‘Popular Cinema Has Spoiled Us’

‘We
think
life
will
also
have
a
happy
ending,
but
for
some
people,
it
is
not
a
happy
ending…
especially
the
victims
and
their
family
of
any
crime.’

With
Netflix’s



Sector
36,
based
on
the
gruesome


Nithari
crimes,
Director
Aditya
Nimbalkar
joins
the
ranks
of
contemporary
film-makers.

“I’m
a
hard
worker
and
try
to
keep
learning,”
he
tells

Subhash
K
Jha.

“I
had
a
great
script,
a
great
cast
and
crew
and
wonderful
producers
(Maddock
Films),
and
Netflix,
who
backed
and
supported
the
film.
Of
course,
I
owe
a
lot
to
my
mentor,
Vishal
Bhardwaj.
I
have
learnt
so
much
from
him.

“Bodhayan
Roy
Choudhary
had
written
a
great
script.
It
was
a
unique
take
on
the
crime
which
explored
the
mind
of
not
only
the
cop
but
also
the
criminals.
More
than
a
‘who
done
it’,
it’s
a
‘how
and
why
done
it.'”

Speaking
of
the
pitch-perfect
casting
of
Vikrant
Massey
and
Deepak
Dobriyal,
Aditya
says,
“Vikrant
knew
of
the
script
before
I
did,
and
he
was
very
interested
in
playing
Prem.

“Although
he
was
nervous,
he
knew
this
is
a
role
he
could
really
sink
his
teeth
into.
I
had
no
doubt
in
my
mind
that
he
would
perform
it
exceptionally
well,
so
we
decided
to
go
on
this
journey
together.”

“Deepak
sir
was
a
suggestion
by
our
casting
director
Anmol
Ahuja
and
as
soon
as
his
name
came
up,
we
all
jumped
and
asked
him
to
call
him.
Deepak
sir
is
better
known
for
his
comic
timing
but
he’s
also
a
wonderful
dramatic
actor
and
we
knew
he
would
be
amazing.”

The
sequence
where
Deepak
interrogates
Vikrant
is
chilling.

“We
had
a
great
scene
on
paper.
It
was
long
but
we
were
confident
that
if
executed
well,
it
can
be
something
special.
Saurabh
Goswami
(cinematographer)
and
I
planned
the
scene
in
great
detail
with
the
actors,”
Aditya
says.

“There
were
some
improvisations
but
every
nuance
and
reaction
was
discussed
and
planned
beforehand.
Even
on
shoot,
the
treatment
and
execution
was
hard
work
and
planning
every
detailed
camera
angle,
movement
etc.

“Improvisation
is
great
and
must
be
done
but
planning
and
hard
work
is
needed
as
a
foundation.

“Sreekar
Prasad
(editor)
worked
his
magic
on
the
scene
beautifully
and
ensured
the
drama
unfolded
just
right.”

The
experience
of
making
this
series
has
left
Aditya
“shaken
and
very
disturbed
by
the
content”.

“I
was
very
anxious
shooting
some
scenes,
but
we
must
be
professionals
and
do
what
the
film
requires
us
to
do,”
he
says.

“Sometimes,
stories
don’t
have
happy
endings,
some
stories
are
tragedies.
That’s
the
harsh
truth.
Popular
cinema
has
spoiled
us
and
we
think
life
will
also
have
a
happy
ending.
But
for
some
people,
it
is
not
a
happy
ending,
especially
victims
of
crime
and
their
families.”