Shame
The revenge saga of a hotel housekeeper who is fired for giving into temptation in the line duty.
Interview with Writer/Director Anusha Bose
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
After 15 years of TV production and direction, I took a sabbatical to raise my toddler – a sabbatical that was equally rewarding as it was unnerving. It was an eye-opener in many ways. First of all, it made me realise that life was never going to return to the way it was. If I ever was to work again, it would have to be worth the time I spend away from my daughter. For that, it would have to be so much more than just a job; it would have to be more meaningful, more challenging and more enriching.
Film was a medium I had stayed away from consciously because I wanted to approach it not only as a craft but as a medium to truly share when I had a story to tell. The time I took out to reevaluate my priorities did just that. It gave me stories – some that I’d forgotten, others that I’d subconsciously tucked away and then some, as I discovered new things about the world and myself in the last few years. I felt like I was ready to tell them. ‘Shame’ is where I began…
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
To be entertained. And pleasantly surprised, tickled when you least expect it and a tiny bit disturbed too. And moved. Shame is the story of one character in particular but most of us have come across someone like her and are possibly guilty as well of not giving such people their due; and so even though it is a dark comedy, I think the viewer would connect and relate.
How do personal and universal themes work in
‘Shame’ is a revenge saga at a personal level but the shaming and the letting go of that very shame is a function of the desire that the protagonist feels as she wonders what it feels like to belong to the world of people that she serves. She is fired for crossing the line but when she is humiliated and hit below the belt for it, her shame gives way to rage. The larger theme then is really about the protagonist standing up to those who make her feel small.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
On paper Shame was a tragicomic tale of an unfortunate day in the life of a housekeeping lady who felt belittled because a hotel guest had her fired for erring in the line of work. By the last draft (post-feedback from actors and friends), I realised that the issue hidden behind the gripping revenge would have to be larger than the petty act she was fired for.
The disgrace came from a place of callousness on the part of the hotel guest and the protagonist’s hurt came from being on the receiving end of such classist behaviour. The insult that turns the story around had to be more than punishment for Fanny’s mistake; it had to be a punishable act in itself. I think the gravitas of that ‘insult’ comes through with the performances of the actors in the film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
Very encouraging, on the whole. The fact that audiences from completely different cultures have been engaged and entertained is heartwarming. They have reacted positively to the performances and the emotional core of the story beyond just the twisted unfolding of events!
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Barring one reaction where I was told, ‘a person of such modest background would never dare to take this course of action’, the film has been more or less received in sync with my vision. My intention to imagine this story was exactly this; ‘if she could, how far could she go’. And it is with this suspension of the norm that I chose to tell the story of a modest woman who had had enough.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
I hope to share both the emotion and the subject that stayed with me long after my own encounter with one such ‘Fanny’; the realisation that we don’t stop to appreciate those who service us, enough. The aim is to let the message linger, lightly, effortlessly, long after the film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Film festival directors and journalists.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I’d like the film to keep audiences on the edge of their seats because of the thriller/drama quotient of the revenge saga; and the emotional hook and take-away to translate to good word-of-mouth thereafter.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
‘When was the last time you made someone feel small?’ or ‘Was Fanny justified to seek revenge?’
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
I’m working on the script of my feature film, which I hope to direct early next year (2019). The producer of the film, Sharat Katariya is the writer and director of Sui-Dhaaga, a feature that releases on Sept 28, 2018 under the Yash Raj Films banner.
Interview: September 2018
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SHAME
The revenge saga of a hotel housekeeper who is fired for giving into temptation in the line duty.
Length: 24 minutes
Director: Anusha Bose
Producer: Sharat Katariya
Writer: Anusha Bose
About the writer, director and producer:
Sharat Katariya (producer) is the writer-director of 10ml Love (2013), Dum Laga Ke Haisha (2015) and Sui Dhaaga (2018). He has also penned Titli (Cannes UnCertain Regard, 2016), Fan, Befikre.
After a decade of producing news and lifestyle features for NDTV 24x7, Good Times and NDTV India, ANUSHA BOSE (director) moved to non-fiction programming in GEC TV at Star TV. She went on to head business development and create fiction programming at Rowdy Rascal before she started penning screenplays for film and the web. Shame (2018) is her directorial venture.
Key cast: Swara Bhasker, Ranvir Shorey, Sayani Gupta, Cyrus Sahukar, Seema Bhargava Pahwa, Tara Sharma Saluja.
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): Film festival directors, journalists and reviewers. Also, producers for upcoming ventures.
Facebook: findanushabose
Funders: Barrel Select (Royal Stag)
Made in association with: Dirt Cheap Pictures
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? MAMI film festival, Mumbai (26 Sept, 2018). Online: Royal Stag Barrel Select’s LARGE SHORTS.