The making of Abhimanyu!

Location Hunting!

Lemme start this diary on the making of Abhimanyu, with the initial beginning - the Location Hunting in Bangalore. When Onir decided that he will make Abhimanyu in Bangalore, he told me his requirements of the locations (that goes with the script). As I was based in Bangalore, it was easier for me to get hold of locations - And as the script demanded a few of them including two houses, cafe day, studio and a disc, I was on the move to get hold of them.
Easier to get them, had the photos clicked of the locations and sent it to Onir. I had sent lots of photos of different bungalows that was needed. Hmm... to be very frank, Onir did not like most of them and zeroed in a few to have a look when he comes down for Recce.
So, I got ready to show him two bungalows, three different houses, two editing studios, discos/pubs amongst others.

.....to be continued

Sundeep Malani

Birthday wishes for Rahul Bose from a Fan

Hi Rahul,

1st of all a very very happy (belated) B'day. Wish you all the success and luck in the coming year. Also appreciate the fact that you are part of "Abhimanyu" now, I was any how excited about the film since the day Onir shared the Idea with his FB friends.... but honestly the excitement got doubled when I got to know that you are gona be part of the project.... really looking forward to your work and the film itself.... Thought i somehow refrain myself from quoting "I am a big fan" kinda statement, but when it comes to people like you I have to say I admire your work and the persona you carry.... keep it up.. hope i can meet you sometime and exchange few words......

Take care, have a gr8 year ahead... God Bless..

Regards

Saurangshu Kanunjna

Bangaloreans gets Branded!

Abhimanyu! It can be your child. It can be you.
Yep. Everyone wanted to get a share of Abhimanyu as everyone loves him. Want to caress him, want to shower their love, blessings on him. Want to own him.
And Bangalore and Bangaloreans got a chance to be with him and own him too!

Abhimanyu got branded by the following names, who have got themselves in some or the other way associated to the project. And as they have done so, Anticlock Films team, Onir and Sanjay Suri thanks all of them, for their whole hearted support.

* Nalini Rathnam for helping in getting the kids, and letting her place for Auditioning
* Archna Balan and her team of Bottle Films (Murali and Nikhil) for taking care of the shoot and voluntarily being the Online Producers.
* Yasmine Claire and Jayaprakash Satyamurthy for lending their cats to be showcased in the film.
* Abhishek Dhar for giving his car for the entire shooting schedule.
* Rreshma Malani for designing costume for Pooja Gandhi.
* Silver R Malani for giving his cycle, toys and kids props for the shoot.
* Ricky Kej for letting us shoot at his Music Editing Studio.
* Viren Khanna for getting in his hi profile guests to be part of the shoot at the Disco Lounge
* Actress Pooja Gandhi for voluntarily accepting the role and being a part of the cause.
* Model Arry Dabas for doing a cameo in the film voluntarily
* Gurudas Kamath, Shylaja Hegde, Ananth Narayan for renting their place for the shoot and lending their full support.
* Press & Media for covering the shooting report.

And all ye Bangaloreans

Thanks
On Behalf of Anticlock Films & Abhimanyu,
Sundeep Malani
www.facebook.com/sundeepmalani

Abhi-ban(galore)yu Times!

Abhimanyu caught in the Act!

The starcast comprising of Sanjay Suri, Rahul Bose, Radhika Apte, Shernaz Patil and Pooja Gandhi have been photoshot and articled by Bangalore Times.
Director Onirban and his team were in the city shooting for the short film ABHIMANYU. BT got a sneak peek.

