When do we see fantasy?
A still from the film
After successful screenings at myriad locations and multiple awards to its credit, Mumbai-based Faiza Ahmad Khan’s documentary Superman of Malegaon is hitting PVR screens across the country.
Director Pawan Kumar from Bengaluru says, “Few months ago I had seen a trailer of the film on a television channel and that has been a teaser enough to watch the entire film. I know it will be a funny and beautiful documentary. It is interesting to see how young directors are showcasing small villages in the city.” Every screening so far has seen a packed house and roars of laughter.
Malegaon, a small town tucked away in Maharashtra has a lot of communal tension and is under economical depression. To escape the harsh reality, the passion for cinema has spurred a group of cinema enthusiasts to make their own films. Quirky, low budget, socially aware and notoriously funny spoofs of Bollywood films. Their ambition has grown and now they are ready to take on Hollywood and Superman. Faiza says, “We follow them on this journey. The film is a tribute to a spirit that can never be vanquished, the spirit that enables The Supermen of Malegaon to make Malegaon’s Superman.”
The trailer that is doing the rounds has ignited tremendous curiosity. Upasana Simha, a designer says, “The trailer starts with a clip that reads is it a bird, is it a plane and then it’s superman, Superman of Malegaon. Also, I notice that in the trailers there are no women in any shots. This I find very intriguing.” To this, Faiza says, “We don’t see women in public spaces that often. They don’t even feature in any of the films shot here. The women in the film are from other cities.”
The beauty of the documentary lies in the fact that the essence of a village is brought out. Pawan says, “As a filmmaker I know that you can be a lot more creative when you have fewer resources.” The team hopes to showcase this 64-minute flick at more cinemas in the months to come.
The director did not work with a script. Faiza says, “The story develops organically. It is liberating and challenging.” Los Angeles to Romania to the Narmada Valley and a lot more places, this Superman is travelling the globe. It picked up its first award in Rome at the Asiatica Film Mediale and many more followed.
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