From Chennai IIT-ian to a film maker in US, the journey has been exciting for Hari Mahesh. The filmmaker on his career and his forthcoming film Somniphobia. On chat with chennaionline...

Chennaiite To A Film Maker In States

I completed BTech from IIT Madras and came to Univ of Hawaii, Manoa for my masters. I was all along very much interested in entertainment and tell stories/sing songs etc. Back in India, I always wanted to be a singer and used to sing with group/stage but when I came here that interest slowly died down.

A Passion Is Born

I found interest in moving images and how the right mixture of sound, and visual will move you very deeply. During my masters I took a few acting classes but didn't go too far with it. Then I moved to San Jose bay area looking for work and while I was at work - way back in 93-94 I started taking classes in some schools.. I did directing, producing, editing, lighting etc. I shot several small films 5-10 min long before I ventured into my first feature film. As with any art form, you learn by doing and not by taking classes.



And The Days After...

When my second son was born something in me or some force within drove me to start working on the feature film. It was a very daunting task.. at that time.. as I just had few classes and some small films behind me...I didn't know where to start, but my passion kept me going, finding ways to do things.

Making Of CULT

Finally, I found a screenwriter, Rebecca Sanders in one of the film groups in Silicon Valley. She had responded to my ad for "looking for screenwriters" then she came along and we worked on the script from my 3 pages summary. The script was completed after about 4 months of discussions/re-write etc. The name of the film is CULT. Its been 10 yrs since we worked on Cult, and we are greatest friends still...

Inspiration, The Family Way

My family is a music family. My grandfather was a Bhagavathar and well known in Chennai as Mahadeva Iyer. But I didn't see or have any interest in carnatic music at all. So dad and also my uncle play violin etc.. May be it came from there, but nothing to do with picture art or moving art. Before my grand father passed away, he saw both my films LOVE and CULT, they were main stream american theme film and he probably didn't understand anything. But he told me "I didn't understand what the film is about or what they were saying but I know you will make it in Hollywood". That is something I will never forgot.. whether I make it in Hollywood or not.. but someone having faith in me.

Grandpa Knews It

Somehow my grandfather 7 yrs ago knew that I will keep pushing forward.. which I am and hope to make it.. But if not it is OK, as it is the journey that is always enjoyable and not the end. I am doing this not for FAME OR MONEY. I want to tell stories. I want to be a Director alone and not a producer who usually makes more money. Ideally I would like to find a producer - who will put money and reap all the benefits and just let me direct the film.

Chennai Roots

I have strong roots in Chennai. i want to come do a tamil film in my career. I really love temples in Chennai and Tamilnadu in general and i want to write a story revolving temples. I have lived in the US for 20 yrs, i have visited Chennai 18 times since then.

I am in touch with some of the production companies for my next films. I m reluctant to reveal the names as we haven't signed a deal yet.

My First Break

Actually for both of my two earlier films when so many people come together for making it happen i.e to shoot the film it is a greatest moment and I consider a major break.. and it created a confidence in me that I can handle larger production. Now I am very confident and prepared for my films and talking to a few big actors/crew members.. etc. For me the big break is to get over the initial hump of being scared, inhibited and now because of those fims. it is past.

On His Kind Of Films

I usually work on films that uplift the human spirits and emotions. It doesn't mean that they have to cry and weep. But emotions can be of fear, anger, love etc. But something at the end has a positive ending. Love is a story of a person who is waiting for true love his entire life and Cult is a story about revenge, passion, friendship etc.

Shanti is a story about two people who are opposite in every way you can imagine but still they find a way to connect and help each other out from their miseries. and Now Somniphobia is a story about US Marine, who just returned from Iraq and how he struggles to cope with his reality, dreams and his fantasy which ultimately ruins him but he comes out of it in the end.

On Somniphobia

Somniphobia means fear of sleeping. This film is set in Detroit..

Soldiers, wars always move me deeply. I was looking for a script/story that dealt with a simple soldier' soldier's life after he comes back from war. What war does to common man/woman. The government officials start the war or declare the wars and they let the innocent, young soldier to die for their country.. some of them really 18-19 yrs old.. Where as the sons and daughters of who declared war are sitting nice comfortable luxurious homes and offices. I had posted my request on a screenwriter's website - looking for writers completed or work in progress for effects of war on soldiers. I got about 40 responses and I chose Somniphobia from it...

Somniphobia - The Crew

Casting is in progress. We have Robin Browne, who worked on films like Gandhi, Passage to India etc. Micheal Brody (writer) and myself are producing the film, I am in discussions with production designer and sound person.

Kollywood/Bollywood Boom

The trends are changing in the past 10 yrs and definitely you will see more and more people from india also making strides in hollywood.. like the IT boom it will be a bollywood/kollywood boom in the U.S.

For more on his films : www.smeraproductions.com

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ASM