After wowing audiences with Ship Of Theseus (2013) and Tumbbad (2019), Anand Gandhi is back with another stunning venture – MAYA. It is a new sci-fi fantasy Universe created by Anand Gandhi with designer Zain Memon, with the first product being a novel, MAYA: Seed Takes Root, which launched on Kickstarter and is narrated by Hugo Weaving. In an exclusive interview with Bollywood Hungama, Anand Gandhi looked back at Ship Of Theseus, the contribution of Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao, and a lot more.
I remember going all the way to Inox Nariman Point to watch Ship Of Theseus in a sold out show. It is said that post-COVID, things have become difficult for such films theatrically. Do you think in today’s times, it would have been possible for Ship Of Theseus to release the way it did in 2013?
Firstly, thank you for making that trip back then. Those shows are very alive in my memory.
The ecosystem has changed a lot since 2013. On one hand, it’s become more difficult for small, unbranded films to slowly grow in theatres on the strength of word of mouth alone. On the other hand, there are now many more platforms and communities that actively seek out new meaningful cinema.
So, my honest answer is: in some ways it might have been harder, in some ways easier. Ship Of Theseus today would probably have needed a different strategy, a closer dance between a limited theatrical presence, festivals, community screenings and a strong streaming partner. The appetite for thoughtful cinema has indeed grown. The real challenge is designing a release strategy that meets the audience where they now live.
At what stage did Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao come on board and what was their contribution to the release?
Kiran came on board to present the film for its theatrical distribution, and Aamir supported and advised us closely through that entire journey. Kiran put in nearly eight months of work towards the release and the long tail after it. Aamir spent countless hours opening doors, strategizing and, frankly, making small miracles happen for a tiny film.
They never interfered with the creative cut of the film. It remained the film we had made. What they brought was credibility, visibility and infrastructure. It would have been impossible to bring Ship Of Theseus out at the scale and with the impact it had without them.
Are you still in touch with Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao? Have you shared MAYA with them?
Yes, I’m still in touch with both Aamir and Kiran, and I remain very grateful for their support during Ship Of Theseus. They know about MAYA, and I would love for them to engage with the book and the larger universe as and when their time and curiosity allow.
Also Read: Tumbbad director Anand Gandhi debuts as author with sci-fi fantasy MAYA: Seed Takes Root
More Pages: Ship Of Theseus Box Office Collection
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