After the Marathi film Marmabandh in 2008 and Hindi film Calapor in 2013, both of which won several national accolades, Dinesh Bhosle’s Konkani film Enemy? went on to win the National award in 2015. It has also won the Best Film award at the Nasik International Film Festival, Haryana International Film Festival and Best Foreign Language film at Milan International Film Festival. Bhosle is already working on his next Konkani film which will be based on the historic Goa Opinion Poll of 1967. TNV spoke with this acclaimed director about his forthcoming work.
You have till date done films in Hindi, Marathi and Konkani. What were the reasons for this switch in languages?
As an assistant I have done most of my work in Hindi. I wanted to do films in all possible languages. So first I got an opportunity to work in the Marathi film Marmabandh, thereafter I was offered a film in Hindi titled Calapor and finally a film in Konkani titled Enemy? I may also do films in Punjabi, Gujarati and Ghadwali languages too.
Enemy?, your latest movie has won several national accolades. What next? What project have you been working on?
My next project may be a film in Marathi or Hindi, followed by a film based on the 1967 Opinion Poll in Konkani for which we have started the research work. This film will be made under the production house ‘Opus Gala’. Schubert Cotta, Querozito De Souza, Sushant Tari, Isabel Vas are some among the Goan personalities associated with this project. Research work for this project has already started. This will be a big budget film in Konkani.
Do you think Konkani movies have a good future?
Considering the work we are doing in Konkani and the response we get from the audience as well as at the festival circuit, I see a bright future for Konkani films provided we come up with quality films.
Do you see Goa developing as a film industry?
Goa has already established itself as a shooting destination. Besides Hindi and English, films in many other languages such as Telugu, Tamil, Marathi , Malayalam, etc. are shot in Goa. In recent years due to a hike in location fees and due to some other factors the shooting in Goa has gone down. To attract more production houses, we will have to create basic requirement of pre and post production and also a production-friendly Goa by providing police protection, as many times local hooligans have harassed these production teams by demanding money for no reason.
Are you happy with the State government’s scheme for film financing?
The State Government has to regularise this scheme. For the last 4 to 5 years the scheme was stopped. Also they have to take quick decisions on execution of this scheme so that money reaches producers on time as some producers produce films by taking loans. Delaying their payments leads them to financial trouble.
Has hosting of IFFI helped Goa?
IFFI introduced the Goan audience and film makers to world cinema . IFFI should be credited for the quality of Goan films and also the different subjects explored in Konkani films. Hence we can also say that IFFI has raised the expectations of the Goan audience for Konkani cinema.
