Life Lessons from the Masters: Vidhu & Shantanu Steal the Show at IFFI

By Pickle  November 22, 2024

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From unsent letters to the 3E mantra, this masterclass unraveled the heart and humour behind cinematic masterpieces.

Shantanu Moitra, a renowned music director, and Vidhu Vinod Chopra, a distinguished film director, producer, and scriptwriter, collaborated on a masterclass titled ‘Living Movies: Filmmaking and the Creative Life’ at the 55th International Film Festival of India.

The session was centered around their dynamic interaction, which resulted in a captivating masterclass titled ‘Entertain, Educate, Elevate: The Guiding Principle of 3E’s at VCF’.

During the session, Moitra shared his aspiration to support Vijay Anand during his formative years. He recollected that someone close to Anand assured him that he will confirm the possible association with Anand. That promise kept him waiting for months; but the letter did not arrive ever.

Chopra detailed the journey of his inaugural film ‘Khamosh,’ produced with the support of NFDC, and the hurdles he encountered in marketing the film and repaying the financial backing.

Despite the accolades from prominent directors and distributors, the anticipated phone call with good news never came. Ultimately, he found himself taking on the role of the film’s distributor.

Moitra reminisced about the uncertainty surrounding the potential popularity of music during ‘Parineeta,’ but praised Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s unique approach and commitment to the next three VCF ventures.

He humorously highlighted how this characteristic contributes to the challenges faced by himself and others collaborating with Chopra.

In the discussion regarding the necessity of grasping business perspectives for emerging filmmakers, Chopra expressed a strong disagreement. He concluded by stating that he only creates a film that he truly believes in, concluding with the principle of “Entertain-Educate-Elevate: The Principle of 3E’s that we adhere to in VCF.”

In discussing his interactions with the film director while taking on the role of producer, Chopra expressed a candid perspective, stating that he trusts a human being rather than a director.

The session featured the lively and captivating duo, who provided a live demonstration of the life philosophy reflected in their cinematic works.