South Asia shined at the globally acclaimed Toronto International Film Festival.
It was another full slate for India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival with entries featuring the star-studded likes of Malala Yousafzai, Dev Patel and Irrfan Khan, among many other intriguing talents. Here are our thoughts on the South Asian presence at TIFF 2015.
Just Married director Meghna Gulzar jumps genres with this gritty, grounded dramatization of the infamous 2008 Noida double murder case, in which two married physicians were convicted of killing their teenaged daughter. Employing a style reminiscent of iconic 1950 Japanese film Roshomon, Gulzar and screenwriter Vishal Bhardwaj present three separate versions of how the homicide might have played out, making for a uniquely intriguing true-crime yarn anchored by yet another quietly engaging performance from the incomparable Irrfan Khan as the case’s lead investigator.
TIFF favourite Deepa Mehta returns to the festival that helped launch her career back in 1991 with what can only be described as a drastic departure from her usual oeuvre. A Vancouver-set gangster saga, Beeba Boys centres on rising underworld power player Jeet Johar (Randeep Hooda) and his gang of “good boys”, as they battle a rival crime boss for control of the city. At its best, the film is a kinetic blend of slick action scenes and quippy dialogue.
Davis Guggenheim (An Inconvenient Truth) turns his probing gaze upon one of the most inspiring figures of our time. Based partially on Malala Yousafzai’s bestselling memoir, I Am Malala, this strikingly shot documentary devotes plenty of time to its subject’s courageous, near-fatal battle with oppressive Taliban forces in Pakistan. But, indeed, the most moving bits find Guggenheim at home with Malala and her family, giving us a glimpse at the ordinary teenaged girl behind the freedom fighter. It’s a tender, nuanced portrait that, in its way, is just as inspiring as her impassioned speeches.
A group of old friends (Sarah Jane-Dias, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Sandhya Mridul, Anushka Manchanda, Amrit Maghera, Rajshri Deshpande and Pavleen Gujral) reunite at one of their family homes for a girls getaway, where one of them unleashes a surprising secret. Billed as India’s first-ever female-driven buddy comedy, director Pan Nalin’s film is a largely improvised affair, with the stars riffing on a whole host of subjects that impact women in the country today — from sexism to gay rights to oppressive husbands. The film is a bit rough around the edges, with some off-the-cuff sequences falling flat, but for the most part, the actresses display an infectious chemistry. Moreover, their journey is punctuated by a third-act twist that transforms Angry Indian Goddesses from a pleasantly breezy watch to a truly unforgettable experience — as evidenced by the fact that it finished second in the voting for TIFF’s vaunted People’s Choice Award.
Earlier this year, French helmer Jacques Audiard wowed audiences at Cannes with this quietly affecting tale of a Sri Lankan soldier (Antonythasan Jesuthasan) who partners up with a 20-something woman (Kalieaswari Srinivasan) and a young orphan (Claudine Vinasithamby) to pose as a family and seek asylum in France. It’s a deliberately paced journey, to be sure, as the three characters struggle to adapt to life in a strange new world and recover from the trauma of their old one. But the collection of understated, deeply relatable moments of human connection capped off by an unexpectedly pulse-pounding final act make Dheepan an uncommonly rich piece of filmmaking.
Director Leena Yadav’s latest film centres on four women (Tannishtha Chatterjee, Radhika Apte, Surveen Chawla and Lehar Khan) living in a rural Indian village who each, in their own way, begin to question the life of servitude they are living and, indeed, passing on to the next generation. Described by its director as a sort of Sex and the Village, the film is being pegged by critics as an equal parts harrowing and inspiring exploration of an oppressive existence still endured by far too many women in South Asia.
Dev Patel brings to life Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan in director Matthew Brown’s film. The biopic tracks the groundbreaking advances its subject made while working at England’s Cambridge University under curmudgeonly mentor G.H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons), overcoming his humble beginnings and the racism of his colleagues to make his mark on history. Critical consensus: an important, inspiring story told in a disappointingly safe, straightforward fashion.
*Check out his interview with ANOKHI PULSE TV about the roster of TIFF movies that he thinks we should watch. Check it out below…
Main Image Photo Credit: TIFF
Amrit Maghera, Angry Indian Goddesses, Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Anushka Manchanda, Beeba Boys, Cannes, Claudine Vinasithamby, Davis Guggenheim, Deepa Mehta, Dev Patel, Dheepan, Documentary, Guilty, He Named Me Malala, I Am Malala, Irrdan Khan, Jacques Audiard, Jeremy Irons, Kalieaswari Srinivasan, Leena Yadev, Lehar Khan, Malala Yousafzai, Matthew Brown, Meghna Gulzar, Noida Double Murder, Pan Nalin, Parched, Pavleen Gujral, Radhika Apte, Randeep Hooda, Rasjshri Deshpande, Sandhya Mridul, Sarah Jane-dias, Surveen Chawla, Talvar, Tannishtha Chatterjee, The Man Who Knew Infinity, Tiff 2015, Toronto International Film Festival, Vishal Bhardwaj
Matthew Currie
Author
A long-standing entertainment journalist, Currie is a graduate of the Professional Writing program at Toronto’s York University. He has spent the past number of years working as a freelancer for ANOKHI and for diverse publications such as Sharp, TV Week, CAA’s Westworld and BC Business. Currie ...
