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Posts tagged resul pookutty
There’s noo hierarchy in Hollywood-Resul Pookutty
05 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
As told to Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 28, 2012)
My first tryst with Hollywood was in 1997 when London Studios offered me a job. Thereafter, offers poured in but I didn’t accept any; not even a very lucrative one in Los Angeles in 2003. I didn’t want to settle down in any foreign country. I didn’t want second citizenship. I always wanted to do my work and return home. In hindsight, had I stayed back in 1997, I wouldn’t have reached so far in my career. I wouldn’t have won an Oscar. I would never have got the kind of adulation and respect I got here on foreign shores.
However, I learnt a lot from Hollywood and will always be grateful for that. The work culture there is simply fantastic. Unlike here, they allow you to expand your knowledge and discover yourself. They give you space. It’s amazing how punctual they are every single day. Back home, people have a very constricted view of things: Sirf aisa karo, sirf waisa karo. That can get on your nerves at times. I got to know Hollywood rather closely when I started working on the film Blue.
The other thing about Hollywood is there is no hierarchy. They recognise you for your talent and not for who you are. It’s so different here. I am amused how you are called a superhero if you have three hits…
And while on the subject of Hollywood, how can I forget Danny Boyle and Slumdog Millionaire? Trust me, while working on the film, I could ‘hear’ my mistakes. But Boyle transcended all such barriers. He never More >
Everyone watches pirated films-Shailja Gupta
06 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Interviews
Indie filmmaker Shailja Gupta says it’s impossible to defeat piracy but it’s a battle worth fighting
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; December 16, 2012)
She’s 38 but looks a lot younger thanks to her bubbly nature. Shailja Gupta knows the mechanics that goes into film production and is also involved in the business side. She helmed the digital marketing and promotion for RA.One while writing her first indie film. The Kolkata-born New York-based ‘struggling filmmaker’ is currently working on her second film. We caught up with her for more…
Your first film Walkaway never released. Is that discouraging? Such things happen. After web designing, I wanted to dabble in filmmaking so I collected money from friends and made the movie the way I wanted to. Of course, it hurts not to see it release but I’m grateful to people who helped. Resul (Pookutty) worked on the sound design while Vishal-Shekhar provided the music — not to forget, Ram Sampath who gifted me two songs.
And when exactly did Shah Rukh Khan enter the picture? We two go back to the days when I was designing the logo for Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani. Since my film was shot in NYC, I wanted to complete the post-production part in India. On learning that I was falling short of money, he donated some funds to the project sans paperwork.
How do you perceive indie cinema in India? The genre seems to have found a direction. Needless to mention, Anurag Kashyap has played a huge part by launching new talents. Having said that, there More >
Resul Pookutty gets into producing films
07 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Shakti Shetty (MID-DAY; October 25, 2012)
Resul Pookutty seems keen on testing unchartered territories. The sound designer has co-produced the independent movie I.D. that was recently showcased at the 14th Mumbai Film Festival.
It also marks the directorial debut of Kamal KM, who earlier assisted Santosh Sivan. On being asked why he decided to provide his support to the film, Resul points to his FTII background.
“It’s a collaboration by a handful of FTII graduates who thought Kamal’s script was sincere enough to be made into a film. Call it an indie effort but the story resonates with anyone who lives in a city.” Kamal feels I.D. is an attempt to make the kind of cinema a film student wants to. He adds, “You always want to make something without compromising on the cinematic elements. We’ve tried to do that.”
Big B might play a Pakistani in Resul Pookutty’s film
19 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Subhash k Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 28, 2012)
It may well be his most controversial role till date but Big B, who’s always in search of newer challenges, has verbally given his nod to playing a Pakistani national in sound designer Resul Pookutty’s directorial debut. The script of the yet-untitled project has already been submitted to Bachchan.
When contacted, Resul chose to play safe. “I have approached Mr Bachchan for the film that I want to direct. The character is from another country. But it is not a political film. It’s an extremely humane subject that touches the lives of people on both sides of the border.”
The subject came to Resul from a close friend. “It’s written by an old classmate of mine, Amitabh Singh. The idea came to him from a news report that he saw on a television channel. When he came to me with the script, I was completely blown away. I had to direct this film, and direct it with Mr Bachchan in the lead.”
According to Resul, he’s got ‘Big Brother’ A R Rahman to compose the music for his film.
Never said Aamir Khan’s show was manipulated-Resul Pookutty
09 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Jyothi Prabhakar (BOMBAY TIMES; August 27, 2012)
Resul Pookutty is a very unhappy man — that is, since the last couple of days — ever since he was quoted as having said that Aamir Khan’s TV show Satyamev Jayate was doctored in the post-production studios to give it an emotional overhaul. “I don’t ever want to wake up like that again,” says Resul, “I was mixing English Vinglish all night, and returned home around 7am. I had just fallen asleep when the phone rang. After that, I haven’t slept,” he says.
Till I talk to Aamir, I won’t rest easy But isn’t this the usual grouse? Of being misquoted? Resul says, “I am not saying I didn’t say those things. I did, but I was simply explaining how the craft is done. I took many shows’ names — even Ekta’s shows on TV and reality shows. I usually talk about sounds and mixing in movies and shows. What I was trying to do was explain the difference between a live show, or a debate show and a show like Satyamev Jayate. I was talking about designing sound mainly for films and narratives. We design sound, so that the audience’s emotions are manipulated. We want the audience to laugh at some point, to cry at others. For example, take a background score based on ragas with an element of pathos to it. Now, put that into a sad scene, and it enhances the sadness of the scene.”
