Debolina Sen (BOMBAY TIMES; January 1, 2019)

Music can create magic when a melodious voice, which has made both film and non-film songs popular in equal parts, is matched to the rhythmic beats of an acclaimed percussionist. At one such recording session between singer Sonu Nigam and composer Bickram Ghosh, the duo share their views on the evolving music scenario. Excerpts...

THE CURRENT MUSIC SCENARIO IN THE COUNTRY
Sonu Nigam: Every art form is a reflection of society and a lot of ‘happening’ music is being churned out these days. People like to dance to music these days and they also like to listen to music while they drink. So, the music made now reflects that mindset. But I’m not the kind of person who is going to be looking down upon any kind of genre. The past was good, the present is good and the days ahead, will also be good for music.
Bickram Ghosh: I’ve been watching the trends closely and there’s a shift happening. It’s still gradual, but there’s a big section of listeners, who are more into high energy music. There’s also another shift, where youngsters are listening to songs not considered ‘regular’ for their age bracket. In fact, Sonu bhai’s Agneepath song Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin is still heard by a lot of people. I remember him saying that Chikni Chameli was touted as the song of the film. Ironically, people have forgotten Chikni Chameli and Abhi Mujh Mein Kahin has become the iconic song of this generation. The return of melody is a positive change that is slowly seeping in.

CHANGES THAT 2019 SHOULD BRING TO THE WORLD OF MUSIC
Sonu: I sincerely hope that independent music should get more leverage. It needs the right kind of patronage. The custodians of independent music should look after it. Film music is great and we all have been a part of it. But we shouldn’t be confined to it. Other genres like ghazal, qawwali, classical, semi-classical and light music should also get a lot of space in independent music and should be promoted well.
Bickram: I second Sonu bhai. When I think of him and his early days, the album, Deewana, comes to mind. I would say it was as big as or even bigger than some of the songs he was then singing for films. That era is slowly coming back. He has done a bunch of songs and I did an album, Phero Mon, which has done really well. We’re working in an untitled album now and hoping it’s going to really appeal to people. It’s essentially capturing the essence of romance in different hues.

ON SONGS CREATED WITH ITEM NUMBERS IN MIND
Sonu: A good song is a good song — it can be an item number or any other genre. There can be a very badly written and composed ghazal as well. And there can be an excellent item song, too. It all depends on the calibre of the musician. Instead of labelling genres, we should appreciate the merit of the artiste.
Bickram: I’m on the same page with him.

RUSH FOR REMIXES
Sonu: You can make as many remixes as possible. But you will have to create some songs for the future generation so that they can remix them as well. So, original songs are still needed (laughs). There’s also a feeling that today’s composers don’t need old voices.
Bickram: The way we have archived old songs is not up to the mark. In the US, one can still find the stems of the original tracks so that they can remix them to the audio quality of the current scenario. Sprucing up here and there is fine but the stem is important. In India, we don’t have that.

PROMISING NEW SINGERS AND MUSICIANS
Sonu: There are a bunch of great singers today. Arijit Singh sings very well and Armaan Malik ka ek gaana aya tha — Bol Do Na Zara — aur main hil gaya tha. Singing well is fine, but expression is the key. I like Javed Ali a lot. Neha Kakkar achha gati hain bahut. I also like Guru Randhawa, Hardy Sandhu and Badshah.
Bickram: There are some amazing instrumentalists like Pratik Shrivastava, who plays brilliant sarod, Abhishek Mallick’s sitar is amazing, young percussionists like Ojas Adhiya and there is a whole generation of singers in the classical genre also.

COMPOSING MUSIC IN BENGALI
Sonu: In the 26 years of my career, I’ve done a lot of work in the Bengali music industry. I would like to collaborate for a Rabindra Sangeet album with people who really know the genre well.
Bickram: Our compositions in Jal (2013), got an Oscar contention — a rare feat in music. One thing we both believe in is class. When you bring dignity to your work, it stands the test of time. Whether it is in Bangla or elsewhere, that’s what’s required. Thankfully, for most Bengali films, people have stopped using stock music now and are allocating bigger budgets, too.

