Inspiration
Actor, Director, Script Writer, Award Winner at Age 15!
I love films. I make films, try actually … is how this film-maker introduces herself. And then she continues to say … “and I love my family … a lot.”
Sometimes you come across talent at unexpected turns.
I love films. I make films, try actually … is how this film-maker introduces herself. And then she continues to say … “and I love my family … a lot.”
Sometimes you come across talent at unexpected turns. So was our meeting with Mann Gera. The first we saw her we never knew she had such volcano of talent in her. The second we met her at her place when we got to talk to her … the glowing confidence gave us quite a many hints. As we got into the conversation with Mann and her family we were in for many more surprises.
Ask us why … This film-maker is no more than 14 years of age! Studies in class 10th and shot her first movie at an age of 13 using a simple digi-camera. The movie, as she says, was a rather simple one as she had planned it to be a surprise for daddy darling. She says it was more of a mess than a movie. But ask the proud dad, Mr. Deepak Gera, and he can’t stop raving at it, though he starts with saying that the film had many flaws. But you surely expect these flaws … wasn’t it her first attempt with the camera. And then Mr. Gera also informs that Mann had no idea what movie editing can be like.
Well, the surprise couldn’t remain a surprise for long, she ultimately had to take her dad’s help for the movie editing. But that one attempt made her realize her dreams!
Here’s a quick excerpt from our chat with her.
Team ScooTalks: Have movies always interested you?
Mann: Yes. Always. I have always loved watching movies, Papa used to take me to movies with him and it wasn’t just about watching the song and dance sequence … he also described me what went behind the screen. The camera, the cinematography, the sets, the lights … we discussed it all. Papa also is a film-maker. It has now become my dream to be a film-maker, a director. He made me compare Devdas by Bimal Roy and Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Mom: She has also acted for her dad in a silent movie. She was only 6 at that time.
Team ScooTalks: Why movies?
Mann: It is such a beautiful way of expression …
Dad: It’s not just movies, she’s into writing also. But she writes for her movies and plays only.
Mann: Yeah, it’s not just movies … movies, I like to make them. Plays, I like to enact them. And also because Papa has always been an inspiration for me.
Team ScooTalks: So, tell us about the movie, the award-winning movie …
Mann: SaSa … The Music of Love. It is about siblings relationships, the distances and the close-bondings they share. It is not just a movie for me, it is Our Story. A story that I, Saahib, Papa and Mumma share. My younger brother, Saahib, I made him the lead actor as I had no one else to work for me for free. And then there were 14 more people, all elder to me. And they guided me beautifully.
Watch the movie SaSa … The Music of Love here
Team ScooTalks: So Director Madam, kabhi kisi ko daanta aapne movie banate waqt?
Mann: Hahahahahaha, noooo! They were all so elder to me, though many times I did find it tough to get my message across to them. Thankfully, they were all elder to me and had immense lot of patience to listen to me crib. And then, they were too supportive. They had their schedules packed, so I got only 2 days to shoot the entire film. Had it not been their patience and support, papa and mumma’s backup, I would have hardly reached till the end of the movie!
Team ScooTalks: And then you were awarded for the movie. How did it feel like?
Mann: Yeah. It was a Special Mention at RIFF in January 2015. All I could feel was nervousness, right from the time I got this news of being awarded till the time I reached the venue. But Mumma made me a lot more comfortable. And I thought the movie was embarrassing enough, and then there was the legendary, the favorite, the star, Om Puri present there. And there was a dialogue with the name Om in it. He had watched the entire movie. Vipin Sharma, the Taare Zameen Par father, loved the movie. I was like, WOW!! Is that true?!
Team ScooTalks: So, your dreams?
Mann: Films. Making them. Being the director. I’d take up some good film-making or camera course Class 11 onwards.
Mom: Her school is also very supportive. The principal of her school, Mrs. Krishna Bharti, encourages her to do various genres of plays.
Mann: Farji Neta, Farji Baaten is one play I wrote and directed along with her, she had inspired me for this political satire.
Team ScooTalks: Who’s the best in Bollywood?
Mann: Dilip Kumar (and we are surprised with her immediate and spontaneous reply. People her age, do they even resonate with actors like Dilip Kumar?) And I also like Hrithik Roshan. Amitabh Bachchan. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is one of-age actor in Bollywood. A movie I really liked was Ship of Theseus, it was such a brilliant piece! Uhmmm, and Daniel Radcliffe …
Team ScooTalks: Ah, he must be a crush?
Mann: Giggles …
And there it ends with the girl then started to talk about stray things, getting friendly, all the more charming. All the while when she talked of what we call stray things, never did once she stray away from her ambition!
Way to go, girl!
Story credits: Humans of Jaipur City