The Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week opens tomorrow and between 12 pm and 12 am for the next five days, a bespectacled guy looking forlorn and lost will be seen roaming around in the sprawling Pragati Maidan complex, trying to come to terms with the fact that covering a Fashion Week is not a suitable pastime for those who find nirvana in watching romantic comedies on HBO.
Well, Pakistani singer and composer Faakhir Mehmood is all set to bring out his next album. The popular musician will start production work on his latest project next week. 
Narain, a protege of renowned director Sudhir Mishra, had won critical acclaim for her debut film Kal - Yesterday and Tomorrow in 2005."I've really taken advantage of the format and had a lot of fun with an experimental structure."As for her next feature film, Narain said she is working on the script of a love story.
"It's coming out well. Hopefully we'll finish scripting in a month and be able to move on to the next stage."There's more good news in store for the Narain family. Sibling Ashima's wildlife documentaries - In The Pink (about flamingos in Mumbai) and The Last Dance (about cruelty to sloth bears) - have been aired several times on Discovery channel and are now doing the rounds of various film festivals around the world.
Beginning with a documentary on Amartya Sen, the world-famous economist who won the Nobel Prize in 1998, Ghosh has now moved on to directing feature films.Footsteps has already been to around 10 film festivals worldwide. I was surprised by the overwhelming reaction. It felt nice to find out that certain issues cut across cultures.
Though I had framed the film with respect to a Kolkata background it was pretty universal. It was really satisfying to see people in Canada, Prague and other places react to things the same way.
Footsteps was released in Kolkata in January. Unfortunately in India regional films do not get a release nationwide.You have worked with Nandita Das and Soumitra Chatterjee in your Bengali film. Which actors do you want to work with in the future?
I have no particular targets as far as working with so and so is concerned. It depends on the particular role. I can only say there are actors that I like currently, but as I said it does not necessarily mean that I will cast them and work with them. That said, I think Saif Ali Khan and Konkona are the two actors that are consistently churning out amazing performances. They never cease to amaze me.What project are you working on next?
I am working on an English film next. I can't say anything more about the project now.A professor who's also a filmmaker - how hard has it been juggling the two vocations?
I never think of it that way - juggling two vocations. I think one must enjoy whatever one is doing. So the fact that I am pursuing two professions is an artifact of the excitement involved. The moment I will stop getting excited about making films or doing research in Economics, I will stop it. I can't see myself forcing into something.
But yes, I would say that I am good at compartmentalizing my vocations. When I was making the movie in India - for six months I just forgot about my existence as an economist. Similarly, when I am working on a research project I seem to forget about films. I can manage this changeover quite effectively.Other Exclusive Interviews on this blog
The Bangalore-loving playwright who made his mark in filmdom with Mango Souffle and the Oscar-nominated Morning Raga is not revealing much at the moment. "Madly working on the screenplay. I do have a few actors who are interested but it is a bit premature to mention names right now."There's more good news in store for the 48-year-old writer. His play Double Deal starring Mahesh Manjrekar and Sandhya Mridul is doing quite well and was staged in Lucknow recently.
Lokesh Dhakar comes to the rescue of people who can't order a cup of coffee 
Bigham, a great visual storyteller, was a formidable contender from the very beginning and beat 18 short-listed filmmakers, including Indian American Shalini Kantayya, to the grand prize.I love comedies, and with On the Lot, that was the genre I chose to show the public week after week. I think the first feature I direct is more than likely going to be some type of comedy.Which actors would you want to direct in the future? Would you continue acting as well?
There are several top actors that I would love to have a chance to work with. Too many to name. Coming from an acting background, I respect any actor who is willing to take a risk and make bold character choices. I would love to continue acting in the future, but for now, I'm going to focus on directing.Which of Shalini's On the Lot films did you like best?
I enjoyed Shalini's Dr. In-Law. I had a chance to work with her on the script, as we all helped each other from time to time. It was a very collaborative atmosphere. But I thought that Shalini was able to find some really funny moments.Have you watched a Bollywood film? Any thoughts on featuring Indian themes in your future projects?
I love Bollywood films. Visually, they are some of the best out there. I've never considered featuring Indian themes in my movies, but I would never rule it out. One of the greatest things about film making is that you can explore different aspects of this vast world in each of your projects. And everything you see (movies, art, architecture) informs the visual choices you make.Other Exclusive Interviews on this blog
Will Bigham is the last man left standing in the On the Lot reality show for filmmakers - winning a million dollar picture deal with Steven Spielberg's Dreamworks Pictures. 