A few days ago, director Onirban and his trusted cinematographer Arvind Kannabiran were in the vity, scouting for locations to shoot his short film Abhimanyu. "At 25 minutes run time, Abhimanyu will be shot entirely in Bangalore", Onirban had said then. Though some of the preferred locations didnt work out, the filmmaker was soon back with his cast and crew, filming across the city over five days.
"We first shot at a house in Koramangala for a very important sequence in the film. As the film deals with child abuse, it was imperative that the central character returns to his roots and confronts people about what happened in his childhood. So we had Sanjay Suri, who plays Abhimanyu, come back to his childhood home with a pal (played by Radhika Apte) to speak to his mother (Shernaz Patel) about his childhood," explains Onir.
These events in his formative years make Abhimanyu non committal in relationships, explains Sanjay. "Abhimanyu witnesses several traumatic events in his childhood, even losing people close to him, and that eventually makes his approach ambiguous towards relationships," he elaborates. Hence the significance of the little black kitten in the Koramangala shoot. "The cat is a big symbol in the film, the idea being that Abhimanyu is like a cat who likes attention, but has no concept of loyalty," explains Onir.
As the settings changed between Indiranagar, Kanakapura Road and Brigade Road, director Anurag Kashyap, actor Rahul Bose and Pooja Gandhi joined the action. "I play Jai, a techie from Bangalore and an old pal of Abhimanyu and my scenes in the film are about a chance meeting with a friend and the lingering remnants of attraction between us." says Rahul, whose character also plays a central role in a subsequent short-film to be made - OMAR.

TGIF! - Cafe, Pub & Dance Floor

The 5th day and the last day of the shoot was a Friday, and it was Cafe, Pub & the Dance floor all the way!
We actually had more fun than the shoot on Friday, as it was all in the open space of the happening place of Bangalore - Brigade Road. Although we started early, the presence of Rahul Bose & Sanjay Suri at the Open Cafe Day, brought in lots of crowd to watch the shoot. But, without any disturbance and co-perative crowd we could manage to complete it on time, as per schedule.
Move on to, Fusion Lounge (Pub & Disc) wherein the Kannada Actress - the Hearthrob of Bangalore - Pooja Gandhi made an appearence to be part of the project. Thanks to Viren Khanna, the event organisor and the party animal, who bought in his group of friends to be part of the shoot.
At the end of the day, we wrapped up the shoot - the Last day with Cafe, Pub & fun at the dance floor!
That brings to the successful end of ABHIMANYU's 5 days shoot! Thank God its Friday!

Sundeep Malani

The Abhimanyu I knew... by Aarambhh M Singh

It takes not a lot of courage to revisit a tale of horror. Something that Aarambhh had encountered in his friend and the chilling experience of his has lived with him for years.  On Facebook Aarambhh recounts his experience... and makes an appeal for Abhimanyu.

You could too like Aarambhh spread the word on your online spaces and send us the link for us to acknowledge here.

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"No Papa No …" I read the heading in the Times of India almost 15 years ago when I was too young to even understand the difficult vocabulary of the news paper article. I still remember the article had a painted picture of sobbing girl and I began reading it … and with every line it became more and more difficult for me to understand the words like "Molestation", "Rape", "Sexual abuse", etc., which were beyond my limited knowledge about sex at the age of eleven. Before someone could catch me, I hid it in the most unreachable corner of my room.

Years later… at our tenth class farewell, "Amol"(name changed) my best friend was missing from the party. It kept me very uncomfortable throughout, knowing the fact that he was expecting to be wining Mr. Evening title. After the party, I requested Avinash to drop me at Amol's place. Before I could press the doorbell of "Gupta's Residence", I heard a sobbing. I followed the sound only to find Amol behind the car in his father's garage. He hugged me tight and cried.(He was sexually abused by his tenant whom he was quite fond off)…I managed to bring him home somehow. Amol was scared that his father may never believe him. Mr. Gupta had blind faith on that 28 year old decent looking studious tenant rather than Amol. That night while Amol cried and slept, I ransacked my room to find the same article which was beyond my understanding years ago. I realized Amol was also a Victim of a Child Sexual Abuse.

The story never ended with Amol and in India it has become a never ending story. In India typically, parents are very careful about the friends we roam around. Even Amols parents Mr. & Mrs. Gupta enquired every now and then if his friends booze or smoke. They ensured to meet each of his friend with same old question "Beta aap smoke to nahi karte na?" "Beta aap drink to nahi karte na?" They even kept and eye on Amol's elder sister Akansha who turned nineteen the same year if she is loitering around because they were worried she might bring home some unwanted shame. But did they check the growing fondness that the tenant showed towards Amol? (He is a boy what will happen to him!) Did they ever keep an eye on Akansha when she was probably five and was left behind to play at a neighbor's house? (No because then they were not worried of pregnancy).

