Debutant filmmaker Vinay Bharadwaj has an effervescent vibe to him. His debut movie Mundina Nildana echoes his findings over a period of time— Life is brief, and one must choose to move on to the next nildana.
Pegged as a ‘millennial favourite’, Mundina Nildana is the only Kannada movie and one among the three Indian films to be selected under the Asian Cinema category of the prestigious Bengaluru International Film Festival (BIFFES).
In a candid chat with TNM, he shares the inside track.
‘It feels special to be the only Kannada movie…’: “India is one of the biggest film markets in the world in terms of quantity. When I did Mundina Nildana, the whole intention was to do something for the Kannada industry. To do something which is good in content, different and urban, which doesn’t usually happen in the regional film industry. It feels great that it is the only Kannada film. Being special feels good, I suppose,” chuckles the 36-year-old.
“It’s a very coveted, prestigious category and BIFFES has always been one of the most noted festivals in Asia. I got a call from a writer who told us about the selection. We submitted the film and like every other filmmaker, I was hoping it would get selected. I don’t know who the jury is. When I look at things in retrospect, I think the relatability factor worked in our favour.”
‘This is a sensible story’: Despite the movie having all the ingredients of the perfect commercial flick, Vinay believes there’s more to it that just the right dose of masala.
“Mundina Nildana is a musical (seven songs) and is commercially packed. But it’s a sensible story. It reflects today’s generation. It’s a story that millennials need to see and understand. Partha (Praveen Tej) is an IT guy, like many, many people, and he wants to become a photographer. Meera (Radhika Chetan) is an art curator looking for a soulmate, and Ahaana (Ananya Kashyap) is a 21-year-old medical student who is driven and looking for a dalliance. She’s today’s girl. When their paths cross, what happens to Partha and what it takes for the three to go to their Mundina Nildana is what the movie is about.”
He further adds, “In the movie, everything is perfect - job, luxury, convenience, freedom which is very difficult to attain in real life. Hence a lot of people said that the movie is aspirational. At the same time, young people could connect with it. India is the youngest country in the world, I wanted the youth to realise that come what may, they should keep moving on in life, there will be many stops and there is no point in getting hung up on something—bad breakups, bosses, and jobs don’t matter. Life doesn’t stop, so shouldn’t you. The movie also has a very pertinent health message which I can’t reveal now because it isn’t available on OTT platforms as yet.”
Vinay is hopeful that things will get rolling for the movie on that front soon. “The movie had a successful running for five weeks, post which there was a volley of queries about why it wasn’t available on any OTT platform. While I don’t want to stress over it, the team is consciously trying to get it on any of these platforms for the audiences to watch.”
Emphasising how prestigious film nominations aren’t restricted to a specific/ niche genre any more, Vinay adds, “The lines are getting blurred, things are changing. Whatever movie has a message for today’s generation and has a stronger reach, will click. Filmmakers need to balance it out between commercial packaging and sensitive stories and my attempt with Mundina Nildana was just that.”
‘I have a little bit of me in Partha, Meera and Ahaana’: “When I took the decision of pursuing the entertainment industry, I started my first international show Salaam Namaste Singapore and I took a sabbatical. When I was deciding between two careers, I was clear that it wasn’t only about being passionate. Your passion needs to pay you money. Otherwise it won’t survive. It’s about finding a balance to transport your passion to a pay check– you’ve got to be smart about your dream,” he says.
Talking about how the collaboration with Red Chillies Entertainment was a dream come true, Vinay says, “When I quit a well-cushioned job, I knew I wanted to make something which I could take pride in. That’s why seven music directors and an illustrious production house came together along with a host of eminent figures from the industry. Nobody's going to do a favour to you.”
‘I have no external inspiration/mentor in the industry’: “My inspiration is all from life stories. My life changed when I lost a loved one to cancer five years ago. Waiting for 54 days in front of the ICU, I’ve seen people die in front of me. That changed my perspective about life—it’s really short. That’s why I’m very picky when it comes to selecting projects. My inspiration comes from people’s stories. Whenever I feel low, I think about Vidya Balan—who did not give up for 10 years before Parineeta happened. I’m very self-driven and have a great spiritual connect. I’ve never gone to a film school, I’ve never assisted anyone on a film set.”
‘Truth is, people fall in love irrespective of the era and circumstances’: “Love is inevitable for human beings. What makes a love story special is the way you treat it. There’s so much more you can get out of a love story. From the 1950s, we’ve been seeing love stories, it’s not new. But people in any generation fall in love. And every story is unique because it’s about two people falling in love. Love will never fade away.”
With a few more films on his plate, Vinay hints at interesting collaborations on the cards. “I’m on the lookout for a body of work, where the reach is much wider. I’m working on three stories, and writing for two web-series. I’m also looking at an international project. While I’m not sure about what would work or pan out first, I’m hoping to tell a great story which will sync with a much larger audience,” he signs off.