Award winning filmmaker Krishan Hooda shares his experience of working with Naseeruddin Shah

News correspondent Sneha Nair delved into insights from director Krishan Hooda on his experience of working with veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah and the former’s upcoming projects.

Krishan got to direct Naseeruddin Shah in a dark comedy short film, 2100 FT, which was released recently. The film was co-produced by his production company, Modern Monk Films.

The film is being appreciated for its unique story and treatment. It is a comedic take on suicide. In sharing his experience on the set, Krishan said, “Naseer sir is magical to work with. Before he said yes for the movie, I wanted to narrate the story to him but he had already read the script and was ready with his questions when I met him for the narration. On top of what he already is, he brings such enthusiasm and patience for experimenting on set. We were trying a new treatment for this film and Naseer sir was gung ho for take after take.” Krishan has taken home more than 30 national and international awards for his short and feature films. His short film Malota and 2100 FT got Filmfare nominations in 2019 and 2022.

Krishan already has 3 projects lined up for release in 2023; comedy short film with Daisy Shah, a dark comedy feature and a dramedy series starring Rajesh Tailang and Vidya Malvade for Endemol Shine India.

Krishan believes that cinema magic comes from personalization. He wants to make movies that are based on his experiences of traveling India while living in Army camps. He wants to explore stories and characters rooted in small towns and settings, bringing the story of the masses to the masses. Krishan, along with his writing partner Neeltarni Pratap, is developing a few comedy and thriller series and features for some big production houses. The writing duo is exploring different genres but laced with comedy.

His first feature film, Rebellious Flower, was picked up by Netflix just a few months after they arrived in India. Krishan loves the OTT culture as they have lifted the box office pressure off of filmmakers' shoulders. He shares how these platforms bring the freedom to experiment with the subjects and the cast of a project.

Starting his career as an actor at the Prithvi theater and not getting the desired roles to play, Krishan wrote a play and starred in it too. After a short stint with acting, he realized that he is more inclined to writing and direction and started his filmmaking journey. Today Krishan has made more than 30 short films in addition to his feature films and series. He calls the journey “bumpy but satisfactory.' He hopes to continue his good luck and is looking forward to his releases this year.