Bachhon ki film? Who cares
iView Author: Varun Grover (Mumbai, India )
Varun, a long time PFC reader, is out with his first movie as a co-writer.
Bachhon ki film? Who cares
Disclaimer: This is not an appeal to the readers to go out and watch this film because ‘humne isse khoon pasiney se banaaya hai’. Not a gaali-bhara-post to those who won’t go out. Not an endorsement of small/indie/thoughtful films we need badly. Not a rant against biggies and ‘Kites-flying’ mehlon-mein-rahne-waale-bade-producers….
What it is then? Well…it’s a story told many times before, by all who have made a film or been a part of it. And still, it’s something that needs to be repeated. And since flash-cuts seem to be the most preferred way on PFC articles, let me steal the format without any sharm-lihaaj.
CUT TO:
MAY 2005
I was new to Mumbai. Had left my software job in Pune, wanted to be a writer and took some sort of romantic-solace in the fact that Mumbai humidity can make you sweat in just a 5-minute walk. Met Girish Joshi through a common friend. He had assisted ‘Santoshi’ on ‘Khaki’ and ‘Legend’ and wanted a writer for his first film. He turned out to be an even bigger idiot. He had left a Software job in US (after finishing his MS too) and now had the same keeda which some call fame, some sex-aur-glamour-ki-bhookh and some just an atavistic need to tell stories. He told me he has a story written by his friend Sunil Gokhale and is looking for a co-writer to do the screenplay. I asked him what kind of story. And he said ‘It’s a children’s film with a social message. Environmental issue.’ I almost cursed myself in my heart – ‘Children’s film? Who cares?’ But then, as I said, I was new in Mumbai and the story had a beggar character – a bit of a novelty I thought.
CUT TO:
AUGUST 2005
The first draft was ready. We called it ‘Ghosla’. (A very off-putting name, somebody told us later.) We had a neat bunch of contemporary middle-class kids, a beggar by the name of Raavan, and a smart construction worker child laborer getting together to save a tree as our plot, and although it looked simplistic, we felt the rest could be worked around with that one-size-fits-all wonder-word ‘treatment’. But then, as I guessed initially – the insult-like phrase ‘Bachhon ki film?’ popped in our lives for the next few months. From actors, to potential financers to even friends and angels, all wanted to know – ‘Why children’s film?’ By the end of 2005, with our script reworked, and many pundits consulted, we started asking ourselves – ‘why this film?’ Girish rarely had any answer to this except that he felt a) this is original b) this talks about a contemporary issue c) this has a story. So, the ‘allegations’ of children’s film never even figured in his analysis…which was kind of unsettling for some financers. (And for me too.)
But then, I also started counting the number of good children films we had in last 15-20 years. Mr. India (if we take Sridevi’s seductive dance out), Hanuman (if all animation must appeal all kids), Makdi, and…uhh…guess, that’s it. So, now, the shaashwat-satya started dawning. Kid’s films are a no-no here, unless you are Amol Palekar and are happy to shoot in a jungle, and show your film in a jungle too. (Kairi)
ABRUPT CUT TO:
AUGUST 2008
Girish had found a producer. Somebody who ‘loved’ the script but wanted a few ‘little changes’. Like adding a ‘love track’ for one of the characters. And yes, that character ‘could be made funnier’. And yes, ‘add a few more songs…a theme song, a sad song, a masti song….’ ‘And Oh yes – “add a voice-over too”…a neat little poem completely out of place with the rest of the flick…but then, ‘who cares?’ The film was getting made, and we should thank our previous-janam good deeds for that. Thankfully, Mithun Da agreed to play the adult-lead, the role of beggar Raavan, a character who holds a lot in his heart as well as in the plot.
DOUBLE ABRUPT CUT TO:
5th JUNE 2009
The multiplex-producer strike had ended as stupidly as it had started. Our producer decided it’s time to release the film – next week looks good. So, suddenly, a process, a ‘bachhon ki film’ we had thought of making four years ago was going to release in seven days. But err…wait? Where are the promos? Posters? How will people know that it’s releasing? Will the prints be ready and reach theatres? And hell..we are up against somebody called Jacky Bhagnaani – his rabbit-smile staring at us from BEST bus-stop hoardings for a month now. The standard answer, this time very subtle and almost suicidal was – ‘Who cares?’
So…next 5 days…printing the posters, getting a website up (hope they had read Oz’s article and done away with it), getting the prints ready, dealing with the lobby-of-baaps bole toh distributor lobby, and telling friends and others that a film called ‘Zor Laga ke Haiyya’ is releasing on 12th JUNE, we heard the same voices again – ‘Children’s film?’ Though this time, a genuine ‘best wish’ accompanied all queries.
