::Ashish Sharma's Feature Film "Khejdi" discussion thread:: - Page 2

hi archana... what is the advantage and disadvantage of casting @ashish30sharma in Khejdi as a wife

Advantage- As a writer and Producer I got a brilliant actor to do my film. I knew he will do justice to the character. Disadvantage- none

 tell us why u selected the title #Khejdi ?

Because we liked the name 

How was your feeling when you see @ashish30sharma doing this role on set?

Very happy because my film was going on floor after two years of hard work.

What is the meaning of Khejdi?

It's a tree...

Any difficulties u n @ashish30sharma sir faced during written & search information on gendertransfer?!

The film is just not about a trans gender. The film is about a journey of an individual.

What challenges did u face as a producer???

Lots......had sleepless nights during the entire shooting Schedule...

Did the subject matter challenge your own and Ashishs perception of transgenders and their lives?

I'm an individual who never had any perception about transgenders. Everybody is an individual. All of us are human beings.

@ArchanaTaide @ashish30sharma @KashishMIQFF Releasing Date ?? #KhejdiAtKashish#Khejdi Frm ur marriage you are also a part of Rajasthan How's you feel bhabhi ??

It's not releasing yet...it will travel to festival circuit now...

Kudos! 2 Qs. Would you hv treated the script differently if you didn't know it was AS who's going to play the lead? Pl let us know when n wer we can watch #Khejdi

While writing the film I always knew he is playing the role... infact when I read the short story. I told ashish that he should play this character if we ever think of adapting this story for making a film.

Is this @ashish30sharma in the poster?!

Keep guessing

@ashish30sharma  Do you have new projects?

Writing two more feature films 

Why are u interested in screened this theme ?

Because we loved the story

Saw the photography of you DOP on Insta.Incredible.Has he done previous film work?

Our DOP name is Veerdhawal Puranik. He is one of the most talented Cinematographer in our industry. He was part of shows like Shanidev, Razia Sultan, Siya ke Ram, Buddha and many more

 How did you come with this kind of scenario, I mean the Eureka moment, and how hard/easy was @ashish30sharma adopting to it?

Eureka moment- when the shooting scheduled finished peacefully and I and @RohitDwivedi8said pack up shouting at the top of our voice

Yes you might...keep wishing

What do you think audience will be impressed or surprised by in this film? - Ashish's performance - direction - music 

They will impressed and surprised by everything.

 as a writer was it challenging to write such story ? Your experience as a movie writer ? #khejdi

The process was indeed difficult because you need to justice with the short story that you are adapting.

Khejdi will release in cinema or not? In India or other country also?

We are still figuring out that...will keep you posted

What else have you got planned for future big screen ventures?Any ideas brewing?

Loads 

I don't think playing a transgender film character will affect my macho TV image: Ashish Sharma

Ashish Sharma is the next small-screen dude, attempting to make a big splash in films. He has done a few small cine roles before. But this time, he is not only acting as the lead in this film based on transgenders, but has also written it. It is a home production, with wife Archana T Sharma helming affairs.

"Khejdi is the journey of a transgender individual, attempting to find his identity and place in a tradition-bound society. It is so unfair to discriminate people who are born differently. Criminals get a second chance, but transgender people will continue to be castaways?, says Ashish, currently playing a brave warrior-painter, in Sony show, Prithvi Vallabh.

"Our film is based on the short story, Sanjha, written by Kiran Singh. I had heard it a long time ago, but it stayed with me. Eventually, Archana and I decided to make a film on it.

Ashish's other hit TV projects include Rangrasiya and Siya Ke Ram.

Ashish is quite practical, and understands that such types of films are not big grossers. "But they have their own set of audiences. The most important thing here is to get your budgeting bang on target.

"Many might question why I chose this type of film as my launch vehicle, as opposed to commercial pot broilers. I really don't give too much attention to crossing over, etc. I am more concerned about my creative output. I want to be part of stuff which makes an impact, and which I can recollect with pride, when I am old and dusted.

Going on, he adds, "I don't like this discrimination between offbeat and mainstream cinema. I am not against big films; many are good as well. I am lucky to be around the golden period of Indian cinema, when many big film makers are churning out content-driven projects as well.

