Storiyaan

Enquire Now
Enquire Now

ANUROOP VALSALAN- TAKE ONE AND ACTION!

Anuroop Valsalan

No one can forget the time the theatres were shut down, movies began to be released on OTT platforms, and our joy of munching popcorn and sipping drinks came to a halt. Amidst all this, Anuroop Valsalan’s success story was being given birth to. The movie “Aathmana” was shot during the lockdown and managed to win several accolades such as Honorary recognition for best actor in the Toronto Independent Film Festival of Cift, and being a finalist in Hollywood International Golden Age Festival at New York, among many others. 

He currently works as a manager of the technology team, in a firm in Bangalore, and has also been a part of a few short films and music albums. Being a movie enthusiast, his main aim is to get into the mainstream and make more meaningful and artistic movies. In this interview with Storiyaan, the graduate from NIIT shares his professional insights into the film industry and experiences as a filmmaker.

Anuroop Valslan

ANUROOP VALSALAN- TAKE ONE AND ACTION!

Interview

Questions and answers

How did you come up with the storyline of ‘Aathmana’ and what instigated you to turn it into a movie?

Well, Aathmana was a blessing in disguise. The pandemic struck the entire world, brought our routines to a halt, and gave a different dimension to our thoughts. Raising awareness about the importance of appreciating and valuing life became vital. The panic, fear, and anxiety that it created led to this storyline and eventually ‘Aathmana’ as a whole. The movie was conceptualized and written by Ravi Thykkat. From there onwards, it was a combined effort from him, me, my father, and a few others to materialize this as a movie. I decided that this time, our contribution was to be through Aathmana.

The movie will be screened in Canada after being selected by Vancouver International South Asian Film Festival. How do you feel about reaching this milestone?

It is one of the biggest achievements amongst all the other international recognitions that Aathmana has brought home. Having the movie screened miles away in a country like Canada, and in such a prestigious film festival was a great honor. I am happy that our efforts to shoot a film during the pandemic have paid off. It exposed me to such festivals and eminent personalities whose feedback and thoughts will only help in creating better projects in the future.

What significance do Film-Festivals hold for you and what makes them memorable?

The purpose of Aathmana and any other project that I work with in the future will be festival focussed. The aim is not to gain massive profits and large commercial hits but to convey strong social messages and create meaningful and artistic content. Such projects will mostly be significant through film festivals only. They are the best platform where such movies can get their right deserving praise and recognition.

What were some of the major challenges that you had to come across during the shooting of the film?

The pandemic was the biggest challenge. Aathmana was shot when the covid pandemic was new to the entire world and at its peak. The various restrictions imposed by the government made it quite challenging for us to complete this movie. The shooting was restricted to indoors only. The entire script had to be reworked to ensure we do not deviate from the actual purpose of the movie. Another challenge was to have everyone come together during this pandemic, have the right enthusiasm and willingness to work as a team to complete this movie. Also, I am really grateful to all the team members for being so cooperative.

What ignited your dream to be a filmmaker?

Aathmana was the best start for me. It has taught me lessons, provided me with experiences and feedback from multiple platforms and people. It gave me ideas and confidence for the future projects that I have in my mind. My journey as a filmmaker is just the beginning, and I am happy with the way things have been shaping up for me.

What are some of the genres that you consider to be your niche and how do you bring in diversification within similar genres?

Non-fiction is the only genre that I would consider in my movies. Like I mentioned previously, driving a strong social message and showcasing practicality is the main focus. To do that it is mostly nonfiction that I can rely on. The unique yet practical life situations that I am trying to bring on to my script itself is diversification. My new script is again going to be a medium of awareness to everyone who watches the movie. It has several elements that most of them haven’t imagined or experienced before.

Having looked into the nooks and corners of this industry, what would be some of the things that you would like to change about it if it were in your hands?

Well, this industry has evolved and nurtured to a large extent over the period of years. We have seen how acting and the scripting pattern have changed, and how the overall methodology of movie-making has evolved. The industry has seen massive positive changes. If given the rights, the most important thing I would change is the undeserving authority given to established actors over the filmmakers and their vision on a project. The freedom of thought for the filmmakers must be adhered to. There must be laws to address such concerns.

Being the recipient of several prestigious awards and recognition both at national and international levels come with their own pros and cons. How have your achievements acted as a source of motivation?

The 17 different national and international recognitions are obviously a great motivation for me to get into this industry, fulfill my dreams of being a filmmaker and get my scripts materialized. It is definitely the recognition that is the motivation to move ahead. Also, I have documented certain experiences from these forums and the learnings from certain festivals. The direct feedback from the jury and other eminent people inspires me and gives me the confidence of getting into this industry as a filmmaker. 

As a filmmaker, to which era in cinematography do you most relate to and why?

Every era has seen massive changes and I respect each one. As we speak now, we are in an era where young minds are mostly penning their thoughts and I strongly believe that is an extremely important change that the current era is witnessing. It is only going to make this industry better by providing good content. And with OTT platforms and other widespread social media platforms, individuals like me have countless opportunities to showcase our work. So, I definitely relate most to the current era of cinematography.

Apart from cinemas taking to OTT platforms what have been some of the changes that you have noticed in the film-making industry since the pandemic?

A variety of thoughts and the ease to release movies in OTT without a huge list of old school conditions are the most interesting changes that I have noticed, and I am happy about. The pandemic by itself has changed the way we look at life, and so are the movies now. I have seen movies that were independently shot at various locations without the crew having to come together at a particular location. short movie like ‘Vinaithandi Varuvayya part 2’ in Tamil is one such classic example. None of the actors met in person at locations to get it shot and the outcome was marvelous.

Quick 5

1.One overrated movie – ‘Marakkar’ in Malayalam. It bagged the National award for the best feature film! I don’t think it deserves it. I definitely agree with other categories of national awards that it has bagged, but not for the ‘Best feature film.

2. One director whose work you deeply admire – Nadine Labaki for her movie Capernaum. It is a masterpiece.

3. One essential element for making a good script –  It can’t be just one. It is the perfect combination of theme, character arc, and plot which are very essential for a strong script

4. One movie you recommend the Gen Z to watch – Capernaum

5. The worst impact of commercial movies on society – Few commercial movies add in a lot of unnecessary negativity and masala. Watching such movies tweaks the way certain people look at others. 

Follow Anuroop Valsalan
Menu