My biggest desire is to use cinema as a means of social change, says Shekhar Kapur

Establishing a subliminal relationship with mankind, cinema has always been the epitome of exploration, discovery and acceptance. The transformation of characters and transcendence of expressions on screen have evoked powerful emotions that often mirror our reaction to the current social landscape.

While exploring the various dimensions of depth and revealing to the world the raw-rustic nature of mankind; filmmaker Shekhar Kapur has always experimented with the concept of ‘human reality’ in his films. Be it Masoom – a gut wrenching tale of infidelity and family bond or Bandit Queen -- a thought provoking epic based on the life of Phoolan Devi (Indian dacoit turned politician) that also depicted the dark side of rural India -- his movies have had an intrinsic appeal to Indian audiences. Though the unvarnished nature of his subjects have often been questioned by various sections of the society, the filmmaker’s bold attempt at tackling fundamental problems plaguing mankind is laudable.

Excerpts from the interview…

1. At what point did you realise that cinema would be your medium of expression?

I always wanted to be a filmmaker. And, my inspiration or desire to pursue cinema came from cinema itself. In fact, I drew my inspiration from films I watched as a kid in huge theatre halls that could seat at least 3,000 people. A film is all about getting people to laugh, act and emote. To me, it was one of the greatest experiences watching those films.

2. Can cinema be used as a powerful tool for bringing about a massive social change?

Well, as you make films and pass through various phases of life, different aspects of cinema intrigue you differently at each time. There was a time when I was enticed by the idea of creating films around Indian mythology for the international market. Currently, my biggest intrigue or rather my desire is to use cinema as a means of social change. Yes, it can be done and that’s what I am fascinated with right now.

3. As an artiste, how would you describe your relationship with an art form like cinema?

Well, I am passionate about what I do otherwise I do not do it. I have always been an environmentalist. So, my next venture ‘Paani’ comes from the love for the environment. There are concerns that need to be addressed! I believe passion always comes from where you are with your life at a given point. For example, if you are desperately in love, you will write a passionate love story. And, it doesn’t necessarily have to be ‘serious’. For instance, some of the best comedies are extremely passionate. Look at Charlie Chaplin’s work! His comic sense was phenomenal and he was incredibly serious about what he did. Right now, in India, things are changing and I think that we are all becoming increasingly aware of our responsibilities.

4. Tell us about your next film ‘Paani’.

‘Paani’ is a simple story about a futuristic world where people have migrated to mega cities; and the rural areas have completely died out. The infrastructure in the mega cities that now hold 30 to 40 million people is despicable. And, the water in the city has run out. Soon, the city divides itself into those who have water (which is about ten to fifteen percent of the people) and those who don’t. Eventually, the rich use water as a weapon of political and social control. So, the concept of democracy has now become simpler — you give us votes we will give you water. It is a very simple equation. Because water has been privatised, it goes to areas that offer the best price and not areas that need it the most. It is being used for profit. This kills the whole world as water is the fundamental resource required to sustain life.

5. Currently, the identity of Indian cinema is fluctuating between melodramatic pop cultures to a seemingly bitter taste of Indian reality, with the former getting far more attention. Your thoughts on the same?

Cinema is pop culture. Anybody who denies that will be living on the fringes of cinema. It is the pop art of our century and it will continue to be so. Well, I think internet will take over soon but in the last 60-70 years, cinema has been the most pop or popular culture as it expresses itself in many ways and a large part of this expression is young, restless, dramatic, melodramatic and over dramatic. It largely adapts itself from folk art forms like nautanki. A sense of great stories that are drenched in morality is essentially underlying these art forms. And, that’s the essence of Indian cinema. At times, in a constantly evolving society, we are always looking for change and wanting to experiment with changing values. The transition from old society values to new ones is where we are as a society today; and that is how Indian cinema is behaving at the moment.

6. Do you think cinema instills a sense of hope in mankind or has it opened up new dimensions of escapism today?

Cinema is escapism. All mythology is escapism. In Ramayana, ultimately Ram wins. All story telling has a fundamental ‘moral base’. And, this is how the society understands morality. Henceforth, the elder brother must get the throne and the younger brother is expected to make certain sacrifices. This is a societal moral. The wife must give up and is expected to be an idol of purity. This is a societal embrace of the morality. And, therefore our mythology and cinema have represented that. There are many filmmakers who will try and subvert that to get a larger subtext (like what I did with ‘Bandit Queen’). For instance, there could be people questioning the fact that Sita had to undergo a test of faith. So, there are many ways in which people can explore story telling. In India, cinema is derived from mythology. And, mythology has always been a higher definition of the morals of the society. Well, one could say that cinema accentuates and keeps those moralities alive long after they have any relevance.

7. Do you think there’s more freedom in making experimental  cinema in the west rather than India?

Absolutely. And, that freedom is not defined by the source to make films but by how the finance comes. There is greater finance for experimental cinema in the west. And I am absolutely sure that if that finance was available in India, Indian filmmakers would wake up. But, somehow the financial sector refuses to believe that the audiences are ready. And, till the financial sector believes that they are ready, the creative sector has their hands tied down.

8. Do you think the fear of failure is one of the driving factors of us settling with the illusion of freedom we have today?

Well, I don’t think it is the fear rather the inertia that drives people towards certain behaviour. It is easier to accept and then behave within the realms of acceptance of the lack of freedom. Therefore, inertia settles in. Once this inertia sets in a society, it really needs shaking up. It needs individuals who would come forward to remind you that you are failing. Or, it needs a threat. And, I think that currently in our society what we call corruption is so immense in people’s lives that they see it as a larger threat than the inertia. And, it takes some kind of threat to shake you out of your beliefs. So you see, it is not the threat but rather the inertia that is drawn by the lack of hope. And, the ruling classes recognise the fact that at one point people will lose hope and give up.

9. What aspect of acting intrigues you the most?

I think acting can be very therapeutic. From the moment actors take the idea of being those parts and living that moment, it is an exhilarating experience. And, that’s why it is such an addictive profession. The problem with acting is that it is often associated with narcissism and vanity. And as long as you don’t allow these two elements to take over, it is fine. But, the moment narcissism and vanity take control, the fear of ageing increases at a massive scale.

10. You mentioned once that an ego less state could lead to craziness. Have you ever experienced peace amidst all the chaos?

Craziness is the representation of acting beyond the very structures of the inertia. If you act beyond the prescribed box, then people will call you crazy. So, if your actions do not comply with the traditional norms, then you are defined crazy. Well, I never use the word peace. When you come out and face the beginnings of trying to find a zone, the entire process is quite turbulent. And, the journey towards that zone is the greatest, most traumatic and frightening adventure you can ever have because you are facing your inner demons. And, when that happens, you are not peaceful at all. You are in absolute turmoil. If you want peace, take a pill.