BERLIN, Jan 12: Director Rahul V Chittella of “Gulmohar” revealed that he and cinematographer Eeshit Narain frequently watched Shekhar Kapur’s “Masoom” while working on their award-winning film.
The filmmaker made these remarks at the red carpet event for the Indian Film Festival Germany in Berlin, where “Gulmohar” was featured alongside “Masoom.”
Chittella noted that the 1983 family drama “Masoom” significantly influenced his directorial debut in 2023, “Gulmohar.”
“‘Masoom’ has been a source of inspiration for us for many years. It was one of those films my DOP (director of photography) and I constantly revisited while shooting ‘Gulmohar,’” he stated.
In “Gulmohar,” Chittella delves into the varying perspectives of three generations of the Batra family, who are preparing to leave their home of 34 years, aptly named ‘Gulmohar’ after the vibrant orange-red flowering tree. The film features notable actors such as Sharmila Tagore, Manoj Bajpayee, and Simran.
“Masoom,” which marked Kapur’s directorial debut, tells the story of a happily married couple, portrayed by Naseeruddin Shah and Shabana Azmi, whose lives are thrown into turmoil when the husband’s illegitimate son (Jugal Hansraj) from a previous relationship shows up.
Chittella also mentioned that he paid homage to “Masoom” within “Gulmohar.”
“Here’s a fun fact: Manoj’s (character’s) wife, played by Simran, is named Indu in reference to Indu (played by Azmi) in ‘Masoom,’” he disclosed.
In 2024, “Gulmohar” won three National Film Awards, including Best Feature Film in Hindi, Best Screenplay (Dialogues) for Arpita Mukherjee and Chittella, as well as a Special Mention (feature film) for Bajpayee.
Chittella expressed that the goal of the film, which debuted on Disney+ Hotstar, was to narrate the stories of three generations cohabiting in today’s world.
“In a time when families are growing more distant, the sole thing that keeps them together is their connection to one another. That was the idea behind it. From there, the cast and crew became invested in the project, and as we set out to tell this story, it has only been met with love since we introduced it to the world,” he remarked.
“All actors delivered such authentic performances; it felt like they weren’t acting beyond a certain point. They were simply being themselves on screen, which was wonderful… The best a director could hope for,” he added.
The Indian Film Festival Germany, which kicked off on Friday, showcased approximately 40 films, including Payal Kapadia’s Cannes Grand Prix-winning “All We Imagine As Light,” Boman Irani’s directorial debut “The Mehta Boys,” debut filmmaker Shuchi Talati’s acclaimed “Girls Will Be Girls,” and “Berlin,” directed by Atul Sabharwal.
Hosted by the Embassy of India in Berlin and The Tagore Centre, the festival will conclude on Sunday. (PTI)
