Kashmir Valley Under Volacanic turmil and the Film LAMHA

Kashmir Valley Under Volacanic turmil and the Film LAMHA

Separatists call march, curfew back in Srinagar


Troubled Galaxy Destroyed Dreams, chapter 521

Palash Biswas

http://indianholocaustmyfatherslifeandtime.blogspot.com/

LAMHA is yet another Bollywood Film made to make Business of the Sensitive Circumstances  prevalent in Kashmir. We may not hope the Film to produce and Portrait the Social Realism as it is. As Anand Swaroop verma has been prevented to release his film on Nepal just because of Maoist menace in India. We may nt expect the Indian Government to allow much liberty to the talented Film Maker as it realtes to Kashmir which is ISOLATED from the rest of the Country as most of the Himalayan Region under Armed Force Special Act since 1958. The Media is itself is restricted in the Valley and thus, we may not expect an Activist Prespective from the Director. But the Film Making experience as it has been described the unit is an Experience which may be described as the Tip of an ICE Berg as the Zionist Global Manusmriti Oreder has Pushed Kashmir beyond the Point of No Return. Blind Nationalism and hatred Campaign agains rebel Nationalities and Identities have crossed all the limits. Rather we should congratulate the Film Maker and the unit to dare to deal with such an Sensitive issue after all!

Rahul Dholakia, won the best director award for the Parzania. Sarika won her first National Award for Best Actress for her role in Parzania. .

The makers of "Lamhaa", a film based on Kashmiri militancy, are facing problems in showcasing it to a Kashmiri audience for the simple reason that there are not many proper and operational movie theatres in the valley.

Separatists call march, curfew back in Srinagar

Separatists call march, curfew back in Srinagar
HT Correspondents, Hindustan Times
Email Author
Srinagar/Jammu, July 16, 2010
First Published: 23:36 IST(16/7/2010)
Last Updated: 23:38 IST(16/7/2010)
Curfew was re-imposed in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir on Friday, following a separatist call urging people to come out on a march to pay tributes to four people killed in security forces' action on July 6. Elsewhere in the state, a Major and two army personnel were injured in an ongoing operation in the Beri-Rakh area of Poonch district, on
Friday.
In the Valley, at least six people were injured in clashes between protesters and security forces on Friday.
Kashmir has been on the boil since June 11 after a boy was killed in alleged teargas shelling by the police.
The death sparked a wave of protests, and subsequent security forces action claimed another 15 civilians lives.
In north Kashmir, strict security restrictions were in place in Handwara, Sopore and Baramulla on Friday. In south Kashmir, Pulwama and Anantnag towns were placed under curfew.
A clash broke out in uptown Srinagar's Hyderpora, Peerbagh and Barzullah areas when people, heeding the separatist call, started marching towards Batamaloo, 2 km away, after the Friday prayers.
In Poonch, Maj J Shekwat, Naik Maninder and Rifleman Partap Bhanu were injured in the encounter that started on July 11. Maj Amit Thenge died in the encounter on July 13 and a Colonel was injured.
Two militants were shot dead on July 15 but at least six militants are reportedly hiding in the forested area.
"The operation is continuing and the terrorists will be flushed out," defence spokesperson Col Biplav Nath said.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Separatists-call-march-curfew-back-in-Srinagar/Article1-573435.aspx

SPEAKING OUT OF TURN - The army chief cannot say what will be done with the AFSPA

Cutting Corners - Ashok Mitra

Srinagar, July 2010 Our army chief of staff is obviously head over heels in love with the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act. He has his own reasons to be. The act, a Central legislation, was put in the statute book more than 50 years ago in the wake of large-scale insurgency in the north-eastern parts of the country, particularly in areas where the Naga community predominated. While the state government — at that time the entire region was a part of Assam — was formally responsible for maintaining law and order, it found it difficult to cope with the situation. The Union government hurried through Parliament the AFSPA, vetting deployment of armed forces in a state — or parts of it — to restore law and order if conditions so warranted, but subject to the approval of the state government. Once a state comes under the purview of the legislation, the lives and limbs of its residents are putty-clay in the hands of the army. Rights granted to citizens by the Constitution are suspended. Military personnel have total discretion to decide how to tackle disturbances taking place in this or that segment of the state. They can search premises at will and take anybody into custody for interrogation. These interrogations are not necessarily gentlemanly affairs; those taken in are often victims of third-degree methods, which sometimes lead to the breaking of bones or even maiming for life. Complaints of arbitrary killings of innocent people by the military have been innumerable. Reports of fake encounters involving deaths have streamed in from areas wherever the act has been enforced, especially from the Kashmir valley. Resentment against tyranny under the cloak of the act is both deep and widespread. In Manipur, which came within the ambit of the AFSPA a couple of decades ago, the waywardness of the army personnel has provoked massive social resistance. Numerous stories of the violation of helpless women and indiscriminate assaults and arrests are the staple of everyday talk. The state has been more or less in a state of siege for years on end, with protest rallies and blockage of highways choking normal life. Protests against army excesses might have assumed, observers suggest, an even more virulent form had not inter-ethnic feuds affected cohesion among protesting groups. In the light of these developments, New Delhi was persuaded to set up a committee under the aegis of a retired Supreme Court judge to review the problems that have arisen in implementing the provisions of the AFSPA. The findings of the reviewing judge were severely critical of the behaviour and activities of army people while they strut about enjoying the protection of the act. The judge went on to suggest a number of amendments in the statute to ensure its mutation into a more humane, and less arbitrary, piece of legislation. His recommendations evidently did not suit the authorities and have been allowed to rest in peace. That did not put a lid on the expression of public misgivings. The country's Constitution does not intend defence forces to be responsible for maintaining internal security; that charge belongs to state administrations. The AFSPA was passed by Parliament to circumvent that roadblock. How the country will be administered within the four corners of the Constitution is for politicians sitting in Parliament — and state legislatures — to decide. They, it follows, have the prerogative to review from time to time provisions of such statutes as the AFSPA, which they themselves had legislated. Given continuing reports of people's unhappiness with the functioning of the act, it is only natural for politicians to wish to take another look at it. Some of them are possibly happy with the act as it is and would like to leave it in an unamended form. Some others, for example, the current chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, will perhaps not mind the continuation of the act, but only after the introduction of amendments which address public concerns over the seeming absence of accountability in the act. There might yet be other politicians who would rather scrap the act in its entirety, since in their view it goes ill with the mores of a free democratic society. In sum, there is scope for a public debate on aspects of the AFSPA. The army chief of staff — who no doubt had the benefit of the advice of his service colleagues — looks with disfavour on such a debate. He would like the act to continue in its present form, which allows military personnel a free hand while dealing with elements suspected of waging war against the State. He is actually in some fury, and has gone to the length of questioning the motives of politicians who want to either do away with or drastically amend the act. Is not the army boss forgetting his station? India is no Thailand, it is no Pakistan either, surely not the Pakistan people and politicians over there are currently trying to extricate themselves from. The armed forces in India are, the Constitution lays down, servants of an elected government. The government is elected by politicians who are members of parliament. The status of politicians who are elected as representatives of the people is way superior to that of the army chief. It is, of course, within the range of the army chief's responsibilities to speak — or send a note — to the defence secretary and, through the secretary, to the defence minister, in case he feels apprehensive about proposals to amend or abolish the AFSPA. But that is all. To presume that he can publicly dress down politicians who hold views different from his on the merits of the act is a bit too much; somebody needs to advise him where to draw the line. For the ground reality in regions of the country where military or paramilitary forces have been — or are being considered to be — deployed is often excruciatingly complex. Leave aside at-this-moment-once-more-a-boiling-cauldron Kashmir, where factors such as religion and national identity further cloud the picture. Even in the other regions afflicted by insurgency — whether the north-eastern belt or states like Chhattisgarh, Orissa, Jharkhand and West Bengal — stark issues of ethnicity render enforcement of law and order bewilderingly difficult. It would be foolhardy to delegate this to the discretion of military or paramilitary personnel. Two recent incidents in West Bengal, where the Central Reserve Police Force is engaged jointly with the state police in tracking down Maoists, are worth mentioning in this context. In the first incident, the CRPF shot down in a forest encounter eight suspected Maoists, three of them women. The bodies of those killed were brought back from the forest to the nearest subdivisional town as trophy: the hands and feet of each were separately bound and then hung, upside down, with the help of a strong rope, from a bamboo pole, precisely the manner in which a carcass is brought back when villagers return from a successful hunt of wild boar or of any other predatory animal. In the other episode, in a supposedly Maoist-infested village, the CRPF accosted a schoolboy, the fingers of whose right hand were smeared with red ink. He must have been, it was instantly concluded, writing posters extolling the Maoist cause. Suspicion was reckoned as proof; the boy was set upon and beaten black and blue. In both incidents, Maoists are the target, but the victims happen to be adivasis, and this is true in almost every part of the country where conditions of rebellion prevail. The incidents are bound to be grist for the Maoist propaganda mill: the system does not consider you, adivasis, as human beings, they treat you as beasts, even your children are not spared, you therefore have every right to rise in revolt against the system. Awesome consequences can follow if counter-insurgency operations are not supervised with finesse and imagination, a responsibility too risky to be left to the whims of the CRPF or the armed forces. There is therefore enough logic in seeking a review of the AFSPA. This matter does not fall in the domain of the chief of staff or his colleagues.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100716/jsp/opinion/story_12678166.jsp

Separatists call march, curfew back in Srinagar Hindustan Times - ‎24 minutes ago‎ Curfew was re-imposed in Srinagar and other parts of Kashmir on Friday, following a separatist call urging people to come out on a march to pay tributes to four people killed in security forces' action on July 6. Elsewhere in the state, a Major and two ... Protesters clash with forces in Indian Kashmir The Associated Press - Aijaz Hussain - ‎4 hours ago‎ SRINAGAR, India — Hundreds of anti-India protesters clashed with police and paramilitary soldiers after Friday prayers despite a rigid curfew being reimposed in most of Kashmir following weeks of unrest that has killed 15 people. ... Hurriyat blames Centre for Indo-Pak impasse Daily News & Analysis - ‎21 minutes ago‎ Srinagar: The moderate Hurriyat Conference blamed New Delhi on Friday for the Indo-Pak impasse, saying the Centre had never been sincere and always used the dialogue process to buy time and complicate issues. "New Delhi has always embarked on a mission ... Curfew Reimposed in Indian Kashmir Voice of America - ‎4 hours ago‎ Photo: AP Indian security forces have reinstated a strict curfew across most of Indian-controlled Kashmir to prevent anti-India protests plaguing the divided region. Police and paramilitary forces patrolled the streets of the main city of Srinagar ... Curfew re-imposed in Srinagar, six injured in clashes Hindustan Times - ‎3 hours ago‎ Curfew was re-imposed and strictly enforced in Srinagar city and many other districts of Kashmir on Friday as the state government feared protests in response to separatists "Batamaloo chalo (march)" called to pay tributes to four persons, ... Sidelining Kashmir led to failed Indo-Pak dialogue: Mirwaiz Hindustan Times - ‎3 hours ago‎ Moderate All Parties Hurriyat Conference chairman Mirwaiz Umar Farooq on Friday claimed that "sidelining the Kashmir problem" at the foreign ministers-level talks between India and Pakistan on Thursday "once again lead to failed dialogue between the ... Two dozen injured in Kashmir clashes Sify - ‎4 hours ago‎ Despite curfew in capital Srinagar and other major towns of the Kashmir Valley to thwart a separatist march here Friday, mobs indulged in stone pelting at security forces at many places resulting in injuries to two dozen people. ... Hurriyat dismayed at outcome of Indo-Pak talks NDTV.com - ‎6 hours ago‎ PTI, Updated: July 16, 2010 17:31 IST Srinagar: Hurriyat Conference on Friday voiced its dismay at India and Pakistan not making much headway at the talks between their foreign ministers, saying the outcome has left people in the Kashmir valley ... The Valley will accept a client regime no more Tehelka - Prem Shankar Jha - ‎4 hours ago‎ KASHMIR IS in the early stages of an intifada. The home minister dismissed the upsurge of anger in the Valley in June by accusing the Lashkar-e-Toiba of being behind the stone pelters. What no one seems to have realised is that the decision of Kashmiri ... Protesters, police face off on streets of Kashmir The Associated Press - Ravi Nessman - ‎Jul 14, 2010‎ SRINAGAR, India — The capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir is seething with rage. Over the past month, crowds of young men demanding independence from India have held mass protests and pounded police with stones. Authorities hit back with rolling ... All 78 related articles »

