From the cricket pitch to the director’s chair, the young filmmaker behind “Mercy” proves that passion and purpose can overcome any uncertainty.
For filmmaker Mitul Patel, storytelling was never just a career choice — it was an inevitable calling. Raised on a steady diet of cinema, he vividly remembers the moment his world expanded beyond Bollywood blockbusters. “When I discovered world cinema in seventh grade, everything changed,” he recalls. “I realised what stories could do to you — how they could move you, challenge you, and stay with you.”
Born in Mumbai and brought up in Surat, once a promising cricketer, Mitul found himself torn between three paths after completing his 10th grade: cricket, computer science, and cinema. “It took a lot of reflection,” he says. “But once I chose filmmaking, there was no turning back.”
His parents, like many in traditional Gujarati families, were cautious at first. None of his extended family had ever ventured near the film industry. Yet they recognised his determination. “They trusted that whatever I did, I would do it wholeheartedly,” he says. “That support has meant everything.”
At just twenty-one, Mitul wrote and directed his debut feature, “Mercy” — a film that delves into the heart of moral and emotional conflict. Far from a safe first project, “Mercy” explores compassion, grief, and ethical choice with startling depth. “It wasn’t about courage,” Mitul explains. “The story just wouldn’t leave me. It demanded to be told.”
His first day on set was also his first time on a professional film set of any kind — a rare and daunting beginning. “It was less intimidating than I expected,” he admits. “Everyone knew their roles, and once I realised that communication was the key — with the DOP, AD, and actors — everything fell into place.”
The film, completed on a modest budget and without the backing of major studios or stars, has already begun to attract attention on the independent circuit. Yet Mitul remains grounded. “When people appreciate your work, it feels good — but I try not to get carried away,” he says. “You make the best film you can, and once it’s out, the rest is out of your hands.”
He is candid about the challenges young filmmakers face, particularly in getting their work seen. “Releasing an independent film is the toughest part,” he explains. “Without big names or a studio, distribution becomes a waiting game. You need luck, persistence, and word of mouth.”
The process of making “Mercy”, he says, has changed him profoundly. “When I began writing, I was detached from the story’s emotions. But as people joined the project and shared their own experiences, I became more sensitive — not just to the film, but to life.”
Looking ahead, Mitul is eager to explore new genres — from sci-fi and fantasy to intimate human dramas — always driven by the same instinct: to make audiences feel something real. “I want to tell stories that move people and make them think,” he says. “Cinema, for me, is a balance of emotion and wonder.”
As for his first impressions of Australia, where “Mercy” recently screened at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, his response is instant. “I love it here — the people, the creativity, the energy. It’s one of the few places I could actually live.”
At just twenty-three, Mitul Patel stands at the beginning of what promises to be a long and luminous journey. In his words, “When your reason for making a film is bigger than yourself, the fear disappears. The story takes over — and that’s when the magic begins.”
By Tonee Sethi
