Frame: At Filmibeat, we love interacting with artists, directors and filmmakers, who are passionate about their craft. It’s always a pleasure to listen to beautiful stories of creative people. As Frame premiered on ZEE5, I caught up with director Vikram Patwardhan over a cup of coffee.
In an exclusive conversation with Filmibeat Assistant Editor Abhishek Ranjit, Vikram Patwardhan got candid about how his experience as as a press photographer inspired Frame. He also revealed why he asked lead actors Amey and Nagraj to maintain distance off-screen.
Here are excerpts from the interview:
Q: Did you speak to journalists or photojournalists during your research, and did any of their experiences find their way into the film?
A: I was a press photographer myself for five years. During that time, I covered countless incidents-from murders and accidents to international sporting events, music concerts, and just about everything in between. That’s what inspired me to write and direct this film.
It’s a fascinating yet incredibly unpredictable profession. There isn’t really any fixed structure to it. Sometimes it makes you feel vulnerable. There are moments when you find yourself asking, “What am I doing here? Why am I here?” You witness something so disturbing that you inevitably question yourself. You wonder, “Is it really worth clicking this picture?”
Q: Did any actor surprise you by bringing something very unexpected to their character?
A: Absolutely. The great thing is that Amey and Nagraj Dada come from completely different schools of acting. Amey has done a lot of theatre, so he knows his craft inside out. With Nagraj Dada, I didn’t really have a reference for him as an actor at that point. He had done small parts in different films, but Frame was his first film as a lead actor.
I was really happy when he agreed to do the film because I had always wanted him for the role. I could clearly see him playing Chandu Pansare. At the same time, it was a challenge for me as well. It made me both nervous and excited to imagine these two actors sharing the screen despite having completely different approaches to their craft.
I had a great time working with them. Interestingly, I didn’t want them to get along too well off-screen because, if you watch the film, you’ll understand why. For the sake of their characters, I wanted to maintain a certain distance between them. So I even told them, “Don’t spend too much time together.” But that didn’t really happen-they had a wonderful time on set. The amazing thing is that they’re such accomplished actors that the moment they stepped in front of the camera, they delivered every single time.
Frame is available for streaming on ZEE5.