Related Kashmir Srinagar India Pakistan All Parties Hurriyat Conference Timeline o Veiled in the valley - Bipasha Basu talks about her experience in the valley and why She is mad at a certain M.S. Dhoni Bipasha Basu in Lamhaa Where has the glamorous Bipasha Basu disappeared? Apart from your fitness DVDs we only see you in serious fare these days... There is no conscious effort to do anything serious in life (laughs out loud)! You know the timing of the release is not in our hands. I pick up films on gut feeling or maybe something I like. And then they take their own sweet time to release. As for Lamhaa, I am really, really happy that I am doing this film. You will see a lot of passion of (director) Rahul (Dholakia) and a lot of honesty. I hope the youth in our country encourages a film like this because it talks about the real state of affairs in our country. Rahul told us that he picked you for the role of Aziza because your personality matched that of the character. Having shot for the film, would you agree? Initially, when they offered me the role of a Kashmiri girl, I was like: "Why?" I look like a stamped Bengali! But when he gave me a narration and also the character sketch, I realised why he wanted me for the role. He wanted a girl who may wear a salwar-kurta but she is actually like a man in this very man's world. She walks like a man, talks like a man... basically a no-nonsense girl. It's a very strong part. Although she is fragile like a girl and burdened like every Kashmiri is, she has a lot of strength of character. I think I have been able to portray that apart from looking convincing as a girl from the Valley. Before signing the film were you aware of the problems plaguing the Valley? Did your outlook towards the local people change after you shot there? FIGHT THE FEAR: Bipasha Basu with Kunal Kapoor in Lamhaa It is a very ironical situation out there in Kashmir. Since we living in other cities are so used to the stalemate situation there in Kashmir, we don't really think too much about it. But when you go there you realise that it's such a beautiful place and it's so unfair that the children are growing there in an atmosphere of guns and security. It's almost become a normal situation for them and that's so unfortunate. It's become so unpredictable there that you can't go out freely in your city, in your own town. Curfew is going on, there's army on the road... it's quite sad. If you can make all those guns disappear the place is so beautiful. Was it scary to shoot there in such an atmosphere? I cannot put in words what I went through inside when I went there for the first time to shoot for Lamhaa. Usually when you shoot at public places, you have the usual fears of getting jostled in the crowd, people might come too close to you. Those are the only fears. You don't like that being a woman. But in a sensitive place like Kashmir, because guns are available freely, there is a kind of eerie fear in you and that starts to grow when there's a crowd or when some people are shouting slogans. It cannot be expressed in words. You have to be there to feel it. You can sense that something's going to go wrong... I have never felt like that before. Because what we understood later is that many of them doubted what exactly we were making. Now, this feeling only happened when we went there for the first time but when we went back there after the elections, it was very, very comfortable. Is it worth taking such a huge risk for a film? Is Lamhaa worth what you had to undergo in Kashmir? Absolutely. Not just me, the kind of hard work the producer, the director and the crew have put in, Lamhaa deserves to get a decent release and be seen by everyone. My real big wish is that people come and watch a film like this. Only then can filmmakers like Rahul be encouraged and the infrastructure put behind subjects like this will grow. Otherwise you know, they are made in a very small capacity and hardly get a release. Lamhaa is not a documentary, it's an entertainer. It's shot in a thriller format. It's a visual delight. The story is very human and it moves you. And the message of the movie is very clear — human beings no matter where they live cannot live in fear in their own homes. On the basis of politics, religion and region, these circumstances can rise anywhere. It can happen in our state West Bengal, it can happen in Maharashtra. We have to be aware and not let it happen. At least if it's in discussion, some day we may get a solution for it. You have taken to tweeting in such a big way. Is it just for Lamhaa? I am enjoying tweeting a lot. The best thing is that your words, your real words, are coming out to the people who made you. That's fun. It's not that I am tweeting only because I want to talk about my film or talk about my brand. Then what do I talk about? That's my work, that's what takes up my time. And that's what they want to hear about. It's difficult to reply to everybody individually. But I read all the tweets that everyone writes in and on the basis of their tweets, I write my tweets. Last week you got bombarded with questions about Dhoni's marriage... Oh my god! I got so pakao-ed with this marriage, I can't tell you! One, I missed it and so I was very upset and secondly, I was asked so many questions about it and had to answer on his behalf. Let Dhoni come face to face in front me. I am going to take it up with him (laughs). Did you ever plan to host a reception for Dhoni's marriage? Never! I was never having any reception. I don't know where this news started from. I am sure it's family time for them and they are enjoying themselves right now. Do you want to watch Bipasha in serious or glam roles? Tell t2@abpmail.com PRATIM D. GUPTA  More stories in Entertainment   • Nobody's Diary   • What a dell-ight!   • Out of the Shadows   • Dream-stealers   • Too sexy!   • Canvas call   • Small wonder   • On a roll   • Spotlight   • Wheel deal   • Tweet Arts   • Star pairs   • Veiled in the valley   f articles Number of sources covering this story Separatists call march, curfew back in Srinagar ‎24 minutes ago‎ - Hindustan Times Hurriyat dismayed at outcome of Indo-Pak talks ‎6 hours ago‎ - NDTV.com Curfew clamped in some parts of Kashmir ‎12 hours ago‎ - Indian Express Violent protests break out in Kashmir ‎Jul 15, 2010‎ - Hindustan Times Images Tehelka The Hindu AFP AFP The Express Tri... Press TV The State GreaterKashmir.... GreaterKashmir.... All related images »

Rahul Dholakia reveals the truth

Times of India - ‎22 minutes ago‎
Directors such as Raju Hirani, Prakash Jha and Rahul Dholakia top the list. Yet again, after his national-winning film, Rahul brings to you the untold true ...
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South Asia Blog (blog) - India Today
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हिंदी मेंEmail this story
SantaBanta.com

'I want to tell Kashmiris we love you'

Rediff - ‎Jul 13, 2010‎
Inset: Rahul Dholakia I was screening Parzania at a festival and met some Kashmiri students there. They told me Kashmir is a beautiful prison. ...
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'Kashmir problem is complex' Hindustan Times
After the award-winning Parzania, director Rahul Dholakia is back with another ... Screen Weekly
Khaleej Times - Times of India
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Telegraph.co.uk

Post FIFA, cinemas offer choicest films

Hindustan Times - ‎11 hours ago‎
July 16 will see three Bollywood movies, Vikramaditya Motwane's Udaan, Abhishek Sharma's Tere Bin Laden and Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa, in an all-out battle ...
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MyNews.in
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Not mocking Aishwarya Rai in Lamhaa: filmmakers

NDTV.com - ‎Jul 12, 2010‎
But producer Bunty Walia and director Rahul Dholakia clarify that it does not mock her. Veteran actor Anupam Kher, who plays a Kashmiri separatist leader in ...
Aishwarya Rai Used As a Metaphor In 'Lamhaa' india-server.com
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Censor cuts miff Dholakia

Times of India - ‎Jun 28, 2010‎
Rahul Dholakia is facing censor issues. Though he is thankful that Lamhaa has got no visual cuts, the dialogue cuts requested by the Censor Board have ...
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No melodrama for me, says Rahul Dholakia

Daily News & Analysis - Ranjib Mazumder - ‎Jun 22, 2010‎
Mumbai: Though Rahul Dholakia's new film on terrorism starring Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu is being talked about a lot, the director is on his way to ...
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Lamhaa Movie Review

GlamSham - Pankaj Sabnani - ‎6 hours ago‎
Rahul Dholakia, whose last outing PARZANIA was based on the hostile Gujarat environment during the 2002 riots, now comes up with LAMHAA, set in the Kashmir ...

Indian Government gives a nod to Lamhaa's release

Oneindia - ‎Jul 1, 2010‎
Indian government has shown a good gesture by creating no trouble for the release Rahul Dholakia's latest film Lamhaa, which is based on the much troubled ...
'Lamhaa' is not a documentary on Kashmir: Rahul Dholakia Press Trust of India
A beautiful prison The Hindu
No plan to ban Lamhaa, says Govt Rediff
Hindustan Times - Live Punjab
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Indian Express

Mithoon is back on the block after three years with his soul-stirring numbers

Indian Express - ‎16 hours ago‎
When director Rahul Dholakia approached Mithoon, his brief was simple: "Lamhaa is a film for Kashmiris from their point of view. ...
Web Paz News (blog)

LAMHAA Movie cancelled in Middle East Releasing on 16th July-Bunty Walia Upset

Web Paz News (blog) - ‎Jul 15, 2010‎
This movie was directed by Rahul Dholakia. But the bad news is that for Rahul this movie will banned in the Middle East.And this movie will Release on 16 ...
Daily News & Analysis

Another Haasan kid forays into Bollywood

Hindustan Times - ‎Jul 7, 2010‎
After Shruti Haasan, Kamal Haasan's younger daughter Akshara, who's assisting filmmaker Rahul Dholakia these days, has been approached by several filmmakers ...
Akshara Hasan prepares for Bollywood Oneindia
Kamal Haasan to direct? StarBoxOffice.com
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Sify

Sanjay is extremely sensitive: Rahul Dholakia

Sify - ‎Jun 30, 2010‎
National Award-winning filmmaker, who directed actor Sanjay Dutt in his forthcoming film Lamhaa, revealed that the actor is very sensitive as a person. ...
india-server.com

'Lamhaa' Won't Premier In Its Main Shooting Place

india-server.com - ‎Jul 7, 2010‎
Producer Bunty Walia and Rahul Dholakia are upset over the fact that 'Lamhaa' wont premier in Srinagar, its main shooting place due to its story line. ...
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Govt cancels Lamhaa's Srinagar premiere Mid-Day
Spicezee
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SantaBanta.com

Akshara Hassan to make her debut in films

Oneindia - ‎Jul 8, 2010‎
Akshara, younger sister of talented Shruti Hassan,is currently assiting Bollywood film-maker Rahul Dholakia and reading number of scripts and will make her ...
Kamal Haasan's second daughter Akshara Haasan debuting in Hindi Cinema? MyNews.in
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Gaea Times (blog)

"Udaan" Review Labels Film As Ordinary

Gaea Times (blog) - ‎8 hours ago‎
Christopher Nolan v/s Anurag Kashyap v/s Rahul Dholakia seemachaudhry Aamir Khan News 2010 ? Upcoming Next Projects Peepli Live Bombay Velvet with Anurag ...

Box Office: Leonardo Di Caprio starrer Inception overshadows Bollywood releases

Business of Cinema - Manisha Pradhan Singh - ‎2 hours ago‎
On the other hand Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa opened to a dismal 15 - 20 per cent occupancy, while Tere Bin Laden and Udaan opened at 35 - to 40 per cent. ...

Kunal loves learning new skills!

