Onir's 'I Am' to open London Asian Film Festival

Director Onir's I Am, a tale of four stories woven together that takes audiences through issues and dilemmas that bruise modern Indian society, will open the 13th London Asian Film Festival, starting on March 18th. Touching upon subjects like sperm donation, child sexual abuse and homosexuality, the film, starring Nandita Das, Juhi Chawla, Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Suri and Rahul Bose, also marks the acting debut of directors Anurag Kashyap and Anurag Basu.

Sanjay and Onir's I Am is an unique film as it has been co-produced by over 400 people from 35 cities across the world and comes to a theatre near you on April 22nd.

Other films to be showcased at the London Asian Film Festival, which ends March 27, are Cooking with Stella, Peepli Live, Gandhi, When Harry Tries to Marry and Pankh.

Source:IANS

Manisha Koirala: Marriage is vastly overrated

Never one to race with the rats, actor Manisha Koirala chooses to maintain her own pace, and divides her time between movies, philanthropy, and, now, her marriage. Two of her films, one in Tamil and the other in Malayalam, are readying release. Despite being rushed off her feet, Manisha takes time out for an interview.

Excerpts:

On the go — Kathmandu, Bangladesh and Mumbai…

Yes, of late, life’s been quite frenetic. I am a public figure, and have various commitments to honour. Besides, I’m aligned to many social issues, and, whenever required, I pitch in to further these causes.

You come from a very politically-connected family. So, is politics on the cards for you?

I’m so not a political human being. But I do want to make a positive difference in the lives of the underprivileged. There’s a lot of political unrest and chaos in Nepal presently, and many pressing issues like human rights and education are getting sidelined. I want to address these problems.

You’d hinted about divorce on a social networking site…

On hindsight, that was an impulsive thing to do. But I do think marriage is vastly overrated. People should marry for the right reasons, and not because they fear being on the shelves forever. I’ve single friends who are extremely happy. To marry out of social pressure or because your biological clock is racing away, or you’re thinking of security in your old age are frivolous reasons to get hitched. I don’t understand this hoo-ha over marriage... maybe it works for some. As of now, Samrat and I are together, and we’re giving this relationship our best shot.

Source:TOI