“There are only two Gods worth worshipping – chance and light”: Veteran cinematographer Anil Mehta

These were the maxims shared by National award winning cinematographer, writer, actor and director Anil Mehta as “axioms that define the life of a cinematographer”

Swati Bhat

Chairing a masterclass titled ‘Guiding Lights’ in the side-lines of the 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI), Anil Mehta explained images are what appeal cinematographers. In practice, cinematography is guided by vagaries, chance, interpretation and individual choices, he said.

Mehta’s well-known projects include Lagaan (2001), Saathiya (2002), Kal Ho Naa Ho (2003), Veer-Zaara (2004), Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (2006) and Ae Dil Hai Mushkil (2016).

The languages of a cinematographer are different, he said. Getting caught at the quantity is not really cinematography, feels the veteran cinematographer.

What is his most valuable advice to future DoPs? “You should start your conversations with the director in an open manner and it is mostly about listening. Cinematography is also about listening, though it feels like a job where you talk to a lot of people, marshall your resources and get things done”, answered Mehta.

On virtual production in India, Anil Mehta commented, “We have not yet done enough work on it to know where it will go.”

Mehta explained the DoP point-of-view of some of his famous projects like Khamoshi, Badlapur and Sui-Dhaga. Some thought-nuggets that he shared with budding cinematographers/DoPs:

• A DoP should try to think about how to place the camera from the day he or she starts reading the script

• Anil Mehta personally doesn’t like to make a storyboard

• If you have a sense of scene and know what to play, then your work is half done

• Rhythm of the shot is something that the cinematographer can only feel

• Very often shots emerge while filming

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Want viewers to be part of my cinematic universe: Filipino Director Lav Diaz

When the Waves are Gone directed by Filipino auteur Lav Diaz is a contender for Golden Peacock award in the International Competition Category at the 53rd International Film Festival of India. A dark, protracted tale of revenge and crushing cycles of violence, When the Waves are Gone had its premiere at the Venice Film Festival 2022. Shot in black and white on 16 mm film, it documents the ‘narco wars’ unleashed by the police in the name of ‘cleansing’ the society, which resulted in many extra judicial killings. Speaking with media and delegates at IFFI Talks organized by PIB on the sidelines of the film festival, Lav Diaz, popularly known as the ‘Filipino master of slow cinema’ said that he wants his viewers to be part of the cinematic universe.

Adding more details, Lav Diaz said that he doesn’t manipulate the audience and just wants to be an observer. “People who are into my cinema negate the divide between screen and viewer. They are part of the cinema. Immersive process is completed with the long shots and the long duration”, he added.

Lav Diaz criticised the approach of Hollywood films where everything is subordinated to the lead actor. “Those films follow the movement of the lead actor till the end. You don’t see life. In my films, you will notice trees, birds, people walking and life in all its manifestations,” he said.

Lav Diaz’s films are notable for their long duration. Evolution of a Filipino Family lasted for around 11 hours while The Woman who Left is 3 hours and 48 minutes. When the Waves are Gone which was screened yesterday at IFFI also clocked 3 hours and 7 minutes. Justifying this long canvas he chooses for his films, Lav Diaz said that the concept of 2 or 2.5 hours films is imposed by capitalism and business. He further said that cinema is a free form of expression for him.

“For me cinema is more of a cultural activity and art form. I want to express myself, I want to represent my culture. I want to examine life through my cinema. I want to make cinema the way I want to, ” he explained.

Tracking the genesis of the movie, Lav Diaz said that When the Waves are Gone started as a gangster movie seven years ago. ‘’Failure to find actors and budget led to delay’’. He added that he pushed the film to the producers in another way three years ago as a kind of reaction to the human rights violations happening in Philippines in the name of war on drugs.

So, considering the long duration, one might wonder does Lav Diaz actually have an editor for his films? Replying to this question, he said that he edits the film himself. “My shots are long. I just connect them. It’s hard work actually. You should find the rhythm and measure them by beats. There is a rhythmic process to editing. As a musician, I can do it”.