Times of India - ‎Jul 3, 2010‎
... information will be rewarded by a backflip! Okay, let's make that two!" he added. Kunal will soon be seen as a young politician in Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa.

I wish I could I have body like Deepika: Sonam

Calcutta Tube (blog) - ‎Jul 13, 2010‎
Sonam, also denied that she refused to work with Deepika in Rahul Dholakia's 'Desi Boys', starring John Abraham and Akshay Kumar. 'The role that Deepika is ...
Indian Express

Lamhaa's Aatif has a history of violence: Kunal

Expressindia.com - Dipti Nagpaul D'souza - ‎Jun 24, 2010‎
... and a female following in equal measure for his intense character in Rang De Basanti, will be seen in Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa after a two-year gap. ...
After a slump, Kunal Kapoor teams up with filmmakers of gritty Bollywood to ... Indian Express
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Daily News & Analysis

Sanjay Dutt gets nostalgic in Kashmir

Daily News & Analysis - Prithwish Ganguly - ‎Jun 26, 2010‎
A source from the sets of Rahul Dholakia's latest film reveals, "A really nice incident happened while shooting at the Dal Lake. Sanjay was waiting for the ...

Deepika has a great figure: Sonam Kapoor

Times of India - ‎Jun 29, 2010‎
Sonam, also denied that she refused to work with Deepika in Rahul Dholakia's "Desi Boys", starring John Abraham and Akshay Kumar. "The role that Deepika is ...

Are Sonam and Deepika unspoken enemies?

Times of India - ‎Jul 1, 2010‎
Sonam however denied that she refused to work with Deepika in Rahul Dholakia's "Desi Boys", starring John Abraham and Akshay Kumar. ...

Kamal Haasan to direct again

Press Trust of India - ‎Jul 3, 2010‎
... director's hat for a third time in his 50-year-long career even as younger daughter Akshara steps into the film industry as assistant to Rahul Dholakia. ...
Imagine18

Lamhaa Review | Lamha Reviews | Star Sast | Ratings

Imagine18 - ‎9 hours ago‎
The Star Cast of Lamhaa is compact and Featured by Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and being Directed by the Director Rahul Dholakia. ...
Indiainfo.com

Will Bipasha follow Katrina's path to success?

GlamSham - ‎Jun 23, 2010‎
Bipasha's 'burqa' clad, de-glam appearance in Rahul Dholakia's LAMHAA may not have been the subject of conversations of the movie buffs like Katrina Kaif's ...
Bipasha copies Katrina Indiainfo.com
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Kamal Haasan's younger daughter Akshara to join Bollywood

Times of India - ‎Jun 30, 2010‎
According to sources, the 19-year-old gal is there to assist the director of the movie, Rahul Dholakia. Story goes that when mom dearest Sarika came to know ...
India Today

Wish I had a body like Deepika's: Sonam Kapoor

India Today - ‎Jun 30, 2010‎
If that's true, how come Sonam refused to work in Rahul Dholakia's next film of which Deepika is a part? Sonam says the role was offered to her first but ...
Indiainfo.com

Bips and Sanju excited about 'Lamhaa'

Indiainfo.com - ‎Jul 5, 2010‎
Director Rahul Dholakia's 'Lamhaa' is ready to release and the film's lead actress, Bipasha Basu, is mighty happy to be back in the limelight with a serious ...
india-server.com

'Lamha' Passes The Government's Screening

india-server.com - ‎Jul 2, 2010‎
Finally, Rahul Dholakia's upcoming controversial movie 'Lamha' is set to release on coming 16 th July, in spite of touching some sensitive issues of the ...

Akshara Hassan to make her debut in films

VedicSutra eNews (blog) - ‎Jul 8, 2010‎
Akshara, younger sister of talented Shruti Hassan,is currently assiting Bollywood film-maker Rahul Dholakia and reading number of scripts and will make her ...

29/06/2010

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Kashmir...
Once known as a paradise on earth, it is now a playground for blood thirsty militants. A company is generating millions of unaccountable dollars that benefit all powers - from politicians and leaders to bureaucrats in the Indian and Pakistani intelligence. From high ranking army and police officers to the militants and their supporters, everyone gets a piece of the pie.
The Military Intelligence gets a whiff of a plot that is likely to disrupt and possibly paralyze Kashmir. Vikram (Sanjay Dutt) is sent to investigate this highly confidential mission assuming the identity of Gul Jehangir. The same day that he lands in the valley, Haji (Anupam Kher), a top separatist leader, survives a blast. Is there a connection between the blast and the operation?
To solve this conundrum, Vikram teams up with Aziza (Bipasha Basu), Haji's young, aggressive and outspoken protégé. The intensity of their beliefs and their will to survive against all odds creates a special bond between them. They embark together on a journey full of intrigue, suspicion, betrayal and danger, to uncover the truth.
What seems like a routine investigation ends up being an operation that will change the perspectives and ideologies of both Vikram and Aziza as it exposes the dirty secrets of a state's fight for freedom, the corrupt nexus of politicians, intelligence, militancy and the crucification of idealistic and passionate people. In such a scenario, are the bullet and the bomb the only solution?
Will wisdom prevail in the valley of flowers so that the common Kashmiri's are not sacrificed in the crossfire of politics? Will Vikram manage to restore peace and normalcy in the heaven turned hell?
Image Source: Movie Talkies

US mum on ISI role, Hillary follows up Krishna visit

Chidanand Rajghatta, TNN, Jul 16, 2010, 08.15pm IST
WASHINGTON: With Secretary of State Hillary Clinton topping off high-level visits to Islamabad by US and Indian officials in an effort to get Pakistan to forswear terrorism, American officials have adopted a cautious tone on role of its troubled ally in terrorism, declining to publicly confirm ISI's hand in the 26/11 carnage while implicitly holding it responsible.

Even as the heat generated by exchanges between the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan after their Thursday meeting is still glowing, Clinton will land at an unspecified time (because of security fears) this week in Islamabad to try and accomplish what S M Krishna could not – persuade Pakistan to give up terrorism to achieve strategic objectives. She will follow-up on AfPak envoy Richard Holbrooke's effort of using the aid carrot to wean Pakistan away from terrorism.

Ahead of the visits, state department officials welcomed the largely unyielding exchanges between Islamabad and New Delhi, saying "it is expressly the kind of dialogue that we think will help to address and resolve issues of interest between the two countries and of consequence in the region as a whole." Washington has now linked improved relations between India and Pakistan to its fortunes in Afghanistan.

However, unlike New Delhi's tack, Washington declined to publicly excoriate ISI for its now-increasingly recognized role in promoting terrorism. Asked about LeT operative David Headley implicating ISI in the Mumbai attack, the mention of which by the Indian home secretary evidently queered the Krishna-Qureshi dialogue, a state department spokesman declined to elaborate. He said anything he disclosed "would either compromise intelligence information or an ongoing legal investigation."

Noticeably, he did not deny or challenge the contents of the Headley interrogation which home secretary Pillai and unnamed Indian officials have gone public with. Based on the Headley disclosures, Pillai has stated that ISI was "literally controlling and coordinating the (Mumbai) attack from beginning to end" while other officials have offered details of ISI's financing of the Mumbai attack.

As the Obama administration works on putting more Pakistani terror groups, including military proxies such as the Haqqani groups, in the proscribed list, it is only Pakistan's geography and the fact that it provides the easiest access to Afghanistan that is preventing the country from being named a terrorist sponsor. Various euphemisms are being used to get around the designation, most commonly that it uses "militant groups" to achieve "strategic depth" through "asymmetric warfare."

But privately and in off-the-record conversations, US officials routinely describe Pakistani involvement in military-sponsored and funded jihad, ties between its intelligence agency and terrorist groups such as the Haqqani group, and its futile and self-defeating policy of promoting dark forces in Afghanistan, a country whose citizens hate Pakistanis more than they hate Americans. Pakistan, which once denied the existence of Quetta shura, does not care to refute the connections now.

The American explanation for not taking a strong stand against Pakistan's embrace of terrorism is that even the ISI is split into jihadist sympathizers and masterminds who plot terrorist attacks in India (and perhaps other parts of the world) and a small, progressive, liberal section that recognizes the blowback which is destroying Pakistan.

In fact, a former CIA operative who served in the region wrote a fictional book couple of years back in which the protagonist is a good-hearted ISI agent who stops a terrorist attack on India (and in true Bollywood fashion falls in love with an Indian woman) which is masterminded by the LeT and rogue Pakistani intelligence operatives.

Washington and its intelligence agencies are particularly beholden to ISI for its selective help in the war on terror, while believing that there are only some bad apples in the organization and it is not an institutional or state-backed malaise.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/US/US-mum-on-ISI-role-Hillary-follows-up-Krishna-visit/articleshow/6177589.cms

Much as director Rahul Dholakia wants to take the hard-hitting political drama for its initial screening into the valley, there is no way he can do so.

And Dholakia is at his wit's end.

"'Lamhaa' was made for the people of Kashmir. It's about their life, their anguish and their politics. How can I not show it to the people of Kashmir!" he said.
"The film belongs to them. It is unimaginable for me that the rest of the world would watch 'Lamhaa' and not the Kashmiris," he added.

Dholakia now plans to take the print and projection equipment and screen the film at key centres of Jammu and Kashmir on his own. "There's no option but to follow an unconventional method to get the film screened in the valley," he said.

Although several situations and characters in "Lamhaa" are based on real Kashmiri politics, producer Bunty Walia and leading man Sanjay Dutt are learnt to have been advised by their schoolmate Omar Abdullah not to play up the Kashmiri card.
A hush-hush screening of "Lamhaa" is being planned for father and son — Farooq and Omar Abdullah.
Rahul said: "It isn't as though I'm playing down or distancing myself from the reality of the valley. But considering how volatile the situation is, it's better not to get any section of Indian politics hostile about our film."

To de-accentuate the political side of the film, the producer now plans various glamour events connected with "Lamhaa", including a fashion show featuring Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher at the forthcoming IIFA awards in Colombo.

The actors in Kashmiri attire will walk the ramp with India's top models.

Dholakia hopes that they're not downsizing the film's powerful message about peace in the valley by glamorising "Lamhaa".


Lamhaa movie gives you a reality bite and gives you opportunity to socialize with Kashmir problem with which India is coping up since its independence. Kashmir is endowed with charismatic beauty and magnificence. But as and when the name strikes to your mind it feels like terror and panic all around. It is frightening to even think about it, and then what would you say about natives who are actually leading life there in fearful situation. "Lamhaa" is an experimental project undertaken by Rahul Dholakia, renowned director. It was not that easy for him to have a rendezvous withKashmir problem.

ilm: "Lamhaa"; Director: Rahul Dholakia; Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor, Anupam Kher; Rating: ***
It is a common sight in India. Whenever there's an accident, people gather around. Those in vehicles stop to watch, from a distance. Yet, very few among them dare to engage with the victims or the incident. The valley of 'Kashmir' is that roadside accident to rest of India.
Indians have for decades continuously stayed in denial about the most militarised place on the planet, Kashmir. Ask anyone in the nation, and all they have to say is the usual government rhetoric, that Kashmir is an integral part of India and will remain so.
Ask anyone about the 100 thousand who have died there, or the 10,000 men who have been abducted by the security forces and have then gone missing, and you'll see a shrug.
Kashmir is a 'political' problem. But a political problem has a human dimension to it, no one understands, or if they do, they don't care.
"Lamhaa" makes an attempt to infuse the personal with the political.
The army gets wind of some big operation by militants in Kashmir. Elections are about to take place there and not wanting to take any chances, they involve Major Vikram (Sanjay Dutt), who loves the beautiful valley, to investigate in disguise.
Haaji (Anupam Kher) is the biggest leader in the state who has been guiding the state since the 20 years. Opposing him is his once right hand man and an ex-militant who has turned to peace, Atif (Kunal Kapoor). After the death of Haaji's colleague in 1989, he had adopted his daughter Aziza (Bipasha Basu) and raised her as his own.
When an attempt is made on Haaji's life, both Vikram and Aziza try to find out why, even as the valley comes to a boiling point.
What the two discover is a web of conspiracy that threatens to derail Kashmir's only hope, and Aziza's love interest, Atif.
Rahul Dholakia has made a name for himself as an 'activist' filmmaker. First with "Parzania" and now with "Lamhaa", he proves that his heart, and even his politics, is in the right place. One only hopes that his filmmaking craft were as well.
"Lamhaa" suffers from too many conspiracies and characters because of which the pace of the film quickens. There's not enough time to meditate on a character, or a tragedy.
Audiences might find it little difficult to follow the many twists and revelations in the film.
However, Dholakia gets his politics and writing right. The film is filled with such obvious truths, which sadly due to the one-sided approach of the media, not many know.
Facts like it being the most militarised place in the world with the average people to army ratio being 15 to 1, or that it is indeed the most dangerous place on the planet.
It is the duty of art to raise issues that no one else does. Yet like the rest of the nation and media the arts, even cinema, has treated Kashmir as an anathema. Considering this point itself, Rahul Dholakia's "Lamhaa" deserves a million accolades.


