FACE TO FACE
Play to the gallery
Dubey (centre) in "Breathe In, Breathe Out" with Suchitra Pillai (left) and Shernaz Patel (right) ... engaging people with plays.
IN a career spanning three decades, Lillete Dubey's oeuvre has ranged from being theatre artiste and director to television and Bollywood actress and now feature filmmaker.
She has played the lead in theatrical work spanning Shakespeare, Greek tragedy, musical comedies, farce and Absurd theatre to contemporary drama. As producer and Artistic Director of her own theatre outfit The Primetime Theatre Company - floated to promote original Indian writing - she has directed 20 plays.
S.R. RAGHUNATHAN
From theatre to television and now films.
Three of these have won the Sahitya Kala Parishad Award for Best Play Of The Year while the other productions have played at the Bloomsbury Theatre and Watermans in London, at The Tribecca in New York, The Portland International Performance Festival in the U.S., the Actor's Studio in Kuala Lumpur, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland as well as Singapore, Colombo, Dubai and most major cities of the U.S.
The actress has also done TV serials and Hindi films of which "Gadar", "Pinjar", "Zubeida", Baghbaan", "Kal Ho Na Ho", "Chalte-Chalte" and "Monsoon Wedding" have won wide acclaim with "Monsoon Wedding" having bagged the Best Picture Golden Lion in Venice in 2000.
Dubey will be directing her first Hindi film next year. In the capital recently with her 20th directorial offering - "Zen Katha" - a play that deals with the provenance of Zen Buddhism, Lillete spoke to NEETA LAL about her work, contemporary Indian cinema, the role of theatre in society and Indian women directors who "have ushered in a whole new sensibility in films".
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These are dynamic times for contemporary Indian cinema.
Yes. This a very exciting phase for Indian cinema, particularly Hindi films. It is undergoing a metamorphosis and trying to offer something new to the audience, a sensibility they can relate to. This is also a time for great experimentation.
Filmmakers are consciously trying to move away from clichéd and formulaic offerings to explore a whole new canvas — of relationships, of issues, current affairs, political themes, animation, you name it. Also, by and large, filmmakers are dissociating themselves from the cinema of the 1970s and the 1980s — which was largely escapist — to tackle subjects that are moored in reality.
Interestingly, to aid this attempt, we have this whole new ancillary industry, which has sprung up to create a "look", a backdrop for the film.
What do you think about the profile of the current crop of Indian women directors?
A. I think they are doing marvellous work. The likes of Aparna Sen, Revathy, Tanuja Chandra, Farah Khan have ushered in a whole new sensibility in Indian films and it has enriched cinema.
I feel women directors bring a refreshingly emotional approach to films, which strikes a chord with the masses. They try to tell a story with their heart and have no ulterior commercial agendas, which reflects well in their work.
When you see subjects and issues through a humane, emotional prism, it helps in getting your message across better and to a wider audience.
What do you have to say about the portrayal of women in Indian cinema today? There's so much of sex and nudity.
Well, to each his own. I wouldn't sermonise on what's good and bad but if I was doing a heroine's character today, rather than expose my body, I'd cover it from head to toe just to be different and evolve my own USP! But I see this as a transitory phase. Just because the audience want sexual titillation, the films are providing it. The moment these films bomb at the box-office, filmmakers will do a volte-face and look at things afresh.
But at the same time, I'd like to re-iterate that, unlike in the West, where films are made with mature women as protagonists, where is the scope in India? After a certain age, you're either somebody's bhaabi or mother. You have to tread the beaten path.
I was discussing this with Shahrukh Khan during the making of "Kal Ho Na Ho" and he said "Where are different roles for Indian heroes, for that matter? We're either action men or lover boys!" And this is true. But thankfully things are changing now.
In today's fast-paced world, what role does a relatively slow entertainer like theatre have to play?
Well, theatre may not be "fast-paced" but it still has a large audience for it. Also, there is definitely a growing body of people who have a desire to see live entertainment — be it theatre, shows, musicals. It is a popular staple fare of entertainment. It can also be used as an instrument of change. If employed effectively, it can tackle serious issues — AIDS, child abuse, social ills — in a non-preachy manner and educate the masses. And its effect is immediate, unlike in films where the message takes time to get delivered to the audience. So it achieves a kind of a double whammy.
As a performer, which medium do you prefer — cinema or theatre?
Well, I certainly enjoy doing theatre more. It gives me a buzz, stretches me as an individual and offers me tremendous scope for artistic growth. Cinema, on the other hand, is not so multi-dimensional, at least not for me. Also, because I stepped into Indian cinema only five years ago with Shyam Benegal's "Zubeida", it's still a new medium for me.
Theatre, on the other hand, has become a habit. It helps me make people think anew, in bringing about awareness and social reform. Also, as a theatre director, I make sure that my work is revelatory, has something new to offer and sets the audience thinking.
Most importantly, my plays have to "engage" people. Because once you have a captive audience, then it's a cakewalk to get your message across. For instance, this play that I'm directing now ("Zen Katha") deals with the origin of Bodhi Dharma, the efflorescence of Zen Buddhism. Its theme may be Oriental but it conveys a universal message — of peace and humanity. Also, to universalise its message and sufficiently engage my audience, I had to package it aesthetically with lighting, costumes, dialogue. The play had to be visually appealing and dramatic without diffusing the sub-text. And therein lies the ingenuity of the director and his knowledge of the craft.
Which films are you working in now?
Well, I'm working a lot with the current crop of so-called "realistic" filmmakers. So there's Bapaditya Roy's thriller drama "Sau Jhoot, Ek Sach" with Mamooty and Vikram Gokhle. There's Anjan Dutt's English film, "Bow Barracks Forever", Harry Baweja's untitled film with Ajay Devgan and Sushmita Sen and Mahesh Dattani's "Morning Raga" with Shabana Azmi and Perizaad Zorabian.
Then there are a couple of international projects, including "When Harry Tries To Marry", directed by Indian filmmakers, for which I'll be shooting mostly in the U.S. I'm also involved in a film produced by the Sahara group shot in Amby Valley.
Tell us about the film you'll be directing next year.
Winning acclaim with "Monsoon Wedding".
It's going to be a full-length feature film in Hindi, as yet untitled for which I'm casting right now. Well-known playwright Mahesh Dattani scripted it. It revolves around three women and is about relationships at various levels — between guru and shishya, two lovers, siblings, parents and friends. Everything is still being worked upon but my daughter Neha will play one of the main characters here.
But one thing is for sure, while making the film, more than commercial success what'll be more important for me will be integrity of intent. The film may not gross crores at the box office but I'll be content if it conveys my sincerity of purpose.
Because once you have that as a priority, you create cinema that can never fail.
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