The world of archaeology and film-making often collide. But, encapsulating the best of the both requires a sharp acumen and disposition — to get ones hands dirty to bring forth the real picture. Or, so believes filmmaker Mohammed Ali Ellil, who’s recent claim to fame, Visit Mysuru, a frills-free documentary based on the majestic royal city is gaining momentum across the state. In a free-wheeling chat, the filmmaker on the rise tells us about the buzz surrounding his documentary and what’s next on the cards.
“Visit Mysuru is a destination movie. It was indeed a challenging project — which pushed me to better myself — on many fronts. Through the project, I tried narrating the story of a historic city of India without any sort of fabricated work.
It was an uphill task for my crew comprising over a hundred members. We captured the essential beauty of Mysuru in 14 days. Of course, we employed high end equipment to be on par with global standards. The idea was to capture and encapsulate real charm of the majestic old city in a rustic sense without just focusing on a flowery bit, that Mysuru is,” shares Ali, about his recent documentary, which is a recipient of the FUCA National Award. “We have filmed all the nuances of Mysuru, without missing its historic, aesthetic, culinary, and educational aspects. There’s a lot more to to city than picturesque palaces, spices and sandalwood, and that’s exactly what we have tried to portray,” he adds.
Reiterating how it was his steely determination which got things rolling, Ali journey was fraught with trials. “ I hail from a very backward district of Kerala, Wayanad. The only thing that actually propelled me to choose film making, was the desire to make it happen. It was really tough for someone with a huge dream like me. There were absolutely no opportunities or people to approach. Despite efforts to make a point, it seemed like a dead end, because my town wasn’t equipped with the facilities, youngsters in big cities are blessed with. I decided to leave my land in search of greener pastures. My quest landed me in Dubai. I worked for the leading global production house Lenseman Telenet, which opened innumerable avenues for me to experiment with my faculties. I worked with international film makers. I gratefully recall the role played by Mr Jabbar Kallarakkal, a globally renowned film maker for teaching all the basics I need to know on film making.” A couple of decades since, and Ali is the brainchild behind over 100 advertisement commercial films and corporate films for well known brands and destinations. He has also worked for global brands like Fagor and Koxka in Europe.
Despite a choc-a-block schedule, he asserts how there’s always time to unwind. “I love to learn. I don’t mind spending hours in the company of anyone who can teach me a new thing. I love reading and updating my skills in my free time. Of course, whenever I could grab a moment, I love to spend time with my family.”
Currently soaking up on all the praise coming his way, Ali opines the time ahead looks promising. “By this year, I am planning to come up with a feature film in Kannada. We are still working on it, and I’m hopeful that the idea will garner momentum, and will strike a chord in this peaceful city!”
