Bollywood Film Fame Canada Magazine - Summer Edition 1.0 by Bollywood Film Fame Canada

BollywoodFilmFame.com

Summer Edition - Part 1

Behind the Camera with

KEN GHOSH

Talking ‘Chutzpah’ with

TANYA MANIKTALA

Talking His Journey With

SHIVAM

BHAARGAVA

The Evolution of the Actor

AKSHAY OBEROI

Can you have it all and more? Is there a point to having it all? I'm currently watching the Olympics - they've just started and I can tell you that while on the surface, it would be great to have it all, sometimes having it all on the surface still does not fulfill you. So you find the core reason why you got started in the first place. That's how I start off my conversation with one of my favourite actors, Akshay Oberoi. What were his initial dreams and what are his dreams now? Have they shifted? What truly goes into the craft of acting? How has the industry and the craft evolved? And it truly just feels like an acting workshop, like it could be a talk he could have given to film students. What I love is that no matter what, what is apparent to me is that dreams do shift. And we do have a lot of dreamers in this issue. Whether it is Tanya Maniktala who almost quit acting to Nikitaa who was doing everything on her own for a while, there are a lot of people who have shifted what having it all really means. On the acting front, in addition to Akshay and Tanya, we have Jahnavi, Ranvir Shorey and Sunil Grover on Sunflower, and Shivam Bhaargava. On the music end, we have Nikitaa, of course, along with Vayu and Mona Patel. And from behind the scenes, we have director Ken Ghosh, documentary filmmaker and celebrated author Trisha Das, and ace celebrity photographer, Sheldon Santos. I guess we can have it all - this issue certainly does. Until Next Time,

ON THE COVER Akshay Oberoi Photographer: Sahil Behl

The Evolution of the Actor

AKSHAY OBEROI

TANYA MANIKTALA

SUNFLOWER

SHIVAM BHAARGAVA

KEN GHOSH

NIKITAA

JAHNAVI DHANRAJGIR

38 VAYU

SHELDON SANTOS

TRISHA DAS

MONA PATEL

COVER STORY

THE EVOLUTION OF THE ACTOR

AKSHAY OBEROI Interview by Armin S.

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COVER STORY

EXPECTATIONS, EXPOSURE TODAY OF AN ACTOR TODAY, BEING ABLE TO PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE. WORLD OF A DIFFERENCE IN THE PAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS. HAS YOUR DREAM AS AN ACTOR SHIFTED FROM THE TIME THAT YOU STARTED TO NOW?

Yeah, you know, I…have been giving this a lot of thought lately but the conclusion I came to is that this happens in every industry or even in life. The bigger thing is to realize who you are. We all start out and we want every little piece of everything we possibly can, especially in our 20s. You are bred to think that I can have it all and I will have it all. When you arrive in this business, you have that thirst and hunger. You don’t know what will satisfy you, you don’t know that yet. As time goes on, as it went on for me, I quickly realized about myself that being very famous is not something that really excites me. It initially did – I thought when I arrived that I would be Shah Rukh Khan. You come, gain a massive fan following, and that’s what it is about. But overtime, I ended up going back to who I really was – a young guy who just really wanted to act. When I was 12 or 13, it wasn’t the fame or money that drew me to the profession. I realized that later, that I just wanted to act. Rightly, like you said, I was lucky that whatever I started to want, started to happen, as the business started to evolve. Earlier, when I started, there wasn’t that much room. You end up chasing a bunch of stuff and it takes you down a certain path and you wonder if that’s the path you even wanted in the first place. Specifically, in the last few years, when producers, directors, and writers are putting their thoughts and money into unique ideas, and you don’t necessarily require a Shah Rukh Khan for the project, that’s when you realize that you can just be an actor. I am now distinctly aware of my needs and priorities and those have shifted.

SO WHAT’S THE CURRENT DREAM? HAS THAT DREAM EVOLVED?

Yes, it has. When I was 12 or 13, I was thinking about Hindi cinema and what I could do in just that realm. But now, I look at cinema worldwide. I’d love to do a French film, a film in England…language isn’t a barrier anymore. I also feel that race and race issues are current and actors represent life, there needs to be more space for people of colour in global entertainment industries. So, now, all of a sudden, I’ve started thinking about beyond this world, although I’ll never leave this world that I’ve built here. All of this is a learning process and I want to do this not to get the largest possible audience; that’s a by-product of global cinema, but rather, to

really explore how a film is made somewhere else.

BEYOND HINDI CINEMA, YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF SOME HARD-HITTING WEB SERIES, MADAM CHIEF MINISTER, A BIT OF A CHILL DOWN MY SPINCE FROM THE FIRST TIME I SAW YOU. I WAS THINKING ABOUT IT YESTERDAY, LEADING UP TO OUR CONVERSATION, EACH ONE OF US COMES WITH OUR OWN MORAL COMPASS. PARENTING REQUIRES A MORAL COMPASS. WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING CHARACTERS THAT DO NOT ALIGN WITH YOUR MORAL COMPASS, WHEN YOU COME OUT OF PLAYING THAT CHARACTER, DO YOU FIND YOUR MORAL COMPASS EVER SHIFTED?

No, I think it gets stronger and more re-affirmed. Once I am done playing one of these characters, I come out of it and think, it feels nice to be in my head space. You realize that these people don’t sleep that well. When I’m playing them, I don’t sleep well. I prefer to have the moral compass I have because I sleep better. I have a lot more appreciation for the values I have then.

“THE WORLD ALSO KEEPS EVOLVING BUT MORE AND MORE YOU REALIZE WHO YOU ARE AND HOW MUCH OF THE WORLD YOU WANT..” CINEMA HAS CERTAINLY SHIFTED MY MORAL COMPASS. I START TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT OTHER PERSPECTIVES. WHAT WE DEEMED ACCEPTABLE IN THE 1920S IS NO LONGER SOMETHING WE CONSIDER NOW –

I should caveat that, yes. I was already a very liberal person in my mind. I think more actors are .

