Indrasis Acharya rediscovers relationships over time in his latest movie- Good Bye Mountain. We catch up with the director on the movie, location and if content is still King?
Mountains are a sentiment that especially Bengali’s never try to bid good bye to. Why the name Good Bye Mountain?
I have come across many personalities in my life who are full of wisdom, education and experience, much like a metaphorical mountain. If anything hit their sentiments, it used to come back. Everything felt negligible compared to their persona. In the movie there is a character whose persona is like those mountains. To leave behind such a character or stay near the and experience their wisdom, is the crux of the film. Literally, the movie is also shot in the mountains.
What was your brief to Rituparna Sengupta and Indraneil Sengupta?
They are proven actors with an apt chemistry in the film. When the idea germinated I briefed it to Rituparna. She wanted to make it a film and become the protagonist. I had suggested Indraneil’s name and everything fell in place. You will experience chemistry and conflict of characters in the film which seems to be simple but is not.
Do you thing the Romance genre is getting lost in the wave of thrillers and mystery?
Romance exists. But we are losing it amongst the thrill of gadgets and loud lifestyle. There is also a societal norm about romance. What was only man – woman relation has expanded due to societal progression, but still there is a boundary. From my first film till today, I try telling stories from the point where this boundary starts crossing.
Why did you select Kerala as the shoot location?
I’m very particular about the location preferring virgin and secluded places. Here, my producer is from Kerala and had a bungalow. I saw the place and liked it. Moreover people have seen Darjeeling, Sikkim, Kalimpong, Kurseong , so I thought they should explore something more.
In an age of 3 second reels, what works with the viewers- duration or content is still the king?
People are transforming and I don’t know where we are heading for. I see there is hardly any audience in Bengal for serious cinema. It is becoming challenging. When the objective of cinema becomes commercial, we get less time for the word of mouth promotion.
Good Bye Mountain releases in theatres on July 25
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