?: A Question Mark

Last updated

?: A Question Mark
A Question Mark poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed byAllyson Patel
Yash Dave
Written byAllyson Patel
Yash Dave
Produced byTrippletake Motion Pictures
Starring Maanvi Gagroo
Akhlaque Khan
Yaman Chatwal
Varun Thakur
Sonam Mukherjee
Kiran Bhatia
Chirag Jain
CinematographyM. Anandan
Allyson Patel
Edited byUdhaya Rajani
Distributed byPercept Picture Company (Shailendra Singh)
Release date
  • 17 February 2012 (2012-02-17)
Running time
82 minutes
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
BudgetRs.80,00,000

?: A Question Mark is a 2012 Hindi language horror film written and directed by Allyson Patel and Yash Dave, and produced by Trippletake Motion Pictures. It was distributed by Percept Picture Company. The film received nine nominations and two awards at the St. Tropez International Film Festival in France. Akhlaque Khan won the best actor award while Udhaya Rajni won the award for best editing. The film also received a standing ovation at the Oaxaca Film Festival in Mexico.

Contents

The producers wanted to use just the symbol "?" as the film's title, as a symbol for the unseen, unheard story. However, the movie had to be released with a written title due to censorship rules, so it was called "Question Mark."[ citation needed ]

It delves into the found footage genre.

Plot

In November 2010, a group of friends went to a place to shoot their final year project film but never returned. A few days later, their camera is found. What happened to them was captured on the camera. The film is a compilation of the footage retrieved from it.

Cast

Production

Casting

After auditioning around 120 people, the directors finally zeroed in on the seven cast members. Each actor brought in their own personality to make the characters more believable. To help the actors be as natural as possible, they used their real names and all the scenes were improvised so as to appear real. The actors were made to rehearse the whole film several times before they came on the sets. Akhlaque Khan (Akki) was not a part of the cast initially. However, with just a couple of weeks to go before the shoot, the actor assigned to play Akki's part bowed out and in came Akhlaque who, eventually won the award for the best actor at the St. Tropez International Film Festival, France St. Tropez International Film Festival, France 2013. [1]

Release

The film was released in theaters across India on 17 February 2012 by Percept Picture Company and worldwide as video on demand on the IDream Motion Pictures YouTube Channel. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliott Smith</span> American musician (1969–2003)

Steven Paul Smith, known as Elliott Smith, was an American musician and singer-songwriter. He was born in Omaha, Nebraska, raised primarily in Texas, and lived much of his life in Portland, Oregon, where he gained popularity. Smith's primary instrument was the guitar, though he also played piano, clarinet, bass guitar, drums, and harmonica. He had a distinctive vocal style in his solo career after Heatmiser, characterized by his "whispery, spiderweb-thin delivery", and often used multi-tracking to create vocal layers, textures, and harmonies that were usually finger picked and recorded with tape.

<i>Aquemini</i> 1998 studio album by Outkast

Aquemini is the third studio album by the American hip hop duo Outkast. It was released on September 29, 1998, by LaFace Records and Arista Records. The title is a portmanteau of the two performers' Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Gemini, which is indicative of the album's recurring theme of the differing personalities of the two members. The group recorded the majority of the album in Bobby Brown's Bosstown Recording Studios and Doppler Studios, both in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bong Load Records is an independent record label originally based in Los Angeles which was founded by producers Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf and partner Bradshaw Lambert.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Heatmiser</span> American rock band

Heatmiser was an American rock band, formed in Portland, Oregon, in October 1991. Consisting of Elliott Smith, Neil Gust, Brandt Peterson and Tony Lash (drums), they were known for their well-crafted lyrics and songs often featuring the juxtaposition of melancholic and cheery words and melodies. The pop-oriented songs of Elliott Smith were a contrast to the darker songs of Neil Gust, while both Smith's and Gust's songs touched on subjects such as anger, alienation, loneliness and despair.

<i>The Masterplan</i> (album) 1998 compilation album by Oasis

The Masterplan is a compilation album by English rock band Oasis. It was released on 2 November 1998 by Creation Records, the band's final release through the label. It comprises B-sides that the band had not released on an album up to that point. Originally intended for release only in areas such as the United States and Japan where the tracks were previously only available on expensive European-import singles, The Masterplan reached number 2 in the UK, where it initially went platinum, and number 51 in the United States. However, it did reach the Top 20 in various charts around the world, selling 3 million copies. It has since been certified triple platinum in the UK. Four songs from the album appear on the 2006 compilation album Stop the Clocks.

<i>Either/Or</i> (album) 1997 studio album by Elliott Smith

Either/Or is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Either/Or was recorded in several locations, mostly in Portland, Oregon – while Smith was still a member of Heatmiser – and was produced by Smith, Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf. Either/Or was released on February 25, 1997, on the Kill Rock Stars record label, following Heatmiser's dissolution. Book-ended by its two singles, "Speed Trials" and "Ballad of Big Nothing", Either/Or did not chart in the US, but was acclaimed by critics.

