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2024 for Hindi movies was like a kickback to the countless number of Box-office turners we got last year. After the sheer storm that movies like Pathaan, Jawan, Animal, and Gadar 2 brought out at the Box Office (their questionable quality aside), 2024 turned out to be a year where Hindi cinema got its mojo back – in particular the little gems that often go unnoticed.

Sure there was the usual pile of absolute garbage across all fronts and genres, but this year could be seen as a slightly better outing for Bollywood. Thanks in large part to some small-budgeted fares that had minor ambitions and even minor Box office runs. However, for those of us who like to go out of our way to get to the core of such movies, it was a good time.

In the following list, I’d like to point out those movies that were competently made,...

Hoard writer-director Luna Carmoon, Didi filmmaker Sean Wang and Baby Reindeer star Nava Mau are among 43 Bafta Breakthrough members for its 2024 cohort.

The 43 names consist of 21 UK creatives, 13 from the US and nine from India. The selected members hail from film, games and television, and will receive one-to-one meetings, career guidance, full Bafta voting membership and access to screenings and networking events in the year-long initiative.

Scroll down for the full list of Bafta Breakthrough 2024

Carmoon is one of several filmmakers in the selection, alongside If The Streets Were On Fire director Alice Russell, The Contestant director Clair Titley, and...

In a cinematic collision of high-profile talent and grassroots grit, powerhouse duo Reema Kagti and Zoya Akhtar are bringing the DIY spirit of India’s small-town filmmakers to the global stage with “Superboys of Malegaon” at the Toronto Film Festival.

Director Kagti and producer Akhtar’s latest film explores the world of low-budget filmmaking in Malegaon, a small town in Maharashtra, India. The duo have collaborated on several hit projects including “Dahaad,” “Made in Heaven” and “Gully Boy.”

“Superboys of Malegaon” is a fiction feature that reimagines the spirit of Malegaon’s passionate filmmakers who create their own versions of popular movies on shoestring budgets, including “Sholay,” “Shaan,” “Don,” “Lagaan” and “Rangeela.”

The film draws inspiration from the life of Nasir Sheikh, a resourceful DIY filmmaker from Malegaon, western India, whose innovative work was previously showcased in Faiza Ahmad Khan’s beloved 2008 documentary “Supermen of Malegaon.”

The project’s journey...

Amazon MGM Studios, in collaboration with India’s Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby, has released the trailer for its upcoming Hindi-language original film, “Superboys of Malegaon.”

“Superboys of Malegaon” is set to make its world premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 13, followed by its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival on Oct. 10.

The film, inspired by the real-life experiences of amateur filmmaker Nasir Sheikh, is set in the small town of Malegaon, Maharashtra in western India. The residents of the town look to Bollywood cinema for a much needed escape from daily drudgery. Nasir gets inspired to make a film for the people of Malegaon, by the people of Malegaon. He bands together his ragtag group of friends to bring his vision to life, thereby bringing a fresh lease of life into the town. The story explores themes of friendship, creativity, and perseverance in the face of challenges.

Maharaj On Netflix Fails To Touch Laapataa Ladies’ 100% Higher Views (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Junaid Khan’s Ott debut has finally started getting some good visibility on the internet but after the film aimed to arrive in a hush hushed tone initially and got stayed, then fought and again released on Netflix, it has not managed to create good buzz in the first week itself!

Maharaj Ott Verdict Week 1

In the first week of its debut on Netflix, Maharaj failed to enter the global top 10 charts on Netflix. This in turn means that the the Yashraj film failed to garner even 1.1 million views on Netflix in the first week. Lohusa took 10th place on the global list with 1.1 million views.

This clearly means that Maharaj has garnered at least less than 1.1 million views since it could not secure a spot in the top 10 list of the non-English films trending on Netflix globally.

Junaid Khan’s Still From Maharaj/ Sparsh Srivastava’s Still From Laapataa Ladies (Photo Credit – YouTube)

Not many might know, but Aamir Khan’s son Junaid Khan has already made his film debut with a Netflix Original film titled Maharaj, which has been streaming on Netflix. The film was supposed to be released 10 days earlier but was stopped from releasing after the High Court’s intervention.

But finally, it won the court case and is streaming on Netflix, receiving mixed responses from the audiences and the critics alike. But the real test would lie in the performance in the first week.

