Bend it like Gurinder
ANUJ KUMAR
|
This October Gurinder Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges will return with a spicy take on the Indian Diaspora.
|
Our films give an insight on where people of different identities blend PAUL
HYPHENATED IDENTITIES Gurinder Chadha says she looks at the Diaspora from the point of view of a British citizen of Indian origin. PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM
Gurinder Chadha's dalliance with the Diaspora continues. This time she has found inspiration in the work of Chitra Banerjee Divakurani, the celebrated author who is known for her insightful works on the Indian immigrants.
Called "Mistress of Spice," the film is directed by Gurinder's soulmate Paul Mayeda Berges and stars her favourite Aishwarya Rai and Dylan McDermott, best known for "In The Line of Fire".
"It is the story of Tilo (Tilottma), who runs an Indian spice shop in San Francisco and cures people with their magical powers. The film has a magical layer with a dash of realism," says Paul.
Gurinder shares she always wanted to make a film on the subject but earlier finance was an issue. "We have gone by the book. Only thing is the book portrays Tilo as a slightly aged lady who is young at heart, which we felt a bit difficult to show cinematically. So we have a young lady whose products are said to have a healing power and what happens when she herself falls in love with an Amercian." An opportunity to sneak in Ash? Laughs Gurinder, "Film making is a hard job. You want to be surrounded by friends and people you are familiar with. That's why we have repeated Anupam Kher, Zohra Segal and Santosh Sivan as the cinematographer... so too Aishwarya." Paul assures the audience will get to see a different side of Aishwarya in the film, which is "serious and sensuous."
Promoting stereotypes
On the charges of promoting stereotypes through films like "Bride and Prejudice" and "Bend it Like Beckham" in the name of feeling for the Diaspora, Gurinder says, "It is a case of how you look at the cup. Some critics found `Bride and Prejudice' too Bollywoodish but the Western audience felt elated at the sight of a classic tale of literature told in a Bollywood format. Similarly through `Bend It... ' we put the an Indian girl as the central character of a British film for the first time."
However, her films are said to portray India from the point of view of people who left India for greener pastures in the 1960s and 70s clutching on to the memories of arranged marriage and red-tapism, oblivious to India of 2005.
Gurinder reiterates, "The difference is you look at the subject as an Indian while I look at it as a lady of an Indian origin who is a British citizen. Our subjects are as topical to an Indian in Britain as a Kenyan or Mexican for that matter. These are not the U.S. or U.K.-centric subjects." Agrees Paul who is a Japanese-American, "This is a small world and we are citizens of the world. Our films including `Mistress of Spice' give an insight on where people of different identities blend and where they influence each other."
She refuses to call "Mistress... " as a "Bollywood" film despite the insistence of Sanjeev Bijli of PVR Pictures, who will be distributing the film in India.
"I guess with the rise of multiplexes we have reached a situation where both the thought provoking and masala cinema can be commercially viable." Thought provoking? Yes, this is one of the reasons that Gurinder stayed away from the director's chair this time. "I am more at ease with fun, football, shutball kind of subjects. `Mistress... ' is a subject, which suits Paul's personality. He is an intelligent and sensitive person."
However, she has her way. The film, where according to Paul the music emanates from the spices, Gurinder has managed to put one Bally Sagoo number!
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
