Small TALK

“I have always been scared of bigger projects. Given my background, I am closer to real, small projects. It’s nice to get entertainment, but we need to concentrate on films that make us think too,” says Jaya Bachchan, who is truly excited that the small film (Vihir The Well) has managed to reach the international Pusan and London film festivals.

Ask her if she felt she was taking a risk producing a small, regional film and she brushes it off with, “What risk? Risk would have been if we had spent lots of money on it. It is a very well thought out project and I feel very strongly about it,” she says.

Even though she was totally involved in the project, she believes in giving a free hand to the directors. She says, “Freedom must be given. After the rushes, I had certain observations which I made. I told my production team, voice these opinions, if they want to incorporate it’s fine, otherwise it’s okay. I have no business interfering…. I come from a school of thinking that the director is the captain of the ship. If I want to interfere, I might as well direct a film….” she says generously.

Writer Umesh Kulkarni reiterates the fact that he and director Girish Kulkarni got a totally free hand. “Jayaji gave us all the freedom. We could stick to what was originally the idea and also glad that she didn’t allow us to retain it in Marathi, because translation would have killed the essence of the film,” he said. He further says, “Regional films have all the possibility of making it worldwide. That’s why Adoor Gopalakrishnan’s and Satyajit Ray’s films found acceptance everywhere.”

Bachchan agrees adding, “If we do not make regional films, we are going to lose out on our culture, all the values and traditions we have been brought up on. Every big production house must make one small film, in whichever capacity. That would help the industry a lot,” she says.