This year, Netflix has had its lowest debut week with Varun Grover’s All India Rank with 1.1 million views, followed by Katrina Kaif and Vijay Sethupathi‘s Merry Christmas, which garnered 1.2 million views. Meanwhile, the biggest Netflix debut was Animal with 6.2 million views in its opening week.

Trending Panchayat...

The 16th edition of the Habitat Film Festival, which opened in the national capital on Friday, will offer film enthusiasts what its organisers described as a “360-degree experience”.

The ten-day festival at the India Habitat Centre will see the screening of films as varied as the Manoj Bajpayi-starrer ‘Joram’, which is now an international festival circuit favourite, to undiscovered gems in the Bodo, Tulu and Maithili languages, and from Manipur, which is yet to recover from the aftermath of the ethnic riots that wracked the state last year.

Varun Grover’s ‘All India Rank’ and Vetrimaaran’s Tamil film ‘Viduthalai Part 1’ are two of the other much-anticipated films on the Festival roster.

Festival spokesperson Vidyun Singh said the event will feature a curated selection of feature films, documentaries and short films. As many as 27 languages will be represented at the event.

Speaking about the Festival’s heritage, Singh said,...

Top 10 Trending Indian Movies On Netflix ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Kiran Rao directorial Laapataa Ladies enjoyed rave reviews upon its big release earlier this month. The film stars Nitanshi Goel, Pratibha Ranta, Sparsh Shrivastava, Chhaya Kadam, and Ravi Kishan. It hit the digital platform Netflix last Friday and is achieving new milestones as fans continue to shower love. Scroll below for the exciting details!

Laapataa Ladies revolves around two young brides who lose themselves during a train ride. The audience and critics hailed the film for its social message, performances, and direction. Unfortunately, it was declared a box office flop with only 15 crores collections in its lifetime.

Top 10 Trending Indian Movies on Netflix

The ultimate good news is that Laapataa Ladies has toppled the list of Top 10 Trending Indian Movies for the day. The list is followed by Tillu Square, starring Siddhu Jonnalagadda and Anupama Parameswaran in the leading roles.

Trending...

The upcoming week on Ott platforms promises to be a delight for audiences, offering a diverse array of captivating stories ranging from the coming-of-age drama ‘All India Rank’ to ‘Tiger’, a tale of conflict, hunger, and survival.

Here’s a list of five titles that have piqued the interest of Ians —

‘All India Rank’:

Written and directed by Varun Grover, the coming-of-age comedy-drama ‘All India Rank’ is produced by Matchbox Shots. It stars Bodhisattva Sharma, Shashi Bhushan, Samta Sudiksha, Geeta Agarwal, and Sheeba Chaddha.

The film will be released on Netflix on April 19.

‘Rebel Moon-Part 2: The Scargiver’:

The American epic space opera film is directed by Zack Snyder. It continues the epic saga of Kora and the surviving warriors as they prepare to sacrifice everything, fighting alongside the brave people of Veldt, to defend a once peaceful village, a newfound homeland for those who have lost their...

Lyricist Varun Grover, who is known for his work on ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Masaan’, ‘Sacred Games’ and others, doesn’t believe in the philosophy of quality art being born from a broken heart.

Varun appeared on ‘Chalchitra Talks’ podcast and spoke about the creation of art and how the basic requirement to create any kind of art is to stay curious.

When asked if he thinks that good art is an output of pain and a broken heart, the lyricist denied it vehemently. He said: “Nahi main nahi maanta ye (I don’t believe in this). This is absolutely wrong. Music or art in general is created when you’re curious. To be curious, it’s not necessary for an artiste to go through pain.”

He further mentioned: “Broken heart, does it help? Or is it an aura created around artists with a broken heart just like how there has...

February 2024 Box Office Delivers A Better Month Than Last Year’s February (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Another month of the year 2024 is at its closing, and four Bollywood releases dropped in theaters this month. While Varun Grover’s All India Rank has been kept out of the equations and comparisons due to its limited show size, the other three releases have collectively performed better than last year, bringing the February 2024 Box Office collection to a decent end with a 100+ crore box office collection.

The three releases this month – Shahid Kapoor and Kriti Sanon’s Teri Baaton Mein Aisa Uljha Jiya, Yami Gautam’s Article 370, and Vidyut Jammwal’s Crakk have collectively earned 112.10 crore, and while they might cross the 100 crore mark today, they might add another 12 – 15 crore or more to the month.

February 2024 box office collection crossing the 100 crore mark barrier is much better than last year, which saw only two...

