Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur loved directing his first musical MATTERHORN, and says creating something for the live audience is more thrilling than making a film.

Kapur, known for movies like BANDIT QUEEN, MR. INDIA and MASOOM, on Monday took to Twitter to share his views after the premiere of his show here.

He posted: "Rapturous standing ovation to our musical MATTERHORN, premiered last night. My first attempt as director on musicals. I loved the experience and really look forward to doing more. Doing something live is far more thrilling than film. More immersive".

It is reported that the play is about conquering the highest peak of the Alps in Switzerland and is authored by Michael Kunze. The play is in German with music by Albert Hammond.

Kapur gained international recognition with the 1994 film BANDIT QUEEN, based on Mala Sen's biography of infamous Indian bandit and politician Phoolan Devi. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Kapur is also known for biopics on Queen Elizabeth — ELIZABETH and ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE. The first film came out in 1998 and the sequel, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE, was released in 2007. ELIZABETH bagged the prestigious Bafta Award and the second movie earned Oscar nominations.

Veteran filmmaker Shekhar Kapur loved directing his first musical MATTERHORN, and says creating something for the live audience is more thrilling than making a film.

Kapur, known for movies like BANDIT QUEEN, MR. INDIA and MASOOM, on Monday took to Twitter to share his views after the premiere of his show here.

He posted: "Rapturous standing ovation to our musical MATTERHORN, premiered last night. My first attempt as director on musicals. I loved the experience and really look forward to doing more. Doing something live is far more thrilling than film. More immersive".

It is reported that the play is about conquering the highest peak of the Alps in Switzerland and is authored by Michael Kunze. The play is in German with music by Albert Hammond.

Kapur gained international recognition with the 1994 film BANDIT QUEEN, based on Mala Sen's biography of infamous Indian bandit and politician Phoolan Devi. The movie won the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Hindi.

Kapur is also known for biopics on Queen Elizabeth — ELIZABETH and ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE. The first film came out in 1998 and the sequel, ELIZABETH: THE GOLDEN AGE, was released in 2007. ELIZABETH bagged the prestigious Bafta Award and the second movie earned Oscar nominations.

After the stupendous success of three films, Sanjay Dutt is all set to collaborate with Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra for the fourth and most special association- Dutt biopic.

The bond between Sanjay Dutt and filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra dates back to the trio's first film together MUNNABHAI MBBS in 2003. 15 years after the first film, the trio is all set to come together for the biggest association of the three-the biopic of Sanjay Dutt.

Though Sanjay Dutt won't directly be a part of the film, the actor regards the biopic as the biggest association with Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Talking about the special association Sanjay Dutt shared, "Vinod and Raju are like family to me. They have been an important part of my life. While we have worked together multiple times in the past, my involvement in our recent association has been very different.”

It was the immense love that the three share that made the biopic possible. Rajkumar Hirani spent hours and hours watching over 300 hours of footage for the biopic, which is a testimony of their bond.

About the biopic Sanjay Dutt shared, "Usually, they narrate the story to me. This time it was me who kept narrating my life stories to them."

After the blockbuster success of MUNNABHAI MBBS, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI and PK, the trio will mark their fourth collaboration with the untitled Sanjay Dutt biopic. The trio has weaved magic on-screen each time they collaborated.

While PK starred Aamir Khan in the lead, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra made sure to make Sanjay Dutt a part of their venture.

Ranbir Kapoor is playing Sanjay Dutt in this untitled biopic and we are all eagerly looking forward the film’s release.

After the stupendous success of three films, Sanjay Dutt is all set to collaborate with Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra for the fourth and most special association- Dutt biopic.

The bond between Sanjay Dutt and filmmakers Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra dates back to the trio's first film together MUNNABHAI MBBS in 2003. 15 years after the first film, the trio is all set to come together for the biggest association of the three-the biopic of Sanjay Dutt.

Though Sanjay Dutt won't directly be a part of the film, the actor regards the biopic as the biggest association with Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra.

Talking about the special association Sanjay Dutt shared, "Vinod and Raju are like family to me. They have been an important part of my life. While we have worked together multiple times in the past, my involvement in our recent association has been very different.”

It was the immense love that the three share that made the biopic possible. Rajkumar Hirani spent hours and hours watching over 300 hours of footage for the biopic, which is a testimony of their bond.

About the biopic Sanjay Dutt shared, "Usually, they narrate the story to me. This time it was me who kept narrating my life stories to them."

After the blockbuster success of MUNNABHAI MBBS, LAGE RAHO MUNNABHAI and PK, the trio will mark their fourth collaboration with the untitled Sanjay Dutt biopic. The trio has weaved magic on-screen each time they collaborated.

