It's the human conflict which interests me: Girish Kasaravalli

It's the human conflict which makes him put on his thinking cap and explore nuances of the human mind, says acclaimed Kannada film maker Girish Kasaravalli.

"It is the human conflict, different ways in which human beings react to situations, which really interests me, makes me pen my thoughts and share it in the form of a film", says the director, looking every bit an intellectual, with his salt and pepper hair and trademark khadi kurta.

The 60-year-old Kasaravalli's lips crinkle into a smile when you compliment him on his trim physique and he chuckles "That is because I have a young mind, which is always very active, very in sync with today's world."

The internationally acclaimed director, who has won four 'Golden Lotus', six national awards and 11 state awards, was honoured with the South Asian Cinema Foundation's Excellence in Cinema Crystal Globe Award 2009, presented by  India's High Commissioner to the UK Nalin Surie at the Nehru Centre in London recently. He had also bagged the national award for his film "Gulabi Talkies", which he says is a "confluence of many elements".

A popular midwife who tackles complex delivery cases with the ease of a veteran, Gulabi is a film buff who can forego food but not movies.  "Movies are her life that make her transcend into a dream world, making her forget her sorrows," says Kasaravalli.

Deserted by her husband, who lives with his mistress, Gulabi who lives a lonely life, suddenly becomes the "centre of attraction" of the small fishing hamlet when she is gifted a colour television as a token of gratitude for her services.

All ladies, young and old accompanied by their children start congregating in her house to watch movies. "The ladies share their joys and sorrows in Gulabi's house while watching films. The television becomes the integrating factor, binding them together", he says.

As time goes by, the chauvinistic men of the village cannot tolerate their women going to Gulabi's house and start objecting to it. Things take a different turn when Gulabi's husband staying nearby goes missing, coinciding with her close friend, who is also absconding. The same villagers who used to sing paeans about Gulabi's midwifery skills start spinning a story about her husband eloping with her friend, which turns out to be false with the friend's body being found near the shores.

The villagers hold Gulabi responsible for the tragedy and insist she leave the village where she spent her entire life. "Gulabi's household being the only Muslim household in the entire village, things take on caste connotations. The caste overrides the humanness", says Kasaravalli. 

Though pained by the turn of events, Gulabi stands her ground and refuses to leave. But "ulitimately she becomes a victim of the situation and she is bundled off in a boat along with her belongings", says Kasaravalli.

"The last scene when a little boy who is very fond of Gulabi beckons her to come back and she waves back, shouting she will continue to live her life till women give birth reflects her positive attitude, her sheer inner strength", he says.

"I've known Umashri who played the role of Gulabi as a stage actress. She is not only a gifted actress but also a lively person who has a lot of positive energy in her, despite the trials and tribulations she has gone through. There is a child-like quality about her,which is very endearing and which was very essential for the role of Gulabi", said Kasaravalli.

For Umashri, who bagged the "Best Actress Award" for the film, the recognition is "special". "I did not act in this film hoping for an award. A call from Girish sir was enough for me to accept the offer. This is my first film with him. This award means a lot to me as I had to unlearn many things and just submit to Girish sir's directions".

"I've been chosen for his next film 'Kanasemba Kudureya Benneri' which is going to be shot in Bijapur", she said. One of the pioneers of parallel cinema in Kannada, Kasaravalli says it is hard work raising funds for the kind of films he makes. "We neither have an alternative distribution system like Europe nor theatres that screen art house cinema".