Award-winning director Vinod Bharathan’s formula is quite simple, make meaningful uncomplicated films in short takes. This applies to his next too. Godzone, which is set for release soon, is a road movie revolving around two friends who undertake a road trip to Munnar. Things get complicated enroute and the journey which begins in the heart of the city concludes in the forests. The story has in store a shocking revelation.
Copenhagen-based Vinod’s movie belongs to that rare breed of films that are shot without the luxuries of calculated film production. When his earlier film Karma Cartel opened in India, Vinod would have easily been one of those few film-makers from the country to have experimented with the dogma style of film-making.
Vinod says that he does not believe in the use of modern day equipments for shooting films in its truest sense. “I am a film school product and that too from a fraternity that was strongly influenced by European new wave postworld-war II. With mentors like Lars Von Trier, who renounced the luxuries of film production with his Dogme 9 manifest, and yet made remarkable films, one gathers trust in its vision. I am a rebel by nature, and unusual methods is my approach. Some attempts might fail, but when it wins, it wins big. Limbo, the three-minute short film I shot with an Iphone, got me two best film awards and a first-class trip to Venice to collect my award, all inclusive by the film festival committee. Karma Cartel, my first feature was shot on HDV, and has three international awards under its belt,” says the director.
Godzone features two newcomers Sidharth Rajagopalan and Suraj Harris, who acted in and produced the recent movie Rani Padmini. The focus is inside the car as these two drive up to hills of Munnar. The second layer of characters in the movie are the people seen from outside the car.
“The movie has been mostly shot for viewing in film-festivals,” he says and is confident that it will appeal to the common man also as it involves emotions as raw as guilt.
Vinod says he does not feel committed to making movies which have a social message, but he finds that movies which are based in India, strongly revolve around issues which exist in society.
“I follow the quote ‘Tell me a story. But if you have a message, send me a telegram” by Samuel Goldwyn, a Hollywood producer of the 50’s who was getting bothered by the increasing political message in the
scripts he received. Quite strangely, none of the films I made in Europe had any message, what so ever. But when I did two short films in India, Karma Code (about revenge) and Karma Currency (about corruption), they had strong messages. Karma Cartel too had a “moral of the story”. This is not something I forced myself to create, but I guess it is what the Indian audience relates strongly to. I am now aware of this and force myself not to let this be the prime motive of my narration,” he adds.
So, what is this director’s take on movies churned by mainstream media in India?
“I am intrigued by the Indian industry as it is no child’s play. Every hit film, however simple it might look (for example Premam) is a meticulous move by industry professionals. I dream of creating a hit film in Kerala, just for the pleasure of having mastered this shrewd entrepreneurial game. Indian film industry took a quantum leap with the world going digital. Every tradition and dynamic was challenged and is still being challenged.,” he clarifies.
Vinod Bharathan who hails from Kochi had moved to Copenhagen in 2000. He spend eight years working in logistics and later decided to get back to art and enrolled himself to a film school.