COVER STORY

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COVER STORY

that way and that’s how we become involved in this free and liberating expression. Besides those core issues of not hurting anyone, not lying, I don’t pass any judgment. My wife asks me, “why don’t you judge anyone?” Honestly, to each their own. As long as they aren’t anyone, it’s fine by me.

THAT MAKES SENSE, TO BE AN ARTIST LIKE YOURSELF, YOU MUST HAVE TO THINK LIBERALLY.

Exactly. Like, when you play a character, but you are very conservative…I don’t know how to process that. Maybe they are just born talented (chuckles).

THE OTT BOOM HAS ALLOWED FOR A LOT MORE LAYERED CHARACTERS AND OPPORTUNITIES ESPECIALLY FOR MALES. I WANT TO THROW THAT CAVEAT OUT THERE BECAUSE FOR WOMEN, UNLESS THEY ARE THE PRINCIPAL CHARACTER OR THE MAIN ANTAGONIST – THERE ISN’T ROOM FOR MANY GREY CHARACTERS.

You’re right. I hadn’t thought about that. Like I’ve done some of these where the female has the main role – like Flesh was Swara’s story; Madam Chief Minister was Richa’s story. I have done these stories but never gave much thought to what you’re saying.

“I’M OKAY WITH WHATEVER PEOPLE WANT TO DO WITH THEIR LIVES.” WHY IS CINEMA NOT REFLECTIVE OF THE REALITIES OF WOMEN?

As we are talking about this, I’m also realizing that when I first started, that was also the reality of men – we did not have grey characters for men. If you look at my very first movie, I was as sweet as can be. That was the norm. Your hero was still “Ram” or still “Laxman”. It wasn’t until the last few years that people knocked on my door and asked me to play the most terrifying man. Gurgaon was the first movie when it started shifting – that was in 2016. So it’s probably not that far away for women – Bollywood is shifting a lot faster now. The entertainment business is evolving very fast now.

DO YOU, AS AN ACTOR, AS YOU EVOLVE, LOOK BACK AT SOME OF

THE THINGS AND FILMS YOU ENJOYED IN THE PAST, PERHAPS FROM THE 90S, AND CRINGE, AND THINK YOU DON’T EVER WANT TO DO THOSE ROLES?

Yeah, I mean, I won’t name them because that’s not fair to the maker and the actor of that time. I don’t want to go back and judge on their behalf. I stopped rewatching some movies because pieces of my childhood started breaking apart. A friend of mine and I have this rule – nothing before ’99 – we don’t rewatch anything before 1999. It’s just heartbreaking especially the stuff we made in India – because as you have said – we relied a lot on stereotypes. The world is now just so evolved. The acting has also evolved.

THERE IS A LOT MORE TO BEING AN ACTOR TODAY. THERE IS SOCIAL MEDIA, INTERVIEWS, MARKETING…IT HAS BECOME SO MUCH MORE INTEGRAL TO AN ACTOR’S LIFE. BUT IT’S NOT TAUGHT. YOU HAVE TO PUT YOURSELF AS A PRODUCT FOR CONSUMPTION. HOW DO YOU BALANCE THAT WITH THE FACT THAT AT THE CORE OF IT, YOU JUST WANT TO ACT?

Ooph, that question captures the bane of my existence. I have not been very good at balancing that. I have been very reluctant in promoting myself – almost to the point of being self deprecating, like why should I market myself? Who wants to even talk to me? I’m just this random guy who does this acting job. I’ve spent almost a decade making excuses about it. I was resistant to learning about this piece that I felt like I had an allergy to because I didn’t want to understand it. I understood about a year ago, that if I truly want to do what I truly love, and I’m never going to retire because I love that, then part of it is to master this as well. We are not equipped and taught to deal with this.

EXACTLY.

I was talking to my make-up artist and my spot boy, because they are my homies. I told them, that the one thing these star kids have over us, the one thing, is that they know all of this. They know which parties to go to, which newspaper to read, which journalist to speak to – because they grew up with this. They know the system better than we know it – that’s the only real advantage. Now, some actors are naturally very good at self-promotion. I’m not good at self-promotion. I blame my upbringing man. My parents raised me to be soft and humble. Like, I don’t sell myself at all. I’m tired of wearing that skin. I’m hoping that I am starting to shed it. I need to do that because we need to do this to survive, because we are public figures. I want to use this to get more opportunities that I like. I want to now build my presence to do even more work.

INTERVIEW

“I HAD PAINTED A VERY DARK PICTURE IN MY HEAD OF WHAT SOCIAL MEDIA IS.” TALKING CHUTZPAH WITH

TANYA MANIKTALA Interview by Armin S.

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INTERVIEW

She made waves

with A Suitable Boy and now she continues to make waves with some memorable digital releases, including Chutzpah, a story of stories intertwined over the internet. A natural actor, as I like to refer to her, Tanya speaks to me about acting without the benefit of her co-actor being in front of her, the realities of the internet, and that there is kindness out there.

ACTING WAS NOT GOING TO WORK OUT ANYMORE BUT THEN A SUITABLE BOY DIDN’T WORK OUT. WHAT WAS THE TURNING POINT FOR YOU THAT CONVINCED YOU TO STAY?

I think it was post-A Suitable Boy when I did get my first project right after its release. That’s when I realized it wasn’t a one-time thing. I think this is where I belong. I don’t know what’s coming, I don’t know what to expect, but whatever is coming, I will take it and there is no looking back now. You just have to hold your own ground and believe in yourself. I am working towards thinking like that. There is so much talent here. You see such wonderfully talented people around you and it’s easy to doubt yourself but you just have to keep going forward. It can go anywhere or stop right there but you have to keep going.

