Intrepid director
|
National award winner Rahul Dholakia on the making of ‘Parzania’. ZIYA US SALAM
|
Photo: S. Subramanium
Fearless expression: Rahul Dholakia.
He does not sell dreams. Not anymore. As filmmakers go, they don’t get more anonymous than Rahul Dholakia.
The first time he tread on the dream mill with “Kehta Hai Dil Baar Baar” a few summers ago, he learnt his lesson quickly. “I realised this is not what I had come to the film industry for”. The Paresh Rawal-Kim Sharma starrer sank without a trace. And Dholakia retreated into his own private zone.
Some introspection, a family tragedy, he was back. This time putting together “Parzania”, a moving story of a little Parsi boy who went missing in the Gujarat genocide. His film, aimed at helping the boy’s father, Dara, locate his still missing son, has now turned out to be Dholakia’s passport to lasting fame. Just the other day, the National Award fell into the lap of the director who has not made a film since “Parzania”.
A gesture of hope
Taking half a step out of the shadows, Dholakia, just recovering from a foot surgery, says, “I don’t think it is the greatest moment in my life since I started making ‘Parzania’, which itself took almost five years. It is a prestigious award that tells the world that an absolutely unknown person can come in here, make a film, and take it from there. It gives hope to all independent filmmakers that there is scope for sensible cinema. Money bags may not be lined up outside their homes but, if they do persevere, the reward does come.”
Then he remembers why he made the film. “I made it all for Dara. ‘Parzania’ is the story of his family’s struggle, the family with whom I flew kites days before the tragedy struck. If the boy were to return it would be a much, much greater reward.”
He takes a trip down memory lane as he recounts his hassles in making “Parzania”. First was the lack of funds. Then the trouble in shooting in Gujarat, which was even then in the grip of communal tension. Finally, nobody was ready to release the film. “I faced every conceivable trouble while making the film. It taught me so much. Right from funding to finding distributors to finding theatres… everything was difficult. Even the multiplexes did not give favourable show timings.” Dholakia may not always be in the news for his craft, but he is fearless in expression.
Isn’t it good that an English film — “Parzania”, for things beyond Dholakia’s control, had to be made in English — has got a favourable verdict?
“It is refreshing that an English film has got the award, but even here my actors are principally Hindi actors. People like Naseeruddin Shah and Sarika.” he admits, then adds, “You can only do what you are allowed to do. I had to make the film in English because of some market compulsions. So, there has been that identifiable factor at play. And we have still not managed a cinema release in Gujarat where it must be shown. At the award selection, we tend to get slanted one way or the other. We have that South lobby, that Calcutta lobby. Then Hindi cinema is always in the running for best actor, best actress.”
Hasn’t the same thing helped Sarika, the heroine of “Parzania” who has got the best actress award? “The fact that she is Sarika helps, no doubt. People say, what has she done in the past, and look what is she doing now! There is also that easy recall value with her, thanks to Hindi cinema.”
Dholakia believes that the time for regional cinema with all its permutations and combinations has come. “I would like to see a lot more regional cinema in the awards and at the international level. Globally, people tend to think of only four-five filmmakers. We need to get our filmmakers to a platform where they can address an international audience because they are doing what they believe in.”
Despite his mixed experience with multiplexes, which initially did not give “Parzania” convenient timings, he has hope. “Multiplexes have a smaller seating capacity. Better sound. Alternate cinema has limited appeal. Here 200 people can watch a film in a more personal atmosphere. Let’s face it, alternate cinema films are never going to play houseful in a 1000-seater. So the multiplexes give them a nice opportunity.”
If that is so, why isn’t Dholakia making more films, may be by signing contracts with the big studios which spin half a dozen films a year? “Filmmaking is not a child’s play,” he offers, then adds, “it is not a Maggie noodles things. Two minutes and ready…”
Next venture
Having “largely recovered” the investment on “Parzania”, Dholakia is planning his next film in Kashmir. Unfortunately even as he was doing the preliminary research for “Lamha”, the working title of his next film, his hero, Sanjay Dutt was sentenced to a six-year imprisonment. So, the film is likely to be long delayed. Dholakia of course is unflustered. It is familiar territory, you see.
The National Award might be this intrepid director’s but he is not basking in its glory. “The awards were announced last year. We will get them later this year. By the time the awards are finally presented, some of the joy evaporates. I just take the announcement as a vindication of my efforts. I spoke to Dara and family. They were happy. Nothing more. I am trying to show the film in Gujarat and trying to dub it into Hindi too. I have largely recovered the money invested into the film. But that is all. Thank you very much, let’s move on. I am not going to make ‘Parzania’ ever again. A film like that just happens. It is never made. The bits and pieces fell into place and everything worked out.”
Well, as far as bits and pieces are concerned, they don’t get any better! And you may not be able to put a price on honesty, as Dholakia has ably proved; you can still put a prize to it. A prize called the National Award.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Magazine
