Newsletter CF

MESTA | Issue 5 Meet the Crew Editors Reporters Photographers Nidhi Premkumar Alona Aby Krithika Snigdha Chatterjee Dennis Joseph Devassy Analoy Deepankha NL Shrinidhi Ishetha V Aditya Vishal Vidya Prabakaran Vatsala Mishra Anubhav Jayapreeti Mohan Jishnu Khyati Singh Shreya Sinha Yaashna Kumar Vrinda Rawal Designer Varnikha Shekar Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Editorial Note “With the theme for this year being “The Crew”, we have aimed at acknowledging and celebrating the tireless efforts of the numerous individuals behind the camera, without whom a film simply can not be made.” Directors. Producers. Cinematographers. Editors. a Film Festival through a college fest. And this All essential cogs in the wheel of film production. year’s theme for Khwabeeda Talkies brings But how does it all begin? Who breathes life to light a perspective on films that is not often into the thoughts that come together to create discussed. something truly magnificent? The Writers. With the theme for this year being “The And these are the very people responsible for Crew”, we have aimed at acknowledging and the newsletter that you see before you. Often celebrating the tireless efforts of the numerous unrecognised, never captured on camera, but individuals behind the camera, without whom always a hardworking and crucial presence a film simply can not be made. Every aspect nonetheless. of this newsletter - from the feature articles on It has always been a tradition of the Press Club of the inspiring experiences of each of our guests MESTA, the Media Studies Association, to create to the one-on-one interviews with personalities the official newsletter of the flagship event of the we can only ever aspire to become - has been specifically curated to share with you all the Department, and the newsletter behind-the-scenes cut of what being a Crew for Khwabeeda Talkies Member truly means. 2023 is no different. We hope that this newsletter brings you as much Khwabeeda Talkies, inspiration as it did us and that with the turn of the biennial fest of every page, each of you is pulled back into the MESTA, has always unforgettable memories of Khwabeeda Talkies sought to bring to film festival 2023 long after it is over. the students the experience of By Ms. Nidhi Premkumar Nidhi Premkumar is a student of BA EMP at CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus. She is the Student Representative of the Writers’ Lab and Press Club of MESTA. Nidhi is also the Student Editor of the CU Edge. Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

Page 4 MESTA | Issue 5 Vogue It Make-up Competition By Vatsala Mishra 2JOUH The first leg of Khwabeeda Talkies, the flagship and Night at the Oscars/ Met Gala. The event event of MESTA (Media Studies Association), began with Ms. Dorika Poplai and Ms Hiyamoni CHRIST (Deemed to be University) Bannerghatta Nath from 2 JOUH introducing the participants Road Campus began with VOGUE IT : A Make to the rules of the competition. up Competition, conducted on February 28, At 3:00pm Dr.Bhartiya honored the event with 2023 in room 211 of the University campus from her benign presence. The participants were 1:30 pm. The competition was judged by Dr. judged on the basis of application of technique, Aditi Bhartiya, Assistant Professor, Department of choice of colors, originality and creativity, Liberal Arts, CHRIST (Deemed to be University) overall presentation, and depiction of theme. The BGR Campus. competition concluded by instilling an eagerness The participants had chosen one from the five among the participants to know the results of themes disclosed to them 2 days prior to the their hard work, which were to be announced on event. The themes were as follows : The Four 4th March 2023, during the closing ceremony of Khwabeeda Talkies. Season, 21st Century Padmavati, The Nineties Are Alive, Unfolding the Ghost Within, Add a little spark to your INNER BEAUTY! Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Page 5 “I am a feminist too” By NL Shrinidhi 4EMP Khwabeeda Talkies, the biennial flagship film fest Mr Baby spoke about his trying times in the of the Media Studies Association (MESTA) from kitchen after marriage, and how it inspired him to the Department of Media Studies, commenced make a film about the ordeals faced by women with the sounding of the clapboard on March in Indian households. “I am a feminist too,” said 3, 2023, in the Main Auditorium of CHRIST Mr Jeo Baby. “Society is the reason why I made (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road TGIK. The movie changed the crew members too Campus. This year’s theme for the fest was ‘The during pre-production. They started washing the Crew’ to commemorate the unsung people in the plates,” said Mr Baby. film industry. One of the highlights of the inauguration The chief guest for the day was Mr Jeo Baby, a ceremony was the performance by the dance critically-acclaimed film director, best known for team, Insolito who hit the right chords of reverence the film, The Great Indian Kitchen (TGIK). He with their rendition of ‘Shiva and His Elements’. explained how he took instances and inspiration The following dignitaries were also present for from the prevalent, unspoken manifestations of the inauguration: Dr. Parashurama Kamath, patriarchy in today’s time while crafting the plot Head of the Department of Media Studies; Dr. for the film. “Homosexuality is not a crime”, he Ajay Kumar, Faculty Coordinator of MESTA; Dr. remarked with absolute subtlety while talking Jyothi Kumar, Dean of BGR Campus; and Dr. about his short film about same-sex relationships, John Joseph Kennedy, Dean of the School of with a sense of hope instilled in the minds of Arts and Humanities of CHRIST (Deemed to be budding filmmakers. University). Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

