Kathmandu

Film is an art form. However, the art form has been changing. Thousands of films are made every year in India in multiple languages. “This is why it is the most difficult thing for me to talk about Indian cinema and cinema-making in general,” shared eminent Indian Film Director, Script Writer, Producer Adoor Gopala Krishnan during the 28th edition of Voices at Nepal Bharat Library on November 20.

Winner of 16 National Film Awards, 17 Kerala State Film Awards, British Film Institute Award, Padma Shri, Padma Vibhushan and Dadasaheb Phalke Award along with several international awards, Gopalakrishnan was here in the Capital sharing his experiences of cinema making, the plight of directors with suggestions on how to attract audience for one’s movies.

Describing his journey in Indian cinema he narrated how the Pune Film Institute has enriched his screen writing and direction technique. Gopalakrishnan was working in theatre during 1960’s and as the film institute was inviting applications for several courses about filmmaking he applied and was selected. “I applied there as I thought that it will help me study more about theatre. Slowly and gradually I started discovering films,” he revealed.

Gopalakrishnan credited the film institutions then for today’s scenario of movies in India. “These film institutions produced eminent students,” he added.

Movie making was difficult then. There were challenges and risks too. “Directors in Sixties were regarded as gods and the actors never got to see their directors then,” he added.

If someone is interested in film-making, has a script and a handful of money, then anyone can wear a director’s hat these days. But being a director then was difficult. “If one had links, then it would work and in some cases one had to become tenth or the eleventh assistant of the film-maker and only then would he become a director,” he added.

Being a director wasn’t the last achievement. Survival of the director was more difficult if the film flopped. “By chance if a film succeeded, then everyone acknowledged the director, but if the film flopped, then life was too miserable. Second chance wasn’t given to any of the directors. And once the directors are into films, they never think about switching to other fields. It’s a curse for directors. The directors expect big chances which never come. The plight of the directors is similar these days too,” he shared. That is why Gopalakrishnan suggested youngsters interested in film-making to pursue their career in other subjects rather than looking for chances to come in the future. “Cinema isn’t a cosy picture,” he added.

A good script will attract audience to theatres. Yet there are people who don’t have any idea about script writing. Satirising such directors Gopalakrishnan shared, “How can people shoot a movie when there is no idea?”

But the film industry also scorns those genuine ones working for the films. Films have been commercialised. Survival is the problem in today’s cinematic world and so was then. Talking about his success Gopalakrishnan shared, “There was audience outside India and giving subtitles in native languages for the foreign audience made survival possible for me.

However, it isn’t easy to make an impression on foreign audience as we have different food, life and culture from them.”

Answering queries on how an art film survives when commercial movies are flooding the market Gopalakrishnan replied, “Audiences are always there. My films are neither art films nor commercial ones, but they are films and there is always an audience for my films.”

Giving suggestion to aspiring directors, he told them to have the right aptitude and make a choice of his/her own. Concluding what cinema is, he expressed that cinema is both a beacon of hope and despair.