Raktha Gulabi is a crime thriller with a love story

Shot in a single take in multiple locations, Kannada filmmaker Rabi Kisku’s directorial debut is unique in many ways

Rabi Machinekad’s day job is that of a team lead with an investment bank, but his passion for cinema couldn’t keep him away from his dream job of filmmaking. An IIT graduate, Rabi has been working in the Kannada film industry since 2012. He has been involved with films like ‘Typical Kailas’ and ‘Chandala’, and has done scriptwriting too. Raktha Gulabi, which released in theatres on March 5 is his directorial debut. In a candid interview with Metrolife, Rabi talks about his latest film, and what is it like to be an independent filmmaker.

You wear multiple hats. What do you enjoy more, filmmaking or your day-job?

Of course, my passion films. I love cinema so much that even after doing a 9 to 5 job for more than a decade, I am making films. I am trying very hard to leave my day job and join the film industry, but that will only be possible when I get done with my financial obligations and commitments.

Tell us about your latest film.

Raktha Gulabi is a crime and thriller mixed with love. It is a mixed genre, but if you derive a proper genre for it, I think it is a survival genre film. The protagonist of the film Ganesh rebels against the system and tries to escape from it with his new girlfriend. Before he can elope he is put in a desparate situation and he robs a bank. Meanwhile, he gets married to his girlfriend. After marriage, while returning they are caught by police. You will have to watch the film to know if Ganesh escaped from the police, or what happens to his wife and his subordinates. All that happens in two hours and eight minutes and all of it was shot in a single shot.

How did you come up with the idea of doing a single-shot film?

Initially, I did not have the idea of doing it in a single shot, but when I started writing the story, I realised that this story has a kind of crispiness to it. So, I decided that if I make it in one shot it will be more beautiful than how it would come off in cut-shots.

What are the problems that independent filmmakers face in India?

When it comes to low-budget, independent filmmakers, there is hardly any support you get. There are four investors in this film, and I am one of them. Independent filmmakers have the rawness and the urge to show that rawness in that film. If we make content-oriented films, we expect some support from the big names in the industry; otherwise, the efforts will not be identified. We need little support from already established artists and celebrities. That’s an important aspect that we are missing in India.

How did you cast for the film?

I have made some short films in the past, so I chose artists from my films only. The characters were written around them since I know their body language, how they talk and how they walk and how they act. Since I knew them, it was easy for me to write a script.

What are your upcoming projects?

After watching this film a few producers approached me to make a sequel for the film, again, in a single shot. There is a producer who approached me for a film with a limited budget. People liked the film, but we fail to reach the audience because of the budget.