Breaking the silence…

Gurnaaz Kaur

In the region, Paramjeet Singh Kattu is credited to have created the only silent film, Stray Star, which got selected for 16 film festivals. The lockdown may have delayed the release of his next docu-drama on Brig Pritam Singh, The Savior, but he conceived and executed Luluwa during this phase.

Featuring Argentinian actress Magda Ruiz Martinez, it is a short film on Adam’s daughter, as the name suggests. “It was a dull period initially but once I started exploring, I managed to find creativity even on Facebook. Yes, that is where I found Magda, the actress who is playing the titular role in the film.”

From an impromptu chat in a film forum to finally giving it shape as a film, a lot of thinking and hard work has gone into it. In his first attempt at virtual direction, Paramajeet gave all the instructions to Magda while sitting in Kattu village near Barnala. “I went all out experimenting. While the shooting happened online, I made use of storyboard in the film. So, I drew every scene like a cartoon, be it a hand movement or any gesture, I made it on the storyboard and sent it her on email.” The detailing, he explains, was minute. Every movement had the number of seconds, which he specified as he drew them. Proud of Luluwa being his first international project, he says it was all about grabbing the opportunity. “The story was more of a thought till Magda agreed to do it. I am glad she offered to do it for free, considering the scenario we were all in.”

Highlighting the story, Paramjeet elaborates that although the film is silent but it shows a chat between two persons—Adam (the character maybe from today’s time but the name is symbolic) contacts a girl on social media and says he thinks she is Luluwa. As the chat continues, an element of suspense builds on. “The chat is philosophical; it indirectly traces human civilization and gives prominence to the fact that all human race came from the same source thus we are all the same. It is a debate between racism and humanity.”

Symbolism is a key feature of another short film that Paramjeet is ready with. It is titled Teasailure. This term coined by him is a portmanteau of teaser, trailer and feature. This one is a 60 second film. “The base of this silent film is chess. It talks about the origin of earth and comes to now- 2020. We have attempted to show human evolution, civilization, the dark-age and the role of state in a society, all in one minute. And in itself, it is the first look, the main look and full film.”

Having worked with screenwriter Amri Gill, who has written over 30 Bollywood films, including Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam, his journey as a filmmaker began during his PhD days. After delivering a hit like Adda Khadda in 2012, there may have been a break in the journey but he figured out visual was the medium for him. “Having studied art and literature, I had a lot to share with people. A book may get to few hundred or thousand people but films are a way to reach the masses. And once Stray Star was well received, I knew I was moving in the right direction.”

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