The environmentally-conscious CHANDAN ROY SANYAL plays an auto rickshaw driver in the sci-fi environmental thriller, Hawa Badle Hassu, which tackles the issue of sustainability. By Sakshi Sharma
When you mention actor Chandan Roy Sanyal it is the wild Mikhail in Kaminey that pops up in every cine-goer’s mind. For it is easy to lose him in the crowd. At five-feet nothing, when we went to interview the actor, most people were flummoxed as to where he was as he stood in our midst. But then it is this everyday ordinariness, which helps him to blend into every character that Chandan plays.
Starring in the new web series, Hawa Badle Hassu, which is a sci-fi environmental thriller, Chandan’s mouthing a dialogue “Mukhauto mein chupa sa hu, kuch badalne mein laga sa hu, (I am trying to change everything from behind a mask)” is setting the social media on fire.
In the series, Hassu, a mysterious auto rickshaw driver, full of life, charm and wit, played by Chandan is an agent of change who offers interesting insights into the environment. The transition from Mikhail to Hassu will be an interesting watch.
Sharing what he has in common with the character, Chandan said, “Hassu is outspoken and talkative just like me. His encounter with passengers from various walks of life forms the crux of each episode.”
The series delivers a strong message on environmental sustainability through futuristic storytelling. “The web space is occupied with sex, drama and love stories but not nature, that’s the reason I chose to do this,” said Roy, who claimed to be an environmentally-conscious person. When Chandan heard the script, he realised, that as an actor this was a way to make an impact in the fight to protect the environment. “This is what made it worth it. The series does not aim to preach anything, rather it intends to make the society aware of the environmental prospects by engaging the audience in an entertaining manner,” he said.
Of course, shooting an entire film within an auto rickshaw has its constraints. “It was difficult for Hassu to deliver all his emotions and reactions in that confined, closed space,” he pointed out.
Hassu tries to contribute to the environment through his small acts such as driving auto with clean fuel and not using plastic. With an environmental crisis staring us in the face, it is, of course, not surprising that people are more receptive towards a series that talks about the issue.
Diving into the memory lane, he said, “During my childhood, we enjoyed summer vacations. But now, the season has become unbearably hot.” He then flipped to the other extreme and said, “During winter, the air is so polluted that it is equivalent of inhaling two to three cigarette packets in a day. Which season do you step out in?”
Giving an insight into the series, co-writer, Protique Majoomdaar said, “The responsibility of content creators is to put the stories out accurately, which do justice to the audience and add meaning to their lives. This is a niche and at the same time unexplored content. Globally, the biggest blockbuster is Avatar. This made us wonder, if the biggest thing on earth is really about earth. There is currency in environment.”
Roy admitted that he soared to unexpected heights of success through Kaminey. People loved his character Mikhail which not surprisingly is one of his favourite characters. The excitement in his voice was palpable at the mention of the hit song, Dhan Tana.
Script plays a crucial role for any actor while choosing a film. “The depth of the character and the difference it makes to the entire story is what makes me sign up a film. I put in my best efforts and leave it to the audience. I work without expectations,” said Chandan.
Talking about what makes the Bengali films different from the Hindi ones, he said, “They stress more on realism and are subtle. Bollywood is a tent of escapism from reality. It puts out a larger-than-life picture which has its own perks.” He tries to maintain a balance between the two.
His forthcoming movie, Jabariya Jodi is a romantic comedy with Parineeti Chopra and Siddharth Malhotra that talks about the custom of forced marriages in Bihar.
He also has a Bengali film Deep Six, which is a dark arthouse cinema with Chandan playing a depressive character.
(The web series is currently streaming on SonyLiv.)
Photo: Pankaj Kumar
Writer: Sakshi Sharma
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Actress Kiara Advani says she puts herself in place of the audience to choose her scripts. By Team Viva
It is not very often that an actor, who is obsessed with a film and loves it to the core gets to act in its remake. Actor Kiara Advani has done just that. She had watched the Vijay Devarakonda-starring film, Arjun Reddy many times as she “had completely fallen in love with the screenplay and its cast. I never knew I would be doing its remake in future. I was completely bowled over by the way director, Siddharth (Vanga) delivered the emotion with such honesty and purity. I was blown away.” Fortune favoured her when she was cast in its remake, Kabir Singh as the female lead, Preethi.
She said that the minute she got to know that a remake of the Telugu film was being planned, she instinctively felt that she would get the female lead, “I was ready in an instant. Also, since it is my first love story and has such intensity and passion, I was drawn towards it. Something like this hasn’t been seen in a long time.”
The actress, who is known for her ‘perfect climax’ role in Karan Johar’s sequence of Lust Stories, said that her choice is determined by the kind of intensity that a character has and something that the audience could approve of. “When I hear a narration, I listen to it like I am a part of the audience. I put myself in their place and think whether they would like it or not? I wonder whether as an audience, I would want to watch such a film. It is a very instinctive decision and straight from the heart. Also, I believe films are a director’s media, so if I find someone I have been longing to work with and then I definitely go for it,” said she.
