#NewsBytesExclusive: 'Constantly on move,' says Paula on 'Shantit Kranti's filming
Born in Canada, she is now making a name for herself in the Indian film industry. Despite the language barrier, meet Paula McGlynn, who went on to create a niche in the Marathi digital space with Sarang Sathaye, when they co-founded Bharatiya Digital Party (BhaDiPa), and then co-directed Shantit Kranti and its sequel. She talks about Shantit Kranti 2 and more to NewsBytes. Excerpts.
What's 'Shantit Kranti 2' about?
In the second season of Shantit Kranti, the lead characters take up a Bhakti Yatra which was ideally meant to be a bachelor's trip. Amid all the chaos that comes with the trip, they find their spiritual awakening while questioning their life's decisions, whether or not they made the right choices. As characters, we wanted to give them this journey.
Did you have a phase where you doubted your choices?
For me, the big shift happened when I moved to India. I was doing a fine job in Canada working in a film's technical department. I didn't have a direction opportunity in Canada. Then I happened to come to Mumbai for work and it completely changed my life. I began working in the Hindi industry, and then later, BhaDiPa happened.
From BhaDiPa to now, how has Marathi digital space developed?
We've seen the entire industry change from no YouTube or OTT to having digital space show its dominance eventually. Marathi cinema has seen things come and go but digitalization has given it a new voice. I don't if I can say that we've officially entered a new era, but we've come a lot far and still have a long way to go.
Was the second season's shooting technically different from its prequel?
We've shot the series in different locations, every single day, and across four different states. In Season 1, we had beautiful static frames where everyone was sitting down and talking. In this season, everything, every scene is constantly on the move. It's completely opposite to the previous season. I'm excited but also nervous about the show's release and reception.
Have opportunities broadened for young filmmakers after COVID-19 pandemic?
One reason why I think a lot of young filmmakers are getting vast opportunities in filmmaking is because of the recent demand for content. Because after the pandemic, people are consuming so much more content. It's only a good thing because you're going to get new writers/filmmakers with new perspectives, catering to the new audience, and delivering content that is relatable to the Gen-Z.
Were there any other challenges that you faced?
Not really a challenge, but since the second season was shot at multiple religious places and temples, we all went in with a lot of sensitivity during the filming process. These days, people are very mindful when it comes to religion, and we wanted to make sure that we were not hurting anyone's religious sentiments. And therefore we were cautious throughout the process.
