'Indian cinema is still a curiosity abroad'

MUMBAI: Adoor Gopalakrishnan's latest film Nizhalkkuthu (Shadow Kill), which was the closing film of the recent International Film Festival of Mumbai, came to the city after a standing ovation at the Venice film festival, and acclaim at the Toronto, London and Nantes film festivals.One of our finest and much-feted directors, he follows up an illustrious career which includes Elippathayam, Anantharam, Mathilukal and Kathapurushan , with this Indo-French co-production.Nizhalkkuthu is a reflection on the human tendency to pass the buck when acting against one's conscience. It explores the story of Kaliyappan (Oduvil Unnikrishnan), an aging traditional executioner of the former state of Travancore, who is asked to carry out an execution. Since his family lives off his executions, he must, however unwillingly, carry it out. However, he takes ill on sensing that the man to be hung is apparently innocent, so his son does the job instead.Moreover, the maharaja of Travancore, who does not wish to have blood on his hands either, prefers to sign the orders of clemency for the convicts, which routinely arrive at the prison just after the hanging. "This is historically true, an institutionalised way to transfer guilt," says Gopalakrishnan, who passed through the city last week. "Even the hangman believes that he executes people on behalf of the goddess Kali."There are several rich ironies and metaphors in the film, as the rope with which the hangman tightens the noose, is also a source of life, as he burns it in an oil lamp to make holy ash that cures the sick. Moreover, his son, who believes in Gandhiji's principles of non-violence, is forced to execute an innocent. As Gopalakrishnan observes, "Often, it is not the guilty, but the poor and defenceless who are punished. Society is content to find some scapegoat, so that the case can be closed. The system is so coercive, there is no escape."That is why, in one scene, I have the son spinning yarn on a charkha— representing a commitment to principles and liberation— followed by a scene with convicts making rope in the prison factory that will be used to kill even more people. It's life leading to death, but it also refers to the death of ideology." Although the film does not explore politics in the way, say, his Kathapurushan did, he says, "The film is not about politics, although there is politics in the background. It addresses the larger question of freedom, not only from the British, but also the individual's freedom to choose what he wants."The film, with a budget of about Rs 1 crore, has been co-produced by the Fonds Sud (South Fund) of France, as well as the Hubert Bals Fund of the Rotterdam film festival and the Monte Cinema Verita of Switzerland.Reflecting on globalisation in cinema and the experience of working in an Indo-French co-production, Gopalakrishnan says, "An international co-production is an advantage, as I can extend my viewership without 'internationalising' my theme and treatment. The local and specific can be universal, and I do not make concessions for what outsiders want to see. I had complete creative freedom." For the first time, Gopalakrishnan has used French technicians for the sound and post-production, as well as Cinemascope. Gopalakrishnan is not hopeful that the situation for auteurs in cinema will improve with television money ("much too little") or Asian co-productions. In fact, he's rather disturbed that "Bollywood is giving Indian cinema a bad name abroad. It is fashionable right now, but it is just as a curiosity." Nonetheless, he is keen to extend his accessibility to Indian viewers as well. "Indian regional cinema is shown only in the regions and I want to break that. For the first time, I will have English sub-titles for this Tamil\Malayalam film for an Indian release as well," he says.