In the heart of the Himalayas, where the mystical landscapes inspire artistry and creativity, the second edition of The Himalayan Film Festival (THFF) has been a revelation, celebrating diverse cinema beyond the mainstream. As the festival’s curtains draw to a close on this serene evening of October 3, 2023, let’s have a look at the remarkable masterclass led by the renowned Indian director and producer, Amit Sharma. With a career spanning television commercials, advertising, and feature films, Amit Sharma’s artistic journey is a testament to the power of dedication and attention to detail.
At The Himalayan Film Festival 2023, Amit Sharma hosted the masterclass of ‘Telling Compelling Narratives’ moderated by renowned critic and journalist Anupama Chopra. During his masterclass, he spoke about his direction process and how he immerses his actors in their character and the scene.
Talking about his direction process, Amit Sharma who hosted a masterclass at The Himalayan Film Festival 2023 said, “When I am narrating and I am shooting for scene number 32, I don’t only narrate to them, scene number 32. I start from scene number 25 and go up to scene number 36. Because actors are also shooting many films at the same time, you have to get them back into the character if it is not a one-go film. I tell them their character and scene, and I tell them to play their part. Then if I don’t like it, then I go and show it to them. Recently I was shooting an ad film with Ayushmann Khurrana and he said – Paaji aap hi karke dikha do phir, badmein aapne toh lena nahi hai jo main karunga, toh aap hi karke dikha do.”
Adding on, he also said, “With Gajraj Rao also, on the second day of shoot (of Badhaai Ho) I got a little scared. It was all going well, everyone was laughing on set, and that is why I got a little scared. I just left, went to a gurudwara and sat over there. I just thought something was going wrong. In the morning, when I woke up to go to the set, I knew what was wrong. I went to Gajraj Rao’s vanity [van] and told him – aaj jab mein aapka hath pakdunga na, tab ruk jana. He’s a theater actor, and in feature films what happens is that a scene is written for a particular character. But if another character is eating up that scene, when you see the final edit, the film will be disjointed. He was putting extra dialogues and at the end, we were all laughing because everything he added was amazing. But then I said the scene is a little messed up.”
Amit Sharma’s journey from an advertiser to a celebrated film director reflects the magic of The Himalayan Film Festival itself—both a testament to unearthing hidden talents and enriching storytelling. As the curtains fall on the second edition of THFF, we are left not only with memories of captivating films but also with a newfound appreciation for the art of filmmaking, guided by the wisdom of Amit Sharma. His words continue to resonate, reminding us all that true magic lies in the details.