Not To Be Taken Lightly! ‘Halkaa’ Crosses 3 Million Views!

Not To Be Taken Lightly! ‘Halkaa’ Crosses 3 Million Views!

With his upcoming film’s trailer already crossing more than three million views in just a few days of its release, eminent filmmaker Nila Madhab Panda is confident that subject he has taken up this time will not be taken ‘lightly’! Known for creating awareness on social issues through his films, Panda’s latest project, ‘Halkaa’ is about an eight-year-old boy’s quest for a clean toilet.

Picture Courtesy: Ifunmate

The Odia film maker, who has already carved a niche for himself in the industry with films like ‘I am Kalam’, ‘Kaun Kitne Paani Mein’ and ‘Kadvi Hawa’, is confident that ‘Halkaa’ would give out a strong message to the society like all his other films.

Talking about the inspiration behind the subject, Panda says, “People who have grown up in villages know the unhygienic conditions prevailing as far as sanitation is concerned. That leads to stomach infection, urinal infection among others. I have made this film based on my own experiences growing up in such an environment.”

Picture Courtesy:UKIndex

He adds, “I have tried to portray how important it is to have a clean toilet to pee and defecate. I hope the film makes people realise the importance of having a toilet at home. The concept of the film holds relevance and I believe people will relate to it through my story and music”.

Unlike most films based on slums and slum dwellers, Panda says his film doesn’t depict things the same way. “The film is not treated as a shit movie, it’s nothing like Salaam Bombay or Slumdog Millionaire. My film is about the dirtiness which is a part of your humanity.”

Why is the film titled ‘Halkaa’? There is a reason, Panda says. “Halkaa is such an important word for people that we think of it the first thing in the morning – getting halka. I thought it to be an apt title keeping in mind the concept of the film. “On the star cast, he informs, “When we develop a story, it is just a story. We finalise the cast based on the characters. When I decide the characters, it needs to come with the flow of the story.”

Panda is obviously overwhelmed with the response the trailer has been receiving. “The fact that the trailer has crossed more than three million views in such a short span of time means that people are liking it. If they like the trailer so much, I think they’d go to the theatres to see the film.”

Halkaa has already garnered praise in film festivals internationally. Panda reveals, “Halkaa has already appeared in around 18 film festivals and received two awards.  Our focus now is on the box office.” The film is set to release on September 7. Panda considers the film to be his most difficult one till date. “It was not easy to shoot under that kind of temperature. To bring colours out of slums, out of something which is a part of our life but remains unspoken about, was another challenge,” he says.