N N Sippy To Pravesh Sippy ” The transition of a legacy… “

Times have changed. Commercial mainstream cinema has a different meaning altogether. The Stars and handful of people monopolize that space and I have no need to force my way in a hostile area .I follow the basic principles taught to me over the years -make good clean cinema, tell a good story, encourage new young talent as our banner always did, I do not indulge in the excessive dark content. No need for the excessive sex or foul language to be hip. That is not hip! That is not expressing yourself. So independently I attached myself recently to content I am so very proud off.

As an Associate Producer credit on Hotel Salvation(Mukti Bhawan) – a father son story which was directed by a 20 year old young filmmaker making his debut. What a grand success it was. I have associated myself with 6 time National Award winning film director Kireet Khurana and we have done things that make an impact on society. We tell a story in any format and media-animation, documentary, short films too Saeed Mirza The Leftist Sufi was on Netflix , Pravasi and the series of Lockdown animated short films with a social message is viral on the internet thanks to Taapsee Pannu, Tisca Chopra and other fabulous actors like them lending their voices taking our cause ahead .I am really looking forward to The Invisible Visible (Ek Koshish).This film will shake up the world I know that.

Gut feel… I have a superb animation project in collaboration and headed by Ravishanker who recently made PUNYAKOTI which is on Netflix currently. That is pure family and kids driven content. I have our Feature film in Hindi THE RIVER OF LOVE directed by Akash Khurana. This film is winning audiences and awards all over the world currently. We are in the midst of promoting it in the USA. There are several festivals and awards to look forward too. Again my gut feel says a National Award or two(yes I am greedy)will drive the point home.

Quality wholesome good cinema is still being made by N N Sippy Productions. I have grown as a human being, I have evolved and my thinking is different ,I am not able to see myself doing the song and dance routine films we made earlier. I succeeded with that then and I hope to succeed with the new wave now and ion future.

Another young director Anjali Bhushan and I collaborated and made My Home India. That’s got us several awards and great acclaim. It is a strong film which went on it’s steam to an Oscar chance last year. We had theatrical releases in New York and Los Angeles for a documentary prior to the Oscar run qualification. In mainstream American reputed cinemas with multiple shows .catering to the international audience and not necessarily the Indians there.

Honesty to work, dedication. It did not matter if he had to stand on his feet,Nothing but the film mattered. Today everything but the film matters to most. And the results are evident.

To an extent the big films we used to make -I could still do a Mari Jung remake provided I can pull off the same bigger and better. And if I could do it on my terms and not as a puppet producer in the hands of a star or studio or both.

MERI JUNG directed by Subhash Ghai with Anil Kapoor was my first film ,on the sets hands on, running the show 1984/5.I am truly blessed to work with Javed Akhtar, Mr Ghai, Laxmikant Pyarelal, Anand Bakshi, Amrish Puri, Saroj Khan oh this list is endless.

Learning, Growing up on the job on this film was an experience I cannot forget and others will never get. But I was involved, shadowing my father to the office and understanding his distribution, his finance and other activities too. Here I decided I would focus on production only.

Basic Education is always useful and important. Adapting to times and situations from your learnings, from the formative years-the formal education, training on ground etc. is your overall development and molding but finally it is you ,the individual doing it your way! Never forget your basics and my basics stem from my father.

I am truly blessed to have had him to learn from. You must have your script and not write on the set. You must know your script inside out so you are in control of things creatively and financially. Do not spend on off screen wasteful elements-money spent must be seen on screen. Pay all on time, negotiate initially but then honor commitments, to crew or distributor or vendor whoever is on the project in any capacity. Treat them all with respect. No experimenting only implementation of all I learnt from him-intent never changes ,it is systems that evolve to make it efficient. These are the reasons we exist since 1958 successfully.

The process of filmmaking for us has been the same old -complete interaction and a say in all departments from the beginning to the end. We had maximum interaction earlier with each other.These days it is minimum interaction and all and sundry having a say-Studio head wants something, The Audio company wants their song from their bank or singer they promote singing and eventually that is used not a really created and fitting all round tailor made song with the right voice. It’s a jigsaw game with pieces in several hands and each one comes and fits their piece into it and hopes it works not a creative process.That is what I miss most,the lack of creative process and personal interaction we had making music, and doing other things till the very end.

Belief or Conviction, Research, Homework, Preparation, Hard work, Focus. Dedication. The same old rules apply, no rocket science.

We work old fashioned ways adapting to executing it in the new way for obvious reasons. I have to see it all,know it all and keep a tab, Let the creative guys do their thing but know that I need to know what is going on too. So we devise our methods and work seamlessly.

Absolutely.

Totally ,yes! Remixing a song is the norm, shallow content with concentration on execution(body) no soul is the way these days. It has to look good and stylish and if there is no depth ,that is fine for most films makers in the mainstream Hindi film business.

If a saleable hero says yes, you can direct the film. Are you really deserving or qualified, not necessarily. will they bank roll the project ,yes-there is a star and he has said yes. Do they read the script , “no” . It’s a ploy to pretend they are all working, keen and best way to say no eventually -to ask for a re write so that you disappear

Ups and Downs Nature of the business Meri Jung Highs “Aag Se Khelenge” Lows back to “Aaj Ka Goonda Raaj” Highs -filmfare awards, money ,fame everything 1984-1996.

Then came my Independence-My coming out of the shadow of my father with DAAYRAA National Award ,international success, a journey with a vision to show case Indian content in a meaningful way to the western Audience yet without losing the core audience.

As for a all a roller coaster ride-fun filled, scary, laughter filled, sorrowful that is the beauty of the movie business.

I’d like to motivate people here with just one statement. Overcome all odds if you are truly passionate about the films you do. I have an autoimmune disease which restricts my physical movement considerably over that decade. Has it stopped me from doing anything I really set out to do? NO.