BollywoodFilmFame.com
PORTRAYAL OF STRONG AND POWERFUL WOMEN
HUMA QURESHI THE MAGIC OF MOVIES
BOMAN IRANI
MARCH 2022
THE IRONY OF A CHARACTER
RAJKUMMAR RAO “Even now, we have to prove the power and importance of just being a woman”
ALIA BHATT
Tis the season for it to start warming up...anytime now. I'm waiting on some sunshine and some lollipops - maybe not the lollipops. That reminds me - do you remember being young, innocent, and remembering how life truly was meant to be? I remember watching cinema with innocence, with my family...and it is that warmth that I felt when speaking to Boman Irani, who was so gracious, kind, and though-provoking as we sat down on Zoom to discuss all things cinema. But not in a technical way necessarily. We started to delve into what it really means to enjoy cinema, our earliest memories of being enamoured by the world we were taken into, by recognizing that even in the worst of human beings, we need to find a touch of humanity, of something we can possibly relate to. What an absolutely warm chat it was, and I honestly cannot think of a time when I had a more lovely conversation in the recent past. Enjoy this one, because I sure did. There are some other good ones too - Alia Bhatt, Rajkummar Rao, and Huma Qureshi. This one is a memorable one. Until Next Time,
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THE MAGIC OF MOVIES
BOMAN IRANI ON THE COVER Boman Irani
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ALIA BHATT
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HUMA QURESHI
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RAJKUMMAR RAO
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AMIT TANDON
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SOUMYAJIT
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KENISHA
NAREN KUMAR
COVER STORY
Talking about the Magic of Movies
BOMAN IRANI Exclusive Interview By Armin S.
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COVER STORY
W hen I sat down to have a conversation
with Boman Irani, and after I had the conversation, and then when I wrote this article, the common thread was the smile I had on my face. Easily my favourite interaction of recent times, Boman Irani describes the magic of cinema in terms that are magical. He has a story infused with each perspective he gives me, and he really does bring it down the basics again. That we must watch cinema again with the innocence we had before. That and so much more. I canʼt say more because there is nothing better than him saying it himself.
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COVER STORY
As a little fellow, I would take my teachers with me to the movies
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COVER STORY
I ALWAYS REMEMBER BEING ENAMOURED BY CINEMA WHEN I WAS GROWING UP. I WATCHED THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY KIND OF FILMS, AND WE ALWAYS WATCHED THESE TOGETHER, AS A FAMILY. THAT’S MY FIRST MEMORY. WHAT’S YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF CINEMA?
You are not going to believe me though. I remember watching a movie from my mom’s womb.
TELL ME ABOUT THAT.
I genuinely feel that when I saw my first movie, I felt I had been watching movies. It was not a new thing to me – it felt like I had been watching films for the past many years. I genuinely feel that. You might think it sounds strange but it is true. My mom was a single parent, so they had to take me along everywhere. The thing was, I had some great memories as a child, watching movies. I saw all kinds of movies. Opposite my home, there was an old, old cinema called The Alexander. I used to come home from school, go there, and check out the posters. The posters would change every day if the films in main Mumbai wouldn’t work. I would come home from school, do my homework, play, and then do my actual homework at the theatre – and you know, those English movies didn’t last that long. That was my TV time. We didn’t have a time. The turnover of the films was great. My memories are vivid. However, when I was a kid, because I needed to explore the cinema, we used to travel a lot on our own as children. Grab the 65 or 69 and travel on our own in the bus. We used to catch the “Red” show at the Regal on Sunday morning – Reduced rates at 9 am. My mom used to tell me to find a kindly lady to help us cross the road. And on Fridays, we all went. If I loved the movie, I would go on Saturday and Sunday. I remember seeing a movie called Funny Girl with Barbara Streisand. I would take a new “bakra” with me every day. If I didn’t find someone, I would go on my own. And sometimes, I would take my teachers with me. As a little fellow, I would take my teachers with me to the movies. I remember an usher at one of the cinemas, his name was Dara. He asked me, “come here, you were here yesterday.” And Dara, he used to live very close to the shop. He asked me why I was there again and I told him I loved that movie. He asked me if I understand it, it wasn’t really kid-friendly. I told him I don’t understand the entire story, but there is so much in the story that grabs me, and maybe I’ll understand it ten years down the road. I watched that movie about 37 times. This movie, Funny Girl, it was a heartbreaking story of a comedian who was miserable in real life. That was my identity of showbiz and it made me feel like I should be in showbiz one day.
