The success of the crowdfunding campaign for the web series, The Other Love Story, gave director Roopa Rao the confidence to take the challenge to the next level, leading her to launch her first feature film, Gantu Moote.
Featuring Teju Belawadi and Nischith Korodi in the lead roles, this is a coming-of-age story of a 16-year-old girl and her subtle journey from the movie-like life that she thinks exists to the actual situations.
Roopa felt that the story wasn’t conventional, and, along with her friend, Sahadev, an alumnus of New York University, she decided to make this film through crowdfunding.
“We started a company called Ameyukti Studios, and investment for the film mostly came through our friends,” says Roopa, who wore multiple hats for Gantu Moote, and worked as its writer, director and producer. The journey so far has been good, she says, adding that it has been possible only because of the support system. “Movie-making is never a single-person job, and I am blessed to have some great talents around me, who are accessible and willing,” she says.
The film, which has got a U/A certificate, has done the rounds of various film festivals and has even won awards for best screenplay and best director. The team is now planning an October release.