Just weeks after Odia films like Bou Buttu Bhutta and Ananta created ripples at the box office, the industry now has something even more unique to celebrate. Indradhanu (Rainbow), a film that weaves together seven stories, each representing a colour of the rainbow, has managed to paint a vivid spectrum of life on the big screen.
Conceptualised by writer and academic Suryasnata Tripathy, an Assistant Professor at IIT Ropar, and directed by Arjun Samantray, Indradhanu explores shades of life rarely touched upon in mainstream cinema.
Suryasnata shares that the inspiration behind the film didn't come from a single moment, but an amalgamation of his childhood, his teachers, his love for Odia cinema and literature, and most importantly, a desire to see something representing the state's cultural diversity on screen. "How do you represent the vast cultural landscape, literature, and folklore of Odisha in just one story?" he asks, adding, "That lead me to the idea of an anthology. Later, the theme of colours came naturally, which allowed us to explore the emotional and cultural depth that one story alone couldn’t accommodate."
However, translating abstract concepts like colours into nuanced stories is no easy feat. “Each colour could mean so many different things to different people,” he explains. “I wanted to go beyond the obvious imagery and connect each colour to an emotion or moment in life. That took time, but we eventually landed on seven stories.”
Another aspect of Indradhanu that makes it a rather breezy watch is that each story of the anthology was self-contained without spilling over to another. There was no attempt to interlock them and just allow the theme to flow through them all. “Some of them are quite non-linear. We felt it was best to let each one stand alone,” says Arjun, who concludes with the hope that Indradhanu finds a place for itself in the OTT skies very soon.
Director Arjun first met Suryasnata at a screening and later collaborated with him on a short film. It was during those early meetings that the seeds of Indradhanu were sown in their minds. "We didn’t want to follow a typical narrative structure. Instead, we aimed to create something that had its own cinematic voice,” says Arjun.
While Indradhanu has seven stories in its anthology, the project actually began modestly with just four stories shot in bits and pieces. It was only later that the remaining segments were developed and filmed. With a compact team of just four to five people, the production was nimble and efficient. “Since each story had a different cast, we didn’t face many logistical issues on that front. There were challenges, but nothing we couldn’t manage,” reveals Arjun.
And if these challenges weren't enough, team Indradhanu also faced a huge one courtesy of the global pandemic. The film went on floors in 2019, but the pandemic brought everything to a halt. Once restrictions eased, the team wrapped up the rest of the film within two months. Apart from directing the film, Arjun also handled the cinematography, and admits that the juggling act was quite demanding. “It takes a lot out of you, but we were on a tight schedule. Doubling up as the cinematographer allowed me to make quicker decisions and frame shots the way I envisioned.”
Most of the film was shot in and around Jatni in Khurda district, with one story set near Chilika. “I was familiar with the locations, since it is closer to my home,” shares Arjun.
The screenplay was written by Suryasnata Tripathy, Nikhilesh Mishra, Badal Mohanty, and Saroj Bal. “We were careful in selecting stories that aligned with our central theme. We had to reject many ideas which didn’t fit with the theme,” explains Arjun.