‘Chambal is my attempt at making an inspiring film’

Jacob Varghese makes films when inspiration strikes, and says he only makes movies that he would like to watch. He follows an unconventional style of filmmaking, so much so that his lead actors are often not aware of the story of the film. The director-producer tells us about what led to him make Chambal, a commercial film that he says is as close to reality as possible. Excerpts from a chat…

Why keep everything so secretive?
There is a certain pattern that I follow with my films. When I write, I get a bound script together, and until I am confident about it, I don’t get to the set. Once that is clear, I feel that it’s better for the actors to get their specific scenes, rather than having the whole film explained to them. This is something I do with my films. The thing is that narrating a story makes me uncomfortable.

Why choose such a serious subject?
I wanted to make an inspiring film that I would love to watch. Filmmakers are known by the films they make. Marketing and social media presence are all short lived. If a film is good, you can relate to it even a decade later. After Prithvi, a lot of people aspired to be IAS officers. That is something I wanted to bring back.

You seem to have a thing for stories on IAS officers. Where does that come from?
(Laughs) Politicians change every 3-5 years, so it is the bureaucrats who run the country. They have a lot of power and can, therefore, do a lot of good. There are a few exceptional people who go out of their way to do this. I thought that I should highlight that. I didn’t plan on Chambal being centered on an IAS officer; that just happened.

Is Chambal the story of DK Ravi?
It is not one person’s story. I was inspired by a lot of people.

So, is it an out-and-out commercial film?
Yes. It’s a thriller, the screenplay of which had a lot of room for a non-linear format. Initially, I didn’t want songs, but somehow, three songs came along, because they all help the narrative. But the film is as real as possible. You don’t shout and talk in real life, and that is what you will see in the film. No character is over the top.

What was the thought behind casting Sathish Ninasam as your protagonist?
Sathish is a very good actor. There were some doubts about him being able to fit into a refined character, but he’s a trained actor, and with a little bit of makeover, it was achievable. The one thing that worked in his advantage is that like his character, Sathish is from a small town who came to the city. His command over the language is also very good.

You’re very selective with the films you do…
There are filmmakers who indulge in cinema, but I’m not like that. I don’t lock myself in a room and invest a lot of time in writing. I don’t have the patience to sit and ideate about what I am going to write. I can only make a film when I really feel that it has to be done. I have taken a liking for documentaries and invest a lot of time in them. It gives me a lot of happiness.
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