P1 · 2020-04-01 · Title: P1 Created Date: 3/24/2020 4:30:04 PM
Citytimes 24-12-2012-04 (01)
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City Times MONDAY, DECEMBER 24, 2012 4 DAVID LIGHT [email protected] A RRIVING IN DUBAI almost two decades ago, the city’s media scene was certainly in its infancy when Arshad Yusuf Pathan disembarked his plane carrying a fresh motion picture direction degree from Columbia University Hollywood under his arm. But where many would see a dearth of facilities, the Indian-born filmmaker sensed opportunity. Obviously a leap straight into the movie industry was out of the question, yet getting in on the emerging information and entertainment business was perfectly viable. Over the past 20 years Arshad has helped launch two television channels, been involved with establishing the Dubai International Film Festival, set up the first production company in Media City and has dabbled in print media and advertising. He comes to us now as director, writer and producer of a new Hindi feature, Unforgettable completely put together in the Emirates. Here Arshad explains it all. What can you tell us about Unforgettable? It’s a Bollywood centric film, for Bollywood audiences. It is about 75 per cent in Hindi and the rest is English. Being set in the region, though, it has an international cast. There are two female leads and one is British, although she plays a half Indian-half Irish character. I have the Irish cricket captain and one of the stars of the team, plus Arabic characters. You need a multicultural film as this is such a multicultural place. UAE resident and Hindi movie director Arshad Pathan tells us about his debut movie Unforgettable Dubai’s own CITY C Arshad Yusuf Pathan So, despite being ostensibly an Indian film, no parts are set in India? There are a few sequences that are made up to be in India, but even they were shot here. This is a real Dubai venture. What does the story entail? It’s a love story. It’s based on a true story that happened to people close to me. There is a pattern to every movie of this type. My film fits that, but I wanted to break certain myths about love. Unforgettable focuses on the competition between ‘first love’ and the notion of soul mates. It’s written like a thriller. I didn’t want it to be predictable from the very beginning. You’ll be in your seat until the very end. Wouldn’t it have been easier to shoot in India and recreate Dubai in a studio? No, Dubai’s film industry is up and running. Absolutely everything you need to create a picture is here. The only thing I went back to India for was the Dolby 5.1 sound mixing because there is no certified studio yet, but that is minor and it will arrive. Everything else from pre to post production was made in the various media houses here. I believe in this region. We didn’t have the biggest budget, but the USP of this film is my knowledge of the region and the UAE. How does that experience translate onto the screen? People from abroad come to this region, shoot and go without giving it a second thought. Bollywood movies set here are normally very stereotypical. They’ll have dune rides and lots of clichés. I don’t want to show that. I want to show the aspects, which the everyday residents can identify with. I want to show Dubai as a romantic destination. So you’d like to be the Yash Chopra of Dubai, romanticising the area as he did with Switzerland? I have always been enamoured by Yash Chopra’s take on shooting films and, I’m incredibly embarrassed to say so and don’t think I am worthy, but some have seen his influence in my movie. My main talent is an eye for locations. The budget and scale are not huge, but the aesthetics are very good and that sets the mood for a love story. Do you think an entirely Dubai-based film will appeal to a wide audience in India? What do the people paying 300 rupees in a cinema in Mumbai expect? The emotions are very Asian, it’s for that type of audience. But what you get with Unforgettable is world-class execution of the filmmaking art. Cinemagoers expect Hollywood production quality and writing these days. My work would be worth nothing if it weren’t for the quality of my team. The director is in charge of the ship and if any aspect of the film is poor then I would have failed. However, I believe this movie will create a lot of stars. When is it set to open? We are looking at a March, 2013 general release, but this is before the distributors have had their say. Will all your directorial endeavours be based in the UAE? Yes, I’ll always be filming out of here. There was no doubt in my mind when I came to this country in the ’90s that it could be a perfect hub for a film industry. It’s the centre of the world!
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Transcript of Citytimes 24-12-2012-04 (01)
City Times Monday, deceMber 24, 20124
DaviD [email protected]
ARRIVING IN DUBAI almost two decades ago, the city’s media scene
was certainly in its infancy when Arshad Yusuf Pathan disembarked his plane carrying a fresh motion picture direction degree from Columbia University Hollywood under his arm. But where many would see a dearth of facilities, the Indian-born filmmaker sensed opportunity. Obviously a leap straight into the movie industry was out of the question, yet getting in on the emerging information and entertainment business was perfectly viable.
Over the past 20 years Arshad has helped launch two television channels, been involved with establishing the Dubai International Film Festival, set up the first production company in Media City and has dabbled in print media and advertising.
He comes to us now as director, writer and producer of a new Hindi feature, Unforgettable completely put together in the Emirates. Here Arshad explains it all.
What can you tell us about Unforgettable? It’s a Bollywood centric f ilm, for Bollywood audiences. It is about 75 per cent in Hindi and the rest is English. Being set in the region, though, it has an international cast. There are two female leads and one is British, although she plays a half Indian-half Irish character. I have the Irish cricket captain and one of the stars of the team, plus Arabic characters. You need a multicultural f ilm as this is such a multicultural place.
UAE resident and Hindi movie director Arshad Pathan tells us about his debut movie Unforgettable
Dubai’s ownCITY
C
Arshad Yusuf Pathan
So, despite being ostensibly an Indian film, no parts are set in India?There are a few sequences that are made up to be in India, but even they were shot here. This is a real Dubai venture.
What does the story entail?It’s a love story. It’s based on a true story that happened to people close to me. There is a pattern to every movie of this type. My film fits that, but I wanted to break certain myths about love. Unforgettable focuses on the competition between ‘first love’ and the notion of soul mates.
It’s written like a thriller. I didn’t want it to be predictable from the very beginning. You’ll be in your seat until the very end.
Wouldn’t it have been easier to shoot in India and recreate Dubai in a studio?No, Dubai’s film industry is up and running. Absolutely everything you need to create a picture is here. The only thing I went back to India for was the Dolby 5.1 sound mixing because there is no certified studio yet, but that is minor and it will arrive. Everything else from pre to post production was made in the various media houses here. I believe in this region.
We didn’t have the biggest budget, but the USP of this film is my knowledge of the region and the UAE.
How does that experience translate onto the screen? People from abroad come to this region, shoot and go without giving it a second thought. Bollywood movies set here are normally very stereotypical. They’ll have dune rides and lots of clichés. I don’t want to show that. I want to show the aspects, which the everyday
residents can identify with. I want to show Dubai as a romantic destination.
So you’d like to be the Yash Chopra of Dubai, romanticising the area as he did with Switzerland? I have always been enamoured by Yash Chopra’s take on shooting films and, I’m incredibly embarrassed to say so and don’t think I am worthy, but some have seen his influence in my movie.
My main talent is an eye for locations. The budget and scale are not huge, but the aesthetics are very good and that sets the mood for a love story.
Do you think an entirely Dubai-based film will appeal to a wide audience in India? What do the people paying 300 rupees in a cinema in Mumbai expect? The emotions are very Asian, it’s for that type of audience. But what you get with Unforgettable is world-class execution of the filmmaking art. Cinemagoers expect Hollywood production quality and writing these days.
My work would be worth nothing if it weren’t for the quality of my team. The director is in charge of the ship and if any aspect of the film is poor then I would have failed. However, I believe this movie will create a lot of stars.
When is it set to open?We are looking at a March, 2013 general release, but this is before the distributors have had their say.
Will all your directorial endeavours be based in the UAE? Yes, I’ll always be filming out of here. There was no doubt in my mind when I came to this country in the ’90s that it could be a perfect hub for a film industry. It’s the centre of the world!
