Bendang
Walling with Jaideep Ahlawat
- The crime thriller web series is now streaming on OTT at
Prime Video
- The highly anticipated web series Paatal Lok Season 2 has
started streaming on OTT at Prime Video from Friday, while the season 2 has
been garnering an overwhelmingly positive review from viewers and critics as
well.
- What makes this season particularly exciting for Nagaland is
its significant connection to the state. The storyline transitions from New
Delhi to Nagaland in search of truth, with several talented actors from
Nagaland, including Bendang Walling, Merenla Imsong, and LC Sekhose, are part
of the cast and many renowned artistes and social media influencers from the
state has feature appearances.
- In Paatal Lok Season 2, Hathiram Chaudhary, the resilient
cop played by Jaideep Ahlawat, makes his much-awaited return to take on a new
case, this time set in Nagaland. The investigation revolves around the murder
of the founder of the Nagaland Democratic Forum and also searching for a
missing migrant worker tied to a dangerous drug syndicate.
- The eight-episode series, directed by Avinash Arun Dhaware
and written, created, and executive-produced by Sudip Sharma, can be watched on
Prime Video.
- In an exclusive interview with Eastern Mirror, Bendang
Walling, a filmmaker and theatre practitioner from Nagaland, who also featured
in Paatal Lok Season 2, shares his experience of working alongside renowned
actors in the web series.
- “I was overwhelmed, since, as an actor this is what I have
been waiting for years. Thank you, lord”, Walling stated when asked about how
he felt to be part of such a high-profile web series.
- Walling shared that while working with experienced and
renowned mainstream actors, he learned a lot, from discipline to professional
ethics and being from a drama school, he was not alien to their acting
approach.
- Walling said that the character which he played is Isaac
Longkumer (Sub inspector), a representation of hope and innocence of Naga
people, so being a Naga, the preparation for this role, the main task for him
was to remain true to himself without trying to be anyone else.
- He added that the director, associate director and show
runner were always there to guide him during the shoot.
- Sharing a memorable incident during Darjeeling shooting,
Walling recalled a night scene with Tilottama, when they had to shoot some
repeated retakes inside a vehicle and all of a sudden from the front bonnet of
the vehicle, fire sparked out and they had to jump out of the vehicle for
safety, which indeed was not a big situation as they thought.
- Walling said that the shooting of the web series was done in
Nagaland, New Delhi, Kalimpong and Darjeeling and they felt welcomed and
supported by the crew as they have created the set not as a working place but
as a home.
- He said that till date it is such a surreal feeling that he
have worked with Jaideep Ahlawat and added that he carries such a positive
aura, and his absence during shots was felt. Just by observing and listening to
him one can learn a lot, which he chooses to follow this path.
- He expressed that every character in the series has been
crafted beautifully and it is a brilliant screenplay, so every character has
its own craft and story which left the actors to explore their creativity.
- He added that his character represents the innocence and
hope of the Nagas, and expressed that it would not be difficult for the Naga people
to associate with the character he plays.
- He mentioned that it is an open book that mainstream film
industry is Hindi oriented, so in order to find opportunities in films, Hindi
language plays a pivotal role, however it is very rare to create such pan India
web series like “Paatal Lok” where even regional language plays a vital role in
the story telling and through such productions hidden talents from around the
states of India are exposed globally.
- Walling stated that acting, film making, theatre and art are
new concept in the state of Nagaland, so
with the inclusion of so many Naga actors in Paatal Lok, it is an eye opener
for the Naga people that even such profession exists and they should be bold
enough to venture it out.
- To young Naga individuals who aspire to join the film
industry, he suggested the youth that the join professional institutions and
learn about the film industry.
- Walling shared that in one of the scene, he was finding it
difficult to execute, which was an early morning scene between 4 to 5 am at
Kohima with Jaideep and it was such an important and emotional scene for him
and they were running out of time and at that moment Jaideep intervened and
shared some tips and it worked.
- After this Paatal Lok season 2, Walling can been seen on
“The Family Man season 3”, created by Raj & DK, the critically acclaimed
spy thriller series which is expected to premiere on Prime Video lather this
year.
