Indian streamer SonyLIV has unveiled a slate of more than 20 new and returning shows for 2024 and is expanding its content focus.
2023 saw several hits bow on the service including “Scam 2003,” “Chamak,” Agatha Christie adaptation “Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley” and “Fauda” remake “Tanaav,” which has been renewed for a second season, besides Season 2 of Emmy-nominated series “Rocket Boys.”
2024 will see shows in the Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi and Marathi languages, in addition to Hindi. “We wanted to go with a very robust multi-language content lineup,” Danish Khan, executive VP and business head, SonyLIV and StudioNext at Sony Pictures Networks India, told Variety.
The Hindi-language lineup includes renowned filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya (“Uunchai”) making his streaming debut with “Badaa Naam Karenge,” a family drama that is due to premiere during the Diwali holiday frame in November. “That’s a big one for us,” Khan says. Sudhir Mishra directs...
2023 saw several hits bow on the service including “Scam 2003,” “Chamak,” Agatha Christie adaptation “Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley” and “Fauda” remake “Tanaav,” which has been renewed for a second season, besides Season 2 of Emmy-nominated series “Rocket Boys.”
2024 will see shows in the Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, Punjabi and Marathi languages, in addition to Hindi. “We wanted to go with a very robust multi-language content lineup,” Danish Khan, executive VP and business head, SonyLIV and StudioNext at Sony Pictures Networks India, told Variety.
The Hindi-language lineup includes renowned filmmaker Sooraj Barjatya (“Uunchai”) making his streaming debut with “Badaa Naam Karenge,” a family drama that is due to premiere during the Diwali holiday frame in November. “That’s a big one for us,” Khan says. Sudhir Mishra directs...
- 1/3/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Disney+ Hotstar is all set to release its first-ever Malayalam web series called “Kerala Crime Files – Shiju, Parayil Veedu, Neendakara” as part of its Hotstar Specials on the 23rd of June, 2023. The show features an engaging crime story set in the picturesque backdrop of Kerala, providing viewers with a fresh and exciting viewing experience.
Disney+ Hotstar Specials ‘Kerala Crime Files Shiju, Parayil Veedu, Neendakara’ will feature the talented actors Lal and Aju Varghese in lead roles, bringing their acting prowess to the forefront. As the plot unfolds, viewers will be taken on an intense journey of crime and investigation, leaving them at the edge of their seats. The series will be available in multiple languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi.
‘Kerala Crime Files Shiju, Parayil Veedu, Neendakara’ produced by Rahul Riji Nair under the banner of First Print Studios and directed by the talented and promising director Ahammed Khabeer,...
Disney+ Hotstar Specials ‘Kerala Crime Files Shiju, Parayil Veedu, Neendakara’ will feature the talented actors Lal and Aju Varghese in lead roles, bringing their acting prowess to the forefront. As the plot unfolds, viewers will be taken on an intense journey of crime and investigation, leaving them at the edge of their seats. The series will be available in multiple languages including Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Kannada, Bengali and Marathi.
‘Kerala Crime Files Shiju, Parayil Veedu, Neendakara’ produced by Rahul Riji Nair under the banner of First Print Studios and directed by the talented and promising director Ahammed Khabeer,...
- 6/22/2023
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
EntertainmentThe show features an ensemble cast that includes Suhasini, Miya, Suresh Krishna, Maniyanpilla Raju, Balachandran Chullikad, Vishnu Govindan, Sidhartha Siva, and Rahul Riji Nair in pivotal roles.After launching critically acclaimed originals in Tamil and Telugu, digital streaming platform Sony Liv has ventured into Malayalam with a political drama titled Jai Mahendran. The show focuses on the life of Mahendran, a manipulative officer who believes in getting things done through powerplay and by use of his influence within the system. However, his freedom within the office comes to a halt and his ideologies get challenged, as he becomes the victim of the same powerplay. In an attempt to safeguard his job and restore his reputation, he plans to sabotage an entire system to his advantage. Jai Mahendran is helmed by the national and state award-winning filmmaker Rahul Riji Nair as writer, producer, and showrunner, and Srikanth Mohan as the director.