Page 6 MESTA | Issue 5 Stunt Double Living life on the edge By Jayapreeti Mohana Murali 2EMP Death defying stunts, awe-inspiring action She has not looked back ever since then. Given sequences, you name it, stunt artist Sanober the theme of this year’s Khwabeeda Talkies, ‘The Pardiwalla has done it all. Stunt work is a Crew’, Ms Pardiwalla explained a significant profession that may often be misconstrued as a portion of the technical processes behind stunt ‘man’s job’, but Sanober Pardiwalla, a woman, work. When asked about whether she regrets not has broken the glass ceiling by having worked in receiving recognition and fame for her work, she more than 190 Indian films. said, “I have chosen this with absolute awareness Ms Pardiwalla explored her unforgettable that I am performing for someone else”. Ms. experiences in the stunt work industry in a Pardiwalla also spilled the reality of the male- discussion at Khwabeeda Talkies, the biennial dominated industry of action films, to an extent film fest of the Department of Media Studies. Ms. where women are only confined to the identity of Pardiwalla has performed innumerable stunts in “romantic beauties”. Talking about the flipside of films and TV commercials. With over 20 years stunt work, Ms Pardiwalla spoke of the risks and of experience in this field, Ms Pardiwalla is still dangers involved, and how prioritising safety, going strong, with recent film credits such as self-reliance, and mindfulness goes a long way. Ponniyin Selvan 1 and Dunki under her belt. In Starting from the unpredictability of stunts and the her words, her first interaction with camera was doubtful pay package for stunt choreographers, when she auditioned for an advertisement and to the concerns of her own family, the parting was asked to perform a somersault in place of message she left us with was simply, “Learn to the actress, Aishwarya Rai. have faith in yourself.” Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

Page 7 T.ill Apes Band enthralls audience By Dennis Joseph Devassy 2EMP The Media Studies Association, MESTA, of rhythm, melodies, and chords, is a good song,” CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta said Mr. Soorya Praveen, who is the guitar Road Campus, under the banner of its bi-annual player and songwriter of the band. The band did flagship fest Khwabeeda Talkies, conducted a live composition and shared their experiences a Music Composition workshop on March 3, of transmitting the energy from a live audience 2023. The session was conducted by members into musical compositions. of the T.ill Apes band, a Bengaluru-based brand Mr. Amrith advised future composers to start conducting events all across the nation, whose slow, have minimal lyrics, test with a single recent projects include advertisements with IBM musical instrument, and give precedence to and content for Netflix. satisfying one’s soul first. “One must be open to The band comprising of Mr. Soorya Praveen, collaboration which raises one’s own quality of Mr. Amrith Ragunathan, and, Mr. Gautam David work. Even though there are just twelve notes in conducted a fun-filled workshop. Through the music, innumerable combinations are possible”, he said. Examples of A.R. Rahman and Taylor musical theory session, the students Swift were given when talking about breaking the learnt that the ability to clearly stereotype of a set structure. The session came to portray their emotions was the an end with an interactive discussion, giving the barometer of any composition. students an overall fruitful learning experience. “Marriage between lyrics and music - framed by the mix of “Even though there are just twelve notes in music, innumerable combinations are possible” By Amrith Ragunathan