<i>Elliott Smith</i> (album) 1995 studio album by Elliott Smith

Elliott Smith is the second studio album by the American singer-songwriter of the same name. It was recorded from late 1994 to early 1995, and released on July 21, 1995, through Kill Rock Stars, his first album on the label. It was preceded by the single "Needle in the Hay", released in early January 1995.

<i>Roman Candle</i> (album) 1994 studio album by Elliott Smith

Roman Candle is the debut studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was recorded in late 1993 and released on July 14, 1994, by record label Cavity Search.

<i>From a Basement on the Hill</i> 2004 studio album by Elliott Smith

From a Basement on the Hill is the sixth and final studio album by the American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. Recorded from 2000 to 2003, and faced with multiple delays due to Smith's personal problems that resulted in his death, it was released posthumously in the UK and Europe on Domino on October 18, 2004, and in the US the following day on October 19, 2004, through record label Anti-, almost a year after his death.

<i>Figure 8</i> (album) 2000 studio album by Elliott Smith

Figure 8 is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, and the final studio album released during his lifetime. It was recorded from 1998 to 2000 at numerous studios and released on April 18, 2000, through DreamWorks Records. Preceded by the singles "Happiness" and "Son of Sam", Figure 8 was Smith's second release on a major label.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Coomes</span> Musical artist

Samuel J. Coomes is an American musician, and one half of the indie band Quasi, along with his ex-wife, drummer Janet Weiss. Coomes was also a member of the mid-1980s underground pop band The Donner Party and replaced Brandt Peterson as the bassist for the 1990s Portland indie rock band Heatmiser, playing on their final studio album, Mic City Sons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baby Britain</span> 1999 single by Elliott Smith

"Baby Britain" is a song by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was released in 1999 by record label DreamWorks as the second single from his fourth studio album, XO.

Rob Schnapf is an American record producer and musician. He was the co-producer of Elliott Smith's albums Either/Or, XO, Figure 8 and From a Basement on the Hill, for which he was recruited by Smith's family to complete after Smith's death.

<i>Strange Parallel</i> 1998 American film

Strange Parallel is a documentary short film revolving around the American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. The film was directed by Steve Hanft and released on October 15, 1998, and features interviews with Elliott himself as well as fans, friends and other acquaintances of his.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elliott Smith discography</span>

The discography of Elliott Smith, an American singer-songwriter, consists of six studio albums, one live album, two compilation albums and eleven singles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathy's Clown</span> 1960 single by the Everly Brothers

"Cathy's Clown" is a popular song, written by Don Everly and recorded by The Everly Brothers in 1960. The lyrics describe a man who has been wronged and publicly humiliated by his lover: "Here he comes / That's Cathy's clown". The choruses are sung by brothers Don and Phil in their trademark close harmony style, while Don sings the bridges solo.

<i>New Moon</i> (Elliott Smith album) 2007 compilation album by Elliott Smith

New Moon is a posthumous compilation album by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith, released on May 8, 2007 by Kill Rock Stars. It contains twenty-four previously unreleased songs, most recorded between 1994 and 1997 during the sessions for Smith's albums Elliott Smith and Either/Or.

"XO" is a power ballad recorded by American singer Beyoncé from her self-titled fifth studio album in 2013. Columbia Records released the song as the lead contemporary hit radio single from the album in the US and Italy on December 16, 2013. Ryan Tedder self-wrote, composed and co-produced "XO" with Terius "The-Dream" Nash and Beyoncé, with additional production handled by Chauncey "Hit-Boy" Hollis and HazeBanga Music. A pure midtempo Pop love song with electronic influences, "XO" is complete with electronic musical instrumentation, synthesizers and drums. Musically, it was compared to another Beyoncé and Tedder-collaboration "Halo" and was noted for having several music hooks including its call and response chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Waltz 2 (XO)</span> 1998 single by Elliott Smith

"Waltz #2 (XO)" is a song by American singer-songwriter Elliott Smith. It was released in 1998 by record label DreamWorks as the first single from his fourth studio album, XO.

"Hello Sunshine" is a song by Bruce Springsteen, released in 2019 as the lead single from the album Western Stars, on April 26. It is a melancholic, mellow ballad that reflects the influences of Jimmy Webb, Glen Campbell and Burt Bacharach. Lyrically, the track finds Springsteen, who has "fallen in love with lonely", driving endlessly on an empty road.

References

  1. "Akhlaque Khan wins the Best Actor Award in the St. Tropez International Film Festival". Telly Chakkar. 2 June 2013.
  2. India Import ? Premieres Online, Watch for Free!