laxman Utekar, a cinematographer for the past 15 years, decided to give a platform to his expressions through his directorial debut in Marathi film titled Tapaal. And the outcome has been mind blowing. In the international circuit, Tapaal has become the cynosure of all eyes and in India, movie goers are waiting to watch this simple tale come alive. Although Utekar is excited with the buzz his film has created, he tells Deebashree Mohanty that Marathi cinema needs to be marketed better if it has to get its due
From cinematographer to director, how has the journey been and why did you want to change tackIJ
I am a senior in this industry with more than 15 years of experience as a cinematographer. Having done films like Blue, English Vinglish, Boss and most recently Tevar with Arjun Kapoor, I decided to give my expressions and thoughts a little bit more weightage. As a cameraman, my role was limited to following the director’s vision. I was responsible for making his expression come alive on screen. But what about my thoughtsIJ I had a lot of ideas of my own and I needed a canvass to unleash them. I had a story in mind which I discussed with Manesh Hadawale and he decided to fund this dream project. That’s how Tapaal happened.
Tapaal means ‘the letter’. What is the relevance of this in the filmIJ
The movie is set in the 70s in a remote village called Raigarh. Incidentally, that happens to be my village and I have spent considerable time there. In the movie, Rohit, an eight-year-old boy, has dropped off a letter at the post office but a certain tragedy happens in the village and he needs to stop the letter from being sent. He is desperately in pursuit of that postmaster to urge him to not post that letter. The story revolves around his relationship with the postmaster and his wife, a childless couple.
So, it is a story about relationships or is there a mystery angle alsoIJ
It is an emotional drama with a mysterious undertone. The content of the letter remains a mystery till the climax. But the audience will enjoy the film because of its simplicity and manner in which it unfolds. I must warn you though that there is nothing very dramatic about this film. It is a simple story.
What is the USP of the filmIJ
The concept and the fact that everything has been done naturally. I have not tampered with anything. The background artists are all from the village. I wanted to retain the flavour of the language and mannerisms in the village and so did not want to cast any outsider. Rohit, my main protagonist is also from that village. I did not ask him to act at all. I just told my cameraman to follow him and capture all that Rohit was doing. That way, Rohit did not need to lose his innocence.
The movie has been well received in the international circuit. How does that make you feelIJ And expectations from the Indian audienceIJ
I am very satisfied with the response globally. I think people loved the innocence that we have portrayed through the characters. Even the background score is very intriguing. Tapaal may not be a big budget film but it is concept wise a very competent script. But like any other filmmaker I am most worried about the reaction of the Indian audience. That is very unpredictable. I am hoping they find something in this moving story to discuss.
Will you be releasing the film in different languages as wellIJ
At the moment it releases on September 26 only in Marathi. later on, we have plans to re-release in various languages.
What do you think is plaguing the Marathi movie scene
We have some very talented filmmakers who come out with interesting concepts. And Marathi actors are good performers. The only problem is that we don’t have a greater vision. We still don’t make a movie for the entire country. There is an urgent need for us to market and promote our movies better. Producers should be willing to allocate some money towards the film’s marketing expenses.
You have said in an interview that in Tapaal one could see shades of Rajesh Khanna. Why is thatIJ
In the 70s, Kaka was the only popular Bollywood actor that was known to everyone even to those who didn’t have a TV set in their homes. The entire country was under his influence. I have tried to capture that bit of reality in my film as well. So, you will see girls talking about him and boys trying to ape his fashion sense. Kaka has left a stamp on my film as he did on my life.
Do you want to continue to directIJ
I am waiting eagerly to see how the film grosses in India. At present, I have wrapped up cinematography for a Boney Kapoor production Tevar staring Arjun Kapoor and Sonakshi Sinha in lead roles. It is an action romance drama to be released in 2015.