Dug Dug, a satirical comedy-mystery, explores the real life-inspired phenomenon of a motorbike that returns to the scene of its owner’s death. Releasing in cinemas on May 8, the film focuses on how a village starts worshipping the motorbike, offering it alcohol, in the belief it grants wishes, thus forming a new “religion”.
Directed by first-timer Ritwik Pareek, Dug Dug, after doing the rounds of numerous prestigious festivals around the world, is now backed by filmmakers Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Nikkhil Advani and Vasan Bala, and is being released in association with Ranjan Singh’s Flip Films. t2 chatted with Ritwik to know more about his film.
Dug Dug is a prime example of how truth is stranger than fiction. What aspect of this remarkable true story caught your attention the most and made you feel it deserved to be made into a film?
I firmly believe that thought shapes reality... whatever you think will ultimately manifest itself in the universe. Some people call it superstition, but often superstitions can become strong belief and that is what this story is about. I came across certain events in Rajasthan and thought I could take inspiration from them. I didn’t want to take the whole story... I wanted to create my own world in order to put the theme across. While watching the trailer, viewers are only seeing the superstition bit of it, but that is only a part of the film.
A lot of what you see in Dug Dug has been conveyed visually, and less verbally. The film is poetic in its storytelling. I read the book Stalking the Wild Pendulum: On the Mechanics of Consciousness by Itzhak Bentov (a groundbreaking work that proposes that consciousness is a series of vibrations) and that was a huge inspiration, besides the real-life story on which Dug Dug is based. It largely centres on the fact that the more a thing starts manifesting, some people will believe that a miracle is happening.
Religion and superstition are prickly subjects to deal with in this country. Did you always want to adopt a fun and irreverent tone for the film, or were there any second thoughts?
There was no second thought. In my writing room, I have a quote which goes: “If you are fearful, then you are not thinking.” For me, true thinking is free from fear.
Also, we shot Dug Dug in 2019 and at that time, the scenario was completely different. People, at that time, were less offended by small things. It took us a really long time to make the film and then to put it out. When people watch the film, everything that we have put in it will make sense. One really can’t pass judgment on the film before one has seen it.
This is a very Indian story. What has the feedback to the film been like from foreign audiences at festivals?
The foreign audience initially thought the film was very bizarre! (Laughs) For them, in the middle of the film, we put in a disclaimer saying that it is inspired from true events that occurred at a particular place in Rajasthan. Post that, we saw their mindset shift. When they watch the first half, they think: “Oh this is absurd to the maximum level... the director has gone bonkers”, but when they realise it is taken from real life, their attitude changes.
There has not been any negative response to the film in all the festivals we have shown so far. The film has very less dialogue and relies more on visuals. As a result, most viewers get what I am trying to say. Some people have said that the film feels like a masterclass in visual representation. Others have said that this deserves to be a big-screen experience.
It took you a long time to make the film and then release it. What were the biggest impediments?
The biggest challenge was to convey the whole idea in a visual-first manner. And then, there were the normal challenges that come with most film shoots.
We also spent a lot of time finding the right music for the film. Salvage Audio Collective and I worked for a year to zero in on the musical score. We also started making this movie during the pandemic and that, in itself, was a nightmare. We would be on Zoom calls for hours together just trying to piece the various parts of the film together. This whole experience has made me a very patient person.
Did you always want to name it Dug Dug?
That was the only option we had in mind. It implies the sound (‘doog doog’) made by a motorbike. We didn’t even have to think of an alternative English title for it for foreign audiences because this is a universal sound. Some people, of course, pronounced it as ‘dug dug’, but I was okay with that.
What does it mean for Dug Dug and for you to be backed by names like Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane, Nikkhil Advani and Vasan Bala?
I am more than thankful. If they hadn’t supported the film, in today’s scenario, it perhaps wouldn’t have even come out. Any film today needs some big names attached to it, otherwise it won’t get any screens (in cinemas). I have not one but four prominent filmmakers backing Dug Dug.
You were in advertising. What made you want to become a filmmaker?
I was an art director at Ogilvy in Mumbai, but I was always a film buff. Initially, I wanted to become a concept artist or a VFX supervisor. But then, one day, I designed an artwork and the billboard was placed next to another one featuring the film Interstellar (by Christopher Nolan). I was seeing my own billboard, but I was more excited by the one with Interstellar! My boss, who was standing next to me, noticed that and said that this was perhaps my calling. I watched Interstellar and within a month, I put in my papers and started pursuing a career in filmmaking.
What else are you working on at the moment?
I am working on a few projects but not in the same genre as Dug Dug. One is a cosmic horror story while another is a hangout film.
Anything you watched recently that you absolutely loved?
That would have to be Project Hail Mary (starring Ryan Gosling). It was a rich cinematic experience. I have also loved indie films like Sabar Bonda and Bad Girl.
Which is the most bizarre story you have watched in a film?
Tell t2@abp.in