Reema Kapani turns producer: I respect filmmakers and their hard work even more

She may be living in the US for over three decades now, but Reema Kapani believes that you can never take India out of an Indian. The artiste, who lives in the States, is now rediscovering her creative pursuits, having donned the producer-director hat for the thriller The 30 Days, which is in the post-production stage at present.

The 49-year-old says now that her children are settled — one a physician and the other an IT professional — she has the time to nurture her cinematic and artistic pursuits. “I have ample time to focus on my art. I was unable to teach dance and yoga due to Covid-19, that’s when I got an opportunity to choreograph a dance performance and play a small role in the Punjabi comedy film Butta American (2021),” she tells us, adding that the idea of making a feature film occurred then.

“From production to direction, everything has been done by me and my team for our passion project. I thought of taking on the main role earlier, but it is a lot of work behind the scenes. Hence, I took on a very small role. It was a great learning experience and we brought many diverse groups together. When people come together in a creative process, it brings a lot of happiness,” she shares, adding, “I have so much more respect for filmmakers. Now, I know how much hard work and time goes behind shooting every single scene in a film.”

For Kapani, dance and yoga have both played pivotal parts in the way her life has shaped up. “I taught dance, yoga, and healing for more than 30 years and I still do. I trained for both in India and continued my certifications there. I have a dance school in the US, I am a dance teacher and choreographer, too. Being a dancer, yoga helped me with flexibility health, and overall well-being,” explains the artiste, who has performed at the Kennedy Centre and Disneyland in California, winning much appreciation and acclaim for the same.

Despite being in the West for such a long time, Kapani has embraced as well as infused her Indian roots into her art. “I was born and brought up in India. And then, I took my India with me to the US,” she wraps up.