New York-based filmmaker Ram Alladi’s fascination with Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi began 30 years ago on October 3, 1989; when he visited Delhi’s Gandhi Museum as a part of a high school educational tour. “All through the tour, my attention was on Gandhi’s bloodstained shawl in a showcase and I kept thinking how to wipe out those stains,” recalls Alladi. It was then that the seeds of Alladi’s short film, Ra’s Metanoia were planted in his head.
“The initial idea was to bring Gandhi into the current times and the final draft of the screenplay got ready in 2018,” adds Ram.
Shot entirely in the US, Ra’s Metanoia is a stunning non-linear tale that captures events from Gandhi’s life and memoir, Magic Spell of a Book, with a sprinkling of fictional elements. It also features one of Gandhi’s favourite songs, Ekla Chalo Re, written by Rabindranath Tagore.
Alladi’s labour of love has so far picked up 11 laurels at reputed film festivals including the best director award at Dada Saheb Phalke Festival. As the film gears up for an OTT release this Gandhi Jayanti, we speak with Alladi about the same.
What were the challenges while shooting Ra’s Metanoia?
There are two main scenes that were shot outside the US during winter. The opening scene shows three antagonists in conversation before January 30, 1948; in a campfire during sunrise. I had to capture the sunrise in less than a minute without losing the actors’ performances and maintaining the campfire flames. Another scene shows Bapu and his friend Henry West talk in Tolstoy Farm in South Africa. Storywise it is summer but we shot it in the first week of October.
Tell us about your upcoming Sanskrit film Nabhamsi?
Nabhamsi (Skies) is the story of a man’s journey to identify the source of one of his first and most primal memories. It’s a full-length, live-action, lyrical romance. Alongside literature, Nabhamsi will highlight several forgotten Indian dance art forms illustrated in vivid colours, reflecting the vibrant energy of Indian culture over a thousand years ago. To be shot mostly in the US, it’s scheduled for January 2023 release.
Your other upcoming projects?
There’s a documentary set in 1960s India. I’m also working on a feature with a dark plot set in 1973 India, with an alternative global narrative.
sharmishtha.g@newindian express.com
Twitter: @sharmidas