There is no space for small filmmakers in the Malayalam: Prakash Bare

Actor, producer, techie, theatre person — Prakash Bare has his finger in many a pie. An engineer from IIT Kanpur, he worked as a technologist and entrepreneur in California before coming back to pursue his passion for movies and theatre. Known for his performances in films like Sufi Paranja Katha, Ivan Megharoopan and Papilio Buddha, Prakash Bare talks about his new ventures, why he's not a member of any film organisation, his film and theatre plans, and more.
Tell us about Dr Biju’s movie The Director.
I play the film director in the movie. A commercial movie crew goes to Sikkim to shoot a song sequence. The crew gets stranded in the village because of heavy rains, storm and landslides. The story is about the incidents that follow. Since the crew lose their mobile connectivity, they are forced to live without electricity and the comforts of a city life they are used to. They are left with no option but to start exploring nature, an entirely new experience for them. In real life too we had no electricity or mobiles during the shoot — no hot water even in the chilly weather, no proper food and had to walk for long distances. It wasn’t bad, it was just a new experience.
How was it working with the crew?
We have artistes from 10 different states in the movie. The leading lady Geetanjali Thapa is from Sikkim, Ravi Singh is from Bollywood. We also have artistes from Arunachal Pradesh, Jammu, West Bengal, Delhi and Kerala. Dr Biju, the cameraman MJ Radhakrishnan and I were from Kerala.
Dr Biju is a three-time award- winning director, Geetanjali, is again an award winner. I had a good time with Ravi Singh. He’s so energetic and is always trying to learn something new from people around. We had worked together in Tiyaan, where he played a villain, an action-packed role. But, here he’s playing an entirely different role, he’s a versatile actor.
Why is the movie made in English? Do you think an English movie will be accepted by the Malayali audience?
Originally it was written for Malayalam, but then we changed it to suit the international market. Indian movies are much sought after internationally. Actually we are limiting ourselves by making movies only in Malayalam, with the kind of talents we have. In Kerala, it may not be well appreciated but I am sure it will be in the metros. Whether it’s in Malayalam or English, the movie is made by Malayalis.
In fact, the Malayalam industry is one which is manipulated strongly, compared with other industries. Here a single group manages the show, whereas other industries have two or more power centres. So in between, there are spaces where small filmmakers can pop up or can exhibit his/her movies without much of a headache.
Why is it that you do mostly serious movies?
I grew up watching movies of the 70s and 80s. They were brilliant and had fantastic directors and great stories. Even a movie with a tragic ending was a hit in Malayalam. Other industries were envious about Malayalam cinema of the 80s. See the world of difference in the kind of movies Mohanlal used to do then, and now. It was a directors’ era but now, a few stars decide what kind of movies should be made and shown to the public.
I don’t want to compromise on my movies. I will do only those movies with the kind of quality I want. I am not here to make a living out of it.
What’s your take on the film associations in Malayalam and the film censor board?
Constitutionally, anybody can make a film and exhibit it. But here the chamber’s seal is needed. They ask whether you are a member of FEFKA or a director’s association. I am not a member of any such organisation.
What is missing in Malayalam cinema nowadays according to you?
There aren’t many directors who can stay strong. There are exceptions though. The actors we have are mostly star kids. Where are Nazir’s and Satyan’s sons? They couldn't stay in the industry. We had directors like IV Sasi and Bharathan. They didn't look at your stardom but only at the acting skills. Nowadays only stardom works.
India opened 1,000 multiplexes but we opened only a few. Why? It clearly shows a nexus, the monopoly stakes of actors. If you provide a good cinema experience near you, won’t people go to theatres? We are not allowed a wide release of movies, we don't have decent theatres. I strongly feel it’s high time the government did something about it. Ganesh Kumar, when he was minister, used to understand these things.
What is coming up?
I have four projects in hand. My next project is directed by Suresh Peter. We have been working on the script for two years. It basically talks about two people. On one side, there is an innocent man who is going to be killed by some miscreants, and on the other, there is his daughter who's in hospital in a vegetative state. He wants mercy killing for her, and our law doesn't allow it, but an innocent person is being killed without any reason. It’s again a serious kind of movie, a dark one.
The other movie, Kaattu Vithachavar, speaks about the naxal movement of the 70s. Where’s Rajan? What happened to him? It’s a crime thriller. Another is a play which talks about the new age. It has been selected for the World Theatre Festival in Busan, China.