Tuesday, April 10, 2007

the 'times' article

‘The film industry is mafia-like’

Filmmaker Anish Kuruvilla is on a quest for ‘better cinema’. And he believes Tollywood is falling seriously short

CHARISMA MURARI Times News Network

WHAT lurks in the underbelly of Tollywood? Filmmaker Anish Kuruvilla has observations to share, and a disclaimer to add before he gets into them, “I have been in the industry for over 10 years. I have been an assistant director, actor and executive producer. I have been associated with critically acclaimed movies like Dollar Dreams, Anand and, more recently, Godavari. I am not some wasted daarudrinking loser. I know what I am talking about.”

And then he wastes no time in trying to explain why he had to make a movie that would be called Confessions of a Filmmaker, and that would do exactly what its title suggests. “The film industry is mafia-like. Everything is about family and bloodline, and anyone who doesn’t belong to any of the dynasties can’t break in,” he says, adding, “The industry is further divided by caste. People of a caste work together. Heck, the first question you are asked when you join a set is, ‘ay oor meeru’ (which village are you from). Give me a break. We are trying to make movies here! And we’ll never make a multi-starrer. Because every actor is concerned about how his fans would be affected. They all think they “owe” something to the fans, and that the fans would be annoyed if they worked with a certain actor!”

Anish continues, “The Vajrotsavam (the 75th anniversary celebrations of Tollywood) speaks for how people are in the industry. They all came of as school kids. It is remembered for the mess it created. But no one wants to talk about it. For that will upset the powers that be, and people don’t want to alienate the big producers or directors. And the actors, well, they call all the shots anyway. It’s pathetic to see big directors getting up from their chairs and saluting – with bowed heads – heroes for just showing up on the sets. I have seen the socalled big directors grovelling.”

Why did Anish feel inspired to tell this story? “Because there is more to cinema than the titillating things that Tollywood wants us to see. They want to shove a song, which almost literally translates into sexual intercourse. And it has extremely suggestive hand-movements as well! It’s all rather atrocious. I believe cinema can be more meaningful. And I can say what I think because I am not getting my bread and butter from the big daddies, as it were.” How then are guys like him financing their movies? “By selling our land, cars, homes. It’s really as basic as that.”

needless to say some liberties where taken by the journalist in quoting me. i guess thats the way it is and i am fine with that.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can already smell the brew for the making of 'confessions of a journalist':)).

Good one,Anisho.Am no 'daarudrinking' loser....loved that part:).

Nice snaps....jam n all.

Howz the publicity shaping up?

As Mr.Morrison says "Kill em'all n come back alone"

Rock on,director saab!Lookin fwd to May 9th.

~Swap

Anonymous said...

Cool..Dude you are literally "ROCKING"!!!...

Send us some more music bits...anxious to hear some!!

-Amit

Suman Patibanda said...

Anish,

haaaaa.. dat's gr8 gentleman, it's a combat against the lewd kinship culture.. it's a sign of NO ENTRY!!! for the artistic..

MAY' 9th must rumble the Telugu Cinema Industry..

--SuMaN

Anonymous said...

anish - good stuff. looking forward to seeing the movie in a theater, in hyderabad.

siraj bhai, kahaan ho aap?

—wb

jaris said...

Dear WB,
Hello bhai
Hope life is treating u well, ive been around and reading all the messages nd comments.
Missed Ur comments..
The delivery of Anish's baby is getting Procrastinated... nothing exciting...
Whats happening at ur end?tell us more abt ur self
What do u do for a living?
If u ask me the same question..i'll say im a smuggler..
One day i'll too make a film
"CONFESSIONS OF A SMUGGLER"

Infact what Anish shud do is open up a forum for the guys who wud like to make simmilar films on the lines of COAFM...
Make sequels....

Anyway...
Im looking forward for the release..
u can email me at sirajrizvi@yahoo.com

Hey Swap , Amit, Anna , Bidu and Kamal.
Howz things at ur end?

Anonymous said...

I hope sensationalism gets you where you want to be.
Btw, journalists who have a dictaphone in front of you, are usually recording the conversation. For posterity.