This story is from October 8, 2009

Buddhadeb wants to work with Brad Pitt

Telluride, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Pusan and Dubai ��������� Buddhadeb Dasgupta is busy giving the world a peek through his Janala. The director tells TOI that he���������d love to make a film in English and would want to cast Brad Pitt in the lead.
Buddhadeb wants to work with Brad Pitt
Telluride, Toronto, London, Hong Kong, Pusan and Dubai ��������������������������� Buddhadeb Dasgupta is busy giving the world a peek through his Janala. The director tells TOI that he���������������������������d love to make a film in English and would want to cast Brad Pitt in the lead.
What���������������������������s happening to your next film titled Rohoshyomoy?
Actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada was supposed to produce this film.
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Shooting was expected to begin in September. She���������������������������d even promised to make arrangements for shooting in UP. But, I���������������������������ve decided not to work with Jaya Prada. I am peeved with her unprofessionalism. I understand that the career of a politician is demanding. But I can���������������������������t wait endlessly for her to surface. She isn���������������������������t disciplined enough. Thrice, I had to send across the
synopsis of my film to her. She used to erupt like a volcano and then disappear into nowhere. And then, after a couple of months, she���������������������������d resurface. Disturbed with this attitude, I have decided to not make the film with her. I have also communicated this to her production unit.
What happens to the advance that you were paid? Were you asked to return that?
What about it? My time is valuable and my dates were blocked during this period. There arises no question of returning the advance. Recently, I was at the Toronto International Film Festival where I was told that it���������������������������s a record of sorts on my part to be screening for six times in a row at the Master���������������������������s Section of the Festival. Besides, Janala was screened at the Telluride Film Festival. It���������������������������s one of the most prestigious film festivals of the world. A producer should have that much commitment towards cinema to not waste a director���������������������������s time this way.

Serious viewers of cinema consider Telluride to be the stepping stone to the Academy awards with the road to the Oscars for Forest Whitaker, Daniel Day-Lewis and Diablo Cody beginning there...
Yes, it is one of the most nich������������������ festivals of the world that���������������������������s meant for serious cinema. This festival doesn���������������������������t have a competitive section. Being nominated for screening is by itself an achievement. What���������������������������s disappointing is that I personally couldn���������������������������t make it to the screening. My American visa had come in but I was still awaiting my Canadian visa for my Toronto visit. I was moved by the reactions mailed across to me by the festival authorities of Telluride. Janala will soon travel to the festivals in London, Hong Kong and Pusan. It is also being screened at the Dubai International Film Festival. Incidentally, I���������������������������m also the president of the jury of the Dubai International Film Festival. Indraneil Sengupta will come along with me to Dubai. Indraneil is a very good human being and I���������������������������m happy that he is doing quite a number of Bengali films after Janala.
Since festivals see you rubbing shoulders with some of the world���������������������������s best actors, don���������������������������t you ever wish to make films in English and cast any one of these global names?
Of course, I���������������������������d want to make a film in English. Even Rohoshyomoy can be made in English. It���������������������������s not language specific. I���������������������������ve been moved by Brad Pitt���������������������������s performance in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I remember meeting Clint Eastwood at Venice. He had told me how much he had liked Uttara. I���������������������������d love to work with such actors. My only problem is that I don���������������������������t want anyone to dictate which film to make. A producer can���������������������������t commission me to make a film. I want to decide what I���������������������������ll make. Recently, a producer had asked me to adapt Taslima Nasreen���������������������������s French Lover. But I wasn���������������������������t excited with the idea after reading the book. While making an English film is there on my agenda, making Bengali films is what delights me.
A lot is being said about the spate of new-age Bengali films. Have you watched any?
The last Bengali film that I watched was Antaheen. I have heard good things about Angshumaner Chhobi and Houseful. I also wish to watch Shob Charitro Kalponik and the forthcoming Abohoman. Unfortunately, I have been abroad when they released. I see promise in Anjan Das, Anjan Dutt and Aniruddha Roychowdhury. The new brigade of directors in Tollywood is trying to make films that are generating interest. Good or bad, the fact is that they can trigger a debate that prompts many to watch them. This is a very healthy trend in Bengali cinema. Of course, it���������������������������s important that such films get to run longer at theatres so that people can watch them even after a few weeks when there is enough word-of-mouth publicity. The need of the hour now is to have more theatres like Nandan. One Nandan is just not enough to cater to the rising number of films.
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