Digressing from the mainstream and exploring ostensibly tabooed themes is a momentous risk if you are an Indian filmmaker.

Management Guru Arindam Chaudhuri Dean Business School IIPM

Subhash Jha speaks to Kaushik Ganguly, a director who has done just that with his forthcoming “Arekti Premer Galpo” (Just Another Love Story)

“Just Another Love Story” is anything but just another story. What made you go into the dark area of alternate sexuality?

You call it ‘dark’ perhaps because sexuality in any form, other than what we deem normal, is taboo, discussed judgmentally, despite an apparent air of openness in our conversations. Those who do not conform, are marginalised. Which is why the term ‘alternate sexuality’ is commonly used.

This is precisely what haunted me… for years, actually, and “Just Another Love Story” was born. The life of the erstwhile Jatra Queen, Chapal Bhaduri (Chapal Rani), was my inspiration. My film does not see any kind of sexuality as dark, or alternate. It is just another love story.

Gay love stories are still not considered mainstream cinema. How do you think audiences will react to “Arekti Premer Galpo”?

I wasn’t focused on making mainstream cinema when I made “Just Another Love Story”. The subject is a social crisis that had made me think and rethink, and the film is an expression and extension of just that. My film moves according to the needs of Chapal’s instincts, insecurities, questions, his vulnerability and loneliness.

When I made “Ushno-tar Jonyo” (Longing for You) way back in 2002, I must say I was apprehensive about audience reaction. And I must also say, that our audience did not fail to surprise me. The response was overwhelming. Hopefully, this time too, “Arekti Premer Galpo”, which is a take off from the film above, will get my audience thinking and, at the least, re-considering their take on same sex bonding. The response in Berlin, London, New York, Delhi and Goa was positively over-powering.

There is an added responsibility for you as a filmmaker since the film also marks Rituparno Ghosh's debut as an actor. Did that burden your creativity?

What is remarkable about Rituparno Ghosh is that all along, he allowed the subject to rule. And he trusted me. I would say that the pressure of delivering loomed large when I had to write a screenplay that would be good enough for a brilliant scriptwriter like Rituparno to agree to debut in the film made out of it. Later of course, his inputs as Creative Director and Production Designer made me understand and know him more as a person.

How do you rate Ritu as an actor? Was it easier/tougher to direct him as he happened to be a filmmaker himself?

Ritu is tremendously hard-working, involved and particular, as an actor. He went in for a makeover, worked out in the gym, took dance lessons. He opened himself to me like a book, which is not easy for one of Rituparno’s stature. He even had his costumes planned out, bought and packed in huge packing boxes more than a month before we went on floor. What more could I ask for of an actor?

Though he had claimed that he was not technically sound, he turned out to be very sure of the technical details that he required to keep in mind as an actor. It was a pleasure.

What do you think about the recent gay films from Bollywood like “Dunno Y...Na Jaane Kyun” (DYNJK), and earlier “My Brother Nikhil” (MBN) and parts of “Jhootha Hi Sahi” (JHS)?

DYNJK, I feel, does not focus effectively on this sensitive issue. Onir has his personal style and honesty and that has made MBN an appreciable film. However, I have not seen JHS, but I certainly will, and give you my feedback if you’re still interested… I’m surprised you did not mention “Dostana”.

Do you think there's a lot of dormant homosexuality in the entertainment industry? Do we need to get more mature in our attitude to same-sex love?

Sexual preference is a personal matter. I feel that there is dormant homosexuality in almost any field. In most cases it lies dormant because of the fear of unacceptability.

I like it when you call it ‘same-sex love’. Perhaps we need to realise that each same-sex bond is also a bond of love. And that each such journey is just another love story.

What made you choose Ritu? Is it true you wanted to offer the part to Karan Johar and Onir?

Very many reasons, actually. First, I was making a film on Chapal Rani, none other than the Queen of Jatra. So I needed an actor who could more than match up to that stature. Second, I could think of no one else who could move, talk, think and feel with the splendour and dignity of a woman. Rituparno Ghosh has a nimble gait, he talks softly, and has a deep understanding of human psychology. The film would lose its honesty had my actor been inhibited, or insensitive. Ritu was in fact my only choice. I hadn’t for once thought of offering the part to anyone else.

