‘Madhyantara’: How late bloomer Dinesh Shenoy became a National Award winner with an ode to yesteryear Kannada cinema

Dinesh Shenoy’s Kannada short film ‘Madhyantara’ won the Best Debut Director and the Best Editor honours at the National Film Awards this year

At 54, Dinesh Shenoy found his purpose. Two years later, he proved how one is never too old to start again. The 56-year-old’s filmmaking dreams are at an all-time high after his Kannada short film Madhyantara clinched two National Awards this year. Dinesh won the Best Debut Director honour, while veteran Suresh Urs bagged the Best Editor award.

Madhyantara is about two passionate film buffs who do odd jobs before getting their big break in the film industry. The story resembles Dinesh’s rollercoaster journey that eventually landed him in the movie-making field. 

Hailing from Bantwal, a small town 30 kilometres from Mangaluru in Karnataka, Shenoy grew up watching Kannada movies of all genres. He was drawn towards photography but got asked to run a family business selling air conditioners. “I had no business acumen. It wasn’t my cup of tea,“ Shenoy recollects.

Seven years later, a shift to Delhi became the first turning point in his life. “You know how parents would worry about their children’s careers in those times. I developed the courage to tell my father I wanted to do what I loved. I joined a crash course in cinematography in Noida. I wanted to start from ground zero, so I started working as a light boy and focus puller before working as an independent cinematographer for several years.”

Later on, shooting commercial videos for popular companies taught him several storytelling lessons. “I was able to convey the USP of a product with inventive videos that were slightly longer than advertisements,“ he says. Even as the new phase of life kept Dinesh busy, the film buff in him remained intact. 

He grew a step closer to the film business when he grabbed an opportunity to be a line producer for a Hindi film. “Whenever Bollywood films would get filmed in Delhi, I would be the production executive. My job was to ensure that the shoot went on smoothly,“ he says. During this stint, Shenoy’s meeting with Ashutosh Gowariker gave him fresh perspectives on filmmaking.

“I worked with him for Swades (2004) and Jodha Akbar (2008). I had no idea what a call sheet was. Post-Lagaan, the concept of having multiple assistant directors with specified roles became common in the film industry. These are some lessons I incorporated into my shoots. Following such a system brings transparency on sets,“ he explains.