Director Christopher Nolan has described the film as being “about the world of dreams and the interior of the human mind. It tells the story of Cobb, an agent who has a team of people who have access to a technology that allows them to enter people’s minds through their dreams.” Dramakorean.net

See Trailer below

Zee Cinema Panel Featuring
Paras Chaudhari (Writer and Actor of independent film “Astoria Park”)
Jaideep Balial (VP, Head of Programming at Zee Cinema)
Ami Sheth (rising TV/film actress)
Mon., March 29, 6:15 PM; Miami Science Museum

Sindoor
Directed By: Mangla Bansal
India/Canada, 2009
8 mins, Narrative Short, Color
Mon., March29, 7:30 PM; Miami Science Museum $12
Sindoor is a short dramatic film about a young Indo-Canadian woman’s search to find peace after losing the love of her life in a car accident
World Premiere

Land Gold Women
Directed By: Avantika Hari
India/UK, 2009
Urdu with English subtitles
109 mins, Narrative Feature, Color
Mon., March29, 7:30 PM; Miami Science Museum $12
Tradition and modernity clash in this heartbreaking tale of a loving father who wants what is best for his 17 year old daughter about to finish school. She has a different opinion and soon their worlds are on a collision course.
North America Premiere

Behind Closed Doors
Directed By: Pracheta Sharma & Jessica Hopper
India/USA, 2009
27 mins, Documentary Short, Color
Tues., March 30, 5 PM; Cosford Cinema $12
Live-in nannies and maids are part of a large workforce that is often ignored, underpaid and exploited in the privacy of homes. Caught in a vicious cycle of labor trafficking, a group of South Asian domestic workers is fighting back. These women have only one thing to rely on: themselves.
World Premiere

Delhi Bound to Work
Directed By: Reena Kukreja Starring: Narinder Samra
India, 2009
Hindi & Oriya with English subtitles
58 mins, Documentary Feature, Color
Tues., March 30, 5 PM; Cosford Cinema $12
An intimate look at the lives of rural women migrating to work as
live-in domestic workers in urban centers of India in this sensitive portrayal of the young domestic workers.
World Premiere

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Zee Cinema, renowned for its extensive library of Bollywood films and its expansive reach to South Asian homes around the world, is pleased to announce its “Indian” panel discussion at the 5th Annual Women’s International Film & Arts Festival in Miami, FL.

On Monday, March 29, independent filmmaker and actor Paras Chaudhari and up-and-coming television and film actress Ami Sheth will join Zee Cinema executives in a lively discussion on the history and future of Indian cinema, while examining the evolution of cinematic portrayals of women in India.

“We’re proud to be associated with an event dedicated to celebrating the dreams, visions and voices of women around the world,” says Subroto Bhattacharya, CEO of Zee TV USA, Inc.  “Our partnership with WIFF further solidifies Zee Cinema’s commitment to recognizing, engaging and empowering women in a variety of roles – mothers, sisters, daughters, writers, directors and even actors – to strive to achieve their goals.”

Since co-founding Crescent Street Films, Paras Chaudhari has produced three short films, three web series, and over twenty commercial ad campaigns for clients ranging from Mercedes Benz Fashion Week to the rock group Black Lips.  Rising star Ami Sheth embodies rich non-Hollywood talent, exotic beauty and versatility to each television and film role she undertakes.

“We believe that the images of women in film directly influence how they are perceived, valued and treated in society,” says Yvonne McCormack-Lyons, Executive Director of the Women’s International Film & Arts Festival.  “As the South Asian entertainment network synonymous with providing the “Best of Bollywood” entertainment experience, Zee Cinema is a perfect fit to create ongoing dialogue and debate about women’s roles in film.”

This year’s event will feature the festival’s “WIFF Around the Globe” theme, a nightly celebration focusing on regions of the world: North America, Africa & Its Diaspora, Europe, India, Asia and the Caribbean with films, food, drinks and other cultural components.  In addition, there will be a Celebration of Women Concert/Family Fun Fest featuring Sony Latin America Artists on March 28.

Held during Women’s History Month from March 26 – April 3, the annual festival has evolved from a one-day film showcase in 2005 to its current 9-day program of film exhibits, seminars, and panel discussion of films from across the globe.

Zee Cinema is available on Dish Network across the United States.

In 2009 alone, four films and one television series titled “Karma” were made. Starting with J.L. Freer-Hunt directed 1933 “Karma”, 21 films titled “Karma” have been produced. Beginning with 1912 “The Reincarnation of Karma” (about a snake who is said to resume human form every 100 years) to upcoming 2011 “The Karma Coalition”, there are 61 films whose name includes word “Karma” in it, including “Karma Café”, “Instant Karma”, “Karma Police”, “Karma Bitch”, “Karma Cats”, “Karma Baby”, etc.

There are nine people in entertainment industry whose names somehow have “Karma” attached to it and 68 more who have “Karma” as a part of their names. There have been five characters named “Karma” in movies and two whose name included “Karma”. There are 48 entertainment related companies with “Karma” as part of their names.

Hollywood diva Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls), 23, wrote on social networking service ‘twitter’ sometime back: “i’m all about Karma.. what goes around comes around!”

Hindus have expressed concern over the usage of Hindu terminology loosely in movies and other entertainment industries. Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Hindus welcomed world filmmakers to make films about Hindu subjects but taking Hinduism seriously and respectfully and not reimagining its concepts and symbols just for mercantile greed. “Karma” had definite meaning for devotees and improper usage of such terms was not okay.

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that “Karma”, the web of cause and effect and the rule of universal causality resulting from action, was first commented in ancient Satapatha Brahmana, and now forms one of the basic principles of Hindu philosophy. The sum total of one’s actions, desires, feelings, and thoughts form one’s Karma, which is a cosmic law of debit and credit for good and evil.

