I await more ‘realistic’ cinema: Nandita Das

A versatile actress, a director par excellence and an active social worker, Nandita Das was born on December 7, 1969. She has been a known face in the Indian Film industry and abroad primarily for her performances and for the issues she takes up in her movies like Fire(1996), Earth (1998), Bawandar (2000), KannathilMuthamittal (2002), Azhagi and Before The Rains (2007).

In an interview with Ritika Pradhan, she talks about art and movies. Here are the excerpts of the interview.

• Your movies have largely been non-commercial in nature. In an era of ‘paisa wasool cinema’ how do you foresee the non-commercial films?

In the present scenario, where issues like racism, violence against women, corruption, male chauvinism are corroding the society, it becomes our responsibility to give voice to those who are mute and subjugated. It is the responsibility of not only the films but of people like you and me and everyone. So far the future of these kinds of films is concerned I think we should continue to make more such films. I am not denying the fact that masaala movies are also important to entertain. What non-commercial movies need to learn is to draw audience towards theaters so that we can have a more realistic and serious cinema.

• When you say non-commercial movie should learn to attract audience then what are the measures that you suggest?

One of the greatest loopholes of non-commercial cinema is that it lacks proper marketing. The idea of such cinema must be to generate awareness amongst the masses and not classes. I would like to see a day when non-commercial cinema starts selling and we aren’t afraid to produce more such cinema.

• Your directorial debut ‘Firaaq’ is a nationally acclaimed movie but why couldn’t it release the way it should have?

‘Firaaq’ had a controversial political agenda attached to it as a result the movie couldn’t get the kind of response it should have. I knew this and some of my friends in the industry had even warned me about the wrong timing of the movie release but I thought there couldn’t be a better time than the elections. But when colleges and institutions contact us for special screening of the film, I feel that the purpose is achieved.

• Your father, Jatin Das is a renowned artist. Do you think your sense of aesthetics and art is in your genes?

Yes of course! Whatever I am today is because of my baba. The independence with which he has brought me up and the freedom of thought that he emanates has always motivated me. He is a great man and has always done whatever he felt was right and I do the same. He is a role model. Look at this film festival where he is supporting tribal culture and art through short films and documentaries. He could have easily chosen some other theme but he didn’t.

• What do you think is the biggest challenge to art?

It is the disconnect between people and art that is the reason why we have to have festivals like these. Art, otherwise is so fulfilling that it doesn’t need to be celebrated. It is feeling, a sense that you can celebrate anytime, any moment. Our education system is creating a generation who can’t appreciate the simplicity and purity of our culture because they don’t know about it. We all are responsible for creating such a generation. I crave for Odia food but my children love to have pizzas and burger. It is not their failure but my failure. Art and culture need to be lived with, they can’t just happen to you in a day or two.

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“Sachin’s retirement is like Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination”

A nation wept with the maestro as he bid farewell to ‘a life between those 22 yards for 24 years’ on November 17 at home-ground Wankhede. Never before had the world witnessed such a moment as it was when the Little Master, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar bent down in supplication and touched the pitch in gratitude.

Over the years, every Indian has lived cricket in all its hues with Sachin. Cricket and Tendulkar have been so synonymous that many have deified him. If cricket could become a religion in India for many, it was because Sachin was the God.

In a stellar career of 24 years, Sachin has almost every cricketing record in his name. Not only the fans but cricketers and sportsmen from across the world shed tears with him as he said the final adieu to the game he loved more than life.

For a man who has made his fans feel excited and disappointed all at once, a perfect goodbye was deserved.

The Indian Government couldn’t do anything better than conferring the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, to the Little Master.

Sachin created an era in India’s history of cricket. “Sachin, Sachin will reverberate in my ears till I stop breathing” he said and with these words the era melted into an exasperation and despair never felt before.

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India's food 'insecurity'

As the whole country sheds tears over onions, people in Odisha have some more reasons which are bringing tears to their pockets. It is an unusual potato and salt crisis which has strangled Odisha.

The potato politics

After having suffered sky-rocketing onion prices, a deadly cyclone and floods, people in Odisha can now be seen lined up in long, serpentine queues in front of the Government run Udyan Presh and Maitree outlets in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack. These outlets are selling potatoes at Rs22 a kg which are otherwise being sold at Rs 80 a kg, if at all it is available.

The ‘pinch’ of salt

Before the Government could manage the acute scarcity of potatoes, rumours spread in a large section of the state that salt too is likely to go scarce for the next few months. The rumours resulted in unscrupulous traders encashing the situation. The prices of salt thus increased from Rs 25 to Rs 60 a kg.

Miles to go…

The situation looks even more appalling when you look at the Government’s inability to curb the crisis. Lack of control over rumour mongers and Government’s mismanagement has given rise to this situation but more than this it is the administration’s indifference.

It’s not the time to pay blame games. While the consumers are pointing fingers at the administration, the government is accusing the consumers of undue panic causing the crisis

Whoever is responsible for the crisis what is important is to realise that essentials like potatoes, onions and salt are politically sensitive commodities and have led to major political fallouts in the past.

