Directed by Mr. Satish Pande and produced by Mr. Anuj Dayal, the documentary Pillars of Progress: The Epic Story of Delhi Metro was premiered at the 55th International Film Festival of India, Goa. the film narrates the inspiring journey of the Delhi Metro and its pivotal role in revolutionizing urban transportation in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The event began with the screening of the trailer, offering a glimpse into the Metro’s evolution from its initial planning phases to becoming one of the world’s largest urban transport systems. The documentary covers key milestones, such as the implementation of cutting-edge technology like driverless trains, incorporating elements for environmental benefits, and the operational challenges of constructing a massive infrastructure network in a city as historically complex as Delhi.
Director Satish Pande, who has been documenting the progress of the Delhi Metro for over three decades, shared insights about the purpose of the film: – “This documentary serves as a historical record of the Delhi Metro’s transformation over the past 35 years. It captures the challenges, innovations, and the remarkable impact this project has had on millions of lives.”
Producer Anuj Dayal, reflecting on the significance of the Delhi Metro, remarked: “The Delhi Metro represents the largest urban development intervention in independent India. Despite initial skepticism and numerous challenges, we successfully built a world-class network that now spans 400 kilometers, providing safe, reliable, and environmentally sustainable transportation to over 17 lakh daily commuters. This documentary celebrates these achievements and preserves the journey for posterity.”
During the discussion, Mr. Anuj Dayal highlighted how the Delhi Metro integrated advanced infrastructure into an ancient and densely populated city, achieving global recognition for its innovations and sustainability. He further noted that the lessons learned from building of the Kolkata Metro, India’s first metro system, played a crucial role in shaping Delhi Metro’s success.
Mr. Satish Pande expressed openness to exploring cinematic storytelling beyond documentaries. “While this documentary captures real-life milestones, we are open to developing feature films based on compelling narratives inspired by the Delhi Metro. Such a project would require a well-crafted storyline and a fresh creative approach.”
With Phase Four of the network underway, Mr. Satish Pande hinted at creating another documentary upon its completion, showcasing the continued growth and impact of the Metro. The filmmakers reaffirmed their commitment to documenting the Metro’s progress and exploring new formats to narrate this compelling story.
Students and Delegates were enthralled by a hypnotic masterclass by one of the finest actors in Indian Cinema, Shri. Anupam Kher in Kala Academy, Panaji, Goa, today on Day 4 of the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI).
Shri Kher started the session on the topic ‘Power of Failure’ by revealing, “I think I am the success story of my own failures.” The entire session was indeed a masterclass on Life lessons, packed with numerous stories from his personal life adorned by his characteristic wit. Anupam Kher said his story began in Shimla where a joint family of fourteen members spent their life in a single room with his father being the only earning member. In his words, they were poor, but surprisingly happy with his grandfather remarking that, “When people are too poor, the cheapest thing to them becomes happiness.”
The enormously experienced actor recollected the first time he acted a part in a school play while in class 5 saying he was miserable when he failed to secure even a consolation prize. “‘Failure is an event, never a Person’, my father taught me that day.” In his next outing, the budding actor made 27 mistakes in 2 lines of dialogue assigned to him in the play ‘Merchant of Venice’ by William Shakespeare! Cut to the time when the National School of Drama (NSD) Gold Medal winning young actor came to Mumbai for the first time. Kher said, “I had the confidence to conquer the City of Dreams at the very first chance since I was already an NSD Gold Medallist.” But within a couple of months, he had to shift to Bandra East Railway station to live for 27 days. But after many ups and downs, Kher was rewarded with the movie ‘Saaransh’. Shri Kher fondly remembered it was in 1984 when he first visited IFFI for that film in Delhi. This year with this masterclass it has become 40 years since his first visit to IFFI.