FAVOURITE TRACKS OF RECENT TIMES
Sonu: Heartless by Badshah and Banja Tu Meri Rani by Guru Randhawa are all that I remember now. The film, Paltan, didn’t do too well but the songs were crazy good.
Bickram: Kulfi by Sonu Nigam.

ON THE NEED FOR A CLASSICAL BASE FOR SINGERS
Sonu: There’s no need. Depends on the genre you want to sing in, what your core talent is and how intelligently you use it. But even if you are a rapper, you should have overall knowledge of production, sound engineering, playing an instrument and so on. There are also many in the industry who never thought they will become a singer but they are doing well.
Bickram: Itna toh riyaaz karhi lo ke aap se important auto tuner na ho jaye. It’s during live shows that people get to know your worth as a musician. 

Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh on making it to the Oscar nomination list for their compositions in the film Jal
Kasmin Fernandes (BOMBAY TIMES; December 26, 2014)

From left: Sanjay Puran Singh Chauhan, Amit V Masurkar, Rajat Kapoor, Girish Malik and Shreyas Talpade at mid-day office for a debate on small budget filmmakers and their struggles. Pics/Datta Kumbhar


Independent filmmakers speak about the challenges involved in pushing projects that do not follow the set pattern
MID-DAY (December 22, 2014)

Multiplexes barely run films that are ‘different’. Most producers are reluctant to put their money to back such ventures. And they struggle for screen space with a big banner film releasing at the same time. We are talking about independent cinema. A handful of Hindi filmmakers is struggling to break away from the formulaic candy-floss romance and over-the-top drama — taking risks to explore new genres and fresh stories, but with paltry budgets and resources. Some of them have met with reasonable success while others are staring at an uncertain fate.

hitlist invited five independent filmmakers for a discussion on the constraints and challenges faced by their ilk in reaching out to the audience...

What is urgently needed to boost the morale of independent filmmakers?
RAJAT KAPOOR: I do not think anything is going to change in the next 30 years — the audience is not going to change, nor will the cinema or exhibition policy. I am convinced that this movement, there is a movement, will continue because of the passion of individuals. There will always be this lot of people who will make films because they are passionate enough to raise money somehow, passionate enough to lose money and still make the film.

What do you ideally want changed?
SHREYAS TALPADE: I feel things will change. A film like Iqbal got a decent release, although it was a little delayed. Then there was Paan Singh Tomar and a lot of other films that were deserving and got fame.
We have seen Shyam (Benegal) babu make a lot of films but they never released on the big screen. However, those were considered pure art films. Today, the line between an art film and a commercial film has been blurred.

RAJAT: But there’s no denying that there are mainstream and non-mainstream films. If a film like Bang Bang! releases on 4000 screens and a film like Sulemani Keeda on 40 screens, there is a difference.

SHREYAS: There is, but a change is also taking place. During the release of Poshter Boyz, I was at the mercy of the distributor. I feel that if my distributor had been as passionate as my team, the scenario would have been different. Luckily, we could make money.

Are you saying that the passion is limited only to the filmmaker?
SHREYAS: Many distributors treat it (film releases) just as a job. This needs to be changed. They should come on board if they there are convinced about the film’s prospects. If I am going all out to make a film, why must the distributor give it merely a morning show? Who will come to see my film in the morning?

RAJAT: It is not a new problem. When multiplexes came up in 2005-06, there was a ray of hope — films like Iqbal and A Wednesday got a release. Then the multiplexes were hijacked by mainstream films. So was the multiplex audience. They now see big star films; they are not interested in our films. I am not blaming anyone but the whole industry is about money and those involved in it will go where there is money.

SANJAY PURAN SINGH CHAUHAN: Since the coming of studios, the era of independent cinema and producers ended. Nowadays, equipment is cheaper and filmmakers are able to manage within a compact budget. This has enabled those with a story to make a film. The side-effect, however, is that bad stories turn into films too. So, distributors have a huge range of options to select from. I made Lahore from my artistic leanings, but since no one was interested to push the film, I sent it abroad. To my amazement, it was highly appreciated even though it was a hardcore commercial film. As a result, all those who had earlier ignored my film started approaching me for the rights.

