"Having 'Cinema Dum Marte Tak' approved wasn't difficult at all" - Vasan Bala

After debuting as a director with the original and quirky Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota, Vasan Bala followed it with the equally original and referential Monica O My Darling back in November.

But with the recently released docu-series, Cinema Marte Dum Tak on Amazon Prime Video, Bala takes a route not many would have dared to or even thought of. You can read our review here.

Having released on Prime Video a week ago, the show, as we know ventures into the world of pulp cinema from the 90s and early 2000s which was famous and infamous for different reasons.

Having had the chance to exclusively chat with Bala, we went on to ask him a series of questions and he had some interesting take on it.

How did you get the idea of Cinema Marte Dum Tak and even more so, how did you get it approved at Amazon?

It was actually not at all difficult (to get it approved) because Aparna Purohit (Head of Amazon Originals) was already ready to say yes because all of us were on the same wavelength regarding the show. Hence, there wasn't any convincing needed. And because that was the case, not much was done and in fact, all of us were really excited to work on it and bring it to the audience.

The one thing that probably defines you the best is - being an original voice. While your projects are referential m, they don't copy or imitate anything. How do you balance that?

Honestly, it is a very organic process. I don't do it intentionally and in fact, when people make me realise this, I take a step back and reflect on it while trying to understand and analyse. I am not designing it consciously and hence I feel, this is a natural expression of what's coming out, which I also don't stop myself from. Hence, I would assume it takes a certain shape and becomes what it is perceived as.

I don't think one needs to market anything to the Gen-z, especially. You just give something authentic to them and they will lap it up-

Vasan Bala

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The 90s generation might relate to Cinema Marte Dum Tak. But the people belonging to the times of being born post 2000s might not. So, was it a conscious decision to maintain the relatability factor?

So, that is always a point of contention when films/series are made like this as to who will watch them. The idea is to make it your way and work later on how to market it. But to be honest, I don't think one needs to market anything to the Gen-z, especially. You just give something authentic to them and they will lap it up. For them, it isn't about designing, it is just about giving them a choice. I think they are very clear about what they want to accept and what they do not. So, it is best not to design for them but just make sure what you are making has authenticity and there will be a bright chance for its acceptance.

Amazon Prime Video's docu-series Cinema Mart Dum Tak has four directors, Dilip Gulati, Vinod Talwar, J Neelam and Kishan Shah, who are known for their pulp films in those times coming back and getting a chance to make a short film each.