IT SEEMS MAGICAL, WHAT MOVIES MEANT TO YOU AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR PEOPLE, WHETHER THEY UNDERSTAND THE MAGIC OF BEING TRANSCENDED INTO ANOTHER WORLD. WITH THE LENS THAT YOU SEE THE WORLD WITH, DO YOU ALWAYS SEE IT CINEMATICALLY, DO YOU CONSTANTLY LOOK FOR SOMETHING THAT YOU THINK NEEDS TO BE CAPTURED, BECAUSE OF YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY, OR THIS NEEDS TO BE SAID, AS SOMEONE IN FILMS? I don’t really turn off but when I was a photographer, it was more heightened in that sense. Now, as a filmmaker, I am observing people rather than frames. As an actor, I was also observing people. As a photographer though, it must be a good shot but it must also tell a story. Everyone is seeing the same shot every day, but you frame it in such a way that they see your perspective, and they see something they saw, but didn’t notice. The same thing happens when it comes to human behaviour. Everyone has a story. It might be mundane for someone else. But if you put the right theme and make people empathize with the character, then every story is a great story. You have to make people care. I think you do look at life with a different lens – as a photographer, as an actor, slowly as I am learning every day, as a writer, and hopefully, as a director. They make it art. Art really is about showing people a mirror and saying this could be you.
I REMEMBER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MY DAD ABOUT SOME OF THE FILMS YOU HAD DONE – HE SAID, I LOVE THAT WE CAN ALWAYS CONNECT WITH HIM – YOU
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COVER STORY
if he’s a really good guy, that’s the worst kind of character.
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COVER STORY
MAY NOT ALWAYS UNDERSTAND HIS MOTIVES OR THE WAY HE CAME TO BE, EITHER ‘MUNNABHAI’ OR ‘3 IDIOTS’, YOU DO ALWAYS SECRETLY ROOT FOR HIM AND WANT HIM TO BE OKAY TOO. That’s a wonderful conversation (laughs). That’s the thing – the moment I don’t empathize with the character, he is just another irritating fellow. When I dislike him, but I empathize with him, and there’s a possibility I could be that guy, then there’s a strong possibility it will work. I had gone to a workshop recently, and I’m not ashamed that I go to workshops despite being an actor with work. The guy conducting the workshop said, if it is a funny guy, I look for sadness in him. If he is a sad guy, I look for a window of a smile. I’m paraphrasing. If he’s a bad guy, I look for hope in him. And if he’s a really good guy, that’s the worst kind of character. No one is perfect. That is what your dad probably identified. I understand Lucky Singh. His methods are a little suspect, but he loves his daughter, and your dad nailed it actually. But he feels for his daughter. It culminates with the moment of crash and burn – when she says, “my father is a cheat”. He’s finished. He doesn’t want to hear that. He curls like a little baby. I told Raju (Rajkumar Hirani) that maybe he curls like a little baby, and gets back into a fetus like position, and sits like that. That’s when you do feel sorry for him. Because he did not deserve that, even though he did deserve it. But that’s the moment he finds his innocence again. In 3 Idiots, the moment he gives his pen away, the pen was like a dagger in my heart – and the character was freed. The moustache was shaved. And that day, I didn’t put on any makeup to give him lines, like I used to. Nobody realizes the jump. Convocation day, his face looks brighter, and the darkness in his face has gone away. He is not wearing makeup. These are small, simple things. We realize that we are full of hate, egos, angst – and we are holding ourselves down – and then you free yourself in the third act of the film. Then, he was a happier guy, even though he was the most despicable guy in the world. It is important that you can say you are wrong – that change now, that is what hope is all about.
WE’VE COME A LONG WAY IN A DECADE, WITH THE WAY WE UNDERSTAND THE WORLD. WE EVOLVE AS HUMANS. WHAT IS THE ONE CHARACTER OR ONE EXPERIENCE, THROUGH WHICH YOU HAVE LEARNT THE MOST?