- 4/19/2023
- by LakshmiP
- The News Minute
Champion Campion
The Sydney Film Festival will present ‘Jane Campion – Her Way,’ a retrospective of films by the pioneering director. Campion herself will appear in conversation with David Stratton on June 10 at the 2023 edition of the festival, its 70th anniversary presentation (June 7-18).
Held in association with Acmi and the National Film and Sound Archive, ‘Jane Campion – Her Way’ will encompass screenings of all nine of Campion’s feature films, as well as a selection of her short films. The selection will go on to tour the Acmi in Melbourne (June 15 – July 2) and at Nfsa in Canberra (July 20-30).
“For our 70th edition, we wanted to present a retrospective commensurate with the milestone, reflecting the audacious and boundary pushing filmmaking synonymous with our festival and region. Campion is a ground-breaking filmmaker who has made a profound impact on cinema with her daring and unforgettable films,” said Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley.
The Sydney Film Festival will present ‘Jane Campion – Her Way,’ a retrospective of films by the pioneering director. Campion herself will appear in conversation with David Stratton on June 10 at the 2023 edition of the festival, its 70th anniversary presentation (June 7-18).
Held in association with Acmi and the National Film and Sound Archive, ‘Jane Campion – Her Way’ will encompass screenings of all nine of Campion’s feature films, as well as a selection of her short films. The selection will go on to tour the Acmi in Melbourne (June 15 – July 2) and at Nfsa in Canberra (July 20-30).
“For our 70th edition, we wanted to present a retrospective commensurate with the milestone, reflecting the audacious and boundary pushing filmmaking synonymous with our festival and region. Campion is a ground-breaking filmmaker who has made a profound impact on cinema with her daring and unforgettable films,” said Sydney Film Festival director Nashen Moodley.
- 4/18/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Indian Streamer SonyLIV Reveals 35-Strong 2023 Series Slate, 24 Million Paid Subscribers (Exclusive)
Indian streamer SonyLIV has revealed a robust 35-strong series slate, including some returning hits, with a further expansion into South Indian languages in addition to its Hindi-language slate.
Headquartered in Mumbai, the streamer now has three content offices in South India, in Kochi, Hyderabad and Chennai. SonyLIV also now has 24 million paid subscribers, SonyLIV head of content Saugata Mukherjee told Variety.
In the Tamil language, after the success of “Tamil Rockerz” in 2022 and “The Story of Things” earlier this year, SonyLIV has saga “Journey,” headlined by R. Sarathkumar with Cheran Pandian (“Autograph”) serving as showrunner; and “The Madras Murder,” set against the backdrop of the Tamil film industry in the 1950s and 1960s, with A.L. Vijay (“Kireedam”) as showrunner.
The streamer’s push into the Telugu language continues with a raft of commissions. These include detective show “Brinda,” starring Trisha Krishnan (“Ponniyin Selvan: 1”), directed by debutant Surya Manoj Vangala; and “Kanyasulkam,...
Headquartered in Mumbai, the streamer now has three content offices in South India, in Kochi, Hyderabad and Chennai. SonyLIV also now has 24 million paid subscribers, SonyLIV head of content Saugata Mukherjee told Variety.
In the Tamil language, after the success of “Tamil Rockerz” in 2022 and “The Story of Things” earlier this year, SonyLIV has saga “Journey,” headlined by R. Sarathkumar with Cheran Pandian (“Autograph”) serving as showrunner; and “The Madras Murder,” set against the backdrop of the Tamil film industry in the 1950s and 1960s, with A.L. Vijay (“Kireedam”) as showrunner.
The streamer’s push into the Telugu language continues with a raft of commissions. These include detective show “Brinda,” starring Trisha Krishnan (“Ponniyin Selvan: 1”), directed by debutant Surya Manoj Vangala; and “Kanyasulkam,...
