‘Stars are like magnets’

Four decades of impressionable and meaningful cinema. In appreciation of his craft, he has been given the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke award and innumerable international film awards.
But director Shyam Benegal does not really enjoy looking back.
The former adman who created a new wave of cinema with films like Ankur, Bhumika, Manthan, Trikal and Mandi has carved a niche for himself in the Indian film industry.Talking about his journey, he says, ���Exciting. But to be very honest, I really don���t look back. I would prefer to look ahead and do some more work.��� On a humourous note, he adds, ���Everytime I look back, I think I did everything wrong in the past. So it���s better not to look back.���
From somebody who has been involved in film-making for almost four decades, it���s a stimulating period to be in. ���Now the times are exciting. The changes in the film industry have been wonderful. There���s a hunger to tell a story in a different way. And to top it all, there are a lot of quality filmmakers. Many of these young filmmakers are trained and interestingly many of them are also having degrees from foreign universities. All these young directors have a new vocabulary which is good for the craft,��� says the 74 year-old filmmaker who has directed a number of ad films as well.
Benegal���s also happy that there���s space now for new genres of films. There���s a space for a love story, there���s a space for a story on bomb blasts. ���Today, it���s a great time to be a story teller or a director. Interestingly, lots of films are now being made on cities. Now when a person watches these films, he/she can identify with the theme. A story can be about a city like Mumbai, Kolkata but it has so many layers.���
So what are the new films that he saw and liked? ���I liked Aamir, Mumbai Meri Jaan and Rock On!! They all have told the stories in a beautiful way."
Talking about his latest project, Welcome to Sajjanpur, he says, ���This film is about small town India. I have tried to give a refreshing flavour to life there and I hope it clicks. Yes, box office success is important.���
Even as he continues his journey of film-making with great gusto he is honest enough to admit that it���s difficult to forget the reality of film business. ���Films will always be seen as a commercial product. That becomes predominant. There���s a permanent conflict between money and creativity. Stars are like magnets. People love watching stars and all big money will chase the stars.���
The film director who also gave us memorable television serials like Yatra and Bharat Ek Khoj, today doesn���t want to go back to small screen. ���Television now, is soul-destroying. Well, I can���t make the soap operas which are now running on television. If there���s a scope for anything like my previous serials then I might consider. But right now there���s no desire.���
Ask him about his interests in life? He says with a laughter, ���Isn���t film enough? Films are an all consuming passion. They are my life. And films begin with life.���