Life continued to be a rollercoaster ride for Anupam Kher. But in every downfall, be it the time when he met with facial paralysis during the shooting of ‘Hum Aapke Hain Koun’, or when he became nearly bankrupt in 2004; each time, he adhered to the lessons he derived from his father and grandfather. The audience was lost for words listening to the turbulent life journey of Shri Kher. But with his magnetic personality, deliberation and acting, the sixty-eight years old veteran actor, effortlessly administered the entire audience with tonic of his life philosophy, ‘NEVER GIVE UP’!
Legendary filmmaker Mani Ratnam captivated audiences at a Masterclass on “Transforming Literary Masterpieces into Engaging Films” during the 55th International Film Festival of India (IFFI). In an insightful conversation with another renowned Indian film director Gautham V. Menon, Ratnam delved into the art of adapting literature into cinema, offering valuable advices for filmmakers and cinephiles alike.
“I am still a person sitting in the audience,” Ratnam humbly remarked, reflecting his lifelong curiosity and passion for storytelling. Despite being a maestro of filmmaking, he stated, “In many ways, I still feel like a beginner.”
Mani Ratnam highlighted the deep connection between cinema and literature, asserting that “the closer the graph between cinema and literature, the better Indian cinema will be.” He emphasized that filmmakers must hone the delicate art of transforming written words into compelling visual narratives.
Bringing Literature to Life on Screen
Discussing the nuances of adapting books into films, Ratnam explained, “Films are a visual medium, while books are mainly imaginative. A filmmaker must be extra cautious in bringing a reader’s imagination to life.” He noted that while scripts may need adjustments, these changes should enhance the story rather than alter its core essence.
Mani Ratnam also shared how mythology and ancient Indian history have influenced his perspective, enabling him to approach characters in unique ways. He commented on the challenges of adapting flowery literary language into a cinematic script, while still ensuring actors can perform naturally with the script.
Discussing about his recent magnum opus ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, which is adapted from Kalki Krishnamurthy’s iconic 1955 novel by the same name, Mani Ratnam shed light on how the film had to depict the Chola period but all the remnants of that period in Tanjavur were already lost to time. As he did not want to create elaborate sets, he took the liberty of shooting the movie in the north of India and converted the architecture there to make it resemble architecture of the Cholas.
Films as a Collaborative Art
Underlining the collaborative nature of cinema, Ratnam remarked, “As a director, my job is to bring every person in the film, be it an actor or a crew member- to a focal point together.”
The Masterclass provided an enriching experience to the audience, with Ratnam urging young filmmakers to take creative liberties thoughtfully. He also asked them to preserve the original spirit of a book while giving it their unique creative spin for adaptations.
This Masterclass was a testament to the filmmaker’s mastery and humility, and offered great valuable lessons to all the aspiring storytellers in the audience on how to bridge the two worlds of literature and cinema.
Goa, November, 2024: India Bike Week, presented by Gulf Syntrac, is all set to offer larger-than-life experiences in its 11th year; welcoming everyone under our rallying cry: “Everyone as One.”
RACING:
This season, as a feature of the “Next Chapter” we are taking racing a notch up to promote grassroots racing with 2 FMSCI affiliated races – IBW Hill Climb presented by Reise Moto, and the Flat Track Race developed jointly with Harley-Davidson. All competitors must register for the race at a total cost of Rs 1,250 for Flat Track and Rs 1,000 for Hill Climb inclusive of the FMSCI Racing License. Total prize money up for grabs from all races is Rs 12 lakhs. The registration for the Flat Track is live and will shut down after our full capacity of 81 registrations is full.
Additionally, there will be 2 fun racetracks – Gulf Syntrac Tiivra Action Games and IBW Dirt Dash presented by Reise Moto. KYT rider and Ex Moto GP/ Le Mans rider Xavier Simeon will be sharing his racing career highlights and Meet & Greet with fans on both days.
LAUNCHES & PERFORMANCES
IBW is an opportunity for brands to preview their latest products and experiential activities to the community – from motorcycles, accessories and Racing series to TV shows. Brands like Hero MotoCorp, KTM, Brixton, Nexx and Reise will have some exciting unveils/ launches at the festival.
