How a Pre-Lockdown Trip Became an Unexpected Creative Odyssey
In January 2020, just before the world hit pause, Doozy Studioz took off to Goa. There was no fixed plan, no structured narrative—just a desire to capture whatever felt raw and beautiful. Our gear was minimal: a Canon 5D (our main camera) mounted on a monopod, a Nikon D-series, and a GoPro 7. The idea? To roam, explore, and turn fleeting moments into lasting visuals.
Goa unfolded in a rhythmic flow, and setting that rhythm was someone special—Sumit Dutta, an enigmatic Bengali vagabond with an insatiable curiosity for life. He became our compass, leading us to people and places we wouldn’t have found otherwise. Many of the shots that made it into the final film would have been impossible without him.
It was mid-January, and as we met travelers from around the world, murmurs of a virus surfaced in conversations. But like most, we brushed it off, unaware of how it would soon redefine our reality. We kept filming, guided by instinct, capturing Goa in its rawest form—no predetermined destinations, just spontaneous storytelling through our lenses.
The Lockdown & The Forgotten Footage
Returning to Kolkata, our post-production base, the first signs of change were evident. For the first time, I saw a temperature-measuring device that worked from a distance. Life was taking sharp, unpredictable turns. With the uncertainty ahead, I didn’t even glance at the Goa footage—there was no time to think about post-production.
Then, by the end of March, the world came to a standstill. The lockdown began. Like everyone else, I struggled to adapt to the new normal. And then it struck me—I had hours of unseen footage waiting to be shaped into something meaningful.
Editing started from scratch, sifting through the best shots, letting the visuals dictate the flow. It was during this time that I came across Wylliam Krystof Panseri, an Italian Shiv Sadhak. I found his music on Facebook, reached out, and once he gave me permission to use his track, everything clicked into place. The sequence, the pace, the entire narrative—it all aligned in my mind.
The Soul of the Film: Goa & The Hippie Spirit
The Hippie movement has always fascinated me—its birth in the 1960s, its counterculture ethos, and its eventual decline. Its evolution (and disappearance) is deeply intertwined with global socio-political shifts. When the movement first began, it attracted thousands who sought a selfless, non-materialistic life, far from their homes. Many of them found a haven on the western coast of India—Goa.
While scripting and editing—both happening in parallel—I had one clear vision. The film wouldn’t preach, wouldn’t ask questions, wouldn’t push a message. It would simply show. Where it all started. How it spread. What remains today. And like the movement itself, it wouldn’t have a perfect ending.
For nearly 70% of the lockdown, this film kept me engaged. It was pure joy—an escape, a purpose, a creative sanctuary. And when I finally released it, I thought that was the end of the journey. But then, a month later, something strange happened.
I was alone, watching the film projected onto a big screen. I let go of the fact that I had created it. I simply watched, like any other viewer. And as the final frame faded to black, I found myself whispering to the screen—
"Kehna Kya Chahte Ho?" (3 Idiots-style). Full Video Link:
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