Film producer Kan Singh Sodha, the man behind such interesting films as Thammar Boyfriend, 8/12 Binay Badal Dinesh, Mrityupathojatri and Shrimati is debuting as a filmmaker with a Hindi short film Dadi Ka Murabba starring Panchayat fame Chandan Roy and Usha Jerajani. A short chat with Kan Singh on the same:
Tell us how did you come up with the idea of Dadi Ka Murabba?
To be absolutely honest, I took a leaf from my past for the core concept of this short film. I was brought up in a small village in Rajasthan and was educated in a state school in I Rajasthani language. It was a big struggle to find a job, to survive. And this story depicts the struggle to become self-reliant or atmanirbhar. But the rest of the story is fictional, and the characters are fictional too.
It is about a young village guy desperate to find a job in the city. He gets rejected because of his lack of proficiency in English. But when he sees his granny selling homemade murabbas (syrupy sweets) to run the house, he decides to sell the same in order to learn communicative English. However, as the story progresses, he no longer craves the job he was so desperate for.
Being a film enthusiast did you always want to direct a film?
Yes, I have some bigger plans if everything goes well. I would love to do another short on a slightly larger scale, followed by a full-length feature. It might be a remake of one of the films I have produced.
How was it working with such actors as Chandan Roy and Usha Jerajani for your short?
It was a delight to work with him. His intelligent inputs and addition of nuances to scenes added to this project. Panchayat has already shown how good a performer he is. And working with him has made it more evident. But the real pleasure was working with Usha Jerajani. Her immense experience was an eye-opener. She could not only justify her character but also her performance helped fine-tune the performance of others and get the best out of them. Shooting in Wai during monsoon is not an easy task. But both Chandan and Usha did not let that affect their performance. They were focussed and completely into their characters.
What were your learnings as a filmmaker?
Learning is an ongoing process. But working in a short format with time and budget constraints makes you far more efficient and a fast thinker. Creativity cannot be compromised. So despite restraints, as a maker, one has to deliver the creative quality that the story and screenplay rightfully demand.
The film will release on YouTube and social media platforms on August 15.