Debutant director Vinay Waikul believes that his military drama, The Test Case, about women in combat, is a roller-coaster of emotions. Kritika Dua gets a preview of a new web series
Much before the Army chief hinted at opening up Army combat positions to women soldiers, filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor had already conceived a fictional take for a web series. Along with co-director Vinay Waikul, he had conceived a story of Capt Shikha Sharma, the only woman to be enrolled in the Special Forces Training Centre who overcomes all hurdles to become the first woman combat officer referred to as the “test case”. She struggles to break free from men’s jurisdiction as she doesn’t only have to fight the enemy across the border but also several naysayers within the army, be it peers or training officers, who believe a woman isn’t tough enough.
“The torture a man is willing to bear for his nation, a woman can too,” is what she lives by in the form of Nimrat Kaur in the trailer for the web series, The Test Case, for AlT Balaji. In a way, this experimental series mirrors the practical application of the concept of women empowerment in the Army. Waikul, who has been helming the series after the pilots were finished by Kukunoor, agrees. “We should not try to protect women by restricting them and instead treat them as fellow beings. They will learn on their own, fight their battles like any individual will, irrespective of gender.”
Adds he, “Kaur’s character does the same, not looking for sympathy or support but equal treatment. It’s not just about physical strength as when the body gives up, it’s the mental strength that sails one through. In this regard, I believe it’s a misconception that men are stronger than women. In fact, women outrank them.”
Waikul spills beans on how Kaur camouflaged as a military person, “She is a phenomenal actor, working with her was a sheer treat. Kaur is familiar with the intricacies of the craft and did complete justice to the layered character of Capt Shikha Sharma. I am fortunate that she was chosen to play a pivotal role in The Test Case.”
She understands the nuances so well, coming from an army background (her father is an ex-Indian Army officer) which made her adapt the body language with ease. However, she physically transformed herself for the role and followed a strict fitness regime to have an athletic body.”
He has tried to make the best film in every episode and judging by the trailer, it seems he has been successful in doing so. “One has to treat every shot as the final one, optimally using the tools. I shouldn’t make an excuse that in the fifth or sixth shot I will do better. Immersing in the process is how one can lift the scenes along with improving his/her craft. So that, the series can shine through at the end.” He believes that if one can’t give his/her best now, one can’t give it ever. It’s something which keeps him motivated.
The camp environment depicted in the finite series seems closely knit to reality. Says he, “It’s a special force training centre, an elite branch of the Army where only selected few possessing specialised skills are trained to be commandos. To make the set-up look as authentic as possible, we consulted several ex-Army men. Actors attended thorough workshops and consultants were present on set for supervision — making sure that the actors got the mannerisms and drill right.”
He gives us an insight into the shoot that was time-consuming. “It was gruelling as we shot in thick forests or under a harsh sun which was physically exhausting for the actors sometimes. But we kept each other motivated and pumped up.”
“The night shoots posed as roadblocks as sometimes it’s difficult to focus, fighting the body clock. As a director, I was required to judge the actors’ performance — fine or not, over the top or underplayed. Also, the cast and crew should have a certain level of energy, working in harmony so that the scenes don’t look dull.”
Nevertheless, Waikul was prepared for it owing to his learning days as an assistant director with names like Rajkumar Hirani, Nitesh Tiwari, Ashutosh Gowarikar and Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra.
Working with an ensemble cast (Nimrat Kaur, Atul Kulkarni, Rahul Dev, Manit Joura and Akshay Oberoi, Juhi Chawla) is not a cakewalk. But Waikul dealt with it in a positive manner, using it as an advantage. He adds, “They were extremely cooperative and added a lot to the series. There were some improvisations which were essential. However, my job was to filter out what worked for the scene, something that I learnt through the industry experience.”
The debutant director credits his crew for respecting him and being committed to the project with undivided attention. “The trailer shows the team's efforts and its faith in our creative vision.”
Waikul started assisting around 16 years ago, working on some 60-odd commercials. But The Test Case is the stuff of his dreams. He has even collaborated with Aamir Khan as a Chief AD on four of his projects — Ghajini, Three Idiots, Dangal and Satyamev Jayate. The learning stayed with him and he uses them as a benchmark. “He taught me that there is no shortcut to success. He only sees the eye of the fish, he is so focused.” Maybe he himself is a test case.