Rahul Dholakia is a National Award winning director but he is not wearing this as an ace up his sleeves. His Parzania was an issue-based film and so is Lamhaa. However, the filmmaker has no qualms in admitting that he wanted to tell this story in a hardcore commercial format so that it reaches out to a wider section of audience. Told in a thriller format, Lamhaa is now up for release and Rahul's 'untold story' about Kashmir is releasing today. With confidence looming large in his voice, Rahul recollects the incidents during the pre-production that shaped up Lamhaa.
A tale like Lamhaa would have required you to involve yourself in wide spread research, isn't it?
I know of this whole section there which is formed by 10,000 odd people who are parents of people who have disappeared. Can you believe that? No one knows what happened to them. One needs to bring this fact into notice. There are atrocities by leaders, separatists and armed forces which affect the common man most. The question which we have asked in the film is – 'Why did an individual become a militant?' After all there is a thin line between a freedom fighter and a militant.


I am sure that making a film like this would have brought enough drama into your life as well.
(Laughs) Yes, there was enough drama; in fact much more than what I would have wanted to handle. I remember meeting an ex-militant who was released after being in jail for 16 years. I had gone to his house and was shocked to see that even now he carried an AK 47. He was boasting about having killed 300 people and was bashing India left, right and centre. At the end of my interview, he asked me, 'Aap hindustan wapas kab jaa rahe ho'. I was surprised with this entire differentiation between Kashmir and India but couldn't say anything. He had a gun and he could have shot me point blank.

So what did you do?
Kya karta? I just smiled and said that 'shayad aapke liye ye hindustan nahi hai lekin mere liye hain'. I don't know how I said even this but I was very nervous for the seconds that followed after that. To my good luck, he didn't get agitated and said after a pause, 'Khaana kha ke hi jaayiega'.

And did you stay back?
No ways, I just rushed out and thanked God for being alive. (smiles)
http://entertainment.oneindia.in/bollywood/interviews/2010/rahul-dholakia-interview-160710.html

"It was indeed quite unnerving to be shooting in Kashmir because you do fear for the loss of your life", discloses Bipasha as she recollects the horror of the days she spent in the valley.



She adds, "There are guns all around in open and you don't quite know what's round the corner. You can understand it all only when you are there. This is when you get the true feeling of fear."





It required assurances from Sanjay Dutt to bring Bipasha back from Mumbai to shhot again for the movie.




"Yes, Sanjay really assured me that I would feel secure this time around", says Bipasha.

The sexy bombshell also said that Sanjay's presence had made her quite safe as the actor had earlier shot for Mission Kashmir and therefore know people in police and government.



Bips says, "He gave me a word that I would be very-very safe shooting for the film. He gave me his promise and I had no reasons not to believe him,"


On an ending note she added, "See, I am a regular person after all. I wouldn't have given my life for a film. I would not have gained anything. I am not a martyr after all."

LAMHAA Movie cancelled in Middle East Releasing on 16th July.Bunty Walia Upset.

The Big Bollywood Stars Sanjay Dutt and Bipasa Basu  once again on Big Box Office with their new movie Lamhaa.This movie is directed by Rahul Dholakia of PARANJIA fame.Rahul Dholakia is upset for that News But he says that Iwant to tell that Kashmir we realy love u.For this movie stars are Sanjay Dutt,Bipasa Basu,Kunal Kapoor.Due to the Cancellation of this film in Kashmir the Producer Bunty Walia was also Upset,the Indian government Censor Board has already passed this movie but we do not know why the censor board of that country was rejected.

Torment and tribulation is the order of the day In Kashmir.

Shooting for a movie is a dangerous and an up-hill task as Bipasha learned during the first schedule for the movie, Lamhaa.

For the director of the movie, Rahul Dholakia it was nothing short of a miracle to pull the movie together during the last couple of years within all the political turbulence quite prevalent in Srinagar.



In fact the situation was so bad at the initial stages of shooting that Bipasha fearing for her life had to rush back home.

Bunty Walia has more regret for cancellation of this film in Middle East.The single day is remain for the launching of that film.Bunty Walia says that Bollywood craze is more in Middle East and we have earn more from that place but now we will gain more loss from that place we are more dishearted from Kashmiri's why they do not want to screening this film that place.The big and intrested news is that this LAMHAA movie will release on 750 screens all over India,but the middle east is that lace wher he could not.

Rahul Dholakia, being a visionary director, perceived that Kashmir issue is far from what we think while sitting in our drawing rooms. He himself was thrown into disarray having listened to dreadful stories of the natives. He realized how their hard earned money
turned into dust with single bombshell. He met some students there who explain Kashmir as beautiful prison. He was clicked by the idea and turned it into a narrative. He underwent massive research to bring out the concrete situations as well as characters. Rahul Dholakia has made efforts to touch every nook and corner of the Kashmir issue. His characters deal with different strata of life. Aziza, played by Bipasha Basu, is a Kasmiri girl who believes in the ideology ofKashmir 's freedom. She is capable of doing what a man can do; she can operate ammunitions also. But circumstances refine her ideas and she shuns the violence and all. Kunal Kapoor as Atif is portraying the character of terrorist who is transformed into a politician. Sanjay Dutt, being a majestic personality, is given the character of militant intelligence head who is aware of ground reality of theissue. Lamhaa is shot in several danger zones of Kashmir and it was difficult for Dholkia to persuade the actors for it. Bipasha says, "Rahul Dholakia is little but mad!" "He could have got us all killed because of the places he chose to shoot." But she is happy to work with such zealous director. "Lamhaa" is an embodiment of troubles of Kashmiris. It is really depressing that its premiere got cancelled in Srinagar owing to prevalent crisis in the state. It is famous maxim that pen is mightier than sword but it does not work in case of Kashmir issue because a lot has been said and written on it but with no results.

http://infocera.com/Lamhaa_movie_-_A_Rendezvous_with_Kashmir_Issue_10026.htm

Red Alert- The War Within movie makes people aware of reality at grass root
Red Alert- The War Within movie is dealing with the burning issue of Naxalism in India. Co-incidently it hits the theatres when people are facing "Red Danger" announced by Naxalites. In that state, viewers can better relate the issue with the movie. People at large in India are not aware of the origin and whereabouts of Naxalism despite of coming across different stories on it every day.  "Red Alert- The War Within" undertakes to present the concrete picture of Naxalites.  

Red Alert- The War Within is said to be a political issue but the best thing about the movie is that it gives the neutral idea without favoring any party. It lets you know about the force working behind the production of Naxalites. What makes people turned into Naxals and why do they kill innocent people- are the few questions that would definitely linger                                     for long in your minds.

In "Red Alert- The War Within" each actor has felt the pulse of characterization and situation. Suniel Shetty has performed at its best. Veteran actors Naseeruddin Shah, Vinod Khanna and Ashish Vidyarthi have given splendid performances. Sameera Reddy has already been in spotlight owing to her de-glam looks in the movie. It is supported by Bhagyashree and Seema Biswas who could be seen giving fight to men. The makers have undergone proper research and brought all the essential elements. They have toiled a lot to bring realism and for that purpose they have shot the scenes in remote areas of Arunachal Pradesh. Moreover the actors are given actual dialogues of Naxalites.

"Red Alert- The War Within", directed by Ananth Mahadevan, was screened specially for the ministers in Mumbai and as expected they appreciated the effort. The movie has already earned the admiration in diverse international film festivals like Berlin Film Festival, South Asian International Film Festival and Goa International Film Festival and has fetched various awards for its actors and for director himself.

India is making endeavors to make it prosperous and safe country. But several national and international problems block its way towards peace. Every producer in Bollywood tries to draw out one or the other problem affecting India's progress but its end can be achieved only when it touches the hard core of such people. Spending three hours in theatres with pop-corn in hands will not be sufficient instead common man should raise his voice aloud to shun the violence.                                
                               
                                                                
                                                                                                                                           

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http://www.infocera.com/Red_Alert-_The_War_Within_movie_makes_people_aware_of_reality_at_grass_root_10029.htm

Movie Review: Lamhaa

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BollywoodHungamaNewsNetwork

Posted: Jul 16, 2010 at 1231 hrs IST

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Mumbai During the showcasing of Lamhaa at the recently held IIFA. in Sri Lanka, I was compelled to ask director Rahul Dholakia about the catch line of the film: 'The untold story of Kashmir'. Obviously, I was curious. What was Dholakia going to narrate that we, the viewers, hadn't witnessed in films earlier or read in newspapers or watched on news channels? Dholakia gave a convincing response, justifying the catch line, but obviously not revealing much about the film.

As Lamhaa unfolds, you realize that Dholakia may've borrowed a few incidents from life, but as it moves forward, it comes across as a typical Bollywood enterprise that harps on being real, but ends up being a masala film that we have witnessed over and over again. The catch line, in my individualistic opinion, is quite misleading.

Dholakia seems to have researched extensively on the issue and Lamhaa does boast of some razor-sharp moments, but the viewer is keen to have an insider's viewpoint on Kashmir, something that we haven't read/seen [on news channels/films] earlier, which Lamhaa just doesn't provide.

Just one word for this film: Disappointing!

The Military Intelligence gets a whiff of a plot that is likely to disrupt and possibly paralyze Kashmir. Vikram [Sanjay Dutt] is sent to investigate this highly confidential mission and he assumes the identity of Gul Jehangir. The same day that he lands in the valley, Haji [Anupam Kher], a top separatist leader, survives a blast. Is there a connection between the blast and the operation?

To solve this conundrum, Vikram teams up with Aziza [Bipasha Basu], Haji's young, aggressive and outspoken protégé. The intensity of their beliefs and their will to survive against all odds creates a special bond between them. They embark together on a journey to uncover the truth.

First things first! Lamhaa has been filmed in Kashmir and you're awe-struck by its beauty, with DoP James Fowlds doing a splendid job in capturing the scenic locales on celluloid. The constant shaking of the camera also gives a real feel.

Unfortunately, Lamhaa, though controversial in nature, merely touches the tip of the issue, instead of going all-out and narrating a story that offers reasons and perhaps, a solution to the crisis.

The problem clearly lies in its scripting, the written material [screenplay: Raghav Dhar, Rahul Dholakia]. Like I pointed out earlier, Dholakia should've stuck to realism, instead of trying to strike a balance between realism and make-believe. The viewer is told at the very outset, and also at regular intervals, that 'something big [read destructive] is going to occur'. But the entire conspiracy comes across as too trivial during the final moments of the film and therefore, the impact is missing.

