‘Bollywood Diaries’ Director K.D. Satyam – “My parents thought filmmaking is a risky business”

Bollywood Diaries could well be director K.D. Satyam‘s own life story. For a man from Chattisgarh who has traveled across the country, the final landing was Mumbai. It wasn’t without its share of incidents though. Fighting off battles that were both internal and external, Satyam persisted well to gather team and resources which were as passionate as him when it came to unraveling a tale about common people from different walks of life and with a common dream – Bollywood. Over to the man, whose is elated with the kind of response the promo of Raima Sen, Ashish Vidyarthi and Salim Diwan starrer has managed.

Guess your traveling experience has come in pretty handy for the film?
Oh yes, through my personal journey, I have understood the journey of the film. It all started through traveling across the country. I have been born and brought up in Chattisgarh. Then I lived in Delhi, Vishhakapatnam, Hyderabad before reaching Mumbai. While living in different places, I have witnessed and experienced my characters. I have seen that passion for Bollywood in them. I have seen these people who are mad about Bollywood.

You could well be one of these characters.
(Laughs) You know, my parents also asked me not to go for it. They felt that it is all a risky business. I was sure though that I wanted to be a part of Bollywood and become a film director. Those in my family circle said that lakhs of people go to Mumbai and get rotten. First they thought I was thinking of being an actor. When I expressed my desire to be a director, they further dissuaded me. They said woh to 40 ki umar hone ke baad hi possible ho sakta hai. So in a way, there was a lot of personal chaos that I too went through.

You have brought these battles on screen?
That’s correct. You would see the pain and madness on the basis of what I have seen and experienced. The way you see all the emotions, whether positives or negatives on screen, the same is experienced by people who step into Bollywood as well. It is reel meeting real life. If someone gets success, then it is great. However for that person who doesn’t make it, the whole state of mind is different. All of these things were simmering in my mind. I wanted to have a professional learning and understanding of the medium though, and hence I did my Master’s degree in Film Direction from Zee Institute of Media Arts.

After writing Gattu, which was acclaimed nationally and internationally, you chose Raima Sen, Ashish Vidyarthi and Salim Diwan to enact the part of three principle characters in Bollywood Diaries.
See, in the film we don’t have big stars or names, but then we have very good content. Still, it was very difficult for me to cast. (Smiles) I guess the most difficult aspect for filmmaking in Bollywood is casting. A studio wants a big name since they look at it as commerce. Actors and stars feel that they need to work with a big director. So for upcoming makers, the biggest problem is casting. I had to convince my producer that in this film we don’t need stars since I am trying to tell the tale of people who are giving their all to achieve something in life. I needed good actors who have seen that environment.

A sensitive subject like this pretty much warranted that it is handled with care and treated with utmost sincerity. As a filmmaker, you indeed had a task in hand, right?
Our content is bigger than any mainstream film and masses will really connect to it. At the same time, there is this bit of philosophical and intellectual element in there as well. It is unique combination of entertainment and art. That is the mainstay and USP of the film.