By Renu Mehta
Toronto
Zoya’s directorial journey began with Luck By Chance (2009), followed by Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (2011), Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), and the internationally acclaimed Gully Boy (2019), which have since acquired cult status, and won numerous global awards and accolades.
Since 2019, through Tiger Baby, Zoya has turned producer with the critically acclaimed series Made in Heaven (2019) and the Berlinale Series Award-nominated “Dahaad” (2023), both of which garnered international acclaim on Amazon Prime, solidifying Zoya’s reputation as a storyteller with universal appeal. Furthermore, Zoya has also fostered emerging filmmakers through projects like Eternally Confused and Eager for Love (2022) and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (2023).
As per press notes, Zoya’s recent endeavor as a writer, director, and producer – The Archies (2023) is the official adaptation and the first ever feature film of the globally revered Archie Comics.
Her film Superboys of Malegaon was presented at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) this year.
How did the idea of Superboys of Malegaon come to you and why did you choose to move forward with this inception?
I met Nasir at a film festival in 2011 or 2012, before which I had seen the documentary and loved it. When I met Nasir, I realized there was much more to this story than what was covered in the documentary, and that’s where the journey began.
Tiger Baby Films is known for its diverse depiction of storytelling, All your projects are very different from each other but there is a unique yet similar form of rawness as how you present it. Do you make a valiant effort to keep it relatable and raw?
Reema and I are interested in all kinds of stories and want to be able to tell all kinds of stories. The thing is, I don’t think we make a special effort to be relatable or raw. I think we make an effort to be as true and authentic to a particular story that we pick to tell because that’s the only way it will get relatable, I think the effort is to be honest.
What are the challenges you faced while making this movie?
The challenges were those that come with any period film because there’s been so much development that’s happened in the time since. Locations were a big challenge. From the time the film got greenlit to the time Reema went on the floor was a very short period, so the prep was pretty compressed, which was challenging. Additionally, getting the archival footage from the studios was a bit tough. Besides that, all was good.
What is the message from this movie that you want the viewers to take away?
I think there are multi-layered messages in this film. The biggest one for me is the magic of the movies. But I am from the industry, so I respond to that. I respond to the artist in them the most. Movies lift you up. They take you beyond your reality. They make dreams come true. I think that’s one message that comes out. The message of friendship, their bond, and what you can do for another. The other message that comes through is that if you follow your dream, if you chase what you’re after, somewhere you will make a dent. However small, it will be your dent, and it will be a dent that is there forever. You will not be missed.