- 3/21/2023
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
ReviewRajisha Vijayan plays a cyber security expert in ‘Keedam’, which is directed by Rahul Riji Nair.CrisScreenshot from the filmIt is almost like a teacher’s piercing glare, the background music of Keedam. Pulls you right back in, the minute your attention wanes. So, you keep your eyes wide open when a murder happens on the road, when you follow the criminals to their daily haunt – a scrap shop. Not exactly a whodunit, this. And when Rajisha Vijayan, who plays your heroine, takes slow strides on the screen, it is a pleasant change for your eyes, exposed to years of Suresh Gopi’s slow walks. Keedam has quite a few novelties and tries to explore the lesser tapped area of cyber security, but Rahul Riji Nair, a director known for his close to life portrayals, largely strays away from that comfort zone and does not carry it off well. The...
- 5/21/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
FilmsRevathy’s ‘Bhoothakalam’ and Rohini’s ‘Kolaambi’ are only two of the latest examples to prove how little used many senior women actors are.CrisRohini in 'Kolaambi'It needn’t have been so, but seeing the large picture of Revathy in the poster of Bhoothakaalam was strangely alluring. Not because it was dark and looming, but that it was there, as big as the other actor in the poster – Shane Nigam, young and male and budding. Revathy is in her 50s, an actor who was very active at the turn of the 90s when she was young and budding. For so many years now, she moved away from the centre of a film to behind the curtains and the inside rooms where as a mother character, she often parted words of wisdom or shed tears for an erring son or daughter and then disappeared. It’s what several women actors who...
- 2/7/2022
- by Cris
- The News Minute
CinemaDirector Nithin Lukose is from Wayanad and says the story of the film is inspired by the tales he heard when growing up.Suresh NellikodeFacebook/Resul PookuttyWhen Nithin Lukose, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India, made up his mind finally to make a movie about the village he lives in with its rustic beauty and the mysteries it has hidden, he didn't have the faintest notion that it would get a renowned Bollywood filmmaker as its producer, and thereby make it to the Toronto International Film Festival- 2021. Nithin hails from a family in Ayilamoola, 8.5 km away from Mananthavady, Wayanad. His ancestors were settlers from Kaduthuruthy and Moolamattom of Central Kerala. The settlers had no option but to work very hard to prove their mettle. The farmers, who had been frequently and adversely impacted by human-animal conflict, infectious diseases like Malaria etc., had to stand up against...
- 8/3/2021
- by AjayR
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe makers of 'Kho Kho' withdrew the movie from theatres in view of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic.Tnm StaffAfter withdrawing the movie from theatres due to the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the makers of Malayalam film Kho Kho have now released the movie on Over-the-Top platforms Amazon Prime Video, Saina Play, Simply South and Filme. Sharing the news with fans on Twitter, actor Rajisha Vijayan, who plays the lead role in the movie wrote, “Kho-Kho is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video @PrimeVideoINWatch Kho Kho: https://app.primevideo.com/detail?gti=amzn1.dv.gti.6b1075ce-174e-4e58-93a3-674c3889c7f2&ref_=atv_dp_share_mv&r=web… Ps: It’s also available on Saina Play, Simply South and Filme #SayNoToPiracy.” Director Rahul Riji Nair had announced earlier that the satellite rights of Kho Kho have been bagged by popular Malayalam channel Asianet.
- 6/3/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
MollywoodHelmed by director Rahul Riji Nair, the movie was released in theatres on April 14. Tnm StaffMollywood actor Rajisha Vijayan took to Instagram on Tuesday to announce that Kho Kho has been withdrawn from theatres in view of the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the country. Explaining the reason behind the announcement, Rajisha wrote how it was a tough call for the makers of the movie to withdraw the film. “With a heavy heart we are taking the decision to withdraw Kho Kho from the theatres in Kerala due to the current Covid 19 related crisis,” she wrote on Instagram. Further emphasising on the need to prioritize health and following Covid-19 precautionary measures above anything else, the Karnan fame actor wrote, “Even though we would have loved to have you watch our film in theatres, we have to keep the health and safety of our audience as the foremost priority.