For someone, who did not flinch even once while enacting the role of a woman who is sexually unsatisfied with her husband, how challenging would a character like Preethi be in a film that focusses on the male protagonist?
“For my role in Lust Stories, Karan (Johar) asked me to do it in a manner that it appeared natural. He showed me how to do everything, except that particular scene. It had to be uninhibited. He didn’t want me to laugh as the scene had to be funny but without laughter. Since there was also Kabhi Khushi Kabhi Gham’s theme tune playing in the background. I had actually googled people using vibrators a night before the scene was shot. It became special because I received so much appreciation for it,” said she.
However, she said that Megha’s character was challenging because it was in your face, “she was smart and bold.” Preethi’s character, on the contrary, was challenging because it’s “subtle.”
She added, “Sometimes when you have proper dialogues and scenes, it is easier to present them. But expressing or conveying an emotion without having to say a dialogue could be challenging, and this was the hardest thing about Preethi’s character. There is a lot to express. She is simple yet strong. And this balance had to be internalised. I never judged her but completely empathised with her when I was watching the original. On that level, it was easy to relate to her but there were still many differences between her character and the way I function.”
The two are not the same. She said, “We are quite different in the ways we express and react. I am more expressive and quite animated when I talk. But Preethi has got a lot of thairaav (relaxation), and is more internalised. If one compares her to Kabir, she is more responsive, whereas Kabir is very reactive. But I feel, that is the beauty of both of them and probably something that draws them towards each other. These things about them actually layers the story and makes it so interesting.”
It is her “proper and deep understanding of her characters” that she enables her to portray them naturally whether it is her role as Sakshi, who doesn’t recognise MS Dhoni when she saw him for the first time or Preethi.
While the film explores alcoholism and self-destruction among the young generation in the name of love which takes one back to the ‘Devdas’ syndrome who sacrificed his life longing for his beloved Paro. One wonders whether it is the same syndrome afflicting Kabir Singh aka Shahid Kapoor in the film. Talking about her take on modern love, romance and relationships, she said, “No matter what century you live in or the lifestyles we choose, love is love. You always want that one person at the end of the day with whom you can talk to about everything under the sun. It’s a pure feeling which can only be felt. So, I think even Kabir is the same. They are just like any other couple in love who are not able to meet.”
In this “Tinder age,” as she calls it, she said, “I have never used the app. But even though people use it and they even find partners, love remains the same. There is no different definition for it. It’s just a new way of doing it. Earlier, there were flowers and chocolates to express it. I remember in school, people used to pass each other love letters and chocolates. It was also a way of expression of love. Times change, love doesn’t.”
Photo: Pankaj Kumar
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Sunaina: I was assaulted
Sunaina Roshan sister of actor Hrithik Roshan alleged that she was assaulted by her family since she is in love with a Muslim man.
She claims that her brother Hrithik hasn’t helped and he has broken a promise to provide her with an apartment of her own. “Hrithik had promised me that he would get me a house of my own, wherever that I wanted in Mumbai, but he has not done that. When I found a rented apartment for myself in Lokhandwala, he said it’s too expensive for me. Is 2.5 lakhs rent too expensive for him?”she told a Mumbai-based website.
She also said that her parents have limited her finances.
‘I would’ve definitely been disappointed if any other actor would’ve recreated Tip Tip Barsa Paani, a song which has been synonymous with me and my career and I can’t thank Ratan Jain ji enough.
At times you realise, we may have come a long way but we also go back a long way.’
—Akshay Kumar
Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Unicef Goodwill Ambassador for Child Rights, marked World Refugee Day with a special message. She pledged her support to children who have been forced to flee their homes. She even shared a video of herself from her meetings with children at refugee camps on social media.
“The truth is quite simple, the future lies in the hands of the children of today. But the harsh reality is that there is an entire generation of innocent children growing up without any future prospects. These children are affected by displacement due to conflict and emergencies in their various regions,” says the actress.
Writer & Courtesy: The Pioneer
Sumeet Vyas has romanced Kareena Kapoor Khan, played goofy roles in web series and is now looking forward to portraying Ram Jethmalani in The Verdict: State Vs Nanavati. By Siddhika Prajapati
He has no second thoughts while answering any of our questions. Nor does he hesitate or fumble. He is quick and smart while at the same time has an air of of detachment around him despite the recognition that he has been getting for his work of late. Actor Sumeet Vyas, who has been seen across different platforms — films, TV and web series — is devoid of any regret or guilt about his life or the kind of work that he has done.
It is the actor’s confidence and self-conviction that has got him so far. Vyas is set to play an intense role in Ekta Kapoor’s forthcoming web series, The Verdict: State Vs Nanavati, which is a switch from the goofy roles that he has been portraying recently. He took it up as it was a long time since he found a story which offered something different as he had been getting roles that were similar to TVF’s Permanent Roommates. So when the show’s director approached him to play lawyer Ram Jethmalani, he was surprised and overwhelmed at the same time.
