Film Production
Garbage, A gritty socio-political drama directed by Q,the only Indian film, to premiere at Berlinale 2018
A political drama that reflects the times we are living in, Garbage, Q’s new directorial venture will be premiering at Panorama, Berlinale this year.
Produced by Shaailesh R Singh and Hansal Mehta of Karma Entertainment & Media LLP, and Q of ODDJOINT, the film tells the story of Phanishwar (Tanmay Dhanania), Nanaam (Satarupa Das) and Rami (Trimala Adhikari), who are lost in their own dark worlds, and come together only to inflict damage on each other.
Phanishwar is a taxi driver in Goa, living with a mysterious girl, Nanaam, who he keeps in chains. When Rami, a medical student, and a victim of revenge porn leaked online by an ex-boyfriend, seeks refuge in Goa, she stumbles into the strange but placid lives of Phanishwar and Nanaam.
What ensues is an intricate, steely drama between the characters, questioning and confronting the prevalent concepts of gender, freedom and faith, as is in India, today.
“I see garbage as a strong metaphor of human existence. I am shocked at the level of violent patriarchy and general apathy around me. India has been changing, and sucking itself into an abyss of misunderstanding and delusion, aided strongly by mainstream religious sentiments. There’s an imminent threat of the fragile social fabric imploding and affecting everyone. Garbage is my way of trying to understand the tension’ says Q.
“I really liked what Q narrated to us and with Garbage being the only Indian film at Panaroma Berlinale, Hansal and I are proud of our association with the film. We hope it will be liked”, says Shaailesh R Singh.
In the world of independent cinema, Q is well known for his subversive storytelling and controversial cult films that question the established status quo. Q’s experiments with filmmaking started with vivid and potent tales of contemporary Bengali culture, both fictional and non-fictional, back in 2009. Since then his films have explored the fringes of popular culture, collaborating with producers and actors across the globe. Seven years after Gandu, one of his most well known works, Garbage is all set for its world premiere at Panorama, at the Berlin International Film Festival, which seeks out new impulses in the prevailing trends and in cinematic creation, from across the world.
Film Production
Priyanka Kaur Dhillon joins SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution
A seasoned content dealmaker with 16 years in digital and satellite media joins the Bengali entertainment powerhouse as it pushes into the pan-India music market
Mumbai: Priyanka Kaur Dhillon has made her move. The content acquisitions and commercials veteran, most recently commercial manager at Sony Pictures Networks India, has joined SVF Entertainment as lead for music distribution, stepping into one of the more interesting briefs in regional entertainment right now.
SVF is no ordinary regional label. Over 30 years it has built a formidable legacy in Bengali cinema and music, driven by culturally resonant storytelling and a catalogue that consistently punches above its weight. Its recent success with Chiraiya underlines the point. But the Kolkata-based powerhouse now has its sights firmly set beyond Bengal, most visibly through Legacy, a rap reality series produced in collaboration with hip-hop label Kalamkaar that signals a deliberate push into the pan-India music ecosystem.
Dhillon brings precisely the kind of muscle SVF needs for that expansion. At Sony Pictures Networks India, she led film acquisition and commercials and handled music licensing across the entire satellite network. Before that, she spent nearly 15 years at Hungama, rising to assistant general manager and leading strategic content licensing for the platform’s digital entertainment business, with a particular focus on international markets. Her label relationships span the full roster: Sony Music, Universal Music, Warner Music, Believe International, Tunecore, The Orchard and a clutch of smaller aggregators. She has negotiated and closed deals with Hollywood studios, Bollywood production houses and regional content players alike, building pricing models and deal structures off data analysis rather than instinct.
Announcing the appointment, Dhillon said she was “thrilled to begin this journey with an iconic Bengali music label and content powerhouse,” adding that SVF’s “constant drive to push boundaries” was what drew her to the role.
SVF has spent three decades proving that regional does not mean limited. With a sharp commercial operator now steering its music distribution, its bid to go national just got a good deal more serious.