- 4/23/2021
- by SaradhaU
- The News Minute
67th National Film AwardsThe Best Feature Film has been awarded to Mohanlal’s unreleased epic historical war drama 'Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham'.Tnm StaffThe 67th National Film awards for films that released in the year 2019 were announced on Monday. A number of notable films from south Indian states bagged awards. The award for the Best Actor was this time shared between Dhanush for the Tamil film Asuran and Manoj Bajpayee for the Hindi film Bhonsle. This is actor Dhanush's second National Film Award after Aadukalam in 2011. Actor Kangana Ranaut won Best Actress award for her performance in Manikarnika-The Queen of Jhansi and Panga. Actor Vijay Sethupathi won Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the Tamil film Super Deluxe. The Best Feature Film has been awarded to Mohanlal’s unreleased epic historical war drama Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham. The film that is based on the life of Kunjali Marakkar IV, a Malayali naval chieftain,...
- 3/22/2021
- by Anjana
- The News Minute
The Coalition of South Asian Film Festivals will kick off Oct. 3 with Baba Azmi’s “Mee Raqsam” (I Dance) and close with Prateek Vats’ “Eeb Allay Ooo!” on Oct. 17. The centerpiece film will be Shirish Gurung’s “Lato Kosero” from Nepal. Azmi’s sister the veteran Hindi actress Shabana will present his film.
In-between more than 20 films and shorts will play at the fest, which will also host virtual programs including Q&As with talent and creatives. The films will be streamed on Vimeo’s Ott platform, while the Q&As can be seen on-demand.
The coalition, which comprises South Asian fests from Seattle; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Mississauga/Toronto; Maryland; Montreal; and Vancouver, will also unspool blocks of shorts covering themes of interest to the South Asian diaspora, the Lgbtqi community, racism and love and relationships. Unable to host a festival on the ground due to the coronavirus, CoSaff...
In-between more than 20 films and shorts will play at the fest, which will also host virtual programs including Q&As with talent and creatives. The films will be streamed on Vimeo’s Ott platform, while the Q&As can be seen on-demand.
The coalition, which comprises South Asian fests from Seattle; Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Mississauga/Toronto; Maryland; Montreal; and Vancouver, will also unspool blocks of shorts covering themes of interest to the South Asian diaspora, the Lgbtqi community, racism and love and relationships. Unable to host a festival on the ground due to the coronavirus, CoSaff...
- 9/9/2020
- by Shalini Dore
- Variety Film + TV
A regular film tells us a story that has been recorded on a camera, and then edited in a way that (usually) gives the audience knowledge that the characters themselves may not have. Here, we travel only with the camera.
The post Kalla Nottam At New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff): Rahul Riji Nair’s Interesting, Immersive Drama Sees Only What A GoPro Camera Sees appeared first on Film Companion.
The post Kalla Nottam At New York Indian Film Festival (Nyiff): Rahul Riji Nair’s Interesting, Immersive Drama Sees Only What A GoPro Camera Sees appeared first on Film Companion.
- 7/30/2020
- by Baradwaj Rangan
- Film Companion
ReviewThe film is premiering at the New York Indian Film Festival.Cris The boy runs through the muddy, richly green village and the camera runs with him. He jumps, it jumps. The shaky shots at the beginning make you worry about your eyes; will the whole film be like this? You forget it soon enough though, as the story of a quaint village in Kerala unfolds in front of the camera, left on by the boy. Rahul Riji Nair’s Kalla Nottam (The False Eye), premiering at the New York Indian Film Festival, is one that’s made with a really novel idea, and unexpectedly well, but crashes towards the end. It’s a film that you root for, gripped by the unusually good performances of new actors, a film that almost gets it right, but falters in the last few minutes. Rahul’s first feature film was Ottamuri Velicham,...
- 7/28/2020
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe actor, who has been rumoured to play villain in the Tamil film, has clarified that he has not received any such offer, but would be more than willing to join if the call comes.Digital NativeThere were reports of Malayalam actor Chemban Vinod making it to the cast of the upcoming Rajinikanth starrer Darbar. But the actor has clarified that he is not part of the project. The rumours began soon after he shared a fan-made poster of the film. Realising that the poster had given rise to the rumours, the actor not only deleted it from his Facebook page but also clarified that he is not part of Darbar. Chemban revealed it when The Cue called him about it. He said, “Brother, I don't know where this news came from. Several people have called me about it. I had shared a fan-made poster of Darbar some days ago.
