Warangal to LA, here’s how Sripal Sama produced and directed the indie ‘How is That for a Monday?’

Warangal to LA, here’s how Sripal Sama produced and directed the English-Telugu American indie ‘How is That for a Monday?’ starring Kaushik Ghantasala and others

The English-Telugu indie film How is That for a Monday? written, directed and produced by Sripal Sama, is a product of lockdown. The Hyderabad-bred, USA-based filmmaker had intended to make a feature film with a storyline involving elements of dance and gymnastics with actor Kaushik Ghantasala. However, lockdown changed the course of things and months later, the two collaborated for How is That for a Monday?, which releases in select multiplexes in India and the US on October 27. The genre-shifting film follows events on a fateful Monday that changes the lives of an immigrant techie, a billionaire, a bunch of amateur thieves and an elderly man. The story touches upon identity, racism, police brutality and class differences.

“The pandemic and post-pandemic phase was crazy, to say the least,” Sripal reflects. “One day the stock market would crash, and the next day it reaches new heights. One day people lose jobs, the next day they get record salaries. We all stay home and the next day we gather in huge crowds to protest against injustice — the George Floyd incident, for instance. The urge to reflect on this, within a low budget ($68,000/ ₹54 lakh), inspired me to write this story.”

How is That for a Monday? takes place in Santa Ana in Orange County, Los Angeles, southern California, and has a multicultural cast led by Kaushik. The film has also been screened at select international film festivals including the Santa Monica International Film Festival and the 19th Chennai International Film Festival.

Kaushik, who featured as Satya Dev’s friend in Brochevarevarura, recalls the phase when Sripal had contacted him for another film. “I gave an online audition; once I was selected, I took up dance and gymnastic classes that were required to play my part. That story had to be put on hold due to the pandemic. Sripal then began writing this story (along with Sai Praneeth Gouravaraju). He told me that he wanted to cast someone based in the US to bring down the cost of travel. I loved the script, but I understood his situation and was happy to be a sounding board.”

Kaushik was also familiar with life and work in the US. He had worked briefly in the US, during which he took up short courses in acting and filmmaking from the University of Washington, Seattle. “I was the only Indian in a multicultural class. The exposure was great. Later, I trained at Adishakti Theatre, Pondicherry. All this helped me hone my skills and I was waiting for a good opportunity.”

The opportunity presented itself when Sripal wasn’t happy with other auditions for the principal techie immigrant character and eventually approached Kaushik. Soon, Kaushik was on a flight to the US. This was in March 2021.

For the next few weeks they filmed in Orange County. The crew size was as small as three people on some days and up to 16 on other days, explains Sripal. “On average, we had six to eight people on set. It was partly pandemic-induced and partly due to budget constraints. We embraced the restrictions by doing rigorous planning and chose a narrative style that fits these restrictions.”