MAMI Year Round Programme
Dial M For Films
To watch all the Dial M For Films sessions, click here
To read all the Dial M For Films modules, click here
CATCH UP ON EARLIER SESSIONS
Haseen Dillruba
Kanika Dhillon, Vinil Mathew, Taapsee Pannu & Vikrant Massey in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 1st July 2021
Watch director Vinil Mathew, story-screenplay-dialogue writer Kanika Dhillon, actors Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey in conversation with guest host Mini Mathur and series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran about building flawed characters, creating opportunities for newcomers, Vinil’s cameo in the film, the way Vikrant’s number is saved on Taapsee’s phone and much more.
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The Making Of Sherni
Amit Masurkar, Aastha Tiku, Dipika Kalra, Rakesh Haridas and Anish John in Conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 26th June 2021
Watch filmmaker Amit Masurkar, story and screenplay writer Aastha Tiku, editor Dipika Kalra, DOP Rakesh Haridas and sound designer Anish John in conversation with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran about the making of Sherni only on Dial M For Films.
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The Anatomy Of An Anthology | Ray
Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji, Vasan Bala, Sayantan Mukherjee and Ajit Andhare in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st June 2021
Dial M For Films hosted an exclusive pre-release screening of Ray. an anthology based on Satyajit Ray's short stories, created by Sayantan Mukherjee, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji and Vasan Bala, and produced by Ajit Andhare. Watch the creators of Ray in conversation with Smriti Kiran on adapting the late great filmmaker's stories and the creative workings of putting an anthology together.
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Creating Multilingual Multicultural Narratives | The Family Man | Writer's Block
Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK, Suparn S Varma and Suman Kumar in Conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th June 2021
Smriti Kiran in conversation with writers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Suparn S Varma and Suman Kumar of The Family Man on creating multilingual, multicultural narratives.
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Writer's Block | Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar
Dibakar Banerjee and Varun Grover in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 3rd June 2021
Watch filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee and writer Varun Grover in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Writer's Block about the writing of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and creating memorable and relatable characters such as Sandeep, Pinky, Munna, Sejal, Tyagi, Uncle, Aunty, 'Bank Manager', Poorva, Nyal, Parichay, Garry, 'Guy in Car' 1, 'Guy in Car' 2 and more.
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Read the Early Draft of the Step Outline of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar
The Long Road To Stardom
Tovino Thomas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st May 2021
Actor & Producer Tovino Thomas (Guppy, Mayaanadhi, Luca, Godha, Uyare, Forensic, Kala) is regarded as one of the most bankable artists in the Malayalam film industry. His success and stardom are not overnight. It took time and rigour to earn the trust of his filmmakers, his co-actors and his audience. His latest, Kala by Rohith VS will be out soon on a streaming platform. He has an enviable slate of projects lined up including Aashiq Abu’s Naradan, Basil Joseph’s Minnal Murali and Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Vazhakku. Watch Tovino Thomas in conversation with Smriti Kiran on the long road to stardom.
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Bringing Focus To Local
Riteish Deshmukh in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 6th May 2021
Riteish Deshmukh made his acting debut in 2003 with Tujhe Meri Kasam. Ten years later he made his debut as producer with Ravi Jadhav’s Balak Palak. Since then, apart from acting, he has been consistently producing Marathi films: Mahesh Limaye’s Yellow (2014), late Nishikant Kamat’s Lai Bhaari (2014), Aditya Sarpotdar’s Faster Fene (2017) and Mauli (2018), and Pankaj Sonawane’s short Taar (2020). He is working with Nagraj Manjule for a trilogy based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Watch Riteish Deshmukh in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Dial M For Films about bringing focus to local.
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Bridging The Gap Between Indie And Epic
Guneet Monga in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 22nd April 2021
She started her career 14 years ago but the reason one feels producer, CEO and Founder of Sikhya Entertainment Guneet Monga has been at it for 40 is because of the strides she has made in disrupting the producing landscape for independent films. She likes to call her cinema the new commercial. Watch Guneet Monga in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Dial M For Films about what hustle means to her, the importance of strategy and how to build a network.
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What Does A Film Producer Do?
Siddharth Roy Kapur in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 9th April 2021
Watch Founder and Managing Director of Roy Kapur Films, Siddharth Roy Kapur in conversation with Smriti Kiran speak about over 15 years devoted to the producing life and his learnings during the pandemic.
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The Life Of A Tastemaker
Sameer Nair in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 13th March 2021
You might know him as the man who greenlit Hansal Mehta's ground breaking series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story but the CEO of Applause Entertainment Sameer Nair comes from a legacy of tastemaking and creating over the last three decades. Watch Sameer Nair in conversation with Smriti Kiran speak about the instinct of “getting it” and staying relevant over the years.
