A short ‘n’ sweet start
Baba Azmi, whose fine art with the camera has shaped visually rich films such as Mr India, Beta and Pukar among others, was thinking of venturing into direction for quite sometime. Finally, his dream has shaped into a short film called CONesty, which will be screened at the fourth Nashik International Film Festival this weekend.
The premise that explores the relationship between a kidnapper and the kidnapped is not something Bollywood has seen before. The quirky title may give out the impression of a comedy but Baba says it’s not. “The two characters in the story are more different than chalk and cheese, yet the exchanges between them forges a rare bond.”
The transition to direction took a while but Baba has no regrets. “I came to the industry with a blank slate without any formal training; everything I learnt was hands on. I have been wanting to make this film for long, I’m glad it has finally happened,” he says.
According to Baba, a director’s key challenge is to tell the story. “Whether it’s a full-length feature film or a short film, you have to keep the audience engaged. And a short film has its own challenges because there’s a lot that needs to be edited.”
People who have already seen CONesty feel it should be made into a feature film. “There is always a possibility. I am waiting to see the response at the film festival,” says Baba.
But he already has a script for his first feature film. “I want to make it with Farhan, provided he says ‘yes’. It’s a love story and like everybody else I too feel it is ‘different’ from the rest,” he quips.
Post new comment