Page 8 MESTA | Issue 5 Directors’ Cut: Making of Mirzapur By Khyati Singh 4JOUH Mirzapur, a web series released in 2018 on OTT go unnoticed or uncelebrated. platforms, has gained massive viewership for “Tension with a pinch of humor,” said Mr. Singh both of its seasons. The director of the series, Mr. as he shed light on the accuracy of the accent of Gurmmeet Singh was at the CHRIST (Deemed characters and the way gory scenes were shown to be University), Bannerghatta Road Campus with a slight touch of humor. To keep it less for Khwabeeda Talkies, a film festival. During mechanical, everyday props were also used for his interaction with the students and faculty, he showing violence, and not only weapons. When talked about the minor details of the making and asked about the representation of Uttar Pradesh shooting of the series. He described the important (UP) leading to stereotypes like a mafia state, he roles the crew of his team played for the same, be responded that the violence shown in the series it the Director of Photography or the Production was just to show the negative impact and not to Designers for the series. Mr. Singh appreciated glorify it in any way. all the members of his crew and how they often “A lot of time, the crew goes uncelebrated, rarely people get to see the contribution that goes in film making,” - Gurmmeet Singh “Shooting from a gun is not romantic; teenagers surveys did not give much hope. The result was might find it alluring, but we will keep delivering surprising! the message that these things will have bad To the surprise of Mirzapur fans, Mr. Singh repercussions in reality, and the line shouldn’t be hinted at the release of the third season of the crossed,” he stated. series, saying it would be out for audiences soon. At last, he said that no one thought that Mirzapur “Season 3 is under shooting,” he said. would be viewed by larger audiences, and public Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Bashing Patriarchy Through the Lens of The Great Indian Kitchen The screening of the movie The Great Indian Kitchen at Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 was a retrospective session for the audience. It gave the audience the chance to reflect on how patriarchy begins from within the household. Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

Page 10 MESTA | Issue 5 Magic of Cinema on Paper By Shreya Sinha 4JOUH Widely known Screenwriters, Ravi Shankaran eventually got an opportunity to write for the and Jasvinder Bath taught the tricks of movie Yamla Pagla Deewana (2011),” said Mr screenplay writing to young audiences gathered Jasvinder. They elaborated on the importance of at the Screenplay workshop held as part of the having an impactful ‘logline’ that would give a Khwabeeda Talkies, a biennial film festival of the one-line summary of the movie and an ‘elevator Department of Media Studies held at the CHRIST pitch’ that would present the conflict of the movie. (Deemed to be University), Bannerghatta Road They also explained the pattern of screenwriting Campus. according to the different Acts. The screenplay writers, known for their works in In addition to this, they threw light upon the films like Pal Pal Dil Ke Paas (2019) and Phone importance of making the characters and Bhoot (2022) narrated their experiences of their backstory interesting in nature. They also entering the screenplay writing industry. “I encouraged the participants to keep writing and used to think about how I can start my career rewriting multiple drafts before finalising their in the screenwriting industry. It was then when I script. The audience were completely absorbed started to write a piece every day. I eventually in the session and actively took notes. wrote gags, worked with NDTV Imagine and Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Love, sex Page 11 and all that Jazz NL Shrinidhi and Vishal Vidya Prabakaran 4 BA EMP “Intimacy is not just sex.” said Neha Vyaso, an With adeptness and fervor towards her profession intimacy professional best known for her work and practice, she strode her way through in Bodies of Desire and Gehraiyaan. Vyaso was addressing the parallels between intimacy, talking to the students at Khwabeeda Talkies, a consent, simulative sex, and the technical tools film festival of the Media Studies Department to make the ‘act’ seem as authentic as it can get. at the CHRIST (Deemed to be University), Her wish to see an increase in the number of Bannerghatta Road Campus. intimacy choreographers in the coming decades, Vyaso, the resource person for the discussion also accompanies her inherent desire to break on ‘Consent and Choreography’ for intimacy the stereotypical notion that intimacy direction in films, revealed the secrets about intimacy on is of an ‘elitist’ origin. Vyaso defies the binary the big screen.Vyaso spoke of feeling a sense notions of good and bad censorship with respect of comfort with her own body that enabled her to intimacy scenes in films and says “Dictatorial to become an intimacy professional. “Consent censorship is what I fight on a daily basis with is a spectrum”, she doles out meticulously, production houses, if not, my own stories”. while addressing the intricacies behind consent “We are tuned to say yes. We do not ask between performing individuals while shooting a enough questions” is all she had to say, to evoke scene. Vyaso broke the stereotypes on intimacy the voices determined to change misconceptions being limited within the confines of ‘sex’ and about consent. expressed how the term should be viewed as a dynamic and fluid concept. Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