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Creator's Table | Sceptic Tank Reunion | Dial M For Films
Vikramaditya Motwane, Akshat Verma, Sudip Sharma, Anvita Dutt, Arpita Chatterjee, Abhishek Chaubey, Navdeep Singh and Devashish Makhija in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 25th February 2021
In October 2012, Vikramaditya Motwane and Akshat Verma started a script club. Just an informal gathering of people they knew, got together every Sunday, to discuss scripts, ideas, give feedback, chat cinema, life and work. Called the Sceptic Tank, the club was a haven for many and a terrifying space for some. This is the story of the ones who stayed and were saved by a tribe they did not know they needed. Coming together after 9 years, the OGs of Sceptic Tank talk about how the Sunday script club shaped them into the creators they are today.
Watch Vikramaditya Motwane (Filmmaker), Akshat Verma (Filmmaker), Sudip Sharma (Creator and Writer), Anvita Dutt (Filmmaker), Arpita Chatterjee (Screenwriter), Abhishek Chaubey (Filmmaker), Navdeep Singh (Filmmaker) and Devashish Makhija (Filmmaker) in conversation with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival).
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Actor Management By Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 4th February 2021
She is ambitious, outspoken and is all about the heavy lifting. In this session of Dial M For Films, Director Geetu Mohandas chats with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) and breaks down actor management and handling.
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The Long Road To Success
Siddharth P Malhotra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 28th January 2021
A dream debut doesn’t guarantee success or longevity. He might have had resources but he has fought long and hard for credibility. In this session of Dial M For Films, Filmmaker and Producer Siddharth P. Malhotra chats with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on his long road to success.
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Dial M For Films With Konkona Sensharma
Konkona Sensharma in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th January 2021
In this session of Dial M For Films, catch the formidable and fierce actor, writer and director Konkona Sensharma chat with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival).
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Writer's Block | Delhi Crime
Richie Mehta in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 29th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch Richie Mehta (Creator, Director and Writer), in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) about the six-year journey before the series went on the floors and eventually World Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.
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Telling Stories In Diverse Film Cultures
Srishti Behl Arya in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch Srishti Behl Arya (Director for International Original Film - India, Netflix) chat with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on all things films on Netflix.
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Writer's Block | Team Paatal Lok
Sudip Sharma, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta and Gunjit Chopra
Date: 7th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch the writers (Sudip Sharma, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta, Gunjit Chopra) of the breakthrough series of 2020 Paatal Lok chat on all things related to creation, research, process and challenges of creating the world and characters of Paatal Lok.
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The Long Road To Success
Vijay Varma in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 26th November 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films actor Vijay Varma (Gully Boy, Pink, Monsoon Shootout) speaks to Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on what it takes for an actor to break through in an industry teeming with lakhs of aspirants? How does one keep the faith over years of struggle, hone one's craft and set out on the arduous, uncharted path towards success.
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Writer's Block With Team Mirzapur
Puneet Krishna, Vineet Krishna, Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai
Date: 23rd November 2020
Watch creator & writer Puneet Krishna, co-writer Vineet Krishna, directors Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) talk about creating the world of Mirzapur.
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The Long Road To Success
Jaideep Ahlawat in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 19th November 2020
Watch actor Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok, Raazi, Gangs of Wasseypur) in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on The Long Road to Success, only on Dial M For Films where he speaks of what it takes for an actor to break through in an industry teeming with lakhs of aspirants? How does one keep the faith over years of struggle, hone one's craft and set out on the arduous, uncharted path towards success.
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Subverting The Narrative Of A Female Actor
Richa Chadha in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 12th November 2020
From her nuanced performance as the fierce Nagma Khatoon in Gangs of Wasseypur, the complex Devi Pathak in Masaan to the unconventional Bholi Punjaban in Fukrey, Richa Chadha has made a habit of shattering stereotypes. She has fought slotting, body shaming, and rejection, and with her staggering talent and notable choices, she is one of the front-runners in changing the narrative for female actors in Indian cinema.
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Writer's Block | Team Scam 1992
Hansal Mehta, Sumit Purohit, Saurav Dey, Vaibhav Vishal and Karan Vyas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 10th November 2020
Writer’s Block is a limited series within Dial M For Films that celebrates and bring to the fore the skill, craft and process of the writers that are the backbone of creating. In this session, the writing team of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, director Hansal Mehta, writers Sumit Purohit, Saurav Dey and dialogue writers Vaibhav Vishal and Karan Vyas are in conversation with series curator Smriti Kiran to breakdown the series, story, research, characters and more.
