I have to remain neutral: Tannishtha

Tannishtha Chatterjee, who has been appointed as the jury of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, tells TOI that the skirmishes that India and Australia have had in the recent past are individual reactions to some events and not national policies.
Finally, there is an official confirmation from Des Power, chairman of the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, that Tannishtha Chatterjee has indeed been appointed to the international jury of APSA.Says Power, ���������She follows in the footsteps of her fellow Indian film-maker, Shabana Azmi who has served on previous APSA juries. Tannishtha���������s impressive career both in India and internationally will bring a wealth of experience to the task of determining this year���������s APSA winners.
India continues to be a powerhouse in film-making in the Asia-Pacific region which is reflected in the prominence of Indian films in this year���������s APSA nominations. I warmly welcome Tannishtha to our jury which will be led this year by our jury president, Lord David Puttnam.��������� The Indian entries include Atul Kulkarni (Best Actor Award for ���������Natrang���������), ���������Udaan��������� (Best Children���������s Feature Film), Santosh Sivan and V Manikandan (Best Cinematography for ���������Ravaana���������), Sudhir Palsane (Best Cinematography for Umesh Kulkarni���������s ���������Vihir���������) and Tesjaswini Pandit (Best Actress Award for ���������Mee Sindhutai Sakpal���������). Excerpts from an interview with Tannishtha Chatterjee:
Your films are in competition at various international film festivals. How is the whole experience of now being on the other side, where you are part of a decision-making body of an internationally reputed film festival?
Well, I am looking forward to this new experience to be on the other side. I don���������t know what to say at this stage because I haven���������t still started the process of viewing and discussing. But I do feel honoured to be given such a responsibility. I love cinema and all form of appreciation is celebrating that love for cinema.
You���������ve spent part of your childhood in Perth. Do you plan to go down memory lane and check out the places where you���������ve lived?
I don���������t think I will have the time.
Five Indian films/actors have been nominated for this year���������s Awards. Does that make a difference to your responsibility as a jury?
I am thrilled to see the nominations because it represents my culture. But as a jury member, I have to remain neutral. It is position of responsibility and one has to keep the perspective clear when viewing the films.
Should age be a criterion for being a part of the jury of international film festivals?
In an age of short messaging service, I would first like to add a smiley before this answer. I think, on the one hand, experience brings in a lot of insight while judging any form of art. But the young can also bring in a new and fresh worldview. Thus, there should be an openness to incorporate both the views. More than age, it is experience and the body of work and achievements which should be the criteria, which always is in the case of most international juries.
The relationship between India and Australia has been volatile in the recent past. Do you have any solution to easing out the tension between the two nations, also in the context of the upcoming discus duel between Commonwealth Games gold medallist Krishna Poonia and World Champion Dani Samuels from Australia? Do you think the nomination of five Indian movies and your presence in the jury is going to improve Indo-Australian ties?
Art and culture has actually always been the way to bring people closer and forget their differences. Between Pakistan and India, in spite of all our problems, we still share that common culture especially when is come to films and music. Human emotions are not controlled by geographic boundaries. Cinema celebrates human stories and emotions. The skirmishes that India and Australia have had in the recent past are individual reactions to some events and not national policies anyway. That is why there is no bias in an international film award ceremony like this.
When are you going to Australia?
I am going to the US early November to San Francisco and then NYC. And then to Australia on November 21. Actually November 23, is my birthday and I can���������t think of celebrating it in a better way than watching films from different countries in the beautiful Gold Coast in Australia. It���������s a treat!
Do you have any offers to do Australian movies?
Australian movies! I will talk about it when I have something concrete.
With more and more stars of Bollywood movies being roped for serious roles, is the space for actors (without the glamour tag) shrinking in Indian films?
I think, it���������s the reverse. Bollywood is going through such an interesting phase where there is more scope for interesting actors because younger directors are making all kinds of films and telling different kinds of stories. Last year, ���������Udaan���������, ���������Peepli Live���������, ���������Tere Bin Laden���������, ���������Love Sex Aur Dhokha��������� are just some of the examples. The viewers��������� tastes here are changing very fast and they like stories which are told well. Whether you take stars or make smaller budget films, the key is always stories which connect. Independent films don���������t work when they are not made well. It���������s the same for films with big stars. They have to connect, engage and entertain the audience.
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