From an acting coach to directing films, Ashwin Agrawal’s journey in the last two years is worth taking note of. He ventured into filmmaking in 2022 and has directed four short films and a feature film since.
Director Ashwin Agrawal | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
His first feature in English Broken Mirror went on three prestigious platforms: it won the best work-in-progress film at the Cannes World Film Festival in February and the lead Titiksha Taggar was nominated for best actress; at the Los Angeles Film Awards in March, Titiksha won the Best Actress prize in an indie film while Ashwin received honorable mention as first-time feature filmmaker; and it made it as a finalist for best film at the Rome Prisma Film Awards 2023.
“I like to do films based on issues that affect our society. Technology is shunting us apart; I feel as human beings we need to reconnect,” he says, adding that the recognition to Broken Mirror, a poignant story about Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), signals the urgent need for conversations around mental health and body image.
Director Ashwin Agrawal with his cast on the sets of Broken Mirror | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
“There are one million BDD cases in India; the condition is prevalent but under-discussed. I feel happy to shine a light on the struggles of body dysmorphia to foster empathy and dialogue. Stories about problems people face resonate the best,” says Ashwin.
Excerpts from an interview:.
Recognition for Broken Mirror at Cannes World film fest February 2024 | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
What made you direct your first feature film on a lesser-known subject such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder?
I teach drama at IIT Mumbai and also judge its annual Mood Indigo Festival. Last December, I saw a street play on body dysmorphia there and was moved to realise how it impacts the mental health of those with it as they suffer in silence.
I researched deep into the subject and learnt how the debilitating condition can affect any age, mostly in the teenage years, when people see themselves as distorted and ugly in the mirror. They actually do not know or realise how they look but imagine things and either avoid looking into the mirror or spend money on cosmetics in an attempt to look better. The irony is that their mind shows them a different version of their selves.
How did you choose the cast and build your script?
I am trained in Barbara Merchant’s Meisner technique and have my own Indriyaan theatre group that I established in 2017. I have developed acting techniques and conduct regular workshops to teach the participants how to act without ‘acting’. Titiksha is one of my students who poured her soul into the role of Ahana in Broken Mirror, bringing to life the complexities and the emotions related to dysmorphic condition.
The movie deals with a teenaged girl, whose parents are divorced and who is bullied in school. The girl dreams of becoming a theatre artist but is going through BDD as slimming clips and societal beauty standards on Insta constantly feed her mind. She worries about her yellow teeth, her skin, and is obsessed with how her face looks. She pleads to her mother to understand her because she feels she is going through something not normal. But her mom fails to understand her and Ahana gets panic attacks.
It is very important for a mother or anybody to tell a child that he or she is beautiful. In the movie, a theatre teacher dons that role after Ahana cracks the audition. From recovery to acceptance it takes her 23 years; it is a story of hope, resilience and the healing power of self-love.
And there is a message too...
Yes, it is about recognising BDD as cognitive behaviour and seeking treatment. Unfortunately, there is not much awareness even among doctors and the people suffering from BDD are not vocal. They often lock themselves up in darkness, wear masks or have delusions. That is why a lot of cases remain uncured and end up in the mental health spectrum.
Tell us little more about your work?
I don’t make films for entertainment. I make them to shake and wake people up. In every such work you need a story where the main character is struggling, but then it can’t be shown for too long.
Due to dearth of funds, I made short films but I find they have no recovery. Short films are shared on revenue-basis, they are rarely sold. So, this time I decided to shift to a two-hour format feature film for profit as it gave me space to explore. Recognition is better and it is easy for filmmakers to sell the film or finance your own film on a tight budget.
Why have you directed two of your films in English?
The first short film I directed was Crossroads, highlighting the issues of abandonment. I read a lot and, for instance, found out there are 21 ways to touch a child to show them love and affection. Every child till the age of six needs physical and emotional affection. But often parents get busy and children’s emotional needs get neglected; and their emotions keep manifesting in different ways through their academic life, professional careers, affairs and divorces. I myself went through similar problems and had to seek therapy. I understand how difficult it becomes to connect.
Crossroads is dedicated to every such child on an emotional roller-coaster; I went by my instincts to make a short English indie for international audiences. And I feel happy that last year the film picked up multiple awards including best director at Montreal Shorts in Canada and the Jaisalmer International Film Festival; the best short film at Tagore International Film Festival (TIFF) and Outstanding Achievement Award at the Indie Short Fest, LA.
Could you tell us about your other films?
I made Hatak , a film on prostitution that won the Best short film at the Cannes Shorts in 2023 and the Best Actress award in TIFF the same year. Freewill is about a young farmer who has to travel far to get his father treated for cancer free of cost in a government hospital. But he has to spend money on medicines and accommodation there; it agitates him because he sees people spending money on unnecessary things and not thinking about the requirements of the needy. He chokes his father to release him from misery and penury.
What is next in the pipeline?
I am winding up my fourth indie short titled Pather Katha. It is the story of a boy in a village who lisps and has anger issues as people make fun of him. He leaves for the city and after many rejections and much struggle, a girl helps him overcome his problems and develop the power of forgiveness and move from self-hate to self-acceptance.
I am also planning to expand my first short film Crossroads into a full feature.
A still from Broken Mirror | Photo Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
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