If there is a name synonymous with erotic web content, it would have to be producer and director of cult Alt Balaji rural India s*x series Gandii Baat, Sachin Mohite. Iwmbuzz.com caught up with Sachin, who has just come back with Season 4, for a quick phone chat.
You always push the envelope in every season. So what new can we expect in the 4th instalment?
We have an interesting threesome angle story. Do watch it. In keeping with our Gandii Baat tradition, you will see more human stories dwelling on stuff which people across societies indulge in on the sly.
You will also see relatable couples across age groups doing their own gandi baats. This season is all about couples.
All our stories are broadly based on people we know or have read about. So while the core is real, the outer story is more imaginative.
Since you are credited with creating a new genre, what is your biggest take home since season 1?
At first we were thought to be just erotica. But in my stories, s*x happens as part of the plot. The best part of the web is that it allows me to tell the story the way I want it. The biggest success of Gandii Baat is not the sex, but its unique characters and their complex interplay. Each story is different, if one is a weird story, the other is on love or women’s empowerment.
Having said that, I can even tell the same story on the tube without the sex. Our core is unconventional emotions more than vanilla lovemaking.
You started as a TV director, so how did web happen?
Having done spiritual and normal. drama (Kahani Ghar Ghar Ki), the transition was not easy.
But then they were just one facet of me. Gandii Baat allowed me to put forward a new side of film making.
It was indeed a big challenge to make adult content back in 2018. We were not sure if we would succeed. It did take us a while before we gained currency. But hats off to Ekta for having confidence in me. Today, this kind of content has become OTT staple, with dedicated apps.
I also wish to thank my family that has stood by me. In fact, after season 2 I was mulling over whether to quit directing, as doing both production and direction at the same time is a tough ask. But my family asked me to continue with both hats, saying the essence and above line is very important. And someone else with a different vision might spoil a good on-going thingy.
How does the industry view you now?
Recently I attended an event and was surrounded by young filmmakers who too wanted to make similar content. Importantly, in my stories, s*x is not forced and neither is there any frontal nudity. My s*x scenes run on titillation alone. Also, I ensure that my female actors are very comfortable during shoot.
Believing s*x is more in the face, I work more on the actors’ expressions than their bodies. We work a lot on silhouettes and lighting, creating the right atmosphere for the action.
It is not easy to convince actors to say yes, but once we sit them down and make them see things from our prism, the going becomes easier. Also, now our past work is there for all to see.
Your bus story in Season 3 seemed incomplete?
Yes, it was deliberate designed to be open-ended. Our protagonists were gay men whom society does not accept. They kidnap people to be together. You need to get the underlying cry for acceptance of alternative sexuality.
What’s next?
Looking ahead, I again want to try something different. Agreed, I have got typecast, but then the same thumb rule applied to me before as well. But my leap of faith worked, right!