Low lights and less words make an Indian art film

Fresh after winning the National Award for the Best Bengali Feature Film and the SAARC Award for ���������Aami Adu���������, director Somnath Gupta says there are plans to re-release his movie now...
Are the back-to-back awards at the SAARC Film Festival and the National Award any compensation for the fact that your ���������Aami Adu��������� wasn���������t a commercial success?
It���������s a fact that lack of commercial success can be a demoralizing factor for a director.These awards certainly will help in motivating me. But, there is another dimension to these awards. Today, my producers are thinking of re-releasing the movie. Earlier, I was being told that it���������s time to consider making a movie that gains commercial success. Post these awards, I have been told that it���������s not worth compromising on a film in order to look for commercial success.
It���������s said that 22 Bengali movies were in competition this year. Which ones, do you feel, gave you the stiffest competition for the Best Bengali Feature Film award?
There were films of stalwarts. The competition from that end is natural. Then, there were other movies like ���������Takhan Teish���������, ���������Egaro��������� and ���������Autograph���������. I feel, they too were good. From my experience at the IFFI in Goa, I can say that it���������s very difficult for a newcomer to survive. ���������Sobbai jeno mone kore kothakar notun ke eshechho, tomar abar chhobi dekhanor ki dorkar?��������� When my film was being screened in Goa, the timing was 12.30 pm. There was another stalwart director whose press conference was at 3.30 pm. When this
director heard that my screening was at 12.30 pm, the timing of his press conference changed from 3.30 pm to 12.30 pm. That���������s why the first screening of my film at Goa was almost unattended by any journalist. Thankfully, I got a lot of support from others at the Goa Entertainment Society. There was a repeat screening of my movie too.
There is a saying among independent directors in Tollywood that not getting a National Award is also a reason for bonding between film-makers! Do you feel a little left out now that you���������ve won one?
Statements about National Awards being rigged keep surfacing once the Awards are declared. All awards are controversial by nature. I have not lost friends for winning this Award. I have been told that some directors even change the language of their films to win easily. But, I feel, such moves only show a lack of confidence in their works. Yes, there is a bias against art cinema. While casting for ���������AA���������, an actor, without hearing the story, had asked me if my film was an art movie. If it was, this actor wouldn���������t even want to do it.
How do you differentiate between an art and a commercial movie?
When I went to Colombo in May for the SAARC Film Festival, I attended a seminar on how to balance commercial success with societal commitment. I had asked whether commercial success can be an effort to fulfil societal commitment or not. I had said a commercial film is one which, if a person doesn���������t like, can be branded as a bad film. But when a movie-goer doesn���������t like a film and yet can���������t say it���������s bad, it is then called an art film. My remark had drawn a lot of laughter. Low lights and less words make an Indian art film. My movie, unfortunately, has got trapped in the art film branding. But then, I never intended it that way.
Many feel that ���������AA��������� has been tailor-made for the National Award...
That���������s not true. On the contrary, I���������ve also been criticized for making a film that hasn���������t taken any risks. When we conceived the story, my intention was to make a movie on a contemporary theme. It had to be something that everyone would understand and relate to. I am happy that people understood my movie. I have heard of directors who are unhappy when the audience understands their cinema. I, however, don���������t fall in that bracket.
Do you feel justice has been done to ���������Moner Manush���������?
Lalon is a symbol of national integration. I have not watched the other movies that were in competition. I can���������t make a sweeping statement and pull down other movies. When I went to Colombo, I saw the Marathi film, ���������Vihir���������. It���������s an exceptional movie. India produces so many good movies from all pockets. Without watching all films, I can���������t talk about injustice.
When are you starting your next movie?
I am starting my next in November. Sharmila Tagore might play the lead in my film.