Summer 2007

Infobox Film
name = Summer 2007


caption = Promotional poster for the film
writer = Bijesh Jayarajan
starring = Sikandar Kher
Gul Panag
Yuvika Choudhary
Arjan Bajwa
Ashutosh Rana
Sachin Khedekar
Divya Dutta
director = Suhail Tatari
producer = Atul Pandey
editing = Bobby Bose
distributor =
released = June 13, 2008
runtime =
language = Hindi
budget =
cinematography = Atarsingh Saini
music = Kalyani Malik
soundtrack = Kalyani Malik
country = India
awards =
followed_by =
amg_id =
imdb_id =
website =

"Summer 2007" is a 2008 Indian drama film directed by the debutant Suhail Tatari. Filmed in Hindi, the film deals with five medical students who undergo a rude awakening of sorts after visiting a Maharashtrian village and witness the misfortune of villagers. The film stars Sikandar Kher, Gul Panag, Yuvika Choudhary, Arjan Bajwa and Alekh Sangal as the five students. Ashutosh Rana and Divya Dutta play the supporting roles.

Plot

Five medical college students with carefree attitudes: Rahul (Sikandar Kher), Priyanka (Yuvika Chowdhary), Qateel (Arjan Bajwa), Bagani (Alekh Sangal) and Vishaka (Gul Panag). Rahul and Priyanka's failed relationship flashes back into the lives of this group of students until that moment. This group of student friends shifts to a village in rural Maharashtra that is struck by farmer suicide. Supposed to be medical interns in the village hospital, the group plans a vacation to Goa until they are awoken to the plight of the poverty-ridden village-folk by the village doctor, Mukya (Ashutosh Rana). In addition to their torment, a cruel "zamindar" (Vikram Gokhale) and his son (Prosshant Narayanan) trouble the villagers with excessive interest rates.

As a solution to the villagers' problems, a reformed criminal (Sachin Khedekar) offers monetary solution to the oppressed in form of microcredit loans. This comes as an able ally to these student protagonists who vow to help the villagers. However, naxalites and corrupt politicians complicate their efforts. Despite this, how these socially-awakened students rise above these problems forms the rest of the story.

Production

Suhail Tatari, had previously directed features for Doordarshan's "Surabhi", a popular programme in the 1990s. He continued his association with television by directing soap operas such as "Reporter", "Kanyadaan", "Kashmeer" and "Don".cite web|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/2008/mar/26sl1.htm|title=Summer Of 2007 with Ash and Sikander Kher|date=2008-03-26|publisher=Rediff.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] After making an award-winning documentary on breast cancer, Tatari felt the urge to venture into commercial cinema. After meeting producer Atul Pandey, who was contemplating on a story about college students, Tatari convinced him to make it more relevant to the farmer suicides.

Actress Gul Panag treated Tatari as her mentor who moulded her into an actress. Hence, she thought it was obvious that she acted in his first film.cite web|url=http://www.hindu.com/mp/2008/06/14/stories/2008061450750400.htm|title=Here to blossom... |last=Kumar|first=Anuj|date=2008-06-14|publisher=The Hindu|accessdate=2008-09-11] Coming from a modest beginning, Yuvika Chowdhary was happy that her stint in the television industry helped her to adjust well to films. [cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Buzz/I_dont_need_a_Godfather_Yuvika/articleshow/3018929.cms|title=I don't need a Godfather: Yuvika|last=Mishra|first=Archana|date=2008-05-08|work=The Times of India|publisher=Indiatimes.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] While shooting a cameo appearance in Farah Khan's "Om Shanti Om", Yuvika was offered a role in this film. She was, however, unsure of committing to it because of the number of newcomers. However, Shahrukh Khan admonished her for the reason and cited examples from his own professional career. Chowdhary, after completing the shoot, was happy for her decision to act in this film. [cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Entertainment/India_Buzz/SRK_blasts_newcomer/articleshow/2948679.cms|title=SRK blasts newcomer|date=2008-04-14|work=Times News Network|publisher=The Times of India|accessdate=2008-09-11] Being the son of veteran Bollywood character actors, Anupam Kher and Kirron Kher, Sikander Kher considered himself lucky that directors readily gave him their time if he sought an appointment. [cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3005247,prtpage-1.cms|title=‘I am a cinema freak’|last=Shah|first=Prerna|date=2008-05-04|work=The Times of India|publisher=Indiatimes.com|accessdate=2008-09-11] Kher, whose debut was first with "Woodstock Villa", thought that Yuvika Chaudhary was a glamorous and a fun-loving person and this helped him enjoy working with her. Being cast opposite two newcomer actress, Chowdhary and Neha Oberoi (in "Woodstock Villa"), Kher thought he cared more for the character than being cast alongside established actots. He was grateful to the director for choosing him to work in the film. [cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-3022493,prtpage-1.cms|title=Bollywood ka Sikandar|date=2008-05-09|work=Times News Network|publisher=The Times of India|accessdate=2008-09-11] Alekh Sangal, the son of veteran filmmaker Ambrish Sangal, thought that despite four other characters sharing screen space with him, he was happy with the way his character was sketched out. He was also quite happy working with Kher and Panag and felt that the movie was a good learning experience for him. [cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1170255|title=It is a great Summer for Alekh|last=Padukone|first=Apeksha|date=2008-06-10|publisher=Daily, News & Analysis|accessdate=2008-09-11]

The story, which is based on the agrarian crisis of the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra, was written by Bijesh Jayarajan. While talking about the extremities in the urban and rural parts of India, Jayarajan said that the focus of his story was on how money-lenders are exploiting the helpless farmers.cite web|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Nagpur/Summer_2007_focuses_on_Vid/rssarticleshow/3104448.cms|title='Summer 2007' focuses on Vid|last=Bhagwat|first=Ramu|date=2008-06-06|work=Indiatimes.com|publisher=The Times of India|accessdate=2008-09-11] One of the characters, which Jayarajan created was inspired by Muhammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh's biggest microcredit institution. [cite web|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News_By_Industry/Social_message_of_film_Summer_2007_inspires_farmers_in_UP/articleshow/3203610.cms|title=Social message of film 'Summer 2007' inspires farmers in UP|date=2008-07-06|work=Agencies|publisher=The Economic Times|accessdate=2008-09-11] About what he termed as success for the film, Jayarajan said:

The mainstream media in the country has made a conscious effort to shield people, especially youngsters living in metros, from the rural realities. If those watching Summer 2007 at multiplexes realise this, and wonder why they never bothered about Vidarbha, the film will have achieved its goal.

Due to technical and logistic reasons, the film was shot in Wahi instead of the originally planned setting of Vidarbha. Throughout the shoot of 45 days, the cast was aware of the farmer suicides. Panag became emotional during their discussions during filming breaks.

References