Dibakar Banerjee on not making massy films: "I have to come cheap and make my films cheap so that..."

Dibakar Banerjee has carved a niche for himself in the film industry with his unconventional storytelling. He is currently earning widespread acclaim for his latest project, 'LSD 2', a prelude to his acclaimed franchise, 'Love Sex Aur Dhokha'.

In a recent interview with India Forums, Banerjee delved into a profound conversation, offering deep insights into his creative vision for the film. He underscored his preference for narratives that diverge from mainstream conventions, illuminating his intention behind 'LSD 2' and his unique approach to storytelling, inspiring and appreciating his work.

On choosing the concept for the film Banerjee said, "this is not relevant, this is our life. is zindagi mein jiyenge toh ise dekhna bhi padega na. Earlier, people used to go to bars and have drinks; we would see that in the films; we go into virtual reality and see our avatars and them drinking alcohol."

When asked, "What keeps you rooted to the unconventional filmmaking style, not being attracted towards the massy themes, he said, 

What makes me stay and do it is because I have to learn how to live for less in less money so I have to come cheap and make my films cheap and live cheap and that cheapness of living and being gives me the feeling to do whatever I want , makes me interesting and not bored.

- Dibakar Banerjee (LSD, LSD2 director)

Talking about casting the newbies and no big names in the film, Banerjee said, "it won't have been as believable, it won't have been as real for you. I wanted people to process it, think about it, rather than just consume it. I wanted them to wonder unka kya hua, wo kaha gaye, which means you are accepting that they are real. You are not saying that such an actor did a great job, but you are rather thinking about their characters, and that's what I wanted."

Highlighting on the research for LSD2, he expressed, "The research for this was that I had to stop looking at a film from a film's camera, and I had to look at it from an iPhone, a vlogger phone, or a virtual camera. If you saw the film, you know that the climax of the film is not even in the reality, it's a meta verse, so I had to look at our lives the way we look at it through our phones and our devices and our minds."

'LSD2' was released in theatres on 19th April 2024.