Dublin producer Steve Barron is known for his work in music as well as film and TV, such as Michael Jackson’s ‘Billie Jean’ and A-Ha’s ‘Take on Me.’ His directing credits also includes the 1990s ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.’
His recent project ‘Brahman Naman’ releases to Netflix this month, with the English-speaking Indian film following the story of a group of boys on the college quiz team in 80s India. It was the intrigue of Western culture, particularly music, to English-speaking quizzers of India which drew Barron to the project.
The soundtrack features British rock tracks of the 70s and 80s, many of which Barron was involved with at the time. Although the film is set in the city of Benglaru, many scenes were shot in the less developed Mysore nearby, enabling the crew to recreate the 80s atmosphere of the script.
The coming-of-age comedy was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the recent Edinburgh Film Festival. Netflix bought the exclusive worldwide rights to the film at Sundance, where the film enjoyed its premiere and was also nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
Earlier this year, Director Q (Qaushiq Mukherjee) praised the involvement of the platform: “A film like this needs a neutral platform and someone who would navigate the uncertain waters of censorship for us. So Netflix was a blessing and hopefully it’ll allow more filmmakers to make films bravely.”
In an official statement Netflix Chief Content Officer Ted Sarandos stated: “Brahman Naman is Indian cinema at its boldest: fast, furious and raucously funny. It’s a movie that will delight adolescents of all ages, and we’re excited to bring this hilarious tale to our members around the world.”
Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment recently, Barron himself described the involvement of Netflix as a “happy marriage” for the project, with the platform recognising when quality projects deserve more money and production time. He also states positively, “It’s a good time for television and not a good time for film. TV production is really strong in Ireland and in Northern Ireland as well.”
