'Gutar Gu' starring Ashlesha Thakur and Vishesh Bansal has been receiving a lot of positive response from the audience. Post its release, we had a conversation with the director, Saqib Pandor who spoke at length about the show, cast, producers and a lot more.
'Gutar Gu' premiered on Amazon Mini TV on April 5, 2023. Produced by Oscar award-winning producer Guneet Monga and Achin Jain's Sikhya Productions, and directed by Saqib Pandor, the series is about the modern-day teen romance. The show is about two teenagers, Anuj (Vishesh Bansal) and Ritu (Ashlesha Thakur) who go through many ups and downs in their relationship; from societal pressures to their strict parents to jealousy, possessiveness, etc.
The show has been receiving a lot of positive response from the audience. Post its release, we had a conversation with the captain of the ship, Saqib Pandor who spoke at length about the show, cast, producers and a lot more. Here are the excerpts from the interview with Outlook.
Saqib, you have remained assistant director of Anurag Kashyap for Sacred Games, Ugly that are quite intense. What made you dive into modern-day age romance which is a completely different genre?
I get this question a lot. My background has been assisting Anurag Kashyap who has made thrillers, and dark films. It's his kind of cinema and my kind of cinema is very different. But, not denying that I haven't learnt from him. I have learned the craft from him. But that doesn't mean that I have to make similar films like him, right? I have my own way of looking at things. I like a certain kind of cinema that I want to make. That is because I myself as a different individual have a different outlook to look at things. It's very different. So, you cannot say that if I have worked in an intense film, I can't make 'Gutar Gu'. My next project can be an intense drama. So, it depends completely on the story that I am trying to say. It can be 'Gutar Gu', any thriller, drama or anything. What entices me to tell the story that is what matters to me.
Which genre do you enjoy the most?
It doesn't matter. Because I never thought that I would make a young adult show to be very honest. Before 'Gupt Gyaan', I was a sucker for young adults but I never thought that I can do justice to young adults. I have seen a lot of young adults and really good young adults. Then I thought this is not the kind of thing I can make. But I just feel when you grow as a person you want to try different things. So, that is what it for me is. Because eventually, everything is dependent on your craft. Next time if I make a thriller and fail, I can understand why did it fail, or if there was something that I did wrong? So, that is when you question yourself and improve. So, it doesn't matter what genre I want to say. In today's environment, storytelling has become very different. Even if you see outside, they are mixing genres. Like 'Everything Everywhere All At Once', it has won so many Oscars. What genre will you put in..it's sci-fi, it's drama..but inherently it's a mother-daughter story and that's the universal story that you are trying to say. So, that is what matters. You have a story but then you can place it into one genre or another genre, it depends on the director.
In 'Gutar Gu' we have seen there is strictness, innocence, etc. What was the process to capture the intricacies of the new-age teenage romance and subtly direct the nuances of teen love?
When we wrote it..it's more of your personal story that comes into play. What happened to you when you were that age? You start questioning your friends..even when I met Ashlesha and Vishesh, I told them that I am making a series called 'Gutar Gu', I also asked them to share their stories because I also have to be very honest for today's generation. Because it shouldn't be like 'this doesn't happen today'. So, I should be very honest with that. I just wanted to have a very relatable subject that will connect with all the audiences. How I made it look real was Ashlesha and Vishesh were so brilliant, honestly, I have never taken many takes. Even if there were takes, it was due to some technical reasons or the other. They were so prepared in all the takes that I hardly took a maximum of 4-5 takes for a scene.
Was it a conscious decision to cast Ashlesha and Vishesh while you were writing?
'Gutar Gu' has evolved or you can call it a spin-off of 'Gupt Gyaan'. Once 'Gupt Gyaan' was released, it got a good reception from the audience and many people texted me that they want to see more of Ritu and Anuj. That is when I started dwelling into..started questioning actually. If you see 'Gupt Gyaan' I haven't established the relationship because it was a short story based on a conflict and it gets resolved. So, I started thinking about how did they meet and started questioning myself..ok, this is a very interesting story and I can elaborate it more and make it into a bigger universe. So, that is how it happened.
Is there any plan for Season 2 of 'Gutar Gu'?
We have left the series with a note that it requires Season 2 but also it depends on many factors. So, let's hope for the best and give the audience some time to watch it and if they want it.. because I am getting a lot of texts that they want to see Season 2. If we get good word of mouth, then why not. We will definitely make Season 2.
As the show is about teen love there are certain limitations. So, how did you plan the scenes between two young adults so that it doesn't look offensive yet look impressive or interesting to the audience?
I am a sucker for the young adult space. I was missing something that wasn't there in India. Every young adult space doesn't mean you have to have a lot of sex, nudity or anything. So, I just wanted to take a very different route altogether. Honestly, it was a very conscious thought about not taking it into that space. I am not saying that that is good or bad. I just wanted to do it differently. I wanted to have these characters who are very cute, and innocent and they should feel very authentic enough to anyone watching it. That was the
whole idea for me. Everybody has their notion of making and saying things differently. This was a conscious choice for me also that let's not go into that zone and keep it very simple and clean. And to be very honest, also the story demanded that. Like if you see 'Gupt Gyaan', it's related to pregnancy. But I have dealt with it in a way that I will never show something. I have shown the aftermath of things rather than the actual things. Because that is what is interesting to me. So, I like to do that rather than just play out in a very traditional way.
How was your experience of working with Oscar award-winning producer, Guneet Monga as well as Achin Jain?
They are brilliant producers. I was so fortunate enough to have them by my side. It started with 'Gupt Gyaan', they were the producers and the creative freedom that you get working with them is commendable. Because they are the producers who will back you and stand beside you to protect you. That is what young writers and directors need. You need producers like them who can stand by your side and say, 'ok do whatever you want to make and how you want. That is what you need. That is the trust factor that drives you more to make something better.