“Finally!” That has largely been the reaction of her co-stars and batchmates at Film & Television Institute of India (FTII) when Sayani Gupta told them about her directorial debut. The actor has turned writer, director, and producer with the upcoming short film, Aasmani.

Gupta always knew that her work in the movies would go beyond acting. “I had taken specialization in acting, but I was always interested in understanding how films were made. While studying [at FTII], I was doing well in other departments. In fact, I was very close to shifting from acting to direction. A lot of my directors and co-stars have asked me about when I would make a film because I’ve always been a filmmaker and not just an actor on a set,” she told mid-day.

After the pandemic, Gupta took some time off from her acting projects and wrote Aasmani. “I never thought I’d make a short film. I always thought I’d make a feature,” she smiled.

The short film is the first-time director’s homage to the strong women who raised her. She found another inspiring woman in Revathy, her leading lady. “I lucked out with her. She has worked with a lot of first-time directors, all of them women, and being a director herself, her understanding is top notch. Yet, she was like a student.”

Nandita Das’ Zwigato is the story of an ex-factory floor manager. After losing his job in the pandemic, he is forced to work as a food delivery rider and struggles to make ends meet

From showing how relationships fared in the lockdown (Modern Love Hyderabad and Feels Like Ishq) to the financial struggle after people lost jobs (Unpaused and Zwigato) and the largescale chaos and uprooting caused by the first lockdown (Bheed and India Lockdown) – many movies and web series incorporated COVID-19 in their storylines. Three years since words like pandemic and lockdown became a permanent part of our vocabulary, we take a look at how pandemic stories were weaved into films and shows.

Most of the shows which have pandemic storylines are about the spirit of humanity rising above the tragedy. Unpaused: Naya Safar uses the second wave of the pandemic as a major plot point and narrates five inspiring stories. 

Geetanjali Kulkarni, who was in one of the episodes, spoke about filming a pandemic story, and said in an interview, “You feel heavy while shooting some scenes, as they remind you of things that either you have gone through or seen people close to you go through. But you have to keep your sanity and work.”

Nagesh Kukunoor’s episode My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner in Modern Love Hyderabad, starring Revathy and Nithya Menon, had an interesting story of a mother and a daughter living together during the lockdown. The show uses the background of the lockdown and pandemic to narrate the complexities of their relationship.

Revathy said in an interview, “I connected with the story immediately because mothers and daughters are very rarely portrayed in such a real way.”

In the episode Quaranteen Crush in Feels Like Ishq, director Tahira Kashyap Khurrana used the lockdown and quarantine period as a plot to narrate a love story.

Talking about filming during the pandemic, Tahira said in an interview, “The story of Quaranteen Crush is written by Gazal (Dhaliwal). When we were in Chandigarh, we developed the script and shot for three days. Prior to that, we did a lot of prep online. It was a new way of filmmaking for all of us at that time. We were a little jittery, but the process went really well.”

Commenting on the films and shows that have included COVID storylines, producer Girish Johar says, “From the last two years, filmmakers are facing this question that whether they should include COVID in the storyline or not. But now looking back at it after three years, while it is too early to relive tragedy, a good story prevails and finds its audience.”

The Family Man Season 2 ended with a scene mentioning the pandemic and the lockdown and it is being assumed that the third season will include COVID storyline. In 2020, several movie titles such as Coronavirus, One Weapon Corona and Corona – The Deadly Virus were registered, but the films are yet to be released or announced in most cases.

Madhur Bhandarkar’s India Lockdown follows four parallel stories of people stuck in the lockdown. Bhandarkar said in an interview that it was important for him as a filmmaker to document the trauma people have gone through, and he felt that after two years, people will definitely connect to the subject

In the episode My Unlikely Dream Pandemic Partner in Modern Love Hyderabad, Revathy and Nithya Menen explore the complexities of a motherdaughter relationship, as they are forced to spend time together during the lockdown

In the episode Quaranteen Crush from Feels Like Ishq, a teenage boy is seen crushing on a girl self-quarantining next door

Anubhav Sinha’s Bheed tells the story of the large-scale migration that was the result of the first country-wide lockdown. Sinha said he was primarily worried about two things – reliving the tragedy and making a black-and-white film. Reliving the tragedy through a series or a film is what most filmmakers are cautious about. So, even when a film or show includes the pandemic, it mostly is in the background and not the main story. Talking about the film’s performance, Sinha said in an interview, “People are writing pages and paragraphs (about their feelings of watching Bheed) and at the same time there is no one in the theatre. It is a bizarre feeling. I’m half happy and half intrigued.”

What’s your first instinct when you read a quirky script about a vampire falling in love with a dentist? If you’re Tanya Maniktala, you queue up for the screen test, determined to be a part of this imaginative world. After Flames, Mira Nair’s A Suitable Boy, and Chutzpah, Netflix’s Tooth Pari: When Love Bites promised to be a whimsical ride. Collaborating with director Pratim Dasgupta and veteran actors was the cherry on top. In a chat with mid-day, Maniktala talks about being blown away by the script, and adding her own quirks to the role.

Edited excerpts from the interview.

I got a call from Shruti Mahajan [casting director], who told me there is a cool and quirky character, and that I would be perfect for it. She asked me to test for it. When I read the script, [I wondered], who are these characters? I called up Shruti to ask what was going on in the script, and she just kept laughing. I wanted to get on board immediately, and was over the moon when I was short-listed. When I got on a call with Pratim sir to understand the world of Rumi [her character], it set the ball rolling. The plot of a vampire falling in love with a dentist seemed so funny that I was rooting for the couple.

That was a constant thought. I was drinking blood, which was a lot of beetroot juice in reality. When I got a denture made for the prosthetics, I was intrigued. I still have a set of fangs with me as a souvenir.

Boxing Tooth Pari into any one genre would be unfair because there are so many themes going on simultaneously. It is a fantasy, romance, thriller and satire.

We both were playing characters that were opposite to us, and that was fun. He is one of the funniest people I have met. Shantanu is always open to trying new things out; he’d always give me suggestions when I asked for them. He would also be respectful of my space.

It was an ensemble cast that I never dreamt [I would work with]. Often, it was difficult to stay in character because Rumi is straight-faced and composed, while the other characters are hilarious. The energy on set was always great because we knew we were creating something wonderful. I was in awe of Revathy most of the time when the camera wasn’t switched on. I wanted to learn about their experiences. They are talented actors, but they are also such fantastic human beings. It was a great opportunity to see their human side, without any façade.

After I was signed on for the project, I went back, watched some of his earlier works and realised that he has a lot to say. On set, he gives you free rein to do whatever you want. He is collaborative and interested in listening to what you think the character should do. I was like an eager kid who kept asking him if we could [add] this or that [nuance].

Some traits are written on paper, but when you are living the character, you bring in your own [flavour]. While processing the character, I found that she has a tender [heart]. When we started talking about Rumi, we came to the conclusion that she was hurt. She was still nursing a wound, which is why she puts on a hard exterior.

As an actor, Kajol is all instinct and heart. The feeling is only compounded when a movie like Salaam Venky comes her way. “It’s not the kind of film that you can do without feeling [strongly about it],” she says of Revathy’s directorial venture.

The drama, inspired by the real-life story of Kolavennu Venkatesh and his mom Sujata, revolves around a mother who rises to every challenge, to help her ailing son live his life to the fullest. “I met Sujata, and there is simplicity and determination in her. Such characters are the hardest to perform because they are not loud and won’t grab your attention. She is so brave. [Every] mother [believes] that she is the only person in the world who will do anything to give her child what they want. I believe that I’ll do anything for my children, and that is [Sujata’s] core essence, too,” recounts Kajol.

The December 9 offering also stars Vishal Jethwa, Rahul Bose, Rajeev Khandelwal, Prakash Raj and Aahana Kumra. If bringing such a story to life is a matter of pride for Kajol, working with Revathy is all joy. She praises the director for her unmatched patience. Which brings us to our next question: In her successful three-decade acting career, why has she never considered foraying into direction?

“To be a director, it takes [nerves] of steel and tremendous patience. Revathy has that temperament. It is a constant learning when you are around her. I don’t have the patience to be a director. I am clear I can never be one,” she says, in her characteristic candour.

In many ways, Salaam Venky speaks to the mother in her. Off screen, Kajol is a fiercely protective mother to Nysa and Yug, who have to deal with the heightened public interest and brutal trolling. How does Kajol explain the trolling to her kids?

“You will always be protective about your children, but you have to [understand] that this is bound to happen. So, the four of us spoke about it. I explained to them that if there are two or five people writing negative things about them, there are 2,500 others who have said lovely things about them. They should concentrate on that.”

When working in a male dominated world, it is exciting to see women take up the baton and run the show. Aahana Kumra, who has wrapped up the Kajol-starrer 'Salaam Venky', agrees, having worked with Alankrita Shrivastava in 'Lipstick Under My Burkha' (2017) in the past.

“They see you differently. The kind of suggestions I get from a female-director [comes] from a woman’s point of view. They tell me how I should be feeling at that moment, but also to be restrained. It has been incredible, like how Alankrita was. It is lovely to hear a woman’s voice. I love the idea of women calling the shot on set,” says Kumra, who was excited to work in Revathy’s directorial venture, 'Salaam Venky'.

Hoping to imbibe some of the director’s qualities, she says, “Revathy is unreal. I have never met a human being like her. If I could even have five per cent of her patience, politeness and compassion, I would consider myself lucky. She is a sensitive, sensible, and a beautiful person.”

Talking about the atmosphere on the set, the actor adds that the shoot had a “beautiful energy”. “She wanted that energy on set. It is motherly, sisterly, and friendly. It comes down to what your experience has been with your director.”

It’s spontaneity over prep for Revathy, an idea that Nithya Menen too subscribes to. Which is why the two actors were eager to see how they would feed off each other’s energy if they shared a frame. The wait, they admit, was long. But with Modern Love Hyderabad, their plan has finally materialised. Director Nagesh Kukunoor’s short film, My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner, sees Revathy and Menen play a mother-daughter duo.

“The good thing about Nagesh is that he doesn’t like too much prep. I don’t believe in [preparing intensely] either; I feel the intuitive reaction from actors is always better. Nithya and I are similar in the way we work. Working with her was long overdue. A few projects that we were supposed to do didn’t work out. So, when this happened, we took it up immediately,” laughs Revathy.

That the short film centred on two strong and independent women was another incentive. Menen elaborates, “As a mother-daughter duo, we fight a lot, but we also make up. Our characters have strong opinions.”

The senior actor-director notes that the Amazon Prime Video offering is an example of a shift in the way women’s roles are being written. “The OTT world is amazing for middle-aged women [actors]. The characters are not reduced to sisters or mothers; there are strong roles written for 50-plus women. At my age, I am enjoying the offers that I am getting,” states Revathy, who has also wielded the directorial baton for Salaam Venky, a Hindi feature film with Kajol.

“I am in a phase where I want to be the captain of the ship. Kajol is a lot like us; she is [present in] the moment. I enjoyed collaborating with her.”

After a successful run of Modern Love Mumbai, Amazon Prime Video is gearing up for its second edition of the international series, Modern Love Hyderabad.

One of the episodes titled My Unlikely Pandemic Dream Partner brings together two powerhouse actors, Revathy and Nithya Menen, and is directed by Nagesh Kukunoor. Set in the heart of Hyderabad, Kukunoor says the episode marries his two loves — the old-world charm of Hyderabad and local cuisine. Interestingly, the famed Hyderabadi cuisine bowled Menen over so much that she even tasted non-vegetarian food. 

“I had been practicing vegetarianism for a while, and when I told the team about it, they were amazed,” said Menen. She elaborated that the special chef who was invited to cook the Hyderabadi delicacies also made vegetarian versions of those dishes for the shoot. 

“There was so much Hyderabadi food. Finally, at one point, I was like, just give me the chicken, I’ll just eat it, it’s fine, I have to look authentic. I keep telling them, they turned me [into] a non-vegetarian. There was too much to eat!”

When Ananth Narayan Mahadevan was casting for his directorial venture The Storyteller last year, he received a call from actor-friend Revathy who wondered why he hadn’t approached her for the project. While he was more than happy to bring her on board, the south actor-filmmaker had another suggestion. “She was about to begin work on Salaam Venky, and asked me if I would return the favour and do a role in her movie. So, I shot with Revathy for Salaam Venky first. Then, she came to shoot for my film,” laughs the senior actor.

Salaam Venky sees Revathy take her place behind the camera to tell the real-life story of a mother who “battles a challenging situation with a smile.” While she roped in Kajol to lead the drama, Mahadevan plays a spiritual guru. “I play the guruji of a young boy called Venky, who wants to donate his organs after death. Kajol plays his mother. My character helps the boy spiritually and psychologically,” he says.