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The Art Of Pitching
Sudhanshu Saria in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 2nd November 2020
Sudhanshu Saria’s films have screened at prestigious festivals all over the world like SXSW, Busan, Tallinn Black Nights and BFI Flare. His debut feature, the critically acclaimed Loev, which he made after surmounting huge challenges, screened in competition at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2016. It was acquired by Netflix in 2017. Before becoming a full-time filmmaker, Sudhanshu also clocked considerable expertise working in acquisition, development and sales in the US.
In this session the writer and filmmaker breakdowns the art of pitching and why, as an artist, it is the one skill that comes into play not just at the stage of raising finance for your film but at every level of creation.
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Life In The Cinema Trenches
Anupama Chopra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 15th October 2020
Anupama Chopra is one of India’s most credible and acclaimed film critics, a renowned author and a dynamic entrepreneur. In this session she speaks about the rigour in the process of a film critic, the tenacity of an author and the art of creating legacy-building work.
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Prepping To Improvise
Anjali Menon in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 8th October 2020
Filmmaker Anjali Menon prepares for her films meticulously and painstakingly. In this session she takes us through her journey, from the writing, casting and pre-production to the shooting and editing, she maps out all the beats of every step but only so that she is ready to catch the gifts that unpredictability brings to the fore while the Excel sheet plays out. Her entire process rests on being prepared to leap into the uncertain when it presents itself to her and her crew. For her, this is one of those things without which filmmaking itself will be rendered joyless.
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Sound Overlap: A Tool of Editing For Time Compression and Smooth Transition
Prerna Saigal in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 1st October 2020
We hear so much about jump cuts, montages, cutaways and freeze frames but in this Dial M For Films session, Film Editor Prerna Saigal (Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Afsos, Bombay Velvet, Peddlers) takes us through a topic that is often ignored when discussing film editing; audio overlays and cutting to sound. Something that is as important as cutting to just visuals. Audio cues are extremely powerful in finishing a scene or taking it smoothly in a particular context to the next. In the right hands, these can turn into powerful tools to lend a specific rhythm and pace to a film.
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The Art Of Being A Fly On The Wall
Ishika Motwane in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th September 2020
A very important part of photographer Ishika Mohan Motwane’s job is to bring out the best in everyone and everything around her by making herself invisible. She casually waltzed into this job and then built herself up as one of the best photo chroniclers in the film industry. Very few know that she is also a fine actor. She wears her talent with ease, grapples with her challenges without a fuss and knows more than she lets on. In this session the quietly talented Ishika Mohan Motwane takes us through her journey of telling untold stories, freezing memories through her frames, balancing authenticity with aesthetic and composing for the present as well as the archives.
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Tales Of The Fabulous: What Reading Does For You
Anvita Dutt in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 17th September 2020
Anvita Dutt is a prolific lyricist, dialogue writer, screenwriter and director. Her directorial debut, Bulbbul released earlier this year and is available to stream on Netflix. In this session, she talks about how the world of books shapes a creator’s lens, sensibility, aesthetic and the power of key YES-es in an ocean of NO-s
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Notes From A First-Time Writer And Director
Sheetal Menon in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 3rd September 2020
In this session Actor, Model, Producer and now Writer & Director Sheetal Menon takes us through the journey of making her first award-winning critically acclaimed short "Siblings". She explains how she made prep her biggest tool, put her head down and worked to overcome any trepidation she felt about turning director and the challenges that lay ahead of her.
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Choosing Your Story And Creating Its World
Abhishek Chaubey in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th August 2020
Writer, Director & Producer Abhishek Chaubey loves logistical challenges, the specificity of the worlds he creates and calls himself a tier-2 town kid with pride. In this session, he talks about how to choose the story and create its world.
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Finding The Magic In The Mundane
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 20th August 2020
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has worked on over 300 commercials and made four memorable feature films as director. Her films are meticulously created to transport us to the centre of them. In this session, she talks about how she picks up the mundane and infuses magic in it.
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The Power Of Surprise and Affability
Vicky Kaushal in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 13th August 2020
Vicky Kaushal in his first job interview worked the room using a scene from the series Prison Break. His keen interest in cinema made him realise he wanted to be an actor or in some way stay connected to the movies. In this session, take a crash course on the engineer-turned-actor's journey, process and approach.
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Keeping It Real: Simplifying The Myth of Acting
Sayani Gupta in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 6th August 2020
Actor and producer, Sayani Gupta grew up surrounded by the performing arts - theatre, dance, music, cinema, she got a front-row view to all. In this session, she talks about how FTII shaped her as an actor, and how she mines her instinct and life experience for her performances.
