The burden of dreams
Beyond the tangy delight of saying “action” and the sweeping power of uttering “cut”, I am caught in a dilemma about what role do I play between those two operative words. In the interregnum I am frozen into just gazing upon a shot shaping up to a life that just might affect a few lives, warrant a gentle smile or prompt a tear to drop. So where does the auteur leave his mark once his actors become characters in front of the camera while he nervously chews his lips in vain hope they get it just right?
I guess in wishing words imprinted on pages to become reality on screen as truth told twenty four times a second, a maker culls his mise-en-scene of expiation and actuates himself in those trepid moments when he loses control over his work. In those fragile moments of terrifying numbness as the camera whirs, a million thoughts whiz past his mind and the cinema of the interior finds fruition.
But then is cinema ever real when technology trying to reinvent mimesis, reduces itself to a sheer whirlpool of images and sounds? Where does consciousness truly manifest itself when the dying ember in an actor’s eye proclaims guileless deceit with dexterity? Can truth ever be told or does truth happen of its own sweet will? Is there uniformity in what is perceived as reality?
After its complete does the film belong to me anymore as it undergoes million interpretations, evoking sundry reactions of the viewer? Am I left with my meaning anymore?
A story is essentially a lie I create for a greater truth
The tapestry of words woven around characters that never existed
Beyond the magic of constructed words at best portrayed by actors on screen
People living others lives giving shape to the abstract text of dialogues
One mind creating several minds and moments of mirth or sorrow
Creating an imaginary social fabric in imagined times under the garb of reality
Lies mirroring truth beyond vacant looks in listless eyes.
Pankh has been a burden of dreams that I have been carrying too long, awaiting for actuation and realization. Finally, the end seems somewhere in sight. Or is it a mirage? Only 11th September’09 can answer this. Till such time let me take you through this arduous journey that I undertook eons back when I first ideated the film. Welcome to my matrix!!!
Tags: Bipasha Basu, maradona rebello, pankh, sudipto, sudipto chattopadhyay- SUDIPTO CHATTOPADHYAY
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
Just did a little bit of spade work on the movie. Looks very intense and captivating. The subject is certainly unique. Wishing you all the very best!!
I am sorry for i might be wrong, but I find another person JUST for the sake of marketing his film.
btw , Best of luck for Pankh !! sounds interesting.
It is uncommon to find a voice in the film industry that is so crystal clear in its thinking.Your intentions are honest, and there isn’t a dearth of talent. There shouldn’t be a reason for it to not work.
Best of luck for all that is to come.,
Yaatri, he has made a movie with a lot of passion. What is wrong with telling everyone about it? PFC is a platform where movies are discussed, promoted, criticized etc. It’s to create awareness about the movie.
Yes Aarti. I agree with you. Sudipto has made a powerful film. PFC is not only a platform for a film like his but a wonderful place for a unique voice like his to be heard. This is such a beautifully written post.
@ Sudipto- the concept of Pankh is quite interesting and I’m sure its been tough to wait for the D day to come by.Now that the day is fast approaching, I wish you all the very best for the release.hope you would share some of your experiences while making the film and also a bit on the pre-production part of the film.
Isnt pankh the movie where theres this guy who works as girl when he is child actor and then he grows and gets confused about his sexual orientation…i had seen its trailer when Dus Kahaaniyan was screened…interesting concept..its great to see White Feather financing such project..Good Luck Sudipto
yes sammy – pankh is that film only. i also remember watching the trailer at dus kahaniyan ..and i was quite intruiged and hooked on by the trailer. If i remember correctly, the lead actor was new. it also had bipasha basu (as an imaginary friend/soulmate/conscience of the lead) and Lilette dubey as his mom.
sudipto -
“A story is essentially a lie I create for a greater truth” – is the quote of the day for me ….and i tried googling for pankh trailer. Could you get it uploaded here or say may be at youtube and put a url here in your next post so that we can all watch it ?
welcome to PFC
Thank you all for accepting me to your club. I am truly touched by all your responses. A film like Pankh needs a platform like Pfc to find a voice. I will try and articulate my honest feelings about the journey I undertook to make this film.Will share my innermost thoughts on the kind of cinema and stories that I believe in. I assure you all, that this association will last beyond the release of the film. Please feel free to express your candid opinions about my posts. The next edition will come tomorrow.Happy reading
It would be great to have the trailer with your next post.
I dont know how your idea matches mine … coz i shot the film on same concept last year
It’s time someone broached the subject and educated people on it… great concept… al d best… patience is alvez rewarded…
When I saw Rice Plate (Dus Kahaniyaan), I was overjoyed by Shabana Azmi’s top notch perfomance where in the character places her hardcore beliefs over hunger…like a 5 year old child…this parable had moral and was sensitive, emotional,gripping…Pankh is a major breakthrough in Indian cinema since the much neglected part of the society will resurface yet again…Many film-makers have touched this subject…some of them understanding the severity while others made noises through ribald mockery…Hopefully this time the Truth Be Told with or without it’s bitter or sweet own will…
All the Best…
Hey have been reading abt this movie.. seems an interesting subject.. Is that Maradona Rebello in this pic??
The burden you had been carrying will be shared by all very soon, then you shall be set free – enjoy the unbearable lightness of being…
Not everyone would have dared to take up this subject for their first film, you have proven your mettle. Best of luck!
would be great if you could upload the promo on youtube.com…
Dr. Hazra Dr. Hazra !!
Mukuuuuul ….tumi kothay ?
mukul? Dr. Hazra? baparta ki? ektu kholsa kora hok…
Am Waiting to watch this project.. seems offbeat n not like our typical Arthouse movies.. this should set the standard of a true ARTHOUSE CINEMA in INDIA.. hope it lives up to what it appears to be..
hey hope Pankh gets its wings
the best blog i’ve read so far… keep it coming…
Pankh looks like an honest film.. will defntly watch it
That was just pure poetry. Never expected someone to write such stuff on PFC. All the best for the film. Hope the audience relates to the story.
If your writing is anything to go by, I’ll surely be watching this film. Actually read the later blogs first…seems interesting even in rewind
Sudipto-da,
Please enlighten us on whether or not a short film named THE LUNCH DATE (1989) was inspired by THE RICE PLATE from Dus Kahaniyan or not.
(Your short profile on PFC says you wrote the ‘critically acclaimed Film.’)
Some dude named Adam Davidson’s stolen your idea, turned it into a 12 minute film and even had the audacity to parade it at Cannes ! Really-these white peoples are too much!