I WATCHED THE TRAILER OF CHUTZPAH, AND THE TRAILER DOESN’T GIVE A LOT AWAY, AND THOSE WHO HAVEN’T WATCHED CHUTZPAH, I’LL JUST STICK TO DISCUSSING THE TRAILER. WHAT WAS IT INITIALLY ABOUT THE GERM OF THE IDEA THAT GOT YOUR ATTENTION?

Chutzpah is actually a story all about the internet, and all about the world that we live in right now. It is such a unique and one-of-a-kind concept. It’s not something that we have really seen in the digital space or even cinema halls before. I mean, it just struck me – we do everything on the internet, we depend on the internet for our lives now. And yet, we don’t seem to talk about it. Chutzpah really brought it home for me. These stories that you see in Chutzpah, they are about the internet and individuals and how they intertwine with each other with the hero being the internet. It’s the relatability of it all. It’s all around you but we shy away from admitting it to ourselves. It is a reflection of our society and how we behave. It reflects on the values and morals of ourselves as well. We love the internet but we also hate it – and that also comes across.

WHEN WE ARE SPEAKING ON THE INTERNET, DESPITE WHAT WE ARE PRESENTING LIKE, WE ARE ALSO REACTING TO AN ACTION. BUT WHEN YOU ARE FILMING THE WAY YOU ARE IN CHUTZPAH, YOU DON’T HAVE THAT ACTION-REACTION REALITY. WHAT CHALLENGES DOES THAT PRESENT – WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE THAT PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU?

A lot of workshops went into the process before we started the shooting actually. We couldn’t rely on the other actor being there so we could not rely on those kind of luxuries. Actually, it really does seem like a luxury now because this seems like the new normal – talking to someone on a screen. I think that all credit goes to the creatives of the show, who conceptualized this, including our director Simarpreet. They were incredibly passionate about this story. I had to put all my trust and faith in them. I also knew that all the Zoom meetings that we did, that was what I would be getting. I couldn’t just tweak anything on set because I did not have the liberty of my co-actor being there and being able to react accordingly. So, we really have to prep ourselves well before the shoot started. There were very clear expectations of all of the stories – so I just relied on myself.

AND HOW WERE THE INTERACTIONS WITH VARUN?

Varun is honestly such a great human being and such an incredible actor and whatever limited meetings we had, we had to make sure that the characters we play showed the long relationship that they had had. Varun and Tanya did not know each other for a long time, but our characters did. But Varun made me so comfortable that we built off of the familiarity we had. There was a potential that we could imagine, and so we did.

WE ARE SO HEAVILY RELIANT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TODAY AND WE UNINTENTIONALLY SOMETIMES GO ON SOCIAL MEDIA APPS WITHOUT EVEN REALIZING IT. WHAT’S YOUR RELATIONSHIP LIKE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA YOURSELF?

It’s gotten better, especially through Chutzpah, but earlier, I had painted a very dark picture in my head of what social media is. But the internet has a side to it that we do not talk much about. There is a kindness online also. We concentrate so much on the hating, the trolling, the darker side of the web. But I reflected on why I was so scared of the internet, social media platforms since Chutzpah happened. I choose to see the negativity but there is so much positivity too – it has to depend on the consumer. I had to make the choice to see the lighter side of the internet.

INTERVIEW

KEN GHOSH BEHIND THE CAMERA WITH

ON STATE OF SIEGE: TEMPLE ATTACK Interview by Armin S.

State of Siege: 26/11 was one of the first web

series that was released after the pandemic hit the entire world, which was a tribute to our brave Indian soldiers who sacrificed their lives for the country. It also went on to become one of the most talked about shows. Earlier this year, ZEE5 announced a film as a tribute to our soldiers, saluting the brave Indian spirit and continuing the legacy of the Siege series. The original film is titled State of Siege: Temple Attack which is inspired by true events. The film sees Akshaye Khanna back in the uniform after many years, Vivek Dahiya back as an NSG commando and Gautam Rode. Ken Ghosh is back in the director’s chair for this one and I got chatting with him about all things SOS: Temple Attack, the fast-paced film inspired by true events, and how an actor like Akshaye Khanna enhances the storyline. 22 BollywoodFilmFame.com

INTERVIEW ONE THING THAT HAS ALWAYS INTRIGUED ME ABOUT STORIES ABOUT TRAGEDY, ROOTED IN WAR, IS THAT THE MOOD ITSELF IS HIGH, VERY DRAMATIC, BUT FOR IT TO BE DIGESTIBLE, FILMS LIKE THESE NEED SILENCES, LIGHTER MOMENTS. TELL ME ABOUT YOUR TREATMENT OF ALL OF THIS IN SOS.

So, I have quite a twisted sense of humour. If you see the film, there are a couple of moments, two which stand out a bit more than the others. There are serious scenes in the film, in which there are improvisations that are a bit comedic, some lighter moments. Because, like you said, films like these can be very heavy. There is a structure to films like these. You have an opening action set piece. Then you have to establish the characters, the plot, the build-up to the plot, and then, bang, and then you get into the stories of everybody.

THE MOMENTS ARE IMPORTANT, YES.

Yes, like in the middle, you have to add moments that give a sense of reality that we are dealing with humans. Like a scene when somebody gets so nervous that he tells the terrorist his name, but the terrorist already knows his name. It gives you insight into the minds of how terrorized those people were.

“I HAVE QUITE A TWISTED SENSE OF HUMOUR.”

NOW, THIS IS A VERY FAST-PACED FILM. WE GET INTO THE MEAT OF THE PLOT PRETTY MUCH RIGHT AWAY. WHY DID YOU CHOOSE TO DO THAT?