Honestly, Lamhaa comes across as a disjointed effort, in terms of writing. It's more of a collage of several isolated incidents, which explains why the screenplay lacks the power to keep you engaged. Sure, a few sequences are attention grabbing, but showing the heroic side of Sanjay Dutt [rescuing Bipasha all the while - from the cops, from Rajesh Khera's henchmen, from a lecherous Yashpal Sharma] appears very filmy. Even the finale - Sanju busting the conspiracy - comes across as child's play.

One expects a lot from Dholakia, but he lets you down completely in Lamhaa. The politicians wanting a bigger piece of pie or children getting trained for jehad or their bodies being stuffed with bombs is not an eye-opener anymore. What one is keen to know is the mindset of Kashmiris, which, frankly, this film doesn't really project. In the end, if you recall the visuals, not the content, it means something is seriously wrong with the film and Lamhaa, sadly, is right intentions gone wrong. Even the dialogue [Sai Kabir, Ashwath Bhatt], like the screenplay writing, tries to strike a balance between real and filmy. Mithoon's music is easy on the ears, but acts as a speed breaker in the narrative.

Sanjay Dutt tries hard to look the character, but I just couldn't connect with it. The rugged look, the sunglasses and the trendy attire made me feel that Sanju had strolled into the sets from an ad film shoot. Bipasha, again, doesn't look her part, although I must add that she has put in a lot of effort to stay true to her character. The sequence when she's attacked by the women workers of Anupam Kher's political party is simply brilliant.

Kunal Kapoor is royally sidelined in the first hour, but has a few interesting scenes in the second half. His speech in the finale is flat and devoid of the required emotions. Anupam Kher is the lone actor who actually looks the character he has been assigned to portray.

Mahesh Manjrekar is wasted. Ditto for Yashpal Sharma. Vipin Sharma is effective. Jyoti Dogra stands out. Murli Sharma is perfect. Shernaz Patel is decent. Rajesh Khera, Yuri Suri, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Asif Basra, Denzil Smith and Ehsaan Khan are okay in their respective parts.

On the whole, Lamhaa just doesn't work.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Movie-Review-Lamhaa/647395/

"Lamhaa," an action-packed Bollywood film starring Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher, opens today.

It's directed by Rahul Dholakia, who also helmed the award-winning "Parzania," which was based on the 2002 Gujarat genocide. "Lamhaa" also has its roots in recent history, focusing on the turmoil in Kashmir.

AFP/Getty Images

Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, center, on location during the shoot of the movie 'Lamhaa' in Srinagar earlier this year.
"Lamhaa" revolves around Vikram, played by Mr. Dutt, a retired paramilitary commando who is sent into the Valley to eliminate the man controlling the mayhem — Pasha (Yuri Suri). Little does Vikram know the operation will change his life and that of the people of Kashmir forever.

The research put into the making of "Lamhaa" will be extended beyond the film and will be turned into a book on the politics of Kashmir. Critics have called it a "must-watch" and say there couldn't have been a more ironic time to release "Lamhaa," when Kashmir is back in the news for clashes between protesters and security forces.

Susan Jose of India's entertainment portal India-Forums writes the tagline of the movie — "the untold story of Kashmir" — had many wondering what was left to say about this disputed, distressed place.

"The good news is, there is something new," she says. "The film has captured the Kashmir state of mind…this is one movie that challenges you to keep up. Even the romantic sequences don't look out of place and are justified."

Film critic Nikhat Kazmi of the Times of India opines, "From the communal cauldron of Gujarat 2002 to the scarred battlefield of Kashmir, filmmaker Rahul Dholakia carries forward his tryst with political cinema with a refreshing seriousness and gravitas that defies the demands of commercialisation."

The movie doesn't offer an answer to Kashmir's problems, she adds. "All it dares to do is transport you to one of the most dangerous places in the world that lies at your doorstep and take a hard-hitting look at the movement for self-determination and the role of the Indian state in post-1989 Kashmir. So, don't go looking for a cinema that follows a traditional format, offering made-to-order recipes and instant nirvana."

Mayank Shekhar of the Hindustan Times, however, describes the film as being too overwhelmed. "It's not easy to make sense of Kashmir. It's harder still then to make sense of this film," he says.

And he criticizes the dialogue writer. "Among words he chooses to drill into his audience's ears again and again are 'Operation '89,' 'Kashmir — the most dangerous place on earth,' 'Is this a political gimmick,'" he says.

Noyon Jyoti Parasara of India's Sanskriti Media and Entertainment group says, "Don't watch it for entertainment but to understand deals that happen over one's motherland. Watch it if you have an open enough mind to accept that people who have the cleanest face could be the ones creating all the trouble too, and the enemy is not necessarily what is seen."

http://blogs.wsj.com/indiarealtime/2010/07/16/bollywood-takes-on-kashmir-in-lamhaa/

Rahul Dholakia

                                                                       

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Rahul Dholakia
*
Born	Mumbai, India
Occupation	Film director, producer, screenwriter
Years active	2003- present
Official website

Rahul Dholakia is an Indian film director-producer-screenwriter, most known for his National Film Award winning film, Parzania (Heaven & Hell On Earth) (2005),[1][2] prior to which he also made documentaries like Teenage Parents and New York Taxi Drivers.

Contents [hide] 1 Biography 2 Filmography 3 Awards 4 References 5 External links

[edit] Biography

Born in Mumbai, to Raksha and Parry Dholakia, an advertising professional, Rahul also has an elder sister Moha. After completing his schooling from Campion School, Mumbai and Jamnabai Narsee School in Mumbai, he went on to do his Bachelors in Science from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai.

While still in college he started working in his father's advertising agency, Mora Ava. He also worked with producer Babla Sen, for project for Channel 4, London, as production assistant and 10 documentaries later became a producer himself. Later, he started working with Everest Advertising in Mumbai as an assistant, growing up to become a producer.

Thereafter, he moved to New York in 1990, where, he did his Masters in filmmaking from the New York Institute of Technology, and has been in India and Corona, California, USA ever since.[3] After making a couple of documentaries and commercials, and even running TV station, called 'TV Asia' for a while,[4] he made his feature film debut with the Hindi-English bilingual, Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar (2002), starring Paresh Rawal and Jimmy Shergill, it was also the first Hindi film shot entirely in America.[5] His next film based on a real life story of 10-year old Parsi boy, Azhar Mody, known as Parzaan, who disappeared during the February 28, 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre, which took place during communal riots in Gujarat in 2002, Parzania won him the National Film Award for 2006.[2]

Currently he is shooting for his film Lamha, where Sanjay Dutt and Bipasha Basu play the leads, in a story based in Kashmir.[6]

[edit] Filmography

• Kehtaa Hai Dil Baar Baar (2002)
• Parzania (2005)[7]
• Mumbai Cutting (2008) (completed)
• Lamhaa (2009) (filming)

[edit] Awards

• National Film Awards
• 2006: National Film Award for Best Direction: Parzania [8]

[edit] References

1. ^ And the award goes to... The Times of India, 9 August 2007
2. ^ a b In India, Showing Sectarian Pain to Eyes That Are Closed The New York Times, February 20, 2007.
3. ^ director-turned-distributor Rahul Dholakia The Indian Express.
4. ^ Parzania director: 2006's National award winner Rediff.com, 30 August 2006.
5. ^ Interview: Rahul Dholakia, Director bollyvista.
6. ^ 'Lamha' Interview entertainment.in.msn.com.
7. ^ Rahul Dholakia The New York Times.
8. ^ Awards Internet Movie Database.

[edit] External links

• Official website
• Rahul Dholakia at the Internet Movie Database
• Rahul Dholakia at Allmovie.
• Interview: Rahul Dholakia, Director

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rahul_Dholakia"

                                                                 

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Veiled in the valley - Bipasha Basu talks about her experience in the valley and why She is mad at a certain M.S. Dhoni Bipasha Basu in Lamhaa Where has the glamorous Bipasha Basu disappeared? Apart from your fitness DVDs we only see you in serious fare these days... There is no conscious effort to do anything serious in life (laughs out loud)! You know the timing of the release is not in our hands. I pick up films on gut feeling or maybe something I like. And then they take their own sweet time to release. As for Lamhaa, I am really, really happy that I am doing this film. You will see a lot of passion of (director) Rahul (Dholakia) and a lot of honesty. I hope the youth in our country encourages a film like this because it talks about the real state of affairs in our country. Rahul told us that he picked you for the role of Aziza because your personality matched that of the character. Having shot for the film, would you agree? Initially, when they offered me the role of a Kashmiri girl, I was like: "Why?" I look like a stamped Bengali! But when he gave me a narration and also the character sketch, I realised why he wanted me for the role. He wanted a girl who may wear a salwar-kurta but she is actually like a man in this very man's world. She walks like a man, talks like a man... basically a no-nonsense girl. It's a very strong part. Although she is fragile like a girl and burdened like every Kashmiri is, she has a lot of strength of character. I think I have been able to portray that apart from looking convincing as a girl from the Valley. Before signing the film were you aware of the problems plaguing the Valley? Did your outlook towards the local people change after you shot there? FIGHT THE FEAR: Bipasha Basu with Kunal Kapoor in Lamhaa It is a very ironical situation out there in Kashmir. Since we living in other cities are so used to the stalemate situation there in Kashmir, we don't really think too much about it. But when you go there you realise that it's such a beautiful place and it's so unfair that the children are growing there in an atmosphere of guns and security. It's almost become a normal situation for them and that's so unfortunate. It's become so unpredictable there that you can't go out freely in your city, in your own town. Curfew is going on, there's army on the road... it's quite sad. If you can make all those guns disappear the place is so beautiful. Was it scary to shoot there in such an atmosphere? I cannot put in words what I went through inside when I went there for the first time to shoot for Lamhaa. Usually when you shoot at public places, you have the usual fears of getting jostled in the crowd, people might come too close to you. Those are the only fears. You don't like that being a woman. But in a sensitive place like Kashmir, because guns are available freely, there is a kind of eerie fear in you and that starts to grow when there's a crowd or when some people are shouting slogans. It cannot be expressed in words. You have to be there to feel it. You can sense that something's going to go wrong... I have never felt like that before. Because what we understood later is that many of them doubted what exactly we were making. Now, this feeling only happened when we went there for the first time but when we went back there after the elections, it was very, very comfortable. Is it worth taking such a huge risk for a film? Is Lamhaa worth what you had to undergo in Kashmir? Absolutely. Not just me, the kind of hard work the producer, the director and the crew have put in, Lamhaa deserves to get a decent release and be seen by everyone. My real big wish is that people come and watch a film like this. Only then can filmmakers like Rahul be encouraged and the infrastructure put behind subjects like this will grow. Otherwise you know, they are made in a very small capacity and hardly get a release. Lamhaa is not a documentary, it's an entertainer. It's shot in a thriller format. It's a visual delight. The story is very human and it moves you. And the message of the movie is very clear — human beings no matter where they live cannot live in fear in their own homes. On the basis of politics, religion and region, these circumstances can rise anywhere. It can happen in our state West Bengal, it can happen in Maharashtra. We have to be aware and not let it happen. At least if it's in discussion, some day we may get a solution for it. You have taken to tweeting in such a big way. Is it just for Lamhaa? I am enjoying tweeting a lot. The best thing is that your words, your real words, are coming out to the people who made you. That's fun. It's not that I am tweeting only because I want to talk about my film or talk about my brand. Then what do I talk about? That's my work, that's what takes up my time. And that's what they want to hear about. It's difficult to reply to everybody individually. But I read all the tweets that everyone writes in and on the basis of their tweets, I write my tweets. Last week you got bombarded with questions about Dhoni's marriage... Oh my god! I got so pakao-ed with this marriage, I can't tell you! One, I missed it and so I was very upset and secondly, I was asked so many questions about it and had to answer on his behalf. Let Dhoni come face to face in front me. I am going to take it up with him (laughs). Did you ever plan to host a reception for Dhoni's marriage? Never! I was never having any reception. I don't know where this news started from. I am sure it's family time for them and they are enjoying themselves right now. Do you want to watch Bipasha in serious or glam roles? Tell t2@abpmail.com PRATIM D. GUPTA  More stories in Entertainment   • Nobody's Diary   • What a dell-ight!   • Out of the Shadows   • Dream-stealers   • Too sexy!   • Canvas call   • Small wonder   • On a roll   • Spotlight   • Wheel deal   • Tweet Arts   • Star pairs   • Veiled in the valley

