A Living Legacy Takes the Spotlight as Kamna Chandra Shares Her Journey
Diplomat Correspondent
Goa: DD, The In Conversation session titled “Unscripted – The Art and Emotion of Filmmaking” at IFFI turned Kala Academy into a movie set today.
An unforgettable cinematic celebration unfurled as renowned filmmaker and producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra took the stage, in a candid conversation with acclaimed screenwriter Abhijat Joshi.
The conversation held the audience in a grip usually reserved for a Friday blockbuster.
The session began with a warm felicitation as Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan MN, Joint Secretary (Films), honoured Chopra and Joshi, followed by Ravi Kottarakkara, noted film producer, who presented both with shawls.
Dr. Ajay expressed hope that Chopra would continue guiding young filmmakers with his trademark honesty. Ravi hailed Chopra’s ‘Parinda’ as a “game-changing film” that rewrote Indian cinema.
A Filmmaker Who Creates from the Self
Opening the conversation, Abhijat Joshi reminisced about the very first day he met Vidhu Vinod Chopra, a November day he remembers vividly, a moment that eventually shaped films like ‘Lage Raho Munna Bhai’ and ‘3 Idiots’.
He then asked Chopra if his style had evolved from ‘Parinda’ to ‘12th Fail’. Chopra’s answer was as raw as it was revealing.
“Every film reflects who I am at that point,” he said. “I was angry when I made ‘Parinda’. You can see that violence in the movie. Today I’m calmer.”
He added that ‘12th Fail’ came from witnessing corruption around him. “The film was my way of saying let’s be honest for a change. If I can change even 1% of the bureaucracy, that’s enough.” He also shared how watching ‘1942: A Love Story’ in its newly restored 8K version made him emotional. It was a film, he said, he could not make today because he is no longer the same person.
A Cinema of Conviction
Joshi affirmed that Chopra’s greatest hallmark is his unwavering loyalty to his own conviction.
“He never cares about a film’s commercial fate, he values only its artistic fate,” he said, before steering the conversation toward the creative processes behind ‘Parinda’ and ‘12th Fail’.
Chopra spoke passionately about preparation, vision, and the pursuit of visual truth. He elaborated on a famous shot from ‘1942: A Love Story’, even singing the song soulfully as the audience cheered.
He described insisting on real birds flying across the mountain ridge and how his crew scattered breadcrumbs to make it happen. Seeing that scene yesterday in 8K, he said, “was joy.”
Anecdotes that Filled the Hall with Laughter
What followed was a cascade of hilarious and heartfelt memories. Chopra recalled writing ‘Khamosh’ in a tiny one-room flat where he would shout dialogues and “cut, cut!” from the rooftop, terrifying neighbours. Joshi confirmed: “Vidhu can get as excited as a child when conceiving a film.”
Another crowd favourite was the story of Actor Jackie Shroff accidentally walking into the wrong apartment during rehearsals, waking up a startled woman, and handing her flowers.
“She told everyone she dreamt Jackie Shroff visited her,” Chopra laughed.
The Music, The Madness, The Magic
Speaking about ‘1942: A Love Story’, Chopra narrated his fierce determination to collaborate with R.D. Burman despite those who claimed Burman’s time was over. When Burman presented initial tunes, Chopra rejected them bluntly.
“I called it bullshit. I wanted the soul of S.D. Burman.” Weeks later, came “Kuch Na Kaho.” Chopra sang the melody onstage, receiving thunderous applause. “This song exists because I said that one word,” he joked.
Chopra also revisited his famous National Award story. He narrated how he expected ₹4,000 in cash along with the award, only to receive an eight-year postal bond. His humorous recreation of his argument with L.K. Advani left the hall roaring. He also acknowledged Advani’s later support, including helping him attend the Oscars.
Voices Behind the Classics Join In
In a heartwarming moment, Kamna Chandra, 92-year-old writer of ‘1942: A Love Story’ and Chopra’s mother-in-law, joined the conversation, along with producer Yogesh Ishwar. Kamna spoke of laboring over each dialogue and the emotion she felt watching the restored version. “I felt like I’ve done something in life,” she said.
Yogesh detailed the meticulous 8K restoration journey in Italy, cleaning the film frame by frame and remastering its sound. Chopra said the restored version “looks exactly like what I had imagined.”
The session concluded with a lively Q&A, but it was clear that the true magic had already unfolded. The audience had travelled through decades of cinema, lived through the joys and absurdities of filmmaking, and witnessed the creative partnership between Vidhu and Abhijat that has shaped some of India’s most beloved films.DD
