Scripting success

Nonika Singh in Goa

In real life he might need an interpreter to transcribe his thoughts, but Oscar-nominated Iranian director Majid Majidi’s cinema speaks across to the world in an inimitable language that is as much his own as incredibly expressive. Any wonder when he makes a film in Hindi titled Beyond the Clouds, which also happens to be the opening film at International Film Festival of India, Goa, the curiosity goes many notches up and matches the unqualified appreciation. A film that delves deep into the underbelly of Mumbai and yet drives home the message of optimism and hope brings to us that part of Indian life, which perhaps many of us are not even aware of. 

Not surprising he claims to know the city of dreams better than us, a city that he visited several times before zeroing down on the right locations. “Location,” he avers, “are like a character in my films and can’t be compromised with.” To those who deem that he might have tailored his signature style of subtlety and introduced a bit of melodrama and heightened emotions to cater to Indian audiences, he couldn’t quite agree. 

“Like all my films, Beyond the Clouds is about triumph of human relationships and family values.” And like always, he preferred to cast debutant actors such as Ishaan Khattar, as roping-in superstars like Deepika Padukone is an impossible task in Mumbai. He has nothing against Bollywood but  wishes the people in India, especially the media, would support new voices and talent ready to innovate. 

India connect

The fact that many in India have grown up idolizing him and his films such as Children of Heaven is a great honour for him as well as an added responsibility. He himself has been an ardent admirer of the legendary Satyajit Ray and always wanted to make a film in India “the land of stories culture and mysteries.” Why he chose to recount the sufferings of those on the margins and not some empowered female characters? He says, “For I wanted to highlight a social problem and how women and children suffer most at the hands of it.” 

Since the multilayered film also underlines how people bond in the most unusual circumstances, how they forge new relationships even when pushed against the wall, how suffering becomes a cementing tie, the narrative, he insists, isn’t defeatist. He quips, “My protagonists are fighters.” If you are wondering if language was a barrier, especially while working with music maestro AR Rahman, he says, “Rahman is very special and artistes like him rise to the demands of the challenge when put into new situations.”

Keen eye

The director, who never begins writing till he gets into the skin of his subject completely, brings to us characters that get under our skin and can’t be shaken off easily. Actors too can feel the pressure of playing such intense parts and Malavika Mohanan  is grateful to Majidi for taking her to the depths of acting. For Ishaan Khattar, the kid brother of popular star Shahid Kapoor, saying yes to Majidi was a no-brainer and a perfect start to his career.

Meanwhile, Majidi’s affair with India is not ending anytime soon. Indian producers inform another project is in the offing for which shooting has already begun. Majidi’s belief, “India and Iran share much in common, cultural affinities in particular” is not surface level but runs deep, like his cinema.

[email protected]

When Sridevi came calling

It was a section that had cast its shadow over IFFI even before it began. The Indian Panorama section had grabbed headlines more for its controversial deletion of two films, S Durga and Nude, than its fine selection. On Tuesday morning, its inaugural function too created a buzz. And the reason for the packed auditorium and palpable enthusiasm was not the opening, where non-feature film Pushkar Puran and feature film Pihu were to be screened, but the guest of honour — Sridevi. Looking rather resplendent in a black ensemble and defying her biological age, she cut a lovely picture and gave away mementoes to jury members. Since three jury members, including the chairman Sujoy Ghosh had already resigned as a mark of protest, this was a tricky moment for IFFI organisers. But known filmmaker Rahul Rawail whom Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani had dubbed “anti-establishment” on the opening day saved the day for the government. He stepped in as the acting-chairman of the jury for the Indian Panorama. However, the chairman of the non-feature jury Sudhir Mishra created much noise and openly expressed his reservations about the government-organised festival.