IFFI-2008 - International Film Festival of India
IFFI-2008 - International Film Festival of India
IFFI-2008 - International Film Festival of India
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FILM COMPETITION INDIA WORLDWIDE<br />
WORLD PREMIERE<br />
<strong>IFFI</strong>-<strong>2008</strong><br />
<strong>India</strong><br />
Barah Aana<br />
<strong>2008</strong>, Super 16, Colour, 97 mins, Hindi, some English<br />
Director<br />
Raja Menon<br />
Screenplay<br />
Raj Kumar Gupta<br />
Cinematography<br />
Priya Seth<br />
Editor<br />
Hemanti Sarkar<br />
Music<br />
Shri<br />
Sound<br />
Debasish Mishra<br />
Cast<br />
Naseeruddin Shah (Driver), Vijay Raaz (Watchman), Arjun<br />
Mathur (Waiter), Violante Placido, Tannishtha Chatterjee,<br />
Jayati Bhatia, Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal, Benjamin Gilani<br />
Production<br />
Bandra West Pictures<br />
Inquiries<br />
Raj Yerasi<br />
Email: ryerasi@post.harvard.edu<br />
The <strong>India</strong>n Diaspora film has developed beyond observing <strong>India</strong>ns adapting to another<br />
homeland. Today, young directors also see the Diaspora as a phenomenon within <strong>India</strong>.<br />
Due to globalisation, modern middle-class luxuries have arrived and foreigners are<br />
coming to <strong>India</strong> in search <strong>of</strong> opportunity, even while the shantytowns look on. This film<br />
investigates how people from these different worlds relate to each other. Featuring a<br />
talented ensemble cast, Barah Aana is a crime drama set in modern-day Mumbai. Its<br />
action thread revolves around three friends: a driver, a watchman and a waiter.<br />
Misfortune befalls the watchman and chance events push him into a kidnapping that<br />
provides him with the funds he needs. Discovering a new sense <strong>of</strong> confidence, and<br />
having found a seemingly low-risk way to make good money, he entices the others to<br />
join him in a series <strong>of</strong> such kidnappings. Making the leap into committing such brazen,<br />
formerly unthinkable crimes breaks their acceptance <strong>of</strong> the status quo. Italian actress<br />
Violante Placido plays the part <strong>of</strong> a young woman who becomes the waiter's love interest<br />
and inadvertently changes the course <strong>of</strong> the three friends' lives.<br />
Kerala-born Raja Menon graduated with a BSc degree in Chemistry from Bangalore<br />
University before he entered film production. From 1993 to 1995, he collaborated with<br />
director Sanjiv Khamgaonkar at his Mumbai-based advertising production company,<br />
Looking Glass, as first assistant director, and from 1995 as the company's editor. From<br />
1995 to 1997, Menon directed TV commercials while assisting and editing the late<br />
director Mukul Anand. Since 1997, Raja has directed and produced over 175 TV<br />
commercials for some <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong>'s top consumer brands. He was awarded "Best Direction"<br />
at the <strong>India</strong>n Advertising National Awards in 2000 for a national public service campaign<br />
on cancer awareness. In 2002-2003, Menon co-wrote, directed, and co-produced the<br />
independent Hindi-language feature film Bas Yun Hi (Just Like That). This is his second<br />
feature film.<br />
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