Two people — a young girl and guy — are seen on a terrace. From their conversation, it seems like they have known each other for a long time now. There is tantalising suspense that lingers in the air. A short conversation about tea ensues and that's all we get from the teaser of Galpa Alpa. It certainly has our attention. What surprises us is that this is Director Biswajit Kuldi's first directorial venture in the genre of romance, yet not quite. He has previously dealt with topics like child labour, but this is the first time he has directed a love story of sorts. "It's about a new-age relationship and how it shapes up when it falls between dreams and career," says the 27-year-old.
Featuring ace theatre actors Dipanwit Dashmohapatra and Ar Sudhasri, this short film was shot in two to three hours though it was planned for over seven days. "I met the actors through common friends. Practising lines and ensuring everything was in place before D Day took some time," says Biswajit who has written the story and is part of the cinematography team along with directing the venture which will soon be released through the YouTube channel Sidlenses. "The short film is all about how we are driven by our dreams and passion. It is a reflection of our society," explains the director who used to opt for wedding photography assignments to sustain his wish of making films. His previous film Chotu touched upon the topic of child labour and won the Kallola Film Contest held in the coastal state.
Mayurbhanj-born Biswajit shifted base to Mumbai about four months ago to experience how the film industry in the City Of Dreams works. "But Odisha will always be my first choice," says the filmmaker. Of course, it probably is because not only did he complete his Diploma in Cinematography from Biju Pattnaik Film and Television Institute of Odisha, Cuttack, he also knows a few people from the Odia film industry. But the move to Mumbai was important to further his experience in the field of filmmaking. After all, having done photography in his high school days and getting interested in cinematography without even knowing such a field exists, he needed to further hone his craft. Hence, Mumbai happened. Next, he wants to tackle another social issue through his work. Only time will tell which one. Meanwhile, we are waiting for the short film Galpa Alpa to release soon.
For more on him, click on facebook.com/biswajit.kuldi
