The third day of the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) started off slowly but was soon energised by the lively and humorous presence of the young actor Babil Khan. His enthusiasm was contagious as he actively interacted with the audience.
The young actor was in Goa to participate in a masterclass titled Experience True Grit: Bringing Stories Rooted in Reality to Screen, where he discussed his latest trending series, The Railway Men.
Speaking on the sidelines of IFFI to GT, Khan shared a fond memory of Goa, reminiscing about his participation in a football tournament here. “My Goa memory would be when I was playing for Young Guns FC and their first football tournament was held here in Goa,” said Khan.
“Football back then was life!” he exclaimed, recalling his passion for the sport.
MASTERCLASS
The masterclass featured actors Kay Kay Menon, Divyenndu and Babil Khan along with Aayush Gupta (writer), Shiv Rawail (director) and Tanya Bami (Series, Head, Netflix) and it was moderated by Swati Chopra (journalist).
The series chronicles the sacrifices and real-life heroes of Bhopal Gas tragedy.
Director Shiv Rawail spoke about the reason behind working on this series and said that he wanted to leave the audience with a ray of hope. “On one of the darkest nights in modern history, amidst tragedy, the idea was to leave the audience with hope, that there are still people willing to sacrifice their lives,” Rawail said.
Additionally, he highlighted the fact that challenging and difficult stories are the most thrilling, as they push you to work harder and improve your skills and abilities.
MAKING A STORY BELIEVABLE
Actor Kay Kay Menon, who plays the role of a station master in the series, expressed his admiration for the series and said that it is one of the most ‘believable’ projects that he has worked on.
“I am so glad that I am part of a believable project. When a story is taken from history and is converted into fiction, there is an idea that the film needs to be something that people can believe and is believable. This series is one such project for me,” Menon stated.
He also elaborated on the importance of creating a fictional narrative that resonates with viewers on a real-life level.
HUGE RESPONSIBILITY
Famed for his work in the series, Mirzapur actor Divyenndu also reflected on the challenges and responsibilities of portraying real-life stories on screen. He said, “When you are bringing real life stories to screen, it’s a huge responsibility. You have to be very careful and sensitive in your approach.”
“We shot for 30 to 40 days and nights straight,” Divyenndu recalled. “There were scenes where we had to cover our mouths with handkerchiefs, there was coughing, and a lot of action involved. It was a very intense and demanding shoot.”
Despite the challenges, Divyenndu expressed his deep respect and admiration for the real-life heroes who inspired the series. “When I was in FTII, I had a friend who had lost his father in this tragedy and when this came to me, I somehow could relate to this,” he mentioned.
