Case studies
Back in the 1930s it would have been quite
a taboo thing for the English to mix with the
locals like that.
Not really. It was not an equal relationship,
but at the same time we have in our film
this person Henry Moores, who wanted
equality, who likes his Man Friday and is in
love with Sajani, Nandita Das’ character.
So you have someone and then suddenly all
the other layers are opened, like he is married,
so it’s an affair, and he has to make difficult
choices. Exactly like he has to make difficult
choices, Rahul Bose’s character T.K. Neelan
has to make choices of which culture he
wants to be with. So does Sajani have to make
a choice, as does Laura Moores [Jennifer Ehle]
who also has to make choices. So it is a film
about making choices.
In the end of the film you bring in the Free
India Movement…
Linus Roache, Rahul Bose and Nandita Das in Before the Rains
I liked the idea that Rahul Bose’s character
is someone who, at the end of the film, finds
his voice and can express himself, maybe over the taste of the food, it’s like that. So
not in an angry way, but in an Indian way: everything has a history. I don’t know if
the way we got our freedom in a very polite there are so many non-Bollywood films
but firm way, saying this is not right and coming out that are targeting a particular
this is what I will do. And maybe, at the audience, but I would say that something
end of the film it is almost like a single like that is perceived because of the
voice echoes into millions of voices. It’s like springing up of a lot of multiplexes, which
a metaphor again. makes it easier to make a film for a niche
audience. Our movie theatres are huge—
Indian cinema is really growing at the 2000 people can sit—and there the films,
moment, especially the independent films, especially the Bollywood ones with the
the non-Bollywood films. singing and dancing are very attractive
I don’t know if there are so many non- because if you see it with a crowd, you’ll
Bollywood films, but Bollywood films are enjoy it more than if you see it on DVD.
really going through a big time at the
moment. I’ve been to those and everyone’s laughing
and crying…
But independent Indian cinema seems to be I think it’s good to give it all out and be
Jennifer Ehle in Before the Rains
becoming more popular in the West, passionate about the films.
because people want to see Indian films
without all the singing and dancing. You have people like director Ketan Mehta For the international market, or just for
Actually the Indian narrative style is such who made The Rising: Ballad of Mangal local distribution?
that their films have grown from Shadow Pandey. Do you think there is a market for It’s called Tahaan, which means merciful,
Play—it has got that journey. Shadow those types of historical films? and is a fable kind of a story set in Kashmir,
Plays and that kind of storytelling were I guess so. It depends on how it is perceived. so maybe it will be in Berlin and Rome and
always accompanied by music and dance There is a market, but it is to do with the all these places.
and everything, just like we have with our timing and the stars, so they click together.
prayers. I would say that Bollywood might In that way India is very adventurous because You’re a cinematographer as well as a
be modern but the traditions that it follows you can try anything, and there are people director.
are very old. Not just Bollywood; all Indian who will let you try most of these things. I’ve done a lot of cinematography. One of
narrative style has that, whether it was a the biggest fans of Before the Rains is
theatre, a play or anything, so it is After all, you made Ashoka the Great, American Cinematographer magazine. I feel
something you are very accustomed to as which was a big historical drama with that that is because your influences are
an Indian. It’s almost like saying, “How Shahrukh Khan. different from theirs, so you have a very
can this be Indian food if it’s not spicy?” At Even though it was a big historical film it different way of looking at it. I also believe
the end of the day you realise that in those was made with a small budget and no special that even though I have made films in
places oil and spices were always used as a effects or things like that. In fact, I also do different languages, it’s because I deal with
preservative to extend its life, but today a lot of children’s films. My next film is a a visual language that I think people can
you have refrigerators—but we haven’t got children’s film. relate to them very easily. This film was
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