Khalbali Records EXCLUSIVE: National Award-Winning Director Devanshu Singh On His Debut Show, Journey & More

Khalbali Records Director Devanshu Singh Exclusive Interview: It's not very common to have a web series in which, besides actors, music playing an important character in itself. As JioCinema Premium gears up for the release of its highly-anticipated musical show - Khalbali Records on 12th September 2024, we got the opportunity to be engaged with the National Award-winning filmmaker Devanshu Singh for an exclusive tete-a-tete. During an exclusive chat with Filmibeat, the Khalbali Records director opened up on his journey, how 'Khalbali Records' chose him, music and more.

Excerpts from the interview:

1) Khalbali Records marks your first OTT show as a filmmaker. Why did you choose this project as your debut series. Was there any particular reason?

It's very funny... I didn't choose Khalbali Records, it chose me. When I was doing '14 Phere' (starring Vikrant Massey-Kriti Kharbanda), I got a call from Jio team and they offered me this Bible. In Chintu, there was no songs and in 14 Phere, I had only 6 songs... I love songs so I thought that it will be fun to make a show about music. I could see the Khalbali between the artists and the system... being an artist, if I may call myself, I felt that I, too, have a story which can show to people.

I remember going to Amit Trivedi and requesting him him to make a song not for the show but for myself. I have always wanted to make a show around music and this show came in my way.

2) Music and songs play a large part in the show and in one of the shows you have mentioned that it has 23 songs. What went behind making it a musical treat?

When I was reading the script, I knew it had to have a lot of songs. While films are about plots, shows are about a world. If the world is music labels vs Indie artists, there is a lot happening. There are collaborations happenings, labels-artists are fighting within themselves, there are multiple artists within one label and they have own beef going on with each other and so on. So, I felt I had an entire universe to play with. In hip hop, one artist dissing another artist is a culture and I wanted to show all these things. It's a crazy, dynamic and creative world of music that we have shown in the show.

3) You started off as an AD. You had also directed AIB sketches. You have in the industry for quite a while now. How has your journey been like?

I was an casting assistant in ad films before I started assisting Nikkhil Advani, Vikramditya Motwane briefly. The journey has been great because ever since I was 6, I wanted to be a filmmaker. I come from a small town in Bihar. By the time I was 36, I had one National Award and 16 International awards, along with two feature films under my name. Whenever I am asked about my struggles I am like - if struggle is this beautiful, toh main kya hi bolun. The god has been kind to me, so I can't complaint.

4) Your last directorial was released in 2021. What took you 3 years for your next project?

I wrote my first film in 2006, shot in 2017. It took 11 years for me to shot my first feature film. My second film was written by someone else so I shot it in no time. While doing Chintu, I signed my next project. By the time I was finishing 14 Phere, I got Khalbali. I have been working on this show for the last 2.5 years. Shows do take time to be made. I am currently writing a screenplay and also reading projects, there are some offers. I am in between considering projects. My brother and I will start a feature film early next year hopefully.