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After a successful decade of glamour, Bipasha Basu adds realism to her repertoire
The last occasion we connected on a lighter note, Bipasha Basu allowed us to tap into her funny side. This time round, however, matters have taken a serious turn. Up for release is Rahul Dholakia's Lamhaa, which has Bipasha playing a Kashmiri activist. While she was not the first choice for the role, producer Bunty Walia and director Rahul Dholakia were confident that Bipasha's personality as a no-nonsense, do-it- yourself girl would do the trick.
Says Dholakia, "We needed someone who could portray internal and external conflict and in Bipasha, I found that. Also, Aziza who is an activist, had to be physically agile. She was also someone who was willing to give time for training in martial arts and go to Kashmir and Bipasha has done a marvellous job."
Dholakia mentions a particular scene wherein her character's face is blackened by the women as remarkable.
"Remove the glamour and you see the dedication,. Bipasha was fearless."
Long time beau John Abraham who has seen rushes from the film agrees that it is a gritty film with heart rending moments. He recalls a scene in particular wherein women are kicking Bipasha which gave him goosebumps!
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/Femme-fatale/645772/
Lamhaa director to pen book on Kashmir
Indo-Asian News Service
Thursday, July 15, 2010 (Mumbai)

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The extensive research that director Rahul Dholakia has put into the making of Lamhaa will now be extended beyond the film and will be turned into a book on the politics of Kashmir.

Dholakia feels he has enough material to expose what he calls "the business of keeping militancy alive in the valley".

"Militancy in Kashmir has become a huge business. Everyone is making a profit out of it," said Dholakia.

"I interviewed top politicians and extremist leaders. They all seemed to feel the same way. In fact, one extremist leader whom I cannot name, said, 'I'm taking money from both sides'."

Dholakia's forthcoming movie "Lamhaa" is about turmoil in the valley and the content of the film is such that its premiere has been cancelled in Kashmir and its release has been banned in Middle East.

Starring Anupam Kher, Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu and Kunal Kapoor, it is releasing Friday.

"I've so much material far beyond the film. I've taped interviews with extremist leaders and Kashmiri politicians, all adding up to a volatile picture of the Valley. I will publish my Kashmir papers," said the director whose Parzania was about the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002.


Read more at: http://movies.ndtv.com/movie_story.aspx?Section=Movies&ID=ENTEN20100146653&subcatg=MOVIESINDIA&keyword=bollywood&cp

Lamhaa: Movie Review
16 Jul 2010, 1612 hrs IST,Gaurav Malani,INDIATIMES MOVIES

Director: Rahul Dholakia

Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor, Anupam Kher

Rating: **

Lamhaa opens in the year 2009 and talks about the separatist protest movements that initiated in Kashmir which (it repeatedly claims throughout the film) had started '18 years' back in the year 1989. Not only does the film goes appallingly wrong with elementary mathematics, but also adds to the audience ambiguity through its constantly changing geographical boundaries and jumbled history.

Lamhaa mercilessly doesn't deal with the Kashmir issue in an outright jingoistic approach like those countless formula films that have been made on the theme that show India as a clear-cut hero and Pakistan as a definite villain to exploit patriotic sentiments. This film highlights several discrepancies in our own country from corrupt army officers, conniving politicians to scheming businessmen. But beyond that when it attempts to fit in a clichéd conspiracy theory within the preset political premise, it falls flat on its face.

Officer Vikram (Sanjay Dutt) is sent on an undercover operation to Kashmir when the Indian intelligence gets information of a probable big terror attack in the valley. There a separatist leader Haji (Anupam Kher) has been fighting against the Indian government since 1989 for Azad Kashmir. Haji's protégé Aziza (Bipasha Basu) supports her mentor in his mission. Haji's other ex-protégé Aatif (Kunal Kapoor), who is now a reformed militant, wants to contest elections from the valley to win his people and province.

For Vikram, spying seems to be a child's play. He sneaks into the police commissioner's office in broad daylight as if playing hide-and-seek with him. He walks into a seamster's shop who gives him 'tailor-made' tips and tracks terrorist identity by just having a look at their jackets. (Was the writing conveniently inspired by the investigative tele-series CID?) For no good reason Vikram keeps stalking and supporting Aziza in her attempts. Thankfully (though the background score gives a slight hint) a romance track is averted.

Through all his lackadaisical spying, Vikram finally learns that the neighbouring country is going to repeat the assault of 1989 on a larger scale. So as you look forward to a striking climax, you are sorely disappointed to discover that the supposedly colossal conspiracy merely ends up being a bombing plan on a political rally, seen for a zillion times in Hindi films. The intended twist in the plot is predictable and the convenient culmination is void of any dramatic moments.

It takes time to absorb the wide-ranging characters and their varied conflicts in the film and yet you do not understand all of them. Vikram is specifically chosen for the Kashmir operation though he doesn't belong to the region.

Yet there is no background account to justify his character, making him look shallow. In the initial reels, one tends to get confused if Anupam Kher's Haji is a protagonist or antagonist as he keeps juggling between the two identities through the film. His fallout with Aatif is merely mentioned in a flashback scene. And then there is Mahesh Manjrekar playing Peer Baba in a cameo who remains quite undefined through the film.

The screenplay by Raghav Dhar and Rahul Dholakia appears disjoint with constant unconnected scenes and subplots. Though the writing attempts to touch several related concerns from the half widows of Dardpura village, victimized prostitutes to the psychosis of the border security soldiers; these works only peripherally without being plugged into the core narrative. Bipasha Basu's public humiliation scene seems to be distinctly derived from Monica Belluci's Maléna. Nevertheless the actress is poignantly effective in her outburst.

The pacing seems too hurried and the restless editing by Ashmith Kunder and Akshay Mohan barely allows you to breathe, gasp, feel, absorb, react or relate. The incessant disturbing camera movements by cinematographer Jamie Fowlds annoy you more than having an effect. Mithoon's soothing musical score has its charming moments.

The performances are not bad but don't rise above the script. Sanjay Dutt plays his age but his character seems half-baked. Bipasha Basu is decent in a different role. Kunal Kapoor adds grace to his character but sounds meek in delivering political speeches. Anupam Kher is effective.

For the common man, the politics of Kashmir has often been a complicated topic. This film doesn't make it any simpler. Lamhaa doesn't enthrall beyond a few interesting moments.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/media/entertainment-/entertainment/Lamhaa-Movie-Review-/articleshow/6176631.cms

Lamhaa: One of the Best Kashmir films so far

Last updated on: July 16, 2010 20:19 IST
Words like hope lose all their credibility when pitted against interminable crisis. Dark determination is the only avenue of outliving this inexplicable lifestyle of constant dread and irrefutable injustice in a state once said to be designed by the Gods.  
A rare beauty destined for ruin, Kashmir's [ Images ] saga of suffering is horrifying beyond imagination. Accustomed to this legacy of affliction, a brutally tortured captive wryly retorts, 'Meri haalat Kashmir se to behtar hai.'
After his stirring depiction of how an unsuspecting family becomes the victim of 2002's communal riots in Gujarat, filmmaker Rahul Dholakia throws light on the messy state of affairs owing to Kashmir's on-going conflict, in Lamhaa.
Bollywood isn't alien to the theme. Only most scripts have used the ensuing turmoil as a means to infuse jingoistic, sensationalist sentiments, which do little more than evoke wolf-whistles after the hero has delivered the dramatically-penned punch-line.
But the prevailing issue is much too sensitive to be mocked at let alone be cashed on. There are enough people doing that already. Not that Dholakia shows any inclination of making a docu-drama. But his Lamhaa, without doubt, is one of the keenest of its genre. The film shows an in-depth understanding of the deep-rooted nexus and multi-leveled problems that plague Kashmir.  
Though it does not have a plot, per se; Dholakia isn't aiming towards a singular storyline nor is he entirely drawn in doing a study or expose. Rather his Lamhaa is like an elaborate montage of innumerable episodes, voices and concerns while trying to put the pieces together for its surprisingly loose climax. This is both engrossing and exhausting in turns.
Every few minutes acquaint us with an uneasy chapter of Kashmir's actuality -- a bitter, underpaid soldier at the border, a grieving village of half-widows seeking their mysteriously missing husbands, absconders looking for an entry across the border, unreliable army violating human rights, locals harboring anti-Indian sentiments, politicians sneaky campaigns for votes and alliances, power brokers scheming disaster-leading strategies, militancy-training camps featuring little boys, spies, sex scandals, suicide squads.  
Having said that, Lamhaa works around a sly, commercial frame. And so you have Sanjay Dutt [ Images ] in his trademark swagger and sunglasses, adorning a fashionable keffiyeh around his neck, puff a Marlboro against a feverish play of rock guitar. He calls himself a 'messiah' in one of the scenes and that's exactly how he plays it. But he does it with enough conviction and wisdom of memorable onscreen valiance for us to buy it without any further ado.  
Dutt's co-star Bipasha Basu [ Images ] has enough steel in her personality to convey the gritty ambition of her Aziza's pursuits but her unmistakably city-bred demeanor and diction makes it difficult for us to digest her as a Kashmiri local. On that front, the supporting cast of Anupam Kher [ Images ], Murli Sharma [ Images ], Shernaz Patel, Yashpal Sharma and Mahesh Manjrekar [ Images ] does adequately well. Images ] is grossly miscast as the young and aspiring political voice of independence-seeking Kashmir. He looks devilishly handsome and bears sufficient physical resemblance to the extent of charisma Dholakia has in mind. But ask him to deliver a speech and the man fumbles. And fumbles hard. His dialogue delivery is too self-conscious and unintentionally ridicules the purpose of his onscreen actions.
There are times when you draw parallels with Tony Scott's Spy Game but purely with regards to stylized treatment of the real deal. On another occasion, there's a disturbing sequence, taking its inspiration from Giuseppe Tornatore's Malena, wherein a mob of veiled women conduct a ruthless public attack on Bipasha's Aziza.  
Hard-selling viable elements like music isn't Dholakia's strongest points as he awkwardly introduces songs into a racy narrative that begs otherwise. While Mithoon's soundtrack is aces, the background score by Sanjay Chowdhary feels too commonplace to make a significant impact.
The same criticism applies to the dialogues (Sai Kabir, Ashwath Bhatt) which could expand their vocabulary beyond defining Kashmir as a beautiful prison or dangerous destination. The location in all its authentic glory, of course, is marvelously captured through James Fowlds's perceptive camerawork.
Ultimately, Lamhaa's relevance lies in its ability to give you an overview, even if it's a crammed one, about the ugliness of greed and intolerance through the example of Kashmir. At the same time it's honest and practical enough to end on an unfulfilled, hopeless note.
http://movies.rediff.com/review/2010/jul/16/lamhaa-review.htm

