16 minutes agoAuthor: Ashish Tiwari
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Director Sujit Sarkar makes such films which definitely have some message. After ‘Piku’, Sujit Sarkar has once again brought a heart-touching story of a father-daughter in the film ‘I Want to Talk’. This film starring Abhishek Bachchan has been released in theatres.
Recently Sujit Sarkar had a special conversation with Dainik Bhaskar. During this, he said that if films like ‘I Want to Talk’ do not get support, then directors like us will not get courage.
Read some special excerpts from the conversation..
Question- Tell us something about ‘I Want to Talk’?
answer- This is a film that reminds us of the father-daughter relationship. When I started working on the film, I was reminded of my relationship with my daughter. When Abhishek Bachchan was told the story, he remembered his relationship with Aaradhya. We all have daughters, somewhere this story connects us all. Although I have made ‘Piku’ on the relationship between father and daughter, this film is quite different from that.
Question- How special is this film for you?
answer- This is a very special film for me. People say that good films are not made in Bollywood. I have brought a film which I want the audience to support. If the audience does not support such films then directors like us will not have the courage to make such films.
Question- If we talk about your first film ‘Yahan’ to ‘I Want to Talk’, then the city also looks like a character?
answer- I see every city from my own perspective. If I talk about Delhi itself, I have presented Delhi in 3-4 ways in my films. Delhi looked colorful in ‘Vicky Donor’. A different color of Bengali colony was seen in ‘Piku’. Dark Delhi introduced in ‘Pink’. Winter Delhi was seen in ‘October’. I have lived in Delhi for 17 years. I have seen its different colors. The city will also be seen as a character in ‘I Want to Talk’.
Question- What has been the most challenging thing about your career?
answer-The biggest challenge has been to make the film on one’s own terms. I try not to compromise in any way. I believe that if you present something with conviction then why wouldn’t people like it? When a spiritual guru says something with conviction, we believe it.
Question- When were you introduced to cinema?
answer- Satyajit Ray’s films have had a deep impact on me. In my childhood, I watched many films of Satyajit Ray with my father, but I did not have much understanding of cinema at that time. At the age of 22, I cried a lot when I saw his film ‘Pather Panchali’. After that I watched many films of Satyajit Ray. From there I was introduced to cinema, which was a different world for me.
I read Premchand a lot in my childhood, but I did not understand anything. When I started reading Premchand again after watching Satyajit Ray’s films, I became emotional. Then read Dharamveer’s play ‘Andha Yug’. Suddenly my life changed, but till then I had not thought of becoming a film maker. Yes, I was definitely inclined towards theatre.
Question- Then you were working as an accountant in ‘Le Meridien’ hotel in Delhi. When you told your parents that you left your job because of theatre, what were their reactions?
answer- It is 1992. At that time, getting a job in a five star hotel was a big deal. I did not tell this to my parents immediately, otherwise they would have been shocked. He kept giving money at home by doing some work or the other. One day my mother became suspicious and told her. Told my father after a few days. They became worried, they did not know what theater was?
Question: Did you also act in theatre?
answer- Never acted in theatre. I used to do it backstage only. Used to assist NK Sharma. I have learned many things from him like acting technique, how to rehearse on stage, etc. I assisted in Deepak Roy’s documentary film.
During that time I met Siddharth Basu. At that time he used to be a great quiz master. Used to do a lot of shows. I was in online direction in them. He served me the notice and introduced me to Pradeep Sarkar. For the first time, it was Siddharth Basu who brought me to Mumbai and gave me a chance to join KBC. Was in online direction in the first 10 episodes of KBC.
Question- How was your experience of meeting Amitabh Bachchan for the first time?
answer – I had never thought that I would meet Amitabh Bachchan. Bachchan Saheb had come to Kolkata during the shooting of the film ‘Yarana’. I was very young then. At that time the whole of Kolkata was dancing. I used to watch him on TV and read about him in newspapers.
I had never imagined that one day I would do KBC and Bachchan Saheb would be in front of me. I consider doing films like ‘Pink’, ‘Piku’ and ‘Gulabo Sitabo’ with Bachchan sahab as a big achievement in my career. I have learned a lot from working with him. Even today they consider work first.
Question- You have been very close to the world of wild life, tell us something about your childhood?
answer– I grew up at Hashimara Air Force Station in North Bengal. This place is amidst forests. Here I grew up among elephants. Elephants were my friends. I was four years old at that time. As soon as a baby elephant was born, it was brought there for training. We used to play with them. Every Saturday-Sunday, father used to take me for a ride in the forest on an elephant. Even now, whenever I go, I sit with the elephants.
Question- You are also a dog lover, do you think you like animals more than humans?
answer- It is true that animals are very dear to me. I have seen the cleverness of man. That’s why I make such films which have some message. I think that through cinema, we should take people to a place where the audience is not narrow minded.