Aparna Sen: The family............

Monday, July 13, 2009

The family............

Well-known Bengali filmmaker Aparna Sen teams up with her real life husband Kalyan Ray, a professor in the United States, in Annirudh Roy-Chowdhary’s second directorial venture “Antaheen”. Ray’s long-distance marriage with Aparna has been so satisfying that he didn’t hesitate for a minute in moving from academics to acting when she needed him to do so. “At first Kalyan was naturally very hesitant. He had never acted before. What would a man of letters have to do with the motion-picture camera? But Reenadi (Aparna) and I were convinced Kalyan was the perfect choice for her husband’s part,” the director says. “And my hunch was right.

Kalyan is awesome. The camera loves him. What a terrific screen presence he has,” he added. Kalyan plays his real-life wife’s estranged husband in the Bengali film “Antaheen” and has some splendid moments of drama with his seasoned co-star. It seems history is repeating itself. In 1984, Aparna had cast journalist Mukul Sharma, her then-husband, as the leading man in “Paroma”. Mukul, who had absolutely no experience in acting, played Rakhee Gulzar’s photo-journalist-lover in the movie. However, this time Aparna is on the same side of the camera as her husband.

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The acclaimed director Aparna Sen

Why is it that films by brilliant women directors from India are branded "alternative cinema", forcing them to art houses and film festivals, and outside the growing global market for Indian cinema? One is hard-pressed to come up with a Bollywood director of the feminine persuasion. Fortunately, we are now seeing growing popular appreciation for talented women film directors like Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta and Aparna Sen who are making quite an impact on the international scene with quality Indian cinema. Of this trio, Aparna Sen is unique in that she has grown out of the regional Indian film industry and is carrying on the traditions of greats such as Satyajit Ray and Adoor Gopalakrishnan.

From 36 Chowringhee Lane, an aching chronicle of the lonely life of Anglo-Indians growing old in modern Calcutta to the masterful Paromitar Ek Din, which garnered high praise at every film festival it has shown at, Aparna Sen has emerged as a sensitive and elegant film maker whose explorations of human relationships are unique in Indian cinema. Her films combine pathos and humor, and artistry in almost every frame, for which she has deservedly won major awards for direction. After a long acting career (in mostly commercial Bengali films), it was not surprising that Aparna Sen took to direction and fell completely in love with the vocation. She is the daughter of the acclaimed film critic Chidananda Das Gupta, who collaborated with the late great Satyajit Ray in nurturing and cultivating good cinema in India. Aparna Sen's pedigree and upbringing are truly reflected in the quality of her cinematic output.

My mother has been my biggest influence .........Konkona

Tell us something about your relationship with your mother Aparna Sen?

Of course we do share a special bond that words would fail to describe and I do think she is a great director. In fact I feel she is a better director but only so as she is a great actor and understands what the needs of her actors would be. She has been my biggest influence actually. I can't say concretely how she has helped, but it's the little things I absorb from her on a daily basis. In fact the director I am most comfortable with is my mother because she understands me really well and I trust her completely.

Interview Clips.................

Q: You're constantly travelling among three cities Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi. And now you're making a film that encompasses three languages?

A: Yes, 'The Japanese Wife' is in three languages. Now, I'm holding a workshop with my actors for the film. We start shooting end of March and finish in June. We want to shoot in Japan when the cherry blossom season starts.

Q: Sounds very interesting.

A: For the first time I'm filming someone else's story. He's an English-language author Kunal Basu, who writes from Oxford. 'The Japanese Wife' is his unpublished story. But I think Harper Collins will publish the story soon. I fell in love with the story and since the author admires my work, he agreed to let me film it. I can praise it since I haven't written it.

It's a haunting and improbable love story about a schoolteacher in Sundarbans, who becomes pen pals with an equally shy Japanese girl. Their letters to each other are endearingly wonky since they both speak and write an imperfect English.

Q: Your most romantic film to date and Rahul's most romantic film ever.

A: Yes, Rahul is so wonderfully attached to the project. After two earlier films, we share a very comfortable relationship. It's so difficult to make other actors in Mumbai believe in workshops and rehearsals. A multi-lingual project such as this requires actors who believe and surrender completely. Rahul fits the bill. We've a Japanese actress Chigasu Takaku playing the title role.