No one wants to walk around waving the flag of independent cinema because they prefer a “ backdoor” entry so that by the time they make their second film, it is backed by a studio and features big stars. In my opinion, there are two films — a good film and a star-based film. It is just by chance that one makes a star-based film that is good. Only a few can afford a distributor, which is why many good films are lying around.

RAJAT: PK was the 200th film of the year. If there are six to seven movie every week, how many shows are we going to get? The problem is that there is a glut of so-called independent films and most of them are very bad — let’s face the truth. Now, how does Sulemani Keeda stand out from this glut of complete rubbish? In 2005, the producers were attracted to this model of business where a small budget film could give them high returns, and everyone else followed suit. But, a small film does not always translate into good cinema.

AMIT V MASURKAR: Today, all kinds of information are available to budding filmmakers. Everything is just a click away; nothing is exclusive and no one has an excuse to not know. Accessible technology will result in more films but, the way I see it, cinema in the next 30 years is going to be bleak. We are the last people to be making 90-minute long films as the duration will soon reduce. Few films will release and everything is going to be on the internet.

RAJAT: Cinema will actually become an art form.

AMIT: Maybe, an Interstellar and a Chennai Express will be in cinemas but the rest will be on the internet. In the US, theatres have only 15-20 people. No one goes to the cinemas as they know they can catch it online two months later.

RAJAT: This has been going on since sound came and then when colour and cinemascope came. So, it is a historical phenomenon.

AMIT: I started my first project with Saurabh Shukla’s film Mudda in which Rajat Kapoor played a part. At that time we used 35mm film and I dreamt of shooting my films using 35mm. Unfortunately, that won’t be possible today.

RAJAT: Christopher Nolan had once said that celluloid is the medium of the future. But I do not think that these are the real issues — digital or film.

AMIT: I was talking about the romance of making a film. If I am making one, the content is important for me.


PK released on 5200 screens across India and no other film competed with it. Don’t you think it was a complete take-over?
RAJAT: We keep thinking that this is something new, but this used to happen in the ‘70s too.

But lesser films were being made then...
SHREYAS: Iqbal released with No Entry in 2005 and we were scared about our film’s prospects. But we actually benefited from the overflow. If people did not get a ticket for No Entry, they opted for Iqbal.
So, there is always place for two films.

RAJAT: You are right when you say there is a sense of monopoly. But, it isn’t ego that gets played here; they fear that by the end of the week the story of the film will be out. So, most films try to collect as much money as they can in the first few days.

AMIT: PK’s first day, first show tickets cost Rs 350 rupees. A morning show ticket!

SANJAY: They are planning a Rs 300-crore recovery. So, for that, they are prepared to do anything. A couple of months ago, I was shooting with a Pakistani actor who said that on his way to the sets he saw several highrises and slums co-existing, and wished the same for cinema. However much passion we put into our films, no one will be interested in small budget films.

Do you all agree to that?
RAJAT: Everything you are saying is correct, but I do not understand why we are looking for a magic solution to change things.

SHREYAS: Aamir and Shah Rukh Khan do one film a year, Salman Khan does two. So, when the biggies do eight to 10 films annually, the other 42 weeks are in our hands.

SANJAY: But, in the independent film window there is an overcrowding of small budget films that only the big distributor will be able to arm twist his way through for a successful release. Otherwise, as a genuine independent filmmaker, one should be satisfied if he gets a release. If one manages to get a release and make money too, that should go down in history.

Amit, are you happy with the numbers Sulemani Keeda got?
AMIT: I am very happy with PVR directors because they got us good show timings. However, our prints and advertising ( P&A) budget was so small that we should have invested a little more in ads. It was thanks to word of mouth and social media buzz. In fact, we went into our third week with PK and opened in Hyderabad. In Versova, we saw Action Jackson had only eight takers while Sulemani had 180-odd viewers. The government should abolish entertainment tax.

