Thursday Special: Director on Shoojit Sircar, Vikramaditya Motwane presenting it

After doing the rounds of international film festivals, director Varun Tandon’s Thursday Special is readying for its date with the Indian audience. That filmmakers Vikramaditya Motwane and Shoojit Sircar have come on board as presenters is presumably an indicator of the short film’s merit. While grateful for their belief in his work, Tandon says that such support is not rare in the industry. “The real challenge for indie filmmakers is the making. At that point, you have to be strong enough to pull through without support and with whatever resources you have. Once the film is made, many people in the industry are helpful and generous. It’s not fair to assume that people don’t support such stories. On a personal level, it feels like a pat on my back to receive support from Shoojit sir and Vikram sir,” he shares.

Anubha Fatehpuria in the short film

Starring Ramakant Dayama and Anubha Fatehpuria, the short film tells the story of an aged married couple who bond over their love for food and a cherished Thursday ritual. “One of Shoojit sir’s first responses was that it reminded him of his film Shoebite,” says Tandon. That comparison could feel alarming, given that the Amitabh Bachchan-starrer hasn’t released to date, but the director views it differently. “I haven’t been able to watch it since it’s not available anywhere, but just hearing him make that comparison was touching. His Piku [2015] is one of my favourite Hindi movies. Shoebite stars Amitabh Bachchan. So, just being mentioned in the same universe is special for me.”

A still from ‘Shoebite’ that remains unreleased due to legal issues

Today, Indian cinema is all about scale and spectacle. Does he think an intimate story like Thursday Special will find an audience? The director is hopeful, as he reasons, “The story is about love, ageing, companionship, and what it means to spend so much time with one person. These are universal emotions. As long as humans feel, think, and have a heart, stories like these will resonate. With the film releasing on YouTube, I want as many people as possible to watch it.”

Jan 29
When ‘Thursday Special’ will be released on YouTube

Who is Varun Tandon?

. The independent filmmaker previously wrote and directed short films ‘Syaahi’ (2017) and ‘Noor’ (2012)
. ‘Syaahi’ won the Special Jury Award (Non-Feature Film) at the 63rd National Film Awards