'You grow on your own roots'

Nihar Gokhale / TNN / Jul 2, 2007, 00:00 IST

Text Size

Small
Medium
Large

Artist Sisir Sahana on his movie, art and creativity at large.

Artist Sisir Sahana on his movie, art and creativity at large.Sisir Sahana's debut movie Prithvi, made in 2005, has been doing the rounds of the Censor Board and Tax departments . But now it's ready to be released. The artist talks to Hyderabad Times.
Is this movie a depiction of your own life?
No, it's not an autobiography, but yes, it surely is inspired by my own experience as a painter.I have attempted to generalise the problems of contemporary artists in our country. M
M F Hussain has already tried his hand at filmmaking. Are you following suit?

It's been my dream to make a motion picture that speaks the language of my art. After all, a movie is a set of images. Also, this is the only media in which an artist can show various expressions in one go.
What was the cost of production? How was the casting of the actors done?
This movie cost me a little over Rs 30 lakh, which is nothing compared to today's movie budgets that run into crores. I have not employed any professional artistes. The characters depicted in the movie belong to the same profession in real life as well. I did this because I believe you cannot teach an actor to be like someone else.

Why was the movie dumped in the cold storage? It's been two years since it was completed.
The Censor Board had problems with a scene where the protagonist, as a young kid, picks up a red flag bearing a sickle and hammer symbol. I had to confront the board for over 10 months. I had to digitally remove the symbol from that scene. Next I had trouble with the Entertainment Tax authorities. But we'll deal with it and finally reach the theatres.
Should artists be given absolute creative freedom to express themselves?
There is a limit to everything and I won't say absolute freedom is great. Had my movie showed the boy kicking or throwing something at the symbol, it would have been objectionable. When news channels can show politicians doing unethical stuff in the parliament, nobody stops them (the channels). After all, a movie is also a media.
What's your take on the art scene in the city? Any suggestions ?
We've got good talent here and the art scene is buzzing with activity . However, artists are charging unrealistic prices for their paintings. This is making art enthusiasts apprehensive about buying art. On another note, it's disconcerting to see artists today get so strongly influenced by western art. Young artists should not forget their roots. You can grow only on your own roots and not on others' .

End of Article