On the eve of India’s 79th Independence Day, Purple Movie Town turned into pure magic as I joined a rare Roundtable on Indian Cinema with two legendary storytellers — Shekhar Kapur and Sudhir Mishra. 

Shekhar da took us through the rollercoaster of Masoom, Mr. India, Bandit Queen, and Elizabeth, reminding us that “a filmmaker should never play safe” — and the spark in his eyes said it all. Sudhir da, with his wit and warmth, spoke of Hazaaron Khwaishein, Dharavi, Chameli, and his Kolkata roots with Badal Sircar — a reminder of how deeply art and place are connected.

The evening sparkled brighter with the presence of the ever-versatile Roopa Ganguly, who belongs far more to the movie set than to the rigidity of politics. Rituparna Sengupta, with her charm and intellect, beautifully set the tone for the evening, while Payel Mukherjee owned the stage as moderator — brushing aside “first-time fears” with a smile and grace that won everyone’s heart.

It wasn’t just a discussion, it felt like a celebration — of cinema, of freedom, of memories, and of the magic that keeps us all dreaming.