Elevating the ambience will be sensational performances from the renowned Rapper Divine, hip-hop artist Brodha V, Indie music artist OAFF and others who will take the NXS Stage. The Gulf Syntrac Moto Mayhem FMX Show by international FMX athletes for a double jump showcase for the first time here.
LEGACY
We are celebrating the completion of a decade with our partner Jameson – sharing a wealth of stories from stalwarts from the India Bike Week community. The festival is calling on Clubs and Riding groups to come forth and tell their uniquely individual stories at IBW 2024. The most memorable story will get a chance to win a Harley-Davidson Street Bob custom motorcycle created by Bombay Custom Works to honour the occasion.
Other key highlights of IBW 2024 are:
Big Trip Tent:
Conversations hosted by people who hold the legacy of International & Indian overlanding and adventure travel will be seen inspiring other motorcycle enthusiasts.
Leading one of the conversations will be the international trailblazer, Elspeth Beard (the first British woman to circumnavigate the world on a bike in 1982 at the Big Trip Stage), and joining her will be Marc Travels – a blogger, and globe trotter who will share his adventure experience while discovering hidden gems worldwide.
The Big Trip will also see some renowned Indian riders like Meenakshi Das, who challenged the boundaries and displayed a fearless spirit while covering 67 countries on her bike. Other passional motorcyclists like Sayed Omer Siddique, Tagore Cherry, Mouna & Shyam (Rucksack diaries) will inspire, share, and celebrate the growing culture of riding & overlanding in India.
IBW’24 has added the Big Trip Expo to enable 2-wheel overlanding enthusiasts to assist them in achieving their dreams of travel. The Expo will feature Overland Trip Organisers and the Western India Automobile Association to explain the process of acquiring Carnet du Passage and driving permits for riding abroad from India.
Endorsing Safety:
Jameson Connect at Howling Dog Stage will feature a safety session by a passionate road safety advocate, Jaswin Bose, who promotes responsible riding and will inspire riders to be conscious about active and passive road safety and riding mannerisms. There will also be an interesting session around off-roading by Tame the Trails – Nikhil Sood, a seasoned off-road rider and trails expert, will share his 17+ years of trail-riding experience around Pune, offering tips, hacks, and guided rides for fellow enthusiasts.
Taking the safety initiative to the college level, a group of experts curated by IBW will visit key colleges in Goa and Pune to promote education through travel, riding safely and offer insights into alternate careers in motorcycling through our expert sessions.
Amit Sadh a versatile actor, and avid biker, celebrated for his roles in the popular series Breathe and the film Kai Po Che, will be addressing the community about his travel escapades, love of motorcycles, and his riding experiences across the country – showcasing support for the two-wheeler community. Motorbike enthusiast and actor from the famous movies PK and Raees, Anil Charanjeett (also known as Anil Mange) along with Anand Kale, a Marathi cinema star and passionate biker will also join the IBW tribe and engage with the community at IBW.
Big Showcases:
Potential moto artists like, ANG Wheels, and Irshad Shaikh will get a chance to showcase their fabulous art at the festival. This year, the Collectors’ Corner will showcase the rare collection by Joey Postel for the first time and others like, Vishal Agarwal, Kolhapur Vintage Bikes and Pune Vintage Scooters Club.
There will be moto-vlogger meet ups as well, featuring popular VFX artist and biker Anurag Salgaonkar, who promises to bring exciting stories about their experiences. Biker cafes such as Throttle Shrottle, Trip Machine, & Super Chai continue to be our key partners in the IBW 2024.
Mod Bikes:
Special showcases from manufacturers will show customer mods. Harley-Davidson will be showing Custom Kings, customised motorcycles from HOG. Hero MotoCorp is set to showcase the finest modified Xpulse motorcycles and inspiring rally rider stories which will be chosen through an exciting online contest known as “Xpulse Fanatics” launching this week.
