Back in the early 1990s, a small town like Revari in Haryana, where he was born and brought up, didn’t have many cinema halls. But, Doordarshan would telecast a Bollywood film every Friday, which Yogesh Vats, now 26, looked forward to. And herein developed his interest in films and filmmaking. After completing his school, Vats studied film direction at the State Institute of Film and Television, Rohtak, and then moved to Mumbai, in 2015.
Those who want to enter cinema must first arm themselves with the relevant knowledge, opines Vats. Like earning a degree in filmmaking as he did. “At the film schools, we are shown thousands of films, each one is a learning experience. A student is made aware of the cinema of almost every country. Cinema is not just entertainment, it is a very powerful language of change,” says Vats.
The release of his debut directorial venture, Hawayein, a Hindi travel fiction, got postponed due to corona pandemic. But that didn’t ebb his enthusiasm. Throughout the lockdown, Vats prepared for his next project, a web series Gadera (Gadera means rainwater pond in the local dialect in hills), now being shot in Kumaon and Garhwal regions.
“The idea of this web series hit me while I was shooting for Hawayein. So many stories in remote areas are waiting to be told. We need to talk more about the culture and history of the Himalayan region,” he says, adding that writing during the lockdown period was an enjoyable. “It is heartening to see Mother Nature revive herself without human interference, though what happened with the migrant workers was very sad,” he says. Gadera is set for an OTT release, he says, adding that its stories revolve around invasion of the region, first by Gurkhas and then British.
“It is a period suspense thriller, and perhaps the first Bollywood series on the ancient events of Uttarakhand.” Vats believes that the advent of OTT platforms has bode well for everyone — audiences, filmmakers, actors, etc.
“It has also given rise to a healthy competition in the entertainment industry. Young filmmakers now have an excellent opportunity to capture the folk tales and stories of the cinema confined to the remote villages and towns,” he says.
Talking about nepotism in cinema, he observes that nepotism exists across all industries. “Everyone wants to provide an easy career path to their family members. Don’t politicians favour their own people. Nevertheless, there are many men who have made it big in politics without any heavy surname,” he says, “similarly, talent counts. Art is not anyone’s property.”
TV, Theatre or OTT?
Theatre, without doubt
Other interests?
Tending to my home garden, sitting under the open sky
Future projects?
Nothing planned as such but a lot many stories are rolling in mind.