Stolen, a tense survival drama by filmmaker Karan Tejpal, begins with the kidnapping of an infant belonging to a tribal lady, Jhumpa (Mia Maelzer), at a train station. Due to a chain of events, siblings Gautam (Abhishek Banerjee) and Raman (Shubham) become embroiled in the incident and are compelled to locate the five-month-old child. The commotion at the station gets recorded on a mobile camera and posted online with misinformation that spreads rapidly. The locals start to believe that the brothers are child abductors, leading to a wave of violence and hostility towards them. Thus begins the arduous journey of two affluent men who inadvertently set out on a terrifying journey to assist a destitute and poor woman in locating her abducted child in rural India. As Stolen progresses, Tejpal explores the impact on individual lives and the larger society, creating high-strung situations where the trio is under threat from all sides and will be judged regardless of the circumstances or the facts due to their backgrounds. The film strikes deep as a reminder of the stark inequalities and hardships faced by marginalized communities, as well as how rumors propogated through social media can prove detrimental. 

In this interview, Tejpal delves into his shooting approach, characters and the consequences of disinformation on society.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘A Match’ Filmmaker Jayant Digambar Somalkar

Dipankar Sarkar: What was the starting point for Stolen, and what were the subjects and themes you wanted to explore?

Karan Tejpal: The film is inspired by real events. The story of the Bansal brothers in Stolen is inspired by an incident that took place in 2018 in Assam. Two men were violently attacked and lynched at the hands of an enraged crowd who had mistakenly understood them to be kidnappers based on falsified videos that tore through communities via WhatsApp. That incident was the first seed of the story and characters. 

I [was] very alarmed by the news incident and the changing face of reality that I see in the world around me. I saw myself in the two young men who were lynched in Karbi Anglong. They were young travelers, and their sense of adventure took them to a place with which they were unfamiliar, and they perhaps stood out due to their relative privilege.

I feel this incident gave an opportunity to explore this idea of the “court of public opinion” that seems to be a rampant concern the world over. Within the story, there is opportunity to feel empathy and frustration on both sides. The story allowed me to explore the truth of human beings as complex and contrary beings, and that no person can so easily be cast as “good” or “bad.” I wanted to explore themes of classism, vigilantism, misinformation and parenthood.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Follower’ Filmmaker Harshad Nalawade

DS: Stolen begins with the information that there are two kinds of India. Why did you think that it was necessary to make the viewers aware of the situation?

KT: What truly inspires me is the opportunity to craft stories from the contrasting world that surrounds me — a world that can at times be unforgivingly brutal yet also incredibly humbling in its portrayal of humanity. Everytime I look around, I see the vulnerabilities faced by those without power and the gradual erosion of trust in our established social systems. In our expansive and diverse nation, a stark demarcation emerges between the privileged few, who wield overwhelming power, and the vast majority, who find themselves disempowered. These are the distinct dichotomies I allude to as the “two disparate Indias.” 

But those lines were for an international audience so that they can get the context of the film. Since [Stolen] is an almost real-time story, there was no room for context, setting or backstories, etc. So that’s why we decided to use those lines to set up the central conflict. I do think they are slightly overstated for an Indian audience, and, honestly, the only reason they made it to the MAMI screening is because we didn’t have the money to make a new DCP without the lines, which is what I wanted. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Ghaath’ Filmmaker Chhatrapal Ninawe

DS: Where and when did you shoot Stolen? What were your choices in terms of direction?

KT: The film was shot in and around Pushkar, Rajasthan. We shot for 26 days from [the end of] January to [the end of] February. Ideally, I wanted to shoot in the peak of winter between December 15 to January 15 for the bitterly cold overcast look, but, unfortunately, production delays cost us that window.  

