Rensil D'Silva: How to Make it in Bollywood Education in the Gulf ...

BOLLYWOOD
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ANNI V ERSARY
stir in the public towards government and politicians for constantly
being mired in corruption and bureaucracy and their inefficiency in
providing citizens with basic amenities. This was a film that instigated
political thought and discussions on how citizens should support and
contribute to non-governmental organizations, exercise simple citizen
duties of paying taxes and voting, while the others contemplated on
how to become more responsible towards the country.
For Rensil D’Silva, writing, scripting and now directing stories
on real, contemporary and global issues was never a risk but a path
breaking opportunity
to quench his passion
and burning desire
for expression. The
timing could not have
been more perfect.
And the audiences in
India and overseas are
welcoming this change
in Bollywood. Inspite
of being busy up to his
eyeballs, Rensil spared
a few minutes to tell
TII about his journey
into Bollywood and
the exhilarating but
satisfying experience
it has been so far.
Rensil D’silva: My identity, my terms
Please give us a brief profile/background of yourself.
I’ve spent the last 17 yrs doing a combination of documentaries,
ad films, music videos and feature films. My effort was always to
test myself in various genres of writing and direction. For the last 10
years, while I have been a Creative Director in advertising agencies as
varied as Rediffusion, Mudra and Ogilvy & Mather, I’ve also written
scripts for movies like Aks, Rang De Basanti, Mani Ratnam’s Ravana
and Shoojit Sircar’s Shoebite. Currently I am the Executive Creative
Director of Meridian, a sister agency of O&M.
Did you face any prejudice because of your name when you entered
the Bollywood film industry?
Initially, people found it strange to have a Christian write for a
Hindi film. It was just not a done thing. Some of them even asked me
to change my name or leave it out. But I was insistent on the fact that I
would not change my identity and that if I had to make it, it would be
on my terms.
Tell us a bit about your journey
into writing and now directing
films.
As a boy, I’ve always been
an avid film buff. My influences
have been Guru Dutt, Ridley Scott,
Ramesh Sippy, George Lucas and
the Coen Brothers. After writing
for many years the
floodgates opened after
Rang De Basanti. I
was offered many films
and over two years,
wrote 14 screenplays
that are now in various
stages of completion. In
2006, Karan offered me
Kurbaan to write and
direct based on a story
he had.
What were the ups
and downs you had to
face as a newcomer
from advertising into
the fiercely competitive and
guarded Bollywood industry?
What drew you to Bollywood?
Was it the challenge, wanting to
change things, the money? How
did you manage the risks?
I knew I wanted to tell stories
with a difference which would
engage the heart and head. In
1997, when I started, we didn’t
have multiplexes and the mature
audiences of today. But I did not
want to sell out and write what
was considered entertainment and
so though work came slowly and
steadily, I pushed for making the
films that I would be interested in
where the screenplays and stories
would be the highlight. For the
last 10 yrs, I have worked from 9
am in the morning to 9 pm in the evening in an ad agency and 11 pm
to 3 am writing screenplays of my films. It’s been a schizophrenic life
but the only way possibly where passion and commerce could marry.
From Rang De Basanti to Kurbaan, it is evident that your story
writing is upbeat, relevant and contemporary which is pretty
unusual for Bollywood! Why did you choose to take this path?
I have always believed that form and content should move hand
in hand. And that if you add layers of social relevance and emotional
connect to this story there is no way you can lose.
I am usually interested in stories where big events
that affect our times whether it be terrorism or
apathy in the world around us are played out on a
more human and intimate level. I am interested in
reality not melodrama. So this is pretty unusual for
Bollywood. I guess I chose it because this is how
my mind works and how I believe that younger
audiences of today like their entertainment – less
fluff more reality.
But Rang De Basanti worked like magic. And
most people attribute it to the story. What do you
personally think? What is the one ingredient
that made it happen or work?
A non-linear storytelling was just a form that
aided the idea. It was the sentiment and the idea at the
heart of the film that made it work. Form is just an aide to content. The
emotional core connected with the audience and so the film was a hit.
And now with Kurbaan, an issue that is global. Has Bollywood
emerged to a point where realistic films will appeal? Why? Is this
still a risk, a business strategy to move away from the run-of-themill
or has the audience matured?
I think finally Indian filmmakers have got an audience they have
always dreamed about. A young audience with purchasing power and
global exposure. An audience that thinks in 2 idioms – Western &
Indian. Most importantly, an audience whose reality is no longer bleak
but upbeat and confident. It is this reality that propels filmmakers like
me to make real films. Films about today and today’s concerns.
It is now up to us to respect the audience and not insult its intelligence
by making substandard products.
What is your advice to the younger and upcoming writers and
aspiring directors in Bollywood?
I think when you start out there
is a constant tug of war in your
head between doing run of the
mill stuff that gets you money than
doing new forms of storytelling
that meet with resistance. I think
it is very important to persist
in some form whatever your
individual capacity may be with
the latter. May be its impractical
Rensil: Making films with a distinct voice of their own
to completely disregard monetary
consideration. I think one should
have a healthy respect for money
but not be subservient to it and lose
your own voice. It is only when
you make a film that has a distinct
voice of its own that you will be
recognized and appreciated and
hence have a career for yourself.
So I guess the simple answer is to
be true to your heart.
Is there anything that you would
never do again?
No.
Sarina Menezes is a freelance
writer based in UK
26 The International Indian
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