Nagpur: The ease and prolificity with which young filmmakers in city are churning up cinema, it seems that film production is no more a dream which took many to Mumbai.
"Technology is the key to this sudden spurt," says Piyush Pande, who after making a documentary, short film and feature film, recently launched his production company. "Formats have changed and so have platforms for exhibiting the work. To top it, all there is an urgent need for content now which is steering the surge," he says.
Nagpur, with its proximity to Mumbai, has always had a sprinkle of stardust. "Then there are many from the city who made it big in Mumbai. Their success stories also fuel the urge to dabble in cinema," adds Pande and further says, "Over the last three years many filmmakers from the city have won awards for their films and this has encouraged aspirants too."
All this has created a congenial environment for filmmaking. "It is the digital content which is easy to generate, exhibit and has a high demand now with universal platforms like Netflix, Hotstar and Amazon Prime even willing to fund good projects," says Pandey, who is working on a nine-episode web series 'Dhrishtibrham' which will release in April this year. "The viewership for web series has crossed more than 5 million and is constantly rising," he adds.
The digital platforms have removed all curbs on creativity, feels Rajnish Collins, who, having worked with Ram Gopal Varma in Mumbai, is back in Nagpur where he is making a web series 'John Swamy' and short films with social messages. "Internet has revolutionized filmmaking. All those who thought they had this talent in them are experimenting with their cameras as films can now be made on very low budgets," he says. Explaining the phenomenon of filmmaking in the city, Collins adds, "A decade back, people went to Mumbai thinking that their talent would be utilized there. But the struggle in Mumbai is heartbreaking as not all succeed. Even training is unaffordable there."
Collins feels that Nagpur will become a cinema hub over the next five years. "Though the basic knowledge of filmmaking is still not at par with Mumbai but people here are learning fast. With no producers funding the projects, budgets are very low. But talent is at par with Mumbai and with experience and exposure, Nagpur is now moving closer to the megacity," he says.
Another filmmaker, RD Sharma, who after struggling in Mumbai for over a decade returned to Nagpur and is working on a film 'Naam Kalpana' says making films in Nagpur is very cost effective. "The locations are good and most modern equipment to shoot and audio video, sound mixing and editing studios are now available here," says Sharma, who will enter his film at international film festivals. "There is no dearth of talent here and I have picked up my entire cast from the city," Sharma. He recently opened a casting agency too.
Daksh Chaddha, 19, is currently working with Anurag Kashyap. He says he set up his production house in Nagpur as the ease of making films here is immense. "Today, it is not necessary that a film comes from a production house based in Mumbai. I also don't agree that struggle in Mumbai is driving back people. It is the subject of the film which will make me select Nagpur to shoot it," says Daskh, who has made short films, music videos and commercials in Nagpur and will be making a feature film too in May.
