Paresh Mokashi, Harishchandrachi Factory, India’s entry to the Oscars

How does it feel to make a debut film on your own terms and be in the running for the Oscars?
Good. Just getting selected is bigger than the Oscars – we all know how tough it is to compete with 15 other solid languages in one country. They all produce good cinema. I’m pleasantly surprised. But ultimately it’s a competition. Let’s not get too involved in it emotionally.

Your film has tapped into a non-Maharashtrian audience. Do you see that as a major triumph for Marathi cinema?
Any good cinema goes beyond language. Many Marathi films in the past have done that. Many will do that. I’m simply happy I achieved it.

How do you describe your film-making style?
Calm.

What’s your take on the original Harishchandra film and on Phalke?
Phalke’s ideas and innovations strike us. Do you remember the pea plant clip he made? What an idea! Perhaps the only one who has shown the power of films at its fullest. Unfortunately only 40 per cent of Raja Harishchandra remains. Still it shows the unique skills of a first time film-maker.

How do you plan to get the Oscar buzz going?
Doing my homework right now. With many friends and guides by our side, we will come up with our plan soon.

Best compliment you’ve got?
Non-Marathi persons saying, ‘please dub the film in our language.’

Laxmikant Shetgoankar, The Man Beyond The Bridge, Toronto Film Festival award-winner

Your film chronicles the relationship between a mad woman and a lonely forest officer. What prompted such a unique theme?
A man meets an insane woman, develops a relationship with her and struggles to incorporate her into mainstream society – the entire act is heroic, especially in rural India where misconceptions about insanity are so strong. One man defies the rules. I thought the story needed to be told. The film is about loneliness, about insanity and how it is connected to our social upbringing.

What is of central importance to you as a film-maker?
A film should be honest and transparent. I strongly believe it’s a medium of transformation. The transformation may not come as fast as a pizza. Often it takes months and years.

Is concern for the environment a strong theme in the film?
The Man Beyond the Bridge is like a Haiku, very simple. It’s primarily the story of love between a man and an insane woman but it opens up a world of perspectives. More than the storytelling, I strive to bring forth the deeper realities that make up the story.

Which film-makers have influenced you?
Many. Abbas Kiarostami, Jiri Menzel and Satyajit Ray among others.

How’s life looking post the triumph at Toronto Film Festival?
A prize at Toronto is a moral boost. It’s an honour that an international panel of critics has recognised an Indian film.

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