Writer & director Harish Vyas has won the hearts of audience with his latest film Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele starring Zareen Khan, Anshuman Jha & others. It is a film on LGBTQ community. His film “Angreji Me Kehte hai” also got a lot love and praise. Harish Vyas graduated in fine arts and worked as an art teacher in an old Delhi school. He made some documentaries, Tele-films, music videos and then he finally moved to Mumbai in 2006. After working as an assistant he made his first Punjabi film, Proper Patola which got released in 2014 staring Neeru Bajwa and others. In an interview with The Daily Guardian he shares his thoughts about his latest film.
How has the response been for your latest film ‘Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele’ ?
The audiences are changing, they’re accepting new ideas and concepts, we had our doubts. But, after the film released, the audience reviews have been incredibly sweet and I am very happy with the love they’ve shown to the film. When you see your film is in the best five films of the week and some paper says it’s a hit. It sounds quite great. Did you expect that such a risque subject that you showed in the film will be accepted by audiences? Yes, the risque was there but that goes with every film I guess. I wanted to break the myths of the LGBTQ community, that’s why I didn’t stereotype the protagonists. I feel that if we represent the community as normally as we can, without making them seem different, then only we can start having conversations and make a change. Though the audiences are changing, they’re accepting new ideas and concepts, we had our doubts. But, after the film released, audience reviews have been incredibly sweet and I am very happy with the love they’ve shown to the film.
How do you find the OTT model of release? It is definitely great to showcase your films on OTT platforms, now they have bigger connectivity to the audience so your film reaches a larger audience. The best part is that you can tell your stories. When Angrezi Mein Kehte Hain released on Amazon Prime Video, I saw the film’s effect there. People loved it and now it’s becoming old wine, more people are watching it. Many times, I read the film’s reviews on Google, put up by people and sometimes they point out things that even I didn’t notice same thing is happening with Hum Bhi Akele Tum Bhi Akele too which is streaming on Disney+Hotstar.
What’s the one main difference between working in the Punjabi film industry & the Hindi film industry? Nothing much, Process of filmmaking is the same everywhere except the budget now Punjabi films industries making big-budget films too and due to our exposure to the world cinema now we all are on the same page only difference is equipment and budget and your sensibility
