A lways an adventurer, Shekhar Kapur's latest quest destination is spirituality. He has made a film, “Education—Blossoming of a Child”, which revolves around which talks about his conversations with his spiritual master — Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev of the Isha Foundation. It covers subjects such as “Miracle of Life”, “Guru – A Live Road Map”, “Education – Blossoming of a Child” and “Love – A Chemical Hijack”. In the film, Shekhar poses questions to his guru who is as forthcoming as ever in his replies. on the topics and Sadhguru was more than forthcoming to talk about it. Meanwhile, he keeps us thirsting for “Paani”. Excerpts from the interview:
Were you always spiritual?
My spiritual journey started when I was around 10 or 12. Those days, Delhi was not so polluted and the night sky was clear. Lying on a cot on the terrace, I would gaze at the starlit sky, which my father would describe as infinity. But then in school, my Physics teacher would demystify science, saying that all phenomena could be measured in finite terms. It is this conflict that later transformed into a quest to find answers.
Did you manage to find the answers?
No. Over the years I have realised that there can't be definite answers. It's like explaining the colour red to a blind person. One can only experience it. We live in an infinite universe but have to describe and measure it in finite terms for it to be ‘scientific'.
Ideas of infinity can only occur as mathematical possibilities with a constant, which is nothing but an assumption of the non-linearity of time. It could be proved but to a human mind , which believes in the linearity of time, eternity is comprehensible only in moments of faith and love.
Have you experienced it?
I call it entering a ‘zone'. It's not a trance because you are aware of what you are doing. Players like Sachin Tendulkar feel it. Some of the biggest comedians have told me they shift to a different stage while performing the same jokes. I have experienced it while listening to Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan — tears would flow from our eyes.
You don't look into a video monitor while shooting a scene?
Video assists have come only in the last decade or so. When I direct, I am not behind the camera… I am one with the creative energy of my actors. I always say direction is like living. It's about love, trust, faith….
You are making a film on mountaineer George Mallory.
It is still in the preliminary stage, but again the idea is to explore the man who became one with the mountain. “Paani” has been pending for far too long… I want to break free of the studio system and make this film independently, but it's not easy because it's a big-budget project.
Don't you think time is running out?
If the passion is there, age is not an issue.
You called “Paani” a fantasy some 10 years ago. Does it still belong to the same genre?
Yes, I described it as a fantasy 12 years ago when I saw someone taking a shower in a high rise, while the people in the nearby slum were lining up for a bucket of water. But today, a city at war for want of water is fast becoming a reality.
Have you signed Hrithik Roshan?
He is an ideal choice for the central role. He has an international face and I believe he has a strong female fan following across the world.
There is talk of a sequel to “Mr. India”…
Yes, Boney Kapoor has spoken to me. I will provide creative help but won't direct the film.
Have you outgrown Bollywood?
If you mean what 90 per cent of Bollywood is making, yes, I have outgrown it. But when I see films such as “Lagaan”, “Chak De” and “Lage Raho Munnabhai”, I want to be part of Bollywood.
Hollywood's studio system has its limitations…
The wave of independent cinema that we saw in the 60s and 70s which hooked people like me to the medium of cinema is no longer there. The director's voice is getting increasingly restricted by the commercial plot, but at the same time, one can't see something like “Inception” being attempted in India.
You dabbled in short films…
I like them because in this format you can say what you want to. Nobody asks after seeing a Picasso painting or listening to Mozart's music, ‘So, what was the story?' Short films provide this kind of independence and I am still open to them.
For a person of your calibre, you don't seem to have many films to your credit.
I am an adventurer. I pursue different passions; cinema is just one of them. But yes, when I look back I do feel I could have made some more films.
