Humour and irony are sorely lacking in Indian cinema: Sudhir Mishra

Noted filmmaker Sudhir Mishra, celebrated for thought-provoking films like Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi and Dharavi, continues to push creative boundaries with his OTT projects like Serious Men and Tanaav. Recently, he returned to his hometown Lucknow to be a part of the city’s literature festival. In an exclusive conversation, Mishra reflects on his formative years in Lucknow, the transformation of his hometown, and the evolving landscape of Indian cinema in the digital age.
Of the opnion that the evolution of Lucknow has diluted its essence, Mishra said, “Lucknow’s transformation into a capital city has diluted its essence. The influx of people and new development has changed its character. Every city evolves, but Lucknow’s sophistication and secular curiosity seem to be fading. The ease between communities and the culinary traditions was unmatched. The food in old Shia households, especially the traditional cooking, is possibly the best in the world. It’s something I cherish deeply.”

Having made a few webseries, ask Sudhir if he feels OTT has given freedom to filmmakers creative freedom and diminished cinema’s charm and he said the platform definitely had benefitted filmmakers like himself. “OTT platforms have given filmmakers like me much more creative freedom and allowed stories to grow with their audience. The subscription model allows films to be appreciated over time, without the pressure of immediate box-office numbers. However, the growing competition among OTT platforms can sometimes lead to a lowering of standards, as they cater to the lowest common denominator. OTT has become a key buyer for this kind of content. Even a film like Afwaah is now on OTT, thanks to pre-sales, which allows filmmakers to create more niche or experimental films,” he said.

In changing times and sensibilities, ask Sudhir if he could start over as a filmmaker, what would he do differently and he said, “I would have stuck to myself more. In between, I think I got lost a bit, but that’s inevitable in this industry. It’s really tough in India to remain an independent filmmaker, especially when you move from your hometown to Mumbai. You’re alone, and you have to fend for yourself—it’s expensive and not easy. But looking back, I would have stayed truer to myself. Somewhere along the way, I lost my path, but I’m trying to go back now.”

Commenting on the type of cinema he would like to make, Sudhir said the story has to be interesting enough, irrespective of the genre. “I don’t pick genres deliberately; the stories find me. I listen to what the story needs and let it guide me. Every film, to me, should feel like a suspense film—it should surprise and engage the audience,” he said adding, “Life itself is a suspense film. I also value humour and irony, which I feel are sorely lacking in Indian cinema. A good film, I believe, does not play it safe. A lot of so-called ‘good’ films are over-sincere, almost like they’re trying to soothe the audience, giving them that sense of comfort. It’s like a bomb, a way of relieving anxiety, making the audience feel like they’re ‘good people.’ But I prefer films that disturb, films that challenge. Only a very selective group wants to watch that kind of cinema, but that’s who I am. You’ve got to stay true to yourself, or it becomes a problem.”

As for Bollywood, Sudhir said that there were changes required in the industry, especailly in its approach to accepting more of ‘outsiders’. “I would love to see Bollywood open up more to new people and fresh talent. It’s wonderful to see how some outsiders, like Irrfan Khan and Shahrukh Khan, have made their mark. It’s not that Bollywood hasn’t embraced new faces, but I think it can be even more open. I’d love to see more storytellers coming in, and more voices bringing new perspectives to the screen. This is the year of women, and it’s fantastic to see more young women telling their own stories. It’s inspiring to see how they’re shaping the future of cinema,” he said, adding, “I find inspiration from the youth; at one time, Anurag Kashyap was my inspiration, but now it’s Payal Kapadia. I don’t believe in looking back. You need to keep moving forward, and I find great inspiration from the young generation.”

My formative years were spent in Lucknow
Taking about his hometown, Mishra said, “I wasn’t technically born here, but I came very young. I remember crawling in the aangan as a toddler, surrounded by my family members. One sharp memory is of Kripala, the head maid, who terrified me. But Lucknow had a charm, an ease with class differences. The other core memory is of DN Mishra, my father, a mathematician, who was deeply involved in the cultural scene. He founded the Lucknow Film Society, and I remember watching films in our courtyard. My school years were spent at Christ Church, where we were taken to church daily, and Reverend Theodore Tiwari narrated Bible stories. I also remember getting lost in the Bhool Bhulaiya.”
-Amina Ashraf

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