Kekee Manzil: House of Art - Interviews with filmmakers: Behroze Gandhy, Dilesh Korya and Talvin Singh... (videos click page link)

Film which is described as a love letter to Bombay/Mumbai and its people had its official world premiere on Sunday (May 8)…

FOLLOWING the world premiere for this film at the UK Asian Film Festival (May 4-15) on May 8, ‘Kekee Manzil: House of Art’, we sat down with filmmakers Behroze Gandhy and editor Dilesh Korya, and musician, Talvin Singh, to talk them about the making of it.
In many ways this is endearing, and enjoyable love letter to the city of Mumbai, or Bombay, as it was when Behroze Gandhy was growing up.
You may have seen our promo trailer shot in Mumbai (Bombay) outside the house called, Kekee Manzil itself which is Bandra. (Trailer: https://youtu.be/XMpvvCcQnRs)
The house was where Behroze and her sisters grew up and her father Kekoo is now widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in the world of modern Indian art.
Along with wife Khorshed, the couple patronised the artists, bringing them together at the house, Kekee Manzil and later helping them to display work and sell it.
Among the artists they helped were MF Husain, Tyeb Mehta, Syed Raza, Vasudeo Gaitonde, and more latterly, Bhupen Khakhar, Atul Dodiya and Nalini Malani.
These are among India’s most famous modern artists – many were influenced by European traditions and melded this to a distinctively Indian idiom – and their work is well-known throughout the art world now.
Behroze’s film looks at how her father stumbled into art – he had to leave Cambridge as the Second War broke out, met a Belgian businessman in Bombay, who introduced him to picture framing – creating Chemould and from there began her father’s life-long interest in art, aided along the way too by encounters with Allied Italian prisoners of war detained in Bombay.
It’s a fascinating film that essentially tells two stories – the one about these artists’ development and the other about India and Bombay.
The music by Talvin Singh is also exquisite and adds another dimension to this beautiful film.
You will find more here (final print story): http://asianculturevulture.com/portfolios/kekee-manzil-house-of-art-artistic-freedom-is-priceless-say-filmmakers-at-sold-out-uk-asian-film-festival-screening-wrap-story/
With thanks to the UK Asian Film Festival, Behroze Gandhy, Dilesh Korya, Talvin Singh and the staff at the Regent Street Cinema in London, where this film was screened to the paying public for first time.

Dilesh Korya (editor/director)