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So says Manu...
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Director Manu Rewal looks at corruption from a comic perspective in his "Chai Pani."
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IN TIMES when reality is frequently finding its way to celluloid, director Manu Rewal has framed something, which has advertently become a way of life.
We are talking about corruption captured in its different hues by Manu in his acclaimed feature Chai Pani, etc., scheduled to release shortly. "It is not a serious take on corruption like Shyam Benegal's films of 1970s. Chai Pani looks at corruption from a comic perspective.
The title sums up the effect... situations where nepotism seems part of everyday life," says Manu.
Representing youth
At another level, Manu says the four lead characters are emblematic of today's youth. "The lead character Satya played by Zafar is a documentary filmmaker who is idealistic, not ready to compromise with the babudom. The film is basically about his coming of age. Then Konkona Sen is in double role. Both girls are fashion designers but completely different in attitude towards life. One wants to move out of India while the other wants to work for the uplift of traditional crafts. The fourth is Gaurav Kapoor, a worldly-wise character who could get things done. But none of the character is completely black or white. Each character has its share of strengths and weaknesses."
Documentary films
Satya's character seems pretty close to Manu. A product of Sorbonne and New York University, Manu started his career with documentary films. He hit headlines when his short fiction Hollywood Ki Pukar was premiered in Cannes 2002 in the Director's Fortnight section. Even Chai Pani also made it to the market section at Cannes.
Very much like Satya, he has also faced problems with the bureaucracy and censors, etc. "It is indeed close. As a whole, however, it is a fiction, which draws from the experiences of many acquaintances." Compare his emblems with Mani Ratnam's triplet in Yuva and Manu reflects, "I think mine are closer to real life. Here nobody kicks five men like Abhishek did in Yuva."
Shot in sync sound, the film managed to arrest attention at the International Film Festival in Goa and the Mumbai Film Festival. Manu still maintains his film is not just for festival circuit. "I got fabulous response from the young crowd. There was a capacity crowd in the cinemas with film's comic moments striking a note with the audience. I agree festival circuit films generally don't work with the mass audience. Here the case was different. This makes me optimistic about its box office prospects." Manu doesn't believe masses are naοve and don't understand the niceties. "When masses could understand the nuances of folk music, traditional theatre, I don't think they would miss the point said in a subtle way in Chai Pani... ."
Still Manu has faced problems in distributing the film and is releasing it himself. "The distributors don't attend festivals. Even if some show interest, they want it for free." Well, Manu formulaic has always been a way of life for Bollywood.
ANUJ KUMAR
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