RAJAT: What good will that do? A Rs 400-ticket would cost Rs 200 and then PVR will hike its prices.

AMIT: They should understand the long term benefit. If they are so greedy, they will lose out on a lot besides killing a whole genre of films. Chennai does not have entertainment tax for Tamil films as politicians there are actors.

We looked at the coming of multiplexes with a lot of hope but has the whole purpose been defeated? 
RAJAT: It is a great thing that we have multiplexes because 15 years ago, if someone made a Lahore or Iqbal, it would not have even got a release.

GIRISH MALIK: No one has their own judgment, and to instill that judgment about a film being good, you need validation. The moment a big personality comes on board to promote your film, it becomes much easier for filmmakers to convince the audience to watch the film. While making a film, one has to keep an eye out for those sailing in the same boat who can be of some help.

How does the audience distinguish good films from bad? It’s tough...
RAJAT: Out of a 100 independent films, 95 are very bad. How do you know which one to go for?

GIRISH: Suddenly, I am wondering if my film (Jal) will work in European markets. Not that I want to make films for their taste, but I have to start looking for avenues. The success of Lunchbox lied in having 16 to 17 producers. So, when I make a film I want to be sure that I get a good producer from Europe. Somewhere down the line, a filmmaker must be able to create a hype around his/ her film. I can’t depend on just a great story or concept.

Amit, do you agree?
AMIT: No, I haven’t done any such thing for my film, but I am sure Girish has more experience.

GIRISH: Yes, I have suffered quite a bit.

AMIT: You should make what you want to make and you will end up getting an audience.

SHREYAS: That is easier said than done.

GIRISH: I agree filmmakers live in a world of their own. But the common link of conviction binds us.

SANJAY: But even when one makes a film out of conviction, one needs to get an audience which is impossible because of the monopoly. Our P& A budget is just peanuts.

RAJAT: I am completely at odds with this point of view. I believe that it is the film that matters; everything else is necessary, but you cannot run away from the market reality. None of it should colour your vision or the film that you have made.

SANJAY: Some are lucky but others are still awaiting the release of their films that are decent and made with a lot of belief.

RAJAT: Even Farah Khan believes in a Happy New Year.

SANJAY: Farah makes what the audience wants to see while people such as us make films that we like.
Outside of Mumbai, very few people are aware of independent films. So there is a problem of awareness and getting the right show timings.

RAJAT: What has changed for the better is that now a film has a life — whether it is on TV or on the internet, someone is going to pick your film. The other aspect is money, but if the film is good it will be watched. It may not have got a great response when it released but it’s good, it will be watched later, too.

SANJAY: But I was initiated into the world of cinema by sitting in a theatre and watching a film. I hope people watch my film the same way.

Idealistic perhaps, but should there be reservation for small-budget films in multiplexes?
RAJAT: Why would a multiplex run a film when there are only two people in the audience? What is lacking in Mumbai and other metros is a cinemathique, which is there in the West. That allows for an audience of 300- 400 people to share an experience of watching a film they like. There is a daily programming of world cinema classics. When I am 80, I would love to run a cinemathique here.

SHREYAS: Maybe, we need to come up with innovative trailers and promos also.

But doesn’t one need a budget for that?
GIRISH: Speaking of a budget; I don’t think every independent filmmaker can make a film with a low budget — unless he is quaint enough to think of a transition that puts across his thoughts in a cheaper way.

RAJAT: Thinking quaint has killed many filmmakers.

(Coordinated by Sonali Joshi Pitale; Moderated by Shubha Shetty-Saha; Compiled by Sanat Mehra)

With more and more filmmakers independently sending their films to the Oscars, does it mean their faith in the official choice is lost? On their own
Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; December 21, 2014)

Several Indian films have made their way into the eligibility list to contend for the Best Picture category at the 87th Academy Awards in February 2015.

