After winning the National Award for best feature film (Gujarati) earlier this year, Gyan Correa's debut film will now represent India at the Oscars 2013. The filmmaker chatted with Divya Kaushik on the important role NFDC is playing to promote out-of-the-box ideas and real stories
After enjoying a candy ride, a child’s mind is open to new ideas and interesting explorations. Something similar happened with the adman Gyan Correa. When an idea to make films struck him, he decided to get on the truck and explore the streets of India. Soon after extensive travelling and for few days leading a life truck drivers do, the idea of The Good Road was born. The next step was to get the script ready and writing took him seven years. You can call that a sign of a perfectionist that for his debut film he didn’t want to leave any loose ends. National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC) was approached, “for I knew none of the mainstream, big producers will be interested in funding my film. Nor did I ever want to turn the script to suit the commercial demands. I knew that NFDC can only sponsor my film.” Then the cast of the film was finalised and this precisely is the story of how The Good Road was made. The film that bagged the National Award for the best Gujarati film earlier this year will represent India at the Oscars 2013. More than elated, Correa sounded super busy when we got in touch with him over the weekend.
The film, which shows the unknown India through a boy who was lost and found while his family is on a holiday in Kutch, is now the talk of the tinsel town. “But I never made the film keeping in mind how it will be received in the commercial industry. It is a different story which has three layers to it. It tells a real tale in a direct and modern way. It’s a film with strong story elements,” says Correa, who for long wanted to make a movie but was clear that he didn’t want to convert any redundant idea into a film. But he adds that the mass popularity of the film, thanks to the number of recognitions it’s earning, is another example that the audience is more receptive to different kind of cinema. “Also the lines between the commercial and mainstream cinema are blurring. What’s rated is a good story with strong screenplay, which I think is a positive sign.”
The fact that this year most appreciated, intelligent films are from NFDC’s kitty proves that the organisation is once again assuming the role and reputation it once had. “I feel it is because of the changing management or people’s perspective that NFDC is here again to play an important role in promoting and giving chance to out-of-the-box ideas and young filmmakers. Most films like The lunchbox and The Good Road are from NFDC,” he shares.
The casting of the film is done interestingly. His main character is a truck driver Shamjibhai, who was selected after he looked at highways across India for the truck drivers. For the part played by a little girl in the film they went across Surat, Rajkot and Ahmedabad. The girl was finally found near Ahmedabad. The urban couple are actors selected from Mumbai. “The casting had to be as close to the character in the film as possible. But everything was a very organic process. After casting, people were trained and given workshops to learn what they are required to do in the film,” informs Correa.
The film stars Keval Katrodia as seven-year-old Aditya who loses his way in the desert. It also stars Sonali Kulkarni and actor Ajay Gehi as Aditya’s parents. Music director Rajat Dholakia has composed the music for the film and the Academy Award-winner Resul Pookutty is the man behind the sound designing of Correa’s film. “He liked the script and was very clear that he wants to be a part of it,” he ends.