Despite the fact that India has one of the largest share of young population, the number of films made for children is still dismal. So there was relief when one saw children lining up for Village Rockstars , the opening film at the ongoing Smile International Film Festival for Children & Youth which is hosting some of the best of cinema for children from around the world. “Children can dream, no matter which background they are from. A child’s imagination is vast and that is why I keep learning from children I work with,” says Rima Das, the director of the much-acclaimed film, who was in the Capital for the screening.
With picturesque visuals of the vast expanse of green fields to the scenic mountains of the north east, the film revolves around Dhunu (played by Bhanita Das), a young spirited girl from a poor family and her local band that plays with fake music instruments and dreams to own a real guitar. It celebrates the life of people who despite living in deprivation and facing natural calamities choose to move on and celebrate their life against all odds. “ Village Rockstars was the apt title as Dhunu has the spirit of a rock star who not only plays music but also has a certain kind of lifestyle that celebrates life,” reflects Rima.
Universal connect
Although, she says, she did plan to make it only for children and does not want it to be boxed in children's film category, but it does address emotions with which children can engage as much as audience in other age groups can. “Like children in the film, I too did not have any reservations about playing with children as I was as free both in spirit and imagination.” That is what childhood is all about,” recollects Rima.
The film does not chronicle her own events in life, yet she asserts, many elements of her own life as a child may have been crept into the character. “Such as my experience of living in a village stayed with me and that has reflected in the protagonist. During the making, which was almost four years, my memories of my childhood used to keep reappearing and I used to see my childhood coming back while working with the children. It was not biographical but I relate a lot with the main protagonist as I too love to climb trees and used to hang out with boys. Though it is not forbidden in a village to climb trees, it is not a common sight either,” remembers Rima who grew up at Choigaon in Assam. “I do not consider these kids from another community. Though we are from different economic background, we share the same ethos of the middle class and I can totally relate to them.”
Working independently
Rima says the story took its own charge as her whole focus was on writing a good story and that she never thought of choosing a girl as a protagonist to give out a message. “My first film, Man with the Binoculars: Antardrishti, was about a man, a retired geography teacher and that film came into my mind because of a pair of binoculars that I saw at my friend’s place. It is not about gender but is all about giving flight to imagination,” she explains.
She shot the film independently with non-actors from the village itself as she could not afford a crew in a remote village but that did not stop her from achieving her vision. Though, in a way, it helped her working without any external pressure from a producer. “As I was in my village, no one stopped me from doing what I wanted to . Though I was doing several tasks, including sound, I was a director first . I did all the other things because I did not have any option,” laughs Rima. Being a woman does not stop her from chasing her dream, but she does want herself to be known as a female filmmaker. “I want to be known as a good filmmaker. It is not only men but also women who stop women from scaling new heights. Women should learn to take responsibility first and then blame men. We both have to work together to make a better society,” she sums up.
