Adeeb Rais; a filmmaker with a unique voice

The digital wave has opened doors to a pool of directors, actors, writers and technicians and amongst the array of young talent- Adeeb Rais is one storyteller steadily marching his way into making a solid mark in the space. The Mumbai based director and producer  who caught everyone’s attention with the multiple award winning  short film ‘Aunty ji’ starring -Shabana Azmi and acid attack survivor Anmol Rordriguez has continued to soar and push boundaries by touching unexplored and complex themes that most writers and directors stay vary of.

Produced under his banner Madmidaas films, his latest offering , ‘Love, Raddi’ , a superlative short film available on  YouTube explores the theme of narcissistic parents and raises important issues on the Indian parenting system. The film is testimony to Adeeb’s sensitive eye and unique voice as he handles a complex subject with a simple and relatable touch that makes the film leave a solid impact effortlessly.

When asked about the film, Adeeb says “The germ of this film came from two of my friends. They are both independent successful individuals but have grown up with toxic home environments. I noticed that till today they deal with a lot of baggage and struggle to speak up and stand up for themselves. The problem lies in the Indian parenting system where parents are given a larger than life -Demi God’s stature. This pressure is unfair to both the children and parents.

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Indian media too has generally portrayed parents in a very one dimensional fashion and I felt it’s time we highlight these unspoken issues. Love, Raddi’ is not just about two people forming a connection. It is so much more  than that. It is a story about hope,courage and healing.Through this film we aim at getting people to not just get people thinking but also motivate them to take a stand for themselves.”

The filmmaker is excited and happy with people accepting the film for its fresh themes and further strengthens Adeeb’s belief in the content he is creating. His 6 film anthology ‘Kaali Peeli Tales’ that hit Amazon mini tv couple of months back touched upon offbeat themes like open marriage, homosexuality and parenting after divorce. The anthology included a sparkling cast that consisted  Vinay Pathak, Gauahar Khan, Soni Razdan, Sharib Hashmi, Sayani Gupta amongst others and while it received mixed reviews, it further showcased Adeeb’s excitement in bringing unique stories to life.

“Kaali Peeli tales had something for everyone. I was creating a ‘rainbow’ of stories and wanted to touch upon thoughts, feelings, conflicts, characters that you don’t  see explored in movies often. We had a couple finding a silver lining from a one night stand. We had a young married couple discuss exploring open marriage.  We had a gay man wanting to be a father.

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We showcased a perfectly fun household with the parents being divorced. Every story had something new and bold to say, and when that happens, it’s not surprising for a section of people to feel uncomfortable, disagree and even criticize you. Indian society and a section of the media  has always been resistant to change and doesn’t like being  challenged. It’s so common for out of the box ideas to face some amount of backslash. I’m just glad and grateful that the majority of the audiences have appreciated and connected to the series, which only goes to prove our viewers are ready for  new age stories.

I’m now more certain that in most cases, I want to create content that makes people think, that questions society and gives the audience a solid take away. I’m very excited to tell all my stories and I don’t think there can be a better time than now.” Adeeb signs off. The young filmmaker is confident about his vision and we’re already excited to see what he has in store for us next.