Kaalo producer Yash Patnaik is venturing into the graphic novels and comics segments
“She is a powerhouse of talent and I am a dreamer,” says film and television producer-cum-screenwriter Yash A Patnaik about his better half and himself. The producer’s Hindi feature film ‘Kaalo’ is the only Indian horror film to receive the Best Film award in an international film festival. After completing his graduation in mass communication from the Symbiosis Institute of Journalism and Communications in Pune, Yash (42) started his career as a journalist in 1995. He moved to Mumbai to work as a journalist before joining the TV software production company, Fireworks Productions, where he was the executive producer for ‘CID’ and ‘Achanak 37 Saal Baad’. Later he left the company to set up his own media house named Beyond Dreams Entertainment Private Limited along with his wife Mamta in 2007. He has produced many television shows and films like ‘Ek Veer Ki Ardaas…Veera’, ‘Sadda Haq’, ‘Rang Badalti Odhani’, ‘Kuch Rang Pyar Ke Aise Bhi’. He also produced regional shows like ‘Vachana Dile Tu Mala’ (2009) on Star Pravah and ‘Neijare Megha Mote’ (2008) on Taranga TV. The film ‘Kaalo’ (2010), based on the centuries-old folktale about a desert witch, was the only Indian horror film to receive the Best Film and Best Cinematography awards at the South Africa Horror fest 2010 held in Cape Town. Yash hit headlines for getting embroiled in the ‘Ra One’ controversy. Shah Rukh Khan and Kareena Kapoor were the lead pair. A few days before its release, he claimed that ‘Ra.One’ had a concept that resembled what he had developed several years back and subsequently Yash moved court. The court, observing prima facie evidence that there had been copyright violations, issued a verdict in his favour. The producer was in Bhubaneswar recently to receive the Parichay Foundation-organised ‘Shrie’ awards for his contribution in the field of entertainment. In a brief interview with Sunday Post he dwelt on the success of Oriyas in the Hindi film industry. Excerpts:
What is your stand regarding the ‘Ra.One’ controversy?
Intellectual Property rights are involved and it is a very serious issue. The creator has the right to fight all the way in such cases. This issue is yet not legally resolved so I won’t speak much about it.
What made you switch from journalism to film production?
After completing my mass communication from Symbiosis, I started my career as a journalist. I was keen on television journalism. But unfortunately those were the early days of TV journalism in the country. Before moving to fiction I did a few documentaries.
What is special in the film ‘Kaalo’?
‘Kaalo’ was an experimental horror feature film. Horror films strive in darkness because it is popular belief that darkness triggers natural fear. I tried to decode that aspect. In ‘Kaalo’ we replaced darkness with the loneliness of deserts. It was the first daylight horror film in the world. When it was screened at the South African Horror Fest in Cape Town we got a standing ovation. Despite being a non-English film we received two big honours – Best Film and Best Cinematography. The SA Horror Fest is one of the biggest and most prestigious horror film festivals in the world and the awards are very special to us.
Would you like to narrate a memorable moment during your stint in ‘CID’?
‘CID’ is an important chapter in my career. There are many memorable moments. During my time the show was at top of the charts. The moments during the Guinness Book of World Records-holding single shot episode shot in 2004 stand out. It was a 111-minute episode shot without a cut. We had to manage the entire episode with 32 actors, six murders, one blast, action, forensic tests, investigations, interrogations and a flashback without a cut. It was an impossible task. We meticulously planned it for more than six months. And, as they say, the rest is history.
Are Oriya stars and artistes making an impact in the Hindi film industry?
Bollywood is changing for good. Good and meaningful films are encouraged these days. I am sure a good talent will always find his/her place in the industry. Oriyas like Nandita and Pitabas have performed exceedingly well. I am sure in the coming years we will have more and more Oriyas making it big in the film industry in Mumbai.
You’ve worked both in the Hindi and regional industries. How are the film industries in Mumbai and Orissa different?
The two industries are different in terms of scale and talent base. Let’s not forget that the Oriya film industry is new and smaller in comparison to the Hindi industry. We cater to only 20 million people whereas Hindi content targets over a billion. It’s like comparing Hindi content with Hollywood. There are some interesting talents in Orissa too. We just need to concentrate in making good content. Just look at what ‘Sairat’ did to the Marathi Industry. A film made with just about Rs 60 lakh went on to earn over Rs 100 crore. I am sure we too can do that. Original content laced with a lot of passion is the key.
Tell us about your upcoming projects.
We are coming up with a new daily on Sony and another on Sab TV soon. That apart, we will be launching our digital business, Beyond TV, and publication house, Proto, for digital comics and graphic novels for which some of the best talents from marvel and DC have been hired.
Himanshu Guru