You know, the reviews are coming in and it’s very interesting. There are two schools of thought about a particular element of the film. One side is that the film moves really fast and gets to the point. That you can’t take your eyes off the screen and you are sitting at the edge of your seat. Some people, on the other hand, say that they wish they characters were more fleshed out. That gets me thinking that if I fleshed out those characters more, the film would not be that fast and pace-y. You can then get bored. You have to strike a balance. One realization you have at the end of every project is that you can’t make everyone happy. You have to just go ahead with your conviction.

AS YOU SAID, CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT HAS TO HAPPEN, EVEN IN A SMALLER, BRIEFER MANNER. HOW DO YOU KEEP THOSE HUMANS ALIVE WITHIN A STORY LIKE THIS?

That’s when casting is very important. Because the audience needs to look at the actor for twenty seconds and understand everything about the character, so you understand everything about the character. You will know that this is their story. The audience can see a visual and have their own interpretation of that visual. Just within ten seconds of an actor walking towards the camera, the audience should understand that character. Then, I don’t need to waste two or three scenes telling you about the characters. That’s one of the tricks.

LET’S TALK ABOUT AKSHAYE KHANNA AS A CHARACTER. HE CAN UNDERPLAY REALLY WELL, HE CAN DO SOME MORE NUANCED HUMOUR AS WELL, HE CAN DO A LOT WITH JUST HIS FACE.

When the character was first written, you see the writing and see the way you interpret and then you cast. The system is such that you start to then think about who to cast – who would fit, who is available, the dates need to be worked out. There are a hundred things that need to fall into place. Then we get Akshaye. We discuss the film, the role, the characters. From day one, even when he read the script, we were clear about one thing – that he would have to underplay his character. This film is nationalistic and patriotic without being jingoistic. We were very clear that this is the tone of the film and the tone of Akshaye would also be underplayed. On set, Akshaye was actually very happy giving away his moments to other actors. He is very selfless like that. Usually, when we are writing for a hero, we tend to overwrite his lines so we can attract him to the character he is playing. That was not the case with Akshaye. He was happy to give his lines away. He was okay with being silent.

INTERVIEW

TALKING HIS JOURNEY WITH

SHIVAM BHAARGA Interview by Armin S.

hivam Bhaargava, who made his debut in Vikram Bhatt’s Ghost with Sanaya Irani, first started off his journey in the industry as a casting assistant. That helped with his craft and we soon saw him in projects such as The Trip – Season 2, Tuesdays and Fridays, Bonbers, a few short films including Single Ladka…Dil Dhadka, and some memorable music videos alongside Pranutan Bahl. He was recently seen in State of Siege: Temple Attack alongside Akshaye Khanna. I speak to him about the start of it all, what happened when he reached Mumbai, the opportunities for someone without industry connections, building his characters in the different mediums he has dabbled in, and more.

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“ I DID NOT HAVE ANY CONNECTIONS.”

AVA

INTERVIEW

YOU STARTED YOUR CAREER JUST OVER A DECADE AGO. DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT YOUR DREAM WAS THEN PROFESSIONALLY?

There’s always a seed, a want to become an actor. “I wanted to be an actor since I was five years old. When I first came to Mumbai, I actually started off as a casting assistant. What people refer to as modelling was me doing ads. I’ve never done ramp modelling or anything. Acting is what I always wanted to do.”

WHEN I REACHED MUMBAI…

“When I reached Mumbai, I didn’t really know what to do . I had to figure everything out myself. The best way to start, I thought, was to assist someone to get an inside perspective on how things work. I started as a casting assistant, where you learn the casting process, you are working with actors, you are doing scenes, that gives you a lot of confidence. The process can be disheartening and there is rejection but when you understand that it is not about you but what the director has in mind and his vision, it becomes a bit easy actually. After I was done assisting, I started auditioning myself.

“I TRY TO FIND MY OWN PERSONALITY IN THE CHARACTERS.” BUILDING MY CRAFT THROUGH BEING A CASTING ASSISTANT

Because I was doing scenes with other actors, I was always rehearsing and was trying to do the scenes like I would in an actual film. Automatically, I was getting training through this. Even though we were auditioning other actors, I was still always doing my part correctly so that they can respond right. I was also being trained at the same time. I was getting the hints of timing, how to say the dialogues – there was a lot of learning. When you are working with actors who have experience, and you are telling them what the brief is of a particular scene, it kind of gives you a sense of confidence in yourself as well. You also end up networking without realizing. Now, you know all these people that you never knew when you first came into the industry. That helped and I knew what to do next – where to send my profile, and who to contact.

WORKING WITH VIKRAM BHATT & THE CONCEPT OF A “DREAM DEBUT”

I think for anyone outside of this industry, we don’t really have a choice in the matter. I mean, there are a lot of films I did say no to but that’s because I didn’t think they were a good start to my career. But you still want to start acting. Ghost was technically not my first film. My first film actually hasn’t released yet. Funnily enough, Vikram sir saw that film, which is why he asked me to join Ghost. At the end of the day, when you are working with Vikram Bhatt, and working with Sanaya, you of course do the film and say yes to it right away. At the same time, it’s not like you choose your first film. As an outsider, you are giving certain opportunities and you have to take one. I was very fortunate to have Ghost as my debut release.

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT THROUGH DIFFERENT MEDIUMS

I think I have kind of gotten lucky with that with the short films or with the music videos because those characters have always been very close to who I am as a person. For example, the short film I did called Single Ladka…Dil Dhadka. He was actually shy and reserved but he was trying to portray himself to be a Casanova. It was much easier for me to find that shy side, because I was shy growing up. I try to find my own personality in the characters. Karan Khanna in Ghost is a very different character. There, I actually had to build the character and think about him as a politician and an NRI. Right now, I’m speaking to you and I am a lot more animated. He tends to have more of a stay in the way he speaks. I did try to look a bit older too.

