‘Young filmmakers have faith in their actors, know the importance of time’

Actor Satish Kaushik has worked across films and web shows helmed by new-age filmmakers, including Abhishek Chaubey’s Udta Punjab (2016), Shaad Ali’s Soorma (2018), Raj & DK’s Guns And Gulaab, Raj Singh’s Thar, and Hitesh Bhatia’s Sharmajee Namkeen. He enjoys working with the younger makers for many reasons. “What I like about them is that they know the importance of time and have faith in their actors. They offer you a complete script before the shoot begins and conduct workshops and readings with actors before a film goes on floors. All this ensures that they don’t waste time during the shoot explaining what they want,” says Kaushik, who has also directed over 15 Hindi films.

Kaushik goes on to highlight the key difference between the younger makers and senior ones: “I have worked at a time when films were shot leisurely in 18 months. But nowadays, filmmaking is pacier and more systematic. I love this new way of working. Filmmakers today have a strong team of DOPs and assistant directors, and their duties are divided perfectly.”

He adds that gender parity is also a highlight, as far as the film industry of today is concerned. “There’s inclusion of women across all the departments.

From DOPs to production assistants — you see strong-minded girls who believe in giving their best to the film and working passionately. This inclusivity is great to see,” says Kaushik, 65.

Being a senior filmmaker himself, does it ever become difficult when a younger maker asks him to do something? “Not at all,” says the actor, adding, “In fact, when they ask me to do something new, it’s like a learning process for me. At the time of the shoot, the director is the captain, it doesn’t matter what his age is.”

SATISH KAUSHIK,