English
Writer and director Raj Jaiswal, 23, and producer Natasha Rachuru, 23, in their first feature film, explore a common theme that many first-generation South Asians struggle with everyday. Proving it is possible to chase dreams without a price tag, Jaiswal and Rachuru recruited a team of equally passionate individuals to produce a full-length film, practically for free.
With about 25 percent of the project still left to complete, a Kickstarter campaign to fund the film’s final production cost is days away from reaching its goal of $7,000. So far, 39 backers have contributed $6,126 to support the film. With a little less than $900 to go, the campaign ends on March 16.
Jaiswal and Rachuru talk about why “It’$ Free” is so much more than a movie about Indian kids. Q: Raj, so much of this film is reflective of your own path to self-discovery. How are Akash’s and your journeys similar, and what conclusions do they arrive at?Raj: Coming to New York City for college gave me a clear insight on what I was here to do. When I began exploring the city, its people, its vibes, it caused me to reflect on who I was as an individual and what I wanted out of myself. I felt that some of my friends who were pursuing “stable” careers would think I’d end up broke in the arts. I didn’t expect it to actually happen, but when it did, it felt as though the ground fell from beneath me. You’re left falling until the crying has to stop and you just have to deal with it. I began to think about what I’ve taken for granted growing up. Appreciating my surroundings made me appreciate who I was.
Akash is portrayed as a character that takes for granted his friends, girlfriend and parents’ financial support. When he experiences money problems during his transition from college to the real world, life puts him to the test. Going through the struggle really makes him realize what’s important to him. I’d love to talk about the conclusion our journey’s brought us to, but that would be revealing too much of the film.
Q: Natasha, how did you become involved with this film, and what drew you to its message?
Natasha: Raj and I have known each other since our college days at NYU. When he first sent out his script to a few friends for feedback, I read it, immediately connected with the story and wanted to jump on board. In today’s day and age, we all question how realistic our dreams and career goals are. “It’$ Free” depicts how we as a society are fueled by money, constantly teetering on the edge between spontaneity and structure. Choosing a career in the arts always comes with a question of whether or not one can live a stable future. I found my balance in film production, but the road ahead is still tough, and we all continue asking ourselves if what we’re doing in life makes sense, just like the main character of our film, Akash. In the end, I think we all can agree that doing something you love is way more gratifying than choosing to just get by.
Q: What is the inspiration behind the title of this film?
Raj: When you ask anyone how much something costs, you will rarely get the response, “it’s free.” An idea that really struck me during the writing phase was chasing your dreams and having the freedom to express yourself doesn’t cost anything.
Sure one can argue that school is not free, nor are expensive careers like filmmaking (we would know). But the thought behind our title is that society is heavily dependent on materials such as technology, fashion, assets and money. Seeking satisfaction through external means may cost a fortune, but the satisfaction that really matters comes from within. That’s free.
Q: Do you think Akash’s story is a universal one? What message do you hope to spread with this film and who is your target audience?
Natasha: Just as Raj and I can relate to this story, people of all ages can identify with the inner conflicts that our main character goes through. Akash struggles with his role in the modern world as he battles his inner truths and begins questioning what his life’s purpose really is. Akash’s story is meant to bring to light the idea that although sometimes we cannot control our circumstances, we can control the way we react to them. And if we really look inside of ourselves for the answers, surprisingly enough, things do fall into place.
Q: What is it about this film specifically that you think harbors such a unique message to first-and-second-generation South Asians?
Natasha: Growing up as South Asians, we are all taught the importance of education and building a stable future for oneself. As first-and-second-generation desis living abroad, this advice becomes so valuable to us because it is rooted in the struggles that our parents or grandparents have gone through to survive in a foreign country.
So as we decide our career paths, we are left to find a balance between the values we grow up with and the environments that shape us. This is exactly the kind of dilemma that Akash is faced with.
Q: What struggles have you experienced creating this film, and how have you overcome them on virtually no budget?
Raj: The first thing that comes to my mind as the writer of this film is how I initially tried to keep the scenes limited to the available resources. But then I felt there was no point in writing a story within financial boundaries, so I wrote it organically. This threw a massive load on my producers and myself during pre-production as we were looking for free locations. We had to reach out to every last person we knew, asking them to reach out to everyone they knew. This process showed us true generosity in people who believed in our vision and helped us secure locations we could only imagine having in a big budget film. Another milestone that we crossed was putting together the amazing cast and crew that voluntarily contributed their time to this project.
Q: How does a relatively new team of filmmakers come together to make a feature film like this, and what has been the motivation to do it while some of you are juggling other full-time jobs?
Natasha: First and foremost, it takes vision to make anything possible. We were lucky to have the vision to create a feature film with a high-production value despite the lack of funding. Faith is what kept this project alive, and with it we grew, as more and more people gained interest and offered their resources, whether it was time, money, shooting locations, food, you name it. Every filmmaker can attest to the fact that we can’t do what we do without teamwork.
We are extremely grateful for every single cast and crew member that was on this project and the passion they brought to set, which drove us forward every single day. We learned from each other, grew as a team, and created an environment where we were focused on a united goal, while also taking the time to connect to each other and have fun.
Overnight shoots were demanding and often times we would have to head straight to our other jobs after wrap up, but when you’re as excited about a project as we were, then it becomes worth it. We all wouldn’t appreciate the work we do if we didn’t have to sweat a little on the way.
Q: What film festivals are you particularly hoping to submit this film to?
Raj: We’ve looked into quite a bit of film festivals and found some that we particularly want to try to get into. In the United States, we will be submitting to New York Film Festival, South Asian International Film Festival, New York Indian Film Festival, South by South West and Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles. Internationally, we are looking at Toronto International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival and Mumbai Film Festival. Although those are our top submission plans, we will be submitting to several smaller scale festivals that are subject specific.
Q: Natasha, what project are you working on next in India?
Natasha: I’m doing research in India on certain social issues such as sexual abuse and violence against women, which Raj and I hope to utilize for a future project. We are always interested in showing the human condition from different perspectives, and India is a great place to gain a broader understanding of this.
Q: Raj, what’s next for you? Raj: After the amazing experience with this project, there is nothing else I’d want to do but keep making more films. I wrote a few short film scripts that I’d like to shoot before the year comes to an end. Meanwhile, I’m writing my next feature film’s screenplay, which will actually need investors on board for a change. The feedback I will receive from this film will teach me a lot about how to approach my future projects. I’m really hoping people dig our style and our mission with filmmaking. Be sure to contribute to “It’s Free’s” Kickstarter campaign and follow their Facebook and Twitter pages.
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Entertainment News on India.com.