Living up to the expectations of our parents and fulfilling their dreams has been an important component of Indian society since time immemorial. It has almost taken the form of a ritual that has been passed from one generation to the next, especially in a typical middle-class family where options to earn social status are limited. The protagonist of screenwriter, lyricist, and stand-up comedian Varun Grover‘s debut feature film, All India Rank, is an adolescent who is crushed under pressure from his parents to academically excel at the Iit exam and subsequently earn a reputation in society. His parents are worried about their child’s future and display concern. But their anticipation has put much strain on the young soul. But soon, the grueling journey provides him with an avenue to discover his identity and embrace the challenges that come with it. The film delves into the themes of the complexities of family dynamics,...

All India Rank

Kota is the place where middleclass dreamers send their children for coaching classes to further their dreams (the parents’) of a better life. The children often become a casualty of their guardians’ ambitions. Hence the heartbreaks, hence the suicides.

In Varun Sharma’s All India Rank, Vivek Singh is one such pitiable aspirant. There is nothing remarkable about Vivek, or the actor Bodhisatva Sharma, who plays Vivek. Perhaps the quality of being blissfully nondescript is what made Varun Grover choose whom he did.

Often in films about the working class the actors playing faceless smalltowners stand out like the lead dancer in a chorus dance. Here everyone looks his or her part. There are no filmy flashes even in the songs which are, if I may coin a phrase, retroriginal—representing the heated cheesiness of mofussil mojo in the 1990s—except when Alka Yagnik suddenly blares in...

Yami Gautam’s Article 370 Box Office Day 1 Will Beat Her 1st Superhit Film By A Huge Margin (Photo Credit –YouTube)

It was 12 years ago that Yami Gautam made her debut in the film industry. She was already an actor on the small screen and took the leap of faith. Twelve years later, she is about to probably deliver a solo success with Article 370 at the box office. The film based on Kashmir has been released today, and word of mouth suggests a strong number game ahead.

Produced by Aditya Dhar, the drama film helmed by Aditya Jambhale has the actress playing an officer on a mission in Kashmir. The film is expected to open somewhere over 5 crore. Interestingly, this film is a triple clash for Yami.

Article 370 has been released in theaters and is facing a box office clash with Vidyut Jammwal’s Crakk and Varun Grover’s All India Rank.

‘All India Rank’ aka ‘Air’ as used in the academic parlance, has released at a time when the immediate reference that comes to my mind, is a comparison with Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ’12th Fail’ (released on 27 October 2023) but that too only for the genre of the narrative – lower middle class setting and competitive exams! Otherwise, both the films are poles apart in terms of the story telling, acting and everything else.

‘All India Rank’ tries to address issues close to the Indian middle-class milieu, but it gets lost through its multiple storylines that try to prove the point. Ultimately the audience remain clueless deriving the purpose after spending 94 minutes seeing things that neither entertain nor communicate. The last sentence of the film (about control in life) is what the director needs to think about very seriously.

‘All India Rank’ is about Vivek Singh (Bodhisattva Sharma), a 17-year-old boy who...

Vicky Kaushal, known for his charismatic on-screen charm, began his career with an engineering degree and shifted gears with ‘Masaan’, his debut film. Ever since, the actor has been winning millions of hearts. Taking a nostalgic trip down memory lane, Vicky Kaushal shared the trailer of Varun Grover’s ‘All India Rank’.

While Vicky shared the trailer, he captioned the same saying, “Hum dono engineers ka cinema ki duniya mein safar lagbhag saath hi shuru hua with… Masaan. “Saala yeh dukh kaahe khatam nahi hota bey!” A line written by him has over the years evolved to be one of the most noteworthy scenes of my filmography so far. I’m so happy and proud to be presenting the Trailer of ‘All India Rank’… the Directorial Debut of my dear and incredibly talented friend #VarunGrover. Shine on mere bhai and my best wishes to the entire team. ❤️❤️❤️ . @vidushak #AllIndiaRankTrailer

Varun Grover,...

Vicky Kaushal, the talented actor who made his mark in ‘Masaan,’ has taken the honor of unveiling the trailer for Varun Grover’s directorial debut, ‘All India Rank.’ The film adds another feather to the cap of Varun Grover, celebrated for his work in ‘Sacred Games’ and ‘Masaan.’

Release Date Set: 23rd February 2024

Presented by Sriram Raghavan, ‘All India Rank’ is set to grace cinemas on the 23rd of February 2024. The trailer launch has generated heightened anticipation as fans eagerly await Varun Grover’s directorial vision, now coupled with Vicky Kaushal’s star power.

