 "EXCLUSIVE! Rima Das on Village Rockstars 2 at MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024: ‘The kids in my film taught me how to enjoy life with limited means’ | Not Just Bollywood")
Did you know that filmmaker Rima Das once wanted to become an actor and that is the reason she shifted to Mumbai for some time? It was later that she started filmmaking when she kept waiting for the right role which didn’t happen. Das’s sequel to Village Rockstars will be premiered at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.
The film Village Rockstars 2 will show Dhunu’s journey. The best thing about Das’s film is the unhurried pace and how it allows the characters to evolve and grow. She rightly says, “Mostly whatever films that I do from my production house, we are not in a hurry.” After getting a lot of appreciation at several international film festivals, Village Rockstars will be winning the hearts of the Indian audiences at the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival 2024 .
Edited excerpts from the interview:
Tell us about your journey of being a self-taught filmmaker.
There was always a low point and high point, but I am here because it is something that I love to do. The love and appreciation that I get from cinema lovers is what motivates me. Apart from that I would like to say that it’s a risky journey because filmmaking is also an expensive process. After making a film when I am getting accolades and success, you feel good. But filmmaking itself is a tedious process. As a producer also there is a lot of risk and is also challenging.
The process is also long, taking it to festivals and then theaters. So, as a producer-director I had to take that responsibility on my shoulders.
Where did this idea of Village Rockstars come to you?
The idea came to me when I was in my village editing my first picture. I saw these kids playing in my village. There was a function and they were playing, singing and using fake instruments. They were having so much fun. That time I understood how you can enjoy life with limited means and celebrate too.
Somehow their innocence, energy and spirit touched me. I was also going through a low personal phase of my life. I had my own camera and I just started filming these kids. There it took three years and helped me evolve. In the first part of _Village Rockstars_ , the mother just brought the guitar for Dhunu and in the last scene that was shot she played guitar. And it was so beautiful, so I also wanted to continue that journey in Village Rockstars 2. It took four years in the making and characters also got layered over a period of time.
How did you get those actors? It looks like it’s a natural process and it looks very organic.
Firstly, I would say that they are naturally born talents. And with me too I came to Mumbai to become an actor. For almost four to five years I was looking for a job. My first love was acting and I came to Mumbai to become an actor.
I also give freedom and space to my actors to understand their characters and the mood of the scenes. Mostly whatever films that I do from my production house, we are not in a hurry. We take time and weave the story in our own way. It is very organic and we enjoy the process. And these kinds of stories demand a realistic approach. I am a self-taught filmmaker and I learnt filmmaking by watching cinema.
WATCH the trailer of Village Rockstars 2 here:
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