IDEA

After the success of the ambitious stop motion combined with live action Nihar film we produced in 2012, BBH approached us in 2016 for the second time. With the delightful Vidya Balan as brand ambassador, these films, produced in Bengali language, catered primarily to the 3 North Eastern Indian states – Orissa, Bengal and Assam. This second concept too, with a complex set where everything was constantly moving in real time, was quite ambitious in its execution.

Two old school photographers, very set in their ways, own an old fashioned still-photo studio. The backgrounds for photoshoots are changed on the pull

of a lever on analog machinery instead of a human having to heave them in manually, which is the extent of their technological advancement. They are however, judgemental in nature and very matter-of-factly stereotype their unwary customers. The same woman (Vidya) walks in everyday, and they choose a studio backdrop for her not based on who she is but on how she has done up her hair. Vidya, however, handles it cheekily, simply teasing them and emanating sheer confidence.

PRODUCTION

The art direction was quite heavy in this project. All the aesthetics and details of the set had to be carefully planned and choreographed with our Art Director, Suresh Salvarajan. As usual, there was very little turnaround time. As we had little to no time for post production, the sets had to be in their final shape for the shoot. The Eeksaurus team made a complete previsualisation in 2D, which was later brilliantly translated onto the sets by the Art Director. Mr Salvarajan brought with him an expertise on gadgets and movement, and was able to recreate beautifully the special analog devices and equipment that the set demanded.

With just one perspective of each set facing the camera throughout the film, the set with the photographer couple’s photo studio had to aptly reflect their personalities. This photographer couple is sophisticated, yet oldschool, and are trapped in their love for staged reality. To portray this, we filled the wall behind them with framed photographs as they did in old fashioned studios. Although there was a concern during the shoot that it looked cluttered, we knew that anything less than that would not do justice to who they are, despite their haughtiness and supposed elitism. The concern however, quickly dissipated once the final film was ready.

For the branding, a giant-sized Nihar bottle along with a huge coconut and some methi were created out of foam. The shoot was successful, and we did not have to do any CGI.

CREDITS

Client: Marico Ltd.
Brand: Nihar Naturals
Creative Agency: BBH, Mumbai
Creative Team: Rajesh Mani, Shruti Das, Kumar Suryavanshi, Jeet Singh and Pallavi Pardikar
Account Management: Anish Kotian, Sapna Bangera, Tanya Kalia
Agency Production Team: Khvafar Vakharia and Stuti Guha

Production House: Studio Eeksaurus
Design & Direction: Suresh Eriyat
Executive Producer: Nilima Suresh Eriyat
DOP: Manikandan Velayutham

Music Director: Rajat Dholakia
Sound Engineer: Arun Crasto
Art Direction: Suresh Selvarajan
Editor: Tintu K. Philip
Colourist: Michele (Prime Focus)
1st Asst. Director: Sagar Rao
2nd Asst. Director: Merlin Cruz
In-house Assistant Directors: Rohit Mokashi, Punya Krishnan
Art Assistant: Minal V Uchil, Kalyani Priyadarshan

Line Producer: Manish Sharma, Nitesh Khatavkar (Meter Down Productions)
Production Manager: Dolly Sharma (Meter Down Productions)
Brand Ambassador: Vidya Balan

Vidya’s Entourage
Agency: Bling
Vidya’s Manager: Aditi
Hair Stylist: Mili & Team
Costume Stylist: Rick Roy
Make up: Pankaj Mahatre, Shreyas Mahatre
DOP Assistant: Rakesh Manikantan
Focus Puller: Thakkar Devendra
Asst. Sound Engineer: Sanketh Shetty
Gaffer: Javed Qureshi
Costume Stylist: Shreya Gupta
Hair Stylist: Nimish Purav

Pre-Production
Storyboard: Rajib Mandal
Layouts: Amey Dhamnaskar, Ashutosh Nimbre, Roma Kahselkar, Nijin Nazeem

CG and Animation
3D Modelling, Texturing, Lighting, Rendering: Studio Eeksaurus
In-house VFX Supervisor: Nilesh Dhore
Compositors: Nilesh Dhore, Shakti Mehra, Priyansh Gupta
Rotoscopy: Studio V Sync
Post Production Coordinator: Jivan Gaikawad
Head Production Boy: Anil

RESPONSES

The film was well received by our client and the audiences alike. It was played in the Northeast and was dubbed in 3 languages.