Director Vijayalakshmi Singh’s latest directorial called, ‘Ýaanaa’, that released today, features her three daughters. The film which has over 40 new technicians and six debutant actors, took over two years to make. ‘Yaanaa’, meaning journey, captures the events that unfold when three girls embark on a road trip. The subject is bold and in keeping with the culture and ethos of an urban setting. The director says that the energy and enthusiasm of the actors is palpable on screen.

In an interview with Metrolife, Vijayalakshmi Singh talks about the making of the film and why it reflects the lifestyle of today’s generation.

How was it to direct your daughters? 

As a director, I am very satisfied with the product. I have experimented and explored with everything that I had in mind. I was open to ideas and suggestions which made working with a new cast and crew easier. The way they look at cinema and the way I do are different. Cinema has a language of its own and the girls were convinced that by the end of the project.  

Was the script written keeping your daughters in mind?

My daughters are always with me. That helped me understand how youngsters think and understand their preferences. Sometimes, what you see and hear indirectly influences your work. The events that happen in the life of six youngsters are narrated in a light-hearted way. There’s romance, comedy, family sentiments and situations that today’s youngsters can easily relate to.  

Who are the boys paired opposite your daughters?

All the three boys- Chakravarthi, Abhishek and Sumukha are fresh faces and were chosen through an audition. We allowed them to be themselves and imposed nothing on them. I would give them the scene and dialogues and they had the liberty to interpret it in their style. The small tips and tricks that I taught them enhanced their performance.   

The ‘Mirchi...’ song went viral. Tell us about it. 

The ‘Mirchi..’ song has a definite purpose for being there and flows well with the story. The girls found it tough because the movements were tough and had to be in sync with the camera. The dance was choreographed by Bhushan. He is known for his complex movements. He made them practise many times to perfect the steps. 

Any lessons learned at the end of the project...

I worked with 40 new technicians and six lead artists. They are all new and the challenge was to mould raw talent and get the best out of them. Teaching them was no easy task and there were many stressful moments. Because of the way I taught them, my assistants would tease me saying, ‘Vijaylakshmi tutorials’. Looking back, I’ve realised that they have all become thorough professionals.   

Take away from the film... 

This is by far the most satisfying project because I’ve implemented everything that I had wanted to. Films made around women are always projected in a dark and gloomy way. But here, we have a script that portrays the bright, colourful and positive side of every woman.