The recently-released list by The Academy of Motion Picture, Arts and Sciences has 323 films. The Indian films include two Marathi movies — Shivaji Lotan Patil’s Dhag and Mrunalini Bhosale’s Kapus Kondyachi Goshta. The list also includes Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox, Girish Malik’s Jal, Soundarya R Ashwin’s Kochadaiiyaan, Vashu Bhagnani’s Youngistaan and Ravi Kumar’s Bhopal: A Prayer for Rain.

Jal’s music has also found itself on the list of 114 films that have advanced into the second stage in the Best Original Score category of the Oscar nominations. The music has been composed by Sonu Nigam and Bickram Ghosh.

AR Rahman with three of his films — Kochadaiiyaan, Million Dollar Arm and The Hundred Foot Journey — is on the list too.

In the past
It is not the first time that so many Indian movies have been sent to the Oscars. In 2012, Nila Madhab Panda’s film Jalpari — The Desert Mermaid was sent as a direct entry to the Oscars. The film took on the subject of female foeticide.

In 2006, when Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra’s Rang De Basanti was nominated, Vidhu Vinod Chopra sent his film Lage Raho Munna Bhai as an independent entry. Again in 2007, when Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Eklavya was chosen, Sheetal Talwar, the producer of the film Dharm, had threatened to send his film to the Oscars. Jahnu Barua had also done likewise when his 2005 movie Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Maara failed to get a nomination by the Film Federation of India (FFI).

Weighing the options
So does it mean that filmmakers are losing faith in the FFI or is it more beneficial for them as direct entries? Producer Guneet Monga, who is credited for bridging the gap between Indian films and foreign buyers, says, “There is a sincere need for the process to be more transparent in India. Irrespective of which film goes, we need to weigh the merits of the movie in the right light and its entire campaign dynamics.’’

Guneet is happy that independent entries are being sent by filmmakers. She points out, “I think it’s great that filmmakers are taking this in their own hands — it’s empowering. Ultimately, if the film is good and has people supporting its journey, then more power to them.’’

Of course, there is a disadvantage too. She adds, “With the regulations of the Academy Awards being such, when you apply directly, suddenly you are competing with all the films in the main categories and not in the foreign language category. The competition is tougher, especially with the who’s who of studios competing with you.’’

Something’s amiss
Filmmaker Hansal Mehta had been vocal when the FFI chose Liar’s Dice this year over other films including his film Shahid. He has filed an RTI to know about the selection proceedings. Hansal questions, “Did we have faith in the FFI in the first place? Their process and their credibility to send films for the Oscars is questionable. My RTI on their process, criteria and requesting crucial information on the FFI’s own eligibility filed nearly two months ago is yet unanswered. I’ve noticed that people are entering their films directly, but they are unable to enter their movies for the foreign language section where the rules (unlike the Golden Globes) allow for only one entry per country.”

Director Girish Malik feels that the FFI has a tough task in choosing one film for Oscars. He says, “It is difficult to say which one would be the right choice and which one would not be. It’s a creative medium and opinions differ. I believe they try to make as best a choice as they can.’’

Girish sent his National Award-winning film Jal as a direct entry. He says, “I always had confidence in my film and my content, so we decided to send Jal as a direct entry. Jal is the kind of work that cannot be repeated and so, even when I was not getting a lot of support earlier after the film was completed and at the time of release, I was sure that I will take it to as big a platform as possible and kept trying. The film has been recognised on different platforms for its different aspects — cinematography, visual effects, the screenplay has been invited to the Oscar library and, of course, the best original score and the best picture contention at Oscars.’’

Wide reach
Girish does agree it is going to be a tough competition. He says, “Jal is a small independent film with no studio support. I am happy it is being noticed on the biggest platform for cinema. It gives me a lot of hope and courage to make the kind of cinema I believe in. I do believe in my film and though we have little means, we will try our best and hope for the best. It was a was a complete surprise and we will now start planning our Oscar campaign.’’

Opens new markets
While Girish is looking at giving his best to promote his movie, there is another National Award-winning film, Dhag, starring Usha Jadhav also in contention for the Oscars. Nisha Joseph, who is managing the promotion of the film says, “The reason for taking Dhag for the Academy Awards was its content. It was one of the best films recently made in Marathi. Even though the movie was made two years ago, its run was between January 1 and December 31, 2014 which helped it to fulfill the eligibility criteria.’’

