Shashank Dhulia – A Young Filmmaker with Bright Ideas & Endless Zeal

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We all like conversations. And in a similar vein, we all have opinions. Though, many a time- and rather strangely so- our views are expressed sans any rational thought as if criticism was the easiest way to emote or say what we had to. But what’s rather unfortunate is how easily we reserve our judgment specifically where it comes to the youth.

It still occurs in many gatherings, functions, social functions or private duos, where our elders hardly bat an eyelid before passing judgement on today’s youth. Lamenting the way they interact, they feel, think and even opine!

“They are only on their phones for most of the day,” some admit begrudgingly.

“What colours do they even wear,” is often a complaint.

“They are too argumentative and forever retorting,” is another complaint lodged freely akin to that plastic paper bag we see flowing in thin air.

But here’s a case in point. Not all youth is directionless. Not everyone in today’s day and age lacks vision or the basic etiquette in social and conversational skills. Not all dress up garishly or cheaply, which again is so very subjective. And most of all, not every person representing the youth or this young generation that its predecessors often (not always) have an issue with hangs out on the phone.

On the contrary, there are many who put long and painstaking hours towards not just harbouring a dream but achieving their goals. Not everyone is lost in this generation; there are those like a certain Shashank Dhulia who spend hours cultivating their craft and improving skills.

Here’s an avid youngster with skills that have the power to shape imagination, bring ideas to life, sharpen perspectives and give imagination a long run, a very long run that can transcend geography, travelling from the celluloid screen or the handheld gadget’s screen to households around. His voice is keen and soft. It oozes a quiet confidence. It carries actually the hush confidence of an enthusiastic youngster who doesn’t seem hurried. He speaks gently and even when he’s hard-pressed for time, there’s a sense of rationality and awareness to what he’s doing and where he’s headed.

At times, late evenings become early hours of the morning. But all of that is spent carefully monitoring cinema and documenting keen observations from films that according to Shashank Dhulia, are a way of life. And on most others, precious time spent behind the director’s camera paves way to countless hours that may have seen before the arrival of chirping of birds, the twinkle of the moon.

But Shashank Dhulia’s concentration and unbent focus towards reading, researching and working on film projects, ambitious ideas or those on conservative budgets, hardly withers away. Once you meet him, it’s hard to eschew the quiet poise those bespectacled eyes carry. And once you speak with him, you are greeted by the reassurance that only a young and affectionate lad can offer. A thinking one! Someone unafraid to express himself as much as he’s keen to endure the grind and challenges required to forge a career in the endlessly challenging and rigorous world of movies.

Shakespeare, who one is reminded of upon meeting Shashank, wasn’t wrong when he said: all the world’s a stage and we are merely actors. But that’s exactly why it becomes all the more important to have someone vital and sensible directing the movie from behind the camera. Calling the shots. And destiny, I must confess, did a good job when it aligned this youngster with a very inquisitive mind and a thinking persona.

For be it those corporate films, engaging documentaries and other works that are to see the light of the day, this earnest young man puts a lot of honest effort that doesn’t mingle unnecessarily with narratives that are hard to gauge and where there’s some message. And must it be added, a piece of his heart. And this is a pure one! One that pauses to observe life, to celebrate simple pleasures, to retain a sense of authenticity with there being no dearth of loudness and clutter around. Shashank is a lover of films and someone who is devoted to his profession that is in its formative stages. Here’s a fun loving person who works with tireless focus.

Recently, at Allahabad’s Bazm-e-Virasat, he was at the spiritual city’s most lively and culturally evolved confluence of poetry, theatre, storytelling- a festival aimed at returning Allahabad to its creative roots. But he wasn’t an attendee; he was recording, filming the event along with a bunch of tremendously hardworking individuals associated with the film world, the sphere of production and the paraphernalia- that it could become a showreel, a proper show to be viewed once it was done.

Shashank hails from a reputed and loving family whose talents lie in the film world and the Indian judiciary. There are plenty of guides around him but the mild-mannered, constantly-thinking individual is his own mind. And with much sincerity and simplicity! He doesn’t speak ill of others, never needlessly critical of others or their works of creativity; he’d much rather invest that energy into further refining his craft.

So what is his work all about and where is his focus at the moment?

Moreover, what does the Delhi-based young filmmaker setting out to achieve and how does he see cinema in the context of his life and what are his aspirations?

TrendMantra got a fine chance to peek inside one of the beautiful minds around.

What is the essence of movies to you and what do they convey to you?

Movies have always been more than just stories and a screen for me. I remember I was probably 8 or 9 years old and my family used to have these movie nights and I remember the excitement of picking out a movie; going out to a shop and deciding on a film to watch at home at night. I still remember the excitement of doing that. I think it all started there; that was my entry to films. And as I got older, movies became a space to visit perspectives. A good movie didn’t just entertain me, it made me feel and think of things in a way that would stay for days. And It’s like each film had the power to reveal something new and I feel that’s what movies mean to me. A mix of escape and discovery where each story has to give me something, presenting a chance to laugh and cry and to experience something new.

Just what is your association with movies and how’s it like?

My association with films is rooted in a deep appreciation for story-telling. It’s the art of cinema. The ways that a movie can capture and convey human experiences. For me, personally speaking, movies are more than just a medium of entertainment; they are a medium through which I can connect with different worlds, emotions. I am a lover of cinema. I explore new genres and music and new ways of storytelling.

On set, I actually like to do everything, pretty much everything, yes. That’s whether it’s lighting, script, direction and observing all the elements that go into the complete process of filmmaking.

