Noida: Acclaimed film actor and theatre artist Vinay Pathak emphasises the power of films and theatre in binding people and culture in one of its own kind programme ‘Vinay Ki Paathshaala’ organised by DME Media School.
This unique interaction with Mr Vinay Pathak took place on the sixth day of Cineaste International Film Festival of India-CIFFI 2022 on December 20 at Delhi Metropolitan Education, Noida. Cineaste International Film Festival of India-CIFFI 2022 is world’s First 7-Day International Film Festival organised jointly by educational institutions of 3 countries.
Titled Cinema for Togetherness with #Millennialmovies, CIFFI 2022 is 4th year of collaborative venture of DME Noida and Deakin University Melbourne. This year, Nottingham University China Campus has also joined hands in organising this festival. CIFFI 2022 received total 3365 films from 112 countries of the world.
Mr Vinay Pathak has starred in many films including Khosla Ka Ghosla, Bheja Fry, Island City and Johnny Gaddaar and had a supporting role in movies like Jism, Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi, and My Name is Khan.
The session was spearheaded by Prof (Dr) Ambrish Saxena, Dean, DME Media School and festival director CIFFI. Dr Saxena introduced the actor and asked him about his views on his own identity to which he generously replied “I want to be a storyteller, and this is what I was born to do. Every moment I have, I want to share a narrative with the audience and connect with them on a personal level. On further discussion on the same topic Mr Pathak beautifully describes as an art form evolving constantly.
As the discussion moved ahead Dr Saxena asked about the difference he felt between films and theatre and his best possible work throughout. Mr Pathak considered films and theatre two entirely different concepts which are bounded by a single factor: story. He also mentioned the difference on the economic value provided by these. It’s interesting to note that he has never seen a single one of his own films, preferring to focus on honing his abilities.
Mr Pathak believes that one must be loyal to their work, he adds, “Prizes are given to those who are loyal to their work. I want to be a trustworthy storyteller.” He referred Premchand as the same. Upon being asked about his academic preferences he came out to be a reader of fiction and believes there is immense power in imagination and creativity.
Pathak talks about his experiences working with different directors as he reflected on his time spent with them and found them all to be admirable in their respective fields. He also discussed his experiences with several Indian film industry figures. His light humour and quick wittedness made the session not only interesting but also taught minor discomfort one may face in life and how one must take it. Students of Delhi Metropolitan Education witnessed his incredible comic timing throughout the session.
He tried to make the session as interactive as possible. The actor did not hesitate to be a part of students as he interacted with them. He briefly discussed the cinema, modernisation, his interactions with his characters, art and society during the Q&A session. “We are developing as a community, and it’s time to accept that two consenting adults living together for the sake of love are as normal as any other relationship in the society,” he said as he responded to a question about live-in relationships. This showed his intellect and humanitarian outlook on the society.
Mr Pathak later talked about his journey as an outsider in Indian film industry and admitted that he had his fair share of struggle. He encouraged the students to be persistent and positive in the work and use technology to the best. Upon being asked about theatre in present time he advised that theatre is not easy and one must find a balance to it and should be ready for the hardships that come with it.
As Dr Saxena asked about the role films play in bringing the change in the society Mr Pathak politely shared his ideas on the topic as he said, “Films bind cultures and people but change is not limited to films. A film alone cannot bring revolution, it can initiate it and enhance it but after all we all have minds of our own and it’s based upon values, ethics and education as well. It takes generations to bring change.”
This brought the session to a conclusion as Dr Susmita Bala, Head, DME Media School and Chief Associate Festival Director presented closing remarks and extended a Vote of Thanks.
More on CIFFI 2022
CIFFI is the International Film Festival of India being organized by Delhi Metropolitan Education–DME (www.dme.ac.in) of India in association with Deakin University (www.deakin.edu.au) of Australia. DME is a premier educational institute located in Noida in National Capital Region (NCR) of India and affiliated to Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, New Delhi. Deakin University is one of the biggest public universities of Australia located in Melbourne.
CIFFI2022 is the fourth edition of the international film festival of India. Around the world, cinema has faced a flipped shift but filmmakers and viewers are still finding a way to explore new dimensions in storytelling and cinema narration. We are committed to discover the various aspects of film and co-existence of OTT and contemporary cinema. In the age of OTT platforms and omnipresence of digital media, film making has changed from idea to screen. So, in CIFFI 2022, we seek a change in the experience of watching films while expecting that the horizon of films will broaden and expand. In CIFFI 2022, we are striving to strengthen the spirit of togetherness. With all collaborations intact in the fourth edition of the film festival, we are looking forward to make it an enriching experience for all.
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