Why 'Pyre' director Vinod Kapri wanted to quit filmmaking
What's the story
National Award-winning filmmaker Vinod Kapri recently revealed that getting his film Pyre into theatres was a challenging journey. Despite winning awards at international film festivals, the movie struggled to find a home on streaming platforms and faced difficulties in securing a theatrical release. Kapri further revealed that at one point, he was so exhausted that he wished to quit filmmaking.
Film's plot
This is what 'Pyre' is about
Set in Uttarakhand's Kumaon region, Pyre tells the story of an elderly couple whose children have left for better opportunities, leaving them to navigate old age and loneliness together.
The film features 80-year-old Padam Singh Kapri, a retired Indian Army soldier, and 70-year-old Heera Devi in their acting debuts.
Padam plays a character named after himself, while Heera plays Tulsi.
Release challenges
Kapri's hunt for release platform
Despite its success at international festivals, Kapri struggled to find a release platform for Pyre.
He approached several OTT platforms, but none were interested in acquiring the film.
"There are many better films than Pyre which are not released yet, which are still yet to see the light of day," he told Hindustan Times, highlighting the plight of independent films that fail to reach audiences despite their quality.
Emotional toll
When Kapri announced his retirement from filmmaking
The struggle took a toll on Kapri, both mentally and financially. He admitted to being so exhausted that he announced his retirement from filmmaking after receiving an award in Toronto.
"I was so so depressed and so mentally, physically, financially exhausted that I announced my retirement from that stage after receiving the award," he recalled.
"I said I'm done with filmmaking. I'm not going to make any film after this because I'm completely drained out after making this film."
Film's release
A businessman helped 'Pyre' get a theatrical release
However, producer Arindra Rai Chaudhuri encouraged him not to lose hope.
Chaudhuri eventually introduced Kapri to London-based businessman Suresh Joshi, who watched the film and felt it deserved a theatrical release.
However, by then, Kapri had very little left to spend on the film. "My company bank account is only ₹7,000 and I don't have a single penny to spend on this film anymore," he recalled.
Despite these challenges, Pyre is now running with around 90 shows across India.
Film's performance
'Pyre's journey so far
Kapri remains optimistic about the film's future.
He revealed that Pyre started with a limited release of around 80 screens, which slowly increased.
"So we started with 80 screens...and by day five it went up to 400 shows," he said.
"It is a blessing in disguise that OTT rejected this film; otherwise, this film could not have got this kind of love and recognition."
Pyre has reportedly performed well in cities like Nainital, Haldwani, Dehradun, Delhi, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.
Audience interaction
Kapri and lead actors meet viewers after screenings
Kapri and his lead actors have been visiting theaters in Mumbai, Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Kanpur and Lucknow to meet viewers after screenings.
Kapri said, "The experience is so overwhelming that almost entire theater is sobbing after the film."
"They are hugging them, taking selfies, touching their feet. So it is so heartwarming to see the kind of love the film is getting," he said.