This might sound like a standard answer. I learn something from anyone. However, I had played Gandhi many years ago. It was a theatrical piece. I was trying to become small but still stand tall. Whatever there was, written about men, I learnt a lot. I learnt a lot about parenting, restraint, dignity in the face of all kinds of horrible occurrences. I’ve worked with Shyam Benegal and that gentleman taught me a lot. He gave me knowledge, world views, hard work, and finding humour in the most mundane things – I think that is learning. My Guru in screenwriting is a gentleman called Alex Dinelaris and I learn every day from him. I teach his teachings every day as well. Passing it on is important. It is also a form of learning itself. You learn from the most simple to the most profound things. I learn a lot from simple folk. Grandparents. My Granny always said things and I always say now, my Golly, she was right. You cannot just learn, but you got to apply it now. If you apply the teachings of life and then you infuse the techniques of acting, you reach acting Nirvana.
WHAT DO YOU WANT TO PASS ON TO ME, TO SOMEONE WHO IS AN AVID CINEMA LOVER?
To you, specifically, I’ll say, let me bookend it from your first question. Enjoy your cinema like you did when you were a kid. Don’t lose that because otherwise, we just have a bunch of opinions and we stand by our opinions, and we lose that innocence with which we watched that cinema when we were kids. Don’t let intellectualism and cynicism get the better of us. I think we have lost the innocence of cinema because we have so many opinions – we have opinions on trailers, on a movie based on the first half of the film…Give the person a chance. Seek the joy of how you used to watch cinema before. We’ve lost that.
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INTERVIEW
“Even now, we have to prove the power and importance of just being a woman”
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INTERVIEW
Alia Bhatt Exclusive Interview By Armin S.
Inthe25director, glorious years, Sanjay
Leela Bhansali, has given us something new and spectacular with each story, and Gangubai Kathiawadi is no exception. I speak to Alia Bhatt, who plays the title role, about nailing Gangubaiʼs mannerisms, her ability to depict contrasting emotions on screen, honesty in the eyes of both herself, and of course, Shantanu Maheshwari, who makes his film debut as Afshan. All that and more in these excerpts from our chat with her after her film premiered in Berlin.
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You can continue to depict strength despite the pain.
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HOW DID YOU NAIL GANGUBAI’S WALK AND SWAG?
One of the things that you will see is that Gangubai puts her feet up and puts her hand up and she has a small bottle in her hand which is basically a very strong alcohol, which we heard she drinks. The bottle is always there on her side so she is constantly sipping on it. She’s not a drunk but she likes to have that drink in her hand. In my head, her walk couldn’t be so straight but it also couldn’t be prim and proper. It had to be a bit unpredictable. It’s almost like her feet are taking her first and then her body is going behind her. That’s the way I imagined it in my head and Sanjay sir did not ask me to change it so I just continued with that.
WHAT ABOUT THE HAND, THIS HAND THING, SHE HAS GOING – IT’S VERY DOMINANT AND YET VERY SOFT? I think that is sir, and his directions for “Jab Saiyaan” and the choreography for that. It is a song that is montage-driven and it’s about moments so there is choreography there is. So even when she is dealing the cards or picking up the cards, there is choreography in that. Even when she makes Shantanu’s character open the card, there is grace. There is control from within, that she is telling him what to do but because of the type of song it is, the hand also has to be graceful. I think that’s the combination.
Photo Credit: Berlinale Images Photographer: Antonio Castello
WHAT WAS THE EXPERIENCE LIKE WORKING WITH SHANTANU MAHESHWARI, WHO HAS FOLLOWERS FROM HIS ACTING AND DANCING DAYS, AND REALLY SEEMS LIKE HE MAKES AN IMPRESSION? I love the tracks with Shantanu. I think he is also such a fabulous actor. He is so honest and so present and so hardworking. This is his first film but he has delivered such complex emotions. For him to shine and play his part convincingly only makes Gangubai’s track more convincing. I was also very invested in the way he was performing on set and sir, from the first time he saw his audition, was very clear to me that this was going to be my Afshan. He saw something in his eyes, which I totally understand and believe when I see him on the big screen – his eyes just come out to you. And because you rightfully said, he’s a dancer, so he is quite rhythmic in his body – whether he is doing a scene or a song, he has a natural rhythm which is so nice to watch. I think he is really going to go a long way, because he is extremely talented.
