'Sarzameen' director reveals how team braved earthquake, snowstorm during shoot
What's the story
Kayoze Irani, who made his feature directorial debut with the recently released film Sarzameen, has opened up about the logistical challenges faced during its shoot. A major part of the film was shot in Manali, Himachal Pradesh. Speaking to IANS, he revealed that rain delays and limited daylight hours made filming difficult. "So from day one in Manali, we had a rain delay every single day."
Filming hurdles
'We had rain delays every single day'
Irani further explained, "We were shooting in the winter, so the daylight was less. So you start only rolling at around 9:00am. And then you try and get a scene, but by 11:00am, cloud cover comes in." "And by the time you wait for light to come, rain has come. So our initial plan was to shoot about 75% of the film in Manali."
Extreme conditions
They also faced an earthquake and a snowstorm
Irani also mentioned that they had to deal with an earthquake, a snowstorm, and even an evacuation. "Our equipment at one point was buried in the snow, we had to stay in the hotel for two days." Despite these challenges, Irani stressed that such issues don't matter because audiences only care about what they see on screen. "You have to just make sure that you care about your fourth wall...and let them experience the film that you envisioned for them."
Audience feedback
On mixed reviews of 'Sarzameen'
The film has received mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, Irani addressed the polarized feedback. He said, "I'm extremely happy with the audience reaction to the film. I think that the (viewership) numbers are doing very well." "There have been some criticisms...which is fair. What is important is to learn from it and move forward but I'm genuinely overwhelmed." Sarzameen stars Ibrahim Ali Khan, Kajol, and Prithviraj Sukumaran.