The Oscar-winning sound designer behind Slumdog Millionaire shared impressions of his visit to Russia and spoke about the nuances of working on his feature film Otta: The Loner.
“For me, success has never been only about financial well-being. It lies in a particular worldview that makes a person truly fearless before life’s challenges. The education I received—shaped in many ways by the Soviet film school—helped me find that inner strength. My first trip to Russia, which took place last year, was especially meaningful: walking the streets of the capital, I recognized places I had read so much about. As a native of India’s Kerala state, where communist ideals still resonate, I feel an extraordinarily deep spiritual affinity with your country. There is no true montage without Eisenstein, no genuine film poetry without Tarkovsky, no real lyricism without Anna Akhmatova. You cannot imagine the priceless contribution your culture has made to the heritage of the world,” the jury chair noted.
As part of the 21st Kazan International Film Festival Altyn Minbar, Pookutty’s film Otta: The Loner will screen on September 8 at the Mir cinema.
“The three-year journey of this film began with a fateful encounter at an event dedicated to the problem of children running away from home. The person I met—who later became the film’s protagonist—came to my studio the next day with a book called Runaway Children, an autobiographical account of a difficult childhood. Today he is a multimillionaire and the head of a major Indian company with 8,000 employees. As a child, he too ran away from home, driven by an insatiable thirst for freedom. Having founded an organization to rescue Mumbai’s street children, this corporate leader had helped more than 35,000 children by the start of the pandemic. In writing the screenplay, I tried to blend documentary precision with artistic imagination, avoiding formulaic solutions,” the director said.
Resul Pookutty admitted that while working on Otta: The Loner, he was inspired by the artistic achievements of the eminent Japanese filmmaker Nagisa Ōshima. The 1969 film Boy had particular influence in shaping the project’s aesthetic vision. The picture became a source of ideas and stylistic choices that he sought to embody in his own work.
Over the course of his career, Pookutty has worked on more than 90 films and earned international recognition for his accomplishments. His extensive experience in film sound now informs the work of his own audio post center, Canaries Post Sound in Mumbai, which creates music and sound for both national and international projects.
Resul Pookutty shared the lessons that have helped him reach new heights over many years: “Perseverance, consistency, and an absolute devotion to one’s craft—these are the three cornerstones of my professional life. The Oscar was never just an award for me, but a benchmark of quality and a high bar I still strive to meet. Despite numerous offers from Hollywood, I have made a deliberate choice to remain with my homeland—India. It is here that I find a unique balance that allows me to work successfully on international projects while staying connected to my roots and cultural traditions.”
The 21st Kazan International Film Festival Altyn Minbar is taking place in Tatarstan’s capital from September 5 to 9. The forum’s motto is: “Through the dialogue of cultures—to a culture of dialogue.” Altyn Minbar is included in the slate of film projects supported by Russia’s Ministry of Culture and is held with the support of Rais of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov and the Ministry of Culture of Russia, as well as in partnership with the Group of Strategic Vision “Russia—Islamic World.”
GSV "Russia - Islamic World"
Photo: KIFF "Altyn Minbar"
Based on the materials of the Press Service of KIFF"Altyn Minbar"