At times something read or seen leaves a permanent imprint on the mind manifesting itself years later in a creative endeavour – a story or poem or painting. In case of Norway-based, Rattan Mann, who taught physics and mathematics, it made him write a script and become a filmmaker.
“In 1968, deeply interested in Buddhism, I used to read a lot of books on the religion. In one such book, I came across a single sentence stating that an Indian clerk in Calcutta named Sukh Nain Singh was sent to the Potala Palace to steal valuable Tibetan scriptures by the British.” That one line never left Mann. “So fascinated I was that 10 years hence I readied a film script woven around that even though I could not set my eyes on anything else pertaining on the man.” When his efforts to persuade people to make a film on the subject failed he decided to make one on his own – The Buddhist Monk – which will go online on August 12.
Keeping in mind that there was no oral or documented material available, Mann gave the story hinging on theft of scrolls a romantic twist. It depicts Singh, an educated man moving to the city to get his sick wife Aruna treated and find a job to commensurate with his qualifications. The journey is eventful and tragic as the couple loses their belongings but refuse to give up. Urban life brings its own set of problems forcing Singh to beg and lie, something which he had promised his wife never to. Finding a job, they settled down but then Singh’s expertise in Buddhism is noted by the British who force him to go to Tibet to steal the scrolls, making him break his last promise to Aruna. “This aspect underlies the dilemma faced by people of choosing between convictions and the limited choices offered by circumstances,” explains Mann.
On why he gave a romantic angle to the story which could have turned into a thriller, Mann is upfront. “I am a romantic and not being inclined to show either violence or adventure I made love as the base for the tale. Moreover, the entire script is the figment of my imagination which germinated from that one line I read years ago, giving me tremendous leeway,” he says with a twinkle in his eyes.
The trailer of the film gives a hint to Mann’s leaning to aesthetics as shots and songs sequences have been filmed at beautiful locales. For the Tibetan part of the movie, he has shot at Thiskey Monastery in Leh. “Known as mini Potala Palace, it resemblances the actual one in Lhasa. That way I count myself as fortunate.”
Justifying the use of songs in the two-hour duration film, the director explains that the four – two in Hindi and one each in Bhojpuri and Ladakhi – justify their inclusion. “Is there a rule that a good and an artistic film should be boring and devoid of songs and music? Great filmmakers like Bimal Roy, Guru Dutt and Raj Kapoor used songs with a telling effect. I included them to enhance the story telling experience.”
But why Bhojpuri and Ladakhi? “The person who gives lift to the couple speaks Bhojpuri while Ladakhi song hints at Singh’s arrival in Leh.”
As a first timer, Mann faced an uphill task behind the camera. Starting from scratch, he read everything related to cameras, filming and post-production. “It was a great learning experience.”
While giving himself a chance, Mann was game to extend the same to his actors. He has given Shantanu Arora and Madhu Kandhari their first chance to play lead roles in the film. “Their emoting, especially their facial expressions are excellent. Being fond of close-ups I decided to opt for them.”
Keeping his fingers crossed about the response to his film, Mann hopes to draw eyeballs through the content and acting skills of his cast. He is anyway ready with the new script for his next film based on cricket.