And I'm working with Moushumi Chatterjee for the first time as a director. We've done a couple of Bengali films together as co-stars. She's brilliant. See, 'The Japanese Wife' is also funny. And Moushumi is a natural at humour. She has wonderful comic timing. Even my daughter Konkona (Sen Sharma) is wonderful at comedy.

Q: It's amazing how Konkona has evolved as an actor.

A: Konkona has a rare gift as an actor. She doesn't let success go to her head. Acting is a lot of fun for her. She's doing everything right, going to the gym religiously even when she's too lazy to do so.

Do you know she almost had to give up 'Omkara'? She fell ill. She had this fever that just went on for months. We were so worried. It was just terrible. I asked Vishal Bharadwaj if he wanted to have another actress on stand-by. He refused. As a fellow filmmaker I knew that was impractical. But Vishal insisted.

Q: Who's producing 'The Japanese Wife'?

A: This is Sa Re Ga Ma film. I've joined Sa Re Ga Ma as the head of the Bengali division. I've always had a job outside cinema so that I don't have to compromise of my filmmaking. Sa Re Ga Ma wanted me for a long time. We've got some wonderful people on board. They've just completed a children's film by Ken Ghosh and now they're going on to 'The Japanese Wife'.

It's exciting to scout for new filmmaking talent. I'm most impressed by Birsa Dasgupta. He's truly original, neither derivative nor imitative. It's not enough to make good films. One has to lay the grounds down for the future. Some scripts that I don't feel like directing, I'd pass on to others.

Q: Would you allow Raima and Rahul to dub in Hindi?

A: Definitely. But in the original version if they can't get the Bengali accent right, I'll have to dub their voices. Ironically, Rahul, who speaks wonderful English, has to speak disastrous English in 'The Japanese Wife'. I've written some really funny-sounding lines for Rahul.

Q: But the dubbing by another voice takes away from the performance.

A: I don't think so. Look at Raima Sen in 'Chokher Bali' and Kirron Kher in 'Bariwali'. Although their lines were dubbed, their performances were very good. And I had personally dubbed for Debashree Roy in '36 Chowringhee Lane'. In fact, I think dubbing enhances the performances.

Q: When will you make a Hindi film?

A: May be soon, may be not. It isn't important. You know what really irritates me? Whenever we speak of mainstream film we immediately think of Hindi cinema. But India is a country of many equally important languages and cinema. I can make a Hindi film anytime. I've three Hindi scripts.

Even my proposed Bengali film 'The Jewellery Box' (featuring Govinda, Konkona, Soha Ali Khan and Sharmila Tagore) might have to be made in Hindi because it requires a big budget. I wouldn't have minded making 'The Japanese Wife' in Hindi. But which Hindi producer would invest in this?

In any case I'd like to think I have an audience regardless of the language. I don't think about it... but I do have my place and audience. As for the star system in Mumbai, I really don't have the time or patience. I don't need stars. But if they want to work with me, I'll welcome them.

Q: Govinda is dying for you to start 'The Jewellery Box'.

A: He'll have to hold his horses. First of all I haven't got the house I want to shoot in Kolkata. Secondly, Konkona is so busy, she kept asking me whether she should say no to other projects. At the moment I'm just glad to be doing 'The Japanese Wife'. I want to make one beautiful little film after another.

Q: Have you watched any recent Hindi films?

A: Yes, 'Guru'. I liked Aishwarya Rai very much and of course Abhishek Bachchan is someone I've always liked.

I really admire Bharadwaj for bringing literature into popular cinema. And he's a wonderful music director. I'd love to have him compose music for one of my films.

The routine manages all the tasks....Aparna Sen

I don’t think I have great time management skills. Nevertheless I will try to give you an idea of how I manage to cope with all I have to do.

Edit your life
To start with, I have tried to eliminate from my life anything that is not a priority. That has helped. I need a lot of time to just sit and think, listen to music, glean different kinds of experiences by visiting my parents and friends at Shantiniketan and so on. At one time, I would even wear a burkha and travel second class just to listen to the conversations of ordinary people!