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A Life Beyond Cinema
Taapsee Pannu in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 2nd August 2020
An actor and entrepreneur by profession and an engineer by education, Taapsee Pannu's life has always been about seizing opportunities. In this session, Taapsee talks about the art of balance, the need to diversify, the perks of having a life beyond cinema, asking questions and the misogyny she has faced in her career.
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Intentionally Yours
Juhi Chaturvedi in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th July 2020
From illustrating columns for Times of India to writing screenplays, Juhi Chaturvedi's characters are extensions of us on screen. Her work invokes a sense of nostalgia even about the present and her writing makes us long for that ponderous pause, that playful interlude, and time spent without purpose. In this session, Juhi talks about her engagement with writing, her constant partners in crime - Shoojit Sircar and Ronnie Lahiri, about creating men and women on screen that we want to see, not treating senior citizens as placeholders and why she is not in a hurry.
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The Battle Inside: Keeping A Creator’s Mind and Spirit Strong
Vikramaditya Motwane in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 12th July 2020
Vikramaditya Motwane speaks about the battle within while pursuing your dreams in the industry. How can you pursue your passion, to persevere, brace yourself for disappointment, move on from failures, to stay focused while waiting, not get swept away by success, wallow in rejection, to hold steady and keep going? Through his 26 year-long journey, from Teen Talks to Udaan his first film as a director in 2010, to the present as filmmaker, writer and producer, Motwane takes us on this tumultuous but deeply satisfying, joyous and self-driven ride.
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Cheat Sheet
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Shapeshifting Narratives Across Formats
Ruchi Narain in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 5th July 2020
Feature films, ad films, films for digital and web series - for over two decades, writer-director Ruchi Narain has told stories across mediums. In this session get a peek into her writing and directing process as she traverses diverse platforms and molds her stories to fit the medium.
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The Narrative Spine: Why It Is Cardinal To Know What You Want To Say
Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 28th June 2020
In the session, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti talk about the difference between the story of the film and what the film wants to say (theme). They discuss the process of defining the story and the theme during the writing stage. How is the core theme imbibed through the film and what happens when there are multiple themes? Watch two of the leading writer-director duos discuss their partnership and writing process.
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Finding The Cutting Point: The First Step In Editing
Shweta Venkat Mathew in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 25th June 2020
In a career spanning 16 years, Shweta Venkat Mathew has whipped out over 20 films from her chopping board including the modern classic, Gangs of Wasseypur. In this session, Shweta takes us through the critical steps before an edit begins, the factors that influence your decisions at the edit table, the challenges in making those decisions and how to overcome them.
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Collaboration: The Alchemy Of Filmmaking
Bejoy Nambiar in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st June 2020
Bejoy Nambiar spoke to Smriti Kiran about his journey and how it has its foundation in deep and strong collaborations. He recounts how he got a superstar like Mohanlal to say yes to his first short film, how working with Mani Ratnam became his film school and why he believes so strongly in empowering the people you work with and more.
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Blocking And Camera Movement: Finding The Rhythm Of A Scene
Shakun Batra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 20th June 2020
Shakun Batran talks about the elusive nature of rhythm, the tools and techniques that he uses to create it in his films and who are the key collaborators in the process of creating it. The session provides an insight into what is rhythm, who controls it through a film, blocking and staging a scene, why editing can sometimes be re-writing and why he belongs to the school of constant quest.
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Session Resources | Scene from Kapoor & Sons
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Politics in Cinema
Kabir Khan in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 18th June 2020
Kabir Khan grew up in an ecosystem rich in political discourse, debate, discussion and spent his formative years as a documentary filmmaker where having and honing a political opinion was part of the job. The conversation explores why being apolitical is a myth and a sign of potential complicity and how every choice you make on screen is political.
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The Art Of Building Characters
by Parvathy Thiruvothu
Date: 7th June 2020
Beyond the writing and direction, what is an actor’s process in creating memorable onscreen characters? The indomitable Parvathy Thiruvothu gives us a window into her process and what went into the making of enduring characters like Dr. Annu, RJ Sarah, Marakatham, Kanchanamala, Tessa, and Sameera.
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Inside The Mind Of A Genre Filmmaker
by Vasan Bala
Date: 21st May 2020
Vasan Bala demystifies the terms 'genres' in filmmaking and what has come to be a genre in itself: genre films. What are genre films? How have they evolved? How did they come to be recognized as a category? The process, the craft, the sensibility: Inside the Mind of A Genre Filmmaker by Vasan Bala is the first session in the knowledge series Dial M For Films curated by Artistic Director Smriti Kiran.
