Director Byte - Tee Tee’s tête-à-tête with Director Swapna Waghmare Joshi

 Tee Tee’s tête-à-tête with Director Swapna Waghmare Joshi

Hi friends, as we had promised that we would have a director’s cut segment for the Telly Tadka episode every week, we decided to speak to someone who has come a long way from being a director, producer on television to now a director for the big screen. Yes, we are here with Swapna Waghmare Joshi’s interview for you all. 

Does Swapna Waghmare Joshi need any introduction? I think not. Yet for your benefit let me just remind you. She’s the director and the co-producer of recently wrapped up Rang Badalti Odhani on Star One. The director who has come a long way in the television industry has recently made her presence felt in the big screen cinema by directing Damadamm, a Himesh Reshmiya movie which is slated for release around Diwali this year. 

Without further delay, now I shall allow you all to dive into the interview.

Tee Tee: Your date of Birth?

Swapna Joshi: 16th July 1966

Tee Tee: You hobbies?

Swapna Joshi: I love my profession, reading and music.

Tee Tee: What kind of books do you enjoy reading?
Swapna Joshi: I love reading Sydney Sheldon, Mills and Boons. I have also enjoyed reading books like Code named God, Many masters many lives. I like anything that keeps me entertained and yes I don’t like science friction.

Tee Tee: What kind of music do you prefer?
Swapna Joshi: I enjoy Indian Classical music and ghazals. Gulzar saab, R.D. Burman, Shankar Ehsaan , Loy and Himesh Reshmiya are my favorite singers. I enjoyed ‘Bodyguard Song’ sung by Himesh Reshmiya a lot and have been listening to it lately.

Tee Tee: What is your favorite pass time?

Swapna Joshi: Playing with my daughter and our pet cat.

Tee Tee: Did you always want to be a part of the entertainment industry?
Swapna Joshi: Yes (that came very promptly). She continued… Since I was 1.5 year old, I used to perform in plays in my building. These plays sued to be directed by my parents. My mother used to write the play while my father directed it. I also played Gopi in one of the shows. But being a daddy’s girl, I wanted to follow him. My father being an engineer, I took up science in college. However, after doing my 12^th, I realized that I love theater. In school as well I had won many dramatic competitions and my parents had always supported me. So after finishing graduation in English literature, I went on to study dramatics for 5 years.

Tee Tee: You first shot as a director?
Swapna Joshi: First shot that I directed as a director for serials was a Gujarati show Runanu Bandh. She adds that direction came her way suddenly as some other director who was directing the show left just in a day and she took over. As she had done documentaries earlier, directing came naturally while directing the serial and wasn’t very tough for her.

Tee Tee: A shot you feel you could have done better?
Swapna Joshi: (Hmm thinks and replies) I feel that all shots I have directed could have been better. I look at all my work and keep improvising and feel that this is where I could have been better. She added that she watches all her work.

Tee Tee: A movie or serial that you have watched and feel you could have done a better job?
Swapan Joshi: No. All the directors today are damn good at their work. When I watch other directors’ work, I watch as a layman.

Tee Tee: From directing and producing on small screen you have moved towards the big screen how different is it? Was directing movie different from small screen? Can you tell us in detail?
Swapna Joshi: Not much with directing but it is storytelling. TV is 14 inch and big screen is 70 mm screen. When we shoot, the tape that we use run for 4 min each in movies whereas TV we can use for 60 min. So the raw stock is expensive otherwise not a very big transition. I have known the stars of the movie since a very long time so there were no tantrums as such and it was fun with them.

Tee Tee: Tell us about your big screen directorial debut movie DAMADAMM.
Swapna Joshi: It is a fun movie full of life. Everyone will connect with the characters and people will enjoy it.

Tee Tee: What is the story about?
Swapna Joshi: It is about a guy named Sameer who is working and earns a decent salary and has a nagging girlfriend in the same office. She goes to her hometown for fifteen days after five years and what happens in those fifteen days when he gets freedom is all that the movie is about.

Tee Tee: Wasn’t it titled Ishq Unplugged earlier?
Swapna Joshi: Yes it was tentatively but then many people didn’t realise the meaning of unplugged so then we changed it to DAMADAMM and this was suggested by Himesh Reshmiya.

Tee Tee: How many days did it take to shoot the movie?
Swapna Joshi: The movie was shot in 50 days at a stretch. All the stars were so much fun to work with. I kept telling them that they didn’t even create any controversies anytime… (laughs)

Tee Tee: Which is your favorite scene from the movie?
Swapna Joshi: Last scene that we shot. Watch the movie for knowing it. (winks). It was very fun filled. And also song Umrao Jaan was a great experience.

Tee Tee: When is the movie set to release?
Swapna Joshi: 27th Oct 2011 – Diwali.

Tee Tee: Did you look into the editing?
Swapna Joshi: I personally looked into the editing and also I looked into the sets, patterns, dubbing, background everything as I also wanted to get an idea of it.

Tee Tee: Now that you have entered into the 70 mm screen space, would TV take a backseat?
Swapna Joshi: Not at all. TV is my first love. It is my wife and Movie is my mistress.

Tee Tee: Any show you will be coming up with on TV any time soon?
Swapna Joshi: Talks are on at the moment for a show but cannot reveal anything more at this moment.

Tee Tee: Viewers are keen to have season 2 of Rang Badalti Odhani. Your take on it.
Swapna Joshi: Rang Badalti Odhani was a wonderful show and it had a great team but it is tough to come up with next season as the channel is also getting revamped. If anything comes up, then definitely season 2 can be thought about.

Tee Tee: Any tips to the ones aspiring to enter this industry?
Swapna Joshi: All I can say is don’t come here for glamour. There is lot of hard work and if you make it your passion then you will do well. I myself never thought twice before doing work like sweeping the floors. So be ready to do a lot of hard work.

Tee Tee: Any message to viewers?
Swapna Joshi: Thank you to all my RBO and Kutumbb fans. You have been a great support and have also given positive feedback for my movie. Do go and watch the movie.

With this Swapna Waghmare Joshi signs off. But not before allowing us to click some sweet pictures of her.

We at Telly Tadka wish her all the luck for her movie Damadamm and are looking forward for her next TV show.

Telly Tadka

Reporters: Karishma Panjwani and Nikhat Khan

Author: Gouri Athanikar