Scary time for artists and writers, says Nandita Das
Actor-filmmaker Nandita Das has described the current situation in India in terms of filmmaking and in art in general as a “scary time for artists and writers”. She feels that things that could have been done in films and art earlier cannot be done now.
“I don’t know if I could do a Firaaq (2008) or act in a film like Fire (1996) today and if at all, these films would be made now. There was an episode on Padmavati in Bharat Ek Khoj that Shyam Benegal did many years ago. Things that we could do then... and we had our ways to agree or disagree are not same now,” said Das.
The actor, who is working on her ambitious project, a biopic on Manto, said, “It is a scary time for artists and writers, but it is also a time for us to be more responsible and at least self censor ourselves before something happens. Unfortunately, the atmosphere is such that a lot of things are happening out of certain sense of fear.”
Das rued that some sections of the society are still resorting to violence even after social media have increased the scope for dissent and freedom of expression. “We do not have to like every film. Now there are more platforms for voicing one’s dissent. The social media have democratised the whole thing. So all of us can now find some way to do it and despite that, we are resorting to such violence. Even if it’s a handful, the fact is that the handful seems to grow,” she said.
Talking about Manto, the film based on the life of writer Saadat Hasan Manto during the time of partition (1946-50), Das said, “When I decided to tell the story of Manto, I didn’t think whether it would be cinematic or not. I was driven by the content. I was driven by what I wanted to say.”
I don’t know if I could do a Firaaq or act in a film like Fire today, and if at all these films would be made now NANDITA DAS ACTOR