Sanjai on the treatment of small films

Actor Sanjai Mishra has always made it a point to balance both art house and commercial cinema. His recent movie, Kadwi Hava, (about climate change and how it affects the poor state of farmers ) recently did the rounds at many international film festivals.

Ask Sanjai if getting screened at these festivals helps small films, and he explains, “When I was small, in Bihar, my hometown, there used to be one thing called alsi (flaxseed). Whenever we used to come home from school, we would be given that to eat it with different types of rice... However, whenever any guests used to come home, they would be served basmati and not alsi.”

He goes on, “Today, we are being reminded of that alsi by the people from outside, who are selling it as flaxseeds. Similarly, one day will come when they will tell us that you have such good subjects, why were you searching for it all around? We always get to know the truth about us through others.”

He reveals that Kadvi Hawa, though recognised internationally, wasn’t given fair treatment back home. Troubled by the fact that such small films don’t even get adequate screens, Sanjai further says, “I am a big fan of independent producers. People come into films to become actors, but these few people want to produce films, and that too not the ones which will fetch them ₹200 crores. Let them, at least, earn ₹4-5 crore so that they can make one more such film.”

He adds, “We should keep Salman (Khan) and their films (both) on the same level. [Like in Mumbai], Marathi films ko screen milegi hi milegi.”

People come into films to become actors, but these few people [independent film producers] want to produce films, and that too not the ones that will fetch them ₹200 crores. SANJAI MISHRA ACTOR

PHOTO: SARANG GUPTA/HT Sanjai Mishra is troubled by the fact that small films don’t get adequate screens in India