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Cheat Sheet
CATCH UP ON EARLIER SESSIONS
Haseen Dillruba
Kanika Dhillon, Vinil Mathew, Taapsee Pannu & Vikrant Massey in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 1st July 2021
Watch director Vinil Mathew, story-screenplay-dialogue writer Kanika Dhillon, actors Taapsee Pannu and Vikrant Massey in conversation with guest host Mini Mathur and series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran about building flawed characters, creating opportunities for newcomers, Vinil’s cameo in the film, the way Vikrant’s number is saved on Taapsee’s phone and much more.
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The Making Of Sherni
Amit Masurkar, Aastha Tiku, Dipika Kalra, Rakesh Haridas and Anish John in Conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 26th June 2021
Watch filmmaker Amit Masurkar, story and screenplay writer Aastha Tiku, editor Dipika Kalra, DOP Rakesh Haridas and sound designer Anish John in conversation with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran about the making of Sherni only on Dial M For Films.
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The Anatomy Of An Anthology | Ray
Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji, Vasan Bala, Sayantan Mukherjee and Ajit Andhare in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st June 2021
Dial M For Films hosted an exclusive pre-release screening of Ray. an anthology based on Satyajit Ray's short stories, created by Sayantan Mukherjee, directed by Abhishek Chaubey, Srijit Mukherji and Vasan Bala, and produced by Ajit Andhare. Watch the creators of Ray in conversation with Smriti Kiran on adapting the late great filmmaker's stories and the creative workings of putting an anthology together.
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Creating Multilingual Multicultural Narratives | The Family Man | Writer's Block
Raj Nidimoru, Krishna DK, Suparn S Varma and Suman Kumar in Conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th June 2021
Smriti Kiran in conversation with writers Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK, Suparn S Varma and Suman Kumar of The Family Man on creating multilingual, multicultural narratives.
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Writer's Block | Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar
Dibakar Banerjee and Varun Grover in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 3rd June 2021
Watch filmmaker Dibakar Banerjee and writer Varun Grover in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Writer's Block about the writing of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar and creating memorable and relatable characters such as Sandeep, Pinky, Munna, Sejal, Tyagi, Uncle, Aunty, 'Bank Manager', Poorva, Nyal, Parichay, Garry, 'Guy in Car' 1, 'Guy in Car' 2 and more.
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Read the Early Draft of the Step Outline of Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar
The Long Road To Stardom
Tovino Thomas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st May 2021
Actor & Producer Tovino Thomas (Guppy, Mayaanadhi, Luca, Godha, Uyare, Forensic, Kala) is regarded as one of the most bankable artists in the Malayalam film industry. His success and stardom are not overnight. It took time and rigour to earn the trust of his filmmakers, his co-actors and his audience. His latest, Kala by Rohith VS will be out soon on a streaming platform. He has an enviable slate of projects lined up including Aashiq Abu’s Naradan, Basil Joseph’s Minnal Murali and Sanal Kumar Sasidharan’s Vazhakku. Watch Tovino Thomas in conversation with Smriti Kiran on the long road to stardom.
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Bringing Focus To Local
Riteish Deshmukh in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 6th May 2021
Riteish Deshmukh made his acting debut in 2003 with Tujhe Meri Kasam. Ten years later he made his debut as producer with Ravi Jadhav’s Balak Palak. Since then, apart from acting, he has been consistently producing Marathi films: Mahesh Limaye’s Yellow (2014), late Nishikant Kamat’s Lai Bhaari (2014), Aditya Sarpotdar’s Faster Fene (2017) and Mauli (2018), and Pankaj Sonawane’s short Taar (2020). He is working with Nagraj Manjule for a trilogy based on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Watch Riteish Deshmukh in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Dial M For Films about bringing focus to local.
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Read
Bridging The Gap Between Indie And Epic
Guneet Monga in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 22nd April 2021
She started her career 14 years ago but the reason one feels producer, CEO and Founder of Sikhya Entertainment Guneet Monga has been at it for 40 is because of the strides she has made in disrupting the producing landscape for independent films. She likes to call her cinema the new commercial. Watch Guneet Monga in conversation with Smriti Kiran on Dial M For Films about what hustle means to her, the importance of strategy and how to build a network.
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What Does A Film Producer Do?
Siddharth Roy Kapur in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 9th April 2021
Watch Founder and Managing Director of Roy Kapur Films, Siddharth Roy Kapur in conversation with Smriti Kiran speak about over 15 years devoted to the producing life and his learnings during the pandemic.
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Read
The Life Of A Tastemaker
Sameer Nair in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 13th March 2021
You might know him as the man who greenlit Hansal Mehta's ground breaking series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story but the CEO of Applause Entertainment Sameer Nair comes from a legacy of tastemaking and creating over the last three decades. Watch Sameer Nair in conversation with Smriti Kiran speak about the instinct of “getting it” and staying relevant over the years.