Role of music in the making of film? Lav Diaz is of the opinion that music is indeed another element in his film. “You can include poetry, music, movement, dance and the whole universe in films. Cinema has the power to encapsulate life,” he pointed out.

Though cinema as a medium is sometimes too late in chronicling life events and truth, Lav Diaz still exuded confidence in the power of cinema to bring about change. The Director also expressed his love for Indian films by Mani Kaul, Satyajit Ray and Ritwik Ghatak.

Most of the reviews on When the Waves are Gone described the film as a loose adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’s ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’. But Lav Diaz made it clear that he didn’t think of ‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ while making the film though he drew literary influences from the works of Russian authors like Leo Tolstoy and Fyodor Dostoevsky.

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‘Ayushmaan’ – A real life story on the greatest journey of hope

“Through ‘Ayushmaan’ I wanted to address the social stigma and discrimination associated with HIV patients”: Director Jacob Varghese. “Ayushmaan is a stirring take on the journey of two 14 year old HIV positive under privileged boys from rural India, who takes up a liking towards running marathons to steer through all the social stigma and discrimination that exists in the society against HIV patients and there by spread positive change and hope around them”, said Director of the film Jacob Varghese.

Sharing about the inspiration behind making the documentary the director said, “ the boys and their sheer motivation to never give up in life has in turn motivated and inspired me as well. They stopped complaining about the agony they are in, instead took up a challenge and won hearts.”

Throwing light on the journey which took almost 6 years to finish, Jacob Varghese said he came across the boys, Babu and Manik, who were 12 years old then at an orphanage designated for HIV positive children. “One among them was abandoned at birth and other was fighting to overcome his fears in connection with his family and of the future .When I met them, who are born as HIV positive with no fault of theirs, the first thought that struck me was how will they lead their life, how will they survive and how long they will be alive,” he said adding, “We don’t have answers to this questions.”

But to his great surprise these boys had shown great courage and resolve to fight for themselves by doing what they like the most, i.e., running, said the director. According to him, the boys who took baby steps in their pursuit to excel in the larger goal, opted for 10 kilometre running first and later on graduated to doing half marathon, which is of 21 km of distance.

Sharing the nuances of canvassing their journey, Varghese said they started on a small scale. “As we set on sail with the flow, I started growing with them too and their mission took them to 5 continents and 12 countries. I simply followed them and documented their life,” he said.

When asked about the physical health of the boys which plays a critical role in their goal, the director has this to say: “Taking up sports acted as medium in building confidence and stamina for them. But above all it is acting as a catalyst in helping them to overcome the stigmas associated with the disease. It is also helping them in a very positive way in terms of right nutrition and work out as well. ”

Asserting that the psychological aspects of the stigma causes far larger consequences than the physical ones posed by the disease, Varghese said the psychological side is highly demanding since they are growing with the fact that their families have abandoned them for no fault of theirs.

Specifying how the societal stigma and discrimination associated with the disease is taking away even the little joys of life from them and how misinformation plays an imperative role in doing so, Varghese said there is lack of right information about diseases like HIV, leprosy which raises a wall in front of these people to experience life in its full form and even deprive them of them the rightful things. “

Detailing the transformation of the boys whose story became the greatest journey of hope, Varghese said the boys are a role model for other kids of similar stature in their orphanage and exuded confidence that the boys will keep on running till their last breath as the greatest inspiration to many.

Director Jacob Varghese is an award-winning Indian film director, producer, and writer known for his sensible, commercially successful and high value cinematic entertainment in the Kannada film industry. Varghese who is often inclined towards making movies on subjects that leave a lasting impression on him by touching his heart, said the subject and the personality you are following are the only motivations for him to make such films.

“You can’t even recover the money you have spent on such films and there are no avenues to showcase them as well except festivals,” he asserted and said the story of Babu and Manik is real, so I wanted to give real facts. Thus I made it as a documentary.”

Ayushmaan was screened under Indian Panorama Non-feature category at the 53rd International Film Festival of India in Goa.

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