Controversial outcomes of the producer-director row?

Who has the final say on the editing of the film-the producer or the director especially in case when difference of opinion arises between the two. In Akashaditya Lama’s debut film Cigarette Ki Tarah as a director, there were two versions of the film due to creative difference with the producer. So, in an unprecedented move Lama decided to take this matter to the court and there was a stay order till the legalities were straightened out.

Clearing the disputes, Lama says, “This matter was taken to the Mumbai high court but due to no clear-cut laws existing on editing and creative rights of a filmmaker, I had to compromise and go with the edited version that did not meet my creative vision.”

Explaining his reasons, Lama shares, “There were others also involved in the project and the project was stalled for a long time. Sometimes for the larger interest, you have to compromise in life.”
When asked as whether this will hurt his future projects as he did not get his dream debut, he says, “I am very lucky to have two projects — one on Indira Gandhi that is awaiting permission from the Gandhi family and a second based on a peculiar twist to a love story. I got both these projects before the release of my debut film. So I have nothing to prove.”

His tryst with filmmaking started when he first scripted his play Mohenjadaro when he was 17 years. Later when the play was being staged all over India, it caught the producer’s attention and they offered him his first film. Speaking about his reasons for becoming a filmmaker despite his army background, he says, “I wanted to be an Air Force pilot but there was no war happening. So, I knew I would get bored. So, the next option I had was films, so in my second year of engineering I started assisting Bollywood directors.” Despite getting the chance to assist Anil Sharma during the making of Gadar, he ventured into TV.

“I realised only five per cent of assistant directors went onto become directors. So I went for television and also worked in Indonesian TV for some time. Then I got my break while staging my play Mohenjadaro,” says Lama who believes that direction is the final ambition of every writer.