(Aug 13, 2023) Indian-origin filmmaker Bishal Dutta boasts an impressive creative repertoire spanning diverse mediums, including short films, digital series, music videos, and broadcast commercials. His short film ‘Life in Colour‘ gained recognition as an official selection at the American Pavilion’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase during the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. With his cinematic accomplishments celebrated at nearly two dozen international film festivals – including esteemed events in Italy, Austria, and France, Bishal has secured six Best Director awards for his proficiency in both narrative and documentary filmmaking.
Adding another milestone to his career, the US-based filmmaker marked his debut feature film ‘It Lives Inside‘ with a world premiere at SXSW 2023, receiving rave reviews and an audience award. The horror movie, set to hit theatres in September, has ignited intrigue with its trailer. In an interview, Bishal shared, “Horror is the most expressive of all the genres.”
Bishal Dutta
As both the director and writer of the film, he draws inspiration from a blend of sources. The twenty-six-year-old has included elements of Indian folklore, a ghost story that he heard from his grandfather, and his own Indian American background, to shape the film’s thematic essence.
Making an Indian horror film in America
‘It Lives Inside‘ is not solely about ghosts but also a reflection of the Indian American experience. The narrative revolves around Sam, a young girl of Indian American descent, navigating the challenge of harmonising her cultural identity with the dynamics of her peers. The plot takes a darker turn when her close friend, Tamira, falls under the sway of a Pishach (a mythological demonic spirit). “Making this movie was a surreal experience. I was fortunate to have incredible collaborators and partners throughout the entire process,” the Global Indian revealed in an interview.
The filmmaker artfully incorporates elements of his upbringing and cultural heritage, including the unique superstitions prevalent in Indian society, into his debut feature. Through the horror genre’s prowess, he makes his film a medium to establish cultural connections while highlighting the distinctive aspects that set cultures apart.
Among the film’s cast are actors such as Megan Suri from ‘Never Have I Ever,‘ Betty Gabriel, known for her breakout role in ‘Get Out,’ and Indian Canadian actress Neeru Bajwa.
Inspired by his grandpa’s ghost story
In interviews, Bishal has credited the story idea to his grandfather, who used to narrate stories to him when he was a child. Many scenes of ‘It Lives Inside‘ stem from his favourite ghost story, which was based on his grandfather’s actual experiences. The tale involved encountering a young girl who carried a jar and appeared to converse with an unseen presence in it. Bishal reminisces, “This story was a favourite of mine growing up.”
The jar and other elements like eerie noises, the sound of a galloping horse, and other unsettling occurrences in the darkness of the night have all found a place in Bishal’s cinematic narrative.
As a filmmaker, he has used the concept of being influenced by an evil spirit to metaphorically depict inner turmoil. The Pishach embodies the inner conflict of Indian-origin teenagers growing up abroad. “They feel torn between their Indian culture and their new life in America,” Bishal remarks.
The spirit symbolizes a hidden aspect of the protagonist Sam’s identity that she conceals, mirroring her apprehension that being from a different culture might hinder her acceptance.
Poster of ‘It Lives Inside’
Love for horror
“After I moved to North America from India at the age of four, a lot of my social education came from watching American horror films,” the filmmaker shared.
He watched his first horror movie ‘Terminator 1’ as a five-year-old. In it, I saw a guy’s heart getting ripped out in the first two minutes. That really stayed with me.” Later movies like ‘Alien’, ‘A Nightmare on Elm Street’, ‘Poltergeist’ and ‘The Conjuring’ built his appetite for horror movies in his growing-up years.
Now as a horror filmmaker himself, Dutta even managed to scare his parents with his own film. “They watched the whole thing and now my dad doesn’t go in the basement anymore when it’s too dark. But it’s a dual experience because while they’re scared, this film in so many ways is so personal, and I think it meant a lot to them to see these moments that are really from our life.” Bishal shared adding, “It Lives Inside’ is a story about what happens when you change who you are to fit in. It makes you think while also giving you chills.”
The filmmaker holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Film and Media Studies from the University of California, Berkley.
- Follow Bishal Dutta on Instagram