long essay
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vishal bhardwaj, postmodernism & kaminey
Here is a question that seems to provoke a lot of debate even today; is it easier to dismantle and dismiss mainstream cinema whilst feverishly propagating the cause of art and world cinema? Such a situation tends to generate a cannablised cannon of films that subjectively interpret the longings of auteurs through personal, cinephile concerns. Continue reading
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video essays
This page will be updated with video essays. I also have a presence on Vimeo. Lal Salaam! – Naxalite Cinema from Omar Ahmed on Vimeo. A Video Essay on the representation of Naxalism in Indian Cinema from the Past and Present. The Wandering Soul – A Video Essay on Apur Sansar (1959) from Omar Ahmed Continue reading
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the story of ‘Hindie’ cinema: an introduction
This piece was written for The Daily Pioneer in India, titled ‘The Hindie Cinema’ in 2014. The history of independent cinema in India has in the past been an intermittent one, beset by a dearth of funding, insufficient distribution and disinclination by critics to take directors seriously. The most sustained and creative period arose with Continue reading
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reclaiming blade runner from the past
Introduction: Interrogating the Past If Blade Runner (1982/1992/2007) is a film that has been reclaimed from the past then such a modified position does in fact also leave the filmic past behind, reconstructing the film’s new identity as both a cult film and science fiction landmark within a contemporary context. The critical discourse on Blade Continue reading
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parallel cinema : an introduction
With a low budget, no stars and the absence of any songs, Ankur (1973) truly was an unconventional Indian film. Benegal’s social critique even bypassed the newly established FFC for funding, finding an unlikely partner in Blaze, an advertising company with which the director had close ties. With direct access to cinema exhibition across India, Continue reading
Movie Mahal 