Mumbai: Being a multi-talented person is not just a matter of luck. One has to sharpen their talents to transform them into special skills. And as Dr APJ Abdul Kalam’s famous quote says “If you want to shine like a sun, first burn like a sun” meaning that a person has to come out of their comfort zone and struggle hard to achieve their goals and set an example for others.
One such person is talented filmmaker, comedian, engineer, endurance athlete and author Anu Vaidyanathan with whom Indiantelevision.com caught up, to have a delightful chat on her journey, interests and much more.
Edited Excerpts:
On other aspects of your life that contribute to your overall persona apart from being a talented filmmaker, comedian, and author
I think a major source of inspiration for any of these labels is just my life. As boring and mundane as that might be. This is mostly that of a harassed mother of two kids, making things work alongside a hardworking partner who enables me. Our ordinary lives are far more extraordinary than the fruits they bear, which are temporary, elusive, and not the ultimate horizon.
On your overall journey so far
Filmmaking has been quite interesting, excruciating, and challenging. I began by taking courses on screenwriting after my book was shortlisted for the MAMI’s adaptation market in 2016. Then, I thought I wanted to be a cinematographer because I am an engineer and like analog ways of working, building rigs, etc. Ultimately, I realised writing was my strength and that film was a director’s medium so that is where I ended up. Not being in a formal education setup actually freed me to create my own course schedule and learn what I thought I needed to learn. Consequently, I also edit my own films in a majority of cases and find this makes me an efficient filmmaker. I’ve met some really interesting people and some folks I would only otherwise know by name. Running into the makers of the TV series Jubilee was the highlight of May. I have also learned to manage time and people more efficiently. My understanding is by no means complete but I am getting there.
On the inspiration behind your first acclaimed short film, “Split”
I was very frustrated during the pandemic, and it was the only time I felt at a disadvantage for not being in a formal film program, where people were insured and had the backing of academia to make their films. Outside this period, I have always been happy that I never formally got an MFA since the arts seems the last place you want to colonize with academic degrees. During the pandemic, a lot of marriages came under the periscope. That was the seed of the idea. Added to this, I am a writer first, so I find the writing life vastly misunderstood from the outside. We are so caught up with filmmaking/acting that we forget that reading is a poor man’s pleasure. And a story is the beginning and the end of anything we want to make out of it. So, this film is about a writer, writing despite everything. The subplots of a marriage that is teetering, unlikely female compassion and genuine friendships all help put the writing life in perspective for the protagonist.
On the belief that the world needs more parallel cinema or cinema that reflects the masses, apart from mainstream commercial and monotonous movies/web series
I love commercial cinema. I honestly do. However, I am an independent filmmaker so, I take issue with that being the only choice. So yes, I would say parallel cinema is very important but it is not the only thing that represents or reflects the masses. That being said, a lot of commercial work is monotonous as you put it and one has to hunt for gems in the dust pile. I suppose the trouble is one of inertia and it is surprising that the amount of monotonous content is still very high.
On drawing inspiration from any other filmmaker or cinema icon other than Claire Denis
I love the work of K Balachander, Mani Ratnam, Radha Mohan, SS Rajamouli, Revathy’s debut, and Anjali Menon, to name a few filmmakers in the south. This list is a small set of the many movies I have watched on repeat. I also love the work of Reema Kagti, Raju Hirani, Meghana Gulzar, Anvita Dutt, and Zoya Akhtar to name a few others.
On the profession that interests you the most out of all that you have done or ventured into
Engineering =) It is safe, objective and one can earn money if one is competent. I don’t have any such security in the arts, which is highly subjective.
On your memoir, “Anywhere but Home: Adventures in Endurance,” delving into a remarkable athletic journey and your interest in endurance sports and the challenges that you faced throughout pursuing them
I was a very chubby kid and consequently a college student. I had a bunch of seniors who constantly pushed me to play squash and go running and since I was dependent on them to teach me discrete mathematics, I had no choice but to try. I would say one thing led to another and there was Ultraman. Again, lots of challenges to do with access to resources, training facilities, safety but again, money never dictated my pursuits. It was always about the hidden gems. Access to resources and money were ultimately window dressing. Even with my rickety old bike and mismatched clothes, I completed two very difficult races, Ultraman Canada and Ironman Canada, three weeks apart. I knew then that I had nothing left to prove to anyone.
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