SOBER CUT TO
12th JUNE 2009
The film is out. Reviews are good, bad, indifferent. For the sake of full-mental-disclosure, I admit it’s no great shakes…and the first blame should be directed at the writer, so here I am. But the fact that even after finding producers who understood nothing of films, leave children’s films, adding a colossally wasted ‘love track’ and a few useless songs, and given a budget that would put even a anda-bhurji-stall-owner to shame, we still have a film which tells a story and tells it nicely makes me proud. The fact that a children’s film stars normal children, and bestows on them the belief in magic and grit, makes me proud. And then, Prabhu ji and Ashwin Chitale’s performances do make up for ‘no posters in the whole of Gujarat/MP’ grouse in one stroke.
POST-SCRIPT
As Sahir wrote, Mukesh sang, and Big B lip-synced – ‘Kal aur aayenge nagamon ki khilti kaliyaan chun-ne waale’. I know Zor Laga Ke Haiyya is but a small link in an infinite chain of Friday-releases, a link that will merge with eternal shoonya sooner than later. But the satisfaction of doing something one wanted to do since a long time, lingers longer in space. Sometimes, Obama might say – ‘Longer than ever.’
- Varun
(Mumbai)
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
@ Varun-
I’m feeling elated to read this dude.No I’m not being sarcastic,let me explain.I was extremely surprised to find news of this movie releasing just a few days ago & I was taken aback.being a keen trade tracker I went again- “oh! no why would people do the same mistake again & again, by releasing movies @ the last minute without any proper promotion/publicity.Recent examples are many like Detective Naani ( released on 22th May and telecast on Star Gold in T.V today-14th June), Team-The Force and quite a few more.
So reading this I have got to know whats behind the movie and also why the release happened like this.anyways good to know you gave your best.Hope to hear more from you on your future efforts.
@ varun: nice read, and all the best for ur future ventures. yes, im glad to know u r associated with the movie. hadnt planned to watch it earlier. noew im tempted, for ur sake, and for PFC.
First of all congratulations for your debut release. You hv miles to go. And its always inspirational to listen a dream come true story. you deserve the applause for your sincere efforts.
“But the satisfaction of doing something one wanted to do since a long time, lingers longer in space.”. Very well said.
But one thing more, I heard it won quite a few international awards, it would bring more light to film, if you explain more about the festivals it went and the awards it won.
hey…all the very best for this movie as well as your future projects
Oh i hadnt watched the promo , the awards and festivals are mentioned before the opening credits
:D
Varun bhai, congrats and all the best!!!
Best of Luck for your future projects.Hope the message of the movie gets spread.
@ Sethu
I have asked the same question every week for many years now – ‘Why the fuck they are releasing this film so soon or so unpreparedly?’ and it happened with my first film too. I think every film has its potential (some have a ‘Lagaan’ potential and some have a ‘Gunda’ potential) and to NOT milk that potential is a huge folly. It kind of nullifies the hard work of thousands of people who have already finished their work on the film.
@ Satyendra
Thanks! And take along a kid (or kids) if you really want to enjoy the film. A bit simplistic plot for adult tastes I would say.
@Ajay, Crazyrals
Thanks buddies!
@ Van-ka-bala
Sir ji…aap kahaan ho? Shukriya.
@cinemausher
Yes…let’s hope so. In fact, it was a desperate situation, a news item, that triggered the original story by Sunil Gokhale (our co-writer). Indian Express reported that more than 20,000 trees were cut illegally in Mumbai in just one year (that was 2004-2005). The numbers were startling…something that should shame all of us. But then, a film can’t change things…should not try to. But things must change, is also true.
Varun,
Considering you have written the script, and knowing the genius in you very well, I’m sure you have done wonders, and you wont ‘curdle my blood’, or a ‘rash’ script, and would certainly give you a ’standing applause’ my friend.
No personal feelings Varunji, would watch the film and comment.
P.S- The Posters certainly look exciting, and hatke too
@Jehan
No applauses this side man. And no genius either. Just a bachhon ki film. I hope u got the concerns with which this article was written.
Varun- congrats on getting your first release man! That itself is an achievement and am sure greater things are in store for you.Keep writing on PFC. Amateur writers like me will be eagerly following your journey. All the best!
Hi Varun, your disappointment (for yours and your team’s sake) runs through what you wrote.
Many opine that whatever discussions and brainstorming and modifications to the script and film should be made and finalized before the shooting begins. It is not advisable to make changes once the shooting starts.
My friend is a mens’ constume designer. He designs original stuff (most copy), but when he goes to the boss, he makes a lot of changes (cheap material, lesser buttons, no need of flaps-saves cloth, a fillet here and there, etc). Each time my friend is frustrated, but cant do anything!
Looks like something similar happened to your film.
One review said, the movie puts in moralising with a light shovel instead of heavy preaching and kids can be kids atleast for some running time. The review blamed the movie for encouraging superstition in a children’s movie. I disagree. AFter all kids in the movie knew it. And one more thing “You only wish that they were not made to sing songs periodically, and state the most obvious things. Kids are way smarter” Obviously the reviewer did not read this post yet.
congratulations varun. here i quote from
nikhil’s aladin post – “But here’s what the critics don’t know: The amazing thing about any movie is not whether it’s good, but that it got made at all. That’s amazing.”