YOU TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY BEING PREPARED FOR THE UNPREDICTABLE ON A SANJAY LEELA BHANSALI SET. WHAT WAS THE MOST UNPREDICTABLE PART OF PLAYING GANGUBAI OR WHAT DID YOU NOTICE ABOUT YOURSELF AS AN ACTOR THAT YOU PERHAPS DID NOT KNOW BEFORE? Good question. I think she is fighting for what she thinks is right, but she has the ability to fight and also feel bad for what she has to fight for as well. It’s that dichotomy of having that strength but also letting the situation affect your heart. Strength does not mean you are not affected. Portraying strength does not mean that you cannot depict pain. You can continue to depict strength despite the pain. That’s what real strength is. It was a new combination sort of, that I kind of discovered.
Photo Credit: Berlinale Images Photographer: Antonio Castello
IT'S HARD TO GET CONTRASTING EMOTIONS IN ONE FRAME – VULNERABILITY IN HER EYES BUT STRENGTH IN HER BODY LANGUAGE. HOW DO YOU PACKAGE CONTRASTING EMOTIONS AND UNPACKAGE THEM ON SCREEN?
Hmm…you feel it. I don’t know. It’s a very good question. I don’t think a moment depicted through your eyes can be depicted without you really feeling it. For example, I think what happened globally through the pandemic to people, it shows in their eyes. I see their eyes. I can tell if you are sad, or not in agreement, or happy. I’m just genuinely looking at their eyes. Eyes are like a mirror – they tell you exactly how someone is feeling inside without the rest of the face. The mouth can say something else – like why the mother’s name is not enough? But my eyes are saying – it is still the same, why is the world is not changing? Even in real life, I connect with that emotion – that even now, we have to prove the power and importance of just being a woman. The contrast comes from understanding what you are saying, having that perspective, but also having that emotion in your eyes. It’s complicated.
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INTERVIEW
“I don’t k walk unt
Hu Qu 26
Exclusive Inte
know the til the day of”
INTERVIEW
H
uma Qureshi always gives us some phenomenal female characters to digest. With her latest outing, ZEE5’s Mithya, she plays a complex character who makes some good decisions and some bad ones, which she likes as an actor. I delve into the importance of real women depicted on screen and more with Huma. Here’s some excerpts of our interview as we caught up with her on Zoom.
uma ureshi
erview By Armin S.
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INTERVIEW
When I was growing up, I always had a problem with the representation of women
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INTERVIEW
IT’S SO GREAT TO SEE WOMEN KICK SOME BUTT ON SCREEN AND GET THE SCREEN SPACE THEY DESERVE. TELL ME ABOUT THE WOMAN YOU PLAY IN ‘MITHYA’ AND WHY YOU BELIEVE SHE WILL RESONATE WITH US. Well, she’s strong and like us, sometimes she makes good decisions and sometimes she makes bad decisions. That makes her so much more real and human, and like everybody else. When I was growing up, I always had a problem with the representation of women and how they were always put in boxes. Either you are being rescued, or playing a damsel in distress, or you are the vamp. What about just actual real representation of women who are not good or bad but women who make good choices or bad choices? I feel it’s nice as an actor to play characters which allow me the flexibility and range to honour and play women the way they are supposed to be.
MAYBE THAT’S THE SECRET TO RELATEABILITY. THERE IS A LOT OF WHAT’S ON THE INSIDE IS NOT WHAT IS ON THE OUTSIDE. WHAT’S THE CHALLENGE OF DOING THAT THROUGH A SIX PART SERIES – BEING PORTRAYED A CERTAIN WAY, BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE UNDERNEATH THAT WE DO NOT KNOW RIGHT AWAY? It's very challenging. It’s hard work – what we do. When we are doing something, it starts off with an idea that exists – a glimmer of an idea that exists. Somebody wrote something about who my character is, the direction has a vision for her, and I have a vision for her. Then the ideas come together to create somebody who people can relate to. It’s also really rewarding work – especially when someone reaches out to you and says that the character is one that they relate to.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF YOUR CHARACTER – SOMETHING THAT APPEALED TO YOU RIGHT AWAY? Her strength, her vulnerability. She has seemingly outwardly perfection, which is not true at all. Some people like the idea of perfection and we have all been guilty of that. If that wasn’t true, there wouldn’t be so many Instagram filters.
