KARMA CARTEL While a struggling actor battles for his career, his friend who loses money in a scam-deal commits an action that puts both of their lives in danger.
Genre: Docu-Fiction, Drama Length: 105 mins Language: Malayalam Production country: India Production year: 2014
Synopsis
A reporters search for a missing actor
that the modern Indian youth are enticed
leads to revelation of multiple lives con-
by. Told through the actions of 6 people
nected to the incident. The three last
living different lives, the plot is intercon-
days before the incident follows the strug-
nected through a single thread – easy
gling actor, an ambitious filmmaker, a wan-
money.
nabe hustler, an opportunist, a lover and two Cinephile thugs, through an intertwining vignette of their lives. The film is a modern day’s look at India’s growing economy and fast cash culture
2
The Team The cast list of KARMA CARTEL is lead by
CAST:
Vinay Forrt, a prominent indie actor who
• VINAY FORRT as Sidth
is an FTTI Pune graduate, who has also
• Dr. RONE DAVID as Dr. Roy
shared screen space with the godfather
• TONY LUKE as Tony
of Indie actors Naseeruddin Shah. Vinay’s latest film SHUTTER won the Best film in the people’s choice category at IFFK (Kerala 2012). KARMA CARTEL introduces a row of fresh talent supported by experienced actors, like Dr Ronedavid Raj (Daddy Cool, Ayalum Njanum thammil), Jinu Joseph (Big B,
• JINU JOSEPH as Q the filmmaker • ARJUN CHEMPARATHY as Arjun • SHANI SHAKI as “Plan B” • ROHINI MIRIAM IDICULA as the reporter • BECKY THOMAS as Tina Roy • ABHILASH P.G. as A.C. of Police • AHAMED SHAHEEN as Richie • TROJU JACOB as head surgeon
Bachelor party), Shani Shaki (Nee Ko Njan
• MADAN BABU as the Producer
Cha) and Sabu (Chumma), Ahamed Sha-
• SABUMON ABDUSAMAD as “Luttu”
heen (Karma Code, Karma Currency)
• FRANKO DAVIS as Franko • LUKMANCE as the Casting agent • SURAJ RAMAKRISHNAN as Deejay • VARNA VELLOTH as Doctor • RISHI KARTHIK as book salesman • AVINASH as Home Stay owner
CREW: Pro• VINOD BHARATHAN : Story, Screenplay, duction, Edit, Direction, Cinematography, Editing.
• SHAJI T.U. as Shaji • ROOPESH K.V. as Dr. Rupesh • JOSEPH CHAKOLA as Facebook friend
• SARATH BALAN : Production Assistant / Boom operator • SHARNITA ATHWAL : Music Supervisor (U.K.) • VARNA VELLOTH : Costume Supervisor
3
The Director / Producer: Vinod Bharathan Vinod Bharathan is known for his radical
out the film industry professionals of Den-
approach to filmmaking, where he re-
mark. He managed to earn filmmaking ex-
strains himself from the luxuries of film pro-
perience from watching other masters at
duction, often working with a very minimal
work, and later applying them to his pro-
and tight team. He was behind the cine-
ductions.
matography and editing of most of his
KARMA CARTEL is Vinod Bharathan’s first
films. He is also known for experimenting for-
feature film. Once again he used ex-
mats of cinematography often choosing
tremely radical approach to making of
the retrograde. Limbo, a short film he shot
the film with just 2-member crew and was
using an iPhone was awarded Best Film
shot on HDV (Tapes) using Canon XH A1
at Indie Fone Fest, U.S.A. and Sony Cir-
(Broadcast Camera), KARMA CARTEL
cuito Off, Venice 2012.
was filmed in 10 days with an ensemble
Vinod Bharathan started his career in me-
of 24 actors - mostly first-timers.
dia as an fashion event manager. He later moved to Copenhagen and started showing interest in the field of Photography.
KARMA CARTEL is produced following Dogme95 Manifesto (Lars Von Trier). However, some rules were broken fearing its radicalness for the box-office audience.
After a brief stint in photography, Vinod
KARMA CARTEL had its limited release in
realized that he wanted to tell stories us-
India through PVR Director’s Rare.
ing moving pictures. He then joined the Copenhagen Media School in a view to apply for the prestigious National film school of Denmark. However, after graduating from Copenhagen Media School, he started his own production company and started helping
4
• Karma Code (International film festival
AWARDS
Ahmedabad, INDIA, Show Me Justice, Texas, U.S.A. 2011)
FILMOGRAPHY
• BEST DIRECTOR : KARMA CARTEL (CinemaVvenire Film Festival, Rome, Italy 2014) • BEST FIRST FEATURE : KARMA CARTEL (American Movie Awards 2014, Nevada, U.S.A.) • BEST FOREIGN FILM : KARMA CARTEL
• 2015 GODZONE // in production • 2014 KARMA CARTEL // First Feature • 2013 KARMA CURRENCY // Short Film • 2012 THE PUNISHMENT // Short film //
(Canada International Film Festival
Scandiavian film festival, L.A. // Film Noir
2014, Vancouver)
film festival, U.S.A. // FilmKraft Denmark.
• BEST FILM : Limbo (Indiefone film festival U.S.A. 2012 )
• 2011 KARMA CODE // Malayalam Short fim // International film festival of Ahmedabad // Show Me Justice, Texas
• BEST FILM : Limbo Sony Mobile - Circuito Off, Venice 2012) • BEST MOBILE DOCU: Moose and sunset (Denver Film Society 2012)
U.S.A. • 2011 LIMBO // Short film // Winner: Indiefon film fest, S.F. U.S.A. // Winner: Circuito off/Sony, Venice, Italy. • 2010 THE SUSPECT // Short Film // G+
Official selections and Nominations: • The Punishment (Film Noir Foundation, U.S.A 2013 / Scandinavian Film festival
Film Festival U.S.A. • 2009 REGULAR JOBS //Short film // Kurz Film festival, Germany
L.A. 2013 / Filmkraft Odense 2013)
5
Director’s Statement
Having spent a quarter of my life in Scan-
The characters in the film are based on
dinavia, one cannot avoid having a
real lives and real experiences I had ob-
temptation of imitating the social-realism
served during my life in India. I didn't es-
widely used in their films, mostly because it
sentially had to have a screenplay be-
looks real, authentic and easy.
cause those moments were strongly embedded in my memory which I now had to
KARMA CARTEL has a social-realistic
re-create for the camera. The cast had
narrative, and is produced following
done a wonderful job of understanding
DOGME95 rules. I must admit that the
the situation they were going to "act", as
three films that inspired me most to create
most of them already had experienced or
KARMA CARTEL the way it was made are
observed the same.
"The Celebration (Festen)" by Thomas Vinterberg, "The Hate (La Haine)" by Mathieu Kassovitz and "Pusher" by Nico-
With a pregnant wife at home in Copenhagen, two weeks was the most that I could stay away from home to make this
las Winding Refn. 6
film. But every one in the team understood this situation and gave the best they could and I have never had to go beyond the third take to get what I wanted. During post production, I was shocked to realize that we had improvised 1000 lines of dialogues right in front of the rolling camera. Let me conclude by confirming that the final form of KARMA CARTEL is exactly the way I had visualized and wanted it to be. Every single frame, sound and emotion in this film is a projection from my heart and mind. - Vinod Bharathan
7
Fookdat Productions Rued Langgaards vej 23 st.tv Copenhagen S Denmark 2300 www.fookdat.org info@fookdat.org
KochiTown Films Thoppumpady Kochi 682005 India Phone: 9995008035 www.kochitownfilms.com kochitownfilms@gmail.com
viii
ix