First-time moments are oh so special.
Like the first time you fell in love. And the first time you became a mother.
Why, even the first heartbreak. And that first job you took up. Can one forget the first day at college? The list could go on. We all cherish memories of first-time events that punctuate our lives.
Krishnan Seshadri Gomatam's debut film First Time is all about these special experiences. It also dwells on the philosophy that death is a new beginning and life moves from one beginning to another. Hence the title for the film in Tamil is Mudhal Mudhal Mudhal Varai (M3V), meaning from beginning to beginning.
At the recent 33rd Cairo International Film Festival, First Time won the Silver award in the Feature Digital Films category. Gomatam shared the prize money of $6,000 with director-producer Ahmet Zirek, who made the French film Exile in Paris.
First Time, the only film selected for competition from India, was shortlisted from 14 films chosen from all over the world.
The jury consisted of Nigerian director-producer Victor Okhai, Algerian actress Nadia Kaci, Egyptian producer-director Marianne Khoury, Italian actress Imma Piro, Indian writer Vikas Swarup, Polish director-writer Joanna Kos Krauze, Tunisian director-writer Rachid Ferchiou, British actress Norma Heyman and American director Endreace Purmul.
The jury described Gomatam's maiden venture as "an engaging look at man's eternal struggle to understand the meaning of life and death".
It found the director's use of a lighthearted narrative to explore a serious theme both innovative and endearing. But this is not the first award for this film.
Earlier last year it received the Best Feature Film (International-Drama) at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival and the Bronze Remi Best International Film Award for Creative Excellence at the World Fest in Houston. Back from Cairo, Gomatam is ecstatic as he gets chatting.
"It was a fantastic experience there, meeting people whom I had read about and idolised," he says.
"The jury liked the structure of the film. It is multi-layered, young and urbane in its approach, yet sensitive and philosophical. The film is loosely inspired by chess, where the last move made to checkmate an opponent gives meaning to all the previous moves of the winner."
The former assistant to renowned director Maniratnam and ace cinematographer P.C. Sreeram added: "Similarly in my film, several characters and scenes become a part of the whole when the climax unfolds. It ties up the entire story."
Recalling his meeting with Norma Heyman, Gomatam says: "As we got talking, she told me, ‘You must watch this particular film made by this guy.' And when I gave her my card, she exclaimed, ‘Oh my God, it's you.' Norma liked the humour despite a heavy subject in the story. Imma Piro was also impressed with the film and asked for a copy to take home." So what inspired him to make First Time?
"A few years ago, the sudden and unexpected demise of my assistant shook me up completely. He was close to me. Following that, I read a lot about life and death. According to Hindu scriptures, death is a new beginning. In fact there is no end. It is a cycle. I was fascinated by this thought and was keen to share it with everyone."
Thus was born the script of his debut film.
"The body dies but the soul continues living. The film is based on this. I had also been toying with the idea of making a film on first-time experiences."
The challenge lay in stringing several such episodes together as a story to make it a cinematic experience.
"I wanted to make meaningful cinema, something that all sections of people can enjoy. I wanted it to have a universal appeal," he says.
Gomatam runs an advertising firm, Two's Company, with cinematographer Santosh Sivan. This company is credited with the award-winning Kerala tourism advertisement films and the popular music video of Ho gayi hai mohabbat.
Interestingly the film's cast consisted of newcomers — around 100 new faces who had never faced the camera before, including doctors, lawyers and auditors. They came from all walks of life.
"It was quite a task teaching newcomers to face the camera and deliver their lines. I wanted new faces so that the characters would look authentic on screen. Casting is important," says Gomatam. "With the right cast, half the job is accomplished. I believe all of us can act. In fact, don't we all do it in our lives?"
First Time, or M3V, was shot in over 50 locations and said to be Kollywood's first metro film.
The story revolves around Hayagriva, an aspiring filmmaker, and Sindu, his girlfriend, who has decided she will marry him only after he makes his first film, despite counting her days.
"Sindhu represents today's woman — bold and with a mind of her own," Gomatam says. Laced with humour and dialogue that is a mix of Tamil and English, the story is set in contemporary India.
It was the hero's (Satyajit Dhananjayan, an automobile photographer) debut in films.
Anuja Iyer, the heroine, was little-known. Post-M3V, she has received several offers, including a role in Kamal Hasan's Unnai Pol Oruvan (the Tamil remake of the Hindi film A Wednesday).
For one who had not planned entering films, Gomatam's journey is indeed unusual. He was running a restaurant, Taco Tavern, in Chennai. Celebrities such as Maniratnam and P.C. Sreeram frequented the place.
During the course of a conversation, Sreeram told him, "You are wasting your time here. You are meant to be in films."
The next day Gomatam was at the office of Sreeram, who was shocked to hear that Gomatam was interested in assisting him.
It did not matter to Gomatam that he would not be paid either. The beginning was made on the sets of Meera, Sreeram's debut film.
"I had no knowledge about the industry. Working with PC (as he is fondly known) was a unique experience and a phenomenal learning ground," Gomatam recalls.
"He taught me discipline and the magic of cinema and its art of make-believe."
Gomatam next assisted Maniratnam during the making of Roja. "Mani sir is a taskmaster and takes no excuses for any work that is not done."
Roja stirs up fond memories of appreciation from Maniratnam, such as the time when Gomatam cast his Palestinian customers (regulars at his restaurant) in the role of terrorists after attempts to cast others failed.
Recalling the shooting at Kulu and Manali, he says: "Since it was winter, there were snow-clad mountains and frozen streams. The locals, hired to play terrorists, were a lazy lot. They reported late on the sets and lacked enthusiasm for cinema."
Gomatam then thought of the Palestinians who frequented his restaurant. With their impressive heights and looks, they appeared convincing in their role.
Despite the danger of the ice on the streams breaking, they followed Maniratnam's instructions. Maniratnam was happy with the shoot. "He hugged me," Gomatam says.
From Maniratnam, he learnt a valuable lesson — the importance of scriptwriting in the industry. "After Roja I decided to start on my own. I met producers but they all asked for a script and I did not have any. Mani sir gave me six books on screenplay writing. That is how I got into scriptwriting."
For Gomatam, the making of his maiden film has been a dream beginning.
There are offers to remake the film in Hindi, this time with a star cast. At Cairo, a South African company asked him for a script and also to direct their film.
As the applause fades into a dim memory, First Time will continue to hold a significant place in Gomatam's heart. After all first-time memories are special.
Mythily Ramachandran is an independent writer based in Chennai, India.
