Director Samujjal Kashyap on Assamese web series Andolito Akax: ‘It’s a sensitive take on mental health’ | Exclusive

Probably best known for his 2015 documentary Tezpur 1962, which won him a National Award under the ‘Best Investigative Film’ category, filmmaker Samujjal Kashyap has made some notable contributions to Assamese cinema in the recent past. The writer-director is now set to release his first web series, Andolito Akax. Featuring an ensemble cast - including Dr Lima Das, Dr Jahanara Begum, Sanjeev Hazorika, Bibhuti Bhushan Hazorika, Moonmi Phukan and Achinta Raj Kashyap, among others - the eight-episode series spotlights the importance of an open conversation about people’s mental well-being. 

Based on a novel by Monalisha Saikia, Andolito Akax will start streaming on ReelDrama from June 16. The series - a Kadambari Creations presentation - traces the life of Mamoni, who confronts the stigma surrounding mental illness while caring for her mother suffering from Alzheimer’s. It’s a story that reminds us of the power of acceptance, compassion and inner strength.

In an exclusive interview with OTTplay, Samujjal - whose oeuvre also includes films and series like AWMI - It’s not always what you think!, Arranged, Maya, Nixabda and Bowari No.1 and the popular music video Roi Roi Roti - talks about the making of the web series, his take on OTT creating more access for Assamese content, the profitability aspect of Assamese cinema and more. Excerpts:  

Q. Tell us about the journey of Andolito Akax. How did it all begin?

A. The story of Andolito Akax is inspired by noted Assamese writer Monalisha Saikia’s novel of the same name. I started reading this book during the pandemic, at a time when I was working on my short film Arranged [starring Dr Lima Das, Ranjeev Lal Barua and Harsh Siddhanta]. And after just a few pages into the book, I began visualising a story keeping Lima in mind. The book sheds light on mental health, and I felt that it’s a story that needs to be told, especially given the times we are living in. One thing led to the other and we started working on the screenplay for a web series. Of course, the book is more detailed, and our narrative is for an eight-episode series, but we have tried our best to stay honest with the central tenets and essence of the story.

That said, I also consider myself fortunate to have an incredible team of seasoned and accomplished actors as part of this project. Every actor in the series comes with an interesting set of films and related works.   

Q. Andolito Akax marks your first web series. What are the major takeaways as a maker?

A. It’s been a huge learning experience for me, more so because this is the first time that I have helmed a project with so many good actors in it. Again, the story of Andolito Akax is inspired more than being adapted, so there’s a lot of originality in the narrative technique. In terms of the making of the series, it’s crafted with a lot of effort, care and patience. In fact, we have reworked the screenplay in parts, and shot portions of the series twice after we realised at the editing stage that those bits could have been made better. Considering that it’s an episodic piece, those patchworks had to be done in order to ensure the smooth flow of the narrative. Viewer engagement is an important factor when it comes to making a web series, and we didn’t want to leave any gaps in that. Overall, the filming and editing process took us nearly four months.    

Q. Your first documentary won you a National Award. Then, you made shorts, TV series, directed music videos and now releasing a web series. Any preferred medium so far?

A. It’s very hard to choose one. Frankly, I would eventually like to work on a feature film. And I believe that working on docus/short films or even music videos are in a way preparing me to work on a bigger format, such as a feature film. At the end of the day, it’s all about filmmaking and every experience shapes you in a certain way. The short format, in particular, teaches you a lot about the intricacies of making movies and web/television series. Instead of jumping into a feature film and ending up making several mistakes, I think it’s better to master the craft through shorts first. In the past, there have also been short films that were made into a feature film later. For instance, Christopher Nolan’s 2000 neo-noir mystery psychological thriller film Memento, which was based on a short story, titled Memento Mori.

Sometimes, working on smaller projects is also a lot about survival and supporting sustenance. In a state like Assam, things are not very easy for independent filmmakers. In fact, projects like Arranged, Arranged 2 and AWMI happened because we managed to get financiers.

