Film director hopes to cause a stir with new short on toxic workplace culture
A film director hopes his controversial new movie about sexual misdemeanours and workplace culture will cause a stir at film festivals.
Shyam Doonga, 37, of Fulham Palace Road, Fulham, wrote, produced and directed Harry.
The film’s plot hinges on its central character, Harry, an unhappily married recruitment manager with a penchant for post-interview relations with job applicants.
Mr Doonga said: “I thought it would be interesting to depict the notion that nobody, irrespective of your background, can be immune from abusing a position of power.
“I also wanted my film to relay the tortured complexity of the Asian lead character and convey some key Indian cultural reference points within its story.”
Having qualified with a law degree from university, Mr Doonga says Harry is an overdramatised version of colleagues he met whilst working in London’s corporate sector.
He said: “This is an Asian person who is responsible for progressive policies in a company, but he is doing the opposite.
“Working in the city I noticed an odd inter-ethnic racism that goes on within cultures. People of certain ethnicities who had grown up in the west were hostile to people from their own countries.
“It’s the idea of pulling the ladder up behind you – a bizarre form of racism we also saw with Priti Patel. I want audiences to have questions and discussions about these things.”
Born into an Indian family, Mr Doonga wanted to explore aspects of his culture through the film including arranged marriages.
He said: “Harry, who was born in the UK, is in an arranged marriage to a woman from India. Many British-born Asians have arranged marriages to people from their origin countries.
“It can create a clash of cultures and stems from societal pressure. Divorce is still very taboo and people often stay in the marriage even if it’s toxic because of that pressure.
“We see that influencing Harry’s behaviour in his work.”
The short film, shot around Greenwich and Shooters Hill, as well as Euston and Baker Street, stars Manchester-based actor Vishal Handa alongside emerging North London actress Chantelle Hooley.
Shot in 6K ultra high definition and costing under £50,000 to produce, Harry is set to feature at national and international film festivals next year.
Mr Doonga said: “I’m really looking forward to seeing what audiences, film festival judges and the critics make of Harry.”
Harry marks the second release by the Blue Spectre Film production company which is co-owned by Mr Doonga and 37-year-old Ishmael Norris.
To watch the trailer, visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pio7ecADO9w
Pictured top: Actor Vishal Handa in Harry (Picture: Blue Spectre Film)
