Indian Gay DVDs

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

YE British Counil screening News - Hindustan Times



Hindustan Times, Mumbai
(please click on image to see full-size view)

British Council screening report and press



The British Council screening event went off fabulously. The film was screened to a jam-packed house (around 180). People were sitting on the steps of the auditorium. And more people kept coming even afterwards who were turned away by British Council organizers (more than 50 people + TV crews were turned away!)

Noted media personalities like Sai Paranjpye, Dolly Thakore, Mona Ambegoankar, Bakul Thacker and many others were there to view the film and join the team for wine and snacks.

The film was well received and appreciated unanimously. Followed by an intensive discussion.
Many complimented the cast and crew for being courageous to work on such a bold subject. There were some apprehensions about the overload of sex and erotica. The director maintained that sex was very much part of sexuality for gay men and cannot be overlooked. Many in the audiece also felt that there was nothing to shy away from ad it was uncomfortable ony because there have been so few images of Indian gay men or any positive realistic representations of them.

Noted filmmaker Sai Paranjpye said she was very happy that Sridhar, who assisted her for couple of years, had made such an interesting film and she said, "I am proud to be his mentor".




Screening at British Council

Hauntingly beautiful Indian gay film

Internationally acclaimed director Sridhar Rangayan screens his new feature 'Yours Emotionally!' at British Council

While gay rights and partnesrship issues are increasingly politicised both in UK and India - the Civil Partnership issue still being debated and discussed in UK and the repeal of Section 377 gathering momentum in India - gay men in both these countries are yet searching for social acceptance and the often elusive factor : LOVE.

Director Rangayan says of his new film, "This is our own Indian Brokeback Mountain; but what was the reality in the US in the 60s is the reality in small town India even now. Gay men are still expected to marry a woman and live a closeted life, hiding their real feelings and passions. It is indeed very tragic. The film is real and naked and may shock quite a few audiences".

'Yours Emotionally!' - an Indo-UK co-prodution raises some of these issues, challenging stereotypes and cultural differences in a sweeping tale of love, passion and emotional catharsis. Ravi, a young British Asian from Leicester comes to small town India and is captivated by a local youth Mani's passion. But he soon discovers that there are unsurmountable barricades to relationships in the form of age-old traditions and social values that are tough to break out of.
Premiered to sold out shows at NewFest (NewYork) and Frameline (San Fransisco) in June, this 'intoxicating queer journey through India' is garnering some very positive reviews : 'A beautiful feverish dream' (Corey Eubanks); 'Reminiscent of early Merchant Ivory films' (Kelly Vance), 'combines avant-garde cinema with Bollywood tropes', 'cross cultural with a modern English tilt'. It will soon be screened at the Sixth Annual IAAC Film Festival in New York.alongwith Bollywood/Hollywood biggies like Umrao Jaan, Namesake and Back Waters ! It further travels to the 'Prague Bollywood Festival' and 'A Million Different Loves?' festivals in Poland and also screens at the Rialto Filmtheater in Amsterdam.

"I am thrilled by the response to the film in the west. Now it remain to be seen how it will be received here in India", says Rangayan, "I am extremely thankful to the British Council for providing a platform to screen our film. British Council understands and upholds Diversity which is also the main theme of our film."

Sridhar Rangayan's earlier short film 'Gulabi Aaina (The Pink Mirror)' on Indian transvestites, which created a stir at the international festival circuit, screening at more than 60 film festivals around the world and winning Jury Award for best Film in New York and France, still remains banned in India by the censor board.

Date: November 1, 2006
Time: 6 pm
Venue: British Council, Nariman Point, Mumbai
Details : www.solarispictures.com/yeinvite.htm