Director-writer Anmol Mahajan: Whenever I get an idea or someone pitches me a script to direct, I always ask myself why I want to tell this particular story and its relevance

June 10, 2023

Director-writer Anmol Mahajan’s Bollywood journey started under the tutelage of cinematographer Ashok Mehta, who also motivated him to write. As a creative director, he was behind popular shows like MTV Webbed, MTV Kaisi Yeh Yaariyan, Channel V Sadda Haq, and Channel V Gumrah. Along with best-selling author Novoneel Chakraborty, his writing partner, he started Act3 Creations, a cutting-edge content studio. Besides being a screenwriter and an ad filmmaker for brands like Star Network, Philips India, and TED Talks India with SRK he was also the senior creative director behind various successful avant-garde advertising campaigns, music videos, ads, TVCs, and digital content.

“For me, ‘Why’ is very important. Whenever I get an idea or a story, or someone else pitches me a script to direct, I always ask myself why I want to tell this particular story, and what is its relevance. A film is an intangible form you can see and feel, but you can’t touch it. The beauty of the audiovisual format is that it works psychologically and travels through a person’s mind. That is why it’s important to bridge the gap between the narrative and the viewer. I want to direct stories that are entertaining and immersive for my viewers. Success for me would be when my stories touch people in a way that positively changes their lives, however small that change may be” says Anmol, who worked with leading production houses like BBC, Balaji Motion Pictures, Rajshri Productions, Vishesh Films, T-Series, Adlabs, and Beyond Dreams Entertainment before joining an ad agency.

Talking about his association with TSM Productions and producer-storyteller Chitra Vakil Sharma, he adds, “My association with TSM Productions is beautiful. The way I met Chitra and Rohini Vakil feels like it was destined to happen because our common connection is Mahadev. So yes, TSM is my family. They are already producing a couple of projects,” he adds.

His advertising background also played an integral part in his directing journey. “The magic is in the details. The research and small nuances behind on-screen moments are what make them picture-perfect. My work in advertising makes me scan film scripts through a very different lens. It has helped me understand different kinds of audiences, their idiosyncrasies, color psychology, metaphors, and the importance of crisp sharp narratives. I’ve also learnt that fewer images and to-the-point communication with the right punch and the right emotion at the right time can trigger a visceral reaction from the audience,” he says.