Grounding has a powerful impact on audience: Suparn Varma

Former journalist turned director, filmmaker, and screenwriter, Suparn Varma is known for his outstanding thriller and crime-themed web series - The Family Man and Rana Naidu. By connecting real-world events to his stories, he made a strong and powerful impact on the audience, especially on OTT platforms. Moreover, the audience is excited about his upcoming web series - The Trial.

Being a Stephen King fan and genre agnostic, Suparn shares his journey as a filmmaker with The Hans India.

1) How did your journey into screenwriting begin?

I was a journalist at Rediff.com. During an interview with Ramgopal Varma (RGV) who was remaking a Telugu horror film, Dayam, I saw a particular shot and I said that is Pet Symmetry. RGV offered me to write a film and I spent 7-8 months with him writing drafts of various films. Fortune struck when Hansal Mehta met me during one of my chat sessions with Manoj Bajpayee at his house. He also read my film reviews and offered me a film, that is how my journey as a screenwriter began. I was blessed to write quite a few films before I became a director.

2) Who are your favorite filmmakers and what do you love about them?

I have too many filmmakers whom I admire a lot. Despite not enrolling in a film school, I learned filmmaking techniques and storytelling by watching a lot of films and working on them over the years. As learning is a continuous process, every day is a new day to learn something.

3) Filmmaking is a creative job, so what keeps you motivated and what are the toughest aspects of making a film today?

Filmmaking is a creative job but what keeps me motivated is the fact that for me I get paid to play; it's the greatest joy in the world to be able to do what I love to do. The toughest aspect of making a film is putting it together and chasing the sun on a daily basis when you are shooting. Because that is what you are fighting when you are on a schedule. But I am blessed to have a great team which aids me to keep on track. But putting up a film or a show and getting the audience together is a mammoth task.

4) Majority of films or web series you have directed are thrillers. Do you want to change and direct films with other themes?

Being a genre agnostic, I love creating web series or films in all genres. Currently, I am now creating a relationship drama, Trial, which showcases how Kajol faces a lot of complexities to seek justice for herself and her family after her husband cheated on her. I am here to entertain and tell stories that are powerful and connect with the audiences.

5)In the family man series, you have successfully linked the series to the present-day situations, what inspires you to do it?

As I love to convey powerful stories through my films especially in Family Man when you talk of present-day themes through your work, then you are cognizant of what is happening around you and if there is any injustice happening to a particular community whether it is minority or majority in a country then you kind of set it in your work and try to present a fair picture.

6) There are some scenes that portray tense moments in the Family Man web series, where there are a lot of risks for you to focus on family rather than action. What are the measures you take for it?

Action is nothing without emotion. If you do not care for the family or for the characters, then you do not care about whatever they are doing. When you ground the characters in real-life situations which you can identify with and connect to them and you go to their relationships whether they are within a family or in a love relationship or in a school setting or professional relationship, it creates a strong impact on the audience on whatever message that particular scene or character wants to convey.

7) In regards to the Rana Naidu series, what helps you decide to bring violence to the show with vulgar language? How does it affect both the actors and audiences?

Rana Naidu season 1 had a smattering of violence and honestly, there was no vulgarity. It is just that you are seeing Venkatesh and Rana in a new role that they have never done before. It was peppered with colorful adjectives, which was pretty much fun and audiences loved it in large numbers. Due to its success, we are going on the floors with season two. And we are here to entertain and not really insult or hurt anyone’s sensibilities.

8) What reactions are you expecting from viewers for your upcoming series, The Trial?

I am hoping that audiences love The Trial - Pyaar Kanoon Dhoka coming out on Hotstar on July 14th. It is a very special emotional show which showcases Kajol, Jishu Sen Gupta, Kobra Seth, Sheba Chadda, and Ali Khan in a role that they have never done before.