'None makes films for festival'
Filmmaker Buddhadeb Dasgupta was at the IFFK with his film 'Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa'
When Buddhadeb Dasgupta was Dasgupta was writing the script for Anwar Ka Ajab Kissa (Sniffer), he had no idea it would become a Hindi film. But he could not find anyone in Bengal to essay the role of the hero, Mohammad Anwar, a detective. Buddhadeb had taken a year to create Anwar. He knew it had to be Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The producer wanted someone else. Buddhadeb never compromises on his films. “For me it was Nawaz," he says. He found another producer instead!
A man of strong convictions, Buddhadeb shot the movie in celluloid. “I know digital is the rule of the day."
In his story, Nawaz plays a detective, whose job is to follow others, and one day he decides to follow his own life. “Nawaz is one of the best actors in Bombay today," he says.
His Sniffer was earlier screened at the BFI London Film Festival and now at the IFFK. “No director makes a film for a festival." But the fact is, for many new talents it becomes the only venue to screen their movies. “Many art-house filmmakers can't afford to release their work. There should be small arthouse theatres for this purpose. It is unfortunate that there is no such facility in a state like Kerala, which has contributed so much to Indian cinema."
He feels that the Indian government has to come out strongly to promote and market films. “At the 57th Venice International Film Festival, where director Jafar Panahi and I had won awards, there were people to support him from his country even when they were not fond of him, but no one had come from the Indian embassy."
Before Sniffer, he spent a year making short films based on Tagore's songs and poems. “When the government asked me to make a film on Tagore's work, I felt I could not do justice to it." So, he made 13 short films out of 13 Tagore poems and songs.
“His poems are so contemporary and songs so inspiring, if it weren't there, I don't know what I would have done with my life."
Buddhadeb does not believe in working all the time. “My mother used to tell me to give time for the vessel to fill. My leisure time is very important to me. I realise sometimes there are books I have bought and never read. And then there is music."