Aamne Samne
Vipin Handa exclusively interviews Shivajee Chandrabhushan, Director of Frozen,due releasing on the 1st of May
Shivajee Chandrabhushan. The name knells a bell in your head, and yes after 18 months of turmoil and struggle, after 18 prestigious awards, and touring 30 festivals, and blogging on our very own PFC, his baby Frozen is finally out for a release. Yes I repeat, Frozen is finally releasing on the 1st of May in Mumbai.
In a short rendezvous with the man himself, and bringing back old days for myself, I’m ready to find out his feelings, and share his guttural glory with all of you.
1. What according to you are qualities that a director should possess? Who do you think makes a better director–a focused person or a wandering-mind?
A good director has to be a sensible and humane person. He has to be an eccentric and a passionate being. When I say eccentric I mean not in a frivolous way. I believe all artists are eccentrics. Yes a good director is an artist too. In Hindi we say “apni dhun mein rehne wala”. That talks about the second part of the question also.
I really believe a wandering mind helps in gathering information. A wandering mind is more receptive. A wandering mind is more meditative. For me film making is nothing less than meditation.
2. Which filmmaker’s work do you admire the most and why? OR which filmmaker’s work inspired you into film making?
Well it is always tough to pin point one Guru in life. I still remember Benhur, Gun of Navarone, Ten Commandments etc. at Chanakya Theater in Delhi. I grew up watching Hollywood films and Hindi films. I still remember the regional language films on DD. I got introduced to world cinema very lately. I think during the initial days of Osian Film Festival in Delhi at Siri Fort, the screenings at Maxmuller Bhavan and Alliance Francaise. I think DD also had a slot that time. So coming back to the filmmaker I admire it is actually the films I have grown up with which inspired me.
Incidently Frozen was World Premiered at Osian Film Festival at Siri Fort in 2007. It was an overwhelming moment for me.
3. What were your motivations for the story of frozen and its locale? Did you have any real life precedents to base the film on?
The seed of Frozen, not even a story actually was always there in me. The story of an “Inner Friend”. I am an only child and I had always been a loner but I had my inner voice to carry me, accompany me, console me, and rebuke me. I believe everyone has that friend. We just have different names for that friend. I had a friend called “Wilcome” when I was around 8-9 years old. Lately “Calvin and Hobbes” inspired me. I think people should watch the film to know what I am talking about.
The location was chosen as a requirement of the story. Actually the earlier story was to be shot in Goa. But then one trip to Ladakh changed everything. Me being a trekker and mountaineer, I have traveled a lot across Himalayas. But the sheer physicality of the terrain of Ladakh forced me to make changes in the whole story and place it in Ladakh and in winters.
4. What were your concerns as a producer when you were casting? How was it working with a newcomer in the lead?
Well actually speaking I had no concerns when I was casting. I knew who are the people who fit the characters and everyone agreed to suffer with me in Ladakh in -25 degree celsius and at average height of 15000 feet.
Gauri I knew for some time and yes she is an untrained actress. And believe me it is sometimes helpful to work with untrained actors because they don’t ask you stupid questions.
5. How did you approach Danny Denzongpa for the movie? If he refused, what would have been your other choices?
My production house had approached Naseer saab and Om Puri but both were busy. Some where deep down I wanted them to say no and Danny saab to say yes and it happened. The formula was very simple, have a complete bound script and show him a sample of the actual location in Black and White. He loved the script and since he is from Sikkim he is a mountain guy basically. He was in. So there was no other choice, other than The Danny Denzongpa.
6. Apart from you, who do you think were the others who contribute immensely in making this wonderful film?
The end credit roll in my film runs for nearly 5 minutes. It is because it has the names of all the people who helped/contributed in making this film. I just dreamt of making this but those are people who sacrificed more to make this dream come true.
