At the 79th Cannes Film Festival, filmmaker Manisha K Makwana's Gudgudi was showcased at the Short Film Corner. In a chat with HT City, the director opens up about the project and how working with Raj & DK for The Family Man and Farzi served as a learning experience.
Gudgudi is rooted in deeply personal emotions — what was the exact moment or experience that first sparked this story for you?
I think I had been carrying this experience inside me for a long time — from my days working at an amusement park. I contemplated making Gudgudi for quite a while because it isn’t an easy subject to approach, but eventually I had to trust my gut and the core emotional truth the film revolves around.
The story comes from those moments of feeling unseen in a room full of people — something all of us experience in our everyday lives. At its heart, the film is also about how a shift in perspective can change the way we see ourselves and others.
You’ve spent years working behind the scenes on shows like The Family Man and Farzi — how did that journey shape your transition into directing your own film?
I’ve always been a curious person — someone who romances life, if I may say so. I’ve always been fascinated by discovering new aspects of work, and that curiosity has been the driving force behind everything I do.
Working on shows like The Family Man and Farzi, alongside some of the best people in the industry, has been an incredible learning experience. From Raj & DK and the entire team at D2R Films to my HODs like Pankaj Kumar sir, Parichit Paralkar, and Yannick Ben — everyone has contributed to this journey in some way.
I think for a director, it’s important to wear these hats at least once — or at least understand them deeply — because it makes the transition into directing much smoother. For Gudgudi, Harsh, my producer on this film, has also been a strong support throughout the process.
In many ways, D2R Films and Raj & DK’s mentorship became my film school. Their guidance shaped me not just technically, but also in giving me the confidence to become a director myself.
