Presenting a theme to perfection is creative art

"Art can be a tool for social change of political awareness. While art doesn’t create revolutions, it impacts thought processes, responses and attitudes in a sub-conscious way. And often this has a lasting impacting in making us who we are."
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By Nilantha Ilangamuwa –New Delhi

(March 30, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Guardian) “During my visits to Sri Lanka, which have always been memorable, I have always felt deeply saddened by the situation,” Nandita Das, award-winning Indian independent film actress and filmmaker, said on present situation in Sri Lanka in an exclusive interview with Sri Lanka Guardian.

Nandita Das was born in New Delhi. Her father was the celebrated Indian painter, Jatin Das, originally from Orissa, and her mother was a writer, Varsha Das.

As an actress, Nandita is known for her critically acclaimed performances in Fire (1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000) and Aamaar Bhuvan (2002). As a director, she is known for her directorial debut Firaaq (2008), which has won a number of national and international awards.

According to Nandita, “I think no violence can be justified and I hope the sane voices there are heard and the innocents don’t continue to suffer.”

We discussed several issues on her life as artists who are involved with social issues. “Art can be a tool for social change of political awareness,” she has pointed out when I asked is art a tool of politics?

Here are excerpts from an interview with her:

Q. As a director, Nandita Das is known for her directorial debut Firaaq (2008), which has won a number of national and international awards. Why do you think Firaaq has been gathering so much adulation?

Das: During my many travels and interactions around the world, I have sensed a collective desire to understand the complex and violent world we inhabit and a palpable need for peace. I think Firaaq reflects that spirit and therefore touches the hearts and minds of those who have watched it.

Human emotions are universal and I see that with the kind of feedback I have got in different parts of the world. Across the board people have been able to empathize with the journeys of the characters. While the film has made the audiences aware of the context of the film they are also able to relate it to their own experiences. After every screening I had people wanting to engage, share their stories and ask a hundred questions.

People of all race, community, age and nationality have had similar responses, and so I feel it resonates at a very basic human level. At the end of the day, Firaaq is a human interest film, about the impact of violence on our lives and relationships. But there is hardly any violence in the film and yet you feel fear, tension, prejudice…the lingering effects of violence. It explores the fierce and delicate emotions of fear, anxiety, prejudice and ambivalence in human relationships during such times. And this reflects the situation around the world.

Q What is it that inspired Nandita to move beyond the space in front of the camera to the one behind it?

Das: As an actor, it was always exciting to watch the rest of crew work towards shaping up a scene. Often I would get involved with suggestions or just observe the whole process. Slowly the desire to tell stories, the way I wanted to, started growing stronger. So I thought maybe making a film and going through all its phases and having the space and freedom to tell one’s own story would be more satisfying.

But I didn’t think Firaaq would be my first film. Firaaq was born differently. It had to do with waking up to newspapers with stories full of violence; having conversations about religion and identity and soon finding oneself in a polarized 'them and us' debate; meeting many who were victims, and many more who remained silent ...Firaaq is a reaction to all that and more.. It is an expression of all the helplessness, anguish, anger, frustration, and the fluctuating optimism I have felt over the years. I think what happened in Gujarat was deeply disturbing and I started engaging with the issue of communalism in a much deeper way. For me, making the film has been a cathartic experience.

I didn’t think Firaaq would be my first film. Firaaq was born differently. It had to do with waking up to newspapers with stories full of violence; having conversations about religion and identity and soon finding oneself in a polarized 'them and us' debate; meeting many who were victims, and many more who remained silent ...Firaaq is a reaction to all that and more.

Q How did Nandita go about casting her film?

Das. While writing the script, I had mentally started casting. Although I was not lucky enough to get all of them, the four I did were precious- Naseeruddin Shah, Paresh Rawal, Raghubir Yadav and Deepti Naval. I got to experience a diverse range of talent as I searched for my characters; and finally an incredible cast came together. In addition to the four gems we have Sanjay Suri, Tisca Chopra, Shahana Goswami and Nowaz, and each one of them is no less. But the most challenging casting was for Mohsin, a six-year-old child in the film. I looked at many children in about ten schools and finally found Mohamed Samad. His eyes are full of wonderment, innocence, intelligence and resilience and that makes him a perfect Mohsin.

Q: How exciting was the transition from an actor to a director?

Das: For me, in many ways acting to directing was a natural progression. But directing is far more consuming and obviously very different from acting, as it challenges every aspect of one’s personality. The journey of making Firaaq has pushed my boundaries and by this I don’t mean only creatively.

As an actor one doesn’t realize how much more goes into a film than just the shoot. Also having gone through this experience I feel, a film is not the sum total of its parts. Directing entails making choices and decisions at every step and taking responsibility for all its aspects. There are 100 odd people who work on the shoot and as a director, you become like a parent! Also the post production has many technicalities and learning all of that on the job, was both challenging and exciting. However being an actor myself definitely helped my interactions with the actors in the way one could communicate to them.

Q. Have you followed the conflict in Sri Lanka?

Das; It is very sad indeed that a country with such gentle people, those who respect nature, have had so much conflict and violence for so many years. During my visits to Sri Lanka, which have always been memorable, I have always felt deeply saddened by the situation. It is a global phenomenon that we are seeing where violence and identity politics are taking such dangerous roots. I think no violence can be justified and I hope the sane voices there are heard and the innocents don’t continue to suffer.

Q. Is art a tool of politics?

Das; Art can be a tool for social change of political awareness. While art doesn’t create revolutions, it impacts thought processes, responses and attitudes in a sub-conscious way. And often this has a lasting impacting in making us who we are. In fact that is the reason art often threatens fundamentalists and that is why they choose to attack it or indulge in cultural policing. Art can trigger a dialogue that can make an individual or a society grow. It raises questions that stirs the stagnancy and helps to move towards finding solutions.

Q. Peace is a challenge in the region as well for the whole world. As a director, how do you read the present situation?

Das; Yes, the whole world is in the siege of violence in the name of race, religion, language, caste or region. Till we don’t take the responsibility of engaging with what is happening and speak out for those who are suffering, things won’t change. Irrespective of our professions and other identities, we can’t think that it is happening far away and will not touch our lives. It will, and it has. So the way to peace is by questioning one’s own prejudices, reducing one’s own anger and being the change we want to see in the world, as Mahatma Gandhi said. Violenece can only be countered with empathy, compassion and love.

-Sri Lanka Guardian