SOS: TEMPLE ATTACK – THE EMOTIONAL IMPACT

This actually did happen so that hits you. That people had to go through this. Working with a retired Colonel, who taught me body language, how to handle a gun…that was a great learning experience. But, when doing the actual shoot, the impact of a scene in which all the dead bodies are on the floor, you realize they are actors, but they are portraying real people and how cold-hearted that is. There is a callousness to the killing. They really don’t care about who they are shooting. It does make you think.

UNDERSTANDING OTHERS THROUGH ACTING

I think one major reason why someone, or at least I became an actor, is to understand people and why they do certain things. We have one life, and we will live that one human life. To be getting the opportunity to play different people, it’s pretty cool. That gives me motivation every day.

INTERVIEW

Sunflower ABOUT

RANVIR SHOREY,

unflower released on ZEE5 recently, and honestly, it was a winner. And why wouldn’t it be? Crisp writing, comic elements in a mystery, and winners like Ranvir Shorey and Sunil Grover, both of whom I had a chance to speak to just prior to the release of the series. If anyone knows anything about Ranvir and Sunil, it’s that they can pull off the most bizarre roles, comic sequences, and still be straight-faced. That’s kind of how my conversation with the two of them started, to be honest.

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SUNIL GROVER Interview by Armin S.

INTERVIEW

“ I feel like a character helps me communicate with people”

RANVIR, SUNIL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. SUNFLOWER IS, OF COURSE, THE NAME OF THE BUILDING THAT IS THE SUBJECT OF THIS MYSTERY MURDER BUT I FEEL LIKE IT’S A METAPHOR FOR SOMETHING ELSE.

Ranvir: I don’t want to give much away but I will tell you that it is a metaphor and different people could perceive it to be a metaphor for different things in the series. I think the sunflower in this series though is Sunil Grover. He really is the stand-out in the series and the way in which he delivers his dialogues and keeps a straight face while doing the most bizarre things is just unbelievable. So he is the sunflower, for me.

WE HARDLY SEE COMEDY INFUSED WITH A THRILLER, AND WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT WHAT SUNFLOWER HAS TO OFFER IS THE COMING TOGETHER OF THOSE TWO GENRES. HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT THE PROJECT?

Sunil: See, there are a lot of thrillers but this one had a lot of twists. The other thing is you get to know the humans in the web series. There are human emotions and that is important, because you can see that in the series, even with the mystery and murder.

BOTH OF YOU EXCEL IN COMEDY BUT IN INDIA, A LOT OF COMEDY IS SLAPSTICK AND LESS SITUATIONAL BUT THE TWO OF YOU EXCEL IN THIS GENRE. SOME SAY THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE US LAUGH ON SCREEN CAN BE QUITE RESERVED IN REAL LIFE. DOES THAT APPLY TO YOU?

Sunil: I feel like a character helps me communicate with people. As a person myself, I’m okay but when I have a character, I can use comedy and interact through that character so I guess I’m a bit shy in real life. Ranvir: I enjoy playing different characters as well but I think I can be a bit off-the-cuff in real life maybe.

HMM…SO WHAT’S YOUR TAKE ON SUNFLOWER? WHY SHOULD PEOPLE WHO HAVE NOT WATCHED IT YET WATCH IT?

Ranvir: See, sunflower is a great flower and we should watch it. Although I like cauliflower (gobi) too but that makes you fart (laughs). Sunil: (looks surprised, laughs) With Ranvir, I should expect this (chuckles). No, I think Sunflower has some great performances and you will really enjoy it. B

INTERVIEW

DEFINING GODDESS POP

NIKITAA Interview by Armin S.

She has a sound that

is refreshing, edgy, and yet, soft. Nikitaa is mesmerizing as an artist, a woman of many talents who has been rising every day in a career that started about three years ago. Here’s my conversation about her unique sound, the side effects of being an independent artist, and what’s more to come.

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INTERVIEW

“In my world of Goddess Pop you’re allowed to rage and cry and be unapologetically who you are while also being kind, soft”

NIKITAA, YOUR SONG "WOLF" HAS A SOUND THAT IS EDGY AND YET VERY EASY ON THE EARS. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SONG STEMS FROM FAIRY TALES AND FOLKLORE - BUT WHAT EXACTLY INSPIRED THE SOUND?

The sound of “Wolf” was initially just me and my producer Mukund fooling around in the studio. The minute he put those drums together I knew the song had to be something fierce, animalistic, fearless. I closed my eyes and instantly saw a wolf running through the woods... I’m a very visual creator in general so the minute I had that image I knew what the song had to be about!

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION BEHIND THE VISUALS?

I wanted to play with a projector and create something fierce and trippy, a little bit other worldly but also holographic. It was really cool to have the song be about this ancient fierce Wolf archetype while the video brings that concept into the present age.

YOUR GENRE IS GODDESS POP - DEFINE THAT FOR US. With my music and in my life in general - I have chosen to uphold the tenets of the Goddess - to be fully accepting of your brightest light and your darkest shadow; to be inclusive and loving towards people no matter what they choose to identify as; and to empower the feminine in each one of us. In my world of Goddess Pop you’re allowed to rage and cry and be unapologetically who you are while also being kind, soft etc. I embrace the full spectrum of the feminine, and I definitely make music that would be considered Pop/RnB. But the sounds I use, the melodies I choose and the lyrics I write harken back to those Goddess traditions. That’s what Goddess Pop is all about!

WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT INDEPENDENT MUSIC AND WHAT ARTISTS ARE ABLE TO DO TODAY, ESPECIALLY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA, WHAT IS STILL THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE? WHAT IS THE BIGGEST ADVANTAGE TO BEING AN INDEPENDENT ARTIST TODAY?