Unlike other art house filmmakers, Ashish will not premier his film in international film festivals. Rather, he will screen at the upcoming Mumbai Kashish queer film festival. "I can't understand why we need to go abroad to showcase our wares. Aren't our desi film festivals good enough? Have we even bothered to check the value and graph of foreign festivals? Kashish is South Asia's biggest LGBT festival and we have films from 45 countries. Why do we still need the foreign tag? We need to support desi film festivals.

For the moment, Ashish is not even thinking in terms of a theatrical release. "Next, we will do rounds of the internal fest circuit. Here, I wish to add that just going to film festivals does not ensure moolah. You need to win. Having said that, if you do get screened, you might land buyers for limited ties.

In closing, we ask Ashish whether he is not afraid that playing a queer might harm his macho image on GEC. "No, I don't think so. Audiences have matured, and by now, have seen what I am capable of.

Way to go, Ashish!! All the best for Khejdi...

http://www.iwmbuzz.com/television/celebrities/dont-think-playing-transgender-film-character-will-affect-macho-tv-image-ashish-sharma/2018/05/16

"Ashish Sharma was working on 'Rangrasiya', when this idea STRUCK me"

says actress wife and now writer and producer, Archana Taide on their upcoming film..

Wednesday, May 16, 2018 | 12:45:15 PM IST (+05:30 GMT) 
| By Kunal Nirmal Kothari

Loving couple and actor duo, Ashish Sharma and Archana Taide are all set and rolling to present their first ever feature film, Khejdi, which will be premiering in an upcoming film festival next week.

This film is Ashish's next project after Prithvi Vallabh as an actor, and his debut as a writer and producer, where Archana has also co-written and co-produced it. But, that's all we know about the film so far, isn't it?

Hence, in a conversation with Archana, we got to talking about how the idea of making the film happened to her and Ashish and what is film about amongst many other things.

How did the idea of this story and making it into a film happen to you?

So, it all dates back to when Ashish and I got married in 2013. Ashish's father is a writer and poet himself. So, one fine day, he went on to share a story with Ashish thinking he would love it. Called Sanchar, Ashish loved it and shared it with me. The moment I read it, I started visualizing it as a screenplay and was absolutely touched by the story. I loved it so much that I told Ashish about when we create a banner, this story has to be one of our films. At that time, Ashish was working on Rangrasiya. But, then when the more talked about it, I started writing it and then we decided this has to be made under our banner.

Everybody knows you for the actress that you are, but not many know about your writing talent. How did writing happen to you?

Just like many, I wanted to write since I was a kid. But honestly, never really gave too much thought into it. In fact, when I was in college, I was pursuing journalism. Writing articles and different pieces was something I absolutely loved to do. But, the moment I shifted to anchoring and later TV, and hence journalism took a backseat and so did writing. The only habit that I never got rid of was writing in my diary. So, one day, Ashish just came across my diary and read it. That is when he told me, 'you should do it more. You are a writer and you write like screenplays.' I did not give too much thought initially, but then I started writing and I shared the story with my friend from the regional industry. She loved it so much that she gave me my first screenplay for a regional show. The show became a hit there. Later, I wrote for three or four other regional shows too, and by God's grace, all of them have been successful. When I was acting in Qubool Hai, I began writing Khejdi and have been working on it ever since. Hence, it truly is extremely special to me and Ashish both.

Tell us about the film.

Unfortunately, I cannot reveal too much about the film. But, here's what I can tell you. It's a proper feature film and it's a story about a human being who is trying to figure out something in the society and making his way through the many norms and other things. It's about a transgender. And through the same, we are questioning the society on the stereotypes and apprehensions that surface around them and other things too. I mean, the society can be such a hypocrite about all these things at times and we are questioning each and everything.

As you mentioned, it's a feature film. So, do we see it officially releasing?

First, we are planning for the festival market. Once, the film travels to all the different festivals; based on the response, we will see and plan what to do about it later. Honestly, when we made it, we did not think about the money or anything like that. It was just a story, we wanted to tell and was really dear to us. 

You have been absent from the acting space for while. Do we see you acting in any assignment soon? Tell us something about it.

Absolutely. I will and can never stop acting. You will soon see me in a new film. But again, just like Khejdi, I cannot reveal much about this too (laughs). But, something is coming up soon.

We wish both Ashish and Archana all the best for the film! 

https://www.india-forums.com/tellybuzz/wassup/45539-ashish-sharma-was-working-on-rangrasiya-when-this-idea-struck-me.htm