I LIKE THAT – THE PORTRAYAL OF STRENGTH AND VULNERABILITY TOGETHER.
I don’t know any woman who is not strong and vulnerable together.
WHICH IS THE BEAUTY OF IT. WE ARE FINALLY UNDERSTANDING THAT OR AT LEAST, WE UNDERSTOOD IT BUT NOW…WE’RE SHOWING IT. I think we always understood that but we did not represent that in our films, series, songs. We always knew that because we all have mothers – we know how strong our mom is, we always knew how weak she could get.
HOW DO YOU DECIDE HOW SHE MOVES – YOUR CHARACTER?
Can I tell you a secret? I don’t know until the first day of shoot. I know her lines, I know her gestures, and general body language. I would know speech. But walk – walk is a tricky one, my friend. I don’t know the walk until the day of. I put on my outfit and wear her shoes and walk on set – somehow, you get it.
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INTERVIEW
THE IRONY OF A CHARACTER WITH
RAJKUMMAR RAO Exclusive Interview By Armin S.
R ajkummar Rao has long been a favourite
actor of mine. His ability to shine through diverse roles makes him a true actor. The sincerity with which he does his work is truly commendable. I was truly delighted to have the opportunity to speak with him about Badhaai Do and his experience with the character he played. Here are some interview excerpts.
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INTERVIEW
I REALIZED HOW LONELY IT CAN BE, LIVING IN A SHELL, UNABLE TO TELL THE WORLD YOUR TRUTH.
YOU PLAY A CHARACTER WHO DONS A UNIFORM WHO IS USED TO TELLING THE COMMUNITY WHAT TO DO; BUT YOUR CHARACTER IS ONE THAT IS HISTORICALLY AND CURRENTLY, ARGUABLY, OPPRESSED BY THAT SAME COMMUNITY. TELL ME ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP THAT YOUR CHARACTER HAS WITH SOCIETY. Well, you got it absolutely right. That’s the irony of his life. He is trying to take control of his situation but he is somebody who is also not able to take control of his life. You can see from the broader perspective – yes, the trailer is fun, and with comedy, and humour, but – the broader perspective is that he is a lonely guy. There is so much frustration inside him because of society and family pressure. He’s not able to come out in the open and tell them what his sexuality is. That he is not interested in getting married but because of that pressure, he gets into this arrangement of a lavender marriage. He gets married to a girl who is in the same circumstances. She’s also facing the same situation. It is just so ironic.
WHAT CAN THE VOICE OF CINEMA DO FOR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLY OPPRESSED BUT ALSO HOW DO YOU ENSURE YOU DO NOT FALL INTO THE POTHOLES OF STEREOTYPES, AS AN ARTIST?
As an actor, I’m somebody who does not believe in doing things in a conventional way. I always want to break stereotypes. That’s exactly what the director and writers thought for this film. Even starting from the basics, his profession, he is a police officer. Most of the time, if somebody is homosexual, their profession is being designers. Here, I am a cop. He is a bodybuilder. His body language is not “feminine”. We did not want to take the conventional route. I love such scripts where we are not doing the obvious things people expect us to do. We are breaking stereotypes, breaking boundaries. The first look of the film had that impression on people too, which is great.
TELL ME ABOUT PORTRAYING NON-ROMANTIC LOVE AND GETTING THE WARMTH ACROSS ON SCREEN, WITHOUT SHOWING THE RESENTMENT A CHARACTER LIKE YOURS WOULD FEEL. My character is someone who has five, six sisters. He lives in a joint family with uncles and aunts. He is the only son so he has this pressure on him but that only leads to him being more oppressed. The only person he seems to have by his side is his mother. There is a beautiful graph for her character as well. And when you have great actors like Sheeba Chadha and Seema Pahwa, it becomes easy. The moment you look into their eyes, you know that you are seeing true emotions. You know they are playing that character. You know, it makes my job easier. I also work on my relationships with different characters as an actor – that’s what it’s all about – relationships.
