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Interview | ![]() |
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Such a long journey |
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Even after three decades in the movie business, Sooni Taraporevala has lost none of the initial josh, discovers Aditi Sharma. Scriptwriter and photographer Sooni Taraporevalas friendship with Mira Nair, her classmate, co-worker, friend and sister, has lasted almost 30 years. Taraporevalas adaptation of Pulitzer-winner Jhumpa Lahiris second book The Namesake, which has been filmed by Nair, is ready for a 2006 release. She is currently working on Hari Kunzrus The Impressionist, also for Nair. On the side, she is silently putting together the script for her own movie, to be directed by her. She is not too keen to divulge details about the project yet, but sitting in her office in Grant Road, with crayon drawings and family portraits adorning the walls, she shares with us the places visited and territories yet uncharted. So youre finally
ready to make your own movie. Explain your transition
from a photographer to scriptwriter, and now a filmmaker. Tell us about your interactions
with the authors whose books you have adapted for film scripts. What was the experience
of working on the film Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar, which you co-wrote with
Arun Sadhu and Daya Pawar? Also, we did not fictionalise the script at all, which was a tough call. How do you make a dramatic feature without using fiction? But I am very happy having done the film. I wish that it would have had a wider release. Its very frustrating to work on something for nine years and then have very few people see it. Do you see yourself as
part of Bollywood? Do you think there is
very little emphasis on socially relevant cinema in India? Anand Patwardhan wins all the national awards, but has to go to court to show his documentaries. Its absurd! Such films are more relevant than fantasylands of American campuses and people playing basketball. Its about time people stood up and said we don't need the censor board or the act. We need to get the rating system in place, like in America. What are the moments
you can recall from your first venture with Nair Salaam Bombay? Your friendship with
Nair has lasted more than 30 years. What is the secret? What happened to your
company, International Behnji Brigade, that was to make glocal
films? Tell us about your book
Parsis A Photographic Journey. The book has turned you
into a mouthpiece for the Parsis in the city. Youre essentially
a Mumbaikar. If youre ever to make a film on the city, what would
it be? Have your children Jahan
and Iyanah taken to photography? Where are you headed?
What else is in the offing apart from the film youll direct? |
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Mumbai Mirror | December 11, 2005 |
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