Lamhaa review: There is no untold story here
* Movie Lamhaa * Director Rahul Dholakia * Cast Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor, Shernaz Patel, Aman Verma
Taran Adarsh/IndiaFM
During the showcasing of Lamhaa at the recently held IIFA in Sri Lanka, I was compelled to ask director Rahul Dholakia about the catch line of the film: 'The untold story of Kashmir'. Obviously, I was curious. What was Dholakia going to narrate that we, the viewers, haven't witnessed in films earlier or read in newspapers or watched on news channels? Dholakia gave a convincing response, justifying the catch line, but obviously not revealing much about the film. As Lamhaa unfolds, you realise that Dholakia may've borrowed a few incidents from life, but as it moves forward, it comes across as a typical Bollywood enterprise that harps on being real, but ends up being a masala film that we have witnessed over and over again. The catch line, in my individualistic opinion, is quite misleading. Special: All about Lamhaa Dholakia seems to have researched extensively on the issue and Lamhaa does boast of some razor-sharp moments, but the viewer is keen to have an insider's viewpoint on Kashmir, something that we haven't read/seen earlier, which Lamhaa just doesn't provide. Just one word for this film: Disappointing! The Military Intelligence gets a whiff of a plot that is likely to disrupt and possibly paralyse Kashmir. Vikram [Sanjay Dutt] is sent to investigate this highly confidential mission and he assumes the identity of Gul Jehangir. The same day he lands in the valley, Haji [Anupam Kher], a top separatist leader, survives a blast. Is there a connection between the blast and the operation? To solve this conundrum, Vikram teams up with Aziza [Bipasha Basu], Haji's young, aggressive and outspoken protégé. The intensity of their beliefs and their will to survive against all odds creates a special bond between them. They embark on a journey to uncover the truth. First things first! Lamhaa has been filmed in Kashmir and you're awe-struck by its beauty, with DoP James Fowlds doing a splendid job in capturing the scenic locales on celluloid. The constant shaking of the camera also gives a real feel. Unfortunately, Lamhaa, though controversial in nature, merely touches the tip of the issue, instead of going all-out and narrating a story that offers reasons and, perhaps, a solution to the crisis. The problem clearly lies in its scripting, the written material [screenplay: Raghav Dhar, Rahul Dholakia]. Like I pointed out earlier, Dholakia should've stuck to realism, instead of trying to strike a balance between realism and make-believe. The viewer is told at the very outset, and also at regular intervals, that 'something big [read destructive] is going to occur'. But the entire conspiracy comes across as too trivial during the final moments of the film and, therefore, the impact is missing. Honestly, Lamhaa comes across as a disjointed effort, in terms of writing. It's more of a collage of several isolated incidents, which explains why the screenplay lacks the power to keep you engaged. Sure, a few sequences are attention grabbing, but showing the heroic side of Sanjay Dutt [rescuing Bipasha all the while - from the cops, from Rajesh Khera's henchmen, from a lecherous Yashpal Sharma] appears very filmy. Even the finale - Sanju busting the conspiracy - comes across as child's play. One expects a lot from Dholakia, but he lets you down completely in Lamhaa. The politicians wanting a bigger piece of the pie or children getting trained for jehad or their bodies being stuffed with bombs is not an eye-opener anymore. What one is keen to know is the mindset of Kashmiris, which, frankly, this film doesn't really project. In the end, if you recall the visuals, not the content, it means something is seriously wrong with the film and Lamhaa, sadly, is right intentions gone wrong. Even the dialogue [Sai Kabir, Ashwath Bhatt], like the screenplay writing, tries to strike a balance between real and filmy. Mithoon's music is easy on the ears, but acts as a speed breaker in the narrative. Sanjay Dutt tries hard to look the character, but I just couldn't connect with it. The rugged look, the sunglasses and the trendy attire made me feel that Sanju had strolled into the sets from an ad film shoot. Bipasha, again, doesn't look her part, although I must add that she has put in a lot of effort to stay true to her character. The sequence when she's attacked by the women workers of Anupam Kher's political party is simply brilliant. Kunal Kapoor is royally sidelined in the first hour, but has a few interesting scenes in the second half. His speech in the finale is flat and devoid of the required emotions. Anupam Kher is the lone actor who actually looks the character he has been assigned to portray. Special: All about Lamhaa Mahesh Manjrekar is wasted. Ditto for Yashpal Sharma. Vipin Sharma is effective. Jyoti Dogra stands out. Murli Sharma is perfect. Shernaz Patel is decent. Rajesh Khera, Yuri Suri, Vishwajeet Pradhan, Asif Basra, Denzil Smith and Ehsaan Khan are okay in their respective parts. On the whole, Lamhaa just doesn't work.

http://sify.com/movies/bollywood/review.php?id=14949642&ctid=5&cid=2425
Review: 'Lamhaa' has a unique take on Kashmir issue
Spicezee Bureau

Director Rahul Dholakia seems to have a penchant for recreating real life experiences on silver screen, as post the National Award winning 'Parzania', Dholakia has once again come out with a hard-hitting film 'Lamhaa', based on the burning issues of Kashmir.

Starring Sanjay Dutt, Anupam Kher, Bipasha Basu and Kunal Kapoor, 'Lamhaa' is a story based on the trials and tribulations of the valley people, grappling with the demons of religion, politics and terrorism. If you think that 'Lamhaa' offers a panacea to the problems of Kashmir, the answer is no, as it offers no welcome respite to the age old issues of the valley. For once, you might sympathise with its characters, but in the end, you are repelled by the mindless bloodshed in the name of sham morals and freedom, as portrayed in the movie.

'Lamhaa' is the story of Vikram Sabharwal/ Gul Jehangir (Sanjay Dutt), Indian military intelligence officer, who harks back on the Kashmir of 1989, which is torn by bloodshed and violence. However, with election season around the corner, intelligence officers come to know that terrorist groups are plotting an evil scheme to disrupt the peace on the valley. Finally, Jehangir is roped in to foil their evil plans and comes across separatist leader Haji (Anupam Kher), and scores of characters who promise to help him for a price.

On the other hand, Aziza (Bipasha Basu), an outspoken Kashmiri girl, undergoes a complete transformation, when she comes face to face with reality. In the flick, almost all characters are fighting with their own concept of freedom (azadi). If Haji seeks freedom through his separatist ways, Aatif (Kunal Kapoor) comes across as a stubborn rebel, who dreams of freedom by fighting an election.

Like all other films on Kashmir, 'Lahmaa' too harps on the violence faced by Kashmiri Pandits to the extent of romanticising it.

In terms of acting, Kher and Dutt are commendable and Bipasha and Kunal have delivered an average performance.

In all, 'Lamhaa' lives up to Rahul Dholakia's serious filmmaker image, as the movie ends up as a hard-hitting flick on the struggles of valley.
http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story66252.htm

'Lamhaa' happened after I spoke to Kashmiri students: Dholakia

Monday, June 28, 2010 10:57:06 AM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
By Ruchika Kher
Mumbai, June 28 (IANS) It was a chance remark by a Kashmiri student describing Kashmir as a "beautiful prison" that set filmmaker Rahul Dholakia thinking, and led to the making of his "Lamhaa". The film, releasing July 16, is facing censor trouble over certain dialogues.
Dholakia, who won the National Award for his "Parzania" (2005), says he took the decision to make "Lamhaa" after meeting a few Kashmiri students.
"The reason why I decided to make a film on the valley was that during one of the screenings of 'Parzania', I met a few Kashmiri students. They said Kashmir is a beautiful prison. That's something that caught my attention," Dholakia told IANS in an interview.
"Lamhaa", a film that deals with the life of Kashmiris in the valley, has fallen into the censor net many times.
The director says he is irritated with the way the film body functions.
Initially, it was reported that the censor board rejected the promo of the film and the filmmakers had to approach the revising committee.
Then the board demanded deletions of words - like "sabse" from the dialogue "duniya ki sabse khatarnak jagah Kashmir" (the world's most dangerous place Kashmir) and also "farji" from "farji elections" (bogus elections).
"When troubles like these happen, one gets irritated, angry, annoyed, frustrated on the hypocrisy and multiple standards that our government and our censor board have," he said.
"Either you fight that or you live with that. If you want to live with that then you should not make films like 'Lamhaa'. But if you want to make a film like 'Lamhaa', be prepared for it and that's what we are doing," he added.
Dholakia who earlier made "Parzania", a film against the backdrop of the Gujarat riots, said that when you make sensitive films you have to be ready to deal with problems.
"From 'Parzania' I've learnt that the moment you get into a film with a sensitive topic, you should expect trouble."
"That was one of the main reasons for making 'Lamhaa' as a commercial venture with big stars and a big production house so that even if something happens, eventually the film will get picked by someone and be released."
"Lamhaa" stars Bipasha Basu, Sanjay Dutt, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher in pivotal roles.
Why did he choose Bipasha to play a Kashmiri girl, even though her look is very unlike one?
"There were many reasons to cast Bipasha in that role. I needed someone who could give time, who could battle both internal and external conflicts of the character and someone who was brave enough to come to the valley and shoot. She was the one who did that," he revealed.
Apart from "Lamhaa", Dholakia is working on a film called "Society" which stars Dimple Kapadia, Om Puri, Seema Biswas and Paresh Rawal, among others.
"We finished shooting in April. It is a satire on society…It is a less stressful, lighter, hopefully non-controversial film," he informed.
The director is also working on a legal drama, which is being produced by B.R. Films.
(Ruchika Kher can be contacted at ruchika.k@ians.in)

'Lamhaa' is about the turmoil in Kashmir Valley (IANS Preview)

Monday, July 12, 2010 10:58:33 AM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
New Delhi, July 12 (IANS) The timing couldn't be more coincidental. National Award-winning director Rahul Dholakia's film on Kashmir "Lamhaa" comes just at a time when the state is facing a crisis following violent protests over the killing of youths in police firing.
Produced by GS Entertainment and distributed by PVR Pictures, the movie set in Kashmir releases Friday. It stars Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher.
"It is a film that is pro-humanity, a film that makes you think…'Lamhaa' is different from other films made on the plight of Kashmiris… It is from the point of view of the people of Kashmir," Dholakia had told IANS.
"The reason why I decided to make a film on the (Kashmir) valley was that during one of the screenings of 'Parzania', I met a few Kashmiri students. They said Kashmir is a beautiful prison. That's something that caught my attention," said Dholakia, who earlier made "Parzania", a film set against the backdrop of the 2002 riots in Gujarat.
In "Lamhaa", Vikram (Sanjay), a retired paracommando, is sent to the valley to eliminate Pasha, the man controlling the mayhem in Kashmir. But little does he know that what would be an in-and-out operation will change his life and that of the Kashmiris forever.
Pasha's on ground network is extremely strong and everyone seems to be an informant. To crack this, Vikram unites with Aziza (Bipasha), who works for an organisation fighting for the freedom of Kashmir.
The intensity of their beliefs and their will to survive all odds creates a special bond between them. Soon they find themselves embarking together on a journey full of intrigue, suspicion and betrayal.
Kunal Kapoor plays a young politician in the film.
With hope as the basis of existence in Kashmir, the movie questions if wisdom would prevail in the valley, so that the Kashmiris are not crucified in the crossfire of politics.
Not many know that Karisma Kapoor was earlier chosen to play the female lead in the film, but she opted out in the last minute because she feared shooting in the troubled valley. Bipasha, Ameesha Patel and Sonam Kapoor were then considered for the same role, which landed in the Bengali beauty's kitty.
Bipasha fled from the valley during shooting fearing the agitation in the valley. But she resumed shooting with tightened security.
Dholakia, however, emphasised that there were no problems while filming in the valley.
"We faced no problems in Kashmir. Omar (Abdullah), the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, is my friend and he provided us with full security. Also there was full support from the people," he said.
After his sensitive handling of the Gujarat riots in "Parzania", expectations are high from Dholakia's film on Kashmir as well.

