TORONTO TIFF does it again: INDIAN PREMIERES

Still from Ship of Theseus by Anand Ghandi

Next September's Toronto International Film Festival 2012 is again interested in what happens in this side of the cinema world. Voicing its approval of contemporary Indian cinema by adopting Bombay as its Spotlight City for the festival's "City to City" programmes, this year's TIFF showcases ten new films from Bombay. Several of these releases are world premieres while some will be North American premieres. The lineup is:

Gangs of Wasseypur – Part One and Part Two  by Anurag Kashyap
Starring Manoj Bajpayee, Richa Chadda and Reema Sen.

While Part One of Anurag Kashyap’s much awaited gangster saga has premiered in Cannes and New York, Toronto will see Part Two as a North American premiere. Gangs of Wasseypur tells the story of a bloody war between two mafia clans at the time of India's struggle towards independence. Indian audiences are eagerly expecting its release next week while its trailer does the rounds of several TV channels.

Ship of Theseus by Anand Gandhi
Starring Aida El-Kashef, Sohum Shah and Neeraj Kabi

Another debut feature film is delivered by the hands of Anand Gandhi, who has received great applause as a playwright. Gandhi opens a window into the lives of three Mumbaikars: a monk, a blind photographer and a stockbroker with a heightened sense of justice.

Miss Lovely by Ashim Ahluwalia  

Starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Niharika Singh and Anil George

Deep, dark, dramatic. Miss Lovely depicts the sex-horror film industry of  Bombay's 1980s. Cinematography, casting and the unusual choice of topic make it an interesting and intriguing option, apart from the fact that it was very well received in Cannes and that it stars an excellent actor such as Nawazzudin Siddiqui (who also stars in Kashyap's Gangs of Wasseypur).

Shanghai by Dibakar Banerjee

Starring Abhay Deol and Kalki Koechlin

Through an adaptation of Vassilis Vassilikos' Z, the director of Love Sex aur Dhokla delivers a paced and exciting political drama.   

Shahid by Hansal Mehta 

Starring Raj Kumar, Prabhleen Sandhu and Baljinder Kaur.
Shahid revisits the life of lawyer Shahid Azmi, who was murdered in 2010 after being involved in the defense of human rights. A fascinating story of a young Muslim boy who became a symbol later in his life.

Mumbai Cha Raja by Manjeet Singh 

Starring Rahul Bairagi, Arbaaz Khan and Tejas Parvatkar.
Young Rahul and Arbaaz live in the streets of Bombay finding ways to make their existence more tolerable while Rahul searches a way to reclaim his dignity by "taking care" of his violent father.

Peddlers by Vasan Bala 

Starring Gulshan Devaiah and Siddharth Mennon.

A directorial debut for Vasan Bala, Peddlers is a pulsating thriller that brings together the lives of three improbable characters in Bombay's underworld. 

Ishaqzaade by Habib Faisal 

Starring Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra

Action with a quirky edge, the love story between both protagonists has won accolades for delivering a different mainstream film.

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The Bright Day by Mohit Takalkar 

Starring Mohan Agashe, Radhika Apte and Shernaz Patel

Following the spiritual journey of a young man across India, images tell a soul's coming of age.

Consult the TIFF City to City programme 2012 for more information.