rediff.com
News APP

NewsApp (Free)

Read news as it happens
Download NewsApp

Available on  gplay

Rediff.com  » Movies » Will THIS film be the next Ship Of Theseus?
This article was first published 11 years ago

Will THIS film be the next Ship Of Theseus?

Last updated on: July 29, 2013 19:07 IST

Image: Irrfan Khan in The Lunchbox

Anand Gandhi's Ship Of Theseus has won plaudits from every critical corner across India, many hailing it as the most powerful film to come out of the country in a very long while. The sheer unanimity of the acclaim has led to audience curiosity and good collections.

Here, then, are 10 other independent films that are waiting to be picked up and thrown into theatres.

Some have been around for a while, some are stuck in legal trouble, some aren't getting distribution deals despite good notices at festivals. But here's hoping they see the light of day soon.

The Lunchbox

Ritesh Batra's film, also called Dabba, stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui.

Produced by Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap, the film -- about people meeting as a result of Mumbai dabbawalahs mixing up their boxes.

It's the first Indian film to be picked up for worldwide distribution by Sony Pictures Classics since Lagaan, and wowed the audiences at Cannes this year. We might already have another huge triumph on our hands.

Peddlers

Image: A still from Peddlers

One of Kashyap's many proteges, Vasan Bala made his directorial debut with the critically-applauded Peddlers.

A crime thriller, the film had its world premiere at Cannes last year, where it was part of the International Critics' Week.

Producer Guneet Monga raised most of the funds for the film by posting the script on Facebook and letting audiences contribute as they wished.

Shahid

Image: Movie poster of Shahid

Another film produced by Anurag Kashyap, Shahid is a biopic of lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was murdered in Mumbai in 2010.

Directed by Hansal Mehta, actor Rajkumar Yadav's performance has been winning much applause.

Tasher Desh

Image: Movie poster of Tasher Desh

Fiercely radical filmmaker Quashik Mukherjee -- known simply as Q -- established his surreal and hardcore filmmaking sensibilities with the explicit Gandu, which is never likely to be released in India with a name like that. (Though you can find it online for official screening, go hunt.)

Q's latest film, Tasher Desh, is the director's quirky adaptation of Rabindranath Tagore's play of the same name.

Miss Lovely

Image: Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Miss Lovely

Director Ashim Ahluwalia's Miss Lovely is a drama set around the C-grade film industry in Mumbai from the 1980s to the 2000s.

By C-Grade, Ahluwalia means the horror and porn movie industry, and the subject naturally offers enough meat.

Michael

Image: Naseeruddin Shah and Mahie Gill in Michael

Ribhu Dasgupta's Michael -- produced by, you guessed it, Anurag Kashyap -- is a dark psychological thriller starring Naseeruddin Shah and Mahie Gill.

There's no word as to when (if?) the 2011 feature will actually hit theatres.

Tera Kya Hoga Johnny

Image: Movie poster of Tera Kya Hoga Johnny

Sudhir Mishra's Tera Kya Hoga Johnny is a 2008 film starring child actor Sikandar and Neil Nitin Mukesh. 

The film about a kid, who sells tea on the streets of Mumbai, was meant to release in 2008, but got delayed. Then when it was finally about to release in 2010, parts of the film were leaked on YouTube.

Audiences still haven't gotten to see Mishra's film even as the director has announced his intent to make a sequel.

Disco Valley

Image: Movie poster of Disco Valley

From iRock Films, the makers of Ragini MMS, comes a film about drugs, partying and the apocalypse.

The film stars Shazahn Padamsee and Rajat Bharmecha, and has reportedly been shot in Thailand, Fiji and Goa. It is said to be a funny film but despite the shooting having been completed a long time ago, the release date is being pushed back constantly.

Mumbai Cha Raja

Image: Movie poster of Mumbai Cha Raja

Directed by first-timer Manjeet Singh, Mumbai Cha Raja is a film about the slum-dwelling kids of Mumbai.

Said to be more like a Salaam Bombay than a Slumdog Millionaire, Singh's film boasts of a good cast of kids and has received good critical notices and praise in festivals abroad.

Patang

Image: Nawazuddin Siddiqui in Patang

A 2011 film that the late Roger Ebert fell completely in love with, Prashant Bhargava's Patang stars Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Sugandha Garg and Seema Biswas.

The film, set around the massive kite-flying festival in Ahmedabad, is a colourful, nuanced drama.

Ebert loved and praised the film massively, but we still haven't had a chance to see it out here.