Internationally-acclaimed actor Adil Hussain said he will direct a film based on a short story by fellow Assamese Atulananda Goswami.
He told The Hindu at the North-East Festival at IGNCA on Saturday: “I am adapting Goswami’s novel Rogue , based on a rogue elephant. The scripting is complete and producers are ready to finance the project.”
He added: “I will be playing the role of both an actor and a co-director…I have fond memories of growing up in Assam. Climbing trees to steal fruits is one of them. Luckily, in Assamese tradition forgiveness is the key.”
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The actor was one of the main leads in Ang Lee’s Life of Pi . He said a sequel to the highly appreciated English Vinglish was on the cards. “But there are no plans to make a sequel to Life of Pi .”
Later, during a programme at the festival, Mr. Hussain said: “When rulers of the nation do not understand the function of art in human growth, then an adequate budget is not spent on art and culture… Lack of knowledge is a form of corruption. We need the moderate voice of the North-East to come up”.
Also at the programme, Manipuri pugilist M. C. Mary Kom shared her struggle from an ordinary village girl to becoming the toast of the entire country. She said she started out as an athlete but shifted to boxing on the recommendation of a friend.
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“My father had reservations as he was apprehensive that I would get hurt and would not earn decent remuneration. But I convinced him that boxing was the best sport for a bright career. At the Olympics, I had to fight in a higher weight category, but I emerged triumphant against all odds.”