Recently, Yasir Shah, the Minister in charge of electricity in Uttar Pradesh, remarked that a film like Katiyabaaz should never be made again in the State. Thankfully, he was not suggesting a ban on free speech and expression but was implying that the Kanpur Electricity Supply Corporation (KESCO) should ensure that it does not perform so abysmally again that it becomes a compelling subject of a film.
Fahad Mustafa and Deepti Kakkar’s documentary film Katiyabaaz (Powerless) which was released last year in August, is a film about the electricity troubles faced by the residents of Kanpur. The two protagonists of the film are Ritu Maheshwari, an IAS officer who heads KESCO and Loha Singh, a flamboyant electricity thief who helps residents of Chamanganj get power supply by illegally joining electricity lines and wires. The filmmakers pit the actions of these two protagonists against each other- although they never actually meet in the film. So, while on the one hand, Ritu tries to make KESCO more efficient and even attempts a crackdown on unlawful connections in the city, Loha, who fashions himself as the saviour, is seen atop ladders, amidst a dense thicket of wires, tying live wires in knots and giving light to the ones living in the dark. The film complicates the idea of theft, so much so that it becomes difficult to judge right from wrong.
Shot over two years, the film also captures the elections in the State. The issue of electricity became a huge political controversy during the polls, the brunt of which was borne by Ritu who was transferred when there was a change in regime ultimately. Loha, at the end of the film, can be seen telling his mother that he knows no other job but katiyabaazi and continues to lead his itinerant life.
Vikalp Bangalore brought Katiyabaaz to Bangalore last week and screened it as part of Doc@Everest, the monthly screenings at Everest Talkies at Fraser Town. The audience got a chance to travel through the wired by lanes of Kanpur framed beautifully by Fahad and Deepti and even relived the irretrievable charm of the single screen at Everest theatre. It has been roughly six months since the film’s release and both Fahad and Deepti have moved on to other projects. But, the film’s journey is far from over. Next month, organised by Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation, the film will be screened at the Parliament in Delhi to encourage a discussion among the stakeholders in the Government about energy poverty and its solutions.
In this interview, Fahad Mustafa speaks about the experience of katiyabaazi , the response to the film and the future of the documentary form. Excerpts:
Are you in touch with Loha and Ritu?
Yes, we are! Loha is still in Chamanganj. Towards the end of our shoot, he sort of became a minor celebrity. He also had a huge presence on social media and there was a mock account on twitter as well. But, the truth about Loha is that he wasn’t new to this popularity. He always thought of himself as the Robin Hood of Chamanganj.
Ritu has had an interesting trajectory, especially in terms of her career. As you know, towards the end of the film, she was transferred to Pilibhit. Then, she was sent to Shahjahanpur. She was also held without a posting for a bit. Now as far as I know, she is in Lucknow and does not have a posting. Her husband is an IAS officer posted with the agricultural department I think.
It must have been a difficult film to do for Ritu, especially, because her career was at stake…
Ritu had a lot of concerns during the shoot of the film. We tried to address them as far as possible in the film. There was also a change in the government by the end of the film. So, yes, she was nervous until the release.
The film, however, was received rather well, even in the Government, right?
Yes, Akhilesh Yadav, the Chief Minister, really liked the film. He made it tax free. We showed the film to the UP Power Corporation where it was received well.
Did you know Loha before you began the shoot?
When we conceptualised the film, it was going to be about Kanpur. Electricity was only going to be one part of it. It was on meeting Loha that it became entirely about electricity. We were talking to another guy who does the same thing as Loha but he got cold feet before the shoot began. We were introduced to Loha through a family friend. He is a performer. He perceives himself as a Masiha (messenger) but he is a product of Kanpur and its circumstances.
Ritu and Loha are at two ends of the spectrum but they are not just stereotypes. You had developed personal equations with both of them. How do you manage a faithful representation of such complex characters?
It depends on what we as filmmakers look to do. The challenge with any sort of representation is this: there are archetypes- like in this film, the Robin Hood and the Sheriff. We consciously identified these types in the film but we also consistently tried to complicate them so that we do not just reinforce stereotypes. Loha comes across as a brave, spunky guy. We had to break down that projection and make him acknowledge his predicament and the poverty surrounding him. It was Deepti's fantastic idea to shoot that scene with his mother. The best way to showcase one’s insecurities is to make them have a conversation with their mother.
We wanted to create a balance between creating interesting characters and at the same time, representing them as human beings.
Why did you pick Indian Ocean (the band) to compose the music for the film?
Indian Ocean seemed like a natural fit. When we showed them the rough cut, they immediately identified with it. We wanted an anthem for Kanpur and they came up with ‘Kanpoora,’ an earthy, representative song and Varun Grover, who wrote the lyrics has his roots in Kanpur.
Do documentary films in India have to go through the film festival route before they secure a theatrical release?
Film festivals, especially the ones abroad, are a platform where the Indian documentary as a genre gets to be seen. We are not based in India. So, in a way, we had access to financial markets that helped make the film. In India, there are very few avenues in comparison. There are some national broadcasters and then are those who commission projects independently. You need these channels to distribute films and make it visible. Festivals help in terms of exposure and revenue. And in India, the stamp of festivals is important.
Is it easier in other countries?
In places where there is a culture of viewing documentaries, there are specialised documentary distributors, specialised documentary sales agents and even specialists in television. So, it is easier. These things come about in a country as the market evolves. India is now going through an interesting space. Audiences are definitely there. It is up to the producers to step up and cater to the demand.