Based on the famous case where KM Nanavati, a much-decorated naval officer shot his wife’s paramour, it has had cinematic outings in the past too, including Yeh Raastey Hain Pyar Ke (1963), then Achanak (1973) and the most recent one being Rustom, starring Akshay Kumar. The case in 1959 put the spotlight on Jethmalani, who was the prosecution lawyer while the public sympathy lay with Nanavati who was supported to the hilt by fellow Parsi Russi Karanjia’s tabloid, Blitz. Nanavati was eventually declared not guilty by a clearly partisan jury vote of eight to one. The larger outcome of the case was that the jury system in India was scrapped forever.
The actor says that there is a method to choosing any role. “I agreed to take up this character as I was bored of doing those ‘nice guy’ roles. I wanted to play someone with characteristics that do not define me in real life. Also, the story at its core is so powerful that any actor would want to take up the opportunity.”
It is the first time that Vyas is being seen portraying a layered role unlike the linear characters that he has been seen in, be it in Tripling or Official CEOgiri. When it comes to preparing for any role, the actor doesn’t believe in getting into its depth as this would affect his personal life. “I don’t believe in living the character. Once the shot is done, I immerse myself in my life. It’s very important for me and for my process of preparation to disconnect from the character once I have wrapped up the role,” he elaborates.
The Veere Di Wedding actor accepts that playing a real-life character, especially someone as dynamic as Jethmalani, was a huge responsibility. He read his biography and watched video tapes as a part of his homework for the role. He adds, “It’s very important to me to know exactly where the character is coming from. I don’t apply my personal logic into the character’s behaviour or the motives behind his action. I prefer to be natural without stressing too much.”
Talking in-depth about the character, the Parched actor says, “For any actor, the complexities of each character are an interesting aspect to scrutinise. No one can completely understand someone as multi-dimensional as Jethmalani. Neither I nor anyone can term him unfair or even reasonable. Thus, it’s an intriguing experience to play him on screen.”
The actor is one of the reasons we’re glued to YouTube. Back in 2016, he made us notice him with his substantial role in the film Parched, but it was his portrayal of the character Mikesh/Micky in TVF’s Permanent Roommates that garnered eyeballs.
Meanwhile, Vyas does not believe in comparing the digital platform with the silver screen. “As an actor, I personally, don’t find any difference. I will invest the same amount of efforts in the film which I would put in any other medium. The only difference is the platform through which the story is conveyed,” shares the actor.
According to the TVF star, web shows can never replace cinema. He agrees that it has emerged with new opportunities and its market is expanding. But cinema has its own essence. “Cinema has a vast reach whereas web series are quite personal. One can enjoy the film with family but series offers one the freedom to experience it alone,” he adds. Vyas has also written Yashraj’s web series Bang Baja Baarat, which was again a huge success among youth.
Besides acting and writing, Vyas has directed plays. He joined theatre at 17 which helped him grow up as an actor. “The content and the people with whom I work with satisfy me while choosing any project. For me, the medium is inappropriate. Whether it’s for stage, web or silver screen, I make sure that it has to improve me as a person. So, what I enjoy and what I don’t is the process which makes me decide on taking up any project,” Vyas says.
The show is expected to release by the end of this month.
Writer: Siddhika Prajapati
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Actress Dia Mirza says humans constantly try to protect themselves rather than acknowledge the challenges and painful experiences that others face. She tells Chahak Mittal how her new web series Kafir helped her change her perspective on life
What if you are in a situation where you are punished and brutally tortured for something that you are not responsible for? Or how do you react if you are imprisoned for seven years for a crime you did not commit? You have no way to get out and nobody to go to for help. You are in the most helpless situations of all times. Isn’t the very thought of it terrifying? However, what one needs to understand is that such situations are beyond our common imagination until they are felt within their veins.
When actress Dia Mirza heard the script of her latest web series Kafir, which will be streaming on ZEE5, she got goosebumps and also, tears. “Did you experience goosebumps when you watched the trailer?” she asks me with curiosity in her eyes, while I nod a yes.
“That is exactly what happened to me when I heard the narration from Bhawani Iyer (screenwriter). And when I got to know that the story was inspired by a real person’s life, it was all the more reason for me to do it. I was very motivated and challenged as an artist to take it up. It is the first time I have hungered for a part like this,” she says and goes on to add, “My core was shaken. I felt like it was the best thing that happened in a long time. The story is so timely and necessary because only a few people are speaking the language of love right now and the world needs it.”
Set in the backdrop of the border conflict between India and Pakistan, more than the geographical boundaries, the story covers the journey and life of a 21-year-old Pakistani woman Kainaaz, who, because of her circumstances, jumps into a river and is washed ashore on the Indian side. She is labelled a militant and imprisoned for seven years during which she births a child on Indian soil. When journalist and lawyer Vedant, (played by actor Mohit Raina), discovers her plight, he decides to help her get justice. “So the story is about how she gets there, why is she there and how was that child born. It talks about what is the idea of freedom, identity, and most importantly, love,” says Dia.
