Sensitive issue

Mona

The road he has taken is less travelled...but he doesn’t complain. The independent film director, Onir, who has earned fame and now is doing his tenth film in a short span of six years, looks at difficulties as challenges.

“When I see people stuck in nine-to-five jobs, in which they have no interest, I consider myself fortunate that at least I am doing what I love,” opens up Onir in Chandigarh over the weekend.

Known for films like My Brother…Nikhil, Bas Ek Pal, Sorry Bhai and I Am, Onir took to cinema while growing up in Thimpu, Bhutan. Trained in Germany in the technological aspects of film-making, Onir started with sensitive portrayal of issues that our society usually ignores and won admirers world over in the process.

Onir gives credit to his mother for his success. “Cinema is a very powerful medium. Even in a remote place like Thimpu, they showed films like Bhumika to school children. My mother dragged me to movies both commercial and from the likes of Shyam Benegal and Govind Nihalani whether I understood them or not. That really magnified my world view.”

If growing up amidst nature in Thimpu made him sensitive, exposure to world cinema broadened his mind. And his education in Berlin helped him master his techniques. “I got a chance to put all three to practice in Mumbai,” laughs Onir.

Films directed by him and produced under his banner, Anticlock Films, have got rave reviews in international festivals.

Are awards in his mind when he chooses a project? “Not really. With every project that I undertake I want to grow as a filmmaker, as a human being. It’s the story that must touch my soul,” answers Onir.

Seeing his films, one would expect Onir to be an intellectual douchebag throwing jargons. He is everything but that.

And, he is hoping that his film Shab that has intense relationships for a theme, would repeat the feat like his earlier films. Wrapping up the shooting for Shab, he already has plans to do a recce in Rajasthan for his next project Veda which is his take on Shakesperae’s Hamlet.

We can’t resist but ask—will we ever see him helming a masala, commercial entertainer? “I would rather want sensitive films to be a commercial success. I sure would like to reach out to more audience,” says Onir who has put mainstream elements like four songs by Mithun in his upcoming Shab.

With Shab, Onir introduces two new faces alongside Raveena Tandon who plays a diva again.

Through Anticlock Films, he is out to give chances to new directors. “Now that I am here to stay, I want to do my bit in helping fresh talents.”

If living his dream of making films is what Onir is enjoying the most, he is looking forward to making his family, friends proud through his work. On the personal front, he hopes that our society stops discriminating against LGBT community, “I hope in my lifetime, I would see that one country like ours that’s truly democratic, grants the rights of the LGBT community too.”

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