Currently, I feel the difference between a movie and web series is quite blurry, as both are long-format mediums and they require almost equal attention and care. Documentaries, on the other hand, also demand detailed work, research and also have their own challenges. I don’t think it’s right to look down upon the format, saying, ‘Oh, you’re only a documentary filmmaker’, which is usually the case in India. Speaking of the latest, the kind of recognition that films like Oscar winner The Elephant Whisperers and All That Breathes have received on the international stage testify to the relevance and power of docus/short films in today’s world. Even when I was working on Tezpur 1962, there was no particular script or screenplay as such. It was just an idea, a vision that I kept following, and then tried to give it a shape while editing the footage. That said, I feel both short and long formats of cinema are interesting and important modes of storytelling.

Q. Now that you have forayed into the digital space, what’s your take on OTT, particularly in terms of creating better access for Assamese films and series?

A. What I feel is that OTT is sort of a good digital library - from where one can access different films, series and even documentaries. It also does create a sense of consistency for the viewers. Having said that, I still feel that it somehow cannot replace the big screen yet, same as why television could never replace cinema halls. Of course, we can enjoy a film or a series on OTT in the comfort of our homes; watching something as and when we can and pausing it whenever we are busy or engaged in doing something else. But the relation between the screen and you is not lossless. The manner in which you connect with the story and its characters at a theatre is incomparable.    

But again, the kind of stories that OTT platforms are showcasing as films and web series now is also pushing makers to rethink their idea of storytelling, and come up with better narratives to lure the audience. For instance, a platform like ReelDrama has been a blessing for original Assamese content, while it’s also helping to generate employment for many. They also work with a systematic approach, which, in turn, is helping the industry. 

Q. Overall, what is it that you think is currently working in favour of the industry?

A. Commercially, the recent big-budget films like Ravi Sarma’s Sri Raghupati, the late Nipon Goswami directed Dr. Bezbaruah 2, Jatin Bora’s Ratnakar and Zubeen Garg’s Mission China have given a major boost to the Assamese film industry in recent times - both in terms of quality and numbers. We are hopeful that the trend being set by these productions will only lead to better box-office performance and value in the future. 

While rooted stories and critically acclaimed films that win us recognition at film festivals matter, for the industry to sustain, we also need movies that the larger audience likes to watch on the big screen. It’s only then that our hard work would translate to profit. Meanwhile, most Indian films have songs in them - an aspect that works in favour of the movie’s overall business. As AR Rahman once said, ‘Half of our films’ success depends on the songs in them’. I mean, look at where RRR’s Naatu Naatu has taken India to. So, that also matters. Another factor that I think is working in favour of Assamese cinema is that the actors have started taking ownership of the films/series that are part of. 

Q. Anything that you have recently enjoyed watching on OTT?

A. What I really enjoyed watching recently on OTT is the Dimple Kapadia-starrer series Saas, Bahu Aur Flamingo [on Disney+ Hotstar]. And now, I want to watch Hansal Mehta’s Scoop on Netflix. I had loved his 2020 series Scam 1992: The Harshad Mehta Story [streaming on SonyLIV]. I also liked Rani Mukerji’s Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway [on Netflix now].

Personally, I prefer mystery thrillers or dramas with a bit of the supernatural element in them, so I loved watching the 2017 series Dark [on Netflix]. Now, I am looking forward to the release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon.   

Q. Finally, why should people watch Andolito Akax?

A. Andolito Akax is a very rooted story that reflects the Assamese cultural essence. Technically, yes we have tried to implement the knowledge that we have gathered over the years, but the story and narrative style remain true to the state and its people. 

In terms of the messaging, we do touch up the topic of mental health, schizophrenia in particular, but we have been careful about not being preachy at any level. We have tried to be sensitive, instead of adding to the stigma about mental well-being. It’s high time that we in our society start an open conversation about mental health, and we are hoping that this web series will help in that direction.