Gorgeous actress Nandana Sen smiles for The Ravi Report

Films! Hotties! More Films! That’s pretty much what the MIAAC Indian Film Festival was all about recently. Marking ten years of bringing the most incredible Indian films to New York City,  the South Asian  film festival (they introduced “Slumdog Millionaire” to the world by the way) run by the very much-loved and tireless socialite  Aroon Shivadasani and her Indo-American Arts Council  drew new  films, top film stars, directors, producers  and thousands of fans to the SVA Theater in Chelsea, NY where fans and journalists got to mingle & meet with  the rich and famous from Bollywood during the recent week-long festival.

Stunning Padma Laxmi gives a sexy pose for The Ravi Report

 Town cars pulled up  filled with Bollywood stars and famous personalities from the world of television, film and stage to the theater to sold out shows and anxious people waiting hours to see their favorite actor making an entrance to the theater.

 

The opening night red carpet premiere was truly like a scene out of a Bollywood film. Beautiful women(a ton of them!), gorgeous silk and gold saris and handsome actors wearing designer Indian outfits came  to support what Shivadasani has been doing for the past decade. The festival drew some of the biggest stars from film, TV and the world of literature.

 

The opening night film “Shor” (Noise) was screened to a sold out crowd with the main actor Tushar Kapoor and sister/producer Ekta Kapoor in attendance.

 

 Film actor Rahul Bose, who’s star status in India is equivalent to about several A Listers in Hollywood came for the premiere of his amazing new film  “Japanese Wife” , an emotional film about an Indian man married to a Japanese lady but they never meet during the marriage. I’ve known Bose for years and he has always remained as humble and unassuming since the day I first met him.

 

 

“If you do the right kind of cinema, you will get the right kind of audiences,” stated Bose who has been a big advocate of the festival for the past several years.

 

 “I am a big fan of this festival because its off the mainstream radar,” states the award-winning actor with a fan base all over the world. (side bar: during our interview American girls were screaming the actor’s name as he was being interviewed).

 

Bose has been an intricate part of both Bollywood and independent cinema for years. The much in demand actor  has risen from stage to the big screen by carefully selecting roles that have suited him and his talents. His films “English August“, “Everybody Says I’m Fine” and “Before The Rains” (which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2008) have all been box office successes.

 

 In between films, running marathons and representing India in rugby Bose also runs a foundation to help fight against discrimination. Check out his site at www.thefoundation.in

 

With President Obama recently back from his trip from India, I asked the acclaimed actor  what he thought of the trip and its symbolism.

 

“His (Obama) understanding of India deepened as ours did of him,” commented Bose. The actor also said it was truly a wonderful symbolic gesture for the President to stay in the same Mumbai hotel that was attacked by terrorists  two years ago.

 

Festival special guest actor Sendil Ramamurthy, the superstar  from the television series “Heros” and popular film actor,  says Obama’s visit was a step in the right direction for both the US and India.

 

“Getting a permanent placement on the UN Security Council is a great thing for India,” said the actor. Ramamurthy’s was part of the lead in the opening night film “Shor”. Great film by the way folks.

  

 The film festival also brought out well known television stars like “Top Chef” host, model and business woman the gorgeous Padma Laxmi. And folks let me tell you, she is STUNNING and shared with the RR her  views on Obama’s recent  trip to India. Laxmi lives in NY but travels to India frequently for work.

 

“I think Obama’s trip was very successful in so many ways,” stated the beauty. ” The UN Security Council is something that India has wanted for a while so the trip was indeed a success,” added the model. Check out Laxmi’s latest updates on www.padmalaxmi.com.

 

 The opening night also included the screening of the multi-talented  Indian director Mani Ratnam’s film “Raavan” which sold out days before the opening night.

 

Ratnam whose Bollywood films have  made millions, is known for having the “midas” touch when it comes to making movies but says he still gets apprehensive after each film.

 

“People think that once you have a hit movie, its smooth sailing from in on out. But it’s anything but!” comments the director exclusively to The Ravi Report.

 

NY based gorgeous actress Pooja Kumar gets prettier and prettier every time I see her.

 “Pooja,Pooja we love you!” shouted a group of male fans  as she entered the SVA Theater. The sexy and stylish actress spoke about how Indian films are no longer just the “it” factor.

 

“We are here to stay. It’s no longer a curiosity. It’s a full fledge speed ahead,” confidently stated the Indian actress.

 

“Our (Indian)cinema is popular across the world now and people want to be part of it so let’s welcome them in!” smiled the television and  film actress. For more on Kumar check out her amazing website www.poojakumar.com

 

Your heart will definitely  skip a beat when you meet Bollywood actress Nandana Sen. Mine sure did. The stunning & talented actress whose film “Autograph” was being screened during the festival,  spoke about how the event has become a strong platform for the audiences outside of India.

 

“I really like this festival because it gives a chance for people to see Indian independent cinema in a way that they would not have access to.” states the actress. Sen says that the festival supports new filmmakers and give them the much needed platform to showcase their work.

 

Sir. Salman Rashdie has been a long fan of the festival and was one of its biggest supporters from the beginning. He spoke  about the longevity of the film festival.

 

“It was a very small beginning ten years ago and now it’s turned into a large event. You get high quality of films now and the audiences are certainly appreciating it,” stated the world-famous author to The RR.

  

Rushdie also spoke about the importance of the festival. 

 

“It’s a platform for the non-commercial cinema from India and it’s a platform for Indian people in this country,” stated the award-winning author.

  

When you see sexy. You know it. Plain and simple. That’s what hot actress Sarita Choudhury breeds when she walks into a room. Any room.

 

“I waited two hours to see her tonight” stated a young sharply dressed Indian male who told me he has seen all her movies- twice.

  

Choudhury was  very vocal about Obama’s recent trip to India.

 

“How do I get to the White House?” stated the beautiful actress whose film “Mississippi Masala” (1991) is still talked about in the media circles today.

 

“I’m serious. I need to speak to Obama about  so many issues here that   I am dealing with in terms of the misrepresentation of muslims and south asians and the lack of language to talk about these issues to Americans. I feel that we (south asians) are being misrepresented  by lack of information. I want to talk to him about that,” stated the concerned New Yorker.

 

The actress also says that things have changed for South Asians actors- for the good.

 

“I think the difference now is that if you don’t want there to be a barrier, there isn’t one but you have to be super courageous, talented and you really have to know how to act.”

  

 The journey continues…

 

Ravi