“I enjoy every aspect of filmmaking” – Kussh S Sinha

It is often assumed that people hailing from film families have it easier than those who come from the outside. Kussh S Sinha, however, had to wait for a long time before he got the opportunity to make his first film. Featuring sister Sonakshi Sinha in the titular role, his debut directorial feature ‘Nikita Roy’ releases in theatres this Friday. When you speak to the debutante director, you get the feeling that he is confident about the product he has made.

In this interview, Kussh talks about the challenges he faced while making his first film, working with sister Sonakshi, getting important feedback from Abhinav Kashyap, the importance of being on a film set, future projects and more.

You have stated that your interest in human psychology led you towards making ‘Nikita Roy’.

Yes! Through this film, I have tried to shed light on how we, at times, fall prey to manipulative tactics employed by people around us. The character which Paresh (Rawal) ji plays in the film is very interesting. It’s a grey character with several layers to it. The conflict between Nikita Roy and Paresh ji’s character is what drives the film forward.

As a first-time director, what are the challenges you faced while making this film?

I faced all those challenges which any first-time director faces. From the getting the script in place to finding the right people to back it, everything was a challenge. All this, of course, is a part of the process. In the past, I have assisted a few directors. That helped me familiarize myself with the process. We had good producers like Nickky and Viicky Bhagnani, Kinjal Ashok Ghone, Ankur Vijay Takrani and Dinesh Ratiram Gupta. who wanted to back content that was fresh and different.

Abhinav Kashyap, whom you assisted in the past, has worked as a creative consultant on this film. What kind of contribution did he make?

I, along with my team of writers, rewrote the film extensively. At one point, we asked Abhinav sir to have a look at it. He made a very important contribution to the script. Because of him, the emotional depth in the script got elevated. I cannot get into the details as it will give away a major plot in the film.

The original screenplay, which you and your team of writers adapted, was written by Pavan Kriplani. He is known for directing thrillers like ‘Ragini MMS’, ‘Phobia’ and ‘Gaslight’. Did he come to you with the script?

Pavan and I had met a long time ago. I liked the script and wanted to work on it further. Then, a senior filmmaker showed interest in the script and wanted to make a film out of it. As he was a senior figure, I decided to let go of the script. For some reason, he did not make his film and the script came back to me. I guess I was destined to start my journey as a filmmaker with this script.

You studied filmmaking abroad. Do you think formal training is important for a filmmaker?

Going to the institute did help me. However, I believe one needs to work on a set extensively to learn the ropes of filmmaking. A film school tends to have a very organized environment. That’s not the case when you are working on a Hindi film. Every day is a new day. On some days, things move smoothly. Then, there are days when nothing happens as per your plan. If somebody wishes to become a filmmaker, I would ask them to work on a film set. After working for 2-3 years, they can join a film school where they can learn a little more about the craft.

Sanjay Leela Bhansali was one of the first filmmakers you had assisted. What did you learn from him?

I understood how challenging the process of filmmaking can be. Working on a set can be really tough. What I also learnt from him is that you need to be extremely focused when you are making a film. He has an eye for detail and is extremely passionate about his work.

One has not seen Sonakshi play a character of this nature in the past. What was your reaction when you first shared or narrated the script to her?

Sonakshi was on board from the beginning. She understood the character and had complete clarity on how it should be portrayed. In this film, she had to look real and strong. In the past, one has seen her play realistic characters in films like ‘Lootera’ and ‘Noor’. Even, ‘Akira’ was real, to an extent. She has always been very brave as an actor and played a variety of characters in her career. Nikita Roy was a very challenging character to portray. Not many actresses would have taken up a role with this. Sonakshi did complete justice to the character.

Which aspect of filmmaking do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy every aspect of filmmaking. The one thing I like the most about it is that you learn something new every day. It is a creative process and has so many different elements to it. You get to work with so many different professionals.

What do you plan to make next?

I am working on a couple of ideas. There is a story about the film industry which I want to take forward. I am also working on a supernatural story. I am also developing the script for a horror comedy.