I love to do direction; I actually began my journey as an actor, beginning it with a film called Yaara, and this is back when I was back in Standard 5. But as I grew along, I realised that staying behind the camera is something that I would like more.

Do you think that Cinema still impacts and changes people?

Absolutely, I feel that Cinema still holds immense power to shape opinions and you know to influence the way in which people view the world. Films can deeply impact audiences today for they allow audiences to feel new emotions, stories and perspectives that might otherwise be out of reach.

Unlike any other artform, cinema brings together various things- visuals, sounds and storytelling that can make the complex seem very personal and accessible. Now when people can relate to a character or see a situation unfold on the screen, they often find themselves reflecting, even rethinking on pre-set ideas.

What makes Indian cinema exciting and where do you think it actually stands when you see it from a vantage point?

It is a very interesting question. In our country, movies are more than just an artform of entertainment; it’s an integral part of our culture. Truly speaking, it’s an artform that is deeply rooted in our daily lives and daily conversations. Indian cinema with its rich diversity of languages and even storytelling has placed our cinema on a different pedestal.

There are independent films, even regional films. Our cinema stands at an interesting crossroads. How is that? On the one hand, it retains its own soul, its cultural depth, while evolving in response to global cinema on the other hand.

And this process of balancing and maintaining our roots and embracing innovation is what makes, I think, Indian cinema exciting. One can say, it’s both evolving at the domestic as well as the international front.

A bit cliched as a question but nonetheless, necessary. Who are your idols or if not idols, then filmmakers who have inspired you?

Quinton Tarantino’s work has made a significant impact on me as a filmmaker. His bold approach toward filmmaking, his fearless approach towards telling of his cinema and moreover, his ability to blend different genres is really exciting and has an impact on me. And I think one of the reasons is that he is a filmmaker, who doesn’t shy away from a bold form of storytelling. He is courageous, fiercely his own self and unafraid in the entire process.

Apart from Tarantino, Satyajit Ray, one of our own, one of the legends of the Indian film industry… I really admire his work. He has created some amazing cinema and that too, way back in time and I consider his work and craft as being mentors to me.

Other than that, there are many, such as- many Irish directors and many Polish directors. Then there’s Roman Polanski. But I think Tarantino and Satyajit Ray are the two people from whom I’ve learned the most.

What is the message that you wish to convey through your films, Shashank?

It’s a very good question, Dev!

As a filmmaker, the message that I want to convey through my work is the reflection of the “human experience” and I know you’d want me to elaborate on that.

Whether it’s about the complexities of identity, or the struggles we face, or the moments of beauty or fears in our daily lives. I don’t necessarily set out to leave explanations. In each of these changing emotions, I don’t explicitly leave an explanation in my movies; on the other hand, I simply want my audience to feel connected to the movies and to leave them with a space wherein they can find their understanding of the movie, it’s story. I want to create that space for the audience where they can feel connected with the story.

I want to make movies that can challenge perspectives, provoke and compel us to rethink the established.

Some of the most compelling ideas, actually, come to me when I am having a conversation, or when I am reading a book and maybe even when I am having a meal.

There’s often the usage of the term a woman director or a female director. What do you make of it?

Again, a very good question, Dev. I personally think that the phrase or term “woman film director or a woman film producer” is often used out of necessity instead of a definitive label that defines a person’s ability to work.

On the other hand, it’s also important to recognise that there’ve been fewer women who have been in key film-making roles. So the term like female director is largely used to recognise the contribution of women who are actually breaking barriers in a space where they’ve been under-represented.

I think the focus should simply move towards calling someone a director, producer or scriptwriter. While I understand the value of recognising the gender-specific challenges that women face in the industry, I also feel that in an ideal world the emphasis should be on the craft more, on the talent more.

The gender should not define the scope or the value of the person’s contribution. So it should really not come into play. In an ideal world that is!

And I think, ultimately we will reach a point where the phrase women director will just not be needed at all. Until then, it is very necessary to recognise, acknowledge the efforts and contributions of women in this industry. This is important to create an inclusive and equal industry.

What is the process of filmmaking to you and what do you think it stands for?

I think filmmaking is often seen as pointing a camera and pointing to images. Even more so, now that we have AI, editing softwares, and many tools and processes that aid in the process of filmmaking.

However, at the core, filmmaking is, you know, about telling a compelling story in a way that actually resonates with the audiences.

But we must understand that just by merely having the tools and accesses that can aid in film-making don’t actually make the film work. It is about knowing how to use the tools to make a story that is authentic, genuine and meaningful.

So it’s not about having the best equipment.

Every decision, whether it’s from the script to casting to cinemat, to sound design requires a deep understanding of this entire craft. I think the creative challenges that come with directing are huge. They are vast. You need to, therefore, understand how to even know the techniques, the basics and everything in between.

Moreover, you need to know how to tackle the fine line between the established and the experimentation. I think it requires a balance of the knowledge of the technical and artistic stuff and the other creative part. When you want to trust the team and when you want to push them; you’ve got to know that!

At the end of the day, filmmaking is about a collaborative challenge and one must know how to make it work. It’s about handling the unpredictable nature of human behaviour.

Moreover, I think filmmaking may make it seem that it’s about good direction alone; but a successful film relies on the contribution of the entire crew, including the spotboy. Everyone aligns to make the film’s story come out live.

The true complexity of this art lies in understanding how to use the deeper art of storytelling. So yeah, that’s what it’s all about. A collaborative process that far extends the usage of available tools.

You can reach out to Shashank Dhulia at his Instagram handle, @shashank.dhulia

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