Book reading offers a different experience, giving a base idea, but translating it to audio-visual format requires maintaining the same level of engagement.
Rajnish Lall
Rajnish Lall, Founder of Jigsaw Pictures talks about his recent release – Murder in Mahim and the journey of Jigsaw Picture.
The narrative of "Murder in Mahim" remained engaging and suspenseful by closely following the book, which is already gripping. The key to a good thriller is maintaining engagement and suspense until the end, which the book provided. The challenge was adapting it into a web series while preserving that excitement. Book reading offers a different experience, giving a base idea, but translating it to audio-visual format requires maintaining the same level of engagement. Some thrillers succeed brilliantly in this, while others fail to hold the audience. This adaptation aimed to achieve that higher level of engagement, Says Rajnish Lall
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The journey of transforming Jerry Pinto's book "Murder in Mahim" into a web series began with discussions between Jigsaw Pictures and Viacom. Initially exploring various concepts for collaboration, Viacom suggested looking into the book's adaptation. The team found the narrative intriguing and saw potential in developing it into a series. Hiring a writer to craft the story and screenplay set the foundation for what would become an engaging and suspenseful show.
Several challenges emerged during production. One significant aspect was addressing the LGBT community's portrayal, considering the book was written before the legalization of LGBTQ rights in India. Another challenge was depicting human relationships authentically, adding depth to the thriller. Additionally, pre-production faced delays as the team extended preparation, including actor workshops, to ensure quality. Shooting during Mumbai's severe monsoon season further complicated outdoor shots and scheduling, but these obstacles were ultimately overcome.
Jigsaw Pictures has grown significantly since its inception. Founded by an industry professional transitioning from a corporate background, the company initially focused on television commercials. Success in creating ads led to producing over 500 commercials and venturing into longer formats around 2012-2013. Despite the pandemic's impact, Jigsaw resumed its projects, expanding into feature films, travel documentaries, and web series.
The guiding philosophy at Jigsaw Pictures emphasizes producing content that inspires pride and ownership. The team seeks unique ideas that stand out from mainstream offerings, balancing creativity with mass appeal. The focus is on creating content that resonates with a broad audience while being economically viable. At Jigsaw Pictures, the creative process starts with engaging writers to find exciting and unique ideas. These ideas are then evaluated for their viability from an investor's perspective. The process involves thorough preparation, from developing the story and screenplay to conducting workshops that help actors embody their roles authentically.
Optimizing content for digital platforms involves understanding the target audience and aligning ideas with the studio or OTT platform's requirements. Budgeting and cost control are crucial, leveraging Jigsaw's extensive industry experience and relationships with vendors to produce high-quality shows efficiently. While confidentiality clauses prevent revealing specific details, Jigsaw Pictures is working on several exciting projects. These include a unique travel docu-series featuring Bollywood actors, a docu-series on an overlooked community, a thriller web series, and a high-emotional drama film about a parent-child relationship. Alongside these long-format projects, the company continues to produce television commercials, maintaining its strong presence in the advertising industry.
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