After enjoying success and recognition on the small screen, Debamitra Biswal is ready with her directorial debut in ‘Motichoor Chaknachoor’ starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Athiya Shetty
BHUBANESWAR: Disheartening setbacks can have an adverse effect on the motivation of even highly talented individuals. However, that is not the case for Odia girl Debamitra Biswal, whose directorial debut ‘Motichoor Chaknachoor’ will hit the screens November 15.
Apart from directing the movie, she has also penned the entire script. The Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Athiya Shetty starrer flick depicts the life of a 36-year-old Pushpinder who is desperate to get married. Athiya Shetty, who was last seen in ‘Mubarakan’, will be seen as a young girl who can do anything to go abroad. The trailer was released October 11, 2019.
It was not always a bed of roses for Debamitra however; as recently, she had filed a commercial arbitration petition on Bombay High Court which had ordered a stay on the release of its trailer, over non-payment of dues by the makers of the film Woodpecker Movies Private Limited. The stay was later lifted after a prolonged legal battle.
Interacting with Orissa Post, Debamitra said, “The movie is my hard work of 15 years. We started shooting in October last year and wrapped it up by December. The movie release was delayed a few times due to creative differences with producers. . It was not an issue of money. I wanted to direct the movie according to my script. I couldn’t allow anyone to ruin it. Hopefully, it won’t impact the movie and viewers get to see the best product.”
On Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Athiya Shetty, she said, “Both are fantastic actors and immensely hardworking and honest to their job. Nawaz bhai has shown his versatility in different roles. He always gets in the skin of the character to do it justice. Athiya Shetty is young, talented and very spontaneous. I had first narrated the story to her father Sunil Shetty. He felicitated the production of this movie. Both the actors were the first choices for their respective roles.”
Sharing her experience with Nawaz, she said, “There is a scene where Nawaz sir is hitting his younger brother. We needed an old slipper for the scene. His sandals were quite new at the second day of the shoot. Our spot boy was wearing old slippers. I was reluctant to ask him to use it. However, he did it without thinking twice. He even asked me not to get it cleaned. He is very professional.”
On being enquired about the narrative, she said, “The story is vaguely based on some members of my family. It is about the life of a 36-year-old Pushpender who is desperate to get married. Athiya Shetty will enact the role of a young girl who can do anything to go abroad.”
After working in both TV and films, she feels that the whole journey has been beautiful. “I had worked as a creative director various TV series like ‘Radhaa Ki Betiyaan Kuch Kar Dikhayengi’ and ‘Lapataganj’. I learnt a lot from writers like Ashwni Dhir and Sutapa Sikdar,” she added.
On being asked about new directorial methods in the Hindi film industry she said that filmmakers have lately been using the concept of ‘new locations’ for their films and looking for something ‘desi’, which people can easily connect to. “I was inspired to create these small town characters after watching Rajat Kapoor’s ‘Aankhon Dekhi’.”
On being asked about her advice for younger generations, she said, “It’s never too late to chase your dream. You need to show patience and passion. One must work hard and push himself everyday because success will not come easy to you.”
Arindam Ganguly, OP
