Vikas Bahl

Vikas Bahl is an Indian Director who used to be head of UTV Motion Pictures (an Indian Film making company owned by Walt Disney). He now is a co-owner and director at the film production company Phantom Films.

Above is a short film that caught my attention to raise the awareness of the empowerment of women in India. I think this short is striking because the whole narrative follows a path which is anything but realistic, but why shouldn't it be realistic for a young girl to be treated fairly if her care breaks down? I think the message "Can we give her the world that she believes exists?" Is an important one, and one we should ask, but I don't think Vogue is the right platform to do it on. Surely this should be shown to men and on platforms with the type of people that are likely to attack a young woman.

I've never really looked at Indian Cinema, I've seen the odd Bollywood film, but I wasn't expecting anything this contemporary or striking from a director whose typical pieces are Bollywood.

What I enjoy most about this director's work, is the composition. I think the shot framing is really professional, my favourite part in the trailer for his latest film below is when the boy and girl are talking through the book case and they are each on the thirds and it cuts perfectly to show a flowing conversation. It's a mash of effective editing, and this effortless control in shot framing that makes his filming style so contemporary and unlike other slightly crude Bollywood films. (for example the Godmother).

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm4318482/