Another case just added to long pending cases, we read, we know and we try to hush the matters because we are ashamed of accepting the fact that such animals exist in this society. And with due respect to animals, these people are worst than animals, because even animals don't degrade themselves to such category. This is probably an everyday affair in our households where trustworthy people like a close relative, friend, tuition teacher, and servant are doing such a horrendous crime. But the lack of recognition, acceptance and inhibitions; just encourage them more and make the lives of innocent kids, pure hell.

To the point that when I had written this article one year back, the reactions which I got were ranging right from incredulity to criticism. I was told that such topics never deserved to be discussed in public forums. And I wondered at the mentality of people. What if its your own child? What if it happens to somebody whose close and near or dear to you? Would you still shove it under you bed, ignore it and consider it as a hush-hush topic? Most of the times an unaddressed issue , blows out of proportion and becomes a disease.

Today somebody has decided to address the topic in a way it should be. The movie "Abhimanyu" is a step towards the same. Director Onir in his series of short films , prelude with a story of a survivor of Child Sexual Abuse. All he needs is support from people. An unparallel support which would make this commendable dream project successful. So please take a step forward and contribute in the manner you can. A step from you today can make an impact on somebody's life, it can save a child from being abused, it can save our coming generations.

Anticlock Films wants this project to be a completely independent, community endeavor free from studio criteria like star-power and opening weekend sales. This is a movement towards cinema that has content- entertains by way of enriching oneself.

Your support (monetary contributions or otherwise) will help them realize this goal. To that end, they've established three different ways to help:

• Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 – Acknowledgements in the end credits( Treated as donation/pledge)

• Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 – Return of your contribution at the time of the final film release and acknowledgement in the end credits

• Rs 100,000 to Rs 15,00,000 – Acknowledgements in the beginning titles as co producers of the film and proportionate share in the profits.

• Rs 1000 to Rs 5000- Students category. Give up one weekend at a night club and support a film with a cause. Acknowledgement on website/ blogs/DVD booklet
http://www.iamabhimanyu.blogspot.com/

Cheques to be made for Anticlock films pvt.ltd

And sent to :
181 PARIKH BUNGALOW
FIRST FLOOR
ARAM NAGAR II
J.P.ROAD
MUMBAI 4000 61
INDIA

P.S: Everyone of us can do something to save Abhimanyu's and Amols of our Life ... How we stood for Child Labour, lets stand together against "Child Abuse" and Support the cause.

- Aarambhh M Singh

CATch Me If you can!

CATch me If you can!

‘Meow.. Meow!’ was what one heard for the entire day of a shoot after a long time. Truly speaking, Cats are not that common found in households in Bangalore. Hardly one gets to see a cat on the road or at some houses. But, thanks to Yasmin and JP who own (I would rather say are more like dotting parents) to a dozen of cats, that we used as much as 5 cats from their side for our film, Abhimanyu.
Cats were of different colors, very soft and also very cute.
I remember Onir saying this to me;

One thing I don’t like are cats. I don’t know how will I shoot with them.

And now, at the end of the shoot that he directed a few cats, all you can hear him saying,

I wish I could have them as my pet. I love cats.

Hmm…! Onir getting very Catty! Lol!!!
Let me add here that, as using an animal in the film we need to have a trained animal. And one Bollywood Cat (Mumbai se) was brought to Bangalore for a shoot. But, that cat was so unfriendly and ferocious that it actually scratched our DOP Arvind Kamnnabiran’s arm. And was not at all co-operative in giving the shot. It was just running from one place to another. The cat trainer, himself could not help us out. The cat was actually making us round around and was giving us the directions; CAT me if you can!
With Onir directing some lovely cats in the film (who make their debute), the 4th day of the shoot went meow.. meow…fully!

Sundeep Malani
www.facebook.com/sundeepmalani