Page 12 MESTA | Issue 5 “One film as an actor and everything changed” By Yashna Kumar 4JOUH The biennial flagship event of MESTA (The Media question to the audience, “How many of you can Studies Association) of Christ (Deemed To Be) name the technicians or even the producers who University concluded the second half of Day are not big in industry?” No answers. 2 with a keynote address by Mr. BS Srinivas, He then followed up with his story, how he a producer educationist, entrepreneur and a represented India in the 2015 Cannes Festival, producer. A visionary in the field of technology, and has interacted with directors like Shekhar he has assisted several film projects in terms of Kapur and actors like Deepika Padukone. He has technological production as well. produced several well acclaimed films and web The event took place in Mini Auditorium, in the series as well, like Bhinna, The first Kannada film presence of Director Dr Fr Biju Kc., Head of to be released on OTT platform (Zee 5), and it Department of Media Studies, Dr Parashuram was only when he acted on the big screen was he Kamath, faculties and students. Dr Fr Biju Kc recognized by the mass audience. also addressed the gathering, emphasizing the “An educationist for 22 years, a producer for importance of crew members. 6 years. No one knew me till then. 1 film and “I’m an educationist first and foremost,” said Mr. everyone suddenly asked me for selfies during Srinivas shared his passion to educate young the interval,” said Mr Srinivas as he sighed. “1 animation filmmakers. film as an actor and everything changed,” he For Mr. Srinivas, it is the story that drives the entire followed. screen project, and technology that bejewels it. Mr Srinivas concluded his talk by touching upon He delved into how his career choice was not the technological elements of films, as he has prompted by a formal education, but was fueled been associated with big budget projects like by his passion towards films. Adipurush and Bagheera for the technological To address the invisibility of crew members production. who do not appear on big screens, he posed a Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Page 13 And it’s a wrap! By Nidhi Premkumar 4EMP Curtains closed on the Khwabeeda Talkies, the The perfect compilation of the two-day fest biennial Film extravaganza of the Department was commemorated by the screening of the of Media Studies, CHRIST (Deemed to be Khwabeeda Talkies Aftermovie, which was a University), Bannerghatta Road Campus on peek into the behind-the-scenes work that went March 4, 2023 with the Closing Ceremony. into the making of the fest. The ceremony began with the much-awaited The event ended on an anticipatory note as release of Press Club’s newsletter, The CU the teaser of Raabta 2024, the cultural fest of Edge, Khwabeeda Talkies Special Edition. The MESTA, the Media Studies Association, was organising team of MESTA also celebrated played, leaving the audience eager to attend the their success of conducting the two-day film next year’s festivities. festival by playing the committee videos, which were shot in the Vogue’s 73 Questions format. Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 In conversation with Mr. Jeo Baby From Secret Minds to Kaathal: The Journey of a Director from Kottayam Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Page 15 Mr Jeo Baby, the Director and Screenwriter of the criti- cally acclaimed film The Great Indian Kitchen sat down for a short interview with us. By Nidhi Premkumar 4 EMP Having made a hit movie like The Great faced a lot of difficulties. For The Great Indian Indian Kitchen, how do you come up with Kitchen, we always knew we did not want to new concepts for future scripts and break release it in theatres as it would not get a good out of the previous genre which you were reception in the box office. Initially, none of most well known for? the major platforms were willing to release our I usually get inspiration from whatever happens movie, only Neestream released it. Then only around me and use that to create scripts for after seeing the success of the movie, Amazon my movies. There might be a lot of attention and other major streaming services started to attached to my previous movies, but I always release our movie. So the OTT platforms are still say that new movies will generate new attention. a challenge, because they look for the star cast There is always a different audience for different value more than the actual potential of the film. movies. My upcoming movie, Kaathal: The Core, is of a romantic, family drama style, which is very Is censorship in films still an issue you different from The Great Indian Kitchen, but it has face, even on OTT platforms where the its own unique story. authenticity of movies is relatively more intact compared to box office releases? When you make movies on controversial Not really, even OTT platforms impose a lot of topics like same-sex relationships in Secret censorship. This kind of in-house censorship is Minds and patriarchy in The Great Indian very common even today. For my anthology, Kitchen, do you face ostracism from the Freedom Fight, the final cut that streamed on most industry or from your audience itself? OTT platforms had censored certain scenes and The industry I have worked in has always been dialogues. This reduces the continuity of the film very open-minded on topics like these, so that is and also reduces the importance of the message never an issue I have faced. Even in the audience, we are trying to convey. This takes away our you can see a changing trend; this generation is freedom of expression, which is something that more accepting of such concepts. But on OTT, we we as filmmakers still struggle with. Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