'Lamha' about Kashmiris, not government: Rahul Dholakia

Thursday, June 03, 2010 11:16:23 PM by IANS ( Leave a comment )
Colombo, June 3 (IANS) National Award winning director Rahul Dholakia Thursday said his film "Lamha" depicts the travails of Kashmiris living in the state, not the government's view-point.
"'Lamha' is different from other films made on the plight of Kashmiris. This film is not from the point of view of the government or the politicians, it is from the point of view of the people of Kashmir," Dholakia told reporters here.
Dholakia was present at an event organized at the International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) weekend along with the star cast of the film including Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Kunal Kapoor and Anupam Kher among others.
Asked who does the film favours on the Kashmir issue - India or Pakistan, the director, who has made critically acclaimed film "Parzania" in the past, said: "It is not anti-India or pro-Pakistan and vice versa. It is a film that is pro-humanity, a film that makes you think."
"Lamha" focuses on how the people and the army in Kashmir face terrorism and deal with it.
Dholkia was also quizzed about the controversies surrounding the film and the news about the film getting into trouble in Kashmir, but he gave a diplomatic answer.
"We faced no problems in Kashmir. Omar (Abdullah), the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir is my friend and he provided us with full security. Also there was full support from the people," he said.

'Lamha' will depict Kashmir's pain, says director Dholakia

Wednesday, November 05, 2008 8:29:08 PM by IANS ( Leave a comment )

He said that his movie, which stars Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu and Anupam Kher, would be a "pro-Kashmir film". The director added that he fully understood the humiliation and the pain the locals suffered when non-resident troopers asked them for identity proof.
"I have met a senior separatist leader and many people here and I have assured them that my film will portray Kashmir in its true perspective.
"I have been to a village called Dardpora where hundreds of widows still wait with photographs of their husbands and sons to return home. All that will be there in my film," Dholakia said.
The shooting of Dholakia's film had run into rough weather here. Kashmiri fruit traders last week intervened to stop the shooting at the fruit market as they feared the movie might portray them in bad light.
On Monday, students of a college in south Kashmir's Anantnag district took exception to some of the portions being shot inside the campus premises and the principal then asked the film crew to withdraw.
On Wednesday too, the film's shoot was interrupted by a few people while they were filming in uptown Maharaja Bazaar area.
Dholakia has earlier made the critically acclaimed film "Parzania" about a boy who went missing in the 2002 Gujarat communal violence.

Parzania

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Parzania
Directed by	Rahul Dholakia
Produced by	Rahul Dholakia Kamal Patel
Written by	David N. Donihue Rahul Dholakia
Starring	Naseeruddin Shah Sarika Corin Nemec Raj Zutshi Parzan Dastur
Music by	Zakir Hussain Taufiq Qureshi
Cinematography	Robert D. Eras
Editing by	Aarif Sheikh
Distributed by	PVR Pictures
Release date(s)	26 November 2005 (film festival) 26 January 2007 (theatrical)
Running time	122 min
Country	USA India
Language	English Gujarati Parsi
Budget	US$ 700,000[1]

Parzania (translation: Heaven and hell on earth^[2]) is a 2007 Indian drama film co-written and directed by Rahul Dholakia; David N. Donihue is the other co-writer. The film featured Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika in the lead roles, while Corin Nemec and Raj Zutshi played supporting roles. Made on a budget of US$ 700,000,^{[citation needed]} the film was shot in Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.

The film is inspired by the true story of a 10 year old Parsi boy, Azhar Mody, essayed in the film as Parzaan Pithawala in the film, who disappeared after the February 28, 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre, during the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002 in 69 people were killed. ^[3] The film traces the journey of the Pithawala family while trying to locate their missing son. The film only portrays a subplot during the riots, not the entire riots. But, since the film earned publicity as one based on the riots, it was criticized for showcasing only the Hindu attacks, while ignoring the Muslim retaliation and certain reviews termed it pro-Muslim.^[4][5] Moreover, the film doesn't portray the Godhra train attack, and is only heard as piece of news from the radio. But, the perceived bias was because the plot only required the Hindu attacks to be shown.

The film was premiered at 36th India International Film Festival in Goa on 26 November 2005, before being released nationwide on 26 January 2007.^[6]

Contents [hide] 1 Plot 2 Production 3 Awards 4 Cast 5 References 6 External links

[edit] Plot

Allan (Corin Nemec), an American, arrives in Ahmedabad searching for answers, to find internal peace and to understand the world and his troubled life. He choses India as his school and Gandhi as his subject of his thesis. It is here that he meets the Pithawala family — Cyrus (Naseeruddin Shah), his wife Shernaz (Sarika), son Parzan (Parzan Dastur) and daughter Dilshad (Pearl Barsiwala). The Pithawalas being Parsis follow Zoroastrianism. Through them and the teachings of an Gandhian, Allan starts to find peace of mind.

The Godhra incident happens wherein 58 Hindu religious piligrims are supposedly burnt alive by a Muslim mob.^[7] As a reaction to this incident, communal riots ensue shortly thereafter wherein Muslims were attacked by Hindu mobs,^[8] followed by Muslim attack on Hindus.^[9] Amidst these riots, 10 year-old Parzan disappears. Cyrus, Shernaz and Dilshad manage to escape the carnage. In the aftermath of the riots, Cyrus searches for his missing child while fighting for his own sanity. While assisting the Pithawalas in their search, Allan battles to uncover the reason behind the riots in an effort to try and make some sense of the incident. People start to question government's official explanation of the incident which downplays any conspiracy. As a result, a Human Rights Commission is formed. Through the commission, several witnesses and victims testify against the indifference of the police to protect them from the rioters. The film ends with a dedication to the victims of communal violence.

[edit] Production

In the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat, Los Angeles-based director Rahul Dholakia faced a personal tragedy. The riots left his friend's family shattered and this left an indelible mark on him. It hurt him all the more because the incidents happened in his home state. He felt responsible, both morally and socially, and wanted to speak up as a filmmaker.^[10] Most of the US$ 700,000 budget came from two of his Indian friends in the United States.^[11] Dholakia chose to make the film in English because he thought that communal riots was a global issue. Furthermore, he was unsure whether he could have the film released in India, given the sensitive nature of the film.^[12]

While deciding on the cast, Dholakia said that they were not looking at people's physical appearances. He added:

We didn't want glamorous people to play realistic roles. We've shot the film without any makeup, etc. We needed people who looked believable. So casting did play a major role, and I'm not even talking about the principal cast. Every actor in the film has been auditioned, and that includes people with one line to say or not even that.^[13]

Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah was the first and obvious choice for the film. But Dholakia was very apprehensive about whether Shah would agree to do the film, and if he could pay his remuneration. His latter worry was because the film started out as a very low-budget film. After Dholakia narrated the script to him, Shah said, "I agree in principle, provided we make this sensitively and sensibly."^[13] Shah thought that the film's story needed to be told, and he felt that he had to be part of it. After agreeing to join the cast, Shah did not actively research for his character. Being a parent himself, he felt that it was not difficult for him to emphathize with the family whose son was lost in the riots.^[12] After a 18 years of hiatus, Sarika chose to return to cinema with this film. Since the film dealt with a real and sensitive issue, she felt that Parzania went beyond than being just a film.^[14] Despite facing the camera after a long gap, Sarika felt quite comfortable during the shooting.^[15]

Shortly thereafter, Shah, Sarika and Dholakia went through the script in great detail. Owing to their screen and real-life experiences, Shah and Sarika suggested changes and revised the script several times.^[13]

Because the film was about communal riots in Gujarat, the film was purposefully not released in Gujarat, as the cinema owners refused to screen it fearing backlash.^[16][17][18]

[edit] Awards

2006 National Film Awards (India)

• Won - Silver Lotus Award - Best Actress - Sarika
• Won - Golden Lotus Award - Best Direction - Rahul Dholakia

2008 - Screen Awards

• Won - Ramnath Goenka Memorial Award^[19]

[edit] Cast

• Naseeruddin Shah - Cyrus
• Corin Nemec - Allan
• Sarika - Shernaz
• Parzan Dastur
• Pearl Barsiwalla
• Raj Zutshi
• Asif Basra
• Pushpendra Saini
• Ram Gopal Bajaj

[edit] References

1. ^ Chu, Henry (2007-02-25). "Film about massacre banned in India state". The Los Angeles Times (San Francisco Chronicle). http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2007/02/25/MNGGKOAR6A1.DTL&type=politics. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
2. ^ "Heaven & Hell On Earth - Overview". Allmovie. http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:343140. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
3. ^ "Apex court SIT submits report on Gulbarg Society massacre". The Hindustan Times. May 14, 2010. http://www.hindustantimes.com/Apex-court-SIT-submits-report-on-Gulbarg-Society-massacre/Article1-543728.aspx. 
4. ^ http://www.spicevienna.org/showMovieReviews.php?m=11
5. ^ http://www.writingcave.com/my-take-on-parzania/
6. ^ Kamath, Sudhish (2005-12-03). "Turnout spells success for IFFI". The Hindu. http://www.hindu.com/2005/12/03/stories/2005120303661300.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
7. ^ [1]^{[dead link]}
8. ^ Christophe Jaffrelot (July 2003), "Communal Riots in Gujarat: The State at Risk?" (PDF), Heidelberg Papers in South Asian and Comparative Politics (South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg) (17), http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/volltexte/2003/4127/pdf/hpsacp17.pdf 
9. ^ Attacks on Hindus,Human Rights Watch
10. ^ Sen, Raja (2006-08-30). "Parzania director: 2006's National award winner?". Rediff.com. http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/30rahul.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
11. ^ Sengupta, Somini (2007-02-20). "In India, Showing Sectarian Pain to Eyes That Are Closed". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/20/movies/20parz.html?_r=3&oref=slogin. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
12. ^ ^{a b} Banerjee, Poulomi (2007-01-24). "Being Cyrus and Shernaz". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070124/asp/calcutta/story_7303025.asp. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
13. ^ ^{a b c} Sen, Raja (2006-08-31). "Will Parzania reach theatres?". Rediff.com. http://in.rediff.com/movies/2006/aug/31rahul.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
14. ^ Mathur, Barkha (2007-08-09). "'I've matured over the years'". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2266215.cms. Retrieved 2009-02-25. 
15. ^ Nair, Suresh (2004-07-22). "18 saal baad...". Times News Network (The Times of India). http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/786451.cms. Retrieved 2009-02-25. 
16. ^ "Flicker of hope for Parzania in Gujarat". Times News Network (The Times of India). 2007-01-28. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ahmedabad/Flicker_of_hope_for_Parzania_in_Gujarat/articleshow/1489796.cms. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
17. ^ "Parzania director's offer to Gujarat exhibitors". The Hindu. 2007-02-03. http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/03/stories/2007020317621100.htm. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
18. ^ Sharma, Radha (2007-02-03). "Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!Gujarat will see Parzania if Bajrangi says OK!". The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ahmedabad/Gujarat_will_see_Parzania_if_Bajrangi_says_OK/articleshow/1559020.cms. Retrieved 2009-02-22. 
19. ^ 'Rahul Dholakia' Wins Ramnath Goenka Memorial Award IndiaGlitz, 11 January 2008.

[edit] External links

• Parzania at the Internet Movie Database
• Parzania at Allmovie

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parzania"

Categories: 2007 films | Drama films | Films based on actual events | English-language films | English-language Indian films | Indian films | India art films | Films set in India | Films featuring a Best Actress National Award winning performance | Religious violence in India