I think the biggest advantage of being an independent artist today is that you get to make your own rules - you get to define your sound, aesthetic, messaging, brand, all of it. There’s usually no one but you giving the approval on things like that - you are your own boss. But I think the biggest challenge is since we still have to market ourselves and we are still looking to “sell” an idea, a song - a feeling a lot of us get caught up in that. There’s a flip side to being your own boss. Being an independent artist involves constantly asking yourself how you can do better, reach more people, experience more monetary success while trying to operate with a small team or no team at all sometimes.

WHO HAS BEEN YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTER?

Hands down my parents and my producer Mukund. There is nothing I can’t take to these three people. They have seen and supported me through everything and believed in me and cheered me on the whole time.

WHAT'S ON YOUR MIND IN TERMS OF ANOTHER DREAM YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE, MUSICALLY?

I’ve been sitting with how much I’ve achieved already - and I feel blessed and grateful to say it’s quite a lot for an artist only 3 years young in the industry. But to answer your question - I’ve primarily been a recording artist so far, and any shows I’ve done have been acoustic sets. I would love to put a band together and flesh out what my songs sound live with full instrumentation. I love telling the stories behind my songs and I love sharing them with audiences, so I am holding that vision for the future! I am also looking forward to dropping a longer project this year that I wrote, recorded and produced nearly entirely by myself in lockdown.

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INTERVIEW

JAHNAVI D

R A

THE BUCKET LIST IS OVERFLOWING Interview by Armin S.

Starting off her journey

behind the scenes has given her the appropriate perspective on what an actor needs to do in front of the camera and how it impacts the various departments involved in a film. Jahnavi Dhanrajgir talks to us about her start as an actor, working with her father in a professional capacity, Broken But Beautiful, and the many dreams she has for herself.

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INTERVIEW MORE AND MORE ACTORS ARE BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH WHAT HAPPENS BEHIND THE SCENES, BEFORE THEY FACE THE CAMERA THEMSELVES. YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN POST-PRODUCTION AS WELL, AS AN ASSISTANT EDITOR. WHAT HAS THAT BEHIND-THE-SCENES EXPERIENCE TAUGHT YOU ABOUT THE TECHNICAL ASPECT OF ACTING?

When acting for camera there's a lot going on that you have to be aware of other than just the performing part - camera angles, catching the light, acting within the frame, to name a few things. Having a thorough knowledge of the process is very important no matter what you are doing. Filmmaking is all about team work and the better the team understands each other, the better the product. That doesn’t mean you have to be good at everything, but knowing the basics of what each department requires from you is essential to making sure the making process goes smoothly, no matter what your area of expertise may be.

WHEN DID YOU DECIDE THAT BEING IN FRONT OF THE CAMERA WAS SOMETHING YOU WANTED TO TRY? OR WAS IT ALWAYS THE GOAL?

Acting is something that I have always loved and had as a part of my life no matter what else I was doing, but it wasn't a goal until a few years ago when I finally decided to pursue it professionally. I realised acting was something I had to try or else, I’d be living with regrets, and that I'm not okay with. It's not about whether it works out or not. I want to be able to look back on my life and say, I did this and that, I tried and experienced all these different things life has to offer. To me, that’s what this journey is about; a culmination of all the different things I have been through, all the things that have shaped me into who I am, and who I will go on to be.

WHEN YOU'RE ACTING, THAT TIME BETWEEN ACTION AND CUT, DOES IT FEEL MAGICAL, LIKE AN OUT-OF-BODY EXPERIENCE? DO YOU SNAP OUT RIGHT WHEN CUT IS CALLED?

I don't know about out-of-body experience, but it is definitely magical. When I’m performing, I’m in a zone and that usually carries through the duration of the shoot. As for snapping in and out it really depends on the scene and character that’s being performed. What does happen though, is when I look back at the work I've done, be it editing or acting, I wonder if I'd ever be able to pull it off again, or if I've forgotten the skills (haha). Thankfully, that's not the case. It’s just the insecurities I'm learning to deal with and overcome as an artist.

“FILMMAKING IS ALL ABOUT TEAM WORK AND THE BETTER THE TEAM UNDERSTANDS EACH OTHER, THE BETTER THE PRODUCT.”

HOW WAS IT BEING AN ACTOR IN BOLO HAU, GIVEN THAT THE DIRECTOR WAS YOUR FATHER?

It was an amazing experience not just as an actor, but as an editor too. I saw the film through from start to finish. I was very involved in every aspect. The film will always hold a very special place in my heart. I was nervous about working with dad at the start. I hadn’t worked with him ever and wasn’t sure what the dynamic would be, but it turns out we make a pretty good father-daughter duo. It was a fun and memorable collaboration.

BROKEN BUT BEAUTIFUL IS SUCH A POPULAR AND WELL-LIKED WEB SERIES, I THINK BECAUSE OF THE LAYERS IN EACH CHARACTER. TELL US ABOUT THE LAYERS IN YOUR CHARACTER AND WHAT YOU LIKED ABOUT HER THE MOST?

Sakshi is just such a wonderfully layered character. She's been through so much in her life and despite it she handles everything with the utmost grace. I loved her strength and maturity she brought to the story. To add to that, she's badass working single mom.

WHAT'S ON THE BUCKET LIST NOW?

The bucket is overflowing right now! I've only just started and there's so much I wish to do, I'm looking forward to see what the future holds and hopefully ticking each dream off one step at a time.

INTERVIEW

THROUGH HIS LENS:

SHELDON SANTOS Interview by Armin S.

What does it take to

work behind the scenes, being a celebrity photographer? Well, Sheldon Santos would sure be able to answer those questions. We sit down with ace celebrity photographer, Sheldon, who has photographed some of the biggest names in Bollywood, including Anushka Sharma, Shraddha Kapoor, Ranveer Singh, and Jacqueline Fernandez, to discuss all things photography.

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INTERVIEW

“A CAMERA IS AN EXTENSION OF AN EYE.”

