Exclusive: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari on avoiding unnecessary intimate scenes in System

Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari whose latest directorial System released on Amazon Prime Video starring Sonakshi Sinha and Jyothika breaks down how she rejected clickbait intimacy in favour of a respectful femaleled gaze for a complex narrative using meticulous camera techniques to prioritise feeling over exposure Championing the unsung heroes of cinema Ashwiny in an exclusive chat with midday spotlights her collaboration with gifted writerproducer Harman Baweja and cinematographer Rangarajan Ramabhadran who weaponised silence to craft the movies unpredictable twistsAshwiny on collaborating with Harman BawejaAshwiny who is extremely meticulous about the people she collaborates with for a project has high regard for Harman Baweja who came on board as the writer and producer ldquoHarman is a very gifted writer I always tell him that if you get a chance of course you can produce and all that but if you get a chance to just write you should just be writingrdquo she saysFor the Nil Battey Sannata filmmaker three people are very important in her scheme for making movies the writer cinematographer and music composer She explains ldquoIn System a lot has been said about the silences in the film That is because my cinematographer Rangarajan Ramabhadran has created that I feel that in our industry we give very little importance to our technical partners They really bring the film aliverdquoAshwiny on filming intimate scenes in SystemSome might argue this but womenrsquos stories are almost always better told by female directors Ashwiny affirmed stating ldquoJyothika and Sonakshi will love you for this laughsrdquo For those who have watched the film there is a scene in particular that indicates Jyotika being unfaithful in her marriage Ashwiny chose to keep the scene free of unnecessary intimacy even though she had the option of creative freedom given that the film was to release on OTT Elaborating on the thought behind it she asserts ldquoWhat do we really need to see as a story If you want to show the story because you want to get the clickbait then I dont think so I need to be a responsible filmmaker I need to respect my actors Those scenes were very difficult for me to think through Because I literally had to sit with my cinematographer to figure it out How do I make Jyotika look respectable Where she is also not feeling odd as a woman And where the scene also doesnt look clunkyrdquoAshwiny to serve as jury for KASHISHAshwiny who is serving as the jury for the 17th edition of KASHISH Pride Film Festival is excited about the massive lineup When questioned about what her parameters are when judging the work of other filmmakers She says ldquoAs a jury you come with a lot of experience and responsibility With an advertising background Irsquove managed and handled a lot of creative people My purpose is not to be biased but to uplift creators You only make sure that you are a guiding lightrdquoAsk her if shersquod mentor queer creators and she adds ldquoYes of course Why not If the story is really good resonates and is deeply personal or rooted then why not Theres nothing wrong or right when it comes to storytellingrdquo