big ideas behind small things

There is a quote attributed to Lord Buddha: One big thing is a series of small things brought together. This idea rings true in the age of the internet where we see many people broadcast diverse, interesting, and valuable content that ends up having a deep impact on the audience. Many of these ideas put out there by simple people raise important questions and invite us to think deeply about life and the universe. Goa, a land of immense beauty and talent too is no stranger to this phenomenon.   

Musicians, filmmakers, and vloggers of various hues are exploring different aspects of the Goan society. Moreover, it is the state of the society itself that has led to the rise of these ideas such as Baarik Gazali a venture by Tushar Kamat and Akhil Khandeparkar.   

“Baarik Gazali a Konkani term meaning little things, tries to highlight the fact that we see, hear and speak things that we perceive as small, but in reality, they are sometimes indicators of something big,” explains Tushar Kamat. 

Baarik Gazali is a series of interviews with everyday people, but it attempts to break the usual format of a talk show. “Rather than call people to a studio, we go to their environment to interview them, and after the interview Akhil and I present our reflections on meeting that person,” says Tushar.  The film goes back and forth between the interview and the filmmakers exchanging their thoughts. This is designed to help clarify the core message of the interview, says Tushar. “The interviews are very casual, And we have not even added subtitles. It is a simple attempt to reach the local audience. We believe that you can go global, only if you truly go local,” Tushar adds.   

A total of three episodes of the series have been shot so far. The first is an interview with an 11-year-old girl about life at school, home and her own aspirations. The second is an old woman who has warmed up to using social media and has accepted the changes in today’s world. The third episode features a jailed convict who is also a talented writer and artist. “Here comes the major difference. We do not ask him questions like how the crime happened, what was going through his mind etc. We interview the person as an artist, and not as a convict,” Tushar states. “It’s a very casual idea and we’re keeping it personal at this point,” he says.  

Co-producer of the series, filmmaker Akhil too states that the series started as a casual concept, and elaborates more on how he came up with the idea of juxtaposing the interviews with the filmmakers’ reflections. “What we had thought is, we ask simple questions and record the whole thing in just one cut. There is no second cut. In such cases, there is a question as to how the viewers will receive and interpret it. So, we offer our reflections on how we felt after meeting the concerned person. And while doing so, we do not try to preach anything. It is just a casual exchange of ideas and impressions.” Shot using tools as simple as a DSLR camera, the concept has been well-received by netizens, and Akhil feels it has a brighter future. “We are certainly planning to improve the quality of output, and use better tools,” he says, “But if we put up two cameras and a light, and so on, the subject might become a a bit nervous. This concept has so far worked well because of a single camera.” If the series continues to be popular, the makers may choose to look for sponsors, but right now, the idea is still nascent, adds Akhil.   

Once there is good content, one would start thinking of bringing consistency to one’s broadcasts, but the duo is not worries even about that. “I think consistency is a mental barrier,” says Tushar Kamat. “We could make the next episode if a good idea hits us, or we may not make one. Our focus is good content. We are not considering other things at the moment.”