Meanwhile, Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening also urged filmmakers to be careful when handling Hinduism concepts and terminology and traditions as insensitive handling resulted in plundering serious spiritual convictions and revered symbols and thus tormenting the devotees.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

Hindus concerned over usage of “Karma” & other concepts loosely in Hollywood

“Karma” is becoming highly popular in Hollywood and other entertainment industries.

In 2009 alone, four films and one television series titled “Karma” were made. Starting with J.L. Freer-Hunt directed 1933 “Karma”, 21 films titled “Karma” have been produced. Beginning with 1912 “The Reincarnation of Karma” (about a snake who is said to resume human form every 100 years) to upcoming 2011 “The Karma Coalition”, there are 61 films whose name includes word “Karma” in it, including “Karma Café”, “Instant Karma”, “Karma Police”, “Karma Bitch”, “Karma Cats”, “Karma Baby”, etc.

There are nine people in entertainment industry whose names somehow have “Karma” attached to it and 68 more who have “Karma” as a part of their names. There have been five characters named “Karma” in movies and two whose name included “Karma”. There are 48 entertainment related companies with “Karma” as part of their names.

Hollywood diva Lindsay Lohan (Mean Girls), 23, wrote on social networking service ‘twitter’ sometime back: “i’m all about Karma.. what goes around comes around!”

Hindus have expressed concern over the usage of Hindu terminology loosely in movies and other entertainment industries. Acclaimed Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Hindus welcomed world filmmakers to make films about Hindu subjects but taking Hinduism seriously and respectfully and not reimagining its concepts and symbols just for mercantile greed. “Karma” had definite meaning for devotees and improper usage of such terms was not okay.

Rajan Zed, who is president of Universal Society of Hinduism, further said that “Karma”, the web of cause and effect and the rule of universal causality resulting from action, was first commented in ancient Satapatha Brahmana, and now forms one of the basic principles of Hindu philosophy. The sum total of one’s actions, desires, feelings, and thoughts form one’s Karma, which is a cosmic law of debit and credit for good and evil.

Meanwhile, Bhavna Shinde of Forum for Hindu Awakening also urged filmmakers to be careful when handling Hinduism concepts and terminology and traditions as insensitive handling resulted in plundering serious spiritual convictions and revered symbols and thus tormenting the devotees.

Hinduism is the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about one billion adherents and moksh (liberation) is its ultimate goal.

~RJ

The award is for her “outstanding contribution to Cinema spanning over three decades”, which will be presented by “Tongues on Fire” film festival in a gala dinner at Sheraton Hotel in Piccadilly area of London (United Kingdom), hosted by British television and film actor Rizwan Ahmed (Shifty).

Her son Filmfare winner Abhishek Bachchan (Dostana) will also be present. Tickets are 150 Pounds (about 10,700 Indian Rupees) plus Value Added Tax.

“Tongues on Fire”, being held in United Kingdom from March 5th  to 14th, 2010, is a film festival dedicated to expressing the drive and spirit of Asian independent media and cinema cultures of South Asia. It provides a unique international platform for Asians working in film and media around the world.

 Jaya Bachchan (Kal Ho Naa Ho), 61, started her career at 15 in legendary Satyajit Ray’s Bengali film “Mahanagar” (1963), acted in about 44 movies and has been producer, writer and Rajya Sabha member. She has received Padma Shri, Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award and has won six Filmfare awards. She is the wife of Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan (Black) and mother-in-law of superstar Aishwarya Rai (Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam). She is an alumnus of Film and Television Institute of India in Pune.

~RJZ

They include: Today’s Special (David Kaplan), Love Aaj Kal (Imtiaz Ali), Cooking With Stella (Dilip Mehta), Diana (Aleem Khan), Scene 32 (Shambhavi Kaul), Talentime (Yasmin Ahmad), and Flying (Kirthi Nath). In addition, the following Indian or India related shorts will participate: Narmeen (Dipti Gogna), Clap Clap (Tanuj Chopra), Anjali (Maya Anand), Kavi (Gregg Helvey), and A Day’s Work (Rajeev Dassani).

The SFIAAFF, presented by Center for Asian American Media (CAAM) every March, is claimed to be the nation’s largest showcase for new Asian American and Asian films, annually presenting approximately 120 works in San Francisco, Berkeley and San Jose in California (USA) since 1982. Chi-hui Yang is Festival Director while Stephen Gong is CAAM Executive Director.

Photocredit: SFIAAFF

Sharpe has previously composed music for Oscar nominated “Firedancer”, John Shea directed “Southie”, and internationally acclaimed documentary “Peace One Day”.

This Warner Bros distributed film, which has won Special Jury Award at WorldFest Houston, was shot in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur, Genting Highlands, Putrajaya), Pakistan (Lahore), and India (Delhi, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu-Kashmir, Maharashtra). This sports-action film; directed by Sanjay Puransingh Chauhan and produced by Vivek Khatkar; stars Aanaahad, Shraddha Das, Farouque Shaikh, and Nafisa Ali.

Lisbeth Scott, whose credits include “Avatar”, “The Passion of the Christ”, “The Chronicles of Narnia”, “and Munich”, is one of the playback singers. Other playback singers include Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Shankar Mahadevan, and Daler Mehndi.

Rehearsals have already started for his “Hiryuden 2010,” the latest production of the “Hiryuden” story. The play will still open as scheduled on February 3rd at the Shinbashi Enbujo. Tsuka has remained active from his sick bed, having his team record practices for him, viewing it in the hospital and providing feedback. In his press release to the media, Tsuka stated rehearsals have become perfect, and he encouraged audiences to enjoy the play.