TheInterviewTimes.com | September 13, 2026 | New Delhi
Santhali filmmaker Ravi Raj Murmu urges young filmmakers to make films with available resources, as his debut film Angen earns National Film Award recognition.
Key Highlights
- Santhali filmmaker Ravi Raj Murmu urged aspiring filmmakers not to wait for ideal conditions.
- Murmu said films can be made even with a mobile phone and limited resources.
- His debut film Angen has been selected for the Best Debut Film of a Director award at the 72nd National Film Awards.
- He encouraged young filmmakers to explore stories rooted in their own language, culture and communities.
- Writer-screenwriter Shirish Sharma shared practical tips on developing a first story and screenplay.
- Singer and music producer Bodh was featured as TCOTF’s September Artist of the Month.
- The event also marked the launch of TCOTF’s new Music Chapter.
- The programme brought together filmmakers, writers, artists, students and cinema enthusiasts to discuss and create meaningful cinema.
“Do not wait for ideal circumstances. If you want to make a film, make it- even if you have to start with a mobile phone.” This was the message from young Santhali filmmaker Ravi Raj Murmu, whose film Angen has been selected for the Best Debut Film of a Director award at the 72nd National Film Awards. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on September 22 in Kevadia, Gujarat.
Murmu was speaking online at the September Chapter of Talk Cinema On The Floor (TCOTF), the monthly interactive cinema initiative of the New Delhi Film Foundation (NDFF). His session, ‘Spotlight’, focused on the possibilities and challenges of making films rooted in regional languages, local cultures and community experiences.
Murmu shared how Angen was made with almost zero budget and extremely limited resources. He said filmmakers should not use the absence of ideal resources as an excuse to postpone their creative journey. Even if a film begins on a mobile phone, he said, the process of making, making mistakes, learning and improving is what eventually helps a filmmaker grow.
Responding to questions from the audience, Murmu encouraged young filmmakers to look within their own languages, cultures and communities for stories. He said working within one’s community often brings people and collaborators together, making the filmmaking journey easier. His conversation also highlighted the growing possibilities of regional-language cinema and the importance of preserving and expressing cultural identities through the medium of film.
The programme began with hosts Nivritti Khatri and Puneet Sharma, followed by an introduction to TCOTF and NDFF by Ashish K. Singh, Founder and General Secretary, NDFF. Singh spoke about the vision behind TCOTF and NDFF’s objective of creating a space where cinema can be watched, discussed, questioned, understood and eventually made together. Participants subsequently introduced themselves before the three sessions got underway.
From First Story to First Screenplay
The first session, ‘Craft & Crew’, featured writer and screenwriter Shirish Sharma, an alumnus of FTII, Pune, who has written 12 feature films, including Bhaiaji Superhit and Maazii. Speaking on ‘From the First Story to the First Screenplay’, Sharma offered practical insights into the writing process, particularly for first-time writers.
He said a writer’s first story is often rooted in personal experiences or events close to one’s own life. While developing a premise, he stressed the importance of identifying a character who can drive the story forward and confront the circumstances and conflicts that emerge. Once the character, atmosphere and conflict are clear, he said, the beginning, middle and end of a story can evolve naturally.
Sharma also underlined the importance of a writer’s own pain and experiences in bringing depth to storytelling. “In writing, one thing leads to another,” he explained, pointing out that when characters, situations and their challenges are developed one by one, the climax and resolution gradually begin to reveal themselves.
Bodh Launches TCOTF’s New Music Chapter
The second session marked the launch of TCOTF’s new ‘Music Chapter’, featuring the September Artist of the Month, Bodh. An emerging singer and music producer, Bodh recently gained widespread attention on social media with his Haryanvi rendition of the popular Hindi film song Senorita. He spoke about his musical journey and shared how the viral version came together almost playfully. Bodh also performed several of his new compositions, receiving an enthusiastic response from the audience. He is currently preparing to launch his music album.
The programme was organised by New Delhi Film Foundation (NDFF) at Sri Aurobindo Centre for Arts and Creativity (SACAC), in collaboration with SACAC, Media & Entertainment Skills Council (MESC) and Indian Institute of Creative Skills (IICS). Filmmakers, writers, actors, artists, students and cinema enthusiasts participated in the event.
Talk Cinema On The Floor (TCOTF) is NDFF’s monthly interactive initiative that brings together filmmakers, artists, scholars, policy experts and cinema enthusiasts to exchange ideas, showcase talent, discuss projects and explore opportunities to collaborate and create cinema. Through conversations, knowledge-sharing sessions, talent showcases and networking, TCOTF is building a vibrant creative ecosystem for meaningful cinema in Delhi-NCR.
Harinder Kumar, Vaibhav Maitreya and Krish Gupta played key roles in the organisation and coordination of the programme on behalf of NDFF. The event concluded with networking tea and informal interaction among participants.