7. If you had to make changes in Frozen’s screenplay, or the film itself? What would it be and why?
That is a tough one. Not so much in screenplay but maybe the time of the year and altitude. I should have chosen December and beginning of January and should have gone higher ☺.
The reason being I felt there should have been more snow and more tough for everyone to convey the essence of the story more.
I know when my cast and crew when they would read this will shiver in summer of the plains. Danny saab calls me a mad guy already.
8. The film has been to nearly 30 festivals, any special memories?
Many actually. What I remember immediately are two.
The international premiere at Toronto Int’l Film Festival where I missed everyone immensely, everyone who made it possible, that I had tears in my eyes. The other one is more recent in Leh, Ladakh in January when I had organized three screenings for the people of Ladakh. I wanted it to be free but the local DC’s office suggested to have a minimum priced ticket to control the crowd. We had it like Rs.20 per ticket. And we had these DVD screenings at an auditorium with atrocious sound and visuals and broken seats and temperatures hovering at -10 or -15 degrees celsius but there were so many people that the audi was literally bursting on its seams. After the screening the locals came up to us and shook hands and few of them told us that they are thankful and proud. That was the biggest certificate to me.
9. Do tell me about your travails in releasing the movie in India?
The distributors and all the named and famed Indian production houses are of the opinion that Frozen hasn’t got an audience here. I was not even asking them for any money. I just wanted people to watch it. But then no one thought that people would understand it. I was telling them that there is nothing intellectual in the story. It is a straightforward narrative. I had to wait for nearly 1 and half years after the World Premiere at Osians for a company like Enlighten to take up the cudgels and bring the film out. I am sincerely thankful to them. We have designed a totally new model to bring the film out in a staggered way. Lets see if we succeed.
10. Do you finally think Indian cinema has made space for small Indie films, which till now were termed for the intellectual audience?
I really don’t know what exactly is an Independent film or an Independent filmmaker? Is it some one who gets his own resources to make a film and releases it on his own? I think the moment you are attached to a big producer at any level you are no longer Independent. I think it is all about whose money is involved. I have begged and borrowed from friends, family, friends’ family, banks, my own savings etc etc to make this film. Till today I haven’t sold the film to any one. If this is Independent then I would say please don’t do it. Believe me it is lots and lots of hardships. I still remember Mira Nair telling me never to make films with your own money.
It is better to write something or get it written by some one and then agree to Direct it and take it to a Producer who could guarantee a good and fast release. I know of quite a few film makers who have made good films but they are still not out.
So in other words things are changing in a very small way. But there isn’t any movement or anything like that. Let us not fool ourselves. At the end of the day it is business. There is money involved one has to get that back to make more films.
11. Are you looking at yourself as a festival film maker or a maker who also thinks of film as a business?
I think I have partly answered this. What exactly is a Festival Filmmaker? I have been to so many film festivals in last one and half year with Frozen and believe me festivals also want films which we term as “Commercial”. So actually all films are commercial business ventures. I believe that if a person is spending Rs.1 to watch your film, your film becomes commercial. Definitely there is finance involved and someone’s money is involved to make your film. And believe me now even a Director is asked that how does he see his film getting the money back. In that way things have changed as you might not be asked about the cast but about the business model to run your film.
So I would call myself a Filmmaker who knows business now.
12. Which recent film has struck you hard? And you wished you had made it?
Frankly, truly None.
13. Tell us more about your forthcoming ventures
Well I am working on an Indo-Spanish joint venture called “The Untold Tale”. This is to be shot in Spain and Rajasthan. I have been working on it for last 2 years. Then there is a Comedy of Errors story to be shot in Mumbai and a very Dark Psychological thriller to be shot in Mumbai and Goa. There are few more at different stages of development.
14. Finally, what would be one reason why we should watch Frozen.
There are 1000 reasons to watch Frozen. If you want to see compelling, human relationship, good cinema, with good background score and all this shot in Black and White in Himalayas then Frozen is the film. Also you should buy the DVD because it will have nearly one and half hours of behind the scenes which is like film in itself.
