Anny Dai Reshapes labour Stories In Aarushi Nigam’s Dream Factory

In Aarushi Nigam's tour de force documentary Dream Factory, editor Anny Dai has put in her grit and determination at full force and it shows. The documentary not just breathes life into the stories of Bollywood's unseen workforce but also gains its emotional cohesion through Dai's editorial craft. The film shifts its focus from the stars to the labourers who toil day and night behind the camera to build the spectacle that defines the very grain of the Hindi film Industry. The documentary becomes an eye-opener to those who want a glimpse into what goes on behind the scenes of a film. Dai with her potential has used hundreds of cinema vérité footage as a reflective essay on the celluloid instead of a run-of-the-mill documentary.

In the international film circuit Dream Factory has received well-deserved accolades and people have noted the film's departure from the glitz and glamour that is so much a staple for any Bollywood flick. Dai's work is a representation of how good editing can bring focus to this underrated subject matter and make it look unlike a stereotype. For the uninitiated, the film has been screened at five international platforms premiering at the Indian Film Festival of Stuttgart. Thereafter, it was screened at Dresden Palais Sommer in Germany, the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, the DC South Asian Film Festival in the United States, and the River to River Florence Indian Film Festival in Italy. Not to forget the film has also received invitations from the Indian Embassy in Berlin for cultural screenings across German cities. In conclusion, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to state Dream Factory positions the behind-the-scenes workers at the centre of the frame in a fluidic documentary which highlights the spirit of the city of dreams, Mumbai and also contrasts it with the work culture of whatever little is there of the entertainment industry in the Indian capital Delhi, which is a paradigm shift and also barely seen in the Hindi film repertoire.