“Coming to this institute is so nostalgia. It’s a different feeling to be on the other side now”, shared director-writer Mrigdeep Singh Lamba at Whistling Woods International
Is it easy to make people laugh? How easy is comedy as a genre to project on the screen? How important is timing for a comedian? The gifted team of the movie Fukrey Returns while conversing with the students of Whistling Woods International (WWI) offered specifics and intricacies that went into making the film a blockbuster success.
The writer and director, Mrigdeep Singh Lamba and the talented actor, Varun Sharma cited their unique story of living up to the audience’s expectations owing to the triumph of the prequel. The spontaneous actor mentioned, “The real fukrey is Mrigdeep. He epitomizes a perfect mix of all the characters portrayed in the film.”
Discussing characterisation with the students, Mrigdeep elaborated on various real-life experiences that he sought. He stated that while the first film was more realistic, the sequel was presented with an imaginary approach. He went on elaborating how dialogues played a crucial role in the film. Mrigdeep shared instances of him penning down the conversation with the co-writer Vipul Vig and using the same as the script for the movie. Commenting on his journey from an assistant director to a mainstream director and scriptwriter, he accentuated that focus and determination to succeed plays a huge role in achieving one’s dream.
Explaining the significance of comic timing, he shared, “Comedy is really difficult, you have to go with your gut feeling. There are some amazing jokes, but they don’t get through. Some get better, while others fall flat.”
While highlighting the various steps that the actors took, Varun, stated that impromptu improvisation, qualitative research and good chemistry between the actors helped them present the characters in a convincing way. Addressing a query raised by a student about the overall growth and development that an actor needs to follow, Varun quoted, “Nailing a particular genre isn’t a thing I do. Keep doing something all the time – be it theater, ad films, watch different movies, etc. All these lead to the overall growth of an actor.”
Commenting on the masterclass, Varun said, “It’s always wonderful to come to Whistling Woods International. I am very thankful to the institute for hosting us. It was wonderful interacting with the inquisitive and talented students. These sessions are essential for the students learning process and while interacting with the students, I could relive my own journey in this domain.” Mrigdeep added, “I was present for a masterclass post the release of Fukrey and now coming back feels good and it’s wonderful interacting with the students. Coming to this institute brings back nostalgia. Just a few years back, I used to ask questions. It’s a different feeling to be on the other side now.”
The informative session ended with the guests being felicitated by Chaitanya Chinchlikar,Vice President, WWI, with a token of appreciation amidst thunderous applause.