WHAT WAS SOMETHING NEW YOU DISCOVERED ABOUT YOURSELF THROUGH THE COURSE OF THIS FILM? Well, two things. Nobody before this film has asked me to build muscles (laughs). I do whatever my character demands so I couldn’t have had a physique like this in Shahid or Trapped. There’s a reason why I have to look this way physically – why he loves working out every day. Apart from that, having lived this life, knowing that I was aware of the trials and tribulations people of his community face – I realized how lonely it can be, living in a shell, unable to tell the world your truth.
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AMIT
INTERVIEW
TANDON ALWAYS
Interview By Armin S.
RELEVANT ALWAYS
FUNNY
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THE REASON WHY YOU ARE SO POPULAR IN MY FAMILY AND ACCORDING TO THE COMMENTARY ON YOUTUBE, IT IS FAMILY-FRIENDLY CONTENT, AND THAT IS VERY RARE TO SEE. IT’S RELATABLE AS WELL – HOW DO YOU KEEP THE CONVERSATION FRESH EVEN IF IT IS RELATABLE?
In the last few years, I’ve discovered that more than we are different, we are actually very similar. It’s not just being Indians, but across the globe. When it comes to relationships, they are more or less the same – the frustrations between partners, between parents or children are the same. The parents are always telling you about their struggles and how you have it easy – whether you are in Spain, or the U.S., or in India. The fights of siblings, of partners, are still the same. It’s more of our surroundings that are changing but as people we remain the same. So maybe we’ve added a mobile phone – my struggle to my kids may be about me using a bicycle, my dad told me about going by foot. So that changes, but what I’ve discovered, when you talk about relationships, they are the same as they were one hundred years ago. I’ve read a quote some time ago that children in this day and age do not listen to elders; they speak in front of elders; and the world is going through hell. You know how old that quote is. It’s two thousand years old, and it is still so relevant. I think it all remains the same.
SO MANY THINGS YOU TALK ABOUT ARE PERSONAL – WHETHER IT’S YOUR BROTHER, YOUR PARENTS, YOUR WIFE, OR YOUR CHILDREN. HOW MANY OF YOUR JOKES ARE TESTED OR PASSED BY YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS (CHUCKLES) BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE MY MOM WOULD BE REALLY UPSET?
(Laughs) They’re not upset now but I’m making money now, right? They can’t be upset (laughs). I don’t test it with them. I’m very clear that if they get to hear it, they get to hear it at a show. Even if they come for a live show, they don’t sit at the front. I tell them that they should be sitting somewhere that I cannot see you – somewhere in the corner. My parents were annoyed this one time when they came out of a show, and they were like, “[a]re we really like that? Have we done this to you?” (laughs). And I said, “yes”, but now they are okay. You continue doing work and their friends tell them that they love my work – so now they’re okay.
THERE IS A STOP, START, TELL A STORY – THERE IS A RHYTHM. I FEEL AS THOUGH, THERE ISN’T A PUNCHLINE, WITH YOU. THERE IS A STORY AND THAT STORY IS FUNNY FROM BEFORE.
There is a misconception, or maybe that’s the lens I look at comedy through. The structure of a joke is a set up, and then a punch (so a surprise with the next set up). But that is a very small part of the stand-up set up. From my perspective, it is more about observations. I’m telling you about what you already see but you haven’t absorbed.
MY PARENTS WERE ANNOYED THIS ONE TIME WHEN THEY CAME OUT OF A SHOW, AND THEY WERE LIKE, “[A]RE WE REALLY LIKE THAT? HAVE WE DONE THIS TO YOU?” 35
INTERVIEW
“WRITE WHAT YOU KNOW”
SOUMYAJIT MAJUMDAR Interview By Armin S.
D
ebutant director, Soumyajit Majumdar, is no stranger to storytelling. His first feature, Homecoming starring Sayani Gupta, Plabita Borthakur, Hussain Dalal, Tushar Pandey, Soham Majumdar, is releasing on 18th February on SonyLiv. The film is a unique artistic collaboration between Hindi and Bengali cinema actors and is a cosmopolitan film about friendship with the film featuring dialogues in Hindi, Bengali and English. Soumyajit has worked as an actors previously in over 20 films and has also directed and acted in over twenty plays. The film Homecoming was the official selection at the 2019 NFDC film bazaar.