When I get curious to know more about the story, she laughs and says, “Let me hand over the script to you so that you know it even before the show airs.” However, it’s the way she tells a story that makes you want to keep listening to her. It’s her eyes, with their deep empathy, that tell the tale and at the same time revive memories of Reena from Rehna Hai Tere Dill Mein (2001).
Talking about the show’s theme, she says, “It explores prejudice and how the world is full of it, whether we speak about prejudice between two nations or against religions, class and culture. But also prejudice that we have for ourselves. And in a way, we are fortunate that it was not made earlier. Since right now is actually the perfect time.”
Kafir was intended as a feature film, the script of which was written 13 years ago and “it took Siddharth (Malhotra, producer) eight years to finally decide to tell it as a web series. With that, we got the luxury of showing the story through eight episodes where we can show the narrative with all its intricacies and nuances. There is more time to invest in the humanity of each of the characters and their humaneness. I don’t think the film would have done justice to it. I am thankful to the universe that it chose us,” says Dia as she talks about how online platforms have an advantage when it comes to telling stories with greater depth.
It really struck a chord within Bhawani when she met Shahnaaz, the woman who is the inspiration, and heard her story. She explains, “She said there were three things which struck her — her sense of peace, calm and grace, despite her experience. Also, patience plays a very important role. And one thing that I would like to lend to this narrative was the ability to love.”
She feels that the story had had its own journey and took its own time to reach where it is today. “However, it has been an amazing one. It has come out so beautifully. When Bhawani saw the first bit of the presentation, she said ‘how did you guys know what I wanted to show and say!’ That was just divine. There could be no other word to describe it, for it is so powerful when a writer’s story comes out in the same way as s/he had imagined.” And after a moment’s notice, Dia exclaims with a smile, “You write, you would know.”
There is one thing that the actress wants people to feel and understand here, while watching her character — the role and importance of empathy. She says, “It is important for you as a human being to allow yourself to feel what that person had actually felt. We did some exercises to open our hearts, minds and bodies to experience the most in-depth empathy. We attended workshops to allow ourselves to feel and express those emotions because as human beings, we try to protect ourselves. We don’t go to certain places or allow certain emotions to ever emerge because we feel they weaken us. The whole effort of the workshop was to really bare our souls to the absoluteness and allow ourselves to experience everything that this person felt. So it makes you feel the part as opposed to acting the part.”
It’s also the other team members, cast and crew, who play a constant role in bringing out those emotions, she feels. “When you are a team that is so encouraging, whatever the emotion is, whether its your co-actors, Mohit or that six-year-old child (Dishita), who is the most aware kid I have ever come across. She never acted. She was there in that very moment, feeling whatever she was experiencing and bringing that out and expressing herself then and there. And then there is director, Sonam Nair, who is constantly facilitating it. It gives you the freedom and room to just be. She never let us feel the presence of the camera. It almost felt like she was bearing witness to what is happening to us,” says the actress.
About having a kid around such an intense atmosphere, she says, “It made all the difference.” She goes on to add, “As adults, we struggle to present something in an honest way, we might not be present here and now. But that child is so present. It’s like she was born of meditation,” (laughs).
She says that Dishita made her a mother. “You don’t need a biological child to feel what a mother could be. She really evoked the most intense maternal instinct in me. I have always been a nurturer and care-giver for my friends and family, and fans, but what that kid made me feel was something else. I really went into withdrawal and couldn’t stop crying on the last day of our shoot. I didn’t feel like I could live without her. And she still calls me Dia Ammi while we are talking on Facetime (laughs).”
While one would think about the story and how it has been presented after watching any film or show, one often ignores what goes into making it. She says, “It all begins with writing. Only after that other things fall in place. There are costumes, which are a very important factor. It matters a lot that what clothes you are wearing, how much mud you are pushing into your fingernails because there is no manicure in jail. You are engaged in hard labour everyday. All these small things don’t come into sharp notice but go a long way in building up the character and the show.”
She talks about how Kainaaz has changed her life. “I am deeply impacted by this role. There are two things that I have discovered — Kainaaz has empowered me and made me realise everyone’s life has challenges to a high extent. It’s only your response to those challenges that makes the difference. After this role, a lot of people ask me how will I get out of that experience or leave Kainaaz, but I don’t want her to leave me ever. It has transformed me as a human being.”
Lately, there has been a lot of Kashmir-related content that vividly portrays the conflict, the most recent example being, No Fathers in Kashmir and Raazi. She explains that it is because “it needs to be there. Cinema is one of the biggest media of change and if these can impact the relations between India and Pakistan even a little, why not?”
The actress, who is known for her social work like working for cancer aid, PETA, Cry and Greenathon, and has also served as an ambassador for the WTI and the goodwill ambassador to the UN, hopes that people through these stories realise that “hate exists because of fear. We just need more acceptance and love towards each other to make it a better world.”
Photo: Pankaj Kumar
Writer: Chahak Mittal
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Instead of discussing marital problems with relatives, Actor Cyrus Sahukar tells Siddhika Prajapati that people should consider visiting therapists instead. Breaking the trend of typical Indian family dramas dealing with love, hate, betrayal, separation and what not, Mind the Malhotras is a forthcoming Amazon Prime web series of a modern couple trying hard, with the help of a therapist, to figure out their never-ending disputes.
