Morality has nothing to do with Fire-bashing: Deepa

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10: It feels like the inquisition of the medieval times, with Bal Thakeray in the vanguard. Isn't it quite juvenile and...

CHANDIGARH, Jan 10: 8220;It feels like the inquisition of the medieval times, with Bal Thakeray in the vanguard. Isn8217;t it quite juvenile and naive to think that one film can corrupt the minds of Indians and sully the Indian culture? Are we that susceptible? Where was the Shiv Sena when women were auctioned in Andhra Pradesh?8221; Giving vent to her anger and frustration is none other than Deepa Mehta whose brilliant film Fire8217; has generated a lot of heat recently. That is exactly what makes this genius of a film-maker sad. 8220;From the maker of a critically acclaimed film I have become a controversial film-maker8221;.

It was a much-needed getaway for her at her childhood friend8217;s house in Chandigarh where she is writing the script of the last film of her trilogy 8211; Water8217;, shooting for which will start in October. Speaking to this reporter, Deepa was visibly moved by the sudden turn of events in her life. 8220;I went through anger, despair and all those feelings that fringe on life and death. I reacted as a film-maker for this was a film I loved making every bit of. We did not have money to complete the film and in my desperation, I sold the rights to a Delhi businessman who invested Rs 20 lakhs with which we could complete it. The crew including me did not take any money8221;.

When it was pointed out to her that the film that replaced Fire8217; in both Chandigarh and Delhi theatres was an adult movie with explicit scenes on the posters which had attracted quite a number of young men in school uniforms, she had a hearty laugh. 8220;Is this whole ruckus about morality? No, it is political. They are just stirring up the morality theory to gain political mileage. My film does not exploit women, or their bodies as it is said to be.

Deepa narrated the talk she had with Bhagwan Goel, the Delhi unit Shiv Sena head whose name no one had heard before. He had not seen the film but his wife8217;s friend had and did not like it. 8220;So do you people watch the late night films?8221; Deepa retorted. To which Goel said: 8220;Yes, but that is within the four walls of our house, not outside.8221; And that is exactly what the film has tried to rip apart, the 8220;incredible hypocrisy8221; that dictates norms for others8217; lives.

Deepa was in her elements8217; while criticising her critics. 8220;I wonder what they would have done to Raj Kapoor if he had made Ram Teri Ganga Maili8217; now? He would have been pulverised and even put behind bars. One, it is about Ram and then it is telling us that our sacred river has become maila8217;.8221; Then she bursts into her full-throated laughter. 8220;The root cause of the problem is unemployment. Let each Shiv Sainik be given a job, like cleaning the garbage and educate the illiterate8221;. There was criticism among some viewers here that Deepa let the bond between the two women happen so suddenly that it looked as if Neeta, the younger Bahu8217;, had the lesbian trait in her character.

8220;Neeta is shown as a spontaneous girl, who likes to question where angels fear to tread. Hers is the voice of modern India. That trait is there in many of us. Look, Fire8217; is not a thesis or a documentary on lesbianism or on Indian marriages. It is a film on choices and freedom of the spirit within. Why don8217;t you take a film like a film? Moreover it is not a feminist film, but a humanist film which also tries to show that a woman can become really powerful in a joint family only when she becomes a mother-in-law8221;.

Now what is the real story behind Earth8217; being held back at the International Film Festival of India that is under way at Hyderabad? The IFFI directorate says Deepa did not submit the tape on time. But Deepa refutes this.8220;No,no. I wanted Earth8217; to be the opening film. Malti Sahay, IFFI director had promised me this after seeing it. But a few days earlier, I got a letter that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had refused as the film depicted the riots and had too much violence. They offered to put it in World Cinema but I refused. I think they wanted to punish me.8221; Anyway, India8217;s loss is Belgium8217;s gain for Earth8217; will be the opening film at the Brussels International Film Festival on Jan 22.