While PK starred Aamir Khan in the lead, Rajkumar Hirani and Vidhu Vinod Chopra made sure to make Sanjay Dutt a part of their venture.

Ranbir Kapoor is playing Sanjay Dutt in this untitled biopic and we are all eagerly looking forward the film’s release.

His films don't release in a theatre near you, and neither does he think they're meant to be enjoyed with cola and popcorn.

Director Qaushiq Mukherjee, aka Q, dubbed as India's most dangerous filmmaker by CNN, says he looks at cinema as an information device, and wants to "create some sort of physical disturbance" in the conscience of his audience.

Known for films like GANDU and TASHER DESH, Q — who is excited about his film GARBAGE becoming the only Indian movie at the Panorama section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival this year — says he is not in the industry for entertainment.

GARBAGE will have the world premiere on February 21 at the ongoing Berlin International Film Festival.

"My whole idea is to shock people, to stun you or create some sort of physical disturbance in your conscience while you encounter my work. Cinema in India is looked as an entertainment device. I don't look at it like that," Q told IANS over the phone from Mumbai, before leaving for Berlin.

"Cinema is an information device for me, a communication device. And I have to not only counter people's ideas of cinema but also counter the crores and crores of marketing money that goes into proliferating bullshit and filling the mind of people and sort of crowding their mind with bullshit data," he said.

Q said that "in order to clear through that and have any kind of impact, I would have to do something really outrageous and I would do that. That is just a communication strategy and nothing else and the form that I practice is shock cinema."

Is having the title of being India's most dangerous filmmaker a challenge?

"I don't really look at it that way. Like even the danger factor, the dangerousness is in the eyes of a certain set of people who are not privy to the kind of image or this kind of positioning," he added.

Q picks hard-hitting and off-beat subjects and doesn't shy away from breathing life to his stories by delving into the world of sex and abuses. Bengali-language films GANDU, TASHER DESH and LUDO being cases in point. He has also made sex comedy BRAHMAN NAMAN for Netflix.

"I am not a traditional filmmaker and my films are not going to play in a theatre near you, because that is not my deal and not my world. I don't want people to have a Coke or Pepsi while watching my film," the director said.

Delving more on his idea of cinema, he said: "Traditionally, people look at cinema as a community entertainment thing. Many people sitting together and sharing a sort of a fantastic ride… That was cinema blockbuster idea. I have never watched that kind cinema and I am not aiming for that."

Q said he got interested in the film world because of a certain kind of cinema which was very personal.

"I watched it alone because normally you wouldn't get that kind of films over here (in India) because nobody distributes them," he said.

GANDU was not released in India, and Q is not hesitant to admit that his film GARBAGE — a story about Phanishwar, a taxi driver in Goa, who lives with a mysterious girl whom he keeps in chains — will also face trouble in getting a clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification in India.

GARBAGE is produced by Shaailesh R Singh and Hansal Mehta of Karma Entertainment and Media LLP, and co-produced by Q.

Asked if he feels his talent is not as appreciated in India as in foreign shores, Q said: "A Turkish writer might be a legend, but you would not know as you don't know Turkish. But that doesn't take anything away from the person and the idea. I am always interested in artists that you didn't know about."

Q says "I will always drop things you don't know about or have heard about. In my world, that is cool. I love that and I feel lucky to be able to find that."

[By Sugandha Rawal]

His films don't release in a theatre near you, and neither does he think they're meant to be enjoyed with cola and popcorn.

Director Qaushiq Mukherjee, aka Q, dubbed as India's most dangerous filmmaker by CNN, says he looks at cinema as an information device, and wants to "create some sort of physical disturbance" in the conscience of his audience.

Known for films like GANDU and TASHER DESH, Q — who is excited about his film GARBAGE becoming the only Indian movie at the Panorama section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival this year — says he is not in the industry for entertainment.

GARBAGE will have the world premiere on February 21 at the ongoing Berlin International Film Festival.

"My whole idea is to shock people, to stun you or create some sort of physical disturbance in your conscience while you encounter my work. Cinema in India is looked as an entertainment device. I don't look at it like that," Q told IANS over the phone from Mumbai, before leaving for Berlin.

"Cinema is an information device for me, a communication device. And I have to not only counter people's ideas of cinema but also counter the crores and crores of marketing money that goes into proliferating bullshit and filling the mind of people and sort of crowding their mind with bullshit data," he said.

Q said that "in order to clear through that and have any kind of impact, I would have to do something really outrageous and I would do that. That is just a communication strategy and nothing else and the form that I practice is shock cinema."

