SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2018 (PAGE 4) PERSONALITY BOLLYWOOD BUZZ “Language is the core of any community’s identity” “Village Rockstars's National Award has emboldened Ayushman Jamwal is a Senior Output Editor at a lot of independent filmmakers in India” CNN-News18. He completed his graduation and post-graduation in Britain on a full scholarship at the She took the global film festival circuit by storm prestigious Cardiff University School of Journalism, with her debut feature film Village Rockstars. and was inducted into the University's Honour Roll. Ayushman is a columnist for leading online and print titles. The same landed Rima Das a national Award. He is also a poet. His first poetry collection 'Chameleon Lights' One of the most sought-after independent featured in the top 10 poetry bestseller list 2017 on Amazon.com. Ayushman'ssecond poetry collection 'Silent filmmakers in India presently, Rima, who hails Sun'is out now. from India's northeastern state of Assam, talks Ayushman also serves as a Board member of the Kunwar about her new film Bulbul Can Sing, her outlook ViyogiMemorial Trust, established to promote and preserve the Dogrilanguage spoken by the Duggar community of the towards movie making and her future endeavours Shivalik foothills. He curates the 'Cultural Cocktail: Youth in a chat with Suman Das and Sudipto Maity at What made you to take up the cause of Dogri? Do For Art' initiative, a platform for innovation with a focus on the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). convergence of classical, contemporary, regional and global you feel that Dogri got a fresh lease of life after its inclusion in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution? literature and art forms. Is there any apprehension among Jammu based EXCERPTS: As far as the credit goes, you are the director, cinematographer, edi- In a free wheeling chat with Deepak Raj, he writers that the present generation is more inclined First and foremost, congratulations on receiving the tor, producer, executive producer, screenplay writer...on a lighter note, shares his experiences on different issues. towards Hindi than Dogri? National Film Award. Has life changed? don't you trust anyone with these jobs? How do you manage to wear Excerpts of the interveiw. My grandfather was Group Captain Randhir Singh, also Lots of changes. India is a huge country, where films are made in so many hats at once? Share your work ethic with us. known as Kunwar Viyogi in the world of Dogri literature. a lot of different languages. To recognise an independent movie as the I just managed…like I did in Village Rockstars. No, it’s not about What made you opt for poetry when writing nov- After reading his verses, I realised the richness of Dogri cul- best film in India and award it is itself a huge honour. I am not the only the trust issue. My timings are very different. With Village Rockstars, els is the craze among present day writers to ture and what it has to offer the global community. I read one who is witnessing a change, but it’s a change that can be felt by our it was different. Since I do not belong from any film school, I wanted express their viewpoints on different issues? Dogri folk tales, plays and immersed myself into the works, whole team and other independent directors too. It is very inspiring. to experience it all. For this one, since I am constantly travelling…look, I have been writing poetry since my school days, honing realising that they have the same themes and attributes that (Village Rockstars will release in India on Sept 28, 2018.) after TIFF last year, the film gave be a global recognition and it trav- my expression and trying to understand the human condi- give depth and appeal to other cultural art forms from What is Bulbul Can Sing about? Why did you decide to elled to 70 other festivals, so I had to travel every month. If you hire a tion. Poetic expression is succinct and direct, packing depth around the world. make it? professional team, a lot of things need to be considered, like time slots, in just a few words. It is the best way to put forward a While inclusion in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution The idea of Bulbul Can Sing came to me while making Village Rock- availability. So, that is why I had to do it all by myself. In the future, I poignant point as compared to an extensive explanation in has preserved the language on paper, it needs wider dissem- stars. In Village Rockstars, I worked children. So, I had it in my mind will definitely work with a professional team. a book. Like a good song, good poetry stays with you and ination and evolution to survive for the next generation, to make a trilogy and thought that the next movie should be with Tell us a bit about your editing process. I edit while shooting the film, so, it happens very fast for me. While like a good book, those few words make you contemplate which is growing up in an online world of liberated and teenagers. At first, I decided to make a teenage love story, but later on taking the shots, I know what should be captured and what shouldn’t the world around you. My aim is to continuously refine my dynamic expression. Language is the core of any communi- as I started writing and explored the idea more, it became more about expression with the changing times. Working in a dynamic love and friendship. Bulbul Can Sing explores how friendship and love be, it’s all in my mind. Having said that, it is a tiring job, my so far I ty's identity. Pushing the promotion and preservation of have managed. climate like a newsroom offers me great doses of inspira- Dogri culture via policies of community and government are very instinctive, they come very naturally to us and how societal tion and drive. While many don't visit a bookstore to pick norms, especially in a village, influences these. Rima, a lot has happened since we last spoke, a year ago...I am talk- leaders, to engage with the youth through a concerted strat- ing about the Hollywood scandals involving some big names and the up a book of poems, I am trying to channel my expression Last year, you said that Village Rockstars took around four egy is essential to protect and conserve the language from aftermath, with the rise of TimesUp and MeToo. While Hollywood via different styles on social media and other visual plat- years to make. So time was a luxury. What about this movie? the domination of English and Hindi. stars have been very vocal about their sufferings, In India, it has not forms where there is greater consumption of poetry. It took me a year to make this film, but I shot for 60 days, basical- Tell us about the Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Trust. ly in the last three months (Laughs). I followed the same process that been anything more than a murmur here and there. Have you ever What are the two books - Chameleon Lights and Why has it been formed & what are its objectives? I had for Village Rockstars. I had derived a lot of confidence from the come across any such circumstances, personally, or do you know of Silent Sun all about? Have you been able to do jus- The Kunwar Viyogi memorial Trust has three missions - earlier film. You know, certain stories require more time than others. any such sexual harassment incident? tice to issues raised in your books? Any other book one - supporting young Dogri scholars through grants to For this one, I just managed to finish it within a year. Not at all. Fortunately, I have not experienced anything like that at in the pipeline? expand the academia surrounding the language - two - give There were reports that you missed the Cannes deadline for this all. While making the film, even though I knew it was under my con- Chameleon Lights was my first poetry collection high- a bigger and multimedia platform for the spread and evolu- movie...tell us a bit more about that incident. (Laughs). It’s not right. trol, I was worried about travelling alone, but, like I said, nothing of lighting a journey of self-discovery. It expressed the confu- tion of Dogri culture and art forms in the modern era - three I had just started it then, it was not yet ready. Sometimes a lot of what that sort has touched me so far. Every time I have visited a place, peo- sion of a young soul searching for an anchor or place in the - fulfil Kunwar Viyogi's vision to create a platform for the I say gets mis-phrased. I didn’t even try for Cannes. So, that’s it. ple have looked at me with respect and I am very happy to share that. world, trying to make sense of the challenges unfurling before youth to promote and hone talent. We are now three years Going back to Village Rockstars, you had shot the movie You are, by far one of the most sought-after movie mak- with young amateurs. However, there's one professional him. I think the justification of that youthful yearning old and our school of artists continues to expand. We seek ers in the Indian contemporary circuit, by virtue of Village actor in this movie. Was it a conscious choice? emerged in Silent Sun. In this book, I have focused on more out and support creative innovation that can help keep Dogri Rockstars.