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INTERVIEW Homecoming took over four years to come together to fruition, but we know that Soumyajit has been a part of storytelling through theatre for a while, but this film did not come without its challenges. As he says, “[i]t’s been a long journey of directing but through different mediums. We have gone through a lot of hardships in bringing this film together, including me turning producer one day before the shoot was to begin because the producer backed out four days before the shoot.” I ask him about Homecoming and why this particular story was his debut film idea, and he talks about how he wanted to pay homage to where he came from. “The idea for Homecoming was very personal – I knew that my first film as a director should come from a personal space,” he says. I pick his brain about the number of characters he has and how each character should be important and he picks up on that and says, “I’ve always had this rage inside me that characters are not being justified by the writers and directors, not just the actors. The roots of the characters are part of the writing and direction process. Being a so-called character actor in Hindi cinema, I wanted to do justice in relation to what I hadn’t got. The film, Homecoming, is very unconventional but when we have 27 characters, we have to merge them together in such a way that each one stands out. But people have to see it to believe it.” So, does each character have to resonate with the audience, I ask. He answers, “[f]or a character to resonate with the audience was not the intention. Rather, it was how do I justify the character. Even the character with the smallest of screen times, we wanted to attach strokes to that character which makes the character stand out in that particular scene. We also wanted to make sure it was collaborative when we did this so that’s how the workshops happened.” Talking about collaboration, he delves into the world of post-production and the importance of giving credit to technicians and the crew: “Post-production has also been a very fascinating space for me. I have had a fascination for all the work that technicians and everyone does in bringing a movie together in that space. How do they do all of this? – a thought I always had. Filmmaking is a relay race. It’s a torch you pass on to the next person to keep the race going. I think Indian cinema in that way, does not respect these crew members, these collaborators – yet you ride on the work of the editors, designers…It’s not just the actors. All of us together are such misfits, but we fit together in that way.” Finally, I ask him about representation and how he writes to reflect accurate portrayals and he answers honestly, “I believe write what you see, write what you hear, write what you know. The best writing comes from what has happened to you. Characters are all fictional but the worlds are all true. Cinema is an art form with commerce – but the art comes first. The large community we have talked about – each one of them require accurate representation. I always tried to talk about the LGBTQIA2S+ community but as general characters – without beating any social drums. All of these characters have their own personal lives. They have their own mental health. The way they are represented should be the least of their concerns. Then there are film actors, theatre actors, the NRIs – all of them are within the garb of the reunion – beneath the surface, it’s about broken individuals who piece themselves together every day and the reunion helps them realize who they were.
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“MUSIC HAS ALWAYS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE GROWING UP.”
“CONFIDENCE STARTS IN THE MIND AND THEN IT MANIFESTS IN OTHER SPACES IN OUR LIVES”
KENISHA AWASTHI Interview By Armin S.
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SOCIAL MEDIA AND LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD To be honest with you, ever since the advent of social media is when I realized that, finally, it is time for individual expression, a level playing field, and a democratic space because let’s face it – this industry works on lots of other variables, apart from just talent. Talent seems to be the lowest rung. In my opinion, there’s a lot of yes-manship, and not everyone has the aptitude to do it, so finally, there is space for people who have their own individual expression and a mind of their own.
THE FLAIR FOR FASHION AND EMPOWERMENT
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HE WEARS MULTIPLE HATS AS HER INSTAGRAM BIO SAYS – ACTOR, VOCALIST, CONTENT CREATOR, THE LIST GOES ON. I SPEAK TO KENISHA AWASTHI OVER AN INSTAGRAM LIVE SESSION OVER THE WORK SHE HAS BEEN DOING, WHERE HER PASSION CAME FROM, THE RISE OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND THE ROLE IT HAS IN LEVELLING THE PLAYING FIELD, SELF-CONFIDENCE, AND HER PASSION FOR MUSIC. HERE ARE SOME EXCERPTS, BUT YOU CAN CATCH THE FULL CHAT ON OUR INSTAGRAM HANDLE.
