The much-awaited New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) which is presented by the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) – a must-see during the summer – is once again coming to town. This time, with the changing times, it is a hybrid model with films being shown by zoom and also in person.
Browsing: Naseeruddin Shah
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.
Aasif Mandvi’s ‘Today’s Special’, which premiered at MIACC Film Festival last year, is now showing at the Tribeca Film Festival and getting a theatrical release on November 19. It is a fun and funny movie which gets you involved in the travails of Samir, a sous cook in New York, who has to find himself and his culinary soul. He is helped in the journey of self discovery by a mystical taxi driver who treats cooking like a beautiful, complex raga. (Naseeruddin Shah digs into this meaty role with relish – he’s utterly believable as the charismatic cabbie, a part of the magic of New York).
What’s cooking with Aasif Mandvi? A whole Indian feast! Well for one, the zany commentator from ‘The Daily Show with Jon Stewart’ has turned chef, worked at Tandoori Palace, found a new love, and even bagged a best actor award.
Sure beats Deep Space Naan!
His brand new movie ‘Today’s Special’ – all about the travails of a sous chef – premiered at the MIAAC, New York’s Indian Film Festival in Manhattan and has been a real crowd pleaser.
“These are amazing, inventive films and it makes MOMA a home for the most vibrant and intelligent cinema coming out of India, and this is a rare privilege.”
Through the powerful voices of the dastangohs the tale came alive; you saw life and death, the grandeur, the sorcery, the parades, the fires and the warfare in your mind’s eye. For two hours the crowd at this sold out show sat riveted, taken quite far away, centuries back, on the wings of a language many of them did not understand.
All this was achieved without a blow being dealt, without a sword being drawn or a match lit – a testament to the story-telling powers of the three dastangohs.