Two of Bollywood’s avant-garde directors Prakash Jha and Sudhir Mishra have joined hands. And Mishra is relieved that he doesn’t have to worry about production and marketing of his films once they are made.
Starting with Mishra’s new film “Yeh Saali Zindagi”, which features Irrfan Khan, Chitrangda Singh and Arunodoy Singh, Prakash Jha’s production house has taken charge of Mishra’s films.
Mishra can barely contain his relief. “Now I can just focus on making my films and not look anxiously over my shoulder at what will happen to my films after I complete it. I am an inherently creative person and have little idea of production and marketing.”
In fact Mishra, known to be a fiercely independent-minded filmmaker, has happily incorporated in “Yeh Saali Zindagi” suggestions made by Prakash Jha.
Jha said: “Sudhir and I are basically like-minded filmmakers. Yes, I’m jointly producing ‘Yeh Saali Zindagi’ with him. If two filmmakers can see in the same line of vision, then why not? I did suggest some changes during editing. Sudhir didn’t mind incorporating them. He will also be at liberty to make suggestions about films I direct.”
Jha, in fact, intends to produce more films for Mishra and other outside directors as well. Debutante director Alankrita Shrivastava’s ‘Turning 30″, which Jha is producing is about a suburban 30-year old woman’s (Gul Panag) tryst with loneliness, unwanted attention and self-fufillment.
While Jha would personally direct the big blockbusters like “Raajneeti”, outside directors would have the freedom to create a more intimate tightly budgeted cinema for Prakash Jha Productions.
Jha would have the final word on the scripts and the editing.
So is it creative freedom with curbs?
Jha said: “It’s only fair that I should have the right to fine-tune the script and editing. I don’t see that as curbing of any director’s freedom. I want to create a platform for another kind of directorial voice.”
Old friend Nana Patekar is also expected to direct a film for Prakash Jha.