Journalism of Courage
Any view changes once you look at it through a peephole. A mere observer is transformed into a voyeur and those glimpses of mundane day-to-day activities,take on the form of something hidden and exciting. A lonely and demented old man and his teenage grandson peek into the life of two women in an affectionate relationship. The journeys and lives of these vivid and varied characters has been explored by filmmaker Manoj K Nitharwal.
A student of Film Direction at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII),Nitharwal talks about his upcoming diploma film,tentatively titled Seek and Hide,and his experience of working with noted actors Seema Biswas and Mohan Agashe.
In the 30-minute-long film,the character of the vulnerable yet ferocious old woman Amma is portrayed by Biswas. Noted Marathi actor Agashe will be seen in the role of a grandfather with dementia. In psychology,there is a concept called projective testing. It is a personality test designed to let a person respond to ambiguous stimuli,which reveals hidden emotions and internal conflicts. The film comprises chunks of their reactions and situations, says Nitharwal.
Talking about his experience with the actors,Nitharwal says,Most of us are under the impression that big stars are not approachable. But I faced no such problem. As soon as they heard the script,they were on board, he says,adding,One of the advantages of working with great actors is that they get the point of the scene immediately.
One of the most touching moments in the film,says Nitahrwal,was when they were shooting a scene with Biswas. The scene was slated to be around 35-40 seconds long,when Amma walks into her house to find a police inspector walking out arrogantly,after having sex with her daughter-in-law. The scene was very powerful,as there is a series of emotions on Ammas face. Seema ji portrayed the range of emotions perfectly from anger and hurt to jealousy. We were so engrossed in the scene that it ran for over a minute and 40 seconds, says the 40-year-old.
The film,shot entirely in Pune,is not specific to any region or city,says Nitharwal. While the cinematography is by Eeshit Narain,editing has been done by Anadi Athaley and the sound designing is by Ankur Chaudhary. Nitharwal hopes to complete the film by March and take it to film festivals and screenings in India and abroad.