She adds, “It is tough to get a nomination, but the Oscar contention itself can open up international markets for the movie for which a marketing campaign is simultaneously on. Above all, getting a venue for competing with international projects is a different experience altogether.’’

Director Girish Malik’s debut film, Jal, has won most critics over. The filmmaker speaks to Kareena Gianan i about why it took him 15 years to make the film and on refusing to be slotted in the ‘masala’ or ‘arty’ camps of directors
Kareena Gianani (MID-DAY; April 13, 2014)

When he was a child, director Girish Malik was “a monkey on a tin roof ” in the eyes of his father, jumping from one thing to another. In a family which prided itself on churning out competitive IAS officers by the dozen, Malik was the non-conformist simply by the virtue of indecision. He loved too many things at the same time and was passionate about gymnastics when his father, a teacher with an MA in Mathematics, would have preferred a cricket- loving progeny.

Malik is no less a dreamer today. He walks in to the suburban hotel we decide to meet at, and, within minutes, the conversation steers to twists of faith and about how the smallest of stories can change the world in seconds.

Having said that, Malik is a fan of big things — he likes working with big ideas, sweeping landscapes and layered stories. It seems fitting then, that his directorial debut, Jal, is shot in perhaps the most polychromatic terrain in the country — Rann Of Kutch. The film is about water paucity and the ways in which the lives of a water diviner can cross with a Russian ornithologist.

Malik smiles when asked about why it took him 15 years to get Jal to the theatres. “I shot for the film for three-and-a-half years, but I had been thinking of it for over a decade. I got the original idea after travelling across the length and breadth of this country but I was acting, directing and writing for television then.” After the saas-bahu onslaught on Indian television, Malik decided it was time to hang up his boots. After writing and directing acclaimed shows such as Rishtey, Banegi Apni Baat and Parampara, family dramas, Malik decided, were best left to others. “That’s when I began thinking of Jal seriously, but was again swept in the tide of directing advertising commercials.” Here, for special effect, Malik lowers his voice and, in a baritone, utters the punch line of a medical drug commercial.

“Jal is about issues of water paucity, but I have not set out to preach,” he clarifies, as if he has been asked this frequently. Malik says he believes in cinema which is critical, provoking and (he doesn’t use ‘but’) thoroughly entertaining. It’s not the ‘arty’ versus ‘ masala’ camp for him, and this very decision, he feels, has been a tricky burden to carry.

Last year, Jal toured several international festivals and earned much respect. The highest praise for the film came at the Busan International Film Festival, where it was India’s sole entry. “In spite of the praise, I don’t think we have shaken off preconceived notions about what our cinema ‘should be’. Abroad, some people feel the film is not European enough (why should it be?); in India, some felt it wasn’t for the masses and would do well only internationally. My reply to these cinemagoers is - why do you need so much validation? Why don’t you decide it for yourself?”

Filming Jal, says Malik, was the most exhausting decision of his life yet, but something he is eager to repeat. “I don’t mean to be dramatic, but I’d be emotionally bruised at the end of every day over the past three- and-a-half- years. While I was shooting, I was struggling for funds, and later, publicising and releasing the film proved immensely difficult. I’d be smiling and chatting away with people, but my mind just wouldn’t focus. I am glad it is over, and now I can approach future projects with some important experience I gained over Jal.” Which would be? “Don’t give a damn about people who are out to slot your cinema. Create your own genre and never, ever let them tell you it is not possible,” smiles Malik.

Neha Maheshwri Bhagat (BOMBAY TIMES; April 6, 2014)

In Jal, his latest outing, Purab Kohli plays Bakka, a water-diviner, a role he took up because of director Girish Malik. He says, “We’d worked in a TV show before.” To get into the skin of the character, Purab spent a week in Bhuj to learn the nuances before the shoot commenced. “I tried to understand the local lifestyle, language and even learnt to ride a camel without a saddle,” the actor says.