He goes on, “My only issue is that it was made to look like I attacked Aamir for what he has done. But I did not say anything the way it was made to appear. I never said More >
Anurag Kashyap frees Chittagong; to release on Oct 12
110 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Prachi Kadam (MUMBAI MIRROR; August 22, 2012)
NASA scientist-turned-filmmaker Dr Bedabrata Pain can now breathe easy. Reason being his film titled Chittagong based on India’s Chittagong uprising will finally release in India on October 12 this year after being delayed for nearly two and a half years.
Surprisingly, Chittagong, starring Manoj Bajpayee and Nawazzudin Siddiqui in the lead, was no less than the opening film at both the Los Angeles and New York Film Festivals.
According to academy award winning sound engineer Resul Pookutty, who has worked on the soundtrack of the film, a large part of the credit for it hitting theatres here goes to Anurag Kashyap.
Resul told Mirror, “Sadly, a similar film had released around the same time, and commercially, it wasn’t feasible for them to release at that time. And while Manoj and Nawazzudin have done exceptional work, star power is still something that deters small independent films. Considering Dr Pain is the only Indian in NASA’s Hall of Fame, he had zero clue about filmmaking. So for him, it is like a dream come true to have the India release on October 12.”
He added, “I feel Anurag Kashyap has become the new age messiah of independent cinema in India. Knowing the problems independent filmmakers face here, Anurag has been doing a great job. We are all very happy that the film will finally release on October 12.”
British news icon makes debut on Indian TV
011 months ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Tim Sebastian will play the moderator on a new debate show titled The Outsider to be co-produced by Kookie Gulati and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter
Mehul S Thakkar (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 17, 2012)
Award winning British television journalist, Tim Sebastian is all set to make his small screen debut in India. Tim, best known for BBC’s HARDTalk and his powerful interviewing and debating style, will play moderator for a political and social issue based talk show aptly titled The Outsider.
“I think anyone dealing with social and political issues in India, is bound to find it different from anywhere else in the world. This is the largest democracy in the world – full of miracles, misfortunes and contradictions. Few in the West seem to understand how it works – which is why I came here,” Tim told Mirror.
Tim revealed he has always wanted to take up the challenge of ‘understanding India better’. “I wanted to listen to the voices of the people – especially young people – and to see if we can encourage cutting-edge political debate,” he added.
And considering, the famous journalist has “No bias, no political background and no favours to pay back”, he was the best choice for the show to be produced by a new production house SOBO – a joint venture of Kookie Gulati and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde’s daughter Smuiti.
When contacted, Gulati told Mirror, “We have been importing show concepts for the Indian television. With SOBO, we wanted to do things More >
L Subramaniam returns to Hindi cinema
01 year ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
After 24 long years, the famous violinist has decided to compose music for Ananth Mahadevan’s Gour Hari Dastaan
By Vickey Lalwani (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 7, 2012)
He last scored music for a film in 1988, in Mira Nair’s Salaam Bombay. And now, 24 years later, acclaimed violinist and composer Dr L Subramaniam will return to cinema with Ananth Mahadevan’s Gour Hari Dastaan – The Freedom File.
Dr Subramaniam, who is generally skeptical about scoring film music, has made a special exception for the national award-winning director.
When contacted, he confirmed the news and added, “I was drawn to the film since it is based on a true story. Also, Mahadevan has dealt with it very sensitively. I have seen a rough cut of what he has made. After Salaam Bombay, I did a few English and South Indian films. I work very selectively.”
The film, based on the freedom fighter Gour Hari Das, stars Vinay Pathak in the lead role alongside Konkona Sen Sharma, Ranvir Shorey and Tannishtha Chatterjee.
Mahadevan was very clear about the kind of music he wanted for his project from the very beginning. It had to be in the realm of Western and Indian classical music.
He had first met Dr Subramaniam during the recording of Kavita Krishnamoorthy’s version of the classic Kya Janoo Sajan for his directorial debut Dil Vil Pyar Vyar in 2002. And so, a decade later, Mahadevan decided to meet the famous musician for his latest venture. However, getting Dr Subramaniam to agree wasn’t easy.
Though, Dr Subramaniam More >
RA.One’s audio mission
02 years ago
by Fenil Seta
in Bollywood News
Obsessed with the project, Shah Rukh Khan has decided to give multiplexes a complete makeover re-equipping the sound and projection facilities
Subhash K Jha (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 04, 2011)
If we were to say Shah Rukh Khan is leaving no stone unturned for his brainchild RA.One, it would still be a major understatement.
His over-the-top efforts began with aggressive measures to promote the film by capitalising on the cricket frenzy during the world cup and now the IPL (Mumbai Mirror, March 23).
Exhausting all efforts to perfect the content and promotions, Khan has decided to control the way audiences watch the film, by modernising, re-equipping and replacing the sound and projection facilities in multiplexes across the country.
Reportedly, Khan, accompanied by a technical team, will head to Los Angeles, in June, to tweak RA.One with all the special sound effects, never used in any other Indian film.
For audiences to truly experience and appreciate these effects, the actor has decided to upgrade the sound systems in multiplexes. Resul Pookutty, a member of the technical team on this mission, explained, “You see, RA.One is not just a movie experience.
It will be the first Indian film to hover somewhere between being a game and a movie. It requires a very unconventional sound and visual quality for which we’re installing the required equipment.”