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Read
Creator's Table | Sceptic Tank Reunion | Dial M For Films
Vikramaditya Motwane, Akshat Verma, Sudip Sharma, Anvita Dutt, Arpita Chatterjee, Abhishek Chaubey, Navdeep Singh and Devashish Makhija in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 25th February 2021
In October 2012, Vikramaditya Motwane and Akshat Verma started a script club. Just an informal gathering of people they knew, got together every Sunday, to discuss scripts, ideas, give feedback, chat cinema, life and work. Called the Sceptic Tank, the club was a haven for many and a terrifying space for some. This is the story of the ones who stayed and were saved by a tribe they did not know they needed. Coming together after 9 years, the OGs of Sceptic Tank talk about how the Sunday script club shaped them into the creators they are today.
Watch Vikramaditya Motwane (Filmmaker), Akshat Verma (Filmmaker), Sudip Sharma (Creator and Writer), Anvita Dutt (Filmmaker), Arpita Chatterjee (Screenwriter), Abhishek Chaubey (Filmmaker), Navdeep Singh (Filmmaker) and Devashish Makhija (Filmmaker) in conversation with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival).
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Actor Management By Geetu Mohandas
Geetu Mohandas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 4th February 2021
She is ambitious, outspoken and is all about the heavy lifting. In this session of Dial M For Films, Director Geetu Mohandas chats with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) and breaks down actor management and handling.
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The Long Road To Success
Siddharth P Malhotra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 28th January 2021
A dream debut doesn’t guarantee success or longevity. He might have had resources but he has fought long and hard for credibility. In this session of Dial M For Films, Filmmaker and Producer Siddharth P. Malhotra chats with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on his long road to success.
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Dial M For Films With Konkona Sensharma
Konkona Sensharma in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th January 2021
In this session of Dial M For Films, catch the formidable and fierce actor, writer and director Konkona Sensharma chat with series curator and moderator Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival).
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Writer's Block | Delhi Crime
Richie Mehta in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 29th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch Richie Mehta (Creator, Director and Writer), in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI and Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) about the six-year journey before the series went on the floors and eventually World Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.
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Telling Stories In Diverse Film Cultures
Srishti Behl Arya in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch Srishti Behl Arya (Director for International Original Film - India, Netflix) chat with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on all things films on Netflix.
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Writer's Block | Team Paatal Lok
Sudip Sharma, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta and Gunjit Chopra
Date: 7th December 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films catch the writers (Sudip Sharma, Sagar Haveli, Hardik Mehta, Gunjit Chopra) of the breakthrough series of 2020 Paatal Lok chat on all things related to creation, research, process and challenges of creating the world and characters of Paatal Lok.
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The Long Road To Success
Vijay Varma in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 26th November 2020
In this session of Dial M For Films actor Vijay Varma (Gully Boy, Pink, Monsoon Shootout) speaks to Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on what it takes for an actor to break through in an industry teeming with lakhs of aspirants? How does one keep the faith over years of struggle, hone one's craft and set out on the arduous, uncharted path towards success.
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Writer's Block With Team Mirzapur
Puneet Krishna, Vineet Krishna, Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai
Date: 23rd November 2020
Watch creator & writer Puneet Krishna, co-writer Vineet Krishna, directors Gurmmeet Singh and Mihir Desai in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) talk about creating the world of Mirzapur.
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The Long Road To Success
Jaideep Ahlawat in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 19th November 2020
Watch actor Jaideep Ahlawat (Paatal Lok, Raazi, Gangs of Wasseypur) in conversation with Smriti Kiran (Artistic Director, MAMI & Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival) on The Long Road to Success, only on Dial M For Films where he speaks of what it takes for an actor to break through in an industry teeming with lakhs of aspirants? How does one keep the faith over years of struggle, hone one's craft and set out on the arduous, uncharted path towards success.
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Subverting The Narrative Of A Female Actor
Richa Chadha in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 12th November 2020
From her nuanced performance as the fierce Nagma Khatoon in Gangs of Wasseypur, the complex Devi Pathak in Masaan to the unconventional Bholi Punjaban in Fukrey, Richa Chadha has made a habit of shattering stereotypes. She has fought slotting, body shaming, and rejection, and with her staggering talent and notable choices, she is one of the front-runners in changing the narrative for female actors in Indian cinema.
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Writer's Block | Team Scam 1992
Hansal Mehta, Sumit Purohit, Saurav Dey, Vaibhav Vishal and Karan Vyas in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 10th November 2020
Writer’s Block is a limited series within Dial M For Films that celebrates and bring to the fore the skill, craft and process of the writers that are the backbone of creating. In this session, the writing team of Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story, director Hansal Mehta, writers Sumit Purohit, Saurav Dey and dialogue writers Vaibhav Vishal and Karan Vyas are in conversation with series curator Smriti Kiran to breakdown the series, story, research, characters and more.
