qissa

In this episode Neha talks to filmmaker Anup Singh, whose film 'Song of Scorpions' starring Irrfan Khan and Golshifteh Farahani was screened at the 19th Mumbai Film Festival. Listen in as he talks about his inspirations to make film, his method of working with actors, his childhood as a refugee, and his previous film, the much acclaimed 'Qissa'.

01:17 Intro 02:06 Life as a refugee/Watching film at sea 06:28 Cinema as an art form 08:27 Experiences from first film 'Ekti Nadir Naam' 12:37 The crux of 'Qissa' 14:55 Personal history that inspired 'Qissa' 19:32 Making the film in Punjabi/Producer demands/Getting the project off the ground 23:40 Authenticity vs. Experience in fiction 26:18 The importance of being an outsider 29:58 Writing routine 34:09 Preparation for a shoot 35:35 Working with actors/Workshopping 40:29 Collaborations and ego conflicts 41:56 Seeking feedback 42:50 Dealing with failure 43:43 Learning from students 46:36 Next project 47:53 Relationship with Irrfan Khan 49:48 Approach to casting 54:55 Role of music 57:24 Recommendation

Watch the trailer for 'Qissa' here: https://youtu.be/ORO6Zp0oHDU

Watch the trailer for 'The Song of Scorpions' here: https://youtu.be/nBNRAiUcxco

Anup's film recommendation - Once Upon a Time in Anatolia (2011, Dir: Nuri Bilge Ceylan): https://youtu.be/4jKgHqU1jrs

For any questions or comments find Neha on twitter @neharthak

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Toba Tek Singh is a short story written by Saadat Hasan Manto and published in 1955. It follows inmates in a Lahore asylum, some of whom are to be transferred to India following the independence of Pakistan in 1947.

Introduction to the Qissa podcast. Trying to answer the why question.