Filling the silence with Words

Anup Bhandari, a Kannadiga, is out to make a difference with his filmmaking skills.

The Mangalore born and Mysore educated lad has directed Words, an English short film. The 20-minute film stars Hollywood actor Russell Harvard (of There Will be Blood fame) in the lead.

Words is about a deaf and mute man who meets a woman at Bethesda fountain, Central Park in New York. Over the course of five days, the woman comes up with innovative ways to communicate with him. Also there are references to deaf icons Beethoven and Chuck Baird in the film.

The film is a result of a conversation that Anup had with his friend Carl, whose wife is a sign language interpreter.

"I felt that I could make a film using sign language and within a few minutes, I had a one line story in mind. I then did some research and met people," recalls Anup.

The next task was to look for suitable actors. Auditions were held across Boston, New York and New Jersey. Over 80 actors gave the screen test. However after watching There Will be Blood, Anup thought Russell was apt for the role.

The actor agreed to do the film "for passion and not money".

As soon as the music for Words is done, the film will be showcased in film festivals. The film has been produced by Golden Summer Productions.

Post Words, Anup is looking forward to directing Kannada films. "I have a few Kannada and English scripts that are ready to be made into films. I am in talks with producers and would love to make my first full length movie in Kannada."

While for one of the scripts he is on the lookout for newcomers from theatre and film backgrounds, for another he plans to approach Sudeep.

So will these films carry socially relevant undertones too?

"I will be very happy if my movies manage to touch upon subjects that need to be brought to people's notice. But I'm open to out and out entertainers too. As long as I am not giving out the wrong message I'm okay with any genre," says the Puttana Kanagal and Ravichandran fan.

Anup is not new to filmmaking. He has been making socially relevant films and has even won corporate social awards for Nemesis, a film on drug abuse and Life meets Life that features a girl selling Indian flags.

He had also composed the title music for Kurigalu Sir Kurigalu, a popular Kannada tele-serial.

"Cinema has fascinated me from childhood. I watched almost every movie that is released. I would then return home and enact scenes from them with my brother. We even made up our own stories and songs as kids. As I grew up, I felt the need to direct movies based on my vision. I then attended weekend seminars and a crash course on film making in USA, where I am currently employed as a software engineer," says Anup while summing up the journey so far.