Hello Friends, welcome to a new interview today
With us today are present two film directors
Khushboo and Vinay
The film these two have directed is titled - 'An Insignificant Man', you might have seen the trailer of the film
I would like to ask some questions about the film with them
Welcome Khushboo and Vinay
My first question is
What is the important thing about this film ?
This film is a non-fictional political thriller
We followed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Mr. Arvind Kejriwal for one year
Starting from when they developed the political party till their first election, around the end of 2013
During this period, we did the shooting of the film
We were in the party offices
All the backdoor decisions taking place, laughs and quarrels in-between the party workers, we have shot them for the film.
Never-ever has such a film been made
Either a film has been made where an actor portrays the character of a politician
else a film where they show the everyday happenings of the political parties from a distance
But in this film you will get to see the inside scoop
If there will be so much inside information in this film
people will start asking questions
as to how did you get so much information.
This might also be a reason why such a film has never been made yet,
because no politician has ever shared so much information
What type of relations do you have with the AAM AADMI PARTY ?
We don't have any relations with the AAM AADMI PARTY or with any other party
Myself and Khushboo are from Mumbai
We are film-makers
Before this we did a movie titled 'Ship of Theseus' which was directed by Mr. Anand who is the producer of our current film and was co-written by Khushboo
After finishing 'Ship of Theseus', we were searching for a new subject for a new film which would be our first film.
That time Aam Aadmi Party started with the leadership of Mr. Arvind Kejriwal following Mr. Anna Hazare's aim
There was a lot pessimism and negativity around them at that time
People had the thought that an activist shouldn't enter politics, as no activist so far had been ever successful and to start a party and win an election within a year and bring the JAN-LOKPAL bill was like watching dreams during the day.
AAM AADMI PARTY being a new political party at that time was doing a lot of revelations
AAP did a press conference where-in they disclosed the Swiss Bank account numbers of two of the wealthiest industrialists of India - Mr. Mukesh Ambani & Mr. Anil Ambani
Following which Mr. Mukesh Ambani sent a notice to every news channel, stating that they have DEFAMED him by showing the related press conference.
As a result, every news channel started reducing their coverage of the AAP, people also believed that AAP was a joke.
During this period where the AAP was given no coverage by the media, we approached the AAP.
We asked the AAP that what's happening with their party currently, we wan't to capture it in a neutral unbiased way.
We just want to shoot silently whats taking place in the room.
They were happy for the fact that at least someone came with a camera
There was so low interest in them at that time that someone was actually looking to meaningfully capture what they were doing and prepare a documentary about it
They were more than happy.
This was the reason why they allowed you
yes, and the only condition by them was that you shouldn't have some kind of expectation from us and vice-versa.
Don't expect us to tell you our daily schedule, whom we meet, what we do etc.
You stay out of our work and we will stay out of yours.
Now people think that how did we get such an access with the AAP.
But when AAP started back in 2012, nobody had an idea how big they will become one day.
No one was taking AAP seriously
It was over the period of time that their story got so big
If you might remember, until the results of elections in 2013 were declared,
Till then only people in New Delhi heard or knew about them, but the rest of the country had no idea about AAP, let alone the number of seats they will win.
If you look at it now, it seems like we were at the right place at the right time.
It was just by chance that we were following our instincts and we landed up in the right place.
At what point did you realize that this will become a movie
Or was it after you shot the first frame and decided to make it into a film ?
Hmmm, no.
Actually, that's challenge in making a documentary
When you make a fiction film, there's a script and you know what will take place in the beginning and the end.
But with the documentary, the challenge is that you don't know whats going to take place in the beginning and the end, you just keep following the story.
This time, when we started following the story, we realized that these people are interesting and the landscape of elections in New Delhi had never been seen before.
neither in films or news.
As filmmakers, we started to see an opportunity in this area to tell a very interesting story.
When we started to shoot the film, we also got to observe and shoot how a common man sees and understands DEMOCRACY
We then decided to pursue this story for one year.
We also accepted that whatever the end result maybe, the story is interesting
That's the reason why we invested so much time in this story.
I think the inside information regarding BJP and Congress would be similarly interesting.
What was going on in Mr. Narendra Modi's campaign during that time, people will be interested to know that too.
Do you have any plans in that story, have you approached them asking that we want to shoot the inside story of BJP and Congress.
It will be amazing to find out what takes place in Mr. Narendra Modi's campaigns
We did approach Delhi BJP and Congress at that time by stating that we also want to shoot your campaign.
That film would be different, in that film we could have seen how parties compete with each other, what strategy is being used by which party.
