"I'm still a huge film fan"
Dibakar Banerjee talks about his next project Byomkesh Bakshi and his life at the
How is Byomkesh Bakshi shaping up?
The film is at its editing stage right now.
Sushant Singh Rajput said that he's learnt more on Byomkesh Bakshi than he did in his three years of acting school or his last three films...
He's just being too kind. You'll see a different Sushant Singh Rajput in this film. He belongs to the current generation but we've tried to make him blend into the personality of a person who lived during the 1940s era. India has changed a lot since then.
What was the most challenging part in the film?
The most challenging part was that a detective is a very cold person. He talks only about facts and not emotions. And my film is very emotional.
Is it true that Rani Mukerji was supposed to play a part in Byomkesh Bakshi?
Yes, I was thinking about Rani but not for some small part but a proper role. She was very busy at that point of time. I met her recently and we clicked. Now we're like good friends.
How'd you describe your journey at the movies?
Whenever I see something fascinating, I want to be the person who has made it happen. For instance, if you show me a good car, I'd like to be the person who has designed the car. Similarly, at an early age when films influenced me, I wanted to be that person to make movies and influence people.
Name a few filmmakers who've inspired you...
Among the Indian filmmakers I was influenced by Satyajit Ray, Shekhar Kapur, Pradip Krishen, Ketan Mehta and Shyam Benegal. From the west, my favourites would be Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese and many more. I can watch their films again and again.
Would you still call yourself a film fan or has the filmmaker taken over?
I'm still a huge film fan. That's the only thing that keeps me driven to make better films. Also, being a film fan you realize how unfinished a craftsman you are. When you see other people's superior work, it just pushes you to work harder.
Do you still attend film festivals across the world?
For me, the joy of anonymity, watching a film and enjoying it with the crowd is gone for me now, at least in India. (Laughs) A film festival is the place where I'm recognized by people.
Why do you keep yourself away from the media?
It's a conscious decision. It's good to stay a bit away from the media. Your mind will then have space to process your thoughts. If I interact too much with the media, there'll be a thousand bytes clogging my head. I need to be left alone to think clearly.
Who keeps you company in your loneliness?
Films that have influenced me, books and poems keep me good company. There was a dialogue in Shanghai, "Marne se dar lagta hai, jeena haraam hai." It was a good moment in the film but these two words are taken from a 20th Negro writer-singer from America, who'd mentioned in one of his writings, "I'm tired of living and scared of dying." His lines found their way to my movie. His songs gave me company then.
You read a lot, right?
I keep reading books. Usually, I read 3-4 books at one time. I'm currently reading Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood. I'm also reading Pakistani writer Tariq Ali's Street Fighting Years.
(Filmfare)
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