For actor Cyrus Sahukar, who plays the character of Rishabh, it’s a “flawless mishmash” comic family, which is very relatable. There are two categories of people, one fall under being normal and another being ‘screwy.’ These Malhotras have a blend of both. They are the craziest of all. Mini Mathur, who portrays the role of Rishabh’s wife, and Sahukar are working hard on their marriage so that the spark remains alive. In the mid of all this, they are also trying to be friendly yet disciplined parents to their three children.
Sahukar apprises us, “In India, marriages have become very complicated since the world we breathe in has too many options. Couples go through a lot of issues like communication gaps, compatibility problems and various misunderstandings. So, sometimes seeking a therapist works well since conversing with someone who is anonymous, helps in sustainability of the relationship.”
Mini completely agrees with Sahukar. She says, “There were days when people used to seek advice from their close relatives but now they have been replaced by counselors and therapists because their job is not to be judgmental while counselling.”
Like any other typical Indian relationship, Rishabh and Shefali’s marriage is also not breaking up. They are still in love with each other but they just don’t want to fall into the situations similar to their friends, who have recently got divorced. “Their therapist suggested them to try acting like the characters of Sholay. Mini played Basanti and Sahukar portrayed Thakur but failed wretchedly,” says he.
The series is an Indian adaptation of Israeli comedy drama, La Famiglia. Being single, Sahukar was suspicious whether he would do justice to the character of a father. What helped him to work on his character was to discuss about the parenting tips with his friends and family. He sarcastically says, “Rishabh became a father at the age of 19 so basically he has grown up with his kids. Actually, I think I have become an expert in parenting now and of course, would be getting loads of marriage proposals too.”
He doesn’t understand the unusual world of Indian marriage, in-laws, society, kids, etc. He finds Rishabh a fascinating character, who chooses indirect methods of educating his daughters about sex. It is definitely relatable as we have often gone through this awkwardness with our own parents on these subjects.
“It’s important for a father to share a similar comfort zone with their kids. Sometimes, staying busy with their lives leads huge communication gaps, which is quite common these days,” he adds.
Sahukar has done it all, be it anchoring, comedy or acting in Bollywood films — Aisha, Love Break-ups and Zindagi. He is mostly known for his comedy roles but won’t mind experimenting with various genres. He says, “ I want to get out of my comfort zone. I want to experience something intense and portray darker characters. I need to explore myself since I believe that aspect of me is so strong which is yet to be discovered.”
He apprises that anchoring is his first love and he can do it anytime but acting in a web series, which offers a funny take on the marriages of contemporary world was a whole new era of exploring relationships and bonds. “I remember when the therapist asked us (Rishabh and Mini) to converse with each other more often, we had nothing much to talk about. I believe the feelings of anxiousness exist in every relationship whether it’s a marriage or not,” says Sahukar.
It presents the idea of new ways of celebrating marriage and love to sustain in a cynical society. Mini firmly believes in marriages, she says, “There’s always an advantage when you are in love, due to which this show is exceptional. We can’t stay being a perfect soul-mate always. Any relation would only survive if there is constant understanding among those two people. I have seen single individuals, they are lonely and it’s not easy. So, it feels great when you know that there is always someone right behind you.”
Sahukar sums it up by sharing his experience with the cast. He says, “Mini and me are best friends, so we can work anytime. Of course, until and unless we would get the right script to frame both of us. Our Malhotra family is super cool and welcomes everyone whoever is trying hard to fix things rather calling off when they are not falling in place.”
Writer: Siddhika Prajapati
Courtesy: The Pioneer
It is tougher to convey the same vision in a reduced time frame than in a full-length feature, believes filmmaker Avalokita DuttA.
In this age of short attention spans, a condensed format of different forms of entertainment prevails in our consciousness. With an abundance of digital platforms, the short film format is here to stay. Filmmaker Avalokita Dutta, who is all set to debut with her short film Gutthi, believes that these are the future. “People nowadays want short, sharp and tight bursts of entertainment, which they can watch at work, at home or on the move on their phones,” she says.
If we compare them to feature films, they have traditionally been treated as a poor cousin, especially at film festivals. However, their brevity makes them ideally suited to the digital platforms.
Avalokita explains that short films engage the audience for a little time but simultaneously provide great quality content. And that is what today’s generation needs. She says, “Anyone can make these because this is the digital era. Moreover, these films could be about anything and everything that a person wants to talk about. These screening platforms have made short films more democratic. It’s so amazing. Who would not want to see the world through so many different eyes.” Short films for sure have two undeniable roles. “First, they allow new talent the chance to get noticed and refine their style. Second, they also help to encourage creativity and innovation that includes new ways of telling stories,” she adds.
Given their obvious importance, why do short films continue to remain in the shadows? Well, “that’s more a sociological question,” she says. “The obvious answers could be — lack of great actors. Or the penchant that we as an audience might have for the epic.”
