Bhubaneswar, June 23: Suicide, as a subject, is no stranger to films. Among other directors, Robert Redford, Sofia Coppola and James Mangold have experimented with the subject on screen.
Now, a group of youngsters have come together to bring to reel the rising number of suicides among the youth. Set in Odisha, Zindagi Abhi Baaki Hai follows a man's struggles for survival and his attempts to end his life.
The film aims to convey to the viewer the need for a positive outlook and to give life a chance. At the same time, it also aims to highlight the responsibility of society in such cases.
"The protagonist recalls various events of his life one by one. He is slowly overcome with negativity and is left depressed. The films narrates how one thing leads to another and his realisation of the value of life," said Subhendra Pal, the film's director.
Everyone involved with the film have come together for a cause and most of them have had to deal with suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives. "The fact that each one of us on the team has, at some point, had suicidal thoughts as well, or has been affected by a loved one who has, is what made us think about making a film. The film shows the various stages of life which positively and negatively impact a person and why they should alter their decision if they are thinking about committing suicide," added Pal.
It took around two years to complete the film that was shot mostly in Odisha. Most of the artistes and technicians who worked on the film are also from the state, while the actors are newcomers with a background in theatre.
The team members have worked in Bollywood and know one another from their time in Mumbai. It was during an informal gathering that the idea to make a film on the topic first came up.
The team includes sound designer Subash Sahoo, who has worked in Bollywood productions such as Omkara and Kaminey, Suyog Churi, a music director in the Marathi film industry and Baikuntha Rout, who was involved with films such as Baby and Mohenjo Daro.
The team put it a lot of research before making the film. "We met psychiatrists to understand what goes on in the mind of a person with suicidal tendencies. We also met people who attempted suicide, but were saved, and are now leading happy lives. I feel every person will be able to relate to the film at some or the other point," Pal said.
The team collected finances for the film mostly through crowd funding. "As newcomers, it was difficult for us to gather money for the production. So, we went to the public and made them believe in our project," said Pal, who has worked with directors such as Vipul Shah and Jayant Gilatar.
"We made the film with the national audience in mind. But, I am hopeful people from Odisha will like it as well," Pal said.
The film will be released in the first week of August.