What most people don’t seem to understand is that a writer-director can’t just switch on a tap for the writing to come forth! She needs to empty the hard disk of her mind from such junk as people asking for interviews, being invited to inaugurate such and such event, attend an unending series of parties. I am an artiste, not a corporate person and am therefore determined to lead my life like one, instead of getting into the corporate rat race!

Exercise a little healthy selfishness
If I do not prioritise and exercise a degree of ruthlessness in avoiding things I don’t want to do, I find myself getting dragged into doing hateful things just for reasons of politeness. For instance, I was once asked to inaugurate a cake shop!!!! Now, this I refuse to do! Nor do I like being asked to speak—particularly at a debate! That’s just something I don’t enjoy although I love listening to other people debating.

About Konkona and Ranbir............

Veteran actor Aparna Sen, who got the national award for her directorial debut '36 Chowringhee Lane' in 1982, believes that daughter Konkana Sen is a far better actress than her.

"She is a much talented actress than me. She keeps experimenting with her roles and does it with great intensity which makes her a versatile actor, says the actress, who has acted in around 40 films and directed around 10 movies.Sen, who made her acting debut at the age of 16 with legendary Satyajit Ray, says, "In my days there was a concept of formula films and the scope of experimentation with different characters was less. But now directors are coming up with brilliant ideas."The Bengali filmmaker, who is currently in the capital to attend the 10th Osian's Cinefan film festival was flooded with questions from reporters about Konkana's engagement with actor Ranbir Shorey.

"I am very happy for Ranbir and Konkana," she said. The actor, however, denied any knowledge as to when the couple are planning to get married. "I do not know. They haven't told me. I have never interfered in my daughter's life and have told them as to what they should do. I wish both of them happiness," says Sen.Ranbir Shorey, who was also present at the film festival, however, refused to talk about it. "I do not want to talk about my personal life," says Shorey.Konkana Sen won critical acclaim for her performances in films like 'Mr and Mrs Iyer','15 Park Avenue', 'Page-3', 'Omkara' and 'Life in a Metro'. Konkana and Ranbir last worked together in Madhur Bhandarkar's 'Traffic Signal', which won the National Award for Best Film.

With Raima....

Lately worked with Aparna sen, in her movie 'Japanese Wife'. Too real for comfort Expanding on the Aparna Sen directorial, she says, ‘‘I play a widow. It’s a sweet, improbable love story.’’ As in every Aparna Sen movie, the actors were required to participate in a 15-day mandatory workshop on the sets. ‘‘I really loved it,’’ says the 29-year-old actress. ‘‘In fact, to play this typical Indian housewife, she sent me to Konkana’s house in Mumbai where I learnt to mop floors, make beds, cut vegetables.’’ When I quiz her about Aparna Sen, said to be a hard taskmaster, Raima squeals, ‘‘Aparnadi is like family, I like her methodology. And especially for this role, it really helped me perform better.’’

The ex - Sananda Editor - Aparna sen

Aparna Sen as Jury in Asia Pacific Screen Awards 2008

Acclaimed Indian director and actress Aparna Sen has been nominated to the international jury for the second annual Asia Pacific Screen Awards (APSA), 2008, which will be announced Nov 11 at the popular Australian tourist destination Gold Coast.”I am very familiar with Aparna’s work and I am thrilled to have a filmmaker of her stature joining me on the Jury,” APSA Jury President, Oscar nominated director Bruce Beresford told IANS.The other members on the jury include American producer Richard Rothschild, whose production credits include “Tender Mercies” and “The Truman Show”, Chinese director and professor of the prestigious Beijing Film Academy Zheng Dongtian, and Hanna Lee, producer of the 2007 APSA Best Feature Film “Miryang” (Secret Sunshine), from the Republic of Korea.

The inaugural 2007 APSA jury was headed by acclaimed actress and activist Shabana Azmi. “The Jury’s task is formidable - they must determine winners from 33 films representing 17 countries of the Asia-Pacific region to have been nominated in this year’s APSAs,” Des Power, APSA Chairman, said.