A group of students turned their dream into a film that recently premiered at Kala Academy
RAMANDEEP KAUR | NT KURIOCITY
‘Game Khatam’, a student-made feature from MIT ADT University, Pune, was recently screened at Kala Academy. The film, directed by Rohit Vignesh, 22, from Ballari, Karnataka, has Thivim-based Dielle Almeida in the female lead role.
Set in a future India where drugs work like cryptocurrency, the story follows a feared smuggler, Rafiq Lala. A rogue officer, a hard-hitting journalist and a slum tailor hunt him down, unaware they share a traumatic past. Their chase leads to violence, betrayal and a shocking identity reveal, until an even darker truth shows the real enemy was in front of them all along.
Vignesh, a filmmaking graduate from MIT SFT, Pune, took on the project out of his love for storytelling. “I was never into filmmaking initially but I was always fascinated by stories. After watching ‘KGF’, I knew I wanted to make something similar,” he says. While he had made a short film before, ‘Game Khatam’ is his first mini feature.
The project began as his final-year graduation film but was approached with the rigour of a professional production. “My aim was to create a commercial that feels like a proper theatrical movie. I already had the story written and we developed it fully for the screen,” he adds.
Pre-production began in February and the shoot took place over a tight 10-day schedule from April 9 to 21. “Time was our biggest challenge,” he says. Despite the constraints, Vignesh praises the dedication of his team, especially lead actor Almeida, who delivered her scenes even while unwell.
Vignesh also credits art director Kaleido for enhancing his vision. “None of this would have been possible without her,” he says, noting her dedication during one sequence, where she waded into mud, dirtied props, soaked rags in kerosene and set them alight for a ‘mashal’ shot.
Apart from a few external actors, the cast and crew were entirely MIT students. Vignesh treated the film as an independent project, setting a strict budget with production manager Arpit Modh ensuring it was not exceeded. They also received guidance from head of department Prasad Thorat and chief art director Arpit Modh.
The Kala Academy screening was the film’s first public showing. Currently on YouTube, the film has received 100K views in just 12 days. Vignesh plans to take it to more venues and submit it to festivals. “I want to try a romcom next with a commercial touch and am looking for producers who can trust my work,” he says.
For Almeida, 20, a drama student, acting has been a passion since early childhood. “When I was about three, my parents nicknamed me ‘Bebo’, after Kareena Kapoor. I remember holding the centre table and dancing to the song ‘Bebo’. That’s when I realised how much I loved films and television,” she recalls.
Her first professional experience came on an ad shoot. “I was a test model for an underwater scene but the director asked me to double for the lead actress. It was with Sidharth Malhotra and that confirmed I wanted to pursue acting. Amid the chaos on set, being in front of the camera gave me a sense of calm,” she says.
Almeida later worked on several ad shoots, including one for Tata’s electric car, the Punch EV. So far, she has been part of three student films, including ‘Game Khatam’.
She adds that humour also punctuated the sets for this film. “During a chase sequence, most actors and crew were at one location. In a scene with Rafiq and Oscar, Ranbir had to catch them but the rest of us weren’t supposed to be in frame. When Rohit shouted ‘clear’, we all pressed against a wall, trying not to laugh. It was chaotic but unforgettable,” she recalls.
Almeida praises Vignesh for his commitment. “He barely ate or drank, even fainted once but returned to keep working. That motivated me to give my all,” she says, adding that she will soon begin shooting for the sequel, ‘Game Shuru’.
