A team of budding filmmakers from
Darjeeling have debuted with a youthful love story titled ‘Punarjanma’
or ‘reincarnation’ recounted in the backdrop of the Himalayas.
The project, one of the team members
joked, “has been in the making since some time as one of the main and
senior characters used to be a hero”. Shooting is slated to commence
from the first week of July. The feature film is being produced under
the Red Panda Movies banner and is directed by debutant Adithya Rayaa.
Hinting at the storyline, Rayaa said, “I
know people will want to link ‘Punarjanma’ with rebirth and revenge.
But the film is an entertaining love story with no twist and turns. I
basically wanted to capture on celluloid the present-day youths of the
hills and the things they run after including love.”
The mahurat shot was taken this morning
at Mahakal Mandir near Chowrastha where the cast and crew also offered
prayers along with veteran filmmaker Pratap Subba.
“We had the mahurat at the temple
premises. It was great to have ‘Subba sir’ clap the first shot as he has
been our inspiration,” said Rayaa, who has worked in three of Subba’s
films – ‘Timro Hamro Jindagani’, ‘Mero Uthne Palo’ and ‘Yaad Timro Aayo’
- as chief assistant.
The production house that comprises
members engaged in the fields of music, drama and theatre admitted it
would not be a cakewalk completing the movie even as it declined to
divulge about the film’s budget given the paucity of sponsors and
producers.
“We have pooled in money from various
quarters to take forward the shooting. It is difficult to make a film
without a producer and sponsors, but we were eager to make a beginning
under any circumstance. As for the budget of the film… let’s not get
into that at the moment,” said Rayaa.
He added, “But we will definitely pay
the actors. Our main worry is transportation and outdoor filming
expenses as we will be shooting in various locales of the hills.”
Fortunately, the team has its own
filming equipment and the artistes and technicians are all locals, which
will help in cutting down major expenses.
“For example, we do not have to hire
cameras and lights as they can be expensive. Our technicians and crew
members are co-partners as well,” said the debutant director.
Darjeeling boy Kapish Sharma, the film’s
hero, is at present struggling in Mumbai to make it big. Meanwhile,
Divya Chhetri, the heroine, is an award winner. She has won the best
actress award in the Ladakh International Film Festival 2013 for her
role in ‘Oasis’. The film’s cinematographer Binay Shanker has also won
the best cinematographer award in the North Bengal Film Festival 2008.
‘Punarjanma’, conceptualised and written
by Rayaa, who will also score its music, is expected to hit the floors
this Diwali. The production house has also roped in Lhamu Sherpa, the
director of Triveni Sangitalya, as the film’s choreographer. Sherpa’s
institute tutored Anushka Chhetri, the runner-up in the Dance in Dance
reality dancing show.(EOIC)