Sunayana Kumari Joins Team 'I AM'

Hey Everyone,

Wanted to share with you all about Sunayana Kumari, another new joinee to the team "I AM". Here's what Sunayana had to say about how it all happened for her

A brief conversation with actor Rahul Bose (no, unfortunately he’s not a ‘friend’, as a lot of you might presume) led me to this gig. “So you’ve studied journalism and now you want to work in films?” – he quizzed me rather skeptically over the phone. After listening to me answer in the affirmative, he told me that he’d call me as soon as something came up. While I was expecting to receive this ‘call’ by sometime next year, my phone which lay next to me began to buzz his name again in a matter of seconds. Once he was on the line, he wasted no time and asked if I would like to assist in Onir’s latest project. “Onir, as in the director of My Brother Nikhil?!” came my inapt response to that query. From my shrill tone it became fairly obvious to both of us that I would only be too glad to work on this project.

I was scheduled to meet Onir for an interview on the 27th of July, which was a Monday. Sunday night therefore was spent going over blogs dedicated to this latest venture by Anticlock Films. As I sat on my bed reading about the series of shorts and learning that while meant to entertain they were also based on significant issues in our society, my excitement level began to soar. I remembered the uncharacteristic, emotionally charged speech I had made to my parents in a bid to let them allow me to work in films. I had said to them that eventually I’d make films that were politically and socially conscious and hence noble and hence they should let me and so on and so forth…. But here I was about to do just that in my very first assignment. Yes, I consider my self lucky.

Luckier still because I am part of the best team ever. The team comprises of individuals who are sophisticated in their knowledge of film making, kind to me and above all, a lot of fun. The Omar shoot has been a great learning experience and I can’t wait to start work on the remaining shorts

Saahiel on how Omar happened

Upcoming Actor Saahiel Sehgall who plays the role of Omar on "how he got involved with the project"

Well so where do i start...ok... there was this program on sony pix called the gateway project for upcoming directors....judged by Ashok Amritraj, Anurag Basu and Rajat Kapoor...i'd done a short film for one of the directors in the top eight as the lead...a really talented upcoming director called David!...now he had networked with Onir on facebook...(we all know how active onir is on facebook!! ;-))...

Now luckily for me David had really liked me and was in touch with me so as soon as he got to know that Onir was casting for his next movie...Kill Chhabra...he asked me to send him my pictures and profile which he in turn sent across to Onir.

Onir liked my pictures and so i got in touch with him and he asked me to come down for a meeting and then eventually an audition. A couple of days after the audition i was on my way to Bangalore to celebrate New Year's when i got a message from Onir saying that they'd really liked my audition and would get in touch with me soon once they took a final call. Finally around the 1st week of January i got a call saying they wanted me aboard and he sent me a copy of the script to go through and take a call.

Frankly i didn't even want to read the script....i was very excited and it was a big opportunity for me so all i wanted to do was sign the dotted line as soon as possible! Once i said i was on we figured out the details and i signed on with Anticlock films for a two film contract!

The first one being Kill Chhabra! But Kill Chabbra got postponed due to some circumstances and then Onir told me that in the meantime he's planning to make a couple of shorts and so i expressed a desire to be a part of those and he said that he would get back to me if there was a role that he thought suited me!

A couple of months later i was chatting with him while he was in germany on a break...writing the scripts and he told me about Omar...as soon as i heard it i was excited coz i've always wanted to do intelligent cinema and play a variety of interesting characters...He told me that he was planning on auditioning for it but if i agreed he wouldn't have to...i was thrilled with his confidence in me...i immediately agreed but he asked me not to rush in and go through the script first since it was a bold part and a bold script!

So once i'd gone through the script...i got back to him even more excited and eager than before!...so that's how i got to be OMAR!!

As far as the experience goes so far...it's been incredible knowing both Onir and Sanjay...the first time i met them to sign the contract and stuff they made me feel totally at ease and they helped me clear out all the doubts i had as a newcomer about the contract n stuff and also were very flexible and asked me if i needed any changes to be made and got them all done. They are both absolutely down to earth individuals who i think are hard to come by these days and especially in our industry.I feel absolutely comfortable and at home whenever i go down to the anticlock films office for a meeting or a script reading or something.

Onir has always kept me in the loop with every single change that happens with the projects. Unfortunately i haven't had the chance of working together yet but that will change very soon come this august and i'm really looking forward to that. And i'm sure there will be many more such opportunities in the future.To a mutually rewarding and enriching relationship.

Team Omar. Cheers!