- 5/13/2019
- by Cris
- The News Minute
InterviewRenjit Shekar Nair, who was seen in movies like ‘Ottamuri Velicham’ and ‘Dakini’, talks about working in ‘Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham’ and managing two jobs at once.CrisIt was the day Renjit Shekar Nair was going to leave the sets of Marakkar: Arabikadalinte Simham. His part was done in seven days. He had heard Mohanlal, the hero of the movie, would be coming the next day. Just when he thought he would miss seeing the actor he had for long adored, there came the man, dressed all in white. Mohanlal had got his dates wrong and came a day early. Excited, Renjit asked his friend and Ad Revathy Suresh – daughter of producer Suresh Kumar and actor Menaka – to introduce him. “She has grown up seeing all of them, so she didn’t get my excitement till she realised what I was waiting for,” says Renjit, like a typical fan boy, days...
- 4/16/2019
- by Cris
- The News Minute
Death Abhimanyu Ramanandan, who has acted in a few Malayalam movies, was returning from the International Film Festival in Thiruvananthapuram when he met with the accident.Tnm StaffImage Courtesy: Remembering Abhimanyu Ramanandan Facebook PageActor Abhimanyu Ramanandan, who became popular with the music album ‘Mounam Sollum Varthaigal’ died in a road accident in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday night. The accident took place on National Highway 47, near Assan Memorial in Thonnaykkal, in Thiruvananthapuram. According to the police, Abhimanyu died before he could be taken to a hospital. “He died on the way to the hospital,” Managalapuram police said. The 31-year-old actor, who has also acted in a couple of Malayalam movies, was returning home after attending the International Film Festival, which is happening in Thiruvananthapuram. A speeding car reportedly rammed into the bike he was riding. Though the police rushed to the spot, his life couldn't be saved. Abhimanyu’s body was cremated...
- 12/9/2018
- by Saritha
- The News Minute
The full horror of spousal rape is brought home with a vengeance in the Malayam film Light in the Room (Ottamuri Velicham), a shocker of a debut feature from writer-director Rahul Riji Nair. The story of a woman-hating mountain man who marries a sweet young girl without relatives to protect her is chilling to watch — until the bride decides to liberate herself from the nightmare in the last act. Though Nair finds a clever and satisfying way to end her torture, it can’t erase what has gone before, and there is a certain imbalance in the narrative that leaves ...
- 10/31/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
The full horror of spousal rape is brought home with a vengeance in the Malayam film Light in the Room (Ottamuri Velicham), a shocker of a debut feature from writer-director Rahul Riji Nair. The story of a woman-hating mountain man who marries a sweet young girl without relatives to protect her is chilling to watch — until the bride decides to liberate herself from the nightmare in the last act. Though Nair finds a clever and satisfying way to end her torture, it can’t erase what has gone before, and there is a certain imbalance in the narrative that leaves ...
- 10/31/2018
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Mollywood‘Ottamuri Velicham’, which won Kerala State Award for Best Film, is shortlisted for the Oxfam Best Film on Gender Equality Award at the Mumbai Film Festival.CrisRahul Riji Nair: FacebookAt the time it had seemed like a statement any aspiring filmmaker would make. He had made a few short films. A documentary and a music video too. Director Rahul Riji Nair had then - at the fag end of 2016 - said he had plans to make a feature film soon. A year later, his first feature, Ottamuri Velicham, won the Kerala State Award for Best Film. One more year later, his new movie, Dakini, is in theatres. Dakini is a world away from what Ottamuri had been. “Ottamuri Velicham was a slow-paced realistic thriller. Dakini, I knew, should stand apart, on its own,” Rahul tells Tnm. A year later, Ottamuri continues to win accolades. It has now been shortlisted...
- 10/21/2018
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodDirector Rahul Riji Nair daringly puts four senior women to lead his film and pulls off a funny entertainer.CrisIt's daring of Rahul Riji Nair. To have four senior women actors leading his film when Malayalam cinema has never really been, let’s say, accommodating of any woman – senior or junior – leading anything. But director Rahul Riji Nair, fresh after a State Award for his first feature film Ottamuri Velicham, appears to have believed in a script he wrote with these adorable women leading the show. We know two of them from Sudani from Nigeria, the mothers who had grabbed many hearts with their portrayal of two simple village women with a lot of love – Savithri Sreedharan and Sarasa Balussery. The third is Sethulakshmy, who has again been noticed for her realistic dialogue deliveries. The fourth is Pauly Wilson, an actor recognised much belated, with a state award last year.
