Production team and casting crew during the shooting of the web series adapted from the novel Dreams & Chaos written by Sentilong Ozukum. (Photo Courtesy: DABA YM Drama Club)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 30
Following the hit of Campus Blues which was released in 2010 and sold over 4000 copies, Sentilong Ozukum is back with its much awaited sequel Dreams & Chaos. The novel was released on October 24 last in Mokokchung.
His debut novel, Campus Blues (2010) is a satirical novel on the education system of the country where the protagonist, Moluti Jamir, takes the readers on a journey of love, friendship and self-discovery. It was adapted into a mini television series by Doordarshan. Sentilong also wrote Sincerely Yours (2017), a collection of short stories drawing from the well of everyday Naga life, some of which have been adapted into short films.
“Encouraged by the positive responses I received on Sincerely Yours, I started working on the sequel to Campus Blues and that is how Dreams & Chaos took on a life of its own,” says Sentilong who is a civil servant currently posted in Mokokchung district.
“Dreams & Chaos is the sequel to Campus Blues and it takes off right where Campus Blues ended. An original web series is being produced based on the novel by the Dimapur Ao Baptist Arogo Youth Ministry (DABA YM) and is slated for a late November 2020 release,” an elated Sentilong informed The Morung Express.
“I must congratulate the DABA for funding such a project in an effort to reach out to the young generation through the medium of films. Lead by Bendang Walling, they have a very dedicated and professional team working on the web series. The trailer of the web series has been well received by the audience. I am optimistic that the web series will resonate well with the youth of the day,” Sentilong expressed.
Sharing some insight about the web series, the Youth Director of DABA, Jongshimanen says, “The web series came out of pandemic! Otherwise, we had different ministry in focus.” As a church, the objectives of the project, according to him are “to reach out to more audience; to transform our society; and create opportunities for our youths.”
The web series project is spear headed by the DABA YM Drama Club with Bendang Walling as Convenor and Limanungdang Longchar and Kilang Imsong as Co-convenor.
Bendang Walling, who is an alumnus of National School of Drama, New Delhi and also Founder & Artistic Director of Hill Theatre, is the director of the series.
“Currently we are producing Season-1, the even chapters of the novel with 8 episodes and 25 minutes for each episode. If God willing, we are looking forward for the odd chapters of the novel (Season-2),” Bendang said.
Kilang Temsu Imsong, a National School of Drama in Theater Education (Agartala) passed out is playing the main character of Moluti Jamir while Dr Waluniba, Assistant Professor, Nagaland University SASRD portrays the character of Senti.
Bendang says that, “With a strong sense of creativity, motivated by the intriguing novel and also my active managing professional team and talented artist in the set, there has been lot of positive energy on this journey and continues to do so.”
In view of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bendang shares that the major challenge has been maintaining the protocols and concerns of limitations on number of people in the set etc. “With 90% off from the crowd scene and diverting it to a minimal composition are some of the new challenges. However, as a team we have adapted to this situation as the new normal and it only makes the journey stronger,” he asserts.
“Every Naga youth should read it,” Bendang affirms while mentioning that apart from the love journey of the main protagonist, the present scenario of confused educated unemployed Naga youths is depicted very clearly in Dreams & Chaos.
The greatest lesson the viewers can take away from this web series, according to Bendang is that it is high time Naga youth realize that educational qualification and talent should merge together for a fulfilling life. “Depending only on exams and government sector will lead to frustration, depression and even wastage of time. I believe this novel brings many small, crisp, heart touching lessons about life.”
In conversation with Sentilong Ozukum
