Shun the gun

Sunny Menon is an unlikely filmmaker. A resident of sunny San Francisco for the past seven years, this software systems architect decided to pursue his passion for art and has now taken to making films.

His first documentary -- Odes From Far Lands -- a 31-minute feature is based on the little known Gadar movement of 1913-14 in India. The film tells of the fight for the freedom of India by people from far-off lands. That documentary was well accepted by historians across the globe and had the honour of being the first film on the subject.

Menon's latest work All That Glitters And Swims, a Malayalam short film on gun abuse, is currently being screened across America.

Sunny believes that gun violence needs to be talked about. He says, "By taking the weapon, people concede to the gun rather than having power over themselves."

Prem Dilip caught up with this independent filmmaker for a tete-a-tete. Excerpts:

Why did you make this film in a regional language? Don't you think that it was more relevant to the Western World where guns are more commonly used?

This was a very interesting dilemma for me too. But I decided to make this film in either Hindi or Malayalam to show that the gun had gained an international popularity.

Secondly, I found that through music and people of Indian origin, the theme of the film could be made more expressive and the message could be conveyed more effectively.

I do not proclaim myself to be a messianic king who says that there can be no more gun violence. All I am trying to do is understand the power the gun can yield and the viciousness of the weapon.

Your film says that people must know about the power of guns. What do you mean by that?

I mean, they do need to be reminded and alerted that the weapon is very dangerous. Everybody says,'the gun must be shunned', but who will listen and pay heed?

If the power of the weapon can be explicitly demonstrated, I believe that it may cause a change.

Tell us a little more about yourself.

I come from a theatrical background and have staged plays in different languages. But, I realised the power of the film media and found more possibilities here and decided to make films.

But that was easier said than done. I knew of directors chasing after actors and funds; there always were barriers. Also, no subject I found was worthy enough of being adapted for the screen.

Then, I came across this senior citizen who narrated the story of the Gadar movement and that fascinated me. I began researching the subject. At first, our operation was very small and I was spending from my pocket. Once we put the script together, we knew we had a winner.

Odes From Far Lands talked about a forgotten history. Today, many giant production houses are trying to make this into a big budget feature, but I don't know if they have had any success.

In the US, after viewing the film people would wait to meet me. As I was little known, they'd ask me where I lived and what I did. But, the response in India was a little different. The Indian audiences were more enlightened and I loved my visits to Kerala, my hometown and Punjab.

Do offers to make Odes From Far Lands into a full length feature still come in?

Yes. I still get proposals. People call and e-mail me; they want to meet me and discuss the possibilities. But, I feel guilty about commercialising the documentary and selling it like a commodity. That I cannot digest. So, I pretend to take it lightly and try to give them the slip.

What is your perspective of Indian cinema?

Indian cinema, is going through a major reshuffle. It's good to know that Hindi films are going through a reformation. More importantly, it's good that many come out with messages for the common man.

Let's not differentiate commercial flicks from art films. Because, a film with a message I believe, is always a good thing. Cinema is a very influential media and has to be treated with respect. I am not against films being made for money. But let those be made with a conscience.

It is time that films come out with a better look at the society. Too much poverty was portrayed in our earlier film. I think the Indian masses need to cure themselves of that hangover that is reflected in most of their of films.

What is your opinion about the quality of the Indian films ?

Technology-wise, there needs to be considerable improvement. It's not as bad as it was before, but this is not sufficient from a country which is the largest producer of films in the world. I think, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I see people experimenting and we can now expect some high quality films soon.

Will you target film festivals with All That Glitters And Swims?

No. But, there is nothing wrong with comparing myself with others who do.

Which places would you like to screen it ?

I'm an art lover and I will screen it whenever and wherever I can. Presently, it is been screened extensively all across North America. I also intend to travel to UK and France.

Tell us about your future projects

I'm working on two different projects now. The first is a full length feature that looks at the life of a romantic in today's hi-tech generation. It's called Mr Mahajan and deals with the dreams of an Indian expatriate in the US, his willingness and struggle to cling on to his ideologies and romance in this materially focused world.

The other project is a documentary about street musicians. That is pretty tough to do and it will take some time to complete it.