Vicky Kaushal Launches Trailer Of Varun Grover’S ‘All India Rank’… 23 Feb Release… #VickyKaushal – who debuted in #Masaan – unveiled the trailer of #SacredGames and #Masaan writer #VarunGrover’s directorial debut, titled #AllIndiaRank.

A #SriramRaghavan presentation, the film… pic.twitter.com/VM0lt5f2E3

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 5, 2024Behind the Scenes

Produced by Sanjay Routray and Sarita Patil,...

Renowned writer and lyricist Varun Grover, known for his notable works in “Masaan” and “Sacred Games,” is stepping into the director’s chair with his debut film, “All India Rank.” The much-anticipated movie is scheduled to hit cinemas on February 23, 2024.

Presented by the acclaimed filmmaker Sriram Raghavan, “All India Rank” is a significant milestone in Varun Grover’s career. The film is produced by Sanjay Routray and Sarita Patil, with co-production credits going to Gayatri M.

Writer – Lyricist Varun Grover Makes His Directorial Debut: ‘All India Rank’ Release Announcement… #Masaan and #SacredGames writer #VarunGrover’s directorial debut #AllIndiaRank to release in *cinemas* on 23 Feb 2024.

Presented by #SriramRaghavan, #AllIndiaRank is produced by… pic.twitter.com/XYP5UizycU

— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) February 2, 2024

As Varun Grover ventures into the realm of direction, expectations are high, given his track record of delivering compelling narratives through his writing. The announcement of “All India Rank” has sparked excitement among cinephiles,...

Writer, poet and stand-up artist Varun Grover, whose debut film as a filmmaker, ‘All India Rank’, which was the opening film at the recently concluded Dharamshala International Film Festival (Diff), says he always wanted to be in the director’s chair as that would mean more involvement in the entire process.

“Not to mention, this role also helps me to understand the process of cinema in its entirety, something which is very enriching,” says the National award-winning lyricist ( Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from the film ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’).

Stressing that the film, which revolves around 17-year-old Vivek, sent away from home to a coaching institute in Lucknow to prepare for the highly competitive Iit, is a very personal story, the writer-director of the movie, who is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Iit Varanasi, says he had been wanting to tell this story for a long time.

“Ever since I was a young adult,...

Writer, poet and stand-up artist Varun Grover, whose debut film as a filmmaker, ‘All India Rank’, which was the opening film at the recently concluded Dharamshala International Film Festival (Diff), says he always wanted to be in the director’s chair as that would mean more involvement in the entire process.

“Not to mention, this role also helps me to understand the process of cinema in its entirety, something which is very enriching,” says the National award-winning lyricist ( Moh Moh Ke Dhaage from the film ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’).

Stressing that the film, which revolves around 17-year-old Vivek, sent away from home to a coaching institute in Lucknow to prepare for the highly competitive Iit, is a very personal story, the writer-director of the movie, who is a graduate in Civil Engineering from Iit Varanasi, says he had been wanting to tell this story for a long time.

“Ever since I was a young adult,...

The festival has dropped its international competition in favour of a South Asia focus.

The Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival has unveiled a South Asia-focused revamp for its first in-person event since 2019, set to run October 27 to November 5.

The festival has dropped its international and India Gold competitions and will launch its first South Asia competitive section as part of a new approach to become a hub for cinema and talent from the region and diaspora.

The 14 films in the South Asia Competition are from first and second-time filmmakers from India, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal as well as diaspora filmmakers from the UK and Germany,...

After a three-year hiatus, the Jio Mami Mumbai Film Festival is returning with a larger lineup and an expanded focus on South Asian cinema.

The festival will feature 250 films including 40 world premieres, 45 Asia premieres and 70 South Asia Premieres. The opening and closing films have not been finalized yet.

The festival’s new vision is to become a hub for South Asian and South Asian diaspora cinema and talent and, in keeping with this, the main competition is for 14 films from the region. These include the world premieres of Leesa Gazi’s “A House Named Shahana” (Bangladesh-u.K.), Dibakar Das Roy’s “Dilli Dark” (India), Sumanth Bhat’s “Mithya” (India) and Fazil Razak’s “The Sentence” (India). The new focus will also include 46 non-competition films from South Asia.