What kind of verbal altercations take place in-between the parties etc. That film would also have been very interesting, but we didn't get the access.
We even asked our known, friends who were journalists etc, if they knew anyone in politics? We even went to the offices
asking them to allow us to shoot, unfortunately we couldn't acquire those permissions.
Should this movie be seen in the form of a documentary or a biopic or an entertainer, what will you say?
well, in all the screenings which have taken place for some people here and across the world
The first feedback which we get especially from the Indian people is that - this film is not a documentary, its an entertaining film.
It has 2 meanings to it
First, that people don't combine a Documentary and Entertainment film.
Either it's a documentary film or an entertaining film in which one has fun.
The footage shown in this film is like a documentary footage because those incidents took place in real life.
AAM AADMI PARTY, Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, Mr. Yogendra Yadav, Mr. Manish Sisodia, all these people are real and we were with them when they were working towards their first election.
From all of the footage we had, we have tried to make a fair document/film, a sort of chilling film.
We made such a film because we both don't like boring films and specially don't like to watch boring documentary films at all.
Somewhere I think is that people have seen the film and have enjoyed it as an experience, as an emotional experience and that is why people should go and watch the film.
For me the only reason to watch a film is that I should enjoy it, on an intellectual level or at an emotional level, either of the two.
and that is definitely happening for people who are watching the film.
This movie makes me think of other films, like there was a biopic on MS Dhoni, although they used Bollywood actors in it.
Similarly another film about Sachin Tendulkar came where they showed footage from the old days. Its like the inside footage you have shown about AAP which no one else had yet seen, similarly in that film, they showed footage which was unseen before.
It was sort of self promoting the film
Looking at the posters and trailer of your film, it looks similar to the one about Sachin Tendulkar, but here self promotion of Mr. Arvind Kejriwal is taking place.
Biopic means that you are focusing on one persons life story.
But this film is definitely not a biopic of Mr. Arvind Kejriwal because we are not showing his childhood or personal life etc.
Calling this film as a biopic will be wrong.
This is not a self promotion either, there are some things in this story which are interesting like
In this story there are some ideas and things which are interesting like - decentralization of politics, transparency, participatory democracy etc.
All these ideas are being mentioned and pondered upon, but when its time to implement these ideas, what happens ?
When you are an activist, its very easy to say things should be in a certain manner and when you become a politician and try to implement those things, what takes place.
It is impossible to do these things without a compromise and you will get to see all of this in the film.
The film reflects the journey of Arvind Kejriwal from starting as an activist to a politician.
& the compromises made plus what has been done right or wrong
Dhruv: Does it show negative aspects?
Yes, it has negative aspects as well along with criticism.
it is tough to make such biopics in which such criticism is made
coz MS Dhoni & Sachin were depicted as Superheroes(laughs)
Exactly
coz people stand and ask "How can you say that" since
i like him so much & you are showing his criticism
which leads to riots and all.
so it's not that kind of film.
Since positive as well as negative aspects are also shown in film, so
what do you feel how will they perceive it, will they promote it
or Aam Aadmi people in general?
We showed him the film in the last week of november or 1st week of december
coz he shall be busy at the time of release
His reaction was a nit distinct on watching the film
He said that "Yes, it's Okay."
I don't know whether he'll promote it or not
coz we did not had any conversation even during the shooting of the film.
We did shooting in small corner along with camera
and used to hold it in hand
without any tripod or monopod
the entire film has been shot handed
so aam aadmi people felt that some project is going on
and when we brought the entire film after a span of 1.5 years
then it becomes weird for the film & Arvind
coz when we talk to other documentary film makers then they also say that
people on whom the film is made dont have much
words to say on seeing it
coz it's their life itself so how to say whether it's good or bad
but
I also think that it's difficult for the political party leaders
to view the film objectively.
you have to judge whether it's correct for their political career
or not
Yesterday, Ravish saw the film
& gave an apt answer
It was a proud moment
since we admire him a lot
He said that this film has been made
& such film wont be remade again.
and the reason is that it not only glorifies
It also doesn't portray them as villains since they are politicians.
or glorify them just coz they are activists
it is neither this nor that.
let's talk about how film 'll perform.
What are your expectations- whether it'll be commercial succesful film like salman khan starrer film
or like a documentary film which'll get critical appreciation
not much people would watch it?
Let me tell you honestly that no filmmaker has answer to this question.
Every filmmaker desires
that their film reaches masses of audience
but as per mathematics of cinema,
that how many people will watch the film where and the fate of
film is decided on friday itself
but moving a step back from that,
when we were making this film,
a political film in documentary form, a political thriller
We were told by many people not to make such film since it wont be watched by many.
and noone has interest in such film.
