Actor-director Nandita Das will be the guest of honour at the inauguration of the 23rd International Film Festival of Kerala (IFFK) today. Manto , her much-acclaimed film, will be screened as part of the festival. Articulate and affable, Nandita, the thinking actor and activist, has always struck a chord with audiences in Kerala. In an e-mail interview ahead of her visit to Thiruvananthapuram, she holds forth on her films and her views on WCC and the #MeToo movement. Edited excerpts.
You are a favourite with the IFFK audience. What is your impression of the festival?
I guess it’s mutual! IFFK has been one of my favourite festivals too. The audiences are passionate and discerning about films, and it truly feels like a celebration of cinema. I first participated in IFFK with my film Fire , and then with many subsequent films as an actor. Firaaq , my directorial début, was also shown there.
Nandita Das
It has been heart-warming to see the responses that Manto has received at so many prestigious international film festivals, and now on Netflix; this is the first Indian festival to screen it. I am especially looking forward to sharing Manto with the Trivandrum [Thiruvananthapuram] audiences as they love literature as much as they love films. Also, due to disappointing distribution, there was only a single screen in all of Kerala that showed the film. And while it’s on Netflix, many still can’t afford it and seeing a film on the big screen is a whole different experience.
Do such festivals help in breaking walls?
In India, when people talk about festivals, they are either full of awe or full of disdain. We have turned festivals into two things: a benchmark to gauge a film’s quality or by labelling it as a niche space for “artsy” films. I feel festivals are a platform for films that do not fit into the mainstream mould and are often not theatrically distributed. I see them as a gathering of cinema lovers, where you watch films from around the world, meet a cross section of people, and have a good stimulating time.
We need to see more diverse films that are representative of the people and reality around us. This is how we get to understand and empathise with different cultures and points of view which helps build bridges and break walls. In times where there are so many kinds of divisions — political, religious, caste, gender — cinema, and broadly art, can become a balm. Cinema may not create overt changes but can bring people closer by lessening prejudice, triggering conversations and sparking new ideas.
How do you see your evolution as actor and director? Which is more fulfilling?
Acting and directing are different means to express and share my concerns and interests. For me, art has always been a means to an end. I did not see directing Firaaq as a transition from acting, it was born out of my own angst of seeing the after effects of violence and the growing prejudice and discrimination that we have normalised.
Ranvir Shorey and Divya Dutta in ‘Manto’
In direction, one gets to tell the story one wants to tell and not just be a part of it. Both Firaaq and Manto were born out of my socio-political concerns. Manto has been one of my greatest learning curves. Perhaps after only 40 films and 20 years on the fringes of the industry did I feel equipped — emotionally, spiritually, creatively — to tell this story. Having said that, I also like being part of other stories. Now looking back, I think acting is a cake walk compared to directing. Why would I want to choose, when I can do both!
Manto was premièred at the Cannes Film Festival. What motivated you to make a film on Manto?
What drew me to the story of Manto was his free spirit and his courage to stand up against orthodoxy of all kinds. He was irreverent and had an irrepressible desire to poke a finger in the eye of the establishment. No part of the human existence remained untouched or taboo for him. For years, I thought of making a film based on his short stories, even before I made my directorial début. But it was only in 2012, around his centenary celebration, when much was written about the man behind the writing that I decided to make a film about Manto.
Nandita Das with Nawazuddin Siddiqui on the sets of ‘Manto’
The relevance of Manto has only grown since I first began to write the script. We are still grappling with issues of freedom of expression and struggles of identity. For me, making Manto was also about invoking the Mantoiyat (‘Mantoness’) — the desire to be outspoken and free-spirited — that I believe all of us have, whether dormant or awakened. From the response, I can see that it has moved and made them uncomfortable, but in a way that would hopefully make them want to do something about it. His deep concern for the human condition and faith in the redemptive power of the written word, resonated with my own passion to tell stories. In some mystical way, I feel I am part of that hopeful legacy!
Your impressions of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) in Malayalam cinema, which is taking on misogyny on and off screen and battling for a level playing ground.
I am truly impressed by the courage that WCC has shown through their fight for justice. The film industry, like most other spaces, is very patriarchal and sexism is almost systemic. Both on and off screen, battles are many, so what the collective is doing is really commendable. I have expressed my solidarity right from the beginning and continue to do so.
How do you see the #MeToo movement?
It has taken the #MeToo movement over a year to reach our shores, as the society in India remains very patriarchal. This deafening silence was because women are more vulnerable and are afraid of being ostracised and further attacked for speaking out. In that context, the #MeToo movement is a breakthrough. But in a country where the rape figures are astonishingly high, that too in vulnerable communities like the Dalits, all allegations cannot be equated. We need to ensure that this movement does not disappear or trivialised. In any case, it is important to listen to every voice that is willing to share her (or his) story.
You have come out strongly against ads that promote racism and colour consciousness. But more than ads and cinema, don’t you think that serials are creating and promoting superstitions and reinforcing outdated ideas about marriage and family?
I do not watch television or even have one in the house! So I am not fully qualified to respond. All I can say is that, we perpetuate stereotypes and often our visual media does not reflect the truth of our reality.
Do you think there ought to be a censor for content on television, especially serials?
Various forms of censorship have always existed and there have always been some artists who have fought for everyone’s right to creative freedom. For instance, on-screen, there are often regressive dialogues or portrayals of characters, be it women or any community, that are discriminatory. But many of those get passed by censor boards while strong content that is meant to invoke critical thinking is termed as being “offensive”, “seditious” or “obscene. Basically, it is too arbitrary and subjective, and based on the judgment of a few select.
Though it is true that freedom comes with responsibility, it is still nobody’s place to dictate to others. I can’t force my views onto others. People need to come to their own conclusions. Through freedom, people learn to be more discerning. And in the process, there will be some errors in judgment but that is inevitable. We need to work towards creating more discerning minds that then can distinguish the good from the bad. This does take time and needs more nuanced conversations to go beyond the binary of black and white. But we need to have the faith that only the good will survive and stand the test of time. I believe we have to fight for freedom of expression for all, whether we agree or not. Voltaire said, “I may not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”
When will see you next in a Malayalam film?
I do not choose my films based on language but rather on the relevance and interest a project holds for me. If a good script and director approaches me, then I’d be more than happy to do another Malayalam film! It’s been more than 10 years since I did my last Malayalam film which was by Adoor Gopalakrishnan.
Have you decided on your next film to direct?
I have already begun to get many projects to direct and act, which is very encouraging. I am taking the time to look through them. This will be the first time that I would actually be ‘choosing’ a film. At the moment, I am also trying to work on a book on the Manto journey. I do look forward to, hopefully, taking a break before I move on to my next project.
