Irfan Khan

A contemporary tale of friendship set against the backdrop of the Big Apple, New Delhi Director Kabir Khan's Hindi-language drama tells the tale of three young friends whose lives are profoundly affected by circumstances beyond their control. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Accused of cheating and desperate to prove his innocence, an eighteen-year-old orphan from the slums of Mumbai reflects back on his tumultuous life while competing to win 20 million rupees on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire in Danny Boyle's inspirational drama. Jamal Malik (Dev Patel) may not have a penny to his name, but that could all change in a matter of hours. He's one question away from taking the top prize on India's most popular television game show, but as with everything else in Jamal's life, it isn't going to be easy. Arrested by police under suspicion of cheating, Jamal is interrogated by the authorities. The police simply can't believe that a common "slumdog" could possibly possess the knowledge to get this far in the game, and in order to convince them of how he gained such knowledge, Jamal begins reflecting back on his childhood. As young boys, Jamal and his older brother, Salim, lived in squalor, and lost their mother in a mob attack on Muslims. Subsequently forced to rely on their own wits to survive, the desperate siblings fell back on petty crime, eventually befriending adorable yet feisty young Latika as they sought out food and shelter on the unforgiving streets of Mumbai. Though life on the streets was never easy, Jamal's experiences ultimately instilled in him the knowledge he needed to answer the tough questions posed to him on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. And though Jamal makes a convincing case for himself, one question still remains: why would a young man with no apparent desire for wealth or fame be so determined to win big on a national game show? Of course, it won't be long until everyone finds out the answer to this burning question, because as Jamal sits down to find out whether he will be rich beyond his wildest dreams, 60 million viewers remain transfixed to their televisions eager to see if he'll correctly answer the final question. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

In a time when India and Pakistan are being torn apart, true love still manages to take root despite the fear and intolerance that blights the troubled landscape. The year is 1947, and as India and Pakistan are split into two separate states the rivers run red with blood. Gian (Jimi Mistry) is a Sikh and former soldier who risks his life to rescue young Muslim Naseem (Kristin Kruek) from a rampaging mob. As this unlikely pair begins to realize their true feelings for one another, the bond between them helps to heal the tender wounds of war. But what chance does true love really have against the destructive force or religious zealotry? ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

A compelling snapshot of the lives and loves of early-21st Century Dubai dwellers takes viewers on an emotional journey through the heart of the city in director Anurag Basu's earnest urban drama. Rahul (Sharman Joshi) is a call center executive who silently pines for his beautiful boss Neha, but the secret to Neha's fast success is the furtive romance she has been having with her own boss - an unhappily married professional named Ranjeet. Ranjeet has grown bored with his marriage to the smart and beautiful Shikha, and despite the fact that the couple has a six year-old son Ranjeet is willing to risk it all to shower Neha with lavish gifts and enticing opportunities. Back in school, Shikha was a better student than Ranjeet, but when the couple had a son she put her professional aspirations aside in order to care for the child. These days Shikha, too, has grown bored with her marriage, and soon falls into the arms of divorced artist Akash despite the pride she has taken in her vow to always remain faithful. In another part of town, Shikha's aunt Vaijanti bides her time in an old age home. When Vaijanti's childhood sweetheart Amol returns to India after forty years in exile to spend his remaining years with her, old love blossoms anew. Shikha's sister and Neha's roommate Shruti is a thirty-something radio producer named Shruti who has fallen hard for radio talent Wishy K. Though she has recently met marriage-minded Debu though a matrimonial-oriented website, she is bored by his traditional ways and soon enters into a heated affair with the charismatic Wishy K. As Rahul realizes the potential for profit and advancement in lending the key to his vacationing uncle's apartment to co-workers seeking to have discreet flings, Neha approaches Ranjeet about making a true commitment. Carelessly snubbed and insulted by her high-powered lover, Neha attempts suicide in Rahul's uncle's apartment. Later, when Rahul discovers Neha in the love nest and nurses her back to health, the pair begins to form a tenuous bond. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Angelina Jolie stars as Mariane Pearl, wife of slain journalist Daniel Pearl, in director Michael Winterbottom's adaptation of Mariane's memoir recounting the abduction and murder of her husband (played in the film by Dan Futterman) by Pakistani militants. It was on January 23, 2002, that Mariane Pearl's life took a grim and unanticipated turn that no one could have seen coming. The South Asia Bureau Chief for the Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pearl, was in Pakistan with his pregnant wife, Mariane, when he set out to conduct one last interview for an upcoming article; the pair were due to fly back home to the U.S. shortly thereafter. By all accounts, it was the same type of interview he had conducted a hundred times before, and though the only concern that Daniel had voiced beforehand was that he might be a bit late for dinner, it would soon become obvious that something had gone horribly awry. Later, in an attempt to rise above the seething vengeance and cycle of violence that the post-9/11 world has fallen into and familiarize her newborn son with the father he will never know, Mariane penned A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband Danny Pearl. The remarkable true story behind the murder that shook the entire world, Mariane's deeply personal novel is adapted for the screen by the BAFTA award-winning director of The Road to Guantanamo. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

London-based actor Ashvin Kumar writes and directs the hour-long film Road to Ladakh, filmed on-location with an international crew in the Himalayan mountain region of India known as Ladakh. Koel Purie plays a high-strung model type who gets a flat tire. Irfan Khan plays the wandering stranger in a jeep. Both travelers are alone and in search of companionship, so they end up spending the night together. The original musical score was composed by Susmit Sen and performed by the group Indian Ocean. Road to Ladakh was shown at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival market. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

When college student Aniruddha (Jimmy Shergill) meets pretty co-ed Niharika (Hrishitaa Bhatt), they quickly become romantically involved. Unfortunately, their relationship can't escape the politics involved in sex and gang life. When Anirudh meets Ranvijay (Irfan Khan), a big man on campus prone to toting a gun, he believes he's merely helping his fellow student escape from a rival gang. It's not long into their friendship, however, that Anirudh realizes Ranvijay is just using him as a means to get to Niharika. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

With huge dreams and very few personal belongings, naive prostitute Sultana (Sadiya Siddiqui) and her equally guileless pimp Khudabaksh (Jeetu Shastri) abandon their humdrum small town in favor of the hustle and bustle of Bombay. Upon their arrival, however, both find the city to be much more than they ever bargained for as they struggle to adapt to the high pace and enormous population. Furthermore, Sultana's business is quickly deteriorating as Khudabaksh also struggles to earn additional income. Slowly, Sultana begins to meet friends in the neighborhood -- but her attention begins to turn toward finding a black salwaar in order for her to properly observe the solemn Muslim holiday of Muharram. Without any reliable income, her chances of obtaining the ritually necessary garment are growing quite remote. Six years in the making, The Black Garment represents veteran Indian short film director Fareeda Mehta's feature-length directorial debut. ~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide