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Journalism of Courage
The first look of Azaan,a little-known film produced by and starring entrepreneur Sachin Joshi,was unveiled at Cannes,turning attention towards ego projects by unknown Bollywood names
Hollywood newbie Dev Goel doesnt just want to make a film,he aims to repeat history. His inspiration is Rocky,the 1976 film that a then unknown actor called Sylvester Stallone wrote and acted in. The film went on to win three Oscars and erased Stallones nobody status forever. Goel feels he will share a similar career graph. Goel has also penned his debut script,Pri and Me,and is acting in it. Being a writer-actor is the secret for success in Bollywood, says the debutant.
The concept of ego projects or,self-made projects isnt new in India. The last few years have seen many aspiring actors and directors take the plunge and do everything themselves. The trend started with Kamaal Rashid Khan,who notoriously publicised himself as KRK when he announced his film Deshdrohi,in 2008. He had written,directed,produced,even acted in it. Soon after,a blind actor Naseer Khan produced a movie called Shadow,in which he played the protagonist. Then,there was singer Vivek Sudarshan,who first launched his debut music album iVivek and then a film inspired from the album titled Impatient Vivek .
While most aspirants think that they are cut out for all aspects of filmmaking,a few admit that it was because established actors and directors didnt beleive in them that compelled them to do it alone. When I first wrote the script of Deshdrohi,all I wanted to do was direct it. I was looking for an Akshay Kumar or a Sanjay Dutt to work in it but everybody refused. I had to cast myself, explains Kamaal. The film sank without a trace.
Sudarshan,however,had just cut his debut album iVivek,whose songs were to be used in Impatient Vivek. However,when the director couldnt find a suitable actor for the lead role,he approached Sudarshan. He thought I could just pull it off, says Sudarshan,adding that he was very disappointed when the film failed at the box office.
Most ego projects dont last in the theatres for more than a week. A film buff,Harpreet Singh Chaddha says: My friends and I decided to watch Shadow at the theatres,just for fun. Four days after its release,they had already stopped running it.
A Bollywood veteran might advise Goel to cast a well-known name for his first film. But the latter wont and for a reason. When I took my script to producers,they wanted to cast an A-list actor. I realised that the script had potential and it would be good for my career, he says. Neither is Sudarshan giving up so easily. He plans to create a niche like Manoj Bajpayee and Irrfan.
Of course,the debutants are leaving no stone unturned to garner publicity. When Nagpals film wrapped up,the party boasted a flattering guest list.
Kamaal believes that even though his film did not set the box office on fire,it achieved cult status. This has prompted him to launch two more films Love Story of Trikaal and an untitled venture on the 26/11 attacks.