Thank You Shivajee, not only for sharing your experiences, but also bringing out Frozen for the world to see it, and I’m sure people would go on the 1st of May to catch your film, after all, its worth the wait.
Anurag Kashyap
Abhay Deol
Dibakar Banerjee
Hansal Mehta
Khalid Mohamed
Kundan Shah
Anish Kuruvilla
Jaideep Verma
Manish Gupta
Navdeep Singh
Bhavani Iyer
D. Santosh
Onir
Ashvin Kumar
Ramu Ramanathan
Sudhir Mishra
Pankaj Advani
Revathy
Saurabh Shukla
Shilpa Shukla
Sujoy Ghosh
Suparn Verma
Santosh Sivan
Shashank Ghosh
Shivajee
Pavan Kaul
Partho Sen-Gupta
Prroshant Naryannan
Sam Langoria
Satish Kasetty
wow !! all the best>
what about overseas sir ??
Fingers crossed for Frozen! In fact, legs crossed and eyes crossed too!
Shivajee- wonderful to read your honest answers.Keep it up- we are all eagerly waiting for 1st May- the D Day.Frozen will rock for sure.
@Vipin: Why did he have to specifically shoot in black and white? Anything of that sort was disucssed.
You will be a proud father on 1st May, Shivajee.Best wishes from all of us!
@ ram – look at the PFC archives for shivajee’s blog. he goes into detail about his choices.
congratulations shivajee. i hope the release goes well. is this the first film in india to opt for the staggered release or platform release (as it’s called in the US)? curious to see how it works. may show the way for a lot of other films. good luck
All the best..waiting for it.
@shivajee…all the very best
@Vipinji …thanks for bringing this out!
Vipinji,That was an insightful interview.
Shivajee, we’re all waiting for May 1st!
Wishing the film opens in Pune too sometime soon after the metros…:(…
KCP- If i’m not wrong, Shivajee sir has always wanted an Indian release first, and ironically its been all over the world, except India. So I’m sure sir plans to release it overseas too, but kya yaar pehle india mein toh dekho!
Thank You Indraneel and Arun.
Yes Arthi, the film will hopefully open in Pune too
Yes Ram, Check
www.shivajeechandrabhushan.wordpress.com
I’m sure it helps you know better.
:-)
Thank you everyone for the wishes.
@Ram V
Dabba has guided you to the right place. During my travel to nearly 25 festivals out of 30, I have encountered this particular question so many times during the Q & As’. And infact some places when they don’t ask I myself answer. Yes there is are reasons for that and believe me aesthetics are the last in the list.
@dabba
Yeah we are talking about a platform release and trying out a model even for PR and Publicity because we have to keep the interest level high for nearly 3 months.
@Arthi V
I had promised you some time back that Frozen would come to Pune. Believe me it will.
@dabba…thanks
@Vipin..i checked the blog..yes Shivajee was convincing in purporting the reason…
@Shivajee…great attempt..I learnt from Shaji N Karun in a film festival open forum that Black and White films are no longer made or something like that…so he had to shoot the film with the remains of Spielberg’s custom made BW film for ‘Schindlers List’ for the BW portion of ‘Swaham’ (1994 Cannes Palme d’Or special mention)..that raised my interest…so you shot in color and exposed to BW film..Lets see how it looks like…Waiting for blore release…all the best..
awesome – Just can’t wait to be ‘Frozen’
@Ram V
Black and White stock is available with Kodak. One has to order it 90 days in advance.
In fact I had tested it too in the month of November at locations. I was not happy with the result. The present day labs were not able to handle it.
The fact remains that the quality of the Color stock has improved hundred times compared to B&W stock.
Yes we would come to B’lore.