I picked Pushkar because I wanted a location where in a small area we could have access to a mixed topography and interesting unseen locations. I went to boarding school in Ajmer, which is about 30 minutes away from Pushkar. So, I was quite familiar with the area and chose it as the location for the film.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Hadinelentu’ Filmmaker Prithvi Konanur

DS: The screenplay of Stolen is filled with one plot twist after the other, weaved in a manner to surprise us in unexpected ways. So, how did the writing process go? 

KT: The writing process was slow with a lot of rewriting, as it always is. In our case, there was a lot of stop and start because of Covid. We had access to some incredible international producers for feedback and constructive criticism which helped us hone the screenplay.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Bahadur the Brave’ Filmmaker Diwa Shah

DS: When Gautam, Raman and Jhumpa are inside the safety of a vehicle or in the interiors of a dilapidated house, they are unscathed. But as they step out of their cocoon, danger lurks around every corner. How does space affect their security and survival in Stolen?

KT: The film has no personal spaces. It’s entirely set in institutional spaces — station, roads, hideout, village, hospital, etc. Gautam’s SUV [is] the only safe personal space, which was also lost in the final third [act]. This was a conscious [and] constructed decision to add to the sense of unease. Even the dilapidated house in the village is only a temporary refuge where they could be discovered at any moment. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Against the Tide’ Filmmaker Sarvnik Kaur

DS: In the first part of Stolen, Raman is eager to help Jhumpa find her stolen child. Gautam reluctantly joins them in their search because he doesn’t believe Jhumpa. But as the story progresses, Gautam begins to question his skepticism and becomes more invested in finding the truth. What is the reason behind Gautam’s change of heart?

KT: In the chronological order of narrative, Gautam first takes a life. That incident shakes him up and forces him to open up his mind. Then his brother calling him out soon after for being selfish and money-minded pushes through his otherwise self-created bubble and he starts to question himself. This is followed by the unearthing of Jhumpa’s story, which makes Gautam realize that all is not what it seems. Finally, Jhumpa’s role in saving his and his brother’s life forces a change of heart for Gautam.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Nehemich’ Filmmaker Yudhajit Basu

DS: What was the reason behind making Jhumpa a tribal woman in Stolen? 

KT: Jhumpa was initially written as a disenfranchised Bengali woman, hinting at a possible unrecognized immigrant. This was to take away all her legal standing and make her an outcast. It was actually Mia who brought the idea of giving her a Santhali background, as she has extensively worked in that area with the Santhal people.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Niharika (In the Mist)’ Filmmaker Indrasis Acharya

DS: How did you choose your actors for Stolen?

KT: The cast was selected on the merit of their acting chops, and I cannot praise them enough. It was a pleasure to work with them. The story has only five primary characters. Abhishek is certainly one of the finer actors in the industry today. His acting style is honest, spontaneous and instinctive. So, it was a no-brainer to approach him for the role of Gautam Bansal. A thorough professional, Abhishek read the script in a few days and he was on-board. It was really quite straightforward! 

For me, chemistry between the characters is really important, and I was keen to cast actors with a pre-existing relationship in the role of the Bansal brothers. Abhishek suggested his actor friend Shubham, and we couldn’t be happier to have found him. A highly trained meticulous actor, Shubham was perfect for the role of the younger brother. He is intrinsically a real life Rambo, and the first time I met him, I was sure I wanted to work with him. 

Mia came recommended by a very well known casting director. I saw Mia’s work in a short film  —The Field (2018) — and we did a series of screen tests that convinced me that she was the right actor to play Jhumpa. She is a fantastic collaborator who put an incredible amount of effort and emotion into the project. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Privacy’ Filmmaker Sudeep Kanwal

DS: For an indie film like Stolen, how did you find the producer?

KT: I first met Gaurav in 2014 through my sister Tiya. They had worked together, and we all met at Film Bazaar for a drink. Coincidentally, we lived 100 meters apart in Mumbai, and so Gaurav and I became friends. We found we shared a lot of values and professional interests and often spoke about working together. But it wasn’t until 2019 when he hired me to direct some commercials for him, and that long involved period that we spent together gave me a chance to pitch Stolen to him. It happened quite organically without me actually looking for a producer.  