- 10/19/2018
- by Cris
- The News Minute
MollywoodTouted to be a political thriller, the film marks the directorial debut of Prithviraj.Digital NativeDigital NativeIt turned out to be a special birthday for actor Prithviraj Sukumaran on Tuesday, October 16 this year. The entire team behind the movie Lucifer, which is Prithviraj’s directorial debut, released a video wishing him. The video, which begins with birthday wishes from the film’s producer Anthony Perumbavoor, then has the entire cast and crew showering their wishes. The video has actor-scriptwriter Murali Gopy, who has penned the film’s script, cameraman Sujith Vasudev and hero Mohanlal also wishing Prithviraj on his birthday. This video made it online with Mohanlal posting it on his official Facebook page as well. The video shows the wonderful rapport that Prithviraj shares with the Lucifer team. Lucifer is one of the most anticipated films in Mollywood as it marks the directorial debut of actor Prithviraj. The film...
- 10/18/2018
- by Vidya
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe film is a comedy entertainer that has a largely senior cast of women actors in the lead.Digital NativeRahul Riji Nair of Ottamuri Velicham fame is currently working on his next project titled Dakini. The first look of this film was released recently and has been received well by film buffs. The director had carved a niche for himself with Ottamuri Velicham, which has upped the expectation levels for Dakini. Interestingly, the film stars Savithri Sreedharan and Sarasa Balussery, who were seen in Sudani from Nigeria, but they appear in a completely different look. The film is a comedy entertainer that has a largely senior cast of women actors in the lead and promises to be a laugh riot. The film also features Suraaj Venjarammoodu, Chemban Vinod Jose and Alencier Ley Lopez in pivotal roles besides Savithri and Sarasa. Rahul Riji Nair shot into the limelight when Ottamuri Velicham,...
- 10/18/2018
- by Vidya
- The News Minute
MollywoodThe comedy entertainer is directed by Rahul Riji Nair, who won the Kerala State Award for Best Feature Film last year. Digital NativeAward-winning director Rahul Riji Nair’s next film is Dakini. The film is a comedy entertainer that has a largely senior cast of women actors in the lead, including Sarasa Balussery and Savithri Sreedharan, the actors who were lauded for their ‘mother’ characters in Sudani from Nigeria. Veterans Pauly Valsan and Sethu Lakshmi are also in the lead with Chemban Vinod, Aju Varghese, Indrans and Saiju Kurup playing important roles. The official trailer of this film has been released and it promises to be a laugh riot. Produced by Sandip Senan and Aneesh M. Thomas under the banner of Urvashi Theaters, the film’s distribution will be handled by Vijay Babu’s Friday Film House. Director Rahul Riji Nair shot to limelight with his debut movie Ottamuri Velicham...
