Bounty Hunter
The
Directors’ Note
Within the framework of a thriller and a love story, at the heart of The Bounty Hunter
is a young man’s journey from darkness to light. Trapped by a past, the central idea
is a story of change. When Kamal begins to listen to feelings and lets a woman –
Nazia -
Whilst exploring a theme of ‘honour’, ours is a story with a highly original premise; it has rich, complex characters and relationships within a culture rarely seen by western audiences on the big screen. It’s a thriller with a film noir mood. These are the elements that excite us about our film.
Firmly routed within this is the intention of setting our film all within an authentic
contemporary Asian community in Britain. It’s a world we know so well -
The British Asian World of our film
We’re excited by films that use their landscape as a motif. Collateral with the city
at night and Fargo with the snow both do this well. Our landscape is British-
We have deliberately included many night scenes in our film. This will give it a sexier look. Night time is party time, club time. But night time also adds a more thriller like edge. Business done in the dark; characters who prefer the night.
The main characters
We want the audience to experience the different worlds that our characters inhabit and so will visually distinguish these through the use of design, colour and contrast. Kamal is a man who internalises his emotions. He doesn’t care much for his appearance, his home, or his room. These are functional, unchanged, faded. Much of his time is spent in his cab. From here he watches the world go by. He is lonely, detached, troubled.
Amir on the other hand is ambitious, flamboyant, large. He dresses flashily and drives a Merc. His world is full of primary colours – the night club, the mujra club, the erotic rooms where clients are serviced are all rich and sensuous.
Within the community Kamal and Amir are perceived differently too. Kamal is generally liked and respected, Amir is feared and given a wide berth and we will use cultural nuances and body language to convey this within the context of their worlds.
We are intrigued by a man like Kamal. He has his own moral code – quite distinct from the rest of us but normal in another cultural context. His mother abandoning the family and the shame that brought has turned him into what he is. Honour is his curse.
Whereas beauty and poverty were Nazia’s curse. Raised amongst the prostitute mujra dancers in Mumbai, she thought she was escaping that world when she was brought to England by Amir. Although still young she has seen it all – murder, violence, corruption. It’s made her tough.
Kamal and Nazia share a certain fate. Both are broken and tarnished. Both are trapped and long for freedom. Their love relationship is impeded by mutual distrust and their life experiences. Despite this there is an attraction which they try to resist which gives their relationship an underlying chemistry and tension throughout the film. (More)
s of all our main characters, each with their own deep, dark secrets, offer great potential for good actors to excel. We are fascinated by how childhood events and secrets affect behaviour and attitudes and we will explore these themes with the actors.
The Camera style
As directors we’ve been telling stories in a documentary form for many years. We
will bring this considerable experience to bear. We will mostly adopt an active,
hand held, camera style. It will have an impulsive, spontaneous feel, together with
an uneasiness which reflects the tone of the narrative and the inner, emotional turmoil
of our characters. We will add layers to the camera work by shooting scenes with
two cameras where possible -
In scenes with intimate emotional beats the camera work will be more settled. This style will also prevail when Kamal and Nazia escape to the country. The idyllic setting allows them to connect and relate. He is recovering from his wounds, she tends to him. Their romance blossoms and they have time. Life is calm. There is a feeling of optimism, even hope. In thrillers such as State of Play very different camera treatments are used to portray the two worlds of the film: the political and the journalistic. And in The Constant Gardener the ordered world of the quiet, diplomat husband and that of the determined, precocious, activist wife are both conveyed in different styles.
The Lighting
The exteriors will have natural, realistic lighting. For the interiors and night
scenes our intention is to carefully develop a lighting style that defines our film
– moody, noir-
Characters moving in and out of pools of light will be effectively used to heighten the atmosphere.
The Mujra Club
The mujra, a traditional erotic dance form made popular during the Mogul period in India has evolved into modern times.
Though common in Bollywood films old and new, the Mujra club is something that has never been seen in a western film. We will create an original design: a dance space with a mogul palace backdrop, surrounded by floor cushions, bead curtains, low tables with hookahs. Beyond that are alcoves with dark corners for men who choose to remain discreet. Women in costume serve drinks from a bar.
Mujra dances are lavishly filmed in Bollywood movies. We too will take a lot of care over the details of design – the colours, the costumes, the layout etc. The choreography of the mujra dance in our film will be specially commissioned from India. The music to accompany it will also be specially commissioned and recorded in India.
The Costumes
On the whole the costumes will reflect everyday life in the Asian community; a combination of western and traditional. Kamal prefers to stick to one jacket most of the time. Amir on the other hand likes to be flashy – expensive suits. The elders, Hasib et al, occasionally wear the traditional salwaar.
Nazia wears what most young women wear when she’s not working, but come Mujra time she bursts into colour and jewels with all the trimmings.