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God’s own religion

Last week my visit to Jagannath Puri made me realize that the whole hullabaloo around Modi being a secular or not is a waste of time because in a ‘secular’ and religiously tolerant country like India, even God has a religion and that religion is Hinduism.

Of course, in a Hindu dominated state God has to go with the majority, may be when we decided Lord Jagannath’s religion we didn’t know about the privileges enjoyed by a minority. After all, Jagannath literally means ‘Jagat ke Nath’ or the Lord of the universe. And how can a secular state allow a Non-Hindu to rule.

A temple, or any other holy place for that matter, acts like a bridge between man and God and when the very same bridge is used to create gap, people like me begin to doubt my faith.

I was amazed by the glory and the magic of Jagannath on His devotees. The undying devotion and spiritual fervor for the divinity can be felt the moment you step inside Odisha. The omnipresence of the astounding belief fuelled my desire to visit the temple. One of my friends from Odisha once said that the moment he enters the temple there are tears in his eyes. Nobody can describe Jagannath such is his aura. And I think he was true because despite the temple’s mismanagement thousands of devotees flocked the temple for a glimpse of the Almighty.

The magnificence of the Lord can be understood by the grandeur of His residence. Built on an area of about 4,00,000 square feet, the triad  deities, Jagannath, Subhadra and Balbhadra, reside in the Garba Griha (Sanctum sanctorum) section of the temple. The sanctity of the place can’t be challenged but the lack of management and security seems to be a major issue.

With no proper frisking, one can easily carry cell-phones and other stuff inside the temple. This is a major issue for a place visited by thousands of people daily.

But more than the security and the management what disturbed me was an incident that happened with a friend of mine. None of the guards checked our bags properly because we looked Hindus but a friend was asked to prove his religion because he was bald and had a beard which is a typical Muslim get-up.

It was difficult for me to understand why were the non- hindus not allowed in the temple. I am a Brahmin by caste and I am supposed to visit temples but I prefer Bangla Saheb Gurudwara over any other religious place. It is all about faith and for a place like Puri which is one of the holiest cities in the country, discrimination on the basis of religion is not justified.

Since the ancient times, the servitors of Lord Jagannath have restricted devotees inside the temple. From Kabir Das ji to Guru Nanak Dev ji to Indira Gandhi to the Italian Odissi dancer Ileana Citarasti, the temple has posed restrictions on the entry on the basis of religion and has landed itself in more number of controversies than any other deity in the country. Mahatma Gandhi had even protested against the rampant caste discrimination practiced by the temple authorities.

The debates and protests have resulted in a lot of changes in the temple rituals like the Dalits are now allowed inside the temple but there are miles to go before we close this debate on restricting entry to religious places on the basis of religion. Jagannath is the lord of the universe. He is an assimilation of all the castes and religions and thus we all must get a fair chance to assimilate in Him irrespective of our castes and religion. It was only after visiting the sacrosanct that I realized that there is more Jagannath outside the temple than it is inside. Inside those four walls of the majestic temple He is only getting divided and cashed by his servitors but His real glory lies beyond those four walls where even the mention of His name commands respect and  nothing auspicious can happen without His blessings.

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Leherein

Kuch to khaas hai in lehro me

Jo mujhse yun takrati hai,

Shor me khamoshi jaisi,

Subah ki pheli angadayi jaisi,

Jaise ho koi tamanna adhuri si,

Na jaane kisko chuna chahti hai.

Koi baat chupaye hai shayad apne seene mein,

Kuch to kehna chahti hai,

Kayi ankahi kahaniya dabi hai andar,

Awaaz lagakr mujhko bulati hai,

Samajh ni paati me inki jubaan,

To shayad ruth jaati hai,

Ufaan ki tarah aati hai,

Or maati k mehel ki tarah mujhko baha le jaati hai.

Rokna ni chahti me bhi khudko

Bas saath chalti jaati hu,

Thoda sa laut aati hu

Or thoda sa beh jaati hu.

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Stories from the sea

She is magnificent but elegant, she is violent yet tranquil, she is attractive but mysterious, she is calm but holds a lot of might in its bosom, she is the grandeur of the sea that hides and unfolds the most complex and interesting human emotions and sentiments and I call her 'she' because like a woman she is desirable, beautiful and nobody can ever understand her.

The beach in Puri is no exception. Located on the banks on Bay of Bengal, it is a tourist attraction as well as a sacred place for Hindu devotees. The beach is a site of various art works, camel rides, Puri Beach Annual Festival and the world famous sand art by Sudarshan Patnaik.

The waves have been touching the coastline since time and thus have witnessed Puri grow from a religious place to a commercialized city. While there are many who came there to have a share of the sanctity of the place, there are some who visit it to enjoy the tranquility.

