My next film explores generation clash: Manmohan Mahaptra (original) (raw)

(Manmohan Mahaptra )

After nine years, Manmohan Mahaptra is returning to shoot another Odiya feature film. The Father of New Wave cinema in Odisha, who has already won eight National Awards, shares exclusive details about his forthcoming film tentatively titled 'Prateeksha' with BT.

After nine years, you will be returning to shoot an Odiya movie. Why such a long gap?
My last film, "Muhurto", was shot in 2002. In between, I did some telefilms. Then, I began shooting a Hindi film titled "Bits & Pieces" that has Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Dia Mirza and Raima Sen in the cast.

The Hindi film took a while to be made and was supposed to release this November. But due to non-availability of theatres, we are now looking at a February release.

So, what's your forthcoming Odiya movie all about?

I am a keen observer of life in villages. People in villages, especially the ones who are ageing, believe that too much of communication is not conducive to our mental health. They are content and happy sticking to their old routine. In my film, the protagonist develops a relationship in the virtual world even while having another relationship in the real world. While there is a clash between priorities in maintaining both the relationships, I also explore the clash between the attitudes towards real and virtual reality of the elderly generation and that of the youth. My movie is tentatively titled "Prateeksha".

Have you decided on the cast?
The complete cast hasn't been finalized as yet though I have already decided to cast Arun Nanda and Rai Charan Das. Shooting will begin in and around Bhubaneswar from January.

Your movies have been a favourite with critics.

Critic John W Hood had once written: "It is with the advent of Manmohan Mahapatra that Oriya cinema might be said to have reached its apogee. Two black and white films, the first features of an immensely talented young director, stand amongst the finest works of the Indian art cinema: "Sheeta Rati" (1982) and "Nirab Jhada" (1984). It is in these two superb films that Manmohan sought with breathtaking effect to expose the variety of viciousness that festers behind the outward serenity of the Oriya village. His unsentimental humanism is reminiscent of Ray, while the artistic brilliance of his camera work, the long takes and the tantalisingly gentle pace of his films remind one of the great Keralan poet of the cinema, Aravindan".

How does it feel to be spoken about in the context of Ray and Aravindan?
What can I say? I can only humbly say that this is perhaps an over-estimation of mine. I have never kept track of such descriptions. I just continue doing my work and have developed my own style of filming. However, I am thankful to Wood for his kind remarks.
De-emphasis of drama happens to be an integral part of your cinema.

Why do you make this choice?
When I am making a movie, it is very important for me to distance myself from the film so that an objective viewpoint is maintained. By doing movies, I have been making attempts to place a human situation in the context of a particular cultural milieu.

Though a lot of movies in Hindi and even Bengali are no longer set in rural India and often just become superficial explorations of the so-called urban psyche, your films have never neglected rural India.

How do you go against the tide of filmmaking in India?

Choosing an urban or a rural theme completely depends on the priorities of the director concerned. Most directors work on an urban set-up because they might want to explore the psyche of a particular generation. However, I must add that though the space for cinema on rural India is shrinking, some good movies are being made on this theme too. Personally speaking, I have believed that any person who wants to make a film must remain rooted. I observe people in ruralscapes and that's what I explore through my cinema. Some have also said that my movies are a bit slow. But one has to understand that the form a movie can't be independent of the content. My movie's pace has to be in sync with the theme.

With eight National Awards, can you choose any particular as your favourite movie?
That's very difficult. I think, my first two movies are significant.

What's the status of New Wave cinema movement in Odisha?
It's true that the New Wave movement of Odiya cinema has slowed down a bit. That's because of a lack of producers who believe in the vision of new directors. Besides, there has been a dearth of government support and directors couldn't get an audience or find a decent way of releasing their movies. All these contributed to slowing down of the movement.