FILM INTERVIEW: SOHAM MEHTA

 

With other films such as Juliet & The Nurse, Released, Revenge of the Desis, Where's The Party Yaar (with Kal Penn of Harold & Kumar and The Namesake fame), and Ball & Chain under his belt as either a producer, director, writer, or director, Mr. Mehta is already looking forward to the not-so-distant future -- a time when he will most likely join Hollywood’s elite echelon of talented filmmakers.

 

Fresh off Fatakra’s screening at several film festivals, including its most recent appearance less than two weeks ago at the 2011 Newport Beach Film Festival, Mr. Mehta chats with Buzzine’s own Neha Sarin-Malhotra about his career and vision.

 

Neha Sarin-Malhotra: What inspired you to become a director?

 

Soham Mehta: I did not choose to become a director in any one moment of inspiration. I had been acting in plays since I was in elementary school, and over time, I gravitated toward directing: first as a theater director, then as a film director. I think part of the reason I shifted toward directing was that I found I was most interested in the overall impact -- both intellectual and emotional -- a work of theater or film had on an audience. Directing also played to all of the facets of my personality. 

 

NSM: You started a theatre group. What was your motivation behind it?

 

SM: Part of the motivation was that I wanted to direct, so that was a selfish reason. I also went that route because it gave me an outlet to continue doing theater. However, starting the troupe was always about more than just creating a vehicle for my own work. From the reaction I got to my theater work in college, I knew that South Asians were hungry to see their stories told on stage, but very few theater troupes were creating these stories. So as a South Asian theater artist, I felt a responsibility to create that avenue. Growing up in Houston, I saw both a talented South Asian population and a very strong artistic community: The Alley Theater is a first-rate regional theater, and Houston also offers world-class symphony, opera, ballet, and museums. But the South Asian community was largely absent from this artistic scene, and I wanted to change that. So providing a space for the South Asian American experience was as important to me as creating a vehicle for my own pursuits. I wrote the “About” description on Shunya’s website, which pretty much sums up the aspirations I had for the troupe.

 

NSM: How did the transition from acting to directing happen?

 

SM: It’s something that evolved over time.  I directed my first play as a 17-year-old in my junior year of high school, and from that point on, I knew that I was more interested in directing than in acting. I still continued acting for some time, but it was no longer my primary interest, as I didn’t feel that I had anything special to contribute to the world as an actor. However, as a director, I feel that I do. It’s not just about having something unique to say; it’s also about the process. I feel that one of my strengths is bringing talented people together and leading a collaborative process that creates something none of us could have created on our own.

 

NSM: What do you enjoy more -- writing, producing, or directing?

 

SM: Definitely directing. I cannot think of any other pursuit in this world that challenges every facet of my personality the way directing does. Directing is not just about having a creative vision for the piece; it demands skills in almost every other field of knowledge that exists -- business, leadership, technology, psychology, music, and on and on. As I said before, I also love the collaborative process. One common way of describing the filmmaking process is as a series of compromises that takes the film further and further away from the director’s original vision. I do not see it that way. For me, my vision for the piece forms as I work with other people. 

 

NSM: What is your opinion on Bollywood films?

 

SM: “Bollywood” is a very broad category. Typically, when someone uses the word, they're referring to a specific genre within Bollywood -- the masala film. I think the best of those films are great, but unfortunately, an average masala film can be quite bad. But the same holds true for the average Hollywood summer blockbuster. I saw a lot of Bollywood films growing up, and I thought many of them were quite good. And today, the definition of a Bollywood film continues to grow beyond just the masala film, so that’s quite exciting.  

 

NSM: Any particular director whose work you admire?

 

SM: I like many different directors for many different things. Satyajit Ray and Spike Lee are two that I definitely look to: Ray for the emotional impact that his films have on me, and Spike Lee because I admire the fact that he always has an agenda.

 

NSM: Do you remember the first film that left a mark on you?

 

SM: When I was very young, I was obsessed with Charlie Chaplin. I saw many of his major films when I was in elementary, and I even dressed as Chaplin three Halloweens in a row! In middle school, it was The Godfather Trilogy. My senior year of high school, I discovered the Apu trilogy.  

 

NSM: How do you feel about your films making it to film festivals worldwide?

 

SM: One of the reasons I moved from theater to film is the ability to reach wider audiences.  In theater, we could decide to do a play, and six months later it would open for an audience. After a three-weekend run, the play would be gone, with perhaps a thousand people having seen it. With a film, it may take years from conception to completion, but then the film is something that can be enjoyed anywhere, anytime. It can travel far beyond the creators. It’s extremely exciting to think that this film has been seen by people who have never met me, who do not know me, and who do not even care who I am. Film goes beyond the people who created it. As far as getting selected for these festivals goes, it's an unbelievable feeling. Filmmaking is such a fragile process. Even with the best script and the best people, you never know how it will turn out, so it's wonderful and humbling that audiences are responding positively to the film.

 

NSM: From technology to filmmaking, was it a hard decision to switch lanes?

 

SM: I don’t think I ever really switched. I was never a programmer that dabbled in the arts; I was always an artist who dabbled in technology to make a living. I started undergrad as a film student, and then I switched to theater. But I realized that if I was going to pursue theater, I might want to find something to supplement my income. So at the end of my sophomore year, I added computer science as another major, but it was always a secondary pursuit. As a filmmaker, one almost always needs a “day job.” Very few filmmakers get to spend all of their time simply making their own films. Some filmmakers make their living directing commercials, some teach, some direct films or television that they don’t care about, some make wedding videos. Almost everyone who isn’t famous has some other way to make money. However, I did shift my “day job” -- I used to work in technology, but ultimately I decided that I wanted to have a day job that was more related to my main pursuit. I was feeling too schizophrenic with the two career paths.  So now I have made my day job in the media world as well.

 

NSM: Do you miss Shunya? Tell us more about it...

 

SM: Yes, I miss the speed and frequency with which we could put up work. We were always producing.  As soon as one play closed, we would start thinking of the next one. That was very exciting.  However, I am extremely glad that the troupe is still going strong.  I remain involved as an advisor, but I'm not actively involved in the day-to-day operations.  In a way, it's more gratifying to have created something that continues without me.  

 

NSM: What are your all-time favorite movies -- Bollywood and Hollywood?

 

SM: This is a constantly changing list, but I'll name some that I could watch almost anytime -- The Apu trilogy, The Godfather trilogy, Sholay, Jagte Raho, Do the Right Thing, and Rosemary’s Baby.

 

NSM: Do we see you becoming a full-on masala filmmaker like Mira Nair someday?

 

SM: Is she a masala filmmaker? I don’t know if I would classify her in that way. But yes, I think I would like to pursue a career like hers. Salaam Bombay could easily be on my lists of influential films.  I’m also quite fond of the Perez family.

 

NSM: What’s next?

 

SM: It’s time to make a feature, so I am writing. Chances are I’ll be out of the loop for a little bit as I get it off the ground. Hopefully not too long!