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The Art Of Pitching
Sudhanshu Saria in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 2nd November 2020
Sudhanshu Saria’s films have screened at prestigious festivals all over the world like SXSW, Busan, Tallinn Black Nights and BFI Flare. His debut feature, the critically acclaimed Loev, which he made after surmounting huge challenges, screened in competition at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival in 2016. It was acquired by Netflix in 2017. Before becoming a full-time filmmaker, Sudhanshu also clocked considerable expertise working in acquisition, development and sales in the US.
In this session the writer and filmmaker breakdowns the art of pitching and why, as an artist, it is the one skill that comes into play not just at the stage of raising finance for your film but at every level of creation.
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Life In The Cinema Trenches
Anupama Chopra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 15th October 2020
Anupama Chopra is one of India’s most credible and acclaimed film critics, a renowned author and a dynamic entrepreneur. In this session she speaks about the rigour in the process of a film critic, the tenacity of an author and the art of creating legacy-building work.
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Prepping To Improvise
Anjali Menon in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 8th October 2020
Filmmaker Anjali Menon prepares for her films meticulously and painstakingly. In this session she takes us through her journey, from the writing, casting and pre-production to the shooting and editing, she maps out all the beats of every step but only so that she is ready to catch the gifts that unpredictability brings to the fore while the Excel sheet plays out. Her entire process rests on being prepared to leap into the uncertain when it presents itself to her and her crew. For her, this is one of those things without which filmmaking itself will be rendered joyless.
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Sound Overlap: A Tool of Editing For Time Compression and Smooth Transition
Prerna Saigal in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 1st October 2020
We hear so much about jump cuts, montages, cutaways and freeze frames but in this Dial M For Films session, Film Editor Prerna Saigal (Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Afsos, Bombay Velvet, Peddlers) takes us through a topic that is often ignored when discussing film editing; audio overlays and cutting to sound. Something that is as important as cutting to just visuals. Audio cues are extremely powerful in finishing a scene or taking it smoothly in a particular context to the next. In the right hands, these can turn into powerful tools to lend a specific rhythm and pace to a film.
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The Art Of Being A Fly On The Wall
Ishika Motwane in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 24th September 2020
A very important part of photographer Ishika Mohan Motwane’s job is to bring out the best in everyone and everything around her by making herself invisible. She casually waltzed into this job and then built herself up as one of the best photo chroniclers in the film industry. Very few know that she is also a fine actor. She wears her talent with ease, grapples with her challenges without a fuss and knows more than she lets on. In this session the quietly talented Ishika Mohan Motwane takes us through her journey of telling untold stories, freezing memories through her frames, balancing authenticity with aesthetic and composing for the present as well as the archives.
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Tales Of The Fabulous: What Reading Does For You
Anvita Dutt in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 17th September 2020
Anvita Dutt is a prolific lyricist, dialogue writer, screenwriter and director. Her directorial debut, Bulbbul released earlier this year and is available to stream on Netflix. In this session, she talks about how the world of books shapes a creator’s lens, sensibility, aesthetic and the power of key YES-es in an ocean of NO-s
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Notes From A First-Time Writer And Director
Sheetal Menon in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 3rd September 2020
In this session Actor, Model, Producer and now Writer & Director Sheetal Menon takes us through the journey of making her first award-winning critically acclaimed short "Siblings". She explains how she made prep her biggest tool, put her head down and worked to overcome any trepidation she felt about turning director and the challenges that lay ahead of her.
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Choosing Your Story And Creating Its World
Abhishek Chaubey in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th August 2020
Writer, Director & Producer Abhishek Chaubey loves logistical challenges, the specificity of the worlds he creates and calls himself a tier-2 town kid with pride. In this session, he talks about how to choose the story and create its world.
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Finding The Magic In The Mundane
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 20th August 2020
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari has worked on over 300 commercials and made four memorable feature films as director. Her films are meticulously created to transport us to the centre of them. In this session, she talks about how she picks up the mundane and infuses magic in it.
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The Power Of Surprise and Affability
Vicky Kaushal in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 13th August 2020
Vicky Kaushal in his first job interview worked the room using a scene from the series Prison Break. His keen interest in cinema made him realise he wanted to be an actor or in some way stay connected to the movies. In this session, take a crash course on the engineer-turned-actor's journey, process and approach.
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Keeping It Real: Simplifying The Myth of Acting
Sayani Gupta in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 6th August 2020
Actor and producer, Sayani Gupta grew up surrounded by the performing arts - theatre, dance, music, cinema, she got a front-row view to all. In this session, she talks about how FTII shaped her as an actor, and how she mines her instinct and life experience for her performances.
