Sparsh

Pankaj Sikka— an LA-based IT entrepreneur who wrote under the pseudonym “ Oz ”—started PassionForCinema.com (PFC) at a time when blogging was still relatively unknown in the Indian movie industry, and the site quickly grew from a founder-led initiative into a much larger, constantly active online cinema community. Contemporary reporting described PFC as an online group where geography felt meaningless and the “chemistry” came from a potent mix of cinema obsession and industry talk, with participation spanning India and NRIs across time zones and the site humming with activity round the clock.  PFC was not just a movie review site. It was an open space where people could freely share opinions, argue, and discuss films. PFC gave film fans a place to talk seriously about movies, and for many people it helped them get more deeply interested in filmmaking and film culture. filmmakers and film personalities use the platform to talk up their work or spark discussion around it: Shivaji Cha...

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of  PassionForCinema.com , a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts. This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving, historical significance, and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Rk, who published the post on June 22, 2007 at 6:42 am Amrish Puri:   Birth  – 22nd June 1932,  Death  – 12 January 2005 What was contribution of  Amrish Puri  in Hindi films, can be understood by the fact that if someone who has been watching hindi films regularly and if he closes his eyes then he will be able to recall at least 20-25 films where he liked  Amrish Puri  very much. This is a fantastic achievement which very few actors can get. Remembering him and his films are chain reactions. Recall his  Hum Panch  and it will lead to  Ashanti  or  Saja-e-Kala Pani  or snake charme...

24 जुलाई 2015 के दिन रिलीज़ हुई एक बहुत ख़ास फ़िल्म। आज दस साल पूरे हो गए मसान के। ये बहुत प्यारी फ़िल्म है। और बहुत ज़रूरी फ़िल्म भी है। नीरज घायवान ने इस फ़िल्म को डायरेक्ट किया था। और वरुण ग्रोवर ने कहानी और गीत लिखे थे। मसान का संगीत इंडियन ओशन बैंड द्वारा रचित है, जो अपनी फ्यूजन शैली के लिए जाना जाता है। सबसे पहले, वरुण जी और नीरज जी ग़ज़ब गुरु! कोटि कोटि प्रणाम! मसान शब्द का शाब्दिक अर्थ है "श्मशान"। यह वह स्थान है जो मृत्यु और अंतिम संस्कार से जुड़ा होता है, और यह जीवन के अनश्वर होने का प्रतीक भी माना जाता है। फिल्म "मसान" बनारस के जीवन और मृत्यु के बीच समाज की दो अलग-अलग कहानियों को बताती है और सामाजिक जटिलताओं को दर्शाती है। पर बनारस ही क्यों? बनारस, जहां मृत्यु केवल शोक नहीं है, यह एक उत्सव है और मसान विश्रामस्थली मानी जाती है। मसान की गोद में एक ज़िंदा थकान। जब ज़िंदगी थका दे, तो मसान ही आरामगाह है। यहीं तो चिता की राख से होली मनाई जाती है, जहाँ अंत में भी एक नया आरंभ झलकता है। इस फिल्म में दो मुख्य कहानियां हैं—एक कहानी देवी की है, और दूसरी कहानी दीपक की...

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of PassionForCinema.com, a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts.  Ap un Mithunda! koi shak??   This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving, historical significance, and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Kartik Krishnan who published the post on September 7, 2006 at 6:36 am.  Mithun Charkaborty. A name that makes me lose my self control, makes my blood boil, and my anger go wild. And it's for all the wrong reasons. I have always adored and loved this guy. As a child, I watched more of his movies than Amitabh. He is a person who has taken me into a totally different world of dancing, spy games, and larger-than-life heroism. So the question is, why am I angry at him?It was because I always felt that he had more talent than all the actors of his time. He is one of the rare actors who never got ruffled by Big B and m...

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of PassionForCinema.com , a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts. This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving, historical significance, and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Kartik Krishnan  who published the post on  January 6, 2007 at 4:57 am.  ok ok here is a post that was looooong due …. Here’s a question – Who is the best khan in Bollywood ???? (meaning which one do u love the most) Aamir-Lagaan and DCH being released in the same year might make you think that he is the best. Besides. He also is the ‘thinking Khan’ SRK - yeah …. sure …. Salman – might be without his shirts off and if you are a female(or gay) that is. Saif – post omkara, Saif has achieved a demi-god-ish status… All are good but here’s the khan whose films I look forward to most eagerly…who sadly is not a part of the khan triumva...

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of  PassionForCinema.com , a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts. This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving,  historical significance , and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Arati Raval (Mumbai, India), who published the post on February 14, 2009, at 12:04 a.m.  My comment on the post on February 14th, 2009, 1:18 am.  “You know, this film is for the urban audience.. From, ummm..say 20 – 45 year olds.. Youngsters and family audience.. I am sure they will love it!” Have you heard something like this? Nothing sounds really amiss when you first hear it. But when you give it a thought, it’s a very complicated thing to understand. The questions that come to my mind, amongst others, are: Urban audience? What’s that? Don’t cities have all kinds of people? From age 20 – 40? How do they know teenagers won’t l...

Note: The following post is taken from the archives of  PassionForCinema.com , a much-loved platform for cinema enthusiasts. This is being republished here in the spirit of archiving,  historical significance , and sharing important conversations with the readers who may not have had access to the original site. The author of the post is Oz, who published the post on August 29, 2006, at 12:46 pm.  Movie fanatics have been orphaned today… The man, whose stories many of us grew up listening to, has left us. Forever. Hrishikesh Mukherjee, our dear Hrishi-da, is no more. I am shocked beyond words to say anything except put this news link from Rediff. (thanks VC, Sumeet, Punds) Oh, what a sad, sad day for Hindi Cinema. Here’s a trip down the nostalgic lane that I published on Desi Train , a few weeks ago, when he was first reported to be hospitalized… Hrishikesh Mukherjee (Hrishida to his fans) is critical and was admitted to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital with chronic renal failu...