It immediately adds to drama, excitement: Vasan Bala on crime genre (Lead, correcting para 2)

Vasan Bala's love for the crime genre is not unknown. He has written and directed crime-based films, saying he is comfortable being in that space and feels it adds to drama and excitement of a movie.

While "Raman Raghav 2.0" was based on a notorious serial killer, "Bombay Velvet" was a period crime drama. His directorial debut "Peddlers" was also a crime thriller.

Asked why his movies often revolve around crime, Bala told IANS in a telephonic interview: "I think it immediately adds to drama and excitement whenever you involve...small or big element of it.... I am comfortable being in that space which is probably why, it is a recurring thing."

"There are so many different facets of it. You kind of become excited about exploring certain genres and there is a certain pace with which you want to tell your stories. Probably the crime genre or elements of crime and crime in the society... big or small, underworld or not underworld, I think it all lends itself into certain space and that's the space I am really excited to explore."

But he doesn't want to "make a designer biopic" of a criminal.

"You know to take a biopic that sells and package it and make a film... that doesn't seem interesting to me as of now. But all the films that we write, they are not entirely fictional.

"There are elements of truth in them or there are elements that you have experienced in your real life and somehow they make their way into films."

His latest directorial "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota" presents newcomer Abhimanyu Dasani as a crime fighting vigilante. It's a tribute to action films in the 80s.

"I grew up in that era. I watched a lot of these Kung fu films from Hong Kong. So they were like a great influence. It was interesting to kind of explore that and see how to put it in today's context. Also, just to revisit my childhood in a way," he said.

The movie presented by RSVP and produced by Ronnie Screwvala even won the People's Choice Midnight Madness Award at the Toronto International Film Festival last month.

"Taika Waititi, the director of 'Thor: Ragnarok', had won this award a few years ago. Getting the award is overwhelming. You hope for such things, but I don't think you expect. It was exciting to win it.

"It has been an important milestone in my life. I'll always cherish this moment."

After creating waves in Toronto, "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota" will get its Asia premiere at the Jio MAMI 20th Mumbai Film Festival with Star later this month. He is planning to send it to more festivals.

"I will be really happy if it roams around the world and finds its own audience," said Bala.

Talking about film festivals, he shared: "It is about an expression which is your film and then you know since these festivals are a showcase of so many voices and expressions which are not just restricted to mainstream pressure... obviously you want to find your voice amongst them as well.

"Which is why it becomes an important outlet...to see if your voice is in alignment with what is happening around the world. Festivals are a great place for us to compete and participate. Participation more because you become a part of a discourse that is happening around the world. That for me, is important...meeting people with different mindsets."

Or simply attending festivals is amazing for him and he considers it to be "a big high".

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)

--IANS

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