Shillong, March 14: Director of many a film, some of them which left quite a mark on the audience, like Article 15, Thappad , Ra-One, Cash etc., Anubhav Sinha with a background in engineering spent a month shooting in Assam and Meghalaya for Anek, starring Ayushman Khurana who also played the lead role in Article 15.
The Shillong Times met up with the director at Hotel Polo Towers, on Saturday for a little tete a tete.
Sinha look sunburnt and tired.
“The shooting started at 3 am on Saturday so we are tired. Ayushmann has crashed (gone off to bed). after starting his pre-dawn shooting schedule. I also am not in the best frame of mind but I will speak to you at length once we return to Mumbai. From here some of us are going to Delhi to wrap up the shoot,” Sinha said.
When asked about his experience in Meghalaya, Sinha said, “This film, Anek had to be shot in the North East. We could not have done it anywhere else.”
Sinha of course did not divulge too much about the film.
The line production manager, James Handique from Golaghat, Assam, however had a lot so share.
He said his work is to see that the whole produ ction process moves smoothly.
As a line producer, James said they are at the heart of a production, hiring the crew, allocating the money and making sure the filming is done safely, creatively, on budget and on time.
They are typically the most senior member of the production team, second only to the producers.
On Saturday night after having his dinner at the hotel, James said he would get back to Smit to donate some garbage bins since the ones made of bamboo have a very short life.
When asked what his shooting experience was, James said, “The people of Smit are very friendly and cooperative. We have built a solid bond with them. We shot in many places in and around Smit and Hima Khyrim like the Smit market, Laitlum, Rapleng and also as far as Kyrdem Khla. The views are astounding. In fact many of the local people were also involved.”
The only problem the team had was in dealing with Hima Mylliem as some scenes had to be shot inside Iewduh. The amount demanded for that short scene was much too high.
And this is where a Policy is needed. Film makers need to know who they have to pay and how much they need to pay. A local filmmaker said that if one is to shoot in Sohra there are too many stakeholders demanding money at every destination. Hence the best option is to pay the Syiem of Sohra and not pay anyone else. .
Now that many more film makers from Bollywood, including ones with big banners will be coming to Meghalaya the need of the hour is for the Arts and Culture Department to create a single window where all clearances can be obtained by filmmakers and producers.
Film making is already a very strenuous job and having to deal with irritants is something the team can do without, said a team member of Anek. The team had done their last shot today at Umroi Airport.
The crew comprised 280 members – a big team to be staying in Meghalaya for a whole month but they never regretted a moment of their time here. “Anubhav Sinha said, “It was time well spent.”