Dreams on the screen

There are a number of budding filmmakers in the City who dream to see their names on the big screen. They are always on the lookout for film festivals and other artistic platforms, that will provide opportunities to them to pursue their interest and enhance their confidence.

Talking about what he enjoys in filmmaking, Sagar Varma, a graduate in MSc Electronic Media who is currently in the pre-production stages of his next film, a psychological thriller with multiple narratives, says, “I feel happy when somebody says my film is good. But I feel great when somebody points out and shows me mistakes.” He adds, “I always want to explore and tell a story about the various problems around us and give solutions to the same.”

Athulya Madhu, a young filmmaker studying at Christ University, talks about her love for filmmaking, “I have always been fascinated by the blend of real-life and reel-life on screen. And when I came closer to this fascination, it was even more amazing because there is a certain amount of positive energy which is created during the whole process of filmmaking. That is from the origin of a concept to the full-length visual experience.” She began her journey by directing ‘Andharam’ and has also worked on many short films as an assistant director.

Akshay Sidharth, another filmmaker, believes, “The realistic features of films limit them to some extent; there are some mysteries that even science cannot solve. I want to use this medium to go in depth into that phenomenon. I don’t want to spoon feed my audience. I want to make them think, use their contemplating capabilities to derive answers and get satisfaction from my films.”

Currently, Akshay is in the production stage of his third film, ‘The Eleventh Hour’ and is also developing a script for a full-fledged feature film. His ambition is to become a Hollywood filmmaker and win an Oscar.

The magic of the medium called ‘cinema’ and the influence that it has on people interests Joseph Antony, from Christ University.

 His work includes ‘The Bag’, ‘Kulukki Sarbeth’, ‘Chick’, ‘Inthikam’ and ‘A Man with a Doll’. He also won the award for ‘Best Short Film’ from a reputed magazine in 2012. He says, “All movies that I watch inspire me in one way or the other, and there is a lot more to learn about how the medium can be used and manipulated to touch the minds of a viewer.”

Joseph says that his dream is to make his film something that will matter. “I only hope that I can make a mark in the film industry, something unique that is mine.”
Ambitious filmmaker Ashik Ali Kasim got more than a lakh viewers on YouTube for his first short film ‘Aranavo’, released in 2014. He is now engaged in the post-production work of his next film ‘Mandroid’.

He started his career with albums named ‘Iniyum Iniyum’ and ‘Once Again’ during his college days. He says, “I want my films to be fresh and refresh the audience, along with a good message, and not repeating the same old existing ideas. And there lies my challenge!”