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The King of ANGST
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Fiercely protective about Tamil culture, Thankar Bachan tells SUBHA J RAO that the distance between the characters on screen and the people in the audience must blur
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THANKAR BACHAN makes realistic (read, serious) films steeped in Tamil culture. So, he must be a real serious person, right? Walk in expecting to meet a `serious' filmmaker who will in all probability talk down to you, and the cinematographer-turned-director will surely disappoint.
Extremely friendly, he answers all your questions with amazing earnestness. And, when you talk to him about his passion for movies, his eyes light up and Bachan animatedly talks about his concept of creativity. "Usually, there is a difference between the characters you see on screen and the people in the theatre. But, in my films the audience enter the screen, because they are the backdrop of my story," he says, sitting in the spacious lounge of The Residency. The director was in town for a seminar organised by the Rathinam College of Arts and Science.
Globalisation apart, a true artiste must first think about his inam (race), language and people, he feels. "Look at Adoor (Gopalakrishnan), Mrinal Sen, Kasparov or Ray (Satyajit). All of them won international acclaim making soil-based movies. They evolved an identity of their own."
Bachan's love for his soil is something that comes across in every movie. He recalls what a representative of the Montreal Film Festival said after watching Thendral, his latest release, while shortlisting entries: "The person initially asked me why I made the film. But, after watching all the movies in the race, I was told that Thendral was the only movie with cultural identity, which had `road people' and realistic locations and did away with the studio system.
All three movies of Bachan have had haunting music by `Maestro' Illayaraja. The director says Illayaraja's Tamizhisai suits the mood of his films and lingers for long in the minds of listeners.
The director's dislike for the star system comes across strongly during the conversation. At a time when pandering to the stars has almost become the norm, is being different not difficult? "It is. When you go against an established system, one has to face trouble," he admits.
Thendral, that moving film which showcased human dignity, did not do well at the box office. How much that did rankle? "I was very disappointed with the Tamil audience... they must develop sensitivity and sensibility."
Azhagi, his first film, introduced Nandita Das (who lived the role of Dhanalakshmi) to the Tamil audience. How did he zero in on the Delhi-based activist-actress? "I wrote the short story (that was the basis for the movie) in 1983. I was shooting an anti-plastic rally in Delhi in 1997 when I first saw her and thought her perfect for the role of Dhanalakshmi. Soon, I forgot all about it. Years later, I saw her in a photograph with Shabana Azmi (Fire) in a film magazine. She was initially hesitant to accept Azhagi, but what a good job she did. She is a thinking actress who would hover around the sets even after her scenes were canned. Hers is method acting."
In all three movies - Azhagi, Solla Maranda Kadhai (SMK) and Thendral - he has cast fellow directors in the lead role. Was it difficult directing them?
"Both Cheran (SMK) and Parthiban felt the films were directors' movies and did what I wanted them to," he states.
Parthiban's character in Thendral was revolutionary, but did it not condone certain things?
"That is how Nalankili (the character) was. Some literary magazines felt Thamarai (the protagonist) was too accepting and that she should have protested. But, my Thamarai is not Vijayashanti. She knows his brilliance and she accepts him."
Bachan's next project is Thaai Mann, a British-produced movie. He is now scouting for actors.
His ambitious Onbathu Rubaai Note (with Sathyaraj as hero) will now be shot in April next year.
"The movie spans 48 years, from 1952 till the morning of January 1, 2000. I'm waiting for the next jackfruit, mango and cashew season to start... they form the backdrop of the movie. And, I'm on the lookout for a paati to play the female lead."
Bachan says he is open to work as cinematographer for outside banners, but the script must be good. "Maybe, even more challenging than what I come up with."
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