Susheel Jangira Receives Dadasaheb Phalke Award 2018.

Q: “Meri Rockstar Wali Jeans has won Best Social Film Jury at 8th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, How do you feel about it?
A: This is such a great honor, when I was in the scripting stage I was in such an awe of any short film which has been associated with any small or big Award never thought that I will receive not one but 10 great Awards. Meri Rockstar Wali Jeans is also a winner at Accolade Global Film Competition Award, USA, Best Screenplay Award at Chhatrapati Shivaji International Film Festival, Pune, Best Jury Award at Direct Short Online Film Festival (DSOFF) USA and Calcutta International Cult Film Festival, Official Film at New Jersey Indian & International Film Festival, Nashik International Film Festival, UK Monthly Film Festival and Move Me Productions, Belgium. I am more than happy my very first film receiving so much of appreciation.

Q: “Meri Rockstar Wali Jeans” such a catchy title, how did you come up with such a different title for your short film ? And what’s it all about?
A: I am all about originality, original title and original story, Well once I finished writing my screenplay I was clear about keeping this title and the very next morning I got it registered. “Meri Rockstar Wali Jeans” is an extraordinary story of little Bhanoo a 10 year girl who gets inspired from her teacher’s jeans after a traumatic past.

Q: Why you decided to make a short film ? And how was the experience being behind the camera?
A: I am a born writer, I have been writing poems and short stories since childhood. Writing is exhilarating for me. I write fresh and revolutionary content. Any thought provoking idea needs a platform, short film is such a great medium to put your idea in front of the world. But making a film is not an easy task. “Meri Rockstar Wali Jeans gave me 103 Fever. Everything was a challenge from producing the film from my hard earned money as an anchor to finding the right cast and crew, rehearsals, pre productions, locations, erratic monsoon to post production. I was one Woman Army doing everything. I went to so many BMC schools, NGOs, Koliwada, Versova village in Mumbai, spoke to random fisher women on the streets just to find the right child artist for my film end of all this just before the shoot I got 103 fever but nothing stopped me, I went and shot the film in fever and finished the post production in time.

Q: Was it difficult to write, act and director at the same time?
A: It can be challenging but not impossible. I write and direct the complete film on the paper, once I come on the set I become the actor, Once you do your strong paper work you can manage it all with a great team of course. In Hollywood it’s a very old trend starting from Charlie Chaplin who wrote, directed and produced all most all his silent films and many more like Ben Affleck and Matt Damon wrote and starred in their film ‘Good Will Hunting’, and who is not aware of Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky success. Film Rocky is a phenomena in itself. Writing is a serious talent you can make anybody act or dance in a film but you cannot make anybody write a film.