Thursday, April 29, 2010

MAIN ZINDAGI HOON







MAIN ZINDAGI HOON, is a 2009 short film written, produced and directed by Prashant Bhilare. The short was released on the internet in december 2009.

PRE PRODUCTION :

It took two years to write "MAIN ZINDAGI HOON". The idea was conceived after a visit to a housing society in Oshiwara, a Bombay suburb, one rainy afternoon. This housing society had a garden on its premises with a few rusted benches. That frame clicked and "MAIN ZINDAGI HOON" was conceived.

After finalizing the cast, the hunt began for the technicians. And the only technicians that were on board were the cameraman Sujay Kumar and the sound guy Habib Khan. With these two technicians and the cast, the filming for the short started.

"MAIN ZINDAGI HOON" was shot over three days in march 2009 with a patch work shoot of a day in june 2009. The filming took place in Thane at the Vartak Nagar Corporation Park, Rebello House, Sahayog Mandir and a school in Thane.

The hunt for the editor began a month later after the shoot was wrapped up. Till then, there was no editor.

CASTING :

A night before the first narration, the last twelve minutes were re-written. It actually worked in favor of the short. The short was turned down by every single actor it was initially narrated. No one wanted to work in a "NON - COMMERCIAL" project.

But it is rightly said. "WHATEVER HAPPENS, HAPPENS FOR GOOD."

Lesser known or Unknown faces but much better actors than the "COMMERCIAL" actors were cast for the short. And all these guys got a positive response from every single person or professional who saw the short.

PRODUCTION :

The production took place in three days. It was shot in Thane in the month of march 2009. The first and the last day were shot in Rebello House and the second day was shot at the Vartak Nagar Corporation Park, Sahayog Mandir and a school in Thane.

POST PRODUCTION :

A month after the shoot was completed, the hunt began for the editor. Sanjay Keni edited the short for some four months (depended on the availability of the studio and the editor) and after that the editing was completed by Narendra Bedekar in a month's time. The short was edited in Thane.

After the editing was completed, the sound mixing and dubbing started at Akshay Digital Studio in Thane. It took another one month. Two actors never turned up for dubbing, resulting in the shoot up of the budget. Professionals had to be hired to do the work.

Every single sound in every single frame had to be re- created in the dubbing studio. Be it the sound of the fan in the elevator, the sound of the match stick falling on the ground, the sound of the dodging ball, footsteps, the sound of coins in the pocket of the shirt................. EVERYTHING!

The superbly working brains of the mixing engineer Prashant Kadam gave a very fine result for the short. In one scene, a character lights a match stick, lights and throws it away. The match stick goes out of the frame,but the sound can be heard. That sound was created in the dubbing studio. In one scene, a man is shown running and another man is shown walking. The sound of the running steps and the sound of coins in the pocket was again re-created in the dubbing studio. Recreating the sound of the dodging ball was as easy as drinking water from a glass. But matching that sound with the sound in the scene was a very difficult task. It took hours to match that sound.

RELEASE :

"MAIN ZINDAGI HOON" was released on the internet by Rajshri Media, media firm of Rajshri Productions in Bombay in december 2009. It got 3 on 5 stars.

"Cigarette smoking is injurious to health. This heart touching film explains the same. Do not miss to watch this enlightening short film!" - Rajshri Media

FESTIVALS :

"MAIN ZINDAGI HOON" premiered at the 7th annual FRAMES FILM FESTIVAL in january 2010.
It was followed by the 2nd JAIPUR INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL in january 2010.
Moviemala Mumbai
Moviemala Thane
Hyderabad Short Film Festival
Friendship International Film Festival
Miniboxoffice International Film Festival
Showbiz Action Players (Mumbai)
1st First Step Film Fest (Albania)
3rd Nashik International Film Festival (2011)

CAST :

Aayur - SANJEEV KUMAR BHARGAV
Zindagi - KALYANI NERURKAR
Maut - SAKSHI BARVE
Aman - NIKHIL NAYAK
Amar - PRANAY KANDE
Secretary - JUNAID KODIL
Watchman - SAMEER KALBHOR
Rahul - ANOOP REDIJ
Little Aayur - LATE. RAHUL MAHADIK
Friend 1 - SANDEEP GAWADE
Friend 2 - ROSHAN APTE
Middle age Aayur - SAKTAP THARVAL
Young Aayur - SAGAR MORE
Home delivery boy - MOH. RASHID

CREW :

Writer, Producer, Director - PRASHANT BHILARE
Cameraman - SUJAY KUMAR, ABHIJEET DEO
Editor - SANJAY KENI, NARENDRA BEDEKAR, JEETU THAKKAR (not credited)
Sound - HABIB KHAN, PRAFULLA ATHAWALE
Mixing and Dubbing - AKSHAY DIGITAL
Production Design - ANUJA SABNIS
Art, Costume and Property - PRASHANT BHILARE

TRIVIA :

One of the actors, Rahul Mahadik, was lost to an accident a day after he dubbed for the short.

The actual short is 40 minutes long. But it was re-edited to three versions with running time 11 minutes, 15 minutes and 28 minutes later. This was done so that the short could be sent at various festivals.

The short has an "open-end".

Mumbai based theatre actor/ director, Ramnath Tharval, also shot for the film. But his scene was later edited out from the film.

The first rough cut was 56 min long.