Home

Meet the Director

Directors reflect on the challenges of filmmaking

The Meet the Director session on the fifth day of the 30th IFFK featured candid discussions on the creative, financial, and logistical challenges faced by filmmakers. Moderated by Balu Kiriyat and Meera Sahib, the session brought together directors Rinoshan K (The Coffin), Vishnu K Beena (Chaav Kalyanam), Maharishi Tuhin Kashyap (Kok Kok Kokoook), Nidhi Saxena (The Secret of the Mountain Serpent), and Fazil Razak (Moham).

Rinoshan K spoke about The Coffin, made on a modest budget of ₹2–2.2 lakh with the voluntary support of technicians, highlighting the team’s collective commitment to meaningful cinema. Maharishi Tuhin Kashyap noted that his Assamese film Kok Kok Kokoook was produced using a ₹13 lakh grant from the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute and involved unique challenges, including training a rooster central to the narrative.

Vishnu K Beena shared that Chaav Kalyanam was financed with family support and featured an entirely new cast and crew, while Fazil Razak said Moham was completed in just 15 days despite production hurdles, driven by strong dedication.

Nidhi Saxena discussed The Secret of the Mountain Serpent, a war-backdrop film exploring women’s desires, which received a ₹1.18 crore grant from the Venice Biennale College of Cinema and gained international recognition, though completing it within 10 months was challenging.