Filmmaker Sanal Kumar Sasidharan has suggested that independent filmmakers put to good use the lessons they learnt while making films with a minuscule budget in the pre-COVID days, as more filmmakers are preparing to get used to the idea of filmmaking with restrictions post-COVID.

“It is time for the indie filmmakers to make use of the tough self-training we attained due to many struggles we had to face when making films with a shoestring budget,” said Sanal, adding that mainstream cinema can’t imagine making a film for under Rs 2-3 crore and a crew of minimum 60-80 people, no matter how small the project is.

“Most of us were doing it in a much lower budget and much lesser crew members,” he said. “I made Ozhivudivasathe Kali with almost 20 people and Sexy Durga with even less within a peanut budget. Chola had more people, but it was my policy to accommodate more assistants for giving an opportunity to whoever wants to get exposure to the process,” he added.

Sanal believes that even though a shortage of content is expected soon, entertainment will still remain an “essential item.”