A Chandigarh based young filmmaker,
Lakshit Koushal
has secured a berth at the prestigious
New York Indian Film Festival
2024 with his
short filmSoluchan. The film has been invited to
premiere
at the New York Indian Film Festival scheduled for May-June this year. Son of a doctor, Lakshit is a screenwriter who shifted base to Mumbai when he graduated with a Bachelor’s in Design in 2019, specialising in filmmaking.
He says, "My mother is the driving force behind my creativity, while my father has always supported my ambitions. My parents have never burdened me with the weight of their expectations and given me ample room to grow as an individual nurturing my own personality and choices."
Commenting on the film, Lakshit says, "Soluchan, shot on the busy streets of Mumbai, is about a
destitute boy
, Vijju, a
drug addict
who fights withdrawal symptoms on the festival of Diwali, while desperately searching for his fix in Mumbai. His struggle leads to a heartwarming moment, illuminating the darkness of his reality. The film is bootstrapped and crowd-funded, and comprises of a team of young filmmakers vying for an experience independent of commercial trappings."
The film competed with over 250 submissions for entry into the festival.
Barely two years into the profession of writing scripts and direction, Lakshit's film making the cut at the 24th New York Indian Film Festival is overwhelming. He brings with him profound experiences like working in the writer’s room of a popular legal drama series and is currently engaged as a writer in the script of an under-development sports-drama series and a feature film based on a significant national event from the 1960s.
Ask him if following his father's footsteps into the medical profession was ever on the cards for him and he says, "When I was 16, I chose non-medical (engineering) but despite never failing an exam before, I faced repeated setbacks in coaching tests in grade 11th. Surprisingly, these failures didn't trouble me much. Instead, I found solace in daydreaming about alternative paths, exploring poetry, and immersing myself in authentic cinema. As I delved into cult films and penned short stories, I became captivated by filmmaking's ability to manifest creators' visions fully. I realised that turning our imagination into film requires thorough contemplation, heartfelt expression, precise visualisation, and a philosophy to tie the film together."
This prodigious filmmaker has set his sights high and right for his future. "For me, cinema embodies true creative freedom, offering a gateway to indulge in one's disparate passions and leanings," he says, adding, "I'm eager to explore diverse genres and mediums. However, my ultimate aspiration is to create films centered on spirituality. I aim to make movies that deeply resonate with viewers, allowing them to understand, feel, and experience the spiritual truths of life conveyed through the innumerable philosophies practiced throughout history, both in India and elsewhere."
Speaking of the theme of Soluchan, Lakshit says, "When I opted to adapt
William S. Burroughs
', The Junky's Christmas in India, the idea was to base it on a homeless kid was to understand their perspective and ecosystem. I had only as much familiarity with street children as an average Indian. Despite witnessing their plight frequently, I failed to acknowledge their struggles. The burden of guilt weighed heavy on my conscience, and came out in the form of a character who is proud and fearless, someone who doesn’t like being pitied."
During my research, I discovered that many of these children, who escape from unhappy homes, actually prefer their lives on the streets. They relish the freedom and the agency to live life on their own terms, even though it entails surviving in harsh conditions. It is only as they grow older that they begin to realise the true tragedy of the lives they lead. Until then, it can be a wild ride, often intertwined with substance abuse.
The New York Indian Film Festival celebrates alternative and independent films from the global Indian diaspora and has premiered acclaimed films like Monsoon Wedding, Water, Bride and Prejudice, Slumdog Millionaire, and Do Dooni Chaar.
English (US) ·