Avalokita apprises us that short films are very important for filmmakers as they give a playing field to them. Moreover, it honed their skills as a short film needs to be tighter in what it is trying to convey as compared to a feature film. It’s more difficult to say something vital in shorter time.
“The audience has become more accepting of short films. There’s a huge difference in today’s time and 90s when there was a star system. People headed out to watch films only to see the big stars on the screen. And now cinema is taking a turn for something better. People prefer content over everything. They want to see actors presenting quality content. Take the example of Badhai Ho. The same has happened with short films because the audience has begun to watch films for what they are about rather than who stars in it,” she adds.
Avalokita’s Gutthi is about about friendship between two girls. She explains that she wanted to treat friendship with the same amount of importance that love stories get. She feels that friendship between two females hasn’t got much exposure in our cinematic space. It’s her take on friendship in an intimate manner. She says, “Relationships wither away with time. These two girls are dreamers. They make films to change the world. But over the years, their friendship has become monotonous. The spark has completely gone.”
The short film is one of six films titled Shuruaat Ka Twist.
The only commonality between the six films is the theme, that is of ‘twist’. Every film is the interpretation of the word twist by six different directors.
She adds, “The twist in my film is what happens when one girl decides to move out.”
Amit V Masurkar, popularly known for directing Newton, mentored Avalokita for this film. She says, “I have never worked with Amit before. But we have known each other for quite a long time. We met at a film festival. I am much younger to him as he’s a senior filmmaker. But he always treats me with great respect and equality. I don’t even know if I deserve it. May be I have earned it.”
She tells us that she was a bit scared about this whole mentorship thing. “Because we both are extremely opinionated people and have our own visions for the kind of cinema that we want to make. But he gave me quite a free range. He placed more faith in me than I have in myself. Amit asked me to be responsible for every decision that I take. I have learnt from him that you need to have respect for another person’s vision,” She adds.
She further tells us that she’s a control freak and wants to dominate every single person in the crew. But thanks to Amit, “I understand how important it is to allow freedom to everyone. You need to give people space and the liberty to work as per their strategies. So that they can contribute in the best possible way. Maybe you could actually get something extraordinary out of it. Because there’s a difference between when one brain works and when many brains work for the same goal in unison.
Writer: Ayushi Sharma
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Chopsticks
Directed by Sachin Yardi, the film traces a day in the life of gifted by insecure woman, Nirma (played by Mithila Palkar), who teams up with an enigmatic conman (played by Abhay Deol) to retrieve her car from an eccentric “goat-loving” gangster (played by Vijay Raaz).
The “first Indian original film on Netflix” releases on May 31.
Hostages
In this remake of the eponymous Israeli show, a surgeon is held hostage by a group of criminals, who want her to compromise with her profession — kill a patient on the surgery table – in exchange for her family’s safety.
Directed by Sudhir Mishra, the series stars Tisca Chopra and Ronit Roy in the leading roles. The show premieres on Hotstar from May 31.
Good Omens
The end of the world is nearing. An angel and a demon who have become overly fond of life on Earth must form an unlikely alliance to stop the approaching Armageddon and save the world before it’s too late.
Starring Michael Sheen, David Tennant, Jon Hamm, the Original series releases on Amazon Prime on May 31.
Writer: Pioneer
Courtesy: The Pioneer
Suresh Selvarajan never had a career path. He made it up as he went along to make his mark across the spectrum
Suresh has been championing the creativity since he has been studying school. He holds a fine arts degree in painting from the University of Pondicherry. He was recognised with a state award at the age of nineteen for painting. With 15 years of experience in the film industry as art director and production designer he has honed his eye to give life to the sets with his outright talent. Some of his notable projects as art director in ‘Krrish 3’, ‘Robot’; as special property designer in ‘Kick’, ‘Baby’, ‘Housefull 3’ ; as production designer in ‘Brothers’, ‘Iru Mugan’ &‘Bharath One Nenu’. He is presently working for ‘Petta’ film starring Rajinikanth in the lead role and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in ensemble cast.
What were your interests when you were growing up? How did you graduate to art directing and set decorating?
I was born and brought up in Chidambaram. While I was in school I had a passion for paintings and I used to draw and paint a lot. Everyone around would appreciate me for it. Chidambaram is a temple town and is nothing alike Chennai or Mumbai cities. I remember all my way from school to home I used to find numerous sign board shops and temples. I admired the painters job who used to draw and design the boards, walls and paint the ornate (monumental tower at the entrance of a Hindu temple). I would stand there watching them do their work and think that I too wanted the same job when I grew up. They were my first connection for what I am today. I wanted to be a painter. Back then I never had facilities like internet where I could use google to research or know what I can do with my talent to go to the next level. I was not aware if there is a college to teach subjects related to arts and cinema industry.
I didn’t have a path mapped out. That’s when I watched an interview of the Indian art director and production designer Thota Tharani on Tv and learnt if someoneis good at subjects like paintingand drawing then there is a career for them in the film industry. So I joined the University of Pondicherry and graduated to Bachelor of Fine Arts and got into assisting the renowned art director Sabu Cyril for films. To be honest I created my first email id and learnt about google and wikipedia only when I was studying in college (laughs).