Price Hike Alert:
Ticket prices are set to go up to Rs. 3,499 for a weekend pass and Rs. 2,699 for single-day entry from November 23. To register for any of the activities and book tickets visit: http://www.indiabikeweek.in
About India Bike Week: India Bike Week is the definitive annual motorcycling gathering for motorcycling enthusiasts from across the country, and beyond. For two days straight, India Bike Week will be home for India’s biking fraternity. With the greatest names in bike design and manufacture, the showcase of desirable classic and custom machines, launches and unveils of motorcycles and gear, a wide range of biker goodies on sale, Big Trip stories, delectable food, live music, track experiences, and much, much more, the 11th Year of ‘IBW’ promises to be the best motorcycling weekend of the year.
Seventy Event Media Group (70 EMG) is an award-winning full-service Event & Experiential Management Company known for delivering outstanding events in India and across the world. Established nearly 3 decades ago, 70EMG has been the driving force behind some of the greatest corporate, institutional and private events across India, Asia and Europe such as Indian Hairdressing Awards, Smirnoff Experience, Matrix Hair Fest and India International Jewelry Show. 70 EMG is also one of the pioneers of IP development, having developed events for their clients like Cartier Travel with Style, Red Fort Festival, Kala Ghoda Arts Festival and pioneering with proprietary festivals such as Zambhala, The Skoda Prize, X Food festival, India Bike Week and the newly introduced festival for the motoring community, @GenerationSpeed.
In Day 3 of 55th IFFI, Shri Shantanu Moitra, eminent music director, jammed with Shri Vidhu Vinod Chopra, film director, producer and script writer in a vibrant way today here in Kala Academy, Panjim, Goa and created a true illustrious masterclass session on ‘Living Movies: Filmmaking and the Creative Life’ for the packed house.
Shri Moitra began the session with his famous ‘Piyu Bole Piya Bole’ song from the movie ‘Parineeta’ and Shri Chopra joined him in no time. Breaking the established pattern of such masterclass conversations, as he has repeatedly done through his movies, Shri Chopra immediately stood up from the comfort of his sofa and kept the entire audience engaged with his vibrant energy throughout for rest of the session.
Recollecting his zero moment, Shri Chopra narrated the story of his dream to assist Vijay Anand, in his early days. Someone close to Mr. Anand assured him that he will confirm the possible association with Anand. That promise kept him waiting for months; but the letter did not arrive ever.
Shri Chopra explained how, with his first film ‘Khamosh’ made with the financial assistance from NFDC, he faced challenges to market the movie and repay NFDC. As per NFDC policy, if he failed to do so, there would be no assistance for the next venture. Eminent directors, distributors praised the film, but again the phone did not ring with the good news. Finally, he himself had to be the distributor of the film.
Taking que from these stories, Shri Moitra fondly recollected: “During ‘Parineeta’ there was doubt with the possibility of the music getting popular, especially considering the then existing trends in the industry. But Vidhu being himself who never received the letter, or got that call, signed me for next three VCF ventures; even before the success or failure; and that’s what defines Vidhu Vinod Chopra.”
Shri Moitra also highlighted how tough a taskmaster Shri Chopra is. While characterising Shri Chopra for the audience, he commented, ‘Vinod doesn’t know where he wants to go – but he certainly knows where he doesn’t want to stand’. Shri Moitra did not miss the chance to point out, on a lighter note, how this trait makes his life and that of others who are working with Shri Chopra, miserable.
On the topic whether understanding business prospective is essential for budding filmmakers or not, Shri Chopra firmly stated his disapproval. “I only make a film that I am believing in” and he concluded by saying “Entertain-Educate-Elevate: The Principle of 3E’s we follow in VCF.”
On his relations with the film director when he himself produces the film, Mr. Chopra said, ”I don’t trust a director, I trust a human being.”
The session witnessed the jovial, musical and engaging Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Shantanu Moitra together setting a live demonstration of the life philosophy which is also depicted through their cinema: “Don’t be a bore; Only entertain.”