COMMENTS
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
-
12 South Asian Female Artists Who Are Changing Hollywood's Landscape
-
Transitional Representation of South Asian Women in The World of Entertainment
-
Hot February 2024 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
How Jesse "Punjabi Timbit" Singh Explores Emotional Healing Through His Comedy
-
Rukus Avenue Radio, The World's #1 South Asian Radio Station, Joins The iHeartRadio App
-
From Silent Frames To Global Fame: Key Moments That Shaped Bollywood
-
Hot January 2024 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Kerala Actor Santhy Balachandran Celebrates Her Three Incredible Releases In 2023
-
Hot December 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
The Real Reason Why Bollywood Directors Love English In Their Titles
-
Diwali Dance Fest Makes History at Walt Disney World® Resort!
-
TIFF 2023: Deepa Mehta and Sirat Taneja Share Why 'I Am Sirat’ Is The Transgender Story To Be Told
-
The International South Asian Film Festival 2023 (iSAFF) Wraps With A Celebration Of Outstanding Global South Asian Pathbreakers
-
TIFF 2023: 'We Grown Now' Director Minhal Baig Shares With Us Why Neighbourhood Stories Should Be Told
-
Event Alert: BMO International Film Festival Of South Asia Toronto (IFFSA) Is Every Filmi Lover's Dream
-
TIFF 2023: ‘The Queen of My Dreams’ Reigns Over TIFF With Style, Wit And Heart
-
The 21st Indian Film Festival Of Los Angeles (IFFLA) Returns With A Bang!
-
Brendan D'Souza Will Never Cheat On Their One True Love (Stand Up!)
-
Event Alert: South Asian Global Cinema Takes Centre Stage At The International South Asian Film Festival
-
Diwali Comes Alive At Walt Disney World With The First Ever Diwali Dance Fest
-
TIFF 2023: 11 South Asian Films Coming To The Toronto International Film Festival
-
Hot September 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Singers Karan Aujla & Jonita Gandhi Sign On To Warner Music Canada/India's Label '91 North Records'
-
4 Ways Alia Bhatt Steals The Show In The Hot Netflix Film "Heart Of Stone"
-
Priyanka And Nick Jonas Get Ready For The Jonas Brothers' Tour At Yankee Stadium!
-
Hot August 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
5 Reasons Why You Should Watch “Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani”
-
JFL Exclusive: How Comedian Zarna Garg Showed Kevin Hart That Brown Women Can Be Funny Too
-
JFL Exclusive: Award-Winning Podcast Comedian Maddy Kelly Is The Next Gen Star
-
Hot July 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Event Alert: “Mughal-E-Azam: The Musical" Kicks Off Canadian Tour With Upcoming Toronto Stop
-
#ANOKHI20: The ANOKHI Emerald Ball Was The Perfect Grand Finale To ANOKHI’s 20th Anniversary Celebrations
-
Pride 2023: 10 Bollywood Films That Honour Our Desi LGBTQIA+ Family
-
Hot Summer Films From Bollywood And Beyond!
-
Review: 'Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story' Is For The Ones Who Love Love!
-
Pamela Mala Sinha's Latest Play "NEW" Breathes Fresh Life Into Our Parents' Immigrant Story
-
Dilpreet Bhattal Proved Her Mettle On CBC's "Canada's Ultimate Challenge"
-
Here's Why You Can't Miss The 12th South Asian Film Festival Of Montréal
-
The First Ever South Asian House At SXSW Made All Sorts Of History
-
Hot April 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond
-
'Canada's Got Talent' Judge Lilly Singh Wants Us To Get Ready To Be Amazed
-
Don't Miss Out On The 10th Annual Mosaic International South Asian Film Festival
-
Oscars 2023 Highlights: How Our South Asian Stars Took Over Tinseltown
-
Hot March 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond
-
Ali Hassan Shares Comedic Life Lessons In His Memoir “Is There Bacon In Heaven?”
-
Nisha Pahuja Follows A Father's Search For Justice In Her Latest Doc "To Kill A Tiger"
-
From South India to LA, R&B Star Malavika Is Set Sizzle In 2023!
-
CBC's "Bollywed" Spotlights Chandan Fashion's Iconic Family Bridal Business
-
Hot February 2023 Films From Bollywood And Beyond
-
Is Mindy Kaling A Self-Hating South Asian?
-
The Harry & Meghan Drama: What Would Happen If They Were Desi?
-
Star Rakhee Morzaria Dishes On Season 2 Of CBC Sitcom “Run The Burbs”