Who do you consider as your mentors for your career growth?
I had different people as mentors in my life. My school teacher, Gurunathan was my first mentor. He recognised my talent, encouraged me to take part in competitions and guided me through out. When I joined college I had my professors guide me at a different level. My role model who I always admired was Thota Tharani sir. I would read and watch all his interviews. At college, I would go through all the cassettes of his teaching and making of art direction for study purpose. I wanted to be like him and work under him if given a chance after college but unfortunately I couldn’t get to join his team.
It was then I met Sabu Cyril sir and joined him. He is my biggest mentor of all as I got an opportunity to get into film industry through him and he also helped me get my debut film as an art director. He taught me how to live with the set. I would observe him and imitate him. I gradually cultivated his style of talking.
What were some of the early lessons you learned when you started off in art direction?
We have time restrictions in films as art directors or production designers, so adapting to change and learning quickly is necessary. I learned a tremendous amount about the craft and talent that went into production. As a beginner, I was very into the circus of it all. I have always wanted people to see, feel and walk through my paintings. An artist creates a relationship between a canvas (a cloth artist paint on) and a brush which is an outcome of an art. Art direction is something that I found where lies a canvas and doing the same artwork as an artist but involving more than 200 to 400 people to make the film sets, a life sized three-dimensional painting. It involves carpenters, painters, welders and moulders to make the sets look alive where people can walk through and it needs a lot of team effort.
Our efforts are validated and we get to see a great deal of work covered in the films, but there could be times where none of it makes in at all. So I have learned the first and foremost important thing in art direction is to keep the camera frames in mind. That way I know to convert my sets into the frame and when we have the luxury to work for more time on sets and embrace it they become much richer.
Do you always travel a lot for your work? How is it? And tell us your experience about it?
I am a globetrotter. Normally when I’m working in base locations like Chennai or Mumbai, things are easier to handle. Shooting abroad is never easy
mainly with problems flowing in from all angles, especially the weather conditions and that mostly concerns rains and winds. It feels like an adventure from the beginning till end as I get to experience different people, food, language and location. While I travel I have my eyes open to new and fascinating things and at the same time it is challenging when it comes to work.
Are there any common misconceptions that you think people have about what the art department does?
According to my experience and the people I have come across, I would like to categorise them into three groups based on their knowledge about art direction. he first category of the people is the majority ones who already have a knowledge about what exists in nature and easily able to figure the sets made when they are watching the film. They also uses sources like newspaper and online research to know more about the movies and how they function. The second category of people would watch the film and would take guesses maybe the scenes were shot in an actual market or a police station or a theatre. To these people when they are told it is all a set and not the actual place, it is easy make them understand. The third category of people will never know anything about the sets. They wouldn’t understand even if we tell them that it was not real. For example if there is a fight scene to be shot in a train, we have to make 10 different types of sets so that every detail like the seatings, passengers, windows, doors and walls of the train have to be captured in the camera in different angles. These people will understand only when they watch the making of the film.
The same way there are three types of films; realistic, futuristic and periodic films involving art direction for people to understand how much level of set making is required to make them. It is very difficult to figure out the sets in realistic film as they are made based on the scenes to be shot with respect to what the script demands. Futuristic films are fictional and 75% of people will know the sets were made for those films. In periodic films, everyone knows that the places and things existed once and they don’t exist now. And in order to make such films, the sets are built.
How does your typical day or a typical week look like when shoot starts? Do you get a moment to take a break in the middle of it?
I always have the first day fear but it has always helped me grow in life and it makes me confident. Once the shoot begins, I do get breaks in the first week until I hand over the set and sometimes it extends for 15 days or a month. In the first week, after opening sets we check in on build / install progress and check if things are into the frame and projected into the camera. While I get time to relax and think for the next in-line my team would be there to take care of each department.
How do you feel when it’s a wrap and you watch your sets being torn down? That’s a good question! Sometimes it could be heartbreaking as there is a lot of hard work put in it. We would be prepared when we are making the sets that we will be breaking it, being aware that all the hard work is captured on camera. When you are not prepared for certain situations like an accident where the car is completely damaged then you would feel the loss of it and it’s a true loss. We move on as we would be focussed on the next set.
Apart from the major recurring sets, you would have quite a few sets that only appear once or twice. What’s your approach to maintain the visual consistency throughout the whole production to those sets as far as the level of detail and the amount of time spent?
Every scene in the movie is important. We often collaborate on what shots are needed, and focus our time and resources on servicing those needs in a smarter way by keeping the script in mind. In a movie there would be grand scenes and small scenes. Sometime when there are scenes with small budget and requires to be completed within short time, I make sure the overall look and feel of the scene is the same by changing the colour palette as we cannot show the audiences if it had a small budget in the film. It is challenging to do the same kind of work for all the sets irrespective of it appearing once or twice or being small in the film.
What do you do between your productions?