You know, I kind of grew up on R&B music and back in the 90s, there were people like Aaliyah and Gwen Stefan, now, there is Katy Perry. Some people say I resemble Katy Perry sometimes. My grandmother was also very well put together at all times – she had a different nail paint on in the morning, then in the evening, while being a full-time working woman, and she had a PhD on top of that. She always explained that grooming is important. This is also a way to empower yourself. If that’s like Alicia Keys and wearing no make-up, that’s great. More power to her. Others who believe in the more glamourous look, that is also empowerment.
BUILDING CONFIDENCE Confidence for me has always been a very compound entity. It cannot just come to you by what you wear and if it is, then that is a very superficial confidence. I would never associate my confidence or the way I dress as the reason for my confidence, it could further it. Confidence can come from being learned, from being adaptive – all that reflects in your personality, your fashion, the music that you listen to, the things and people that you gravitate towards. For me, confidence starts in the mind and then it manifests in other spaces in our lives.
MUSIC NOW Music has always been a part of my life growing up. Now, that I have an engaged audience, it is time to put out originals. The compositions are mine, although I get very skilled producers to produce the compositions. Right now, the tracks I am working on – we are trying to explore very different territories. With two of my producers, we are exploring EDM fused with lyric-heavy vocals. The tunes are more Sufi. The third track is more R&B because that’s the music I grew up on. I also want my videos to be aesthetically shot.
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INTERVIEW
PURSUING THE CHILDHOOD DREAM
NAREN KUMAR Interview By Armin S.
HE PURSUED THAT CHILDHOOD DREAM THAT MADE HIM HAPPY. FACING THE CAMERA IN HIS DEBUT, SWITCHH, WITH EROS NOW, KEEPING THE CHILD IN HIM ALIVE, AND NOT LETTING LIFE BECOME STAGNANT – NAREN KUMAR TALKS ABOUT IT ALL IN OUR LIVE SESSION ON INSTAGRAM, AND WE SHARE A FEW EXCERPTS OF THE CHAT HERE.
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INTERVIEW
“BUT WHEN THE LIFE LINE IS STAGNANT, THAT MEANS YOU ARE DEAD.”
THAT DECISION TO BE IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA. I think in my childhood, I used to play a lot of cricket and be a part of a lot of dramas and did theatre, and did acting in schools. I did a lot of theatre for charity purposes and for organizations. Eventually, after graduation, I was working for a bank, I decided that there is only one life and I have to give this a shot. I was in Dubai, working on Mergers & Acquisitions, but I thought, let’s just go for auditions. I was selected so by the time I was ready to do acting, I was mentally prepared to face the camera. I gave it my best shot.
THE SWITCH FROM A JOB TO THE ARTS. Have you seen the film Tamasha? All of us have an artist in ourselves. We all want to break through and have those childhood dreams. But as we grow up, we kill the child and childhood within us. As a child, we believe that if we jump from a high story, we won’t get hurt. We believe in that. Then, as adults, responsibilities catch up. But, I always knew, I wanted to do movies or cricket. I aspired to do that. But as I grew older, and I went to college, these dreams took a backseat and the responsibilities of life came front and centre – looking at the practical way of living your life. Then, I had a wake-up call to determine when I would fulfill my dreams – if not, now, then when?
EXTERNAL FORCES AND SUPPORT Initially, when I told everyone, they were supportive. I think usually, at the beginning, people are supportive, but when things don’t work out, they start to laugh at you behind your back. They feel, oh, he’s still trying, there is rejection. There is a thin line – when you want to give it up versus when the opportunity arises. Mentally, I did sometimes give up in my head. But when the life line is stagnant, that means you are dead. There were lots of ups and downs. Society can sometimes show the pragmatic way of life. But you have to take a shot, because you only have one life to live. The worst regret is not doing things.
FIRST SHOT, FIRST SCENE I was fumbling, I was nervous, from what I remember. Then, my director and co-actors took my aside and spoke to me. Funnily, I was fine at the rehearsals. But then, at the shoot, there are three or four cameras, so you get nervous. Sooner or later, you just have to let it all go and just do it. There is no other way of facing the camera than being sure of myself – so that’s the pep talk I gave myself. Forget just memorizing your dialogues, you have to make sure that you listen and react.
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