Your mention of Karan Johar and Onir has got me thinking… Onir would have been too young for the part, And Karan would have been more suitable for the part of Uday, the wildlife photographer from Nice.

Is conservative Bengal ready for the sexual revolution? How do you think the audience that grew up and grew old watching Satyajit Ray, Mrinal Sen and Gautam Ghose would react to your film?

Believe me, I was brought up in the campus of an extremely conservative institution. If I could work on this subject for years, and feel free to make this film in Bengal, with the support of a Bengali producer, a Bengali cast and crew, without any hassles, qualms or unnecessary curiosity from anyone here, why would I be wary of the Bengali audience? The conservative Bengali is perhaps much more open to change and much more tolerant than they are thought to be. Hasn’t Bengal been the seat of many a revolution – political, social and religious?

What would your next film be? Will you go deeper into exploring human sexuality?

My next film is “Rang Milanti” (The Queen of Hearts), about a modern-day swayamvar.

It explores comparison, choice, tolerance. It’s also just another love story.

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Like a spy thriller should be – tightly packed suspense against a backdrop of stark reality

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The spying game

Can a female spy thrill minus the car chases and rooftop leaps a la Angelina Jolie in “Salt”? One look at Naomi Watts as CIA agent Valerie Plame in the opening sequence in Doug Liman’s “Fair Game” and your answer will be a resounding yes.

Liman tells the true story of Plame, whose covert status as a CIA agent is revealed by officials looking to discredit her husband, former ambassador Joe Wilson after he, in an op-ed piece in The New York Times, accuses the Bush Administration of manipulating intelligence about weapons of mass destruction to invade Iraq. The story unfolds Bourne like across three continents – Asia, North America and Africa as we find Valerie cornering sources in Iraq while Joe travels to Niger to find out the facts behind an alleged Uranium deal. Liman did a terrific job of reinvigorating the good old spy thriller with the Bourne series and he keeps the energy going here, fuelled primarily by the familiar premise and superb performances from Watts and Sean Penn. Penn as Wilson is his usual self assured, pensive and intense self while Watts superbly brings to life the grace under pressure and strength of character a mother (who also happens to be a spy) should possess.

“Fair Game” is both an intelligent and exciting watch. So what if the crash boom action is missing here; it crackles with the energy of the lead pair.

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No One Killed Jessica: Bringing down The Elephant

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A heavy dose of untempered reality

In one of the scenes of the film we see Sabrina (Vidya Balan) walking, and the next moment getting blocked by an elephant. This fleeting moment in the film sums up the film like no amount of dialogue could, for “No One Killed Jessica” is about how Sabrina Lall was pitted against political behemoths in her struggle to see her sister Jessica’s murderer punished. What in the

beginning seemed like an open and shut case was twisted such that the murderer managed to go scot-free, as India watched in wide-eyed astonishment and horror at how the people in power had hoodwinked the Indian judiciary.

The two protagonists suit their roles to a T, while Vidya Balan in her loose tees and massive specks gives a restrained yet powerful performance, Rani Mukherjee, as a hardened media person, shows us after a long time just why she is one of the leading ladies of Bollywood. Myra Karn as Jessica puts up a spirited performance while Rajesh Sharma as the tough cop, who wants the killer behind bars yet doesn’t shy from accepting Rs 70 lakh in return for not hurting the accused, is simply superb.

“No One Killed Jessica” was a difficult film, for while the makers hold that it is a fictional take on the case, the audiences in the theatres do already know the plot and even the climax. Given that, director Raj Kumar Gupta creates a film with great pace, suspense and emotions, however, it does not manage to strike hard enough. Ruminate and reflect, yes, but it does not make one tremble with rage or curse hard enough at the sordid state of affairs in our capital. After “Aamir”, Gupta had set his bar rather high, and while he does succeed in creating a very good film, it stops short of being excellent.

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Farah In The Madding Crowd

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Be it calling the shots or taming the beats, Farah Khan knows how to play it to the gallery like nobody’s business. Spriha Srivastava in an exclusive interview with the alpha female of Bollywood…

You were a student of Sociology. How did movies happen to you?
MJ’s 'Thriller' inspired me to take up dance. But I had never thought dance would take me to Bollywood. I often thought of being a director, but a choreographer, never! In those times, the choreographers had this old-school style and one had to be a dancer first and then after 20 years or so one would get a chance as a choreographer. So that way, I was lucky; one has to be in the right place at the right time.

