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The idea for this film germinated in me when the film set of the 2018 Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, Padmaavat was attacked by far-right groups, ever since then, I kept grappling with the idea of what the filmmaker's psyche must've been like. That idea stayed with me for the longest time and after three years of film school when we were finally supposed to make our thesis film, the political climate in my country had worsened. The film industry was being targeted right & center by the fringe groups. The idea that a film set is so vulnerable to any form of attack and artists are what every quasi dictatorial regime fears. Also, the lockdown had broadened my perspective on the idea of making a film about films so early on in my journey, somehow the earlier idea came to fruition when I decided to satirize the filmmakers of my generation and the culture of film schools. There was a morbid craziness in the idea that I wanted to explore, that's how the film came into being. The film tries to explore the political climate of my country through a tragicomedy. The film Falls in the “Film About/Within a Film” Sub Genre, therefore the world which in this case, is Film Schools, Student Films, filled with a lot of intertextual film references and cinema lingo, is seen through the journey of the making of our protagonist’s film. In contrast to the world of student films, the film also explores the world of right-wing extremism and the political outrage towards artists. Therefore those angles are seen from Alka’s point of view who is absolutely alien to the world around her, hence we are able to balance out the contrast easily. Even though real in its feel, the world of the story is set in a tragicomedy realm, wherein in the end the character doesn’t get what she wants, this is explored through a lot of dark humor.

I have studied film direction at Whistling Woods International, in Mumbai, India. I am a native of a state called Bihar, in India and I was brought up in Dehradun,where I made a few short films shot on camera phones, and started a wave of mobile filmmaking among young, local filmmakers. I enjoy telling stories that reflect the times we live in today. I have made around 12 shorts, two of which have officially been released. I have also worked as a ghost writer on multiple projects being streamed on major OTT platforms. Trying to figure out my voice, I'm looking for avenues that can help me connect with like minded people and eventually get my feature film made. I am extremely motivated and have an eye for detail that enables me to identify stories from unusual places that are unique in every form. I was the first filmmaker in the history of the Jio MAMI Film Festival to have two short films being simultaneously played in the Dimensions Mumbai category.

Director Statement

The idea for this film germinated in me when the film set of the 2018 Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, Padmaavat was attacked by far-right groups, ever since then, I kept grappling with the idea of what the filmmaker's psyche must've been like. That idea stayed with me for the longest time and after three years of film school when we were finally supposed to make our thesis film, the political climate in my country had worsened. The film industry was being targeted right & center by the fringe groups. The idea that a film set is so vulnerable to any form of attack and artists are what every quasi dictatorial regime fears. Also, the lockdown had broadened my perspective on the idea of making a film about films so early on in my journey, somehow the earlier idea came to fruition when I decided to satirize the filmmakers of my generation and the culture of film schools. There was a morbid craziness in the idea that I wanted to explore, that's how the film came into being. The film tries to explore the political climate of my country through a tragicomedy. The film Falls in the “Film About/Within a Film” Sub Genre, therefore the world which in this case, is Film Schools, Student Films, filled with a lot of intertextual film references and cinema lingo, is seen through the journey of the making of our protagonist’s film. In contrast to the world of student films, the film also explores the world of right-wing extremism and the political outrage towards artists. Therefore those angles are seen from Alka’s point of view who is absolutely alien to the world around her, hence we are able to balance out the contrast easily. Even though real in its feel, the world of the story is set in a tragicomedy realm, wherein in the end the character doesn’t get what she wants, this is explored through a lot of dark humor.