Filmmaker Subhadra Mahajan’s film, 'Second Chance' is a lucid tale in black and white
Filmmaker Subhadra Mahajan’s debut feature, Second Chance, is releasing in theatres across India on June 21. The film had its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and its Asia premiere at the Busan International Film Festival, and was officially selected for IFFK. Shot in black and white by her husband Swapnil S Sonawane—the DOP of Monica, O My Darling, Newton, and Superboys of Malegaon—the film follows the story of Nia, who after experiencing the first major trauma of her life, retreats to her family’s summer home in the Himalayas where time, nature, and unlikely friendships help her heal.
Subhadra shares the details of the film with us.
Second Chance finds beauty in black and white, and hope in the Himalayas
What inspired the script of Second Chance?
Like most first feature films, Second Chance is deeply personal. I was born and raised in Himachal Pradesh. I spent most of my childhood there. I moved to Mumbai for college and subsequently for work, after which I became a city girl. I am a product of urban modern India and the timeless, rustic Himalayas, and I wanted to tell a story about the meeting of these two different worlds. Thus, Second Chance was born. I was also inspired to tell a story of hope and healing, of our connection with Mother Nature and of unlikely friendships.
How did you settle on the cast, especially the protagonist and the child actor?
For me, Nia was always Dheera Johnson. I had known her for years and loved her energy, especially her dancing. The first time I saw her on screen was on a small YouTube travelogue. I pitched her the story, and after a basic audition, both the casting director and acting coach Dilip Shankar and I felt confident that she would be able to pull it off. She took an intense four-week acting workshop to prepare for the role. Dheera loved acting so much that she decided to give it a serious shot. She won a scholarship to the Lee Strasberg Theatre & Film Institute in LA, which is where she is currently based. As far as Sunny is concerned, I knew that the character was a mix of extreme innocence and naughtiness. Though I auditioned many boys in the local community, Kanav Thakur stood out because he was just exactly like the Sunny I had in mind. He was notorious for being the naughtiest boy in his village. It took me a long time to make friends with him and understand how best to get what I need from him on screen.
Why did you choose black and white to shoot the entire film?
The story of Nia is around finding light at the end of a long and dark tunnel. Eastern philosophy, which forms the backbone of the film, teaches that we find light in darkness and darkness in light, realising that life is nothing but an interplay of the two. Therefore, I felt this story would be well-told in black and white, through the yin-yang of the natural world.
Mountains are a crucial part of the film? How important was the cinematography?
The winter season in the Kullu valley, with its towering snow peaks, clear skies, bare-branched apple trees and high contrast between light and shadow, makes for a particularly striking and novel visual in monochrome. Mother nature plays a major role in Nia’s healing. The trick was to stay with the character and her journey. Hence, we took many picturesque shots, but only retained those in the edit where Nia herself is bonding with Mother Nature and healing through her.
What inspires you as a director?
Characters from real life inspire me the most as both a writer and a director. However, my biggest inspiration comes from my homeland of Himachal Pradesh.
What is the last thing you watched that impressed you?
It was Rhythm of Dammam by Jayan Cherian. Every aspect of that film, from the mostly non-actor cast and their performances, the cinematography, sound, music, and the story, which is heart-wrenchingly personal yet spans across centuries of trauma.
Which are the films that you are working on currently?
There are a couple of scripts that I have been writing with Pan Nalin. On my own, I am one draft down on my sophomore film, Moh, which was selected at the Oxbelly screenwriting retreat last year. It’s set in Himachal Pradesh again, but is very different from Second Chance.