The decision to star in Salaam Venky was easy for Mahadevan — he has deep respect for Revathy’s directorial offerings, be it Mitr My Friend (2002) or Phir Milenge (2004). That he would reunite with Kajol, after Pyaar To Hona Hi Tha (1998) and Dil Kya Kare (1999), was an added incentive.

“Kajol is still the same — an exuberant person and an effortless actor. Once on the set, she told me that she had scripted something on the spot and will make her own film. She is a natural actor. When you are Tanuja’s daughter, the acting genes are already there. Revathy is a sensitive director. She is detail-oriented, knows her job and is clear about what she wants.”

It’s a pity that Aamir Khan and Kajol — two of Hindi cinema’s finest actors — have shared screen space only once, in Fanaa (2006). That might change soon with Kajol’s next, Salaam Venky, helmed by Revathy. It is heard that Khan has been roped in for a special appearance in the film.

A source reveals, “For the cameo, Revathy wanted a powerful actor, and Aamir was her first choice. When he heard the narration, he readily agreed to come on board.”

The film will mark the superstar and Kajol’s reunion after 16 years since Kunal Kohli’s romantic drama.

Khan’s team is working out the dates as the actor is required to shoot only for a couple of days. “He will dive into the promotions for Laal Singh Chaddha next month. He intends to film his portions before the city tours begin,” adds the source. Salaam Venky is based on a true story and went on floors in February.

mid-day reached out to Khan’s team, who remained unavailable for comment.

Mirror (October 21) was the first to report that Mahesh Bhatt has sold the remake rights of his path-breaking 1982 drama, Arth, to filmmakers Sharat Chandra and Pravesh Bhardwaj.

Now, we hear that the producers have roped in South actress-filmmaker Revathy to direct the film. Incidentally, she had played one of the three central characters in Balu Mahendra's 1993 Tamil remake of the film.

“I didn't accept the offer immediately as Arth is not a film you can think of remaking, but after speaking to Bhatt saab on Saturday, I was convinced that we can do it. However, this one is not a remake but a modern take on Arth,“ informs Revathy, adding that she and writer Kamlesh Pandey are etching out the characters and casting will begin soon after that.

Meanwhile, Bhatt is all praise for the 51-year-old actress-filmmaker. “Normally, filmmakers are hesitant about approaching something that has acquired iconic status over time but the very fact that Revathy is willing to embrace the challenge of making Arth speaks volumes about the woman she is. She asked me how I filmed the last scene between Shabana (Azmi) and Kulbhushan Kharbanda. I told her I don't know. When you look back, you cannot claim ownership of an enduring classic. She also spoke about Smita Patil's emotional storms, which were captured so effectively,“ he tells Mirror.

While Bhatt told the story from a woman's perspective, he is certain that Revathy will bring another kind of uniqueness to the narrative. “I think she will bring the cultural space in which she has herself grown up in,“ he asserts. When asked about his take on modern-day extra-martial affairs, the filmmaker opines, “The more things change, the more they remain the same. We may claim to have moved into a new age where emotional references of the past have apparently withered, but this narrative will be relevant as long as the human heart looks at the other with the instinct of possessiveness.“

Actress-director Revathy, who was last seen as Kalki Koechlin's Aai in Margarita With A Straw, will now return as a yesteryear diva in the English-Hindi bilingual, Good Morning Sunshine, which kicked off on Tuesday with a two-day schedule in Mumbai. The Chennai-based actress plays the hot-headed Radha, who, after two decades bids adieu to an illustrious career and the city of Mumbai. She lives in a bubble of her own in a plush farmhouse, until aspiring director, Rai, played by Rituparna Sengupta, casts her in her debut film on the sanitation issues in rural India.

“There's a black scooty which is crucial to their journey to the remotest villages in India. They bond because of the two-wheeler and it's instrumental to how they find inspiration from real life for their film,“ says National Award winning director Sanjoy Nag, adding that the film moves back and forth in time with men swooping in as supporting heroes. “The casting for two male actors in currently underway.“ The unit will travel to the Sunderbans in October and will wrap up after a month-long stint in Uttar Pradesh. The film also has Tejaswini Kolhapure, last seen in Anurag Kashyap's Ugly, and Masaan actress Shweta Tripathi, who plays a runaway bride. “Her story adds spice to the film which is being filmed within the film. It throws light on the degradation women face, from inside high end apartments to chawls,“ Sanjoy signs off.