Lalit Gupta
Regional cinema instead of trying to ape Bollywood must strive to create its own genre so that people are able to identify with it. At the same time to sustain regional cinema it is very important that films made in local languages make money, said Asit Kaul, the young director and screenplay writer.
One who has already made films with international actors and producers as well as for Bollywood’s big banners, Asit Kaul considers Jammu as his hometown. He was born in 1982 in the family of Lalita Kaul and Satish Kaul who is a well-known local industrialist. He did all his schooling from MHAC Nagbani, and graduated in B.E in Computer Science and later to pursue Masters in Business Management, he went to Ottawa, Canada.
After the successful completion of MBA, while he was working for a Fortune 500 company in Canada in the Management field, he decided to give it up for his passion in films. Pursuing the calling of his heart, he along with few friends, started writing and making short films only to understand the language and exploring the medium of films.
Then he attended the Canadian Screen Training Center, Ottawa, to formally learn Screenwriting and then also obtained a Diploma in Film and Television Direction in Mumbai to solidify his basics in film-making.
Within a short time of his professional career, he acted as ‘Co-Writer & Chief Assistant Director’ on the Hindi feature film, ‘Oh, My God! (2009)’ for Zee Motion Pictures, starring Vinay Pathak, Saurabh Shukla & Divya Dutta and acted as ‘Writer & Director’ of the mainstream English feature film in Canada, ‘A Date with Fear (2011)’ starring Amar Agha, Ashley Kranz & Robert Nolan.
His experience in regional cinema as a ‘Line Producer Canada’ was for the Punjabi feature film, ‘Welcome to Punjab (2012)’ starring Sarbjit Cheema, Saumya Tandon and Ranjeet. His next project is a Comedy feature film in Hindi.
Talking about recently released local films made in Pahari and Dogri and people’s enthusiasm to see film in their respective mother tongue, he said that it was unfortunate that despite the good story lines, films failed to make money and in some cases even did not recover the production cost. He said among many factors some noteworthy are the absence of cinemas and lack of marketing strategy.
He said, not withstanding the initial hiccups it is very important that regular cinema happens here. For that young persons from theatre and other backgrounds having passion for film making have to be regularly involved and stay attached with the process despite the fact that it may not be a profit making affair at the moment. The issue of raising the bar of regional cinema will come later, he said.
An ardent student of film making who in such a young age has experience of American film industry and Bollywood, while referring the film making in J&K, Asit Kaul feels that most of the films made in Jammu & Kashmir in the recent times have been issue based. He has a strong desire to make a mainstream film based in the state, just like it was done till late 1980s. This way the youth of the country and the audience overseas, who may not be very familiar with the cinema of that period, will have an opportunity to see Jammu & Kashmir with a fresh perspective. He is also planning to make such a film a mainstream film on Jammu and Kashmir very soon with the intention of bringing the State back as the place of interest for the filmmakers of India and oversees.
As a filmmaker, Asit says that he is always looking for new ideas and young talent. Anyone can get in touch with him via his website www.asitkaul.com. He can also be reached via facebook.com/asitkaul and twitter.com/asitkaul.
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