Avik breaks new ground with Bhoomi

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Director’s cut (TOI Photo)Casting for the film has already begun.
Cinematographer Avik Mukhopadhyay is all set to make his directoral debut. Titled Bhoomi, the shooting for this Hindi feature film will begin in October and will be shot in parts of Kashmir, Assam, Bihar and New Delhi. Indian Ocean has been roped in to score six songs for the film.
Talking about the project, Avik said, The film is about three boys from Kashmir, Assam and Bihar who are studying in Delhi. Circumstances force them to go back to their homestate. The film then brings into focus the regional problems of political instability and ideological crises.
Casting for the film has already begun. While Seema Biswas has been pencilled to play a politician based in Delhi, Kay Kay Menon has been offered the role of an IB officer. Talks are on with Naseeruddin Shah and his son, Imaad, to play a Kashmiri father and his son, added the director. Bhoomi will also see the Hindi debut of veteran Assamese actor Biju Phukan.

His daughter, Risha Phukan, has been roped in too. That apart, Tannishtha Chatterjee has been signed on to play the role of an Assamese extremist. Shahana Goswami, who played Boman Irani’s daughter in Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd, will play another female lead.
Talking about her role, Tannishtha said, I’ve always had a very high regard for Avik’s cinematography. Contrary to the flat Bollywood lighting, Avik’s visuals are very different. I’m glad to have got this role of a 21-year-old ULFA activist in Avik’s directoral debut. My character is musically inclined as well.
What’s interesting about the film is the subtext of the narrative that tries to merge the meanings of the Indian tricolour in the present geographical context of today’s India. Producer Shahnaab Alam, who was the executive producer of Dhoom before he took to independent film production for Shoonya, said, It all started off as an abstract idea. One day, Avik and I were discussing how we’ve all been taught about the meaning of the flag. Avik wanted to juxtapose the three colours of the flag on to the land of India.
Initially, I thought it was a fantastic idea but didn’t understand much beyond that. He then wrote a story about three boys from three Indian states - Kashmir, Bihar and Assam. Bihar stands for saffron, Kashmir for white, post-monsoon Assam for green. The Ashok Chakra is represented by New Delhi.
Though the budget remains under wraps, Alam confirmed that he’d spend as much as the film needs. Bhoomi is a mid-budget film. Both Avik and I are convinced that if we have to shoot in
particular locations, we will not fake it.
Of course, security is an issue. But we will still be shooting in villages in and around Kashmir and cross over to the oilfields in Digboi, added the producer.Well, one thing is for sure. With Avik to pan his camera from Kashmir to Assam, Bhoomi will surely be a visual treat as well.

TOI

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