Raam Reddy's Cinematic Vision: Immersive Storytelling with "Jugnuma: The Fable"
New Delhi, Sep 12 – For filmmaker Raam Reddy, cinema transcends mere storytelling. To him, it is about crafting an immersive experience akin to a theme park visit, an ambition realized in his latest film, "Jugnuma: The Fable", starring Manoj Bajpayee.
The film, released in theaters on Friday, intricately weaves magic realism and suspense, narrating the tale of a man's family entangled in the mysterious saga of forest fires.
Reddy aims to transcend traditional narrative styles, creating films that envelop audiences in such a way it feels like an entrancing passage.
"I was driven to create a fully immersive world. When you go to a theme park for a ride, I want my films to envelop you with a similar intensity, almost like a journey. That world of stories, where one can get delightfully lost, is what inspired me to delve into filmmaking, even above storytelling itself," Reddy expressed to PTI in an interview.
While audiences often resort to cinema for escapism, Reddy believes it does not have to be superficial—escapism can be complex, layered, and enriching, while still providing an avenue for escape.
Reddy's directorial debut, "Thithi", a Kannada-language film from 2016, was a comedic exploration of three generations reacting to a patriarch's death. It won accolades at the Locarno Film Festival and the National Film Award for Best Feature Film in Kannada. "Jugnuma" had already caught attention after being selected for the encounters section of the Berlin International Film Festival last year.
For his sophomore film, Reddy ventured into suspense, magic realism, and the mystical aspects of storytelling.
"The task of merging suspense and magic, while anchoring in realism to heighten the magical essence, was truly electrifying. For this narrative, Himalayan mystique became an instinctual backdrop, drawing upon the place’s magic," he stated.
A personal encounter with a forest fire during his Himalayan journey provided Reddy with a narrative pivot. Set in the Indian Himalayas in 1989, the film delves into the life of Dev (Bajpayee), unraveling mysteries amidst his estate, where enigmatic forest fires add suspense and introspective discovery.
Reddy consciously maintained a balance with the magical undertones.
"Magic realism offers adaptability, letting each artist imprint their vision along a spectrum extending from realism to fantasy. I have a distinct intuition for finding equilibrium," Reddy elaborated. The film was shot on a 16mm format to capture the time period’s essence, adding a tactile, immersive story texture.
"Reverting to the 16mm format available in 1989 validates the timeline’s authenticity. Art is fundamentally about transference, where film's unique imperfections—dust, reel textures—embed vibrant artistry and emotion within each frame," Reddy declared.
Additionally, film creation involved a discipline reminiscent of cinema’s historical epochs, creating an engaging and focused production environment, despite the pressures.
Though cinema was not initially part of Reddy’s life, he stumbled into it in his twenties, alongside adventures in poetry, photography, music, and prose.
"Cinema was absent from my universe. I watched films inattentively, often needing reminders of the storyline," Reddy reminisced. A poet and economics graduate from St Stephen's College, he authored a magic realism novel, “It’s Raining in Maya”, contemplating publishing before becoming immersed in film’s multifaceted medium.
"The medium allows access to several art forms within one platform—film," he shared. "Storytelling became a secondary pursuit; it’s the multifarious nature of the medium that invigorates my passion."
Ultimately, what Reddy aspires for "Jugnuma" viewers is a "sense of hope".
"The world's heaviness can be lightened—liberated through letting go, achieving power in release," he said. "I hope audiences find lightness and freedom in the film’s unraveling."
"Jugnuma: The Fable", also starring Deepak Dobriyal, Priyanka Bose, Hiral Sidhu, Awan Pookot, and Tillotama Shome, is presented by Academy Award winner Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap.
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