Purab is now busy with three projects. “Tere Aane Se, directed by Agnidev Chatterjee, releases in September. An international project will see me team up with Girish again.” Says Malik, “Purab has great potential. If he gets the right films and directors, he will go places.”

The actor will also be seen in Rock On 2, for which he will begin shooting next year. Ritesh Sidhwani of Excel Entertainment Pvt Ltd says, “Purab’s performance in Jal is natural and effortless. We are looking forward to working with him in Rock On 2.”

WILL MAIN TERA HERO MEET EXPECTATIONS?

Subhash K Jha (DNA; April 3, 2014)

Many actors and filmmakers in Mumbai are contemplating a move away from Mumbai. While Sudhir Mishra and Tigmanshu Dhulia are in the process of setting up base in Delhi and UP, respectively, Mumbai-boy Purab Kohli has shifted to Goa.

He says it has become “impossible” to live in Mumbai because of the traffic and the pollution. “For a guy who was born and brought up in Mumbai, the break was not easy. But I don’t see it as a break. Rather it is like figuring out a new level of existence while preserving the old. I haven’t broken away from Mumbai. I come back here whenever work beckons,” says Purab, though even work as an actor no longer requires Purab in Mumbai.

“A large number of films are being shot outside Mumbai. My latest film Jal was shot in Kutch in one 40-day schedule. I don’t think one needs to be stationed in Mumbai to be an actor,” says Purab.

Sudhir Mishra seconds that opinion. “I don’t think Mumbai is the hub of filmmaking any longer. Most of my films are shot in Delhi. And in any case, I live in Madh Island and ferry down to Mumbai every day during office hours.”

Seema Sinha (BOMBAY TIMES; March 25, 2014)

The international media is calling his film Jal “a breathtakingly photographed tragedy of Shakespearean proportions”, but director Girish Malik prefers to define it as a masala entertainer. He elaborates, “The film has all the spices that form a typical Hindi film. It has quirky fun moments, high-octane action drama and a beautiful romance leading up to a shocking climax.”

Set in the Rann of Kutch, the film is about a water diviner (played by Purab Kohli), who tries to solve the drought problems in his village, but faces unforeseen circumstances when he tries to help a female ornithologist save flamingoes. The film, distributed by DAR Film Distributors, was screened at various film festivals. Of the film’s journey, Girish says, “I have tried to talk about a very relevant global issue through my film without being preachy. I want to reach the masses.”

Adds the director, “I have travelled across almost the entire world in the last five years and am a keen observer. To make a film like Jal, you need to be a hippie at heart and enjoy the moment and the challenges it throws.”

Jal, produced by OneWorld Film, releases April 4.

Ananya Ghosh (MUMBAI MIRROR; February 26, 2014)

Sunita Radia, the associate cinematographer of Munnabhai M.B.B.S. (2003) and Rang De Basanti (2006), already has the international press raving about her work in the upcoming film, Jal which had its world premiere at the Busan International Film Festival.

“I had just finished my first film as a cinematographer, Aalaap, when I got a call from writer-director Girish Malik, just 15 days before Jal was to roll," recalls Sunita whose reccee took her to tribal villages where she attended weddings, listened to folk music, and met real water diviners and conservationists.

Set in the Rann of Kutch, Jal focuses on the water scarcity in the region. It's protagonist, Bakka (Purab Kohli) is a water diviner. The brief was clear; Girish wanted a surreal feel and so they chose to shoot in peak summer to capture the mirages and heat waves.

Surviving in the desert when the temperature was up to 50 degree celsius was an ordeal. "Sandstorms would garnish our meals daily but eventually, we got accustomed to them,” Sunita smiles.

All they had was the sky and a vast expanse of harsh, barren land. Creating a space which looks surreal, waiting for twisters, sandstorms and mirages was daunting. "But a few days into the shoot, we had a fair idea of how the weather would behave. The locals who know the topography and the climate well, were a big help," she says.

