The leader of a unit has to be calm and positive: Sameer Vidwans

Director Sameer Vidwan has a variety of film subjects to his credit. From Time Please (2013) and Double Seat (2015) to YZ (2016) and Mala Kahich Problem Nahi (MKPN; 2017), the director has experimented with various genres. In his next, Sameer will be directing a biopic of Anandi Gopal, the first woman from the erstwhile Bombay presidency of India to graduate in western medicine.

Sameer admits that he has always planned his work and this time too, it was the same. “After MKPN, I was on a lookout for what I can experiment with next. That’s when the producers approached me with Anandi Gopal. Our wavelengths and ideas matched and that’s how the fifth film began,” says Sameer, who goes by two approaches while directing — ‘why am I telling the story?’ and ‘how will I tell the story?’

The director is known for his calm and composed attitude on sets and credits his team for the same. “Honestly, I believe, that the leader of a unit has to be calm and positive. If not, then it affects the entire vibe on the set. Of course, there is chaos and yelling but we don’t carry it forward, it is momentary. I try and solve issues at individual levels, which makes it easy for everyone.”

Sameer adds that directing a biopic was difficult as it involves a real person. “You have to be careful of the portrayal and ensure you are not hurting any sentiments. In Anandi Gopal, we are not only talking about their education and western medicine. We are also showcasing her life as a wife, the relationship with her husband and most importantly, the couple’s inner and outer struggles.” He shares that depicting the era and the timeline was also a task. “For the night scenes, to maintain authenticity, we shot with lanterns. It is all about technique and the right usage of camera light. It was a risk but it was worth taking. I am glad we could experiment with it.”

First Published: Feb 05, 2019 14:01 IST