Mumbai: Describing his Hindi directorial debut “Harami” as a modern-day adaptation of Charles Dickens classic novel “Oliver Twist”, filmmaker Shyam Madiraju says the movie is a commentary on the constant power struggle among people in the society. “Oliver Twist”, one of Dickens’ most famous works, tells a story of an orphan boy, who moves from a life as an exploited child labourer to being under the wings of Fagin, a leader of a gang of London pickpockets.
Similarly, the film, set in the slums of Mumbai, explores youth crime, broken destinies, love and redemption. The director was born in Chennai but shifted to Los Angeles almost three decades ago, said he was intimidated by Mumbai when he landed in the city for a job at the age of 19.
“I found the city to be so intimidating and demanding that it had a profound effect on me as a person and as a filmmaker. Every time I am back in the city for work, I make it a point to walk a lot, and take the trains while I do my photography,” the adman-turned-director told .
