Two and a half years. That’s how long it took to get my first film 'Shaitan' on the floors. All the major production houses, independent producers and everything in-between had my script lying in their cupboard. Sometimes, there would be a courtesy reply but usually I would get a polite laugh. No one was interested in producing a film that seemed to have little going for it — a first-time director, a cast of newcomers and content that didn’t seem to be commercial.
The expected cliché for every first-timer is a long period of excruciating struggle. Struggle is common to every starry-eyed dreamer that steps into Bollywood; it almost seems romantic. For me, it was heartbreaking. Today, I see that slow phase as a part of my learning curve. But what surprises me is that I went through the same struggle all over again for David, my second film.
After making 'Shaitan', I thought things would get easier. Clearly, I was wrong. Just like 'Shaitan', 'David' was a difficult concept to sell. In fact, I wrote 'David' much before 'Shaitan' and it was to be my first film. 'David' stars Neil Nitin Mukesh, Vikram and Vinay Virmani and will also be made in Tamil with Jeeva.
'Shaitan' had a budget of Rs 4.5 crore whereas David, a multi-genre film, was mounted on a much larger canvas. It is a huge opportunity for me and my production house Getaway Films to prove that we can handle and deliver a product of this scale.
Wearing a producer and director’s hat simultaneously comes with a set of challenges. In the long run, I am hoping that my production house can become a platform for more filmmakers and allow me to indulge in the cinema I believe in.
I have no formal training in filmmaking. My tenure as an assistant director to Mani sir (Ratnam) on 'Guru' and then as a line producer on 'Raavan' gave me a hands-on experience to the entire process. The exposure and learning you soak in being on his set is unmatchable. Mani sir championed a kind of cinema that worked both critically and commercially.
People tell me that ‘parallel’ and ‘populist’ are now merging; a movie can be experimental, avant-garde and commercial at the same time. I don’t believe in these separations; there is only good cinema and bad cinema. I can see filmmakers completely ignoring the norms and twisting the stereotypes. It’s a kind of revolt.
Filmmakers like Anurag Kashyap, Shimit Amin, Vikramaditya Motwane and Dibakar Banerjee bring in a personal touch to their films. When their films find both commercial success and critical acclaim, it is encouraging for other young writers and directors who are desperately trying to break away from the clutter.
What’s incredible about India is that all kinds of films can co-exist. 'Dabangg' and 'Singham' pose no threat to 'Udaan' and 'Paan Singh Tomar'. In many ways, Tamil cinema, which has a history of such peaceful co-existence between the mass appeal of Rajinikanth and the intellectual depth of Kamal Haasan, has pointed the way to Hindi cinema.
Talking about how audience is warming up to different concepts is heartening, but I will only believe this change when filmmakers like me won’t have to struggle to find financers for our ‘crazy’ ideas.
(Nambiar is a director, producer and screenwriter)