If you look back, what was a bigger high: your first outing as director or the first song that you choreographed?
First directorial venture, definitely. There’s no high like that. I still remember the feeling I had while doing “Main Hoon Na”. It’s like your first love. I can never forget that excitement and those little details… getting hypersensitive about someone talking about your movie or hearing those praises… nothing can match the feeling of your first film.

You cast Shah Rukh Khan, who was a well-established actor/star, whereas it was your first time as a director. Were there times when there were creative differences?
No, no! I think with Shah Rukh, all was fine. I mean, common, we started our career at the same time. I’ve also been choreographing songs for so many years. So it wasn’t like I was a new person who didn’t know anything about direction. And Shah Rukh, I’d say, has been much more than supportive in every way.

You worked with Deepika who was a first-timer and now Katrina who is also relatively new in the industry. How was it different?
With Deepika, we had to teach her everything because it was her first time in front of the camera. We had to teach her how to look, how to talk, how to turn, how to wave… and other things. I think she’s a quick learner and did a fabulous job. Katrina had been around so I thought it was a different kind of a challenge to make her undo what she’d learnt till now.

Why Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif for “Tees Maar Khan”?
It’s written by my husband Shirish and he had written it keeping Akshay in mind. When one reads the script, one would know that Akshay fits in perfectly for it. When I wrote scripts, I would have Shah Rukh in mind and then I would write my script. This script was written in such a way that I could only see Akshay. Katrina and I have worked together before. I had been planning to take her because I thought she and Akshay have done lots of movies together; besides, she also suited the role perfectly. Also, I thought I’ll take it as a challenge to make her look very different and make her dance like she has never done before. That bit has really worked in our favour. It has surprised people.

How do you respond to criticism?
I think criticism affects everyone. In fact, I think I’m doing better now. I remember with my first film, I was really hyper. I would cry and all, but later I realised that if the movie does well and people want to see it again and again – that’s what counts. “Main Hoon Na” was a big hit and is almost like a cult film among children now, but at that time it got very bad reviews. And only I remember those reviews. Today, I feel that it’s a great movie because even now when it comes on TV, it ends up grabbing great TRPs. During “Om Shanti Om”, I really didn’t bother. But of course, if somebody criticises you, it’s human nature to feel bad.

Whose opinion matters to you the most?
Umm… no one, actually. My opinion matters the most to me!

So when film critics talk or write about your movie, do you not take it seriously?
I do, of course, but you want good things to be said and written about your movie. I like it when everyone watches my movie and everyone likes my movie. But after a point, it’s a personal opinion. Some critics might not like the kind of movie I make; some might like to watch festival cinema etc. I make hard core Bollywood movies. I don’t copy any Polish Cinema or French Cinema. I make true-blooded Indian Bollywood films. So, if that does not match somebody’s taste, that person will give a bad review.

After a release at the start of the year, what are the expectations from the year ahead?
I’ve decided to leave all negative energies behind. I don’t want any negative thoughts to enter my mind. I believe that whatever you want to happen, you can make that happen. I’ve done that, including the fact that I have three babies! (laughs). Also, I think detachment from worldly things in a way is good.

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LPG is set to weigh down on your budget

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With the existing government mechanism having failed to provide substantial relief to the common man from inflationary pressures, the expected hike in LPG prices will hurt household budgets more than ever.

Gone are the days when onions were a regular ingredient in Vinita Sharma's meals. There are fewer eggs for breakfast, pulses are no more a staple diet in this household and the children have to spend their winter vacations at home instead of their planned new year extravaganza in an outstation. “The steep escalation in the prices of daily food items has left us with no choice but to revamp our monthly budget and scale down little luxuries to the bare minimum,” says Vinita, a Noida-based housewife who moved to the national capital after her husband, a bank executive, relocated last year.

Like Vinita, if the recent increase in prices of food items (and of course, the petrol price hike in December) burnt a deep hole in your wallet, then get ready for another body blow as price of the all-essential Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) is set to go the same way. Reportedly, the government is planning to increase cooking gas prices by anywhere between Rs 15-40 per cylinder, a move bound to fuel the existing inflationary pressures. With an escalation in the prices of most household products as transportation costs rise further, this move to hike LPG prices will deeply hurt the common man.