The Icons South Asia strand features Anand Patwardhan’s Toronto title “The World is Family”; “Indi(r)a’s Emergency” by Vikramaditya Motwane...

Iffla Will Open With Khufiya Directed By Vishal Bhardwaj And Close With All India Rank By Varun Grover

US Premieres of Documentaries The World is Family by Legendary Filmmaker Anand Patwardhan, and The Golden Thread by Nishtha Jain

Exclusive Masterclass with World Renowned Filmmaker Vishal Bhardwaj

Today the 2023 Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) announced the lineup of official selections for the 21st annual edition of the internationally acclaimed film festival. Iffla will showcase 24 films from 13 countries and in 14 languages, including the world theatrical premiere of Vishal Bhardwaj's Khufiya, the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal's Berlin, and the North American premieres of Varun Grover's dramedy All Indian Rank, Dominic Sangma's Garo language film Rapture,and the Malayalam film Aattam (The Play) by Anand Ekarshi. Plus, the LA premiere of Joram by Devashish Makhija.

Passes and Gala tickets are now available at www.indianfilmfestival.org. Tickets to...

Los Angeles, Sep 15 (Ians) The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla).

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.

Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.

The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s...

The Tabu-starrer action-spy-thriller film ‘Khufiya’ is all set to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla). Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Khufiya’ is based on the novel ‘Escape to Nowhere’, written by the former R&aw (Research and Analysis Wing) chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan, seeing the ‘Andhadhun’ actress as a covert operative, embarking on a secret and dangerous mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover.

Vishal, known best for his dramatic film adaptations of Shakespeare’s works with films such as ‘Maqbool’, ‘Omkara’, ‘Haider’ and more lately, with his Agatha Christie retread, in ‘Charlie Chopra’, will also give a full masterclass on his filmmaking journey and multi-faceted creative process across screenwriting, directing and music, as was reported by Variety.

The festival’s other feature selections include: the world premiere of Atul Sabharwal’s ‘Berlin’, Dominic Sangma’s...

Tabu-starring spy thriller, “Khufiya” has been set as the opening title of the Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Oct. 11-15). A Netflix-backed production, the Iffla presentation will represent the film’s theatrical world premiere.

The festival will wrap with the North American premiere of dramedy “All India Rank,” by Varun Grover. The film had its premiere at the Rotterdam festival in January.

Between the two, the festival will play four additional narrative features, two documentary features and 16 shorts, hailing from 13 countries.

Directed by Vishal Bhardwaj, “Khufiya” is based on the novel “Escape to Nowhere,” written by a former chief of counter espionage, Amar Bhushan and sees top actor Tabu as an operative on a mission that requires her to juggle roles as a spy and a lover. It also stars Ali Fazal, Wamiqa Gabbi and Azmeri Haque Badhon (“Rehana”).

Indian director, screenwriter and musician Vishal Bhardwaj.

Bhardwaj,...

Mumbai, Feb 7 (Ians) Writer-lyricist-actor-comedian Varun Grover, who is known for his works in films such as ‘Gangs of Wasseypur’, ‘Masaan’, ‘Newton’, ‘Monica, O My Darling’ and ‘Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar’, has turned director with the film ‘All India Rank’, which recently had its world premiere at The International Film Festival Of Rotterdam (IFFR).

Varun shared that the film is semi-autobiographical and his idea behind the film was to capture joy, confusion, love, doubt, hope and cynicism that comes at the age of 17 and the constant tussle between ambition and mediocrity.

Talking about his directorial debut as a feature film director, Varun said: “We all struggle when we are 17. The hormonal desires called love, the constant swinging between ‘ambition’ and ‘mediocrity’, the generational trauma of parents – all create a minor-key horror-comedy around us. With ‘All India Rank’, I want to capture exactly that phase of our lives, the phase of joy and confusion,...

It’s challenging making a film about a young adolescent’s coming-of-age tale submitting to being made into a conformist in a country like India. Not because it isn’t an ideal backdrop to tell the story, but because there’s already been well established and acclaimed shows/ films churned out of the similar struggle of persistence across the Indian diaspora. But Varun Grover is no ordinary writer, and with his latest – “All India Rank” – the artist now turns his eye into the directorial realm.

All India Rank is screening at International Film Festival Rotterdam

There have been quite a few distinctive lyricists in India through the decades, most of whom have fruitfully shaped the course of Bollywood – the world’s largest film industry. Grover is also a scriptwriter, a comedian and now a director along with being a National Film Award winner for his lyrics.