I remember that In 2014, the capital employed by me and khushbu in the beginning of the project
got finished and then we borrowed from Anand which again got spent,
and then we again borrowed from him which again got spent(khushbu giggle)
so beyond a certain point,
And Anand was still ready to lend since he believed in such project
but we were embarrased to ask for any further amount.
then it was khushbu's idea for crowdfunding i.e.
going to public and telling them that if they want to see such film then support us.
and I believed that no one would give even a single penny
then I told khushbu that I wont put my hand into this and
This experiment shall fail & when you'll come after such mistake then I shall tell you that I told so earlier.
khushbu set up our own independent website
without any crowdfunding platform
We borrowed our friend's payment gateway and cut the trailer and hosted it on the site.
We were looking to raise $20000
instead we landed up getting $120000
from nearly 800 crowd funders.
people gave from 10 rupees to 100000 rupees
Someone gave 10 rupees from Asansol stating that He doesnt have much money but
he wants to let us know that he's with us.
That was the first indication that people are there.
Sometimes we assume that people are not there
so there's no point in doing it
Also we wanted to somewhere persevere with the journalistic integrity and credibility of the film
and then we took this film to plenty of International organisations
who are not linked with National politics.
We went to Sundance since it has funded many academy winning documentaries ,
barkha Brickdock journalism fund which goes for journalist integrity
then we went to International lawyers to know whether the things said in the film
are not against anyone without any concrete evidence
so that ....defamation case....coz it's out responsibility
exactly
its also our responsibility as citizens, citizen journalist that put out
we have due regress procedure like Khushbu had the foresight
to say that we should be doing this
coz I had very casual approach that who watches such thing in India
but I am so happy that we managed to complete that process
and then when we released the trailer
trailer went viral and all of that
but our own partners said that people wont come to watch in theatres
So when we did put it up in theatre, we stated that Tickets in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore shall have preview shows
movie is releasing on 17th Nov, so lets put up review on 16th nov.
preview shows were all sold out within 20 hours
while Bangalore shows were sold out within 2 hours.
which clearly indicated that people are curiously waiting
then we talked to PVR that people
want to watch this film so how can we make this film reach them?
so PVR said that they have a new concept - PVR VKAAO
Now, from any location in India through PVR VKAAO website
if you want to bring the movie to your nearest PVR Theatre, then create a screening by Dhruv rathee
and out of basic no. of 100 seats, if 25 seats get filled then screening shall be confirmed
so that means if someone wants to see any movie, 25 tickets
25% or 50%, whatever is the minimum threshold limit for the cinema
& the moment that amount of tickets are sold, screening gets confirmed.
so this is the most decentralised way with which we could come up with.
We give the responsibility to audience that if they
want to watch such movie, then create a screening in your location, call your friends & enjoy.
Dhruv: This is also a good information for you all.
& if you want to see a film then make a group & get it screened.
Go on the VKAAO Site
As a result, on the opening weekend, we have 2 confirmed screenings in Latur,
in Nagpur, Dehradun & other small towns of India
where it is expected that not much people would watch, those states are running up ahead
People of Delhi, Mumbai know that
Film shall be surely put up so they are not much active i.e. 'll decide in last 24 hours, 48 hours
but other small towns are running forward & we are getting confirmations all across India, which is very heartening for us.
so the question whether people 'll watch this
When we see that PVR believes that big blockbusters movies don't have such full advance bookings
& when we see it along with demand for such non-fiction political thriller
then it is very reassuring for us &
we hope it is reassuring for other filmmakers
to take these risks & make such sort of films.
With this, I am remembered by "BBC: planet Earth"
a show, which is documentary as well as entertaining & people also want to see it.
While it is in context of nature but this is similar to POLITICAL BBC Planet earth.
We feel that politicians are also like animals in the...(laughs)
so it's good comparison.
My last question for you is for people who stay abroad, how can they watch this film?
Actually, film has been played in 50 film festivals, in 30 countries but other than this
our biggest partner "WISE FILMS" who shall telecast it in 22 nations on television, theatres & digitally
so is it possible to see it on website of WISE FILMS?
this information could be given only after theatrical release of the film.
so that means it might release on online platform.
so tons of thanks to Khushbu ji and Vinay ji
Thanku..
so, friends , if you are interested in watching thie film, then this film is releasing on 17th November
& by visiting PVR VKAAO website, you can book it for screening.
Thank You!!
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