Sudhir Mishra: Emmy nod gives quality certificate to projects
Serious Men will now be noticed by a wider audience, for me that’s really important. SUDHIR MISHRA, Filmmaker
Fsugandha.rawal@hindustantimes.com ilmmaker Sudhir Mishra’s Serious Men has pushed actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui in the race to win Best Actor trophy at this year’s International Emmy Awards. The veteran director feels the global recognition comes with a stamp of approval for the quality of the project.
“The web film will now be noticed by a wider audience, for me that’s really important, that the film crosses cultural boundaries and is seen around the world. Emmy will give it that recognition, a kind of certificate, of quality as they say. I think it is wonderful, and I’m so happy for Nawaz,” says Mishra adding, “I think a lot of the audience will be drawn to it. The world sees my country through my eyes or from the eyes of my contemporary filmmakers. Same as we see the world through the eyes of other filmmakers from around the world”.
For the prestigious International award, now Siddiqui will be competing with David Tennant (Des), Roy Nik (Normali) and Christian Tappan (The Great Heist). The nomination itself is a moment of pride for the whole team, feels Mishra. “It is also a recognition for the film, showing that we all are making films of a certain international standard. It’s a kind of recognition of Indian cinema,” asserts the Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi (2003) maker.
He is elated that his vision — which is different from how the West often portrays the country — could reach to a wider audience. “You could have an obvious kind of depiction of Indian social reality, for example, the one that’s there in Slumdog Millionaire (2008). But the oppressed are not always lamenting their fate,” says the director, who feels it’s time to shift the narrative and bring forward and outline diverse shades of the country through the creative power of celluloid.
“I think it is more important for the West to see India as it is and in its various shades, otherwise there is this very patronisingly sympathetic view which is very irritating. I think they need to see India through our eyes, and I think that’s what the film achieved to some extent,” Mishra concludes.