Filmmaker VARUN CHOPRA, who made it to Cannes this year with his documentary, tells PRAKRITI ROY about his work, how he got there & other projects that he is involved in
There are not too many who can boast of screening their film at Cannes Film Festival. There are even fewer who can proudly claim that at age 23. Varun Chopra is one of those few.
After having screened his documentary God on a leash at Cannes, Varun is on a high. The documentary was shot in Delhi, his hometown, and documents two niche communities — the madaaris and the beherupiyas. The film explores the concept of veneration of God and regressive ancestral practices. It opens a window to an embellished niche world through comparative contrast with an unembellished human experience.
“The film draws parallels between the life of a captured monkey family: 20-year-old Dharmendra, his 15-year-old mate Hema and their offspring Isha. All these personalities travel from place to place with their human master Daleep. These animals are dressed up and made to perform human-like actions for public amusement. Amid all the frolic lies the true reality of how they are being mistreated and trained: Their teeth are taken out, they are starved and kept in a pathetic state in an area infested by flies and mosquitoes and tied to a rusted iron leash.”
The documentary also follows the life of a child from the behrupiya (impressionist) community who dresses up like a monkey and mimics the animal, again as a public spectacle. The impressionist community is in dire straits, trying to preserve a 1000-year art form. “The behrupiyas are illiterate and in poverty due to lack of alternate skills. Without rehabilitation, they will continue to be thrashed in the unbreakable cycle of physical, social and material oppression,” Varun says.
The subject of the film came to the 23-year-old from his childhood memories of watching similar performances. “Making the film helped me unravel the intricacies of this of this performative space,” he tells you.
While Varun is doing his Masters in film production at the School of Film and Television, loyola Marymount University, US, he has spent most of his life in Delhi. He went to Delhi Public School, Mathura Road, and later to Ramjas College for graduation in Mathematics. It was at DU that he came in touch with the theatre scene in Delhi. He always wanted to get into filmmaking but “it needs courage to come to terms with what you really want, to prove it to yourself before you begin to prove others”. For him, it involved a journey from crunching numbers in a math class to auditioning for small parts in indie films.
Although he enjoys cinematography and editing, his heart lies in direction. “I remember shooting play-acting with my cousins. Most of the time I would feature in them, but the idea of creating something was more meaningful than the content,” he says.
God on a leash was part of Court Metrage, the short film corner at Cannes. It was selected and featured through The Creative Minds Shorts Selection. For Varun, the Cannes experience was a lesson in humility. “It was humbling. At Cannes, you are only as good as your film. There are veteran filmmakers and producers who have been coming to the festival for 15 years. There is much sense in listening and grasping from the greats instead of blowing your own trumpet. I learnt so much just from talking to people. Everyone has that little experience that leaves you better informed. I talked to film producers, actors, distributors, investors and even entertainment lawyers,” Varun tell you.
Making a documentary is not how Indian filmmakers usually like to start their career. The ultimate dream is to have a feature film with a huge budget and a star name. Varun has worked on many shorts before, but for his first film, he felt that the documentary style would be the best to tell the story he wanted to narrate. “There are many hurdles to cross before moving to feature films. That comes only with time and proving one's credibility as a filmmaker,” he admits.
Considering that he is one of a handful of people representing India at Cannes, that is if you don’t count the Bollywood divas, and that he is studying at an international film school, Varun is someone who can give you a picture of how Indian cinema is seen abroad. “We are everywhere. literally. I am a novice to comment on any statistical standings but people have started to recognise the likes of Anurag Kashyap or Q (Quashik Mukherjee) as frontrunners of alternate Indian cinema.” he reveals.
Right now, Varun is working on a lot of new projects, including a feature film script. His next project is based on a true story of at-risk kids in foster care. It will go into production this October and is to be shot in California. Varun’s mottoIJ Making his films to tell poignant stories that have a personal connect with him.