Happi-ness in black & white

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Bhavna Talwar is a destiny’s child. In fact, the opportunity to make films came her way quite by chance.
She was enjoying writing features on films, doing theatre and before she knew she found herself directing her first film Dharm, which won many awards including National Award in the category of Nargis Dutt Award for Best Feature Film on National Integration in 2007. She is now ready with her second film Happi, which is set for release in July.

The film, says Bhavna, is a tribute to Charlie Chaplin. “The treatment of the film is inspired by Charlie Chaplin. Chaplin’s films made a huge influence on me as a child. I remember watching his films back to back until I could rewind it from scene to scene in my mind. So, when I first heard the story of Happi, I thought maybe a film could be made following Chaplin’s style of cinema. We have told the story as Charlie Chaplin would have,” says Bhavna, who tried her hand in journalism and advertising before turning to filmmaking.
The film is based on a story written by Pankaj Kapur. It was shot in colour and then converted into a black and white film to be in visual sync with the Chaplinesque era.
Not just Chaplin, films like Eight And A Half and Pyaasa are some other films she grew up watching. “Not just me, even my father was a movie buff. I am a big fan of Raj Kapoor and Guru Dutt,” says Bhavna. In fact, she wishes there’s more of “real cinema” like in that era.
“I believe our cinema was much mature during 50s and 60s. But since then we have gone completely downhill, especially during 80s and 90s. But I see things changing now. With more and more people getting into real cinema we have some of the best films being made these days,” says Bhavna.
Her next project is a political drama based on Rajiv Gandhi’s life. And currently she is busy researching on the subject. “I find this subject very touching. And once a subject interests me, I cannot help getting involved. And I am hoping to announce the film very soon,” she says. She credits her husband, film producer Sheetal, as the most important creative support in her life.
She is also proud to see a new wave of female directors coming to the fore and adds that today the industry is full of women who are adding their share of sensibility to cinema. She adds that this is a great time to be in the industry.
“I don’t make films for financial success. A subject should touch my heart, that’s more important. Though as a director I find it hard to jump from one genre of filmmaking to another. So far I have stuck to real cinema, but maybe I would like to make commercial films as well,” wraps up Bhavna.