Devashish Makhija, whose movie Bhonsle released in Busan, speaks with SHALINI SAKSENA about how he loves to break rules when it comes to filmmaking
What is your movie Bhonsle about?
I wrote this movie around 2011-12 when there was a lot of talk about migrants in Maharashtra to leave the State — the divisive politics that has been followed. Then Manoj (Bajpayee) got interested in the subject in 2014. It became a little bigger than just the idea of Maharashtra and Biharis. In the last few years, every country, with some sort of fascist regime coming into power, which is most countries right now, there has been the issue of migrants — from Syria to the US. The film became more and more about four-five characters, with Bhonsle — a Marathi constable — being played by the ultimate Bihari actor. We made the migrant issue a more global level.
Why did it take such a long time?
A movie that doesn’t have a happy ending, songs or knows how to reach the audience, the filmmaker can’t decide when to make it. We couldn’t find producers, couldn’t raise the money. But when Manoj got attached to the project, we had a few months of shoot. We had four producers but then one by one they backed out. It wasn’t easy to put this project together. The problem is that distributors get scared with films that don’t have a happy ending. They look for life-affirming films — even if the film is dark, the ending should be happy. My films deprive the audience of this.
Why do you do so?
Even in my previous movie, Ajji, when the granddaughter is raped, Ajji decides to take matters into her hands. Even though she manages to do take revenge, there is a loss of something when you go and do things that are dark. I don’t want the audience to leave the theatre smug and satisfied. When I make a social-political comment or a gender comment, I want the viewers to think about it even days later.
In that sense is it okay for filmmakers to make films just for the film circuit?
I am constantly in conflict with myself about this. When we talk about film circuit it means an audience that actively seeks out such films rather than choose from the four-five films that are released each week and are then unable to choose which one to watch and end up disappointed. How does a director recover money from such films? We have not been able to crack this. But we have to find a way around this.
What is the best thing about filmmaking?
Everything is spelt out for me; nothing is left to the imagination. I am into music, I am a photographer, I write and am a poet. I wanted to be able to do everything and films are the best medium.
Is there a connection in the mediums that you work with?
More than the connection, each medium gives me the freedom to express myself. If in a film, I am not able to express myself, I use another medium to do so.
Are you a stickler for rules?
No. I made a short film, Agli Baar, using a laptop, mobile and web-camera. The visual quality is horrible; the idea was to keep it horrible and keep it urgent. I have always wanted to not stick to the rules. I want the cinematographer and the production designer to come up with ideas so that they can be embraced immediately. This energy makes the movie organic. The same has been tried with Bhonsle.
What is frightening about filmmaking?
What is difficult is the kind of films I make. I don’t know if it will get made? If I will make it, will it get released? If it gets released, will the distributors will recover their money. There is constant anxiety.