Producers From India

"Surround yourself with the best people you can find, but also know how to be happy alone. The conversation you are avoiding is the one you need the most."

"I am a product of Indian cinema; I’ve grown up watching Indian films ever since I can remember. And song and dance is part of our lives; it’s part of our culture; we wake up to songs, we sleep to lullabies, you know, we celebrate every religious and traditional function with music. I want to walk the red carpet at the Oscars. I am in awe of the ceremony, and winning an Oscar would be the most magical moment of my life. I want to make that speech and hold that trophy and say, ‘This is for you, India.’ That’s the line I have rehearsed for God knows how long. But that has to be for a Hindi language film."

"Life is not a fairytale. If you lose your shoe at midnight, you are drunk. If you fall, I will always be there…Much love, Floor. When life shuts a door, open it again. It’s a door. That’s how they work. I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me. I’m so single right now that I stood on a cliff and shouted I love you and my echo replied I just want to be friends."

"My journey has been a continuous learning process, marked by a commitment to storytelling that resonates with the audience. Each project is a step in that evolution, a quest to connect with people on a deeper, more meaningful level. A producer is more than just an investor; they are the architects of a film. Responsible for the entire creative and business process, from idea conception to assembling the right team, managing budgets, and overseeing production. While not visible on screen, a producer’s influence is integral to every aspect of the filmmaking journey."

"When you have a sense of low self-esteem, and when you achieve success, there’s relief more than arrogance. To love someone is such a feeling of power, because even if you don’t get that love back, you still have it. It could be a weakness, it could be strength. It’s how you look at it. I look at the love I had as a source of great strength."

"I love the art of cooking. Mixing ingredients, creating an aroma, chopping vegetables — everything about cooking entices me. I learnt to cook from my mother, she is a wonderful cook and that makes me a wonderful eater as well. To make things better for me, my wife Aishwarya is also a wonderful cook and is brilliant with her dishes. My love for food makes it necessary for me to workout as well. I am a vegetarian, so I need to take care to supplement my body with protein."

"Being a vegetarian always made me feel healthy. I've always felt light. Every time I sit down to eat, I'm helping the environment. I'm proud to be a vegetarian."

"I guess I was born with a grin, I have this attitude or aptitude to look on the bright side. Pollyanna always looked on the bright side too. Somewhere, this must have had an unknown effect on me. We Indians tend to take life too seriously. We constantly pontificate and get philosophical about every little thing. Having fun is frowned upon, it’s almost sinful. I have done serious things, but I will not let go of that thread that keeps me bubbling along and happy and merry."

"I always like to maintain that I am a writer first and then a director. But unfortunately, I am not known as much as a writer. I am a first-class writer and a second-class director."

"I set out to assist two amazing filmmakers Sai Paranjpye and Kalpana Lajmi, both torchbearers of qualitative cinema. Through them I had a solid foundation to understand cinema and its intricacies. With Sai Paranjpye I learnt to use everyday humour, and with Kalpana Lajmi I learnt how to envisage a grand mise-en-scène. (After completing a course in film appreciation at FTII Pune)"

"I used my imagination to make up for what I lacked in physical swiftness"

"Many filmmakers. In Malayalam, I love the films of Bharathan, Padmarajan and Sathyan Anthikkad, among others. Then, there are films of Balu Mahendra, and of many directors in Tamil. In Bollywood, Mukul Anand is an all-time favourite. I keep watching his films. I love films of Manmohan Desai, Hrishikesh Mukherjee and of course, Sai Paranjpe. Once on Twitter, there was a question – ‘which filmmaker’s universe would you like to live in?’ – for me, it would be Sai Paranjpe’s. (as an answer to who are some of his favourite directors)"

"I am sure I speak for all my sisters when I say that we prefer to be known as directors, not just as women directors. To the eternal question that I am plagued with — what is the main disadvantage of being a woman director — my answer is: being endlessly harangued with this very question"

"I was shocked by the response to my adaptation of Neil Simon’s Last of the Red Hot Lovers, about a 50yish man who resolves to have flings with women. The audience roared with laughter but after the show, several people whose opinion I counted on, said, ‘This was not expected of you Sai. How can you bring up the topic of adulterous affairs?’"