TELL US ABOUT WHAT YOU SEE WHEN YOU SEE A VISUAL DO YOU AUTOMATICALLY THINK ABOUT PHOTOGRAPHY?

That's actually very true. I don't know about other photographers, but it happens to me so often. Whenever I'm out of my house, not necessarily at a very luxurious and a beautiful location but even on the streets or anywhere, my mind is constantly visualizing frames with the lighting available that could make a good picture.

WHAT IS YOUR CAMERA TO YOU?

As cliché as it may sound, a camera is an extension of an eye. It's a part of me now. I have worked with a camera for hours every day and it's something that helps me bring my thoughts and vision to life. It's like a pen and paper for a writer, a paint brush for a painter or a stethoscope to a doctor.

HOW MUCH CREATIVE FREEDOM DO YOU HAVE WHEN SHOOTING CELEBRITIES?

It depends on project to project. If I'm collaborating with a celebrity for a personal shoot or a test shoot, then there is a scope of freedom that we have. But if a client is involved in a shoot then there are certain guidelines and briefs that we have to follow.

HOW DO YOU ENSURE THAT WHAT YOUR CAPTURE REMAINS AUTHENTIC AND REAL?

Everything you shoot is authentic and real but what you do with the pictures after shooting is what matters in maintaining the authenticity of the picture. This is where maintaining a certain decorum of retouching is important to keep the images as real as possible.

BESIDES THE GLAMOUR AND GLITZ ASSOCIATED WITH YOUR JOB, WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE AND THE BIGGEST REWARD?

There is a lot that goes behind what people see. Hours of research and planning before a shoot; a lot of communication with the team to create a concept and image; a lot of a hard work and hours go in lighting for an image which includes light testing prior to the shoot. And the biggest reward is achieving what you planned for; keeping the client satisfied and getting good feedback after all the hours of hard work put in.

INTERVIEW

“STRONG WOMEN WERE ALWAYS PENALISED, EITHER BY SOCIETY OR DESTINY”

TRISHA DAS Interview by Armin S.

He is a lyricist, composer, and singer. His strong songwriting skills lay

at the core of his talent but some of his numbers in Bollywood is also what he is known for best, be it “Banno” or “Beat Pe Booty”. We are currently loving his recent releases including “Baatein Karo” and “Tohfa” both of which are catchy tunes. We sit down to talk about creating, exploring, and the process behind it all with Vayu.

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INTERVIEW

YOU WEAR A NUMBER OF HATS - INCLUDING CELEBRATED AUTHOR AND DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER. WHICH HAT FULFILLS WHAT ASPECT OF YOU, CREATIVELY?

Well, the writing fills my soul. It's a format with incredible creative freedom and I get to share my brain with readers, many of whom share my interests. I get so many messages from people who've read my books - about how they've been changed in some small way because of something I wrote that's gratifying and humbling at the same time. Documentary filmmaking, on the other hand, is a medium through which I was able to make tangible differences in people's lives, especially people who needed the help. My film Fiddlers on the Thatch was about a missionary school in Kalimpong that gave free meals to children of families living below the poverty line and taught them how to play western classical music with donated violins, violas, and cellos. The school had a 75-strong orchestra when I made the film these kids who'd never even seen a movie in a cinema were playing Mozart, Strauss, and Beethoven. The film helped in spreading the word, attracting global interest in these kids, and furthering their cause. The same was true with many of my other films.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR WRITING INSPIRATION FOR MS. DRAUPADI KURU AND NOW, MISTERS KURU.

I've always loved mythology, not just Hindu but world mythologies. The Mahabharata has always held particular interest for me because of the huge scope for interpretation and the variation of stories over geographies, both in India and Southeast Asia. Draupadi and the Pandavas are such an interesting dynamic. I started thinking about writing my own interpretation of the Mahabharata in 2005, but decided against it because it was just too large a canvas and I felt I couldn't do it justice. That was when I started thinking about what else I could do with it. One thing that had always bugged me about the epics was the treatment of women. Strong women were always penalised, either by society or destiny. I thought about how the women from the epics would fare in a modern world, with all its opportunities for women. The idea of them falling down from heaven into modern India stemmed from that.

WHEN YOU ARE WRITING, HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU'RE DONE WRITING?

You're never done writing. I could keep editing my drafts indefinitely if I wanted. Even now, when I read my published books, I have the urge to make edits. But, obviously, that's not practical so I write the first draft, edit it into a second draft and send it to my publisher before I consider any further changes. While I'm writing the first draft, I try to constantly keep the story moving so I don't get stuck with editing and reediting what I've already written. It's a discipline as much as a creative process.

GIVEN YOUR BOOK IS BEING MADE INTO A FILM, DO YOU HAVE ANY HESITATION - BEING AN AVID BOOK READER MYSELF, I FIND MYSELF OFTEN GOING TO THE BOOK TO BUILD MY VISUAL IMAGINATION. HOW DO YOU DEAL WITH CREATIVE CHANGES, GIVEN THAT YOU HAVE BOTH A WRITER AND FILMMAKER'S MIND?

All us readers anticipate and dread, in equal parts, a book we've read and liked going on screen. You've already built a world inside your head that is entirely customized to your own individual preferences - that's an enormous amount of pressure for any filmmaker. Also, a filmmaker has their own vision for the book, which will inevitably be different in some ways but strive to inspire the same connection for the audience that the book did. The author writes the book, the filmmaker makes the film - that's the way I look at it.

INTERVIEW

VAYU

THE FACE OF A MULTI-FACETED ARTIST

Interview by Armin S.

He is a lyricist, composer,

and singer. His strong songwriting skills lay at the core of his talent but some of his numbers in Bollywood is also what he is known for best, be it “Banno” or “Beat Pe Booty”. We are currently loving his recent releases including “Baatein Karo” and “Tohfa” both of which are catchy tunes. We sit down to talk about creating, exploring, and the process behind it all with Vayu.

