Place: Saidpur Slums Patna, Bihar, India

The film: The Story of Kacharapur

Saidpur Slums in Patna is a place which has a dense population living in slums. There had been some crowd violence a day or two before we got there, and there was no way we would risk the kid's safety while the sessions took place, therefore, a change in location had to be made. Since it has a very dense population, waste generation is high and it shows everywhere and to add to it people lacked awareness of basic hygiene and cleanliness.

‘Adrenaline rush’ are the words that come to my mind when I think about the project that took place in Bihar. We got to work as soon as we arrived in Patna. The place was a great experience and I learned a lot by just going there. Working with the children was really fun because they really opened up to me and a lot was learned from the workshop, the children learned filmmaking and I got life and production lessons.

During the shoot, recording, and planning, there were moments when we were literally like electricity and were working like a proper functioning production unit. It was surprising that such young kids can be so professional. The children are extremely talented and have a lot more to share with the world because they have so many stories to tell. Two of them, Amit and Abhishek, were already young passionate filmmakers before I got there and this kindled the filmmaker fire in all of them. However, writing, recording and choreographing a song was something new to even them, and therefore all the more exciting.

Their stories are extremely powerful and the only sad part is that we didn’t have the time to convert them all of the stories they had into films, but have no fear, the seeds have been sown, I'm sure we will at least watch a few of them if not all of them flourish in the industry, and with a little more experience and maturity tell stories in a way that mesmerizes all. I am proud to be the mentor of the kids from Saidpur, Patna.