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Cannes 2022 Day 6 update (filmed interviews to come): Helly Shah, Rahat Kazmi, Madhavan and Hina Khan new films here…

Cannes 2022 Day 6 update (filmed interviews to come): Helly Shah, Rahat Kazmi, Madhavan and Hina Khan new films here…

Cannes 9.30pm CET

Two poster reveals and one film enjoying its world premiere in the market section of Cannes…

Helly Shah talks to us about her first feature film…

Helly Shah ©BigTalentMedia

On FRIDAY (May 20), Indian TV star Helly Shah was present at the poster launch for her first film, ‘Kaya Palat’ at the Indian pavilion.
We have an interview with her, where she explains what drew her to the character and her decision to do this film. She also talks about her Cannes experience – which involved walking the red carpet here for L’Oreal – and becoming the first Indian TV star to do so.
Kaya Palat’ is set in Jammu & Kashmir and is directed by Shoib Nikash Shah, who didn’t travel to Cannes. However, co-writer Rahat Kazmi, a director and actor himself, spoke to acv about this story, which is based on true events and is about mafia gangs that operate in the region and a romance that crosses lines and has huge implications for all – Shah says her character is complex, unpredictable but also endearing and lovable.
Watch our video interviews soon to find out more…

Indian star Madhavan launches first film as director – ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ to great fanfare…

Madhavan and the real Nambi Narayanan

ONE OF INDIA’S most enduring film stars Madhavan spoke of his nervousness at releasing his first directorial effort in Cannes when he came to open the India Pavilion on Wednesday (May 18).
On Friday evening (May 20), we were among about 150 people to watch the film for the first time – among the select audience was India’s minister for information and broadcasting, Anurag Thakur and stars AR Rahman and Shekhar Kapur.
Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’ is about all rocket scientist Nambi Narayanan, who near the end of an extremely distinguished career with the Indian space agency, ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), was accused of spying and then tortured and beaten by investigators convinced he was hiding something. He wasn’t.
Madhavan is quite brilliant in the central performance, playing the young scientist who is in something of a duel with the young APJ Abdul Kalam, widely credited with being India’s Mr Atom Bomb, and more lately India’s President (2002-2007) before passing away in 2015. Those scenes are very cute as the young scientists almost blow up a church with their experiments.
We have a superb interview with Madhavan – where he talks about why he wanted to make this film and about the challenge of making it.
After the screening in Cannes, Madhavan introduced the real Narayanan to the audience. It was quite the moment – and we captured it on video. It is here https://twitter.com/asianculturevul/status/1527408506709626880?t=rMdHwaUBK_ATKYOpGAHtZQ&s=19

More from Madhavan on this soon – and nearer the release date, we will publish a full written review – it’s a good film, accessible and well told and reminds one of ‘The Imitation Game’ (2014) which stars Benedict Cumberbatch.

Watch our video interviews soon to find out more…

Popular TV star Hina Khan continues Cannes success with new film, ‘Country of Blind’

Team Country of Blind in Cannes – Rishi Bhutan, known, Tareq Khan, Rahat Kazmi (centre) and Hina Khan (to left) and Rocky (producer)
Hina Khan

SHE CAME, she saw and she conquered yet again – Hina Khan’s second appearance in Cannes was hugely popular and as well as walking the red carpet, she announced her latest film, ‘Country of Blind’.
She plays the lead role in this drama which is about a community of people living in a Himalayan valley who have never had sight.
One day a climber falls and finds this community of people without sight – he can see.
It’s an intriguing story and this film is based on the book, ‘The Country of the Blind’.
Khan talked to acv about her role and her excitement in playing a woman without sight in the 19th century Himalayas. We also spoke to Rahat Kazmi, who writes and directs this film – and tells us about his cameo as a 100-year-old man.

Watch our video interviews soon to find out more…

Stay tuned for more from us in Cannes… Follow social media and to see all these videos – please subscribe to our Youtube channel and hit the notification button to know when they first drop there… See you on the other side, if not already…

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Written by Asian Culture Vulture