After supervising the visual effects in films like An Action Hero and Commando 3, dabbling into production and direction work was seamless for Sam Bhattacharjee. If anything, with his career spanning over 17 years in TV and films, he has become a pro at juggling between titles.
Bhattacharjee made his directorial debut with Barun Rai And The House On The Cliff starring Priyanshu Chatterjee and Nyra Banerjee. The Indo-British thriller opened up to critical acclaim cementing his confidence in his directing talents.
What gave him more boost was when the film was novelised by celebrated writer Joe Hetherington. And while he was still soaking the success of the global book launch, we found him on the good side of the news yet again.
Bhattacharjee is gearing up for the theatrical release of IRah, a film starring Rohit Roy, Ameet Chana and Fagun Thakrar. He is serving as the writer, producer and also director for the techno-thriller. We caught up with Bhattacharjee for a quick chat on IRaH, the success of Barun Rai And The House On The Cliff and his upcoming ventures.
Did the pandemic, in any way, impact Barun Rai And The House On The Cliff?
To be honest, we had a very unpleasant experience due to the pandemic. Also, due to the surge in popularity of OTT platforms, we got into a very compromising situation.
Tell us how such films help in the exchange of culture and cinema and their relevance in this day and age.
Though we have roots in India, I feel the ones who are now settled outside India are expecting films customised to fit their standards of viewing. The Barun Rai franchise is trying to position the character as a universal name and keep him growing with time. Since the movie is stamped in 1978, the VFX and colour tone have been carefully studied and kept with the standard of the same time stamp. The future of Barun Rai will see him move with time in terms of visual treatment, narrative, and the general look and feel of the film.
It was your first directorial. Tell us what made you move from production work to direction.
I have always considered myself a producer and the reason to direct was to turn my imagination into reality. Barun Rai needed a free thought process without the commercial element. As an indie banner, the film required compromises and staying very disciplined with the budget to make it look at par with commercial standards but also design it within the funds available. We didn’t have any producers attached at that point and it was very difficult to turn it into reality.
Now you are back to your first love, production. Tell us how it was working with Rohit Bose Roy.
IRaH, starring Rohit Bose Roy, is a great film and is in post-production at this moment. This is again a technical film and a genre breaker. Hopefully, people will enjoy it just on the last leg of it.
How is IRaH different from the other films that you have produced so far?
IRaH is a challenging project as it deals with topics of the virtual world and artificial intelligence. I, as a director, have been challenged with the script and it has required constant revisions over years due to changing technology. I am hoping we can get you something current by the time we release this to you.
Most of the films you have produced are high on suspense and visual effects. Is it safe to assume your liking for the genre?
Since I come from a VFX background and have an interest in high-VFX films, the choice of genre is self-explanatory. I am sure you can see the development of VFX in Indian films and this will only grow as time passes by. I would love to explore a drama but I am still looking for a script that inspires me.
What does the future hold for you?
I am working on a factual project as well as animation but it's too early to comment. We are also doing some productions later this year and locking the script for the same.
Mail: muskankhullar@newindianexpress.com
Twitter: @muskankhullar03