The Desi Dilemma

When it comes to films, he has successfully been the knight in shining armour who rescues damsels in distress. In the real world, it takes a miracle and the universe to make someone like Shah Rukh Khan stand by you. Shailja Gupta is one such exception. Reeling under a cash crunch, King Khan, also a long time friend, offered her the Red Chillies facility and post-production money to help finish and release her first feature film, Walkaway. Gupta had worked as digital marketing head for Ra.One and developed the character of G.One besides working on digital and paper comic books and film-based mobile games. The happy ending got even better when Resul Pookutty (the Oscar-winning sound designer) worked on the sound design for her film, and music directors Vishal-Shekhar and Ram Sampath composed songs for free. Call it the beginner's luck or Gupta's entrepreneurial spirit, her cross- cultural film, that released in the US in 2010, is getting an Indian welcome this year.

Inspired by her friends, Walkaway is a light-comedy drama, that mocks social obligations felt by young Indian professionals settled in New York City. Gupta delves into the lives of Indian Americans living the American dream, aspiration, love, marriage, pressure of having a kid and coming to terms with their roots. "I was surrounded by the Indian diaspora, those who had passed out from IIMs and IITs, wanting to explore. Yet they got into arranged marriages and were still in conflict with their roots," she says. A veiled urban dowry system, affairs and the dating game, compromises demanded from a cross-cultural couple, the film weaves through the lives of four friends who struggle to balance Indian values with modern environs.

To reach her audience directly and save on money, Gupta has released her film in India this month via a new platform called the in-video paywall. Check out Walkawaymovie.com or Facebook.com/walkawaymovie, log on to first of its kind in-video paywall, pay Rs 150 and view the movie. One can also download the songs from the Android Market Place and iTunes. "This might just be the thing that every independent film maker would choose to adopt in future to showcase their art," says Gupta, who feels that iTunes and YouTube are very competitive and take a chunk of earnings. "So, I decided to put in money into my own website and screen the film on it. It's cheap, easy and anyone can do it," says Gupta adding that being a techie came in handy for her.

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