Q: Pyre has received considerable recognition at international film festivals. How has the response been, and did you expect it to connect with Indian audiences?

Vinod Kapri: The response has been overwhelming. We always believed the film would do well at festivals, but people often asked whether it could connect with ordinary Indian moviegoers, given the perception that such films have limited audiences in India.

That made me think about taking cinema to the people. Before its theatrical release, we organised screenings in three Himalayan towns without proper theatres. We charged just Rs 99 per ticket and arranged four shows daily for four days. The response was phenomenal, and we had to extend the screenings.

We started with over 80 shows across India on the opening day, and the number increased to more than 400 by Monday. This is an extraordinary moment for Indian and regional cinema. It proves that you do not necessarily need superstars or superheroes. If you have a good story, people are willing to watch it.

Q: How did the idea behind Pyre originate?

Vinod Kapri: The idea came from a Facebook post I saw in 2018 featuring an 84-year-old man. I was fascinated by his face and wanted to meet him.

Pyre poster featuring the lead cast.

During a visit to Munsiyari in Uttarakhand, I met Kesar Singh and his wife. When I asked about his biggest worry, he said he was concerned about who would look after his wife if he died first. Although they had children, everyone was occupied with their own lives.

That conversation stayed with me, and I decided to make a film about the couple. I initially attempted to film them, but eventually realised that the approach was not working. After nearly a year of searching for suitable actors, I approached Naseeruddin Shah in 2021 through Vishal Bhardwaj’s reference. Though he loved the script, later he had suggested that I rope in local actors for more authenticity.

Q: Did you have to adapt your filmmaking style while working with actors portraying ordinary Himalayan residents?

Vinod Kapri: We conducted four to five weeks of rehearsals and workshops. I also shot almost all the important scenes on my mobile phone at the actual locations before beginning the principal shoot.

I particularly wanted to shoot during the monsoon because Uttarakhand’s thunderstorms, lightning and rain have a distinct atmosphere. Whenever I visit the region during that season, the weather makes me feel as if it is the end of the world. I wanted the monsoon to become an important character in the film.

We began shooting on August 22, 2022. Interestingly, nearly 95 per cent of our crew came from Kolkata, including the camera, lighting and sound departments. Many worked for very nominal remuneration because they believed in the project.

Q: What were the biggest challenges during the shoot in the remote Himalayan locations?

Vinod Kapri: Rain and wild animals, particularly leopards, were our biggest challenges. We had to begin shooting at 6 am, which meant waking up around 2 or 3 am.

We stayed in village homes and often walked one or two kilometres to reach locations because vehicles were unavailable. We would travel in groups, shouting to scare away leopards.

Taking our elderly non-actors to different locations was also challenging, sometimes involving three to four hours of travel. The nearest hospital was approximately six hours away, which was another concern.

Despite these difficulties, everyone went beyond their limits because they believed they were creating something special.

Vinod Kapri with lead actors Padam Singh Kapri and Heera Devi during shoot.

Q: Independent filmmakers often struggle to secure theatrical releases and support from studios and OTT platforms. What has been your biggest challenge?

Vinod Kapri: What disappoints me most is that studios and OTT platforms often do not even watch independent films before deciding whether to support them.

Despite our international recognition and acclaimed collaborators, getting people to watch our film was difficult. You may spend hundreds or thousands of crores on big productions, but you do not have time to watch a film made on a budget of Rs 2 crore. That is a tragedy.

Until August 2026, I had almost given up on Pyre’s prospects in India. Then, through Arin (Arindra Rai Chaudhuri, co-producer), we connected with London-based Suresh Joshi (producer), who came forward to release the film.

We opted for a limited release across approximately 70-80 screens rather than a grand opening. I am grateful to Arin and Suresh Joshi for giving the film an opportunity to reach audiences.

Q: OTT platforms were once considered a major opportunity for independent filmmakers. Is that space gradually shrinking?

Vinod Kapri: When OTT platforms emerged around 2015-16, independent filmmakers like us were excited because we finally had a platform. However, most platforms are now focusing on big-budget productions, with very limited space for independent cinema.

I believe audiences have become mature enough to recognise good content. The same person who pays for an annual OTT subscription is also willing to spend money watching an independent film in a theatre.

Platforms need to understand the pulse of their audiences. If they continue to ignore independent filmmakers and focus predominantly on big studios and star families, they are effectively ignoring their viewers.

(L-R) Vinod Kapri with lead actors Heera Devi and Padam Singh Kapri.

Q: You started your career as a journalist before moving into filmmaking. How would you describe this transition?

Vinod Kapri: I have always believed that every journalist is a storyteller. As a journalist, I had to find a new story every day. I eventually felt that television was no longer the medium I wanted to pursue, so I started making documentaries. I made more than 60 documentaries during my television career.

In 2013, Rajkumar Hirani called me and said he had been following my documentaries. He appreciated my storytelling and encouraged me to make films. At the time, I was the managing editor of India TV. Despite being professionally settled, I decided to leave television in 2014 and pursue filmmaking.

It was a difficult decision financially. There have been years when I could not earn in an entire year what I previously earned in a single month.

Last year, I was so exhausted financially, mentally and psychologically that I considered quitting filmmaking. While receiving my award at a Toronto festival, I even announced that Pyre would be my last film.

Independent filmmaking is an extremely difficult journey, particularly when adequate support from studios and OTT platforms remains elusive. That has been deeply disheartening.

(Photos: Vinod Kapri Facebook)