Laughs… I try to relax and focus on my family and travel. I always carry a piece of paper in my pocket. My day doesn’t go without it. I write all my present work as checklist and I have one for my personal use too. I write planning on holidays and anything that I have missed to do with my family while I was at work. I do not skew work-life balance so they don’t miss me and I don’t miss them.
Do you have any final words for the readers of OPINION EXPRESS magazine?
I have a thought to share, there is a saying that god exists in everyone likewise I say that art exists in everyone and nobody can deny it. For example the vegetable vendor arranging vegetables which would look very attractive or an old lady with no knowledge of art would have arranged the fishes so beautiful in a fish market. We get to observe these outside on the streets, offices and at homes too. All these people follow a pattern to attract some kind of audience. you don’t have to know how to draw or paint like a professional to be an expert at art but it exists in everyonein some or the other way irrespective of their profession.
It’s about a struggle of a woman. How she fights her mental trauma and finally succeeds. Her only reason is to give happiness to her parents as she knows the pain, agony and struggle her parents are going through. The moral of the story is…never give up in life and never think that you are incompetent.
The short film ‘Main Achchi Hoon’ was officially released on April 15 on YouTube. It’s film on How a girl struggles with bipolar disorder, fights it and emerges as a winner. Prashanti Tiwari, a young talent from Jabalpur has contributed as an executive producer while the film has been directed by Raaja Ram Mukherjee, the brother of Rani Mukherjee.
Do watch it and realise this journey and be a part of it.
Filmmaker Wes Anderson says his first inspiration to directe the Isle of Dogs came from Japanese cinema. In conversation, with Team Viva
Where did the inspiration for the film begin from?
The very first inspiration was when we made Fantastic Mr Fox, another animated movie which we shot at Bromley-By-Bow in East London. On the way, there was a sign at the road for the turnoff to the Isle of dogs, which is kind of an industrial island on the Thames. It always seemed very mysterious to me. I love dogs and I looked it up and it was supposedly the place where the king kept his hunting dogs in the 16th century (or something related) and that was the beginning of this movie, so I just hoped there’s something in that for us, which was this. Then I went to Jason and Roman, my two good old friends and said I have this idea of of five dogs — Chief, King, Duke, Boss and Rach on a garbage dump islands — and that was all I had. I had that information and we had also been hoping to make a film together in Japan. So, we sort of mixed them together and suddenly we started to get some ideas.
Can you talk about the voice casting of this film because the voices are just beautiful. How did you take the final call for the voice cast?
Yes, well I think for some parts, the casting of every role is a bit different, for some parts are the people I have known or have been following for years. We were auditioning people and seeing people like Akira. I didn’t really know Akira has been in one other film and Koyu hasn’t been in any other films and I just like their voices and performances; really casting them the way you cast an actor.
Could you talk about the researching put into the Japanese culture in this movie?
Well, I think our first inspiration was Japanese cinema, that’s why we wanted to do a film and that was why we were thinking of Japan in the first place and for us it was Kurosawa and Miyazaki. Those were the two very different kind of filmmakers but those are the ones who were really inspiring us and making us want to make this story in the first place. The other two masters I would say are the woodblock printmakers — Hiroshige and Hokusaiand — those became our kind of guides as well. But all four of those artists, I can’t really put my finger on what we were looking for and what we were taking from them. It was more sort of steeping ourselves in their work, putting the pictures on the walls, sharing it and seeing how it came into our own story.
As a filmmaker, who makes animated films, why do you think we are so weary of animation as a medium that we can take seriously to tell adult stories?
Well, that’s a very good question. My answer is just going to be exactly the same thing as yours. But here, I didn’t put children into consideration, but only the families. Not the way we really steer a thing for an audience and for an age group. My earlier animated film was based on a book that was written with a particular age group in mind, not ours.
The film was not necessarily written that way but the book was. So we were working with something that I already had built. We didn’t write this one with anybody in mind and as we went along every now and then, we asked ourselves, can we do this? Is it going to be alright and will people accept this? Since it’s not really a children’s film at all and for some children it might be disturbing. You know it has a PG-13 rating which animated films don’t usually get and when it got that way it made sense to me because the dog hanged himself by his own leash.
Correct me if I am wrong… were there three different sizes for every puppet?
You can’t really break it down quite that way. What you have is based on what you need for some puppets. There is one scale and that’s going to be sufficient for what this puppet needs to do but for other ones there are different sizes. If we are taking a very wide shot, we have some small puppets but I was always trying to push us in the direction of smaller scale. I liked the idea of using smaller puppets and having a larger scope to the set because that would include everything. Everybody said that we are going too small and I kept pushing it. However, I was wrong, we should have had bigger puppets because often it became very challenging to animate at that scale. We also reached a certain point where the puppet would not hold up at a long distance. In the frame, the puppet was not right and it turned out to be my fault. I had kept puppets smaller but then we had to at times produce larger scale puppets, change the schedule and so on… not that everybody is dying to hear the details of our scheduling process but it was quite complicated in the stop motion film.
(The show premieres on Star Movies Select HD on May 25.)
Writer: Team Viva
Courtesy: The Pioneer
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