Introduction
My film ‘Dinner for Loners’ is a comedy-drama that explores male loneliness in the South Asian community. It’s about a 33 year-old man who has recently come out of a long-term relationship but can’t find a community to fall back on, so he hires his dysfunctional Indian family to throw a reunion dinner for his friends.
Inspiration
This film is inspired by the co-writer Vikram’s life. After persisting for nearly a year trying to meet up with friends, (all in their 30s and down the conventional treadmill of life), he threw a “Supper club” that I attended – which on a little digging, happened to be on the same day he was meant to be married to his ex.
Having been in a similar situation in my late 20s, and having experienced the deadend emotional reserve of most male friendships, I decided to write this film with him.
We wanted to examine emotional intelligence in men in South Asian culture, and the broader generational trauma we carry, all through the lens of comedy, as we have quite a hilarious friendship.
The Process
We filmed in a restaurant in East London to capture the sense of isolation that busy city life can bring.
Our biggest challenge was having the director also act as the lead in the film, which required extensive planning beforehand to ensure the shoot ran smoothly. We also hired our secret weapon, Andy Whyment, acting coach on shoot days. The opening of the film involves driving down a busy London road. This had to be done with the DOP remotely watching the monitor, which led to some risky camera-rig moments.
Our biggest challenge, surprisingly, came from the arduous process of negotiating fees with an Indian record company to use a track from the ’80s in the title sequence. There was a line in the film that the veteran actor, Kulvinder Ghir, kept fumbling. It was about “potatoes” and “threesomes.” After the third take, and with post-lunch intelligence, we could not stop cracking up for 10 minutes straight.
What It Means to Be a Finalist
Being a finalist in the Worcester Film Festival is amazing! It will really help us put the message of loneliness in the diaspora community front and centre and drive us to continue making our style of films.
Where to Watch / Follow
Instagram: @keshavshreee is where you want to be, to check for any updates and follow the journey of Dinner for Loners. A 6-part TV series is currently being written that explores vulnerability and how men are taught to hate their femininity from a young age.
About The Author
