The Indian film fraternity was witness to one of the most engaging conversations in  recent times which celebrated Shakespeare’s writings that have managed to shape minds, influence society and impact culture at large. Two of the world’s most influential cinematic legends, Sir Ian Mc Kellen and Aamir Khan were brought together for an inspiring conversation at the debut of the Mumbai Academy of Moving Images (MAMI) Film Club at the NCPA on 23rd of May, 2016.

This year marked the 400^th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death; therefore, the MAMI Film Club organized this event, as a part of ‘Shakespeare’s Lives which is a global programme launched by the British Council, where the two legends explored various adaptations and interpretations of Shakespeare’s renowned works.

Sir Ian Mc Kellen, who has appeared in a number of Shakespeare’s plays, stated, “ There is nothing old fashioned about Shakespeare. You cannot understand Shakespeare in a classroom or by reading. The right medium to discover his true genius is through theatre with the right actors, the right director (the way it is meant to be) as theatre,  film and cinema are the best media to experience him. His thinking is about modernism and issues that are relevant even today, hence his work travels across the globe!”

Actor Aamir Khan added, “The first time I experienced Shakespeare was in the tenth grade when I studied Julius Caeser. It opened my world to a newness I had never known (before). Infact, my first movie was also inspired by Romeo and Juliet, a true Shakespearean classic.  It was an honour sharing stage with a legend, I feel discussions like these influence the artists in all of us and inspire us to become better at our crafts.”

Their conversation ranged from discussions about the prolific playwright’s most loved characters, the ignited storytelling ideas by renowned filmmakers worldwide, to shedding some light on the author’s personal life and times which inspired, shaped and influenced some of his most interesting characters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The star-studded event was attended by members of the film fraternity such as Kangana Ranaut, Sonam Kapoor, Imran Khan, Kiran Rao, Kabir Khan, Mini Mathur, Rajkumar Rao, Vinod Chopra, amongst others.

The MAMI Film Club is a platform for filmmakers and film lovers to explore their deep-rooted passion for cinema with an array of interesting activities such as screenings, masterclasses, in-depth conversations with renowned artists and workshops.