inhuman horror.' With categories like the Star of the Decade – Male and Female, Movie of the Decade, Music of the Decade and Director of the Decade, the IDEA IIFA Awards will honour the best of Indian cinema.

Also setting the stage alight once more, will be the dynamic Abhishek Bachchan who has performed twice before on the IIFA stage. Bachchan planted a tree after the press conference at a mall here. It is worth mentioning here that IIFA weekend will take place on June 11-13 this year.

IIFA Awards 2009 on Star Plus

STAR PLUS, the best entertainment channel on Indian Television, is all set to serve as the exclusive broadcaster for the 2009 International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) Awards, reaching 150 million viewers in the Indian Sub-continent, South-east Asia, the Middle East, the U.S. and Europe.

To be held in Macau from June 11 to 13, 2009, the IIFA Awards sole aim is to promote Indian cinema on a worldwide platform and reach out to their global audience.

To kick off the festivities, STAR PLUS will feature special programs every weekend in June, including Golden Decade of Indian Cinema, which looks back at ten years of the awards; IIFA Weekend, featuring Bollywood celebrities enjoying Macau; and IIFA Curtain Raiser, giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the rehearsals.

There will also be an eco-friendly "Green Carpet" show.

STAR PLUS is proud to broadcast the IIFA Awards to the world for a fifth consecutive year this 2009.

This prestigious event is a must see for Bollywood Cine-lovers worldwide, consistently rated as one of the most viewed programs on STAR schedule year in, year out.

Featuring world-class galas such as this one underscores 'STAR PLUS’ commitment to delivering the most sought after content to viewers in India and beyond.

Best Directors at Filmfare Awards

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The Filmfare Best Director Award is one of the Popular Award presented by the magazine Filmfare to the directors working in the Indian film Industry. It is a part of the magazine's annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films and was first presented in 1954 in the inaugral year.


Bimal Roy leads the winners with seven Best Director Filmfare awards, followed by Raj Kapoor and Yash Chopra, with four in kitty. Chopra has the most nominations, 12, followed by Roy with 7, and Raj Kapoor, Gulzar, Subhash Ghai and Mahesh Bhatt with 6 nominations each.

Sai Paranjpye is the only woman to have ever won the Best Director award. She won it for Sparsh in 1985. Paranjpye had earlier been nominated for Chashme Buddoor in 1982. Other women directors to have been nominated are Mira Nair for Salaam Bombay! in 1990 and Farah Khan for Main Hoon Na in 2005 and for Om Shanti Om in 2008.

Bimal Roy also has the distinction of winning the award thrice in a row, on two separate occasions (1954-1956 and 1959-1961). Mahesh Bhatt is the only other director to have been nominated thrice in a row (1984-1986). Also, no director has ever won if he/she has been nominated twice in the same year - Gulzar in 1974, Basu Chatterjee in 1977 and Hrishikesh Mukherjee in 1980.

Dada Saheb Phalke - The Father of Indian Cinema

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Dadasaheb Phalke - The Father of Indian Cinema was born as Dhundiraj Govind Phalke, at Trymbakeshwar near Nasik in 1870. Being son of a shashtri, Dajishastri Phalke, he was committed to be shastri and was trained for a career, as a Sanskrit scholar.

Dadasaheb Phalke as he was to be later called, came to Bombay (now Mumbai) with his clan when his father joined Wilson College as a professor. Having a keen interest in arts, Dadasaheb Phalke joined Sir J. J. School of Arts in 1885 for a course in Drawing and then continued with his art studies at Baroda’s famous Kalabhavan.

Formerly he earned his living painting the scenes for various dramatic companies. Later, he began as a photographer. In 1903, he joined the Archaeological Department as a photographer and this was where he was introduced to the magic of cinema. Thus, ‘Raja Harishchandra’ was made in 1913 under the banner of Phalke Film Co.

In 1917, Phalke Film Co. was integrated into the Hindustan Film Co.

Dadasaheb’s ‘Raja Harishchandra’ is recognized as the first indigenously made ’story’ film. It was released in Bombay in 1913, and was not only produced, directed, written and photographed by him, but also processed, printed and edited by him. Except for the imported camera, the processing outfit and the raw film, which were not made in India, everything was organized by him locally.

Thus, D.G. Phalke was the foremost pioneer of the Indian Cinema who established the basic norms of film-making in almost every department of this conglomerate art. He was his own scenarist, cameraman, art-director, costume-designer, editor, processor, printer, developer, projectionist and even distributor. This one man institution gave India its most fundamental traditions in film making and established the motion picture as a form of entertainment, a medium, an art, and an aspect and extension of Indian culture.

In fact, it was Dadasaheb Phalke who introduced the first heroine to Indian Cinema.

Those were the times when there was a dearth of talented artistes willing to work in films. Even stage artistes shied away from the new medium, no woman, not eve a dancing girl, would agree to act in a film.

So for the role of Taramati in Raja Harishchandra Phale had to go to a delicate looking young man. He selected Salunke to play Taramati, Salunke who was serving as a cook in a restaurant. Later Salunke played both Rama and Seeta in Lanka Dahan and became the most popular actor and actress of the period. The film was Phalke’s biggest hit.
His other noted films are Shri Krishna Janma (1918),Kaliya Mardan (1919),Setu Bandhan (1923) and Gangavataran (1937).

In the year 1969 that is celebrated as the birth centenary year of the Father of Indian Cinema, in a belifting commemoration of his contribution to Indian Cinema, a new National Award named Dadasaheb Phalke Award was introduced.

This Award is given annually for distinguished contribution to the film medium, its growth and promotion. It has been given to some really eminent personalities.The first recipient of this Award was Devika Rani Roerich, popular as Devika Rani. Last year it went to late legendary filmmaker Tapan Sinha.

At the age of 74 on February 16th, 1944 Dadasaheb Phalke expired in Nasik.