Filmmaking is no maths or science, it has only one formula, emotions. The films that become blockbusters have only one common element: emotions. Making a film is very easy today, but see if as a filmmaker you are bringing in the right emotions.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I started off as journalist after college. I used to write for a few national dailies (The Hindustan Times, The Times of India, The Statesman) and had a daily page in a local newspaper, Hint. From there, I was roped in by a filmmaker to write scripts for documentaries, anchor a few shows.
Then a filmmaker from Mumbai approached me to write the script of a feature film. From there I got involved in the indie film scene and started directing films and music videos. Covidgo is the world's 1st corona vaccine film (short 7.5 minutes featuring real life doctors). It was selected for film festivals in UK, US & Italy and is also part of Unified Filmmakers Media Library, Germany.
My next is a very important feature film on the much neglected cause of Mental Health, dedicated to late Robin Willams, titled Honey Kapoor ~ YoLo; the film will hopefully, bring forth many Indians to seek help for mental health and shatter the stigma & the taboo around it. The film releases on October 10, 2021; World Mental Health Day.
2. What is your opinion about press freedom in India?
The idea of the press, coined the Fourth Estate by the Europeans, was to keep a check on the ruling elite. The importance of press freedom is very important as such. However, over the years, particularly in the US, press became a business, as such it lost its objectivity and the unbiased power to write or say news. Talking within Indian context, while freedom is there, a lot of media is reporting without verifying the news; it is very important to fact-check the news, so that the credibility of the press remains intact and the press doesn't lose its power.
3. Who is your favourite journalist and why?
I would say the late Khushwant Singh, reason being, he was very well read. Gave in depth analysis and could talk on any topic be it politics, current affairs, films or sports; he could write on anything. He had a unique style fusing wry humor to talk about the most serious of issues. In his time, he offended a lot of top politicians, yet he was friendly with them. His tact and diplomacy as a journalist was the most unique of all Indian journalists.
4. How can one approach their career in filmmaking and have the confidence in filmmaking?
Filmmaking is no maths or science, it has only one formula, emotions. The films that become blockbusters have only one common element: emotions. Making a film is very easy today, but see if as a filmmaker you are bringing in the right emotions. Having said that, most of the film schools, online filmmaking courses, often cite the famous James Cameron quote Pick up a camera. Shoot something.
No matter how small, no matter how cheesy, no matter whether your friends and your sister star in it. Put your name on it as director. Now you're a director. Everything after that you're just negotiating your budget and your fee.
This is the only mantra for making films - start making films.
5. What does your typical day look like?
The best part about being a filmmaker is, you can have each day planned uniquely. If I am not shooting, I am scripting, if I am not scripting, I am editing, If I am not editing, I am traveling and if I am doing none of the above, I just observe people. Filmmaking is about characters and you get characters by observing people.
6. What is your mantra of success?
Success is always perspective. So nobody can say whether a particular person is successful or not. I always say the only successful people in the world are happy people. Happy people only can give back to society and make society a better place to live in.
My mantra for happiness is doing smart work. Innovating always. Things may not work the way one wants, always be ready with a proactive response to failures and setbacks.
7. Which is your favourite book and why?
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Reason being, the novel proves yet again that 'art' and 'writing' is hugely perceptive by the readers or the audiences. Initially, a critical & commercial failure; the novel today is one of the most staged productions; adapted into TV & films and is widely considered to be a literary masterwork.
Filmmaker that made CoVidGo, world's 1st CoVid-19 Vaccine film released on March 24, 2021 - Official Selection, Lift-Off Sessions film festival, UK - 2021. Part of Unified Filmmakers Media Library, Germany ~ We would love to include CoVidGo into our Unified Filmmakers Media Library. The Unified Filmmakers Media Library is composed of a curated selection of COVID-19-related cinematic works. These works are selected for their temporal relevance, historical subject matter and cinematic force. We really think CoVidGo will contribute to a diverse and global mapping of perspectives to enable a better intercultural understanding and fuel the discussion about common solutions.
Was invited as Guest of Honor to Producers' Network, Marche du Film Online 2020, Festival de Cannes, France
I Am A Love Addict, Official Selection @ NYIIFVF, New York. Screened @ legendary Village East Cinemas, New York, USA
Creator & Showrunner "69 Opposites Attract" - The Longest Running Webseries In The World (103 years : 2018 - 2020 - 2121), we are part of Doctoral Thesis approved by Faculty of Law, UNSW, Sydney, Australia
Winner Lord Baden-Powell National Award for Cinema, 2020, India
Filmmaker that made Asia-Africa's 1st Mental Health Awareness Feature Film
Filmmaker that made 1st Indo-Kyrgyz feature film, India-Kyrgyzstan
Curated, organized & participated in more than 1000 film events worldwide
Permanent Panelist on Open Forum, IFFI (International Film Festival of India), Goa
Guest Expert @ Artapreneurs' International Summit 2021, USA
Amit R Agarwal is Lord Baden-Powell National Award 2020 winning filmmaker. Invited as Guest of Honor to the Producers' Network, Marche du Film Online 20202, Cannes Film Festival, he has more than 5000 hours of filmed content across formats and genre to his credit. His experimental feature film I Am A Love Addict was the Opening Film at a film festival in New York screened at the legendary Village East Cinemas. He has interestingly mixed his filmmaking work with independent films and Bollywood mainstream. Having worked with actors like Sunny Deol, Preity Zinta, Pankaj Tripathi, Arshad Warsi, Amisha Patel. His most recent big budget outing was as a creative consultant for an upcoming series starring Randeep Hooda and Urvashi Rautela. He has led bollywood delegations to countries like Italy, Germany, Maldives & Kyrgyzstan.
- Interviewed By Anamika Ajith
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