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A Life Beyond Cinema
Taapsee Pannu in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 2nd August 2020
An actor and entrepreneur by profession and an engineer by education, Taapsee Pannu's life has always been about seizing opportunities. In this session, Taapsee talks about the art of balance, the need to diversify, the perks of having a life beyond cinema, asking questions and the misogyny she has faced in her career.
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Intentionally Yours
Juhi Chaturvedi in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 27th July 2020
From illustrating columns for Times of India to writing screenplays, Juhi Chaturvedi's characters are extensions of us on screen. Her work invokes a sense of nostalgia even about the present and her writing makes us long for that ponderous pause, that playful interlude, and time spent without purpose. In this session, Juhi talks about her engagement with writing, her constant partners in crime - Shoojit Sircar and Ronnie Lahiri, about creating men and women on screen that we want to see, not treating senior citizens as placeholders and why she is not in a hurry.
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The Battle Inside: Keeping A Creator’s Mind and Spirit Strong
Vikramaditya Motwane in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 12th July 2020
Vikramaditya Motwane speaks about the battle within while pursuing your dreams in the industry. How can you pursue your passion, to persevere, brace yourself for disappointment, move on from failures, to stay focused while waiting, not get swept away by success, wallow in rejection, to hold steady and keep going? Through his 26 year-long journey, from Teen Talks to Udaan his first film as a director in 2010, to the present as filmmaker, writer and producer, Motwane takes us on this tumultuous but deeply satisfying, joyous and self-driven ride.
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Cheat Sheet
Shapeshifting Narratives Across Formats
Ruchi Narain in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 5th July 2020
Feature films, ad films, films for digital and web series - for over two decades, writer-director Ruchi Narain has told stories across mediums. In this session get a peek into her writing and directing process as she traverses diverse platforms and molds her stories to fit the medium.
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The Narrative Spine: Why It Is Cardinal To Know What You Want To Say
Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 28th June 2020
In the session, Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti talk about the difference between the story of the film and what the film wants to say (theme). They discuss the process of defining the story and the theme during the writing stage. How is the core theme imbibed through the film and what happens when there are multiple themes? Watch two of the leading writer-director duos discuss their partnership and writing process.
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Finding The Cutting Point: The First Step In Editing
Shweta Venkat Mathew in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 25th June 2020
In a career spanning 16 years, Shweta Venkat Mathew has whipped out over 20 films from her chopping board including the modern classic, Gangs of Wasseypur. In this session, Shweta takes us through the critical steps before an edit begins, the factors that influence your decisions at the edit table, the challenges in making those decisions and how to overcome them.
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Collaboration: The Alchemy Of Filmmaking
Bejoy Nambiar in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 21st June 2020
Bejoy Nambiar spoke to Smriti Kiran about his journey and how it has its foundation in deep and strong collaborations. He recounts how he got a superstar like Mohanlal to say yes to his first short film, how working with Mani Ratnam became his film school and why he believes so strongly in empowering the people you work with and more.
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Blocking And Camera Movement: Finding The Rhythm Of A Scene
Shakun Batra in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 20th June 2020
Shakun Batran talks about the elusive nature of rhythm, the tools and techniques that he uses to create it in his films and who are the key collaborators in the process of creating it. The session provides an insight into what is rhythm, who controls it through a film, blocking and staging a scene, why editing can sometimes be re-writing and why he belongs to the school of constant quest.
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Session Resources | Scene from Kapoor & Sons
Politics in Cinema
Kabir Khan in conversation with Smriti Kiran
Date: 18th June 2020
Kabir Khan grew up in an ecosystem rich in political discourse, debate, discussion and spent his formative years as a documentary filmmaker where having and honing a political opinion was part of the job. The conversation explores why being apolitical is a myth and a sign of potential complicity and how every choice you make on screen is political.
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The Art Of Building Characters
by Parvathy Thiruvothu
Date: 7th June 2020
Beyond the writing and direction, what is an actor’s process in creating memorable onscreen characters? The indomitable Parvathy Thiruvothu gives us a window into her process and what went into the making of enduring characters like Dr. Annu, RJ Sarah, Marakatham, Kanchanamala, Tessa, and Sameera.
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Inside The Mind Of A Genre Filmmaker
by Vasan Bala
Date: 21st May 2020
Vasan Bala demystifies the terms 'genres' in filmmaking and what has come to be a genre in itself: genre films. What are genre films? How have they evolved? How did they come to be recognized as a category? The process, the craft, the sensibility: Inside the Mind of A Genre Filmmaker by Vasan Bala is the first session in the knowledge series Dial M For Films curated by Artistic Director Smriti Kiran.
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Cheat Sheet
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