Advantage Pune

Where mind meets matter

One of India’s senior-most IT practitioners, L C Singh, took time off his daily grind to make a film to capture what he insists is Indian about the economic progress India has made.

Among the deepest desires all of us nurse is to do something for our Alma Mater. However, this ‘something’ often takes the form of a donation, instituting scholarships and prizes, a library or a health center. L. C. Singh added a new dimension to this wish list. He made a film on his Alma Mater. Yes! The soon-to-be-released Banaras: A Mystic Love Story is the manifestation of Singh’s perception and passion about this holy town and major pilgrimage center in North India.

The President and Chief Executive Officer of Nihilent Technologies says his film is a tribute to Banaras, the city that symbolizes the spirituality of everything that forms the Indian culture. “There is something about this place that has attracted the most intelligent, creative, philosophical and spiritual minds. Buddha, Kabir, Tulsidas or J. Krishnamurthi found their eternal peace here. Even pop-star Madonna visits here to study Kundalini yoga.”

Singh, who grew up around Banaras and also studied at the renowned Banaras Hindu University, says the city exudes an energy that ultimately leads to inner peace. “This is a place where death is not feared and the intrinsic meaning of life touches your soul.”

Singh insists the film is a ‘complete fiction in the backdrop of Varanasi,’ that tells us a story of a young and rich physics scholar (portrayed by leading Bollywood siren Urmila Matondkar) who falls in love(with a musician and mystic played by Asmit Patel) a protégé of super mystic Nasiruddin Shah setting the stage for a shakespearian love story. “It has all the ‘brick and mortar of a class feature film - romance, emotions, dilemma, conflict and the final choice.” The film is an attempt to portray the relation between man’s physical advancement and spiritual richness.

As the story evolves in Banaras, the city was an obvious choice for location. The locales and the places shot in the movie are all authentic. At least 30% of the shots have the holy Ganges in the background. What else could bring out fully the beauty, grandeur and humane aspects? Of course some 3 days shooting had to happen in Mauritius as demanded by the story.

Singh feels excited as he describes the making of ‘Banaras.’ “Many things happened in Varanasi for the first time. We were allowed to shoot the Kashi Vishwanath shrine. The house where saint poet Tulsidas lived and the manuscript of Ramayan was opened specially for us. We also received red carpet treatment at the Banaras Hindu University.”

Singh spent two years writing the story. 9 pm to 11 pm, daily, he used to write the script, mainly using a laptop computer and later the tablet PC. This gadget he found friendly, as it understood 98 per cent of his handwriting. It’s a different story that thanks to his extensive use, Singh gave valuable feedback to the manufacturers of the tablet PC he used for writing and was offered an improved version, free with all flaws removed.

Singh’s English writing then passed on to Jaaved Siddiqi (Dilwale Dulhaniya..., and Raja Hindustani Fame) for making into a Hindi script for the film. For direction he didn’t have to look beyond Pankaj Parashar, who had worked on corporate films and commercials during his (Singh’s) stints with TCS and Zensar. Although Urmila Matondkar was Singh’s choice, Pankaj helped with the rest of the casting.

Music is key to this film. “I wanted it contemporary yet something that touches the young hearts. In fact the whole creation is directed at the young generation who must understand that in spite of all the physical prosperity, spiritual satisfaction is valued by the Indian tradition.” Music director Himesh Reshammiya has lived by Singh’s aspirations and blended his notes with the lyrics penned by Sameer who is from Banaras and a BHU alumni. The ‘Banaras...’ album is expected to hit the market in September. This Rs 8 - crore wonder is under post- production, going through special digital color correction and expected to be released towards later half of November.

Did the ‘office work’ suffer during the making of ‘Banaras...? Not really. “In the initial stages I split my time 50:50 between office and the film. Singh took a ‘sabbatical’ from work to witness the making of “Banaras....” as it was not possible to be at the office while his dream was taking shape. He wasn’t absolutely isolated from the goings-on at the office, though. Technology today helps you keep in touch from wherever you are. “So I could call in, connect sitting in the car and was always reachable for anything that would be exceptionally important.”

Almost sounds like a message for techies with a creative bend. What you need is an idea, a germ that’s different from the run of the mill. If the creativity thunderbolt hits you, document it. Specialist resources will take care of the rest.