"The narrative structure of 'Gaami' is similar to what the trailer suggests," says director Vidyadhar Kagita, whose most ambitious film 'Gaami' is slated to hit the theatres on March 8. In this interview, the filmmaker talks about the unprecedented time (nine years in planning and five years in making) and the effort that went into making the box-office release backed by V Celluloid and Dheeraj Mogilineni Entertainment.
The young filmmaker also talks about the primacy he gave to both drama and technical finesse.
The conception of 'Gaami' happened many years ago after I read a news story. I harbored the idea at a basic level. I have always been fascinated by Vittalacharya adventure movie genre. I combined it with another fascination of mine: exotic, picturesque locations. I made a pitch video to showcase my idea of what the visuals are going to be like. I invested my money in it. That's how 'Gaami' took off.
When Vishwak Sen entered my film, he was too new. He was auditioned for the role. He was open-minded and chose 'Gaami' bravely when he was new.
Hard work is common to both hits and flops. 'Gaami' is not a delayed project. I would say it took time for us to ensure the visualized output in terms of technical quality. This is a brave new attempt. We adopted a trial-and-error method. I couldn't have zeroed in on particular landscapes without travelling the length and breadth of some regions. We zeroed in on a glacier in Uttarakhand. By the time we were there to shoot it, it had vanished. We waited for the next winter for the glacier to form again! Naturally, the budget shot up.
Everything has been designed to keep the audience wondering what is going to happen next. More than visual effects and style, what ensures this is drama. Gaami is a seeker, not a traveller. What are you seeking has an endpoint.
While everything is a copy of a copy of a copy, 'Gaami' is as original as the original can get. It appeals to the subconscious rather than the conscious. The editing has been done in such a way that the film is absorbing.
When we started, our monetary resources were limited. Eventually, the scale went up. In the end, the right cameras have been used to ensure the right aesthetics. We are honoured that Shankar Mahadevan has sung a song.
The transition from the short film to feature film format didn't mean much in terms of difference. I treated each segment in 'Gaami' as a separate short film. That way, I could break down the complexity. 'Gaami' is mostly fictional.
'Gaami' will work because of its content, not because of its crowd-funding. I don't know how many individuals have funded our film. They have been given due credit in the end cards.
