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ENTERTAINMENT EYE OCTOBER 04, 2024 | The Indian Eye 44

TIFF 2024

Q&A WITH ZOYA AKHTAR

‘Movies lift you up. They take you beyond

your reality. They make dreams come true’

Zoya Akhtar’s film Superboys of Malegaon was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival this year

RENU MEHTA
Toronto

oya’s directorial journey began with Luck
By Chance (2009), followed by Zindagi Na
ZMilegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do
(2015), and the internationally acclaimed Gully Boy
(2019), which have since acquired cult status, and
won numerous global awards and accolades.
Since 2019, through Tiger Baby, Zoya has
turned producer with the critically acclaimed series
Made in Heaven (2019) and the Berlinale Series
Award-nominated “Dahaad” (2023), both of which
garnered international acclaim on Amazon Prime,
solidifying Zoya’s reputation as a storyteller with
universal appeal. Furthermore, Zoya has also fos-
tered emerging filmmakers through projects like
Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (2022) and
Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023).
As per press notes, Zoya’s recent endeavor as
writer, director, producer - The Archies (2023) is
the official adaptation and the first ever feature
film of the globally revered Archie comics. A still from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (File photo)
Her film Superboys of Malegaon was pre-
sented at the Toronto International Film Festival were a big challenge. From the time the film got
(TIFF) this year. greenlit to the time Reema went on the floor was
How did the idea of Superboys of Malegaon come a very short period, so the prep was pretty com-
to you and why did you choose to move forward with pressed, which was challenging. Additionally, get-
this inception? ting the archival footage from the studios was a bit
I met Nasir at a film festival in 2011 or 2012, be- tough. Besides that, all was good.
fore which I had seen the documentary and loved What is the message from this movie that you
it. When I met Nasir, I realized there was much want the viewers to take away?
more to this story than what was covered in the I think there are multi-layered messages in this
documentary, and that’s where the journey began. film. The biggest one for me is the magic of the
Tiger Baby Films is known for its diverse depic- movies. But I am from the industry, so I respond to
tion of storytelling, All your projects are very different that. I respond to the artist in them the most. Mov-
from each other but there is a unique yet similar form ies lift you up. They take you beyond your reality.
of rawness as how you present it. Do you make a val- They make dreams come true. I think that’s one
iant effort to keep it relatable and raw? message that comes out. The message of friend-
Reema and I are interested in all kinds of sto- ship, their bond, and what you can do for another.
ries and want to be able to tell all kinds of stories. The other message that comes through is that if
The thing is, I don’t think we make a special effort you follow your dream, if you chase what you’re
to be relatable or raw. I think we make an effort to after, somewhere you will make a dent. However
be as true and authentic to a particular story that small, it will be your dent, and it will be a dent that
we pick to tell because that’s the only way it will get is there forever. You will not be missed.
relatable, I think the effort is to be honest.
What are the challenges you faced while making Since 2019, through Tiger Baby, Zoya has turned producer
this movie? with the critically acclaimed series Made in Heaven (2019)
The challenges were those that come with any and the Berlinale Series Award-nominated “Dahaad” (2023)
period film because there’s been so much develop- (Courtesy: TIFF) >>
ment that’s happened in the time since. Locations

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