Buzz director Maahir Khan opens up about telling a raw narrative on how art heals
Directed by Maahir Khan and backed by none other than actor-producer Anil Kapoor, Buzz is a story that captures the journey of tattoo artist Eric D’ Souza. This interesting documentary- feature now streaming on a leading OTT platform, in all its rawness, talks about the role of art in healing minds and heart. It focuses on an incredible journey of not only Eric but also Maahir who brought this narrative in front of the world though his lens. We speak to Maahir on the making of the documentary, challenges faced, bringing Anil Kapoor on board and above all art as a healer.
Excerpts:
How did the idea of focusing on a tattoo artist come to you?
It never really was about the tattoo artist or tattoos, as paradoxical as that sounds. It was about giving a voice to somebody I saw who represented the essence of the countercultural underground movement in Mumbai and could be an ambassador for it. Tattoos may have been the niche here, but fundamentally I was intent on telling a story about how art heals. The fact that it was a sub-culture I was deeply passionate about was a bonus.
How did the feature documentary format give you the liberty to explore his journey more than other formats?
Simply because I could use the low-budget requirements of documentary filmmaking and bet on myself and the team to stay so close to the truth that a story as engrossing as a narrative film would be told.
Can you shed some light on the name Buzz?
The sound of a tattoo machine to be honest! Not to mention Eric’s studio is called Iron Buzz. Seemed appropriate!
How did Anil Kapoor get associated with Buzz?
He and I were always searching for something compelling to work on, and he was a key mentor in the process for me. Although the documentary genre was not his specialty, he believed that the novelty of the story and the way I had pitched the concept would resonate with a large audience and thus chose to back it.
What kind of challenges did you face while shooting for a feature documentary?
The biggest challenge we faced was earning the trust of the subjects, many if not all of whom had never been seriously interviewed on camera. Instead of relying on manipulative editing in post to create unnatural conflicts for “masala” I forced myself to reveal far more about my own tribulations than I had planned in order to show the subjects that I was with them in the trenches as one of the tribe, rather than a transactional, omniscient camera floating around.
How did you discover tattoo as an artform through your research for the project?
I discovered tattoos when I was a wannabe rockstar (emphasis on wannabe) when I was a teenager. Tattoos seemed like the correct outfit. However, long after I left that phase behind, the deep, rich culture and symbolism along with the idea of etching something on my skin and suffering painfully through the pain seemed like earning a reward rather than just getting it. But most importantly perhaps was the fact that the kooky people in the tattoo business were just the perfect crowd to make a lonely teenager feel part of something greater — and a conflicted adult have a social home base to return to.
Tattoo art in itself has sparked conversations and myths around it. What is the conversation you are trying to start with the documentary?
I don’t think I’m trying to start any sort of specific conversation, more so that I am attempting to present a raw, unfiltered portrait of a man who heals himself through art. It would be presumptuous of me to assume how people will or won’t feel catharsis through Buzz, but my belief is that authenticity and saying what you mean is at a premium these days. A lens into someone who is brave enough to bare it all for us for the sake of art and hope is a beautiful thing in and of itself. The fact that people are being inspired is a bonus, but art really is about creating as honest a subjective piece of beauty as possible.
Upcoming projects.
Following this, I am returning to my main focus as a screenwriter and honing in on a few long term projects.
Buzz is streaming on Jio Hotstar