Express News Service
Directing short films has provided a significant platform for aspiring filmmakers who dream of becoming feature film directors. Among those who followed this path is Shashank Sohgal, who is making his feature film debut after helming five short films.
“Making short films is a learning curve, and it depends on how we embrace the opportunities,” says Shashank, adding, “During my days of directing short films, I was always welcoming of critical feedback. I asked people, fellow filmmakers, and friends to point out my mistakes, which ultimately helped me grow. One of my short films, Patinga, gained considerable popularity. That success not only boosted my confidence but also propelled me towards directing a feature film.”
Now, Shashank Sohgal is all set for his directorial debut, titled Daredevil Musthafa, which is based on Poornachandra Tejaswi’s famous short story of the same name. Presented by Dhananjay’s Daali Pictures, and distributed by KRG Studios, the film is slated for a May 19 release. “Dhananjay is a literature enthusiast, and that passion got him involved in the project. When he saw the showreel, he was overcome with excitement and realised the innocence of the content. After watching the film, he took the decision to present it,” says Shashank.
Daredevil Musthafa revolves around Ramanuja Iyengari and his gang’s cunning plan to have Musthafa expelled from college. This exciting narrative unfolds through a series of fun-filled adventures, ultimately leading to a thrilling cricket match that will determine the fate of everyone involved. According to the director, the underlying theme of Daredevil Musthafa, might appear simple, but beautifully highlights the absence of religious barriers among the youth. “The narrative not only promises thrilling adventures but also explores the important theme of unity beyond religious differences,” he explains.
According to Shashank, the screenplay presented a unique challenge as he wanted to preserve the essence of Tejaswi’s thoughts. “The original short story had an open ending and left us pondering about the author’s intentions. But in the film, we have provided a conclusion by introducing additional characters. Personally, I believe we have done justice to it, and I hope the audience feels the same,” he says.
Despite the novel being published in the 1970s, the film does not adhere to a specific timeline but does generate a strong vintage charm of a bygone era. “Retro stories have a captivating effect on the audience, and I can give recent examples of KGF and Kantara, which were set in the past, and went on to become blockbusters. Although it has a period setting, the underlying story remains relevant, and that’s precisely what we have tried to achieve in Daredevil Musthafa,” says Shashank.
The filmmaker also believes the film’s emotions, themes, politics, and humour will be relatable to today’s audience. “I believe today’s youth will enjoy witnessing the college atmosphere of that era, and for the slightly elder generation, it will evoke a strong sense of nostalgia. In fact, veteran actor Mandya Ramesh, who is part of the film, became emotional during the dubbing process as he was transported back to his college days. The film will create a unique experience for each group,” says Shashank.
Interestingly, with Daredevil Musthafa requiring a bigger budget due to an expanding canvas, the film eventually transformed into a crowdfunded project. “We shot this film in a 60-day schedule, and we required a minimum of 50 people on set every day. There was risk involved, and as a last resort, I took to Facebook and pitched the idea. Fortunately, we received support from 100 fans of Tejaswi who generously funded the film. This made Daredevil Musthafa the first-ever crowdfunded film, which was specifically backed by an author’s fans,” he says.
Explaining his take on Daredevil Musthafa, Shashank reiterates that he went with a rather realistic approach to the narrative. “We took inspiration from classic films like Malgudi Days. Although we couldn’t find a suitable college backdrop in the Malnad region, we stumbled upon a 150-year-old school in Mysuru, which was converted into a college where 90 per cent of the movie has been shot. Interestingly, while shooting, we discovered that Poornachandra Tejaswi’s father, Kuvempu, had studied there until class V. Additionally, we filmed in locations such as Mudigeri and Kottegehara, where Tejaswi resided,” reveals Shashank, who shares that the film needed a huge star cast to bring to life a college story.
“There are 18 actors in prominent roles, and at least 100 junior artists. We wanted students aged 16 to 18 as the story revolves around 1st PUC and II PUC, and we primarily cast theatre artists from Mysuru and Bengaluru,” explains the director, adding, “The college staff and principal were portrayed by familiar faces like Mandya Ramesh, Nagabhushana, and Poornachandra.”
Among the lead characters, Shishir essays the titular role, and Adhitya Ashree plays a significant character. Both are theatre artistes from Mysuru and Bengaluru. The film also stars Preerna, a Bharatanatyam student who began shooting for the film while she was still in 10th grade. Sharing his shooting experience with youngsters, Shashank says it was incredibly refreshing.
“The youthful vibe was infectious. I had actors who were younger than me, and it was liberating. We had a lot of input and improvisation. The script may have been one page, but the acting expanded it to two pages, and the humour was working brilliantly,” he says. The film has music by Navaneeth Sharm, and Rahul Roy handling the cinematography.
There was a time when film adaptations of novels were incredibly popular in the Kannada film industry, but it has become a rarity today with most filmmakers donning the roles of both writer and director. “All my short films are written by me. However, the decision to work on Daredevil Musthafa stemmed from a personal connection. A sense of expression resonated within me, and I worked on its screenplay,” he says.
Shashank also believes the practice of reading books is very important when it comes to developing stories for the screen. “Although I started cultivating the habit of reading quite late, during my college days, I began immersing myself in novels written by authors like S L Bhyrappa, Ravi Belegare, and Poornachandra Tejaswi. As I read, I often envisioned the narratives from a cinematic perspective. One such story that caught my attention was Daredevil Musthafa,” says the director.
Shashank wraps up his conversation saying that he has compiled a list of novels and short stories that could be adapted into films, and the realisation of the same hinges on the box-office result of Daredevil Musthafa.
For all the latest Entertainment News Click Here
For the latest news and updates, follow us on Google News.
Denial of responsibility! NewsBit.us is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.
