Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
A thousand desires...
|
Sudhir Mishra speaks on his dream venture, `Hazaron Khwahishain Aisi'
|
FILMS LIKE Dhoop, Jago and Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin may be dealing with serious issues concerning Indian society, yet these find few takers among the audience. But that does not wilt the spirits of the likes of Sudhir Mishra who, to get their message across, find alternative ways of screening their film for the right audience, without brooding.
Mishra's Hazaron Khwahishain Aisi is one such film, which not only found rave responses at the IFFI but was also selected for screening at the last Berlin Film Festival. The "overwhelming response to the film" has created a tremor among Indian theatres lovers too. Hence the film, which was in the cans for approximately two years, will be screened in Indian theatres in the "early next year", informs Mishra.
Hazaron... is all about "Sufiana idea of love against the backdrop of political turmoil, though many are trying to see only politics into it," says Mishra who clarifies that the film is a tale of friendship and projects the inherent quality of a woman; that is her capacity to love even the weak person who did not stand for her at a time when she needed him most and yet she, in true humility, bestow love on him when he needs it the most.
Though apparently, the film is a love story between a college-going girl who falls in love with a boy who refuses to marry her. She drifts apart and marries someone else. Some time later, when she sees her old flame in trouble, she provides him with all needed compassion.
The film is set in 1971 political turmoil in India. What makes the film more important is that it demolishes the frivolous exhibition of "Indianised love" before the Western audience who take it as the country's representative idea of love, "though my own country people might find idea of love in Hazaron Westernised," Mishra makes no secret of his apprehension.
"Unfortunately, the idea of love as spread by Bollywood is very dangerous to the society. It only treats love as a passion between two school-going kids. Love is also what Kabir, Bulle Shah and Ghalib talked about. And that's why the title of my film is not accidental, but intended," says Mishra who has derived the title from one of Mirza Ghalib's ghazals.
But Mishra does not blame audience entirely for a restricted view. "It is the fault of the Indian Government which treats cinema as a cash counter. If I make a film for Rs.10 crore, half of it goes to the Government. With small-budget films, Government earns very little and that's why they are interested in films that cater to the lowest common denominator. Such idea of charging tax is derived from the British. While films here are a State phenomenon. See West Bengal and South Indian cinema, they don't apply this methodology of tax and that's why their small-budget regional films also do so well," moans Mishra.
Mishra's next films are again different. One is a street musical on singing talent hunt and another is a black comedy on the British and the nawabs, both with Zee.
RANA SIDDIQUI
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
|