The impact, once all these factors are taken into account, is by no means going to leave an average consumer financially comfortable. Monthly household budgets will need to be considerably revamped. Add to that the possibility of EMIs rising further with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) looking to raise interest rates to counter inflation. This leaves the common man with no option but to cut down on luxuries like travelling and spending on a decent meal with family on a weekend. To put it bluntly, the hole in your wallet is set to get deeper!

Curtailing small luxuries is something that might help the so-called upper middle class to deal with the current situation, but it is definitely not a liberty that families in the lower strata of society have. Take the example of a household that lives on less than Rs15,000 per month. For such families, where geysers are not a feasible luxury, partly due to low income and partly due to a poor power scenario in their towns, LPG is the only source of hot water during winters. A hike in LPG prices will hurt this strata the most as a replacement (such as solar power) is absolutely unaffordable. “What do we replace LPG with? How do we cook, what do we eat? Cooking on firewood is also a costly affair these days. What is the other option...” asks a distressed housewife from Darbhanga, Bihar.

But then it's just not about household economy. On a broader front, there is a bigger threat lurching around. Rising interest rates, food prices and of course LPG price willl certainly shrink Indian consumers' purchasing power ultimately making consumer demand fall, which in turn will force companies to defer planned investments leaving growth rates in a limbo.

The Oil Minister Murli Deora maintains that his ministry is not in favour of raising the prices of domestic LPG and diesel prices following the spurt in prices of global crude oil (currently hovering around $90 per barrel) on the ground that the move will add to already high inflation rate. But then considering that Deora wants the government to compensate at least half of the Rs 72,812 crore revenue loss that state-owned oil firms are likely to incur this fiscal on selling diesel, LPG and kerosene below cost, the government looks set otherwise, and by the looks of it, there isn't much choice either.

The price of LPG in the international market has jumped by over 66 per cent over the past two years, which will certainly translate into a proportional increase in the subsidy that the government provides. This, as experts say, is something the government cannot absorb anymore and let state-run oil companies bleed. Considering that India currently imports nearly three million tonnes of LPG a year at prevailing international prices, subsidising it beyond a limit is not a sustainable option. As such, with prices soaring in international markets, the subsidy component per cylinder has already leaped to a whopping Rs367 per refill, higher than the actual price of a cylinder, which costs about Rs 350. As per Petroleum ministry figures, oil firms lose as much as Rs 272.19 per LPG cylinder (14.2 kg). Oil marketing companies, including Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) currently lose over Rs 225 crore per day collectively for selling domestic LPG, diesel and kerosene below their imported costs.

A meeting of an empowered group of ministers (EGoM), which was scheduled for December-end, to consider raising prices of domestic LPG and diesel was deferred indefinitely at the last moment. While the hike seems imminent, the quantum of the increase and the timing of the hike is what the government looks to be deliberating upon. According to Nidhi Dhruv, Associate Analyst, Corporate Finance Group, Moody’s Investors Service, “By deferring to raise domestic fuel prices to market levels, the government has stayed the inevitable and dealt a setback to reformers calling for market deregulation. The government though seems to be committed, however, complete deregulation is unlikely for now given the social and political pressures to maintain subsidies for cooking fuels.”

While unexpected steep price escalations have become a regular feature now, the least that the government could do is to plan things in advance, initiate timely steps to control retail prices, inform masses in advance of the problems in store and try and implement effective administrative measures, both short- and long-term, to be able to manage such a crisis in the future. Agreed that such government attitude would be Utopian, something that few would even term unrealistic, but then the country is also awaiting for a time when the government shows some accountability towards its citizens.

For More IIPM Info, Visit below mentioned IIPM articles.
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"Thorns to Competition" amongst the top 10 best sellers of the week.
IIPM RANKED NO.1 in MAIL TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS
'Thorns to Competition' - You can order your copy online from here
IIPM Mumbai Campus

Rashmi Bansal Publisher of JAMMAG magazine caught red-handed, for details click on the following links.

• Hindustan Times Article - Publisher goes underground
• Rashmi Bansal (Editor of JAMMAG)
• Rashmi Bansal (Publisher of JAMMAG)