INTERVIEW CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW “TOHFA”. I REALLY ENJOYED “BAATEIN KARO” AS WELL. I THINK EVEN THE SOUNDS OF THE WORK IN BOLLYWOOD, THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, A UNIQUE QUALITY TO THE SONGS THAT MAKES YOU PAY ATTENTION. WHAT HAS INSPIRED THE SONG WRITING AND MUSIC CREATING ABILITY YOU HAVE?

I was mostly a loner kid. My brother was in boarding school and my friends were always busy. Whatever time I had, I used to create songs. My parents also listened to a lot of music. I then became very interested in listening to music. I did not learn song writing properly. I am not even trained in music. Everything I have now is what I have grown up with. My songs are based more on the situation and what’s happening. The compositions I make are more driven by the lyrics, which is probably why it sounds different. Most people in music, they will give you a tune and then ask you to write on it. My process is the opposite – I have the words, then I have the tune, or at least, I do it simultaneously. It gets very well married to each other then because it emerges like that from my mind.

YOU HAVEN’T NECESSARILY TRAINED IN SONG WRITING BUT YOU HAVE VERY CATCHY LYRICS. “TOHFA” TOOK ME ONE LISTEN AND I ALREADY KNEW THE WORDS TO THE CHORUS. WHEN IT ISN’T YOUR OWN COMPOSITION, WHAT’S THE PROCESS OF COMING UP WITH THE LYRICS AND THE MOOD IN YOUR WORDS?

I listen a lot, and I always decipher in my own way, why a certain word or a certain sound was used. I have trained my mind to be like that. When I grew up, I was paying attention to all of those details. I also try to visualize the situation in my head. Most of the time, they just tell you the brief of the song – it is a romantic song, or a marriage song – they don’t tell you anything that happens before or after the song. Sixty percent of the time, I know nothing more than that one line for the situation so I actually have to come up with the situation myself. I try to bring the emotions of the characters in my head, and then come up with the writing.

“WHEN I WAS A KID, I USED TO ENTERTAIN MYSELF BY WRITING SONGS”

WHAT WAS THE PROCESS LIKE FOR “TOHFA”?

The way “Tohfa” was created is very much the way “Baatein Karo” was created as well. I was in Bhopal during the lockdown and I was sitting down with my friend, the only friend I was with during the lockdown. He was strumming the guitar and the tune of the chorus is exactly what I ended up coming up with. I think I had just heard “Tohfa” the word right before the session and that’s how I just started playing with the words and the tune. Once I had the chorus, I put together the rest of the words.

WHY DO YOU THINK THE TUNES STICK?

My tunes are very basic and I think that’s the reason why they stick. I don’t try to say here is a “raag” I used, or here is another “raag” I used. I keep it simple. There is no technicality in the music. In folk music, the artists sing about what they feel – they can talk about anything random in the world. I think that’s how my brain works. That’s my approach with all my songs, and that’s how “Tohfa” came into being. I also let the tune sit in my head, and if after a few days, it is still in my head, I know I can use it.

INTERVIEW

GETTING TO KNOW

Mona Patel Interview by Armin S.

ndependent Australian Singer/ Songwriter Mona Patel released her latest 'Take Me Home', a Pop/EDM track. It's a fantastic club track co-written by Mona Patel with her Music Producer Michael Le Donne. The new track follows the extraordinary response to Mona’s debut 'Hold Me Like You Mean It', which attracted thousands of hits on YouTube and received generous online support. Her recent Valentine's release pop track ‘Dream Guy’ was written after she ended a serious relationship, finding herself single once again, frustrated and seemingly back to square one. Her previous single 'Delusional’ was in collaboration with EMI Australia producer Byron Keno. Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, Mona has background and training in contemporary jazz vocals to create a captivating and hypnotic amalgamation of pop and EDM. Patel has lived in both Perth and Mumbai over the last 6 years, working as a full-time Musician and Vocal Coach.

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INTERVIEW

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST MUSICAL INSPIRATIONS?

My biggest musical inspirations are Julie Andrews, the Beatles and Taylor Swift.

WHO ARE YOUR BIGGEST SUPPORTERS?

I would have to say certainly my family and friends, my students and of course people that have been streaming my songs and following me for updates on my social media. And of course, any fans of Pop/EDM music.

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN YOU FIRST FELT THAT YOU CONNECTED WITH MUSIC, MORE SO THAN THE AVERAGE PERSON DOES?

“All I want is for people to hear my stories”

Yes I remember this happening at quite a young age actually. I always knew I wanted to be a singer, I knew that around the age of five years old, and it was something I would say to my parents as well. But it wasn’t until I started learning to sing properly at around 7 or 8 years old when I really started to feel the powerful connection that I had to music, and the effect it had on me is still there today. I remember performing at a very young age and just feeling a rush I never felt before. Music always had the ability to brighten up my life from a very young age.

WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD FILLED WITH MUSIC, DANCE, THE ARTS, OR WAS THAT SOMETHING YOU REALIZED ON YOUR OWN?

My parents are both accountants, so this was definitely something that was realized on my own. My family members are all music lovers, so certainly yes my childhood was surrounded by dance and music, but I am the first one to really make a full time living off it. If anything, my musical pursuits encourage them to express their own artistic selves as well.

TODAY, WHAT INSPIRES YOU TO CREATE AS AN ARTIST?

My experiences, my stories, other people’s stories, and also the perspective I have of the world around me. I would like audiences to be able to empathise with what I have to say through my lyrics and music.

WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO DO WITH YOUR MUSIC, FOR BOTH YOURSELF, AND YOUR AUDIENCE?

I would hope to reach wider audiences through my music, allow people to feel something when they hear my songs. Song writing is the art of storytelling, and all I want is for people to hear my stories. B