Calcutta boy Tanaji Dasgupta attended the 77th Venice Film Festival, the first major international film event since the beginning of the pandemic, as he was the post-production head of Chaitanya Tamhane’s film The Disciple that had its world premiere at the festival and also bagged the prestigious FIPRESCI award at the festival. The Marathi-language film is the first Indian film in 30 years to be given the FIPRESCI award at the Venice Film Festival after Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s Mathilukal in 1990. An alumnus of St Xavier’s Collegiate School, Tanaji is a multitalented man. From acting to directing to producing to managing the post-production — he has done it all and won accolades for everything. He had created ripples in the theatre world when he was just 19 by forming the culture group Tin Can and producing some brilliant English plays from 2006 to 2010. In 2017, he co-wrote and co-produced The Hungry, a film starring Naseeruddin Shah that won accolades at Toronto International Film Festival and many other film festivals. Tanaji, who lives in Mumbai now, tells The Telegrapgh about his early life, the experience of working for The Disciple and attending the Venice film festival amid the pandemic…
From a Calcutta boy to the red carpet of Venice Film Festival…
It’s really incredible and a bit surreal. I don’t think about the journey or plan much from that view. I’ve just tried to be engaged in projects or stories that are interesting and challenging to me. I’ve been fortunate to be able to collaborate with people like Chaitanya Tamhane and Vivek Gomber.
On Calcutta being part of his identity…
Calcutta will always be an inextricable part of my identity. I have been living in Mumbai for the last four-and-a-half years but I am a Calcutta boy through and through. Last year I had a very special experience in the city when I attended the Kolkata International Film Festival. Cat Sticks, a film co-produced by me, was screened at the festival and it was in the international competition. On the day of the screening, there was a cyclonic storm and the screening got delayed because of some unavoidable circumstances. We were not sure whether it would be possible to screen the film, but there were so many people standing outside the auditorium for almost one-and-a-half hours braving the rain and the storm to watch the film. It was like full house and they really appreciated the film. That speaks a lot about the spirit of Calcutta, its love for art. I think this can be seen in very few other cities.
Team Disciple after the screening of the film at the Venice Film Festival. The Disciple had its world premiere at the festival and also bagged the prestigious FIPRESCI award. Sourced by the Telegraph
The beginning...
I was always into performance arts. I’ve trained in Bharatanatyam for more than 10 years from the age of five. The first time when I was on stage for acting in a play, I was four. I continued doing plays throughout school and in my senior years I started collaborating on writing and directing them as well. My school, St Xavier’s Collegiate School, played an instrumental role in my life. I was always into debate, elocution and plays. I’m very grateful to my teachers who helped me become what I’m today.
My mother is a cinephile, so from a very young age I was exposed to non-mainstream films. Like most Bengalis, Satyajit Ray was a huge inspiration. Shyam Benegal too. I had no clue how to get into the film industry but that avenue opened up through plays. I worked with Konkona Sensharma on a play and got an opportunity to assist her in a short film called Naamkaran. That’s where I met Aparna Sen and ended up assisting her for two-three years on The Japanese Wife. That was film school for me! I’m a college dropout otherwise.
On Tin Can being a milestone…
It was a big milestone. I was 19 when we formed Tin Can and I had no clue of the meaning of the word “producer” but I was creating and producing plays and documentaries. Independent film producers are all entrepreneurs at some level, and Tin Can was my baptism by fire into producing.
Actor, director, producer… balancing it all...
I don’t think about this much. If I had really planned my career I should’ve probably stuck to one thing and kept building on that. But it hasn’t happened like that. For example, I love acting but I only enjoy it occasionally. As a producer, when I finish a film I’m so exhausted I feel like I’ll never produce again. But also I can never stay idle for too long. I guess for me these roles compliment and balance each other out.
On The Disciple …
I had met Chaitanya and Vivek first in 2014 at the Dharamshala International Film Festival. I was a huge fan of their film Court and loved hanging out with them. Then, at the beginning of 2019, Vivek called me when they were looking for a producer to come on board for the post production of The Disciple. I had a meeting with Chaitanya, which I guess went well because they decided to give it a shot with me.
I’ve always believed this film is very, very special from the moment I read the script. I personally feel it is one of the best Indian films. The film is set in the world of Indian classical music and that’s very close to my heart. I have been listening to classical music from a very young age and it was like a ritual for me and my mother to go to the Dover Lane Music Conference every year. Moreover, I think it’s a very important film because it talks about something very universal. It’s a story about a young Hindustani classical vocalist who is trying to make a mark in the world of classical music. It’s also about how the music has changed over the years and what does it mean to be a successful and professional musician. It actually transcends the music world and it can be a story of any artiste.
The reaction has been phenomenal so far and I couldn’t be happier. At the end of the premiere at Venice festival, there was a standing ovation and a long applause. I have never experienced something like that. I will cherish that moment for the rest of my life.
Being post-production head of the film…
More than anything else, it was a huge learning experience. Apart from closely working with Chaitanya, I got to work with some of the best professionals in their respective fields — our sound designers Anita Kushwaha and Naren Chandavarkar, VFX supervisor Bas Chatmaleerat, colorist Dirk Meier, re-recording mixer Lars Ginzel. We spent a lot of time at The Post Republic studio in Berlin, which was really amazing.
Tanaji (left) with actor-producer Vivek Gomber and film-maker Chaitanya Tamhane Sourced by the Telegraph
Attending a film festival amid the pandemic…
I was very anxious leading up to it because we didn’t know what to expect. This was the first film festival anywhere in the world to take place since the beginning of the global lockdown. But once we were there, we felt very safe because of all the safety protocols imposed by the festival authorities. And it took nothing away from the spirit of the festival — it was buzzing with that unique excitement that only happens in a film festival where countless cinephiles devour and breathe cinema together.
We took tests before leaving Mumbai and after landing in Venice. Apart from that, we just had to be constantly responsible and vigilant about maintaining the basic protocols of wearing masks, keeping social distance, regularly sanitising, etc.
In hindsight, the process could not have been any smoother. In the lead up to it actually, we could never be 100 per cent sure we would be able to go because the situation was so uncertain at any given point. We are very grateful to the Venice Film Festival authorities and the consulate general of Italy in Mumbai for their incredible support in facilitating our travel in such a time.
Festival rules in view of the pandemic…
The main rule was that we could only stay in Italy for under 120 hours. But that was more than enough because it was a miracle that we could go and attend the premiere in the first place. And of course, the authorities left no stone unturned when it came to creating a safe environment for everyone on ground at the festival.
Life in the lockdown…
It’s been tough for everyone I know and I’m no exception. I’m definitely grateful to The Disciple and Vivek and Chaitanya for keeping me busy.
I think I’ve become a better cook because of the regular practice.
Coming up...
The Disciple has just begun its journey in the public eye. There’s still a long way to go and I want to be there to help Vivek and Chaitanya till the finish line. Apart from that, I’m in the nascent stages of developing a documentary evolved out of Arko Datto’s photography work called PIK-NIK. We’ve recently been awarded a grant from IDFA for the development.
