NEWSMAKERS
Acting on instinct
RONITA TORCATO
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Fresh from the success of her directorial debut, actor Nandita Das talks about her roles, films and future plans.
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Photo: S. Subramanium
Just back from rubbing shoulders with the likes of Hollywood director Oliver Stone, dusky beauty Nandita Das is gung ho about her directorial debut “Firaaq”, which won a special prize at the 49th Thessaloniki Film Festival in Greece as we
ll as acclaim at film festivals in Pusan (Korea), Vancouver and Toronto (Canada), and Telluride (US). Based on the infamous 2002 Godhra riots in Gujarat, the film is set for release early next year. Excerpts from an interview:
On Nandita
It’s always tough to define oneself. I am impulsive, restless, emotional, expressive and enjoy doing different things, optimistic, workaholic, love travel, food, people and music. I grew up with sensitive parents who encouraged me and my brother to question things and react to things with honesty and courage.
Even though my parents were not well versed with the political isms, they instinctively believed in equality and inclusiveness. My father would say, “Learn music, not to become a singer; or to paint not to become a painter, but to have a more holistic life.” There was never any pressure to prove, to come first, and the emphasis was always on the joy of learning and trying out new things. Maybe that is why both of us were good students and always enjoyed doing a variety of things.
On her choice of roles
I instinctively move towards projects I can relate to, that resonate with my interests, concerns and dilemma. Some films didn’t turn out the way I had imagined. But I am happy that at least I made those choices for honest reasons. What I look for is a good script, a director who can translate that into an interesting cinematic experience and a role that is layered and believable.
Often, all these things don’t come together and, as I live in Delhi, and relate to a certain kind of cinema, the choices get further limited. But then no pain, no gain! What I have gained through the choices I have made is lot more sanity, an engagement with the realities of the world and freedom to do various other things.
On the craft of acting
I am not a method actor and as I am not trained in acting, I just do what feels right in the moment and know very little of the theory. When I read the script, I reflect on the different aspects of it. But when I am actually performing, I work with my instinct and don’t intellectualise too much. It is difficult enough to remain in character during the shot with 50 people watching, the mike and lighting to worry about and the disjointed nature of shooting itself.
So, I try to fully focus and be in character between action and cut. But thereafter I am usually out of it, unless it is a very intense shot, which has happened a few times. With more takes, it gets stilted and boring, but sometimes there can be a technical snag or the co-actor needs another take or for many other reasons one might have to do more takes, in which case the challenge is to keep the spontaneity alive and make it real. It’s difficult, but not impossible!
I feel too many rehearsals kills spontaneity. But in some scenes one needs to for technical or practical reasons. For instance when I did the shot of walking in the desert, with two pots of water on my head and that too with the camera jib moving, then for sure you have to do a few rehearsals to get it all right! But most intense scenes are usually done without rehearsals so that one can keep all the energy and emotions for the final take
On archetypes and stereotypes
Characters that symbolically embody universal meanings and basic human experiences, regardless of when or where they are from, are archetypes. They evoke startlingly similar feelings in the viewer and the filmmaker. Archetypal images and ideas reside in the unconscious level of the mind and form the substance of the collective unconscious.
Whereas oversimplification of such a type is stereotype, for example, many people just say blondes are dumb merely because they’ve heard it a million times before. Stereotypes can instigate prejudice and false assumptions about entire groups of people. We all have a certain archetype, whereas we don’t want to be stereotyped.
On working with Mehreen Jabbar, director of “Ramchand Pakistani”
I have known Mehreen Jabbar since the first Kara Film Festival in Karachi where my film “Bawander” was screened in 2000. A few years ago I was travelling to the U.S. and we ended up doing a short film together in NYC.
So when she offered me “Ramchand Pakistani”, I said yes, for her and for the subject she was dealing with. For me, it was an extension of the Indo- Pak peace initiative work that I have been doing.
On her debut directorial venture “Firaaq”
“Firaaq” in Urdu means both separation and quest. It is an ensemble film, set a month after a communal carnage, where stories unfold over a period of 24 hours. The film traces the emotional journeys of ordinary people; some were victims, some perpetrators and some who chose to watch silently.
The structure allowed us to represent diverse experiences and emotions across class, gender, religion and community. I have had the opportunity to work with an amazing cast: Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Deepti Naval Sanjay Suri, Shahana Goswami and many other wonderful actors. The film has had an overwhelming response from people across the world and I am looking forward to its release in India, at the end of January.
On her future plans
I have begun reading a few scripts, talking to a couple of directors who have approached me. As you might have already heard, I will be working with Deepa Mehta again in “Midnights’ Children”. And we might be doing another film together before that. My advocacy work has carried on, but I will get back to it more intensely after February. But first, after the release, I want to take a short break to recoup my energies, read books and catch up on sleep!
Photo: S. Subramanium
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