When London-based film maker Sangeeta Datta showed her Life Goes On script to some of Mumbai?s producers, all of them said it was a lovely story, but asked her why she was doing a women-based film. ?Why don?t you have heroes instead?? they quipped. But after UK?s Stormglass Productions produced it, it has been a journey through festivals, with an opening at Empire Leicester Square and reviews in the UK press. And Datta is happy to have brought her adaptation of King Lear to India. For a first film?Datta was associate director to many films including Basu Bhattacharya?s Astha to Rituparno Ghosh?s Choker Bali and Raincoat?she manages a casting coup of sorts, with the mother-daughter duo Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan playing mother and daughter in the film, Girish Karnad as Lear and Om Puri as the Fool. She also managed to rope in Javed Akhtar as lyricist. Datta says though she likes to narrate stories of migration and the diaspora, she wants to move away from the stereotypical Brit-Asian comedy. ?My theme is universal about a father-daughter?s relationship and the quest for identity in a world where Islamophobia is growing,? she points out. Datta talks to FE on premiering Life Goes On in India. Excerpts:
For a first film, you have a great ensemble cast
It?s a dream to work with actors like Sharmila Tagore and Om Puri, who have worked with my favourite directors Satyajit Ray and Shyam Benegal. When I was writing the story of Manju Banerjee, who studies in Shantiniketan, gets married in Calcutta and moves to London, Sharmiladi?s face kept coming up. Once my first draft was finished, I took it to her and she loved it. I have known Om Puri for a long time, he is a dear friend and was such an inspiration to others on the set. He has a great sense of timing and a lot of young people learned that from him.
You have lived in London for a while now. Did you bring the migrant experience to your film?
When you are working abroad you do represent a minority voice. In London, I do belong to the south Asian community. But I am not interested in doing the usual Southall comedy. I want to be able to look at more serious issues and it?s tough because it challenges people?s perceptions and is different from the stereotypical comedy. This film is not only for Indians; it?s a universal story about relationships in difficult times with the world becoming Islamophobic.
What are your cinematic sensibilities? Who are your favourite directors?
From a very early age, I was exposed to film societies and the film culture?it?s sad that this culture is almost gone. When I used to teach in Mumbai I would drag my students to film societies. Cinema and literature can do a lot to you at a young age, and if that window is gone, it?s gone. I like Ray and Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal. For me, cinema has to do something with society. That?s why I like the social cinema realities of Mike Leigh or a Ken Loach.
Do you think things are changing in Bollywood; different stories are being told?
Frankly, Bollywood is quite lazy. With their market and with whatever they are doing, things are only getting worse.
What are you working on next?
One idea is to do something in cinema on certain aspects of Tagore?s life. At the moment I am writing Gitanjali for the stage. Once it?s done, I want to explore how it will lend itself to cinema.
Is it difficult for film makers like you to get funding?
It?s always difficult to get funds if you want to make something out of the box. Some Mumbai producers asked me why I was doing a women-oriented film.