Born and brought up in Jharkhand, Narayan K Sahu came to Mumbai more than fifteen years ago to try his luck in showbiz. After working as a director of photography for several years, Sahu is ready with his directorial debut ‘Facebook Wala Pyar’.
How did the idea for the film come to you?
I wanted to make a film about the youth of today. I read about an event in a newspaper – a young woman befriended a man on Facebook. She went to meet her in Patna only to realise that he is an elderly man. I got inspired by a few more similar incidents. Having said that, our film is a light-hearted romantic comedy and does not tap into any serious issue.
Do you think Facebook is a good place to find love?
It is a good place to be friends. Sometimes, people get very deeply involved and that creates problems. We have discussed this issue in the film in a humorous way. Social media is a great thing as long as it is used carefully.
How was the process of casting for this film?
It did not take long to cast for the film. But, I would like to share an interesting incident. We had decided the shoot dates even before the entire cast was decided. Though our producer was worried, I assured him that we will finalise all the actors before the film goes on the floors.
You are from Jharkhand yourself. Is that the reason why you shot the film there?
Yes, I always wanted to shoot in Jharkhand as very few films have been shot there. I have tried to showcase the culture and heritage of the state in the film. We have shot the entire film in Lohardaga, a small town in Jharkhand.
Tell us something about your journey in the entertainment industry.
I started out as a director of photography. I have been working in the industry for more than fifteen years now. I never really had the aim to become a director but since I had presented the basic concept to the producer, he encouraged me to direct the film.
What, do you think, is the USP of the film?
I do not think Jharkhand has been presented so authentically in any other Hindi film. People will get to see the real flavour of small town India.