In conversation with MESTA | Issue 5 Ms. Sanober Pardiwalla Style and Substance: The Secrets of Stunt Work Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Page 17 Ms. Sanober Pardiwalla, a renowned stunt woman, sat down with us for an interview to talk about her experi- ences with the industry. By Snigdha C 4 JOUH The number of risks involved in this in a wholesome way rather than getting profession is numerous and the amount agitated. When you are performing, it is not of recognition is nearly not enough. What just your performance, but there are a lot of exactly motivates you to pursue this full- factors involved in it, and you have to take in time career? consideration all of that. You have to be a team I did not start performing stunts for recognition player when it comes to such things as there is no hence it does not really matter, I mean it is great other way to go about it. to be recognised for what you do, but that should not be the core criteria of what you do. Not As it is truly the age of technology and CGI, everything gives you recognition in life so you how much of the stunts that we see on the should do it for your passion, and make the best screen is real work and how much of it is out of it. As for the risk part, I am also employed just VFX? outside of stunt work so this is not my sole job. I A lot can change with editing and it does am an interior designer and an architect with my change, but usually our job is to do patch work own firm in Mumbai so at the end of the day you if you know what I mean. These movies all have ensure your own safety by thinking it through. As massive budgets, but there are times when such the job in this industry is mostly freelancing you advanced technology requires a lot of money will obviously need a constant source of income but the budget has already been allocated so and job safety. there is nothing that can be done anymore and that is exactly where we come in. It is a well known fact that the entire process of shooting a stunt scene is repeated till you get the perfect shot. How do you keep your mental peace throughout this process ? Through understanding the dynamics of it Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 In conversation with Mr. Gurmeet Singh Exclusive Interview with Gurmmeet Singh: A look into the mind of the maker of Mirzapur Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 Page 19 Mr. Gurmeet Singh, is an Indian television and film director known for his work in TV shows like “Mirzapur”, “Yudh”, and “Inside Edge”. Mr. Singh sat down with Snigdha Chatterjee and Aaditya Govind Rao, reporters from Press Club for an interview and shared his views on the industry. By Snigdha C 4 JOUH The pivotal characters of Mirzapur exist at with this show it was almost impossible to only a midpoint of good and evil. What were have one director throughout the whole thing so the challenges you faced during script for us we had two. A showrunner is basically the composition in light of the mainstream head writer because they are the ones with the “hero vs villain” template that seems vision of how everything will unfold. Although to work well with the viewers time and in the case of Indian industry this term has a again? different meaning in my opinion, and to be very I think a lot of the credit for this goes to Mr. Puneet honest we are all still learning and developing Krishna, the editor of the show because he was with time to make ourselves better. And also very clear about his vision regarding this specific it is just not financially feasible for us to have storyline as he has grown up in this world where different directors for different episodes so as I violence exists in a much broader sense and has mentioned we have logistically divided the work friends on both ends. So according to this it was amongst ourselves. already decided that in this show there will be no heroes or villains as such, we wanted to tell the The OTT landscape has evolved a lot story from both the sides and portray why the since Mirzapur became the trailblazer characters did what they did. that it was. How do you ensure that the show stays ahead of the curve in terms of The distinction between a showrunner and competition? a director is pretty clear when it comes By keeping our fingers crossed. And also we to Hollywood, but here in India the roles hope and pray that as a team we evolve with the keep clashing as there is no particular content and whatever we put out resonates with difference. How would you describe the the audience. The rest depends on the audience dynamics in terms of Mirzapur and how as at the end of the day the content we are did you manage to divide these roles? creating is for them. This concept is relatively new to the Indian industry as you already have mentioned, but Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 THE C 3rd & 4th M Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew

MESTA | Issue 5 CREW March, 2023 Khwabeeda Talkies 2023 | The Crew