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Urf’ Director Geetika Narang Abbasi

DS: The scenes shot at night in Stolen are kept dark to create a sense of mystery and danger. Whereas during the daytime, the scenes are usually bright and vibrant to depict the unpredictability of the perilous situation the characters are put in. Even the aerial shots are motivated and not designed to merely showcase the landscape. How did you design the visual elements to convey the sense of suspense and drama?

KT: We followed a few basic principles on the visual style and stuck by them. I wanted the film to be a highly immersive experience where the audience is on the journey with the characters. That choice drove us to using only two wide lenses to shoot more that 80 percent of the film. The second principle was creating a sense of real time, and so we shot the film as much as possible in long takes. The film is visually designed from a single perspective, and for each scene, we would make sure we placed the audience in the most suspenseful and dramatic perspective. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Vaat’ Filmmaker Miransha Naik

DS: At the same time, the editing of Stolen sustains the inherent tension in the plot as well as the character development throughout the narrative. How long did it take to achieve the slick pace and absorbing tempo?

KT: Honestly, we shot very economically, and editing was about six-eight weeks long with my editor, Shreyas, who lives in New Zealand. I have a great rapport with Shreyas, and we found it fairly easy to come to a consensus on most aspects.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Dostojee’ Filmmaker Prasun Chatterjee

DS: How did you structure Stolen’s sound design to bring out the tense moments as well as the nuance of characters undergoing immense psychological stress?

KT: Sound design is the element in filmmaking that is the glue that brings it all together. It’s the element that creates true immersion into the world of the film. And while the base principle for the visuals, acting and spaces was all realism via sound design, I decided to go more expressionistic and use it as a tool to enter the protagonists’ headspace.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Lords of Lockdown’ Filmmaker Mihir Fadnavis

DS: What was your brief for Stolen’s background score?

KT: I wanted a very minimal score for the film. Sound design was the true hero, and the score creeps into places to support it. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Shesh Pata’ Filmmaker Atanu Ghosh

DS: Stolen was selected for the Orizzonti section of the Venice Film Festival. How important was it for you?

KT: It was huge — an absolutely incredible feeling. A dream come true. On first hearing the news, I was completely overwhelmed. 

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Kayo Kayo Colour?’ Filmmaker Shahrukhkhan Chavada

DS: Stolen recently had its Indian premiere at the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. What was the audience reaction?

KT: We got a superb response on our homecoming. The audience followed along with every cultural nuance and seemed to thoroughly enjoy the film. It bolstered our confidence [for] the film we have made.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Pokhar Ke Dunu Paar’ Filmmaker Parth Saurabh

DS: Are you planning for a theatrical release?

KT: Of course it is every filmmaker’s dream for their film to play in theaters, and Stolen [was] certainly made to be enjoyed on the big screen. But I am not sure where the journey of this film will go. Everything about it, from the making to the festival run, has been unexpected and highly rewarding. We are looking at every option possible to take the film to the widest audience.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘Dharti Latar Re Horo’ Filmmaker Shishir Jha

DS: What do you hope audiences take away from Stolen?

KT: Trust is a very important concept to me. And I use the platform of my film to exhort everyone to be more human. 

Humans dominate not only other species but the planet itself, thanks to a singular social concept — trust. Because we trust each other, we have together achieved what no other species was able to in millenia. But an over-burgeoning population coupled with technology has become a potent mix that fractures our social norms and ideals of trust.

Dipankar Sarkar (@Dipankar_Tezpur) is a graduate in film editing from the Film and Television Institute of India and currently based in Mumbai. As a freelancer, he frequently contributes to various Indian publications on cinema-related topics.

Stolen Interview: Related — An Interview with ‘I’m Not the River Jhelum’ Filmmaker Prabhash Chandra