When a sandstorm was in the horizon, the team would prep to roll. Kesar (Kirti Kulhari), the female lead, is introduced during one of these sandstorms.

Malik was open to experimentations and there was no compulsion to make the frames look sanitised. "Girish was okay with me using extreme burnouts and shadows. I've drastically played with brightness and contrast to give the film a dreamlike feel," says Sunita.

The film has a vivid molestation scene but according to Sunita, being a woman only helped. Not only she could handle the scene more sensitively, the actress felt more at ease.

“I wanted to shoot it in a way that it will give you goose bumps but the serenity and dignity of the character would be maintained. I wanted the audience to feel her agony and pain, and also create a sense of intrigue,” she says, adding that there is also an aesthetically shot lovemaking scene in the film.

“However, the colourist found the scene too hot!” she quips.

Roshmilla Bhattacharya (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 28, 2013)

You're spearheading the cause for singers on the copyright issue, any progress?
A small victory is that the Indian Performing Rights Organization (IPRO) has acknowledged the Indian Singers Rights Association (ISRA), but the war isn’t won yet. We’re not going to revolt and agitate since at the end of the day the filmmakers and music companies are our colleagues. We just want to impress upon them that tomorrow anyone can become a singer, Bhushan Kumar’s sister is a singer too, so it is in their interest to give us our due so aged and out-of-work singers can lead a dignified life. Like Sati and dowry, this is a typical Indian problem. No other country denies its singers royalty. But here it’s a one-time payment which is unfair when you consider that a song like I'm a Disco Dancer is playing even 30 years later, not just in India but in Russia, Africa and the Middle East. Ditto for many of my chartbusters. Let others keep their share, but give us our share too.
 
So it’s an issue of payment? 
No, the issue is copyright, and illegal, predated, feudal contracts that makes the singer feel bonded. ISRA itself is a Copyright Society accepted by the centre.
 
How much royalty should you have got by now? 
More than Rs 100 crores, given all my hits. God has given me a lot and I’m willing to forfeit the entire amount in lieu of legitimate royalty rules.
 
You are obviously campaigning for your son Nevaan’s future? 
Not just Nevaan's future, but the future of all artistes.
 
Your son has been singing live at concerts, when will he flag off his playback career? 
He is only six, I don’t want to taint his growth and tarnish his innocence by turning him into a professional singer at this age. He’s an achcha bachcha, always happy and smiling. Let him stay that way, his dad will do the singing professionally.
 
But we don’t even hear too much of you these days?
I've sung two songs for Raj Kumar Hirani’s PK, a beautiful number for Daawat-e-Ishq and one for Kill Dil.
 
You composed the title track for Singh Saab The Great, planning a switch?
I am a musician, so giving music isn’t difficult. That song was even programmed by me. But composing is a full-time job and given all my other commitments, a switch isn’t feasible at this time. But I have composed the score for the recently released Sooper Se Ooper and the upcoming Jal and Happy Anniversary. Jal has a brilliant track by Shubha Mudgal and Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan went crazy when they heard the two songs I'd set to tune for Happy Anniversary.
 
Reportedly you had differences with the producers of Sooper Se Ooper? 
I wasn’t angry but I was a bit perturbed by the low-key promotions. It was a decent film and deserved better promotions.
 
Any plans of a private album? 
After the song with Britney Spears I was working with Universal but that project has been delayed. But Khamakha, my world music album with Bickram Ghosh, who has collaborated with me on my film scores, should be out in a few months. I’m also coming out with a single which was first performed on MTV Unplugged.
 
And when will we see you back on TV?
I’ve hosted and judged several shows, but now I’m bored of doing the same thing even though it’s good money.
 
You’re planning to graduate to films? 
Nope, that's not on the agenda, even though I’m getting a lot of offers. I don’t want to give up 100 days from my life for a film unless it's worth it. I’d rather spend time with my dad and my son. I’m not ambitious. I’ve seen my grandfather and mother die and want to make the most of my life. Legends like Mohd. Rafi, Raj Kapoor, Dev Anand, Kishore Kumar have gone away and the music hasn’t stopped. It never will.