The Aseem Chhabra Show » mumbai

“Bombay Summer” captures a bygone era

Aseem Chhabra — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 19:03:14 +0000

Tannishtha Chatterjee in "Bombay Summer"

Joseph Mathew grew up in Trivandrum in the 70s, when Mumbai or Bombay as he likes to refer to the city, was a mythical dream. In his first narrative feature Bombay Summer, Mathew, pays tribute to Bombay of an earlier era through his three protagonists, who capture its energy and youth culture in transition.

This past week, Bombay Summer had two sold out screenings at Indian International Film Festival in Goa. And earlier this month the film swept the Mahindra Indo-American Arts Council film festival awards – winning trophies for best film, best director and best actress (for Tannishtha Chatterjee).

Mathew spoke about the film – the idea of Bombay, working with his actors and the music–before he left New York for the Goa festival.

Video: Bombay Summer’s Intersecting Lives

A chilling look inside the “Mumbai Massacre”

Sandeep Junnarkar — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:01:54 +0000

Last year’s terrorist attacks on Mumbai shook all of India and the world. To mark the one year anniversary of the attacks – PBS stations across the US will be broadcasting a documentary – Secrets of the Dead: Mumbai Massacre .

Produced by New York’s Channel THIRTEEN and directed by the Australian documentary filmmaker Victoria Pitt, the film examines the traumatic experiences of the survivors, including the guests at the Taj Mahal Palace and the Oberoi Trident Hotels, as they struggled through the ordeal.

In her conversation with Aseem, Pitt describes her emotional experience covering the harrowing attacks and takes us inside the corridors as the siege unfolds.

State of Siege:

Next Video : “Hazy Figures in the Darkness”

Film Crew Credit: Emmanuel Alexandre,Sebastian Bednarski, Byron Hangey and John Nolan

Photo Credit: Reuters/For editorial use in North America only in conjunction with the direct publicity or promotion of SECRETS OF THE DEAD.

Footage of “Mumbai Massacre” used by permission.

Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle interview

Sandeep Junnarkar — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 11:10:15 +0000

Here’s a link to an interview with Slumdog Millionaire director Danny Boyle. The movie was just nominated for 10 Oscars, including ones for best picture and director.

The interview is co-hosted by Aseem Chhabra and Sreenath Sreenivasan, the co-founder of the South Asian Journalists Associations and a professor at the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism.

Thank you to SAJAForum.org for the embed. Here’s a link to the questions and comments mentioned during the interview.