Kanta Javeri, a 78 year old lady who had come to Puri from Ahemdabad just to see Lord Jagannath and take a holy dip in the ‘Panch Tirhta’ (Five Holy places). As her son Suresh Javeri said, “My mother wanted to visit Jagannath once before she dies. She had not been keeping well and insisted that she wanted to visit the temple and take a holy dip in the sea.” Although she could not take the dip owing to the security issues she did wash her hands and touched the holy waters. “I was born in Puri but after my father shifted to Gujarat and I got married. I could never come back. Although I always wanted to and missed this place,” said Kanta.

The devotion of Kanta was visible in the way she looked at the sea and touched the waves every time they came on the shore. She could not stop thanking Lord Jagannath for calling her to his land.

Hindu devotees say that there are ‘Pancha Tirtha’ in Puri and among which the sea is the most sacred. The other four are Indradyumma Tank, Markendya Tank, Swetaganga Tank and Rohini Kunda.

Kanta is not the only one. The beauty of the sea and the sky has attracted people from all walks of life and around the world. A young couple from Delhi, Dinesh Kapoor and Smita Kapoor had come to the Puri beach to celebrate their first wedding Anniversary. When asked why Puri, Dinesh laughed and said, “My wife is very religious and wanted to visit a holy place and I wanted to go to Goa for I have a fascination for the sea. We had an intense discussion and then I thought Puri is the only place which can serve both the purposes.” He added that he loved the place and its tranquility especially the radiant sky at the dawn and the dusk.

Although the footprints, the names and the sand castles have been washed off from the beach yet it seems that a lot can be read on the golden coast. The stories and the sentiments are all the more the same, only the names change. The mysterious sea calls us towards it and our greed to unravel the secret draws us towards it but nobody knows what really defines this magnificent creation of God. Is it really the sanctity of the waters or the beauty that the place is gifted with?

Being my first visit to a abeach, here are a few lines that I wrote

Kuch to khaas hai in lehro me

Jo mujhse yun takrati hai,

Shor me khamoshi jaisi,

Subah ki pheli angadayi jaisi,

Jaise ho koi tamanna adhuri si,

Na jaane kisko chuna chahti hai.

Koi baat chupaye hai shayad apne seene mein,

Kuch to kehna chahti hai,

Kayi ankahi kahaniya dabi hai andar,

Awaaz lagakr mujhko bulati hai,

Samajh ni paati me inki jubaan,

To shayad ruth jaati hai,

Ufaan ki tarah aati hai,

Or maati k mehel ki tarah mujhko baha le jaati hai.

Rokna ni chahti me bhi khudko

Bas saath chalti jaati hu,

Thoda sa laut aati hu

Or thoda sa beh jaati hu.

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Finally hanged or 'Hanging'...

We do not take her name because we don't know. We call her 'daughter of India', 'Nirbhaya', 'Damini' etc.. We don't take her name because of legal reason and also because we think we know a lot about her, she wanted to be a physiotherapist, her last movie was Life of Pie which proved fatal and she was raped brutally and we think we know her in and out.

The thought of the broken bones, damaged intestines and still the desire to live are somethings that make all of us feel that she is very dear to us. We have started seeing our sisters, daughters, friends in her. Every Indian has established a relationship with her.

Incidentally, it was so very natural for all of us to celebrate when the rapists and murders have been sentenced to death. Some people say that justice has been served others say that this will make her soul rest in peace. But I wonder will it really?

With due respect to the court's verdict and the girl's sentiments, I don't support the judgement. Death sentence for me is like 'tit-for-tat'. You killed her so I kill you. Your killing wasn't justified but mine is. I think a person's actions are dependent on the circumstances and his psyche at that point of time. Yes, this certainly doesn't justify their actions but it intensifies them.

What is required is understanding a criminal's frame of mind. A punishment should always try to reform and a death penalty is never the end to any form of crime because a death penalty decides a person's future course of life and not his future course of thoughts. He might remain as evil as he was earlier, in some cases he might be even worse. Aren't we doing the same crime? Aren't we becoming equally sadistic in our actions?

A death penalty gives you a way to forget. You commit a crime, you get death and you forget or a crime is committed against you, you protest against it, the court sentences the criminal to death, you celebrate and you forget. India, is a country where we have this ingenious ability to look away and a death penalty is a perfect way to look away from any sort of crime. But as a society the onus to purify the thoughts lies on us. The onus to make them feel that their actions were severely wrong and that this crime can't be looked away lies on us.

Although no country can stop rapes or sexual assaults against women, but they try to impart minimum freedom to their women. India is one such nation where on the one hand people talk about degrading status of the women and on the other hand notable lawyers (read A.P. Singh) say that he would burn his daughter if she was found roaming around with her boyfriend. I think the battle, despite the death penalty, has been lost.

More than a death sentence, Nirbhaya would have wanted a safer country for women. She would have wanted no silence till the time there are silent atrocities against women. She would have wanted action and reaction but no 'looking away' in the disguise of death penalty.

Justice can never be done when the criminal is hanged but the crime remains hanging.

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