Thanks
Oh BTW the opening shot of the film is from that test shoot material. :-)
I must admit that i haven’t heard of Shivajee but the way he talks really feels like he’s one of the directors’ who is more into the art side of direction and let’s everyone else take care of the rest. I am a want to be a writer myself and find myself writing stuff which i wish can be made into a feature. Though i have no official training i feel that since people are open to new ideas in India, for me to be able to get my ideas made in to films might become say 0.0001% easier. I wish that i am able to complete my screenplay and then hopefully film-making would be next. Thank you SC, your story is truly inspirational. I wish you all the luck for the future.
@Shivajee..Ok..at the end of the day, with new technologies, I assume the texture would be the same…right? because when I had seen colour made into BW in movies like ‘Dalapathi’ ,’Iruvar’, ‘Indian’..the texture is not the same as original BW, they look a bit like jaded BW prints, the black is gray and the white is also slightly grayish..the contrast was lost..
If the contrast is there nothing like it, no new Hindi films can match the range of emotions displayed by Guru Dutt with shade and light techniques…
Please do post details as and when you plan to bring your movie down to bangalore…
Congrats Shivajee,
We discussed this dream of releasing it in Mumbai. I am extremely happy, you have done it. Congrats…now its time to look up to next project and next project…there’s a long journey ahead terrains of Ladhak.
Cheers,
Kumar Gautam
congrats sir.i watched the film at osians and since then i had wanted my friends and other people to see it, i had been waiting like anything for its release.thanks and all the best, it was one of the best movie viewing experience for me n i hope for others too.i remember sitting on stairs int audi as the audi was full.i cherish that.
and the last shot was mesmerising!
@Shivajee,
Fianlly i can take my friends to show a film which i am talking like madman.Hopefuly they will to experience the magic which i had.
@aman
Thankyou.
I still remember the Osian screening vividly. After the 1st 15 minutes I had got up from my seat to offer it to a lady who was sitting on floor. Then the usher whispered to me that there were 50 people outside the theater waiting to get in. When I requested him to let the people in he told me something about the “fire policy” of Siri Fort. I told him the name of the film is “Frozen”, there could never be a fire. It was funny but yeah then we had people sitting all over :-).
@cinemausher
LOL and I just mentioned an “Usher”.
Thanks man, need all the support and I am sure your friends won’t beat you up after the film.
Many Many congratulations on this..
I am beginning to understand from my recent experience what it takes to make a film and it takes even greater courage and effort to distribute the film independently…
Am eagerly waiting for the first day first show. .
I’m hoping for Director’s Q and A as well in some shows at least. . -:)
Wish u Loads of Luck !!!
of course , we were all frozen!
Congratulations Shivajee..da Boss :-)gud luck..
Thank you Vipin for a great interview.
I hope everyone get to see this on big screen.
Congratulations Shivajee!!!!
It’s not nationwide release? What about Hyderabad?
Congratulations to all involved! Waiting for the Bangalore release.
Can’t wait. The soundtrack sample on the website is mesmerizing.
Sir, is Chandigarh on the map?
@Kuldip
Thank you. It will cover the country but slowly. South India we are starting with B’lore. But yeah we would surely come to Hy’bad too.
@Sarpanch
Chandigarh definitely but after Delhi.
Since it is a staggered release we are not sure of the exact dates presently, but once the opening happens in Mumbai, I would be in a more sure footing to tell the whole schedule.
Also if the response turns out to be good then we might decide to go digital through UFO, Qube or Scrabble, so that we could move faster.
@Hemant
@Varun
@Ullas
Thank you very much :-).
Congratulations Shivajee.
waiting for Move release. !!
It’s almost a meditative experience – this Frozen. Thank god it’s getting released finally. It’s been two years (or more) since I watched it at the Osian’s. Will be great to re-watch it and find what different experience it brings to the viewer.
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/broadband/video/Movie-Promos/2p9Wqb15/3/Promo-1-Frozen.html
Check out the trailers of Frozen.
http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/broadband/video/Movie-Promos/ClA5N250/3/Promo-2-Frozen.html