'Want to tell unusual stories'

Talktime

Sanjay Suri

He shot to fame with Jhankaar Beats and went on to give hits like My Brother Nikhil, I Am and ChaurangaRs  Actor-turned-producer Sanjay Suri is now back after two years with Samir Soni’s directorial debut My Birthday Song. He talks to  Sangeeta Yadav about  the movie — a psychological thriller and the digital entertainment scene

• Tell us about your movie My Birthday SongIJ
• It is a psychological thriller; a directorial debut of Samir Soni. The story revolves around a series of twist and turns blurring the lines between past, present, and future. The movie has some nail-biting moments that will keep you on the edge of your seat. It also stars Nora Fatehi, Zenia Starr and Pitobash and is set to hit the theatres on January 19, 2018. The film is independently made and is colloquial with an urban setting. The film has some great music  too.
• Then why this title for the  movieIJ
• The title of the film gives an impression that it is a musical. But there is a  metaphor there. When we listen to music,  thoughts emerge that take you to another level or flashback. listening to a song is like an experience as memories get created at times, you start analysing. Similarly, watching this film will be an experience for the viewers who will join the dots as the story would unfold. Soni was keen to make this film an experiential one. Coming from the protagonist point of view,  it is  Rajeev’s birthday which is an experience for him that the audience will also experience. 
• What made you come out of your comfort zoneIJ
• For all my previous performances,  there was a lot of work that was required — to do to build the character and the body language. Here there are fewer dialogues. But a lot has to be explained through expressions so that the viewers understand what is happening with the protagonist. I just hope it comes across the way we intend it to with the audiences. 
• Why is it that the lines of actor and producer got blurred with youIJ
• I  have been producing since 2004 with My Brother Nikhil, Sorry Bhai,  I Am, Chauranga and now My Birthday Song. The best part is the industry is that it allows you to explore new avenues. I became a producer because I wanted to tell a story  which others didn’t want to like My Brother Nikhil, I Am and others which garnered a lot of appreciation and travelled various film festivals in several countries. Even with My Birthday Song, I feel there have been only a few films that do justice to psychological thrillers.
• You last acted in Chauranga in 2016. What kept you away from actingIJ
• I was not getting calls from the directors for work and I was also waiting to do something which is exciting for me as an actor.  I didn’t want to do anything just for the sake of doing it. I made some special appearance in Nil Battey Sannata and Hindi Medium. I was also busy producing and acting in My Birthday Song which is my first thriller from my production house. Making a film like this takes time and I was busy writing five web shows and some movie scripts.
• Why the leap to digital entertainment sceneIJ
• That is the best thing that has happened to me. I worked in some of the India’s original web series like Inside Edge by Amazon original series and Dev DD  by AlTBalaji series. 
• How has digital entertainment scene evolvedIJ
• It is a growing market but also very crowded. This year you will see a lot of web shows because they started getting made from last year. There is a big influx of talent and it is an exciting time for directors and writers as well. The landscape and the environment of entertainment has changed and so has the consumption habits. Monitisation is still a challenge because  Indians don’t like to pay for the net but the trend is changing and  the urban youth especially are subscripting to Netflix, Amazon, among others. These platforms are monitised in a way that it acquires the right of video on demand. TV is  also joining the bandwagon and TV and mobile will remain the largest penetration model. Channels like Colors, Sony, Zee have their own digital platforms too.