"Wit, warmth and wisdom define Sai as a person and her writing is unfailingly pithy, perceptive and pulls no punches. (as a comment about Sai Paranjpye and her English Autobiography - A Patchwork Quilt: A Collage of My Creative Life)"

"Women actually have a fantastic sense of humour, better than men. Men tend to have crass and predictable humour. Women see human foibles and minute details, and they can laugh at eccentricities and peculiarities. They are also more understanding. Go ahead and quote me and let me make some enemies."

"I was very fat then, and Alkazi would scold me about my chubbiness. ‘An actor must look trim,’ he would tell me. ‘You will never get good roles if you don’t watch your weight!’ I was least interested in good roles. Writing and directing were my passions. But I did not tell him that. I kept nodding my head and agreed with him. I did not lose any weight, though. (sarcastic remark about her time training at the National School of Drama in Delhi, in the years 1962/63)"

"Information has been difficult to come by. Local media are often harassed by the police, and international reporters have struggled to get inside. Authorities barred internet access for several months after Aug. 5. While it returned in March, mostly at lowered speeds, the has once again banned high-speed internet for the next few weeks, ostensibly to curb protests and reporting from the region. A survey of Kashmiri college students found 90 percent were in favor of a complete withdrawal of Indian troops. Kashmiri leaders who have expressed anger over the abrogation remain under house arrest, including former Chief Minister ."

"Aug. 5, marks exactly one year since New Delhi revoked Indian-administered Kashmir's special status, splitting the state into two union territories— and Ladakh. [...] One year on, where do things stand? While New Delhi's move remains popular among an increasingly nationalistic Indian citizenry, a dispassionate assessment of the decision will show that few of its objectives have been achieved. S. Jaishankar, who argued last year that the old status quo "denied economic opportunities and social gains for the masses," would struggle to make the case today that things have gotten better. A promised summit to encourage investment in Kashmir still hasn't taken place. The coronavirus pandemic has made any reforms difficult to implement, but even before the nationwide shutdown in March, there had been little progress."

"Anything gained through ignorance is destined to be lost in the same way."

"You may capture a man's attention with your looks for a moment, but it's your character that holds it for a lifetime."

"A writer creates life; a poet creates magic from life; a philosopher tries to understand life."

"Marriage is a daily lesson in recognizing our flaws"

"Learn to find happiness even in sadness. If you seek it only in joy, you may lose it one day and be left empty-handed."

"Power in the hands of the ignorant can be a perilous thing, as demonstrated by Hitler."

"A little arrogance in the hands of the capable is well earned - and in most case, deserved."

"When couples start a family, they sacrifice personal love for the greater responsibility of raising their children into good human beings. Nothing should distract them from that goal until their kids are independent."

"Transportation has complicated our lives; without it, we would have everything we need within walking distance."

"Mastering an art is like climbing a passion mountain; when you reach the top, the passion fades. So, keep learning."

"Couples should keep their love pure before it poisons the purest love of all - that between them and their children"

"Religion can often be the fastest route to ignorance."

"There can't be highs on a roller coaster without the lows. Life works the same way."

"The case for meat-eaters - if eating meat is a sin, then why are some plants carnivorous?"

"The greatness of a culture can be found in its festivals."

"Even the humblest men have a strange reason behind greed. Every man thinks money solves problems - and every man thinks not just of himself, but his next three generations - there is a probability he will live to see those generations - and he wants to care for them in times of strife."

"The greatness of a culture can be found in it's art"

"The greatness of a culture can be found in its thinkers"

"Remember: the mother gives fuel for the journey, but the father is the road that transports you"

"Greatness is the reward for genius...only a few can be great, the rest are plain good."

"The case for vegetarians - plants cure illnesses (heard of Ayurveda). Animal diets cause most illnesses (heard of the China Study."

"Writing can only be as good as its subject matter."

"Never base your value on your body alone, or you risk being devalued."

"Don’t blend in like a chameleon; shape your surroundings to reflect who you are."

"It’s more important to avoid making enemies than to focus on making friends."

"Someone who lives to please others is never truly honest with themselves."

"A boy asks his father to make his kite indestructible. The father replies, "Son, if you do that, it will be strong, but it will never fly. Life is all about making compromises"

"What you desire is always in the past or the future, existing only in your dreams"

"The coward often takes out his anger on his family because they are the only ones who will not fight back"

"Communicating with your kids is a million times more important than disciplining."

"Never engage with people on a negative path, as they may lead you toward ruin. Instead, guide them toward positivity, even if it risks your friendship."