Is having the title of being India's most dangerous filmmaker a challenge?

"I don't really look at it that way. Like even the danger factor, the dangerousness is in the eyes of a certain set of people who are not privy to the kind of image or this kind of positioning," he added.

Q picks hard-hitting and off-beat subjects and doesn't shy away from breathing life to his stories by delving into the world of sex and abuses. Bengali-language films GANDU, TASHER DESH and LUDO being cases in point. He has also made sex comedy BRAHMAN NAMAN for Netflix.

"I am not a traditional filmmaker and my films are not going to play in a theatre near you, because that is not my deal and not my world. I don't want people to have a Coke or Pepsi while watching my film," the director said.

Delving more on his idea of cinema, he said: "Traditionally, people look at cinema as a community entertainment thing. Many people sitting together and sharing a sort of a fantastic ride… That was cinema blockbuster idea. I have never watched that kind cinema and I am not aiming for that."

Q said he got interested in the film world because of a certain kind of cinema which was very personal.

"I watched it alone because normally you wouldn't get that kind of films over here (in India) because nobody distributes them," he said.

GANDU was not released in India, and Q is not hesitant to admit that his film GARBAGE — a story about Phanishwar, a taxi driver in Goa, who lives with a mysterious girl whom he keeps in chains — will also face trouble in getting a clearance from the Central Board of Film Certification in India.

GARBAGE is produced by Shaailesh R Singh and Hansal Mehta of Karma Entertainment and Media LLP, and co-produced by Q.

Asked if he feels his talent is not as appreciated in India as in foreign shores, Q said: "A Turkish writer might be a legend, but you would not know as you don't know Turkish. But that doesn't take anything away from the person and the idea. I am always interested in artists that you didn't know about."

Q says "I will always drop things you don't know about or have heard about. In my world, that is cool. I love that and I feel lucky to be able to find that."

[By Sugandha Rawal]

Actress Aditi Rathore, best known for playing the lead character Avni in the show 'Naamkarann', is not keen on doing films at the moment. She says she always had a desire to do something big on the small screen.

"I like TV more right now. I want to play good characters so that people remember them forever. It's not my aim to do films. I always wanted to do something big on the small screen…play powerful characters," Aditi told IANS.

She is playing one in 'Naamkarann'. In the current track of the Star Plus show, Avni, who fought for her family and against the bad guys, has chosen to stay away from her family for their safety and happiness.

Leaving her past behind, Avni will lead a new life as Nilanjana. Her look has also got a makeover. Her character will no longer don saris. The audience will get to see her in western outfits and a pair of spectacles.

"Her past story is over. She has stopped fighting back and has accepted things as they are. She is no longer aggressive. She tries to be happy but she is upset and misses her family," said the 'Ek Duje Ke Vaaste' actress.

'Naamkarann' is her first show in which she is playing a lead role.

"When you play a lead role and the story revolves around you, then the responsibility grows. You have to give more time and dedication to it. I try to present my character in the best way possible and in a natural way," said Aditi.

But daily soaps call for long working hours. Doesn't she wish to do a reality show or a finite series?

"No, not all. We generally work for 30 or 31 days. The shift is for 12 hours or sometimes more, but we chose this," she said.

Actress Aditi Rathore, best known for playing the lead character Avni in the show 'Naamkarann', is not keen on doing films at the moment. She says she always had a desire to do something big on the small screen.

"I like TV more right now. I want to play good characters so that people remember them forever. It's not my aim to do films. I always wanted to do something big on the small screen…play powerful characters," Aditi told IANS.

She is playing one in 'Naamkarann'. In the current track of the Star Plus show, Avni, who fought for her family and against the bad guys, has chosen to stay away from her family for their safety and happiness.

Leaving her past behind, Avni will lead a new life as Nilanjana. Her look has also got a makeover. Her character will no longer don saris. The audience will get to see her in western outfits and a pair of spectacles.

"Her past story is over. She has stopped fighting back and has accepted things as they are. She is no longer aggressive. She tries to be happy but she is upset and misses her family," said the 'Ek Duje Ke Vaaste' actress.

'Naamkarann' is her first show in which she is playing a lead role.

"When you play a lead role and the story revolves around you, then the responsibility grows. You have to give more time and dedication to it. I try to present my character in the best way possible and in a natural way," said Aditi.

But daily soaps call for long working hours. Doesn't she wish to do a reality show or a finite series?

"No, not all. We generally work for 30 or 31 days. The shift is for 12 hours or sometimes more, but we chose this," she said.