‘Cinema halls will witness a complete revival soon, but OTT will hold its space’

Rajkumari Sharma Tankha

Born in Hyderabad and bought up in Delhi, filmmaker Radhika Lavu’s love affair with films began during her growing up years in the Capital. Watching films in theatres transformed her perception of life and art, and eventually made her join St. Francis, Hyderabad for a Bachelor’s in Mass Communication (2003-06). This was followed by Post-Graduation in Filmmaking from the Goldsmiths College, University of London.
Lavu began her professional career with making documentaries for the Government of Andhra Pradesh. In 2014, she started her own production house Ellanar Films, and began creating advertising concepts and content for reputed brands like Freedom Oil, Talwalkars, Golden Harvest and Big Bazaar among others.

In 2019, she came up with her first OTT venture G.O.D (Zee5), which is one of the most streamed and critically-acclaimed Telugu language shows. Her recent-released web series Unheard (Disney + Hotstar) has won several prestigious accolades such as official selection at the Dadasaheb Phalke Film Festival, official selection at the Toronto International Women Film Festival 2021 and finalist in Indian Panorama International Film Festival 2021. Excerpts:

Tell us more about Unheard. What is it about independence that you wanted to tell that is not already known?
Unheard is a philosophical conversational series that explores the many shades of freedom and gives one new perspectives on various ideologies that came into play during the Indian independence movement. And so, through the series, we wanted to tell deeply personal tales and highlight individual sacrifices for our country’s freedom. I decided to back the soulful project because the subject of Independence, while being about patriotism, is also a universal theme, and explores many aspects of human triumph. It is something that truly speaks to individuals, no matter where they come from. We did not necessarily want to showcase anything unknown through the period saga, but wanted to bring new thoughts and perspectives into play, and present a thought-provoking story for the audiences.

Are you planning a sequel to it?
The tales of sacrifices by our ancestors, in the face of British tyranny are as endless as they are powerful. So there is definitely room for a sequel. Our show, however, is less about building new characters and telling a story, unlike most other web series, and is more about poignant conversations. It is about individual beliefs, ideas and celebrating the spirit of the freedom fighters who gave our country its Independence. Hence, even if there is a sequel for Unheard, I see it showcasing some more inspiring moments from our 200 years long fight for freedom.

Do you think cinema halls will get their glory back or be a second cousin to OTT?
Some of the recent releases have witnessed jam packed cinema halls, and I am confident that theatres will witness a complete revival in the near future. However, I feel OTT content will also continue to occupy an important space for audiences everywhere, owing to the accessibility and variety of content available. As a filmmaker who has seen the immense popularity enjoyed by both mediums, I foresee the two co-existing in the future.

Any plans to enter the Mumbai film industry, make full-length Hindi feature films?
I am open to new opportunities, be it Bollywood, Tollywood or Hollywood. What matters is the substance of the opportunity. Mumbai definitely has a host of extremely talented filmmakers, storytellers and artists and I am in the process of forming exciting collaborations right now.

What do you like making most – web series, documentaries or short films?
I do not have a particular preference as all three represent a different and unique aspect of making films. Web series today are engaging, interesting and often enlightening, and I have quickly developed a liking for many new shows. Documentaries are mirrors of our reality and often act as reflections of our society, I definitely love the rawness and sheer hard work that goes into creating a riveting documentary. Similarly short films too are immensely creative and present new perspectives along with entertainment to the viewer.

Women in films is still not a very welcome profession…
With more and more women entering the industry, the situation has greatly changed. I have always believed in myself, and chose to focus on my passion for the craft and my determination to excel, instead of the societal pressures and factors. This helped me to go against the tide and work in an industry traditionally dominated by men.
My parents were relatively unaware of the film world and were initially apprehensive, but gained confidence because of my resolve and determination to make my own mark in the field. They have been quite supportive through my journey, and are happy with the kind of content I choose to promote through my production house.