The passing of Shashi Kapoor has robbed the world of one of the most delightful smiles in the world, one of the most loved faces in the Hindi film industry. There may have been more dashing heroes, more powerful muscle-bound anti-heroes, more adept dancers but for his teenage fans he will always be the ‘Ingle Mingle Heartthrob’ a moniker given to him because of his toothy smile which only added to his adorable persona.
Browsing: James Ivory
In the 60’s this bitter-sweet story about changing times and a changing India became a screenplay by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala and was made into ‘Shakespearewallah’ – a winsome little gem of a film by the intrepid team of James Ivory and Ismail Merchant – just their second venture after ‘The Householder’.
The New York Indian Film Festival, organized by the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) has always prided itself on being about real people, ordinary people, and at the cinematic table there’s room for stories from every kind of independent film maker, in every format and in every regional language.
I’m always amazed by the passion India evokes in those who visit her. I’ve met people in New York elevators and on the streets whose eyes light up when they hear you are from India. All of them have love stories to relate, wonderful anecdotes about what the country means to them. In the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, people everywhere have expressed their solidarity with the city and the country, showing their caring in many different ways.