Film and television director Aravind Kaushik has kept himself busy through the lockdown. He started off with a weekly YouTube series, #Close Up Stories, on his channel, Black Ticket Studios. Then he focussed on the post production work of his next venture — Steel Paathre Samaan and now he has completed a short film, Dog Doll Watermelon.
The man, who has made films such as Nam Areal Ondina, Thuglak, Huliraaya and serials such as Kamali, is also known for his ready wit. Ask him what Dog Doll Watermelon is all about and he laughs saying “I have no clue.” Later he gets serious explaining, “I wanted to tell this story for a long time, but realised this particular story was not producer friendly. So I gave up the idea of making it into a full-length feature film. I was waiting for a time when I could make it on my own and decided to shoot it during the lockdown.”
The director adds that he cast himself and his wife, Shilpa, in the film. The couple used their iPhones to shoot the 35-minute film. Though he has directed many films, Aravind wants to create a space where he can showcase the work he would like to create. “It will happen soon. We have a lot of short films ready and are also introducing many newcomers on screen and behind the camera.”
Aravind is also working on a script called Fan India Film. “These day OTT platforms are a rage where suddenly everyone wants to make content-based films. This film will be a satire on that and will be an out and out comedy.”
Dog Doll Watermelon, the director reveals is an intriguing story. “It is an exercise that explores how bad man can be when given a choice. I felt it was apt to cast myself and my wife as we both know how crazy we can be together. The film also questions relationships, which I believe are overrated, in that, when it comes to expectations, it becomes a problem for both the man and the woman. It is a dark film.”
Explaining the logistics of shooting, Aravind says, “When I was acting, Shilpa would shoot and vice versa. There were a few scenes where we had combination shots. That is when all the chairs, tables, pillows at our home became tripods. The entire film was shot using natural light.”
Aravind plans to release Dog Doll Watermelon online. He adds his future projects will focus on women and create powerful roles for them. “I have noticed that there are very few roles created for women.”