.
i m glad that the producer dint ask u to add a raunchy item number too. ;-)
.
do share more of ur experiences here. thanks.
@Vinay
Looks like u’ve seen the film. Where, if i may ask?
And let’s not talk reviews here. All are entitled to their opinions. My only grouse was with the way children’s films are treated here (and the whole conditioning aspect). Our producer didn’t even want to promote the fact that the film has been to international film festivals as that “would SCARE away the kids/masses”.
@Magik
Yeah…Nikhil’s words were a great comfort and an excellent post he wrote. And about the raunchy item number – you have to see the film (and Riya Sen’s character) to concur that it’s not raunchy. ;)
@dazed
Thanks man.
Varun Sir, I will try to see it asap. You could have atleast published about it (for marketing) through our college chronicle.
Good to know that some guys even have some guts to make films that they want to make. Ofcourse the distributor lobby is the biggest hurdle to the creativity of Indian movies reaching the heights they can. Wishing you all the best for your film – the current one and the ones that you are going to make in the future.
Bravo!!!
@Varun – Very touching, honest and lovely post dost!!! I hope the producers recover their money and all the best for ur upcoming ventures!!
I’m also a computer engineer working as a screenplay writer since few years…. my films haven’t come yet, one of the biggest reason for that is – i have refuses to compromised(love tracks, item songs etc.,) so far…
anyways you had your shares of ups and down with one film… and compromise ki ek galti sabko maaf hoti hai.. but ultimately writers have to take a stand against compromises.. so i hope to see you saying for you second film – ‘acchi ho yaa buri its totally my conviction!!!’
cheers!
Hey Varun,
congratulations on the release. And that is all that matters, frankly. How it comes out and when is not in anyone’s control, especially not the writer’s. We’re the pariahs, remember? :p But have heard Dibakar talk about this, and am seeing the tussle for myself and this is an issue that I’m not sure how anyone can tackle. All we can do is pray ;) Have always believed a film’s budget should be such that whatever is the cost of making, at least 50% of that should be spent as cost of promoting, because that’s the way it goes. Not point in philosophizing – you need to sell your film, and the only way to do it is by shouting; if you shout it out loud, no matter how bad it is, it will at least get noticed. Hence I love Youtube – the moment you make a film, inundate Youtube with videos. It’s free – and the more you do things for free, the more the producers like you because they don’t want to spend any more money than is needed. And for a film like ZLKH, I think they never really wanted to spend any. It really is an amazing thing that this film got made, so congratulations on being part of something this magical
Really liked the story you wrote in Pratilipi, ‘Danube ke paththar’ I think? Keep writing and all the best. And whenever you make a film – remember – YouTube it. Make the website before you do a mahurat shot – and the denizens of PFC will do the rest ;)
@Yayaver
Long story…some other day.
@ VP Jaiganesh
Very unique name you’ve got…it kept ringing in my dreams last night. And well…lobbies of ANY KIND (including writers’ lobby, if ever there was one) are bad for any creative process, since they tend to ‘mass-produce’ or ‘mass-customize’ based on the lobby-needs. And off-late, I believe, things have changed a lot. Dibakar’s two films, Anurag’s last 3 films, and (by the looks of it) Sankat City do give us hope just by being there.
@Bhavesh
Nikhil already said that in the following comment ‘we are pariahs’ so a writer saying no to a change in the script doesn’t matter as most of these changes are done without even letting him know. Yes, the day you become a director, you have that mandate…of saying no and walking out. But then, how much of that is mist and how much thick-fog, we’ll know when we reach there.
@N.V.
Thanks for the faith you instill. Yes, i also had the same theory about the promotions…but alas, theories are free for writers. And youtube was a strategic mistake since a time came when we feared the film will release next year sometime (!!)…so you-tube pe reel ghis kar kya faayda? And then it came down to one week…(when again, getting promos and footage out of Producer’s clutches was a HUGE task). Anyways…as you said…it got made and that should go for a toast.
And yes, ‘Danube ke pathhar’ was mine. Surprised that somebody else in Mumbai reads Pratilipi. :P
(And yes, PFC did help even at such a short notice. Hats-off!)
Hi Varun
nice write up…dint know about the movie release…but surely will watch it.
Prashant
I thought it is soo nice movie keep it up and write up, I am sure we will watch it soon.
will can u give me some dirctor names so can i give a adusion for my daughter and me also want to work in movies or serial on indian chanals. as i am living out of india and i dont knw about my country so much.
thanks.
naseem
Varun, It’s amazing this story stayed with you for such a long time and that you finally managed to get it made. ZLKH is the sort of movie which tests a writer’s creativity and patience. I’m glad you guys persisted with it. All the best for the future.
Congrats Varun bhai! Am very very happy that this day has come, and with Mithun da and Gulshan “bad man” Grover — two of the more talented actors! Great job!
best wishes for many more.
cheers,
Animesh
Too late I guess…
Congratulations and all the very best for your future projects. May God bless you.