Looking ahead

What ideology are you trying to perpetuate through the film?
Arohan signifies the ascent of the human being above orthodox beliefs and man-made superstitions. According to Hindu philosophy,Moksha is the ultimate attainment for any human being. Presently,millions take a dip at the Ganges at Kumbha Mela in Hardwar hoping to attain salvation. According to Hindu ideology,every human being on the way to his exit from the world believes that dying in Benares is the way to attain salvation. In Arohan,I have assembled a cross-section of people,from different socio-economic strata,who awaiting death,have come to stay in Moksha Bhawan along with their near-and-dear ones. While building up the story,the personal characters and individual traits of the temporary residents have been incorporated.

Are you trying to criticise the average man’s blind faith in astrology and horoscope,etc?
Yes. It is structured into my story. Astrology is an integral part of the lives of majority of Indians. It has tremendous impact on our lives and our mindsets. More than 60 per cent Indians are morally,emotionally and spiritually dependent on astrology and on its attendant elements such as horoscope,numerology,birth signs,and so on. Jewellers are raking in millions by playing on the belief of people on birthstones,gemstones,etc. Astrologers and horoscope makers are making a good living out of these beliefs. Adding grist to the mill of superstition and astrology is the evil of casteism prevalent even among elite and educated families triggered by astrology,horoscope and so on.

What is the story of Arohan?
I am exploring the concept of blind faith in astrology among educated high-born Hindus. The story revolves around an educated Brahmin scholar Suryashekhar (Soumitra Chatterjee) who comes to Mukti Bhawan with his wife Mrinalini (Sandhya Roy) to spend his last days because his horoscope clearly predicts his death at 75. He is estranged from his only son Alok who does not believe in astrology or horoscopes and migrates to USA when he marries Swati who is from a different caste,which is unacceptable to Suryashekhar. By a strange twist of irony,Suryashekhar happens to meet Alok’s son and his only grandson Arijit. Though he is initially not aware of his relationship with the young man,he builds a rapport. Arijit requests his father Alok to come down to Benares to see his dying father along with Swati. Something dramatic happens to make Suryashekhar frame new questions about life,faith,casteism and horoscopes.

But you have interwoven other contemporary themes also,such as homosexuality,haven’t you?
Yes,I have interwoven topical sub-themes that question gay relationships,the constant blaming of a woman for a barren marriage though the fault might lie somewhere else,because they jelled with my basic philosophy about man’s ability to rise above the constraints of long-held beliefs instilled into him by tradition and convention.

Is it true that you wanted to make this film in Hindi first?
Yes,it is true. I had Amitabh Bachchan in mind to play Suryasekhar in the Hindi version. But funds did not permit me to make the film in Hindi so I opted for Bangla. I could not think of anyone other than Soumitra Chatterjee to portray the complex role of Suryasekhar who is the central protagonist of Arohan.

How is your earlier film Ballygunge Court doing in its DVD version?
Ballygunge Court essentially reflected the emotions of the sixty-plus generation. The film harped on the sentiments of the 30-plus viewers also. This resulted in a huge demand for its DVD in India and abroad,which MoserBaer has a tough time coping with.