Director Rakesh Chaturvedi Om's latest film 'Mandali' is currently garnering accolades from audiences. Touted to be based on the exploitation of Ramleela by incorporating obscene dances in small towns for financial gain, it stars Rajniesh Duggall, Brijendra Kala, Aanchal Munjal, Abhishek Duhan and Vineet Kumar in prominent roles.
Known for his work in 'Kesari', and 'Padman' among others, Rakesh gets candid about the kind of responses he's receiving and its subject, his working experience directing his NSD mates and challenges of independent films.
He said, "The responses are remarkably good so far. People are genuinely appreciative of the subject matter, calling it an entertainer with a social message. Audiences are admiring the film's premise, calling it refreshing. I'm overjoyed with the response, as I wanted to spread an important message through this film. I'm very hopeful for the future as well.."
Describing his experience directing the film, he says, "It was easy to direct the ensemble cast, most of them are my seniors and juniors from the theatre. I feel that the casting of the characters is very authentic and honest because each actor has truly done justice to the film as a whole. Since I am also an actor who graduated from NSD, I have the idea of being both in front of and behind the camera. Being an actor myself helps me a lot to set the rhythm and make things at ease as a filmmaker. This combination of acting and directing helps me to maintain balance."
Talking about the film's subject and the message it tries to convey, he says, "The challenging part was to bring the stage Ramleela to the silver screen without losing its authenticity while also making it entertaining. Therefore, the main challenge was to create a fusion of cinema and stage. After seeing people's reactions, I think we have been quite successful in doing that. The message that this film conveys is to safeguard our culture and ethos without corrupting them for our own gain. We need to treasure and elevate them, as Ramleela is also one of our heritage. I want everyone to feel pride in their culture and to be cognizant of the need to protect it."
On the hurdles faced by independent films, Rakesh says, "Yes, it is definitely difficult for independent films to get that much screening and promotion because they face a lot of challenges. There is still a long way to go, and such hiccups will keep repeating unless there is a proper system or structure in the industry. I feel that there should be a mandate or rule for independent films to get atleast a certain number of shows, even if for a fewer number of days. I understand that it is a business and things are at stake, hence, they need to think from all perspectives, but striking a correct balance is important."