- 9/25/2018
- by Cris
- The News Minute
InterviewRahul says the team spoke to survivors of marital rape, NGOs, and also researched the law for making the film.Neelima MenonHis debut feature film Ottamuri Velicham is making waves across the state for its nuanced portrayal of abiding social issues. Yet, the man behind it has none of the airs one would expect of someone whose debut film has just won the Kerala State Award for Best Feature Film. In fact, Rahul Riji Nair says he never imagined himself becoming a director. Cinema yes, Passion No Growing up, Rahul says cinema wasn’t his only focus. And certainly, he wasn’t one to binge on world classics. The few he saw were mostly Malayalam films. “I always knew cinema was not within my reach," he says. In college, he used to write and direct plays. That was that. He thinks cinema is an expression of self, an intimate close private space. And he admits finding it puzzling how cinema for him, as someone who hasn’t devoured a lot of films as a child, eventually developed into a passion. “If people recommend films, I do watch. I prefer watching Malayalam films, but I don’t have the same drive to watch other films," he says disarmingly. A human interest story More than filmmaking, what really trigger ed his first documentary was the deeply human story behind it—Pakistanis, including children, migrating to India and the hostility they were subjected to. Shot with a handycam in the outskirts of Delhi and refugee camps of Ghaziabad, Human Boundaries, is about people caught in no man’s land. According to Rahul, the film was “an unprecedented success.” It gained lot of media coverage at home, travelled widely and was screened at universities in UK as well as at the Un headquarters. Soon after, when offers poured in to make films, Rahul thought that it was going to be easier. But it was a struggle and he admfmits, even after Ottamuri Velicham bagged the Kerala State Award for Best Film, the struggle is still on. Struggling for a break After the success of his first documentary, Rahul felt inclined to better his craft. “I am a self-taught filmmaker," he says. Short films seemed like a good idea. As did music videos. He took part in the 48 Hour Film Project (a contest in which teams of filmmakers are assigned a genre, a character, a prop and a line of dialogue and have 48 hours to create a short film containing these elements) and India Film Project (an annual filmmaking competition where you must make a film in 50 hours). Rahul knew he was on the right track when their film won the Audience Choice Award for Best Film and the Platinum Film of the Year. “We were competing with people from the best film schools and the standard of work was exceptional," he shares. In 2012 he, along with a set of friends, started First Print Studios and began making shorts under that banner. They recovered some of their costs through the awards they won for most shorts and even through screening fee. “At the end of the day, we always had money to fund the next one," Rahul says. But hiring big technicians and equipment was ruled out. They took to asking people to work without money. Some did. Soon he resigned from his job at Technopark and registered First Print Studios as a company. Then began the quest to make their first commercial cinema. Rahul recalls some of the “skirmishes” that came their way. A producer who listened to the story but wanted to shoot a song in Kashmir, a huge superstar film which got shelved, a smaller film which had the producer backtracking citing financial viability and satellite rights as the deterrents... The break: One room light Finally, they all decided to make a small film together with a budget of 25 lakhs. His friends stepped in and suggested pooling in a few lakhs each. “We believed in the content and knew it had the potential to reach the global market," says Rahul. Except for actors who were paid a nominal fee, the rest worked for free. Thankfully they could finish the shoot within the exact schedule. The basic thread was about this one room house with a light that doesn’t go off and how it affects the privacy of the newly married woman. But then much later, they realised, they were addressing an important social issue — marital rape. “That’s when we studied a bit about the law, read about survivors’ experiences and spoke to NGOs who rehabilitated them. It was important to show it aesthetically without diluting the issue. And we had a proper story board. The title came before the story,” Rahul admits. The making of Ottamuri Velicham went like clockwork at Bonacaud tea plantation for 25 days. He doesn’t like to call it arthouse cinema— “That doesn’t match with my sensibilities. We have used a lot of music; the second half moves like a slow thriller and the colour palette is rich," says Rahul. The movie and the festival scene When their first feature found no takers at Iffk, the only festival in the world with a 'Malayalam cinema today' section, it was a big setback for them. “My access to the world was Iffk, it was my film school and here it was met with rejection. Did it deserve that?” asks Rahul. But thankfully, the shroud of uncertainty didn’t last long. They got market recommended private screenings at the Goa and Dubai festivals (one among 20 Indian films). “That’s when we knew this film had the capacity to travel the world and that it wouldn’t be a theatre draw," he shares. Soon after, they were invited to other festivals, too. The thing about film festivals is that they don’t accept films that have had a theatre release. The reason the team sent it to the State Awards was that the film got censored last year. Right now, Rahul is awaiting the results of 3 festivals. The indie film struggles One of the lessons learnt during the making was that independent cinema doesn’t have a support system in Kerala. “With this award, I might get a distributor or an extended run at a theatre but that’s it. There are amazing Marathi independent films but we only know of a Sairat. To reach a business plan is far more of a struggle for us than an average commercial filmmaker," says Rahul. He cites the example of a recent release which had a mainstream Hindi film thread and treatment similar to Taare Zameen Par. Though the film had lots of humour, it struggled to get even five theatres. Meanwhile, Rahul has a